Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Beta: budchick

Pairing/s in this chapter:

Warnings in this chapter: adoption

Nr words in this chapter: 2,914


"Talking"

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper


Chapter VII

–Black Family–

Friday, June 30, 1995

Before the sun could take Harry away, he stood, put the plush snake in his place and tucked Tom in. When he was taken to his time, Harry immediately went to the kitchens and told Dobby what he wanted him to do; go to Gringotts, take some money from his own vault and go to a book shop to buy various children's books.

Harry caught the train home with Ron and Hermione but didn't exactly talk with them. They kept trying to bring him into their conversations but Harry wasn't exactly listening. Tom would be 6 when he arrived. He was aging too fast. Tom was right, of course. Harry wasn't there for him. Tom was there for Harry but Harry wasn't there for him.

Harry looked through the coin purse with the 50 galleons and wondered what to do with it. He could give it to Tom, open a vault in his name and…

Dobby appeared before Harry and gave him a piece of parchment. Harry saw Ron and Hermione stop talking to look at him, confused. Harry turned the parchment over and read it.

Mr H. Potter

It has come to our attention that you are the person going by the name of Serpens Lynx Black. We hope that you will give this letter to your house elf Winky to deliver in person to me. A vault will be opened under your name.

If a Black dares to question your identity, they'll be told that you're an illegitimate heir and none of them will make further enquires. Money will be passed from the Black family vault to your personal vault every month, as it is done with the rest of the family. No one will ask why as you are a family member that they do not wish to acknowledge and it will be better to give you the money you need to survive than to let you go to the media with the news.

Only Serpens Lynx Black, Harry James Potter and Tom Marvolo Riddle will be able to move the money in Serpens Lynx Black0s personal vault. The house elves Winky and Dobby will be able to move the money as long as they are acting on orders from these one of these three humans.

The Black and Potter family accounts manager

Griphook

Harry looked at the parchment in silence before tucking it into his pocket. He turned to Dobby again. The house elf made a small box appear and he gave this to Harry who smiled, before also storing it in his pocket.

"Thank you, Dobby."

The house elf nodded eagerly and left. Harry returned to looking out the window. Hermione was taking, but he didn't hear or understand a single thing she was saying. Tom Marvolo Riddle… that was the name written on the letter. His Tom was Voldemort!

How ironic was it that his baby brother would turn out to be the next Dark Lord! Harry had seen the boy and could understand why he might have become a Dark Lord but… his baby boy was Voldemort! How could he face the poor boy without freaking out?

"Harry!" Harry looked at Hermione with a startle. The girl frowned. "I've been calling your name for half an hour. What's wrong?"

Harry shook his head and stood, leaving the compartment. He saw Hermione made a move to follow him but Ron stopped her, shaking his head. Harry went down the train until he found Fred and George. He gave the twins the coin purse and forced them to take it.

"I don't need it. You need it for your shop. If someone asks you how you got it, you can tell them that it was Serpens Black who gave it to you." The two opened their mouths to argue. Harry grabbed his wand and pointed it at them. "Or you take it or I'll toss it in the trash."

"It's 50 galleons, Harry… it's a lot of money."

Harry nodded.

"I know. But I don't need it… Just buy Ron a new dress robe. His own is in need of a repair."

The two looked at the money and then to Harry nodding. Harry turned to leave when he felt two hands on his shoulders, pulling him back into their chests.

"Are you going to explain who is this 'Serpens'?"

Harry looked at the two, amused at the way they spoke at the same time.

"Your sponsor." Harry answered, still amused, before freeing himself and leaving. The two boys' pouty groans followed after him.

The train arrived in London not much later and Harry went to his uncles' car. He hoped that he would arrive in Surrey in time. If he disappeared during the car ride, he would have an awkward conversation the next day. As soon as he arrived, Harry grabbed the trunk and went upstairs. As he released the trunk, he was pulled away.

Friday, June 30, 1933

Harry felt a hand being offered to him. When he looked up, he found a six-year-old Tom smiling back at him and holding out his hand. Harry blushed, grabbed it and stood up.

"I thought we agreed on you travelling while sitting?" the boy teased.

Harry passed a hand through his hair, ashamed.

"I barely had time to escape my uncle. Do you really think I had time to sit?"

"Escape your uncle?"

"Muggle." Harry answered before moving to the bed. "I just got home today. It will be hard to hide why I disappear every night though. At Hogwarts, I can close the curtains and no one will ask about it. But… at my uncles…"

Tom stood before Harry looking at him in the eyes.

"Are they like us?" Harry shook his head. "So they're like Martha and the other orphans?"

"Yes Tom."

Tom nodded.

"When I grow up, I'll take you out of there." The boy promised. "When I grow up, I'll make it so that people like us don't have to live with people like them!"

Harry felt his eyes water. He pulled Tom to his chest and hugged him.

Oh Merlin… his baby brother was Voldemort! What on Merlin's Earth was he going to do?

"Serpens?" Harry hummed. "Your stomach is grumbling."

Harry blushed.

"I…"

Tom rolled his eyes and turned to the closet. Before he could speak, the house elf appeared and Harry's eyes grew. The house elf that was once dressed with a blue skirt, blouse and hat was now no more. Now she was dressed in the orphanage's grey outfit, shrunk to her own size. It was probably a donation from one of the female orphans.

"Winky will bring food for master Serpens Black, sir." The house elf said before disappearing.

Harry looked at Tom.

"I told her to get a new wardrobe."

Harry nodded.

"What about drinking? Is she ever drunk?"

The boy shook his head.

"Not since she got here."

Harry sighed, calm again. That had been what Winky had needed after all. A family, not Hogwarts. Harry looked at Tom in the eyes, and noticed that he could see 16-year-old Tom Riddle in this 6-year-old Tom. Harry sighed. It was true then. His Tom was Voldemort.

Harry took the package Dobby had given him and enlarged it, giving to Tom. Tom smiled and immediately opened it.

"You don't need to buy me things every time you come here, you know?"

Harry smiled at Tom as the boy looked back at him with the books against his chest, hugging them as if for dear life.

"It might be a year for me. But it's only a day for you. You don't have enough money to buy me gifts every single day. People would start to ask questions if they saw you buying gifts every single day."

Harry picked up the letter and looked at it in silence.

"That's why I'm opening a vault now. As soon as Winky gives this to the Black account manager he will open a vault in my name. The Black family will think that I'm an illegitimate heir and they'll pay to keep me quiet. You will have the money you need and no one in the future will ask questions about the amount of money I spend on you."

Tom's eyes widened, looking at the letter in silence and then smiled at Harry, nodding.

"Thank you, Serpens." He said before laying the books on the bed next to Harry to look them over.

"I don't know what kind of books you like. So I took a little bit of everything and with Winky here, I don't have to be careful with the kind of books I give you. She'll ward it so that no one will see the pictures on the front of the book move. I don't know how the books look like in this time but…"

Tom smiled at Harry.

"I love it. I can't wait to be able to read them myself."

Harry smiled back and Winky appeared with the meal. Harry offered her the letter.

"Give this to Griphook personally. Don't let anyone else see it." Harry warned her. She nodded happily before disappearing. Harry turned to Tom. "She's happier."

Harry noticed Tom had served him a plate as he spoke to Winky and smiled at the boy, picking it up and starting to eat.

"How long in the future? How long do I have to wait for you? Am I alive? Will I meet you? How old am I then?"

"A pretty long time. You are alive. You will meet me. And I don't know the year you were born, so I don't know your age."

The boy hummed, sitting beside Harry.

"I'll have to wait a long time for you then."

Harry looked at Tom pensively.

"First you'll have to wait for the muggles to get electricity. Then you'll have to wait for the end of Second Wizard War. Only then may you find me."

The boy nodded happily.

"You said wizard… we really are magic, aren't we?"

Harry smiled, nodding.

"Yes, baby brother, we are."

Tom scowled at the nickname but his eagerness for knowing more kept him from retorting. Winky appeared before Tom could ask for more information and gave Harry a new letter. Harry lowered the plate on his legs and opened the letter.

Mr S. L. Black

My Name is Sirius Black, the Second, and I am the Lord of the Black family. I've just been informed of your existence by Griphook; the Black's account manager. Griphook has also informed me of your decision of to stay in the dark and out of the family's sight. I see it as your right to do so, but if you are ever in need of something you can ask me for help. You may contact me through Griphook or through your personal house elf. Although I would like to know which of my sons, brothers or cousins dared to beget a son out of wedlock, I completely understand your desire to not let your father know of your existence.

50 galleons a month will be added to your personal vault as soon as the formalities with Gringotts are finished. I believe that if I try to find you, Serpens won't be the name your mother gave you and you'll have another man who you call father. Griphook also mentioned that you have a family; a young wizard at that. The vault will also be available to your brother. What I have offered you is also available to your brother. You both can turn to me when you are in need of help. To us Blacks, family always comes first. This applies even if the family in question is a halfblood and a muggleborn.

Hoping to hear from you again.

Lord Black

Sirius Alphard Black, II

Harry looked at the parchment, biting the bottom of his lips.

"What is it?"

"The Lord of my family in this time contacted me. He doesn't know I'm from another time, but he knows that I 'exist' and that I have a brother and… he said I could turn to him for help."

Tom's eyes grew.

"What will happen if you tell him? About me and about the future?"

"I…" Harry looked at Winky who tilted her head to the side. "Find me parchment and a quill and if you can't, please then find me paper and a pen."

The house elf nodded and popped away. Harry picked the plate and stood putting it down on the desk.

"You think he'll adopt me?"

Harry looked at Tom.

"Even if he doesn't adopt you, he will at least look over you."

The boy nodded. When the house elf popped in with the parchment, quill and ink bottle, Harry started to write a letter to Lord Black, telling him where to find Serpens' younger brother. When he finished Harry gave the house elf the parchment. Winky popped away.

Tom approached Harry and sat on his lap, on the side. He gave Harry a hug and laid his chin in the crook of Harry's neck.

"He won't come tonight, will he?"

"I don't know, Tom." Harry answered, petting Tom's hair. "I don't know."

Later on, the two went to bed and Harry read Tom one of the new stories before letting Tom fall asleep against his chest. As Tom slept, Harry heard movement outside and not long later, Martha opened the door. A man in his middle-fifties entered. The man looked at Harry on the bed and then to the boy sleeping on Harry's chest. He bowed his head to Martha who nodded back and closed the door. The old man approached and sat on the chair before the bed.

"Serpens Black, I presume?" the man asked quietly. At Harry's nod the man added. "I am Lord Black. We spoke through letters earlier."

"I know sir." Harry mumbled, looking at Tom to make sure he was still asleep.

"Your house elf was quite insistent that I had to come today or I would miss you. It didn't explain why, though."

Harry sat, laying Tom's head on his legs. After he made sure the boy was asleep, Harry turned to the man.

"Winky is a good house elf. She was told not to explain anything and so she stayed quiet." Harry looked at Tom, just to make sure. "I'm from the future and only return one night a year."

Lord Black hummed.

"It is something you can control or…" Harry shook his head. "And it always takes you to him."

"Yes sir. Witch mother, muggle father. Lived here his whole life. I don't know why I keep returning, but he is everything to me. I want to protect him every single moment. It's complete torture to return to my time because I know I'll return to a year-older Tom - who might not even be alive by then."

Lord Black looked at Tom in thought.

"His family? Mother's side."

"His mother died giving birth to him…" Harry frowned, remembering he almost didn't know anything about Tom. "He is a Parselmouth if that helps?"

Lord Black smiled.

"It helps. I'll go talk with Griphook and hopefully by next year young Tom will be living at Black Manor. When is you next visit? How long do you stay?"

"A year and a day after this one, from sunset until sunrise."

"Today is the 30th of June. Next year you visit will be on the 1st of July."

"Supposedly." Harry answered.

"Were you raised by your Black father?" the man asked, Harry blushed and shook his head.

"I was brought up by muggles. Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban when I was a mere baby." Harry answered, not admitting that Sirius was his father nor saying that he wasn't.

"Mother?"

"Dead."

"How much does Tom knows?"

"He knows I'm from the future. He doesn't know from when. I didn't tell him about my mother and father."

"Are you changing the future by coming here?"

"I don't think I am. Otherwise things would have already started to change."

The Black Lord nodded and stood.

"Next time I want an exact date so I can organise a letter to send to my future heir." Harry nodded. "I'll also adopt Tom. He will be educated. He'll have the best tutors in town."

Harry smiled. As the man was about to leave Harry spoke.

"Why are you taking him in? People will ask questions."

Lord Black turned and looked at Harry.

"I'll tell them that I'm adopting the heir of Slytherin house. That will stop anyone who dares to speak up. If my sons, nephews and cousins dare to speak further I'll tell them that he is also your half-brother from the mother's side and by doing so, acknowledge that he's the brother of one of their illegitimate heirs. That will make them shut up. They won't dare to speak to me for a while. They might even try to determine how they managed to get involved with a Gaunt." The man said amused, before bowing his head and leaving.

Harry looked down at Tom who was looking back.

"How long were you awake?"

"Since he asked you about the changing future thing." The boy mumbled.

Harry bent down and hugged Tom to his chest.

"That was Lord Sirius Black. He will take you in, hopefully."

Tom nodded with a smile and leaned his head against Harry's chest.

(TBC)


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