A/N: This is twice as long as all the other chapters, and reveals a bit more to the story line. Enjoy!

Chapter Six:

A Past Potions Accident & Potter Meets Potter

The weekend passed quickly, and Nathan had his first ever class with Severus in Potions on Monday morning (A/N: Monday's suck balls, just thought you should know). He waited in the dark, dungeon classroom, bouncing on his seat excitedly. It was going to be a Slytherin and Gryffindor mix, just as it had been many years ago. He rubbed his hands, desperately trying to warm them up from the chill of the dungeons. Five more minutes, and the students would be arriving. Patience is a virtue, Nathan my son. . . learn it, and use it! The words of his mother echoed through his head.

Oh, mother. You were always so wise. Why couldn't you have told me about my heritage before you changed? All those things you taught me, the weapons, and the inventions you had shown me. . . am I to pass it on to the Apprentice that I am searching for? A warm buzz acknowledged his ponderings. I see. . . I hear the students approaching. We shall continue this later.

The door was pushed open, and students began to file in after their disgruntled professor, who swooped to his desk Nathaniel was seated beside. The students looked at curiously at Nathan, and he smiled and waved at them. Nathan chuckled, as he could practically feel the glare that Severus directed at the class of frightened first years, especially one particular Gryffindor, who was shaking visibly, and slightly pale. That would be Neville Longbottom. Cauldron melter, extraordinaire. I have a suspicious feeling that I should keep a close watch on him today. The potion that Severus is having them brew today may not be volatile, but as Severus describes him, I wouldn't be surprised. . .

"As I am sure you have noticed, I have requested an aide to assist those of you who seem to be completely incapable of brewing a simple potion. I leave him to introduce his own self, for I have more important work to attend to." He turned to his desk to prepare the lessons for that class.

Nathan covered up his laughter with his hand, but his chuckles were heard by everyone, including Severus. Nathan noticed Severus' left eye twitch, ever so slightly. He could tell then that he was smiling, though his face appeared as a sneer.

"Heh, well, as Professor Snape said with his ever so kind words, I am to be your teaching aide. Some of you may know me already as the suicidal maniac who had the stupid idea of port-keying into the Great Hall. I tell you all now to never EVER do something like that. Leave it to the crazy adults, namely, me! Nathaniel Fireheart Potter, at your service."

"POTTER? That's some kind of sick joke, right? You can't be a Potter, they're all supposed to be dead!" a blond Slytherin shouted in the back.

"Ah, but I am, and as you can surely see, I am not dead, but very much alive. Let me guess . . . Malfoy? Hmm? Well, spawn of Lucy-" Severus coughed, which sounded suspiciously like laughter, "-why would I joke?"

"How dare you insult my father! He'll have you arrested for that-"

"I can assure you that I meant no disrespect. Lucius Malfoy and I used to be friendly acquaintances. But, he called me far worse, I can say that much- oh, and Harry Potter? I get the feeling you are bursting with questions, so I will talk to you after class. And also, I encourage everyone to call me Nathan, for Mister Potter makes me feel old and senile. Now, I hand things back over to Professor Snape."

The class continued on, without too much trouble. Nathan almost patted himself on the back for a job well done, as he had helped a great many of the students with their potions, until he heard a high pitched whistling sound. His head whipped in the direction of Neville. As he suspected the cauldron was shaking and spitting out billows of smoke.

"Everyone get down!" he shouted, as he rushed over to the explosive cauldron, now clear of any students.

"Nathan, what are you doing?!" Severus shouted, but Nathan did not hear him, as he was concentrating on something else.

Always protecting, and never thinking, child of mine.

Cold rushed through his body, as his skin transformed rapidly into a sleek, silver-coloured substance. He quickly covered the cauldron with his body, then mere seconds later, it exploded. Smoke poured out, hiding Nathan's body from view.

The students were hysterical, thinking that the nice man that they just met was dead. Nathan, however, was far from it. He could feel his stomach tingling from the heat of the explosion, and a slight trace of a headache in his near future approaching. The smoke cleared with a quick spell from Severus. Nathan coughed.

"Oh, that was right nasty, that was. You should consider getting some more help in Potions, dear Neville. Judging by the force of that, it could have taken out this whole room. What?" Nathan stopped, looking at the tear-filled eyes, and the very pissed off Potions Professor. " Why, you all look as though someone died! Though, except for you Professor. You look as though you'd be the one that was killing said person."

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-your s-s-skin. . . ."

Nathan turned to Neville, who was sporting a sickly green look. "Ah, that. That would be from a Potions accident about six, maybe seven years back? Turned my skin into the hardest metal in the world. Quite useful, it is, makes me impervious to damage as long as I concentrate."

He raised his arms and turned around, "See? Perfectly fine, though I can't say the same for my clothes."

The whole front of his shirt was melted off, revealing a trim, silver abodomen underneath.

"Class dismissed. Idiot, you are coming with me to the Hospital Wing." Severus spoke in a low, dangerous voice bringing shivers to the entire class's spine.

Severus stalked over, and Nathan immediately froze up, for Severus Snape is a frightening man when angry. He did not struggle when the disgruntled man grabbed his wrist and soundly dragged him out of the classroom. His cane slipped between his grasp, and Nathan saw Harry pick it up and look over at him. Nathan motioned him to follow with a wave of his hand and the boy ran to catch up. Fortunately, Severus either didn't notice the boy's presence, or didn't mind.

Nathan realized that it was extremely hard to fake a limp when you are being dragged by an angry Potions Master. Harry kept on sending him worried, and curious looks. The questions in his eyes were left unspoken. Nathan took the time to finally get a good look at the son of James Potter and Lily Evans. He did look a lot like his father, true, but he could see so much more of Lily in him. The most distinct part of her in him was the brilliant, emerald-green eyes that held so much warmth. He frowned slightly when he saw a darkness in the small boy's eyes, as he seen once before in another's. Something had happened to him in his childhood, and it wasn't good. Nathan silently vowed to himself to find out exactly what that was.

"Severus. . ."

In his anger, Severus did not respond to being called. Nathan sighed in frustration, and continued to let himself be dragged all the way to the Hospital Wing. He muttered a cleaning spell to get rid of any residue of the potion that was left on his abdomen. He smiled reassuringly at Harry.

"Are you coherent enough to talk?" Nathan asked with a smile.

"Yes sir. Are you sure you're alright?" Harry asked.

"I'm as fit as a fiddle, though I have to day, Professor Snape has quite the grip." Nathan frowned, concentrating on his skin changing back. His skin prickled, and it was back to normal.

"So. . . are you really? You know. . ." the unsaid, and obvious, question made him shy. Or was it scared?

"Yes Harry. I am your father's brother, or half brother I should say. I'm your uncle." Nathan said with a smile.

Harry's smile lit up his face, but then it turned angry, "Why didn't you ever come for me?"

Nathan sighed, "I am truly sorry Harry. You know of the war ten years ago, correct?" Harry nodded. " I was a training to become an Auror, when everything set in motion. On October the twenty-first, I began to have dreams, or visions if you will. They showed me of a future that was meant to come. They showed me your parents dying. It showed me that they would come after me next, and that I was to flee to overseas, for I was to live. I will tell you more later tonight, if you are willing to listen."

"You knew my parents were going to die, and you didn't tell them? You didn't warn them?" the young boy's eyes flashed with anger.

"I did warn them Harry, and that is why you survived. Though I didn't know the date of their death, it gave them time to prepare, and your mother time to research the proper blood protections that saved your life, apparently. They didn't tell me they had you, I never even knew you existed until just a few days ago after I woke up from my little coma. If I did- let's just say I wouldn't have been gone for ten years."

There was a long silence after that. They finally reached the Hospital Wing and Severus pushed Nathan onto a bed and went to fetch Poppy. Nathan lay back on the bed and sighed. Severus was too overprotective for his own good. It was clear that he was fine, but it made Nathans heart warm at the fact that Severus cared so much about his well being.

Harry sat down in a chair by the bed. They exchanged some small talk until Poppy came over with a slightly more calm Severus.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time Nathaniel? You've only been out of the Hospital Wing for what, three days?" Poppy tutted, glaring at Nathan.

"I didn't do anything! Honest!"

After twenty minutes of being poked and prodded at, Poppy had let Nathan go on the condition that he quit being so damn reckless. Nathan crossed his fingers, but Poppy didn't need know that. Harry had been sent to his next class, along with a note and directions from Nathan that would excuse him for being out late at night to visit his chambers. Nathan and Severus went back to the classroom to clean up the room for the next class of the day. There wasn't a lot to clean up and they finished it in no time at all. They both decided to get a head start on marking the essays from the fifth and sixth years.

"So Potter knows now. . ."

Nathan looked up from the essay he had been marking, "Yes, he knows. Severus, you remember what I told you about me having to find people to fulfill a part of the vision?"

"Yes, I remember. Does it have something to do with the boy?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. He is the apprentice. And it involves you as well. . . but don't ask how, because I'm not sure myself."

The next class of fourth years came in and the vision was pushed to the back of their minds to mull over later.

Harry was excited. He had an uncle, a real uncle. One that would care, he just knew it. He was making his way down to the dungeons where Nathans chamber would be, with a thousand questions buzzing about on his mind. What was his father like? His mother? Did they love him? Were he and his parents good friends? What did they do for a living? Those were a few of the many questions, but their was one very important one he wished to ask.

Why was Nathaniel apparently friends with Professor Snape and Malfoy's dad?

He jumped out of his thoughts when he found himself standing outside of Nathan's chambers. He could hear voices inside as he knocked on the door. The voices stopped, and he heard footsteps, along with the loud tapping of a cane. The door opened slowly to reveal Nathan dressed in pajama bottoms and a baggy shirt, and also looking very tired.

"Ah, Harry. Do come in, I was just finishing up a discussion with Professor Snape, so I won't be long in getting to your questions." Nathan stepped aside to let Harry into the room, "You can wait here in the den."

Nathan led Harry into a small, but cozy room that was lit from the light of the fireplace. Harry sat down in a leather recliner and began to fidget and play with the hem of his sweater. The voices in the other room started up again, but no matter how hard he listened, none of the words being exchanged made any sense. He sighed, and gazed into the fire, the hypnotic dance of the flames calmed him down, letting him think more clearly. He didn't hear Snape leaving the room, or even notice Nathan come into the den to sit next to him.

"Uh, Harry?"

The young wizard jumped at the sound of Nathan's voice. He grabbed at his heart as if to tame its frantic beating.

"You scared me!"

Nathan laughed, "Sorry, you were kinda spaced out. What would you like to know? I'll answer anything you ask, for you have the right to know."

Harry nodded, a little astounded that the man just gave him the freedom to ask him anything he wanted to, "Were you and my father friends? What about my mother?"

"Much as I hate to admit it, your father and I were not on very good terms. For one, I was a Slytherin, and he was a Gryffindor. Secondly, I was, and still am, friends with Severus Snape. That made us enemies right from the start. House prejudices. Your mother, however, was the kindest, most beautiful women I have ever met. She was mine and Severus' friend. She was kind to us both when all others shunned us." Nathan said, a faraway look in his eyes.

"Why were you shunned?"

"Because, we were friends with Lily, and I am a half-blood. Wizard, and something else even Dumbledore doesn't know. Because of our friendship with Lily, we were shunned by our own house, and other houses didn't want to be friends with us slimy Slytherins anyway. But we coped, because we had each other."

"My father really hated you? But, you're his brother!"

"He didn't know that."

Harry was confused, "How come you didn't tell him?"

"Because I didn't know either."

"Oh. . . What were their favourite subjects in school?"

Nathan smiled, "Well, from what I gathered, James was one for Transfiguration and Defense. Lily was excellent in Charms, as well as Potions. Not near as good as Severus, but good nonetheless."

All the questions that Harry had before seemed to disappear. "What about you? What were you good at?"

Nathan raised his eyebrow in a very 'Professor Snape-like' manner. "I was strong in Defense, Charms, and Divination. I made quite a few small predictions come true, back then."

"What did my parents look like?"

That question caught Nathan slightly off guard. The boy didn't even know what his parents looked like?

"Well, your father was tall, he had the same messy black hair as you, he had hazel eyes, and he wore glasses. He always had a mischievous smile on his face, too. Lily, as I said before, was beautiful. She had long, red hair, and brilliant green eyes that you seemed to inherit. You look more like her in my opinion, though Severus seems to think differently. I guess he can't see past the Potter traits that you have." Nathan shrugged, then moved to cover up a yawn with his hand.

"Can I live with you?"

That took him off guard for sure. He double-taked, looking at Harry in disbelief. The boy just met him and he already wants to live with him?

"W-what?" Nathan stuttered.

"Can I live with you?"

"But you- I mean, Harry, you hardly even know me-"

"But I can get to know you. Besides, you are my uncle. My last living relative." Harry said with a determination.

"What about the Dursley's? They are your relatives."

"You are the only one that matters. They don't even like me." the darkness in his eyes flared up again.

So it was the Dursley's that caused it. I will have to talk to Dumbledore. Maybe if I can get Harry's trust, he will tell me what happened.

Nathan broke out of his thoughts to see Harry let out a big yawn. He cast a wandless Tempus charm and gasped to see that it was midnight.

"Wow, it's really late! It's a long walk up to Gryffindor tower Harry, so I suppose you can crash here on the couch for tonight, if you want." Harry nodded, his eyelids drooped down halfway.

Nathan walked over to a closet that held spare blanket's, and a few extra pillows. He grabbed a fluffy blue comforter, and a poofy, black pillow. He walked back into the room to find that Harry had already flopped himself onto the couch. He chuckled, and spread the blanket on him then gently lifted his head and placed the pillow under it. He was baffled at how quickly the boy fell asleep when he was very much awake a few minutes earlier. He shook his head in disbelief, and with soft spoken words, he dimmed the lights in the room, and the fire went down from a quite hissing in the background from the load roar it had been before. He opened the door in the den that lead to the bathroom on the right of the room, so when Harry got up, he wouldn't have to search for it. Nathan then trudged to his spartan bedroom, reflecting on all that happened today.

He really needed to talk to Albus.