A/N: The characters, Hogwarts and the world of Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling
A/N: If the characters speak Parseltongue it will be written like this: #speech#
The Truth behind your eyes
by RawenclawBabe
Chapter 8 A new Family
Severus got the finished potion out of his lab and went into the living room. Harry was already sitting there on a couch.
Severus sat down opposite of his son and said: "I've brought the potion. When we take the potion, we need to rest for about two hours. Our bodies will have to adjust to our new powers. It will hurt."
Harry looked at his father and nodded. The potion couldn't possibly be worse than the physical changes he had gone through.
Severus looked at the boy pensive: "The potion might be worse for you. You are the heir of all for founders, who all had very special abilities. You already are a Parselmouth like Salazaar Slytherin. But Godric Gryffindor was a magical animagus. Rowena Ravenclaw a seer and Helga Hufflepuff a natural healer. You'll probably have all four abilities, if the potion works correctly."
Harry raised his eyebrows: "So you'll only get Ravenclaw's and Slytherin's abilities?"
Severus nodded: "But all our magical abilities will be enhanced. All of them were able to do wandless magic. They had also very powerful mind-magic abilities. I'm already a powerful occlumens and legilimens, but I might become more powerful."
Harry looked at Severus quizzically: "What's an occlumens and a legilimens?"
Severus took a deep breath: "Occlumancy and Legilimancy are very obscure magic. Legilimens is the ability to intrude into someone else's thoughts and his mind, whereas Occlumancy protects your mind against intrusion. Dumbledore and the Dark Lord are both strong Legilimens. It is very difficult to hide anything from them. I'll teach you Occlumancy. You must to be able to hide your former identity, if you want to return to Hogwarts."
Harry snorted: "Of course. I want revenge for all Dumbledore has destroyed – our family, mum's life, grandfather's life. We don't even know everything he has done yet. Minerva McGonagal was mum's mother, I bet she doesn't even know, that we are related. We need to find allies to destroy him before he meddles with somebody else's life."
Severus sighed: "All right, Harry. But we need to hide your identity. Bibiana will help us. But you need to be aware, that you'll have to be cautious. You won't be Harry Potter any more. You can't stay with your friends, because you mustn't tell them the truth. You'll be a completely new person. Different parents, different family, different history. You'll have to be a different you. You mustn't tell anybody. You'll be a new student and you must convince the sorting hat to put you in either Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor are both you mother's ancestors and Dumbledore mustn't see any connection between you and them."
Harry started laughing: "You mean, I shouldn't sit under the sorting hat whispering 'not Slytherin' this time."
Severus looked at the boy surprised: "You did, did you?"
Harry shrugged and answered: "It wanted to put me in Slytherin originally. But I had met Malfoy and Ron. I didn't like Malfoy. And Hagrid and Ron had told me that Slytherins are evil. So I asked the hat for not putting me into Slytherin. You know the rest."
Severus shook his head, raised an eyebrow and said: "Indeed. That sounds quite Slytherin to me."
"Really? How so?," Harry looked at him expectantly.
Severus snorted: "Well, the sorting hat doesn't usually change its decisions. You need to be very cunning to convince it otherwise."
"Is that so?" Harry looked at his father sceptically.
"Yes, the hat is quite cunning itself. You need to be careful, if you ask it for anything. Sometimes it puts you exactly were you don't want to be. It can be quite cruel actually. You are a difficult case for the hat anyway, you would do well in every house. And if the founder's were to chose themselves, they would all want you, because you are related to all of them. But let's take the potion now."
Severus and Harry both drank a goblet of the potion and lay down on the sofas.
Harry felt his body being on fire. Magic flowed through his veins. He had a horrible headache and his vision blurred. He closed his eyes, he couldn't stand the daylight. His breath became faster – he needed air. He saw colours blurring, then everything went black. He lost his consciousness.
Severus felt his blood burning with magic. His vision blurred. He felt an incredible strength rise, his magic became stronger. He felt weak, so much magical power was flowing through his body. It was to much. He fainted.
Their bodies, minds and souls had to adjust to their new-found powers, that had been blocked since before they were born. It was to much for them to cope with their conscious minds. Their bodies had to adjust to their powers first.
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A huge black dog arrived at number 4 Privet Drive in Little Whinging Surrey. The house was partially destroyed. Nobody lived there any more. The house didn't even have windows or a back door any more. There had been an enormous explosion.
Sirius Black went into the house and searched for any signs of Harry Potter. He smelled that the boy had once lived in the house. Especially the cupboard under the stairs reminded him strongly of his godson, but it had been twelve years since he had last smelled and seen the boy.
Sirius didn't dare to transform back into his human form. If he stayed in his animagus form much longer, he could forget that he even had a human form. He found no signs of the boy in the house any more. There were no pictures of Harry nothing. He must have taken his stuff and fled. He wasn't there any more and neither were his relatives.
Sirius stayed in one of the bedrooms for one night and the next day. There was still food in the house and he decided to stay. He was exhausted, he hadn't have a chance to rest properly since he escaped Azkaban. It wasn't good strolling around in broad daylight all the time anyway. He would leave by night.
He had almost three weeks left before the term at Hogwarts started again. He needed to get there. Wormtail was the pet-rat of the Weasley boy, who attended Hogwarts. He would kill this traitorous rat. At Hogwarts he would see Harry as well. Yes, he definitely would go to Hogwarts.
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Severus slowly regained his consciousness. He groaned. He remembered taking the potion and then everything went black. He opened his eyes and looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. Three hour had passed since they had taken the potion. He looked at Harry, who still lay unconscious on the couch. They looked so similar now. They had the same high cheekbones, the same facial structures and the boy was going to be tall. They had the same hands. Severus shook his head. It was hard to believe, that this boy resembled infamous James Potter just a few weeks ago.
Suddenly Severus' vision blurred. He didn't see the boy and the room any more. He saw himself his son and his daughter in a graveyard. They stood around a huge cauldron. He could read the headstone of the grave – it said 'Tom Riddle'.A small creature was in the cauldron – the Dark Lord in his subhuman form, which had controlled Quirrell two years ago. Helena put a bone out of the grave in the cauldron and said: 'Bone of thy father'. He took a silver dagger and cut into his hand: 'Blood of thy son.' They put Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem and Slytherin's locket and ring and a destroyed diary in the cauldron, too. They chanted an ancient incantation together, before Harry finally said: 'All parts of thy soul shall be one again' Nagini went in the cauldron, too. A light erupted from Harry's forehead and flew into the cauldron. They all started chanting again until a flame erupted from the cauldron. In the middle stood Tom Marvolo Riddle back in his human form. They chanted another incantation, which was meant to heal a soul. Severus recognized that spell.
Severus was startled. A vision. They would revive the human Tom Marvolo Riddle. He had never seen him as human as in this vision. When he was a Death Eater Lord Voldemort had already made some Horcruxes and become quite inhuman. They had to reunite his soul – although one part seemed to be destroyed.
When Severus' vision focused again he saw Harry watching him.
"Is everything all right, dad?" Harry asked.
Severus took a deep breath and said: "I know now, what it means to be an heir of Rowena Ravenclaw – I had a vision about us reviving the Dark Lord and healing his soul."
"Wow, incredible. We should see, if you are able to speak Parseltongue, too." Harry took out his wand and said: "Serpensortia."
A black cobra appeared on the coffee table. Severus stared at the animal in shock. The snake just stared at him angrily.
Harry started speaking to the snake: #You don't need to be afraid. My name issss Harry and thissss issss my fathsser#
The snake turned to Harry: # Hello ssspeaker my name is Sssasssia and I'm from India. Where are we?#
Severus looked from Harry to the snake and back. He shook his head, he understood the snake. He was a Parselmouth. He cleared his voice and started: #Hello Sssasssia my name issss Ssseverusss and we are in England.#
The snake turned to Severus: # Anothssser ssspeaker. Can you sssend me back home pleassse.#
Severus nodded, took his wand and said: "Vipera returna" The spell returned the snake to the place of its origin.
Severus looked at Harry, shook his head and said: "Don't conjure up any animals next time. We don't have to test all our powers instantly. I think it's hardly possible to test, if you have the sight anyway."
Harry nodded: "It's just easier to speak Parseltongue when a snake is present. So you obviously inherited Ravenclaw's and Slytherin's abilities. I can't voluntary test, if I have the sight, but can I somehow test, if I have Gryffindor's and Hufflepuff's abilities?"
Severus shrugged: "Honestly, I have no idea. It's usually quite difficult to become an animagus, but it should be easier for you, because of your ancestry."
Suddenly Severus stood up and went to a drawer. He took a silver dagger out and cut into his hand. He went over to Harry, sat down next to him, showed him his and said: "Try to heal me."
Harry took his father's hand into his own hands. He took a deep breath and concentrated on the wound. He felt the magic flowing from his fingertips. His hands started to glow. The glow got over to Severus' hand. The wound started glowing and closing. After a few seconds the hand was healed. No sign of the wound was left.
Harry gasped: "That's incredible. I'd never believed it possible."
Severus nodded: "You truly are the heir of Helga Hufflepuff. This ability is incredible. You don't even need a wand or a spell for healing. But you need to be careful using it, it will drain your magical core. And it's a very rare gift, it'll draw attention to you, if you use it. Remember you can't be known as the heir of all four founders."
Harry nodded and said: "I won't use it at Hogwarts. And I won't try to become an animagus. It is to dangerous with Dumbledore around. He would figure out who I am."
Severus looked at the clock and said: "We should get our luggage ready. We'll travel to Bibiana and Helena in two hours. Have you ever travelled by portkey before, Harry?"
Harry shook his head: "No, I haven't."
Severus nodded: "It's okay, everything will be all right." He left the living room and went upstairs.
Harry thought he heard him mumbling about 'stupid muggles' and 'thrice-damned Petunia Dursley'. Harry pressed his lips together, he tried to keep from bursting out laughing. It was to funny to hear Severus Snape cursing under his breath.
Harry hurried upstairs. He went to his bedroom and looked through his trunk. He really had to buy new clothes. His school robes were to short now and the muggle clothes were rags anyway. He had to ask Severus to take him shopping. He looked through his books, and took out all books of Gilderoy Lockhart, that fraud wouldn't ever teach again anyway. He put them on an empty bookshelf. He took all clothes out of his trunk, that didn't fit in any form any more and put them in the corner of the room. He only left some basic clothes in the trunk, he couldn't walk around naked.
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At a quarter to five Severus knocked at the door to Harry's room, before he entered the room.
"Are you ready Harry?" Severus asked.
The boy nodded and answered: "Yes, I am."
Severus looked through the room and saw the pile of clothing lying in the corner. He raised an eyebrow and said: "We need to go shopping. You need proper clothing, I don't want my son to run around in rags. We'll buy clothes for you tomorrow. I'm sure Bibiana and Helena would love to accompany us. Are you ready to go?"
When Harry nodded, Severus took his trunk, shrank it and put it in a pocket of his robe. He took out a large bronze medallion, the portkey and said: "This is a portkey. We must both touch it. You may not let got of it before I tell you. When I activate it, It will transport us to Bibiana's manor. Have you understood what I've just told you, Harry?"
Harry nodded solemnly: "Yes, I have. I'm not stupid – Dad. You mustn't talk to me like I'm a baby. I'm thirteen for god's sake."
Severus raised am eyebrow and said coldly: "Don't give me that cheek, young man. I'm your father after all."
Harry snorted angrily: "Yes, you are my father – for two days now. Don't even pretend, that you'd care. I've lived twelve years without parents, why should this change now?"
Severus took a deep breath. The boy's words hurt. It was difficult enough to find out the truth. He had known, that he was the boy's father for less than a week. A week ago he believed this boy to be James Potter's, his arch-nemesis' son. He cleared his voice and said: "I'm sorry Harry, I truly am. I only wanted to make sure, that you've understood everything."
Severus was holding out the portkey, waiting for Harry to touch it.
Harry touched the medallion and heard his father say "Portus."
Suddenly Harry felt like being sucked into a vacuum-cleaner. Everything around him blurred. He wasn't able to see clearly. A strange sensation.
Then suddenly the sensation ended. They were in a small room with a large fireplace. The room had a large entrance and one window.
The door burst open and a girl burst into the room. She ran over to Severus and hugged him. She was saying: "Daddy, I'm glad you are here. I'm so happy to see you." She stopped hugging her father and looked at Harry: "Hi, I'm Helena and you must be Harry. I'm happy to meet you." She hugged Harry as well.
Helena was as tall as Harry and had a slim figure. Her ice-blue eyes were sparkling happily at her father and brother, who were both looking at her. She had long black hair and a pale complexion.
Bibiana followed her daughter to the floo-room. The room allowed family-members and friends to apparate or portkey into the house. It had also the only fireplace in the house that allowed to step through. She stood in the doorway and saw Helena hugging Severus and Harry.
Bibiana cleared her voice and said: "Welcome Harry. Hello Severus, it's good to see you again. I see Helena has already greeted you." She went over to her guests and kissed Severus' cheeks. Then she hugged Harry. Harry went stiff, before he relaxed again. He wasn't used to being hugged. He didn't even know this woman.
Bibiana led go of Harry and said: "Let's go into the salon. My father is waiting there. He has everything prepared for Harry's new birth-certificate. You must only choose a new given name."
Bibiana left the floo-room and went to the salon. Harry, Severus and Helena followed her.
Fridericus Reichenbach was sitting in the salon of his daughter's manor. He was drinking a cup of coffee. His daughter Bibiana had just left the room to welcome her guests. He had a folder with documents of the German Ministry of Magic lying next to him. He was a wizard in his early seventies and was the next in line for the post of the German Chancellor of Magic. Bibiana had explained Harry's and Severus' situation to him and Helena came up with a solution. He had almost finished the new birth-certificate for Harry. Only the new name had to be added. Helena had the idea to make Harry her twin-brother.
Bibiana re-entered the salon. She was followed by Helena, Harry and Severus. Fridericus stood up and went over to Severus. He greeted the younger man with a handshake.
Bibiana cleared her voice and said: "Please sit down. We have to talk. Do you want anything to drink or eat – coffee, tea, pumpkin juice."
Severus looked at her: "I'd like a cup of tea, please."
Bibiana called a house-elf: "Milly, bring bitte Tee und Kürbissaft." A few moments later the house-elf appeared with the drinks.
The others had seated themselves meanwhile. Bibiana sat down as well and looked at Severus expectantly.
Severus cleared his voice and began to speak: "My son Harry used to be Harry Potter. We only recently uncovered his true parentage. Dumbledore doesn't want us to know the truth. We need your help to hide his true identity."
Helena started laughing. Severus and Harry looked at her in surprise. She said: "Daddy, I've already told them the whole story. We have already planned everything." She looked at her grandfather.
Fridericus took a piece of parchment out of his folder and handed it to Severus.
Severus read it, before he said: "The 18th of February 1981 is Helena's birthday. You want them to pretend to be twins. I had exactly the same idea."
Fridericus nodded and said: "You still have to choose a given name. I have a list with possible names here. You should try to find a name, that works in English and German, like Helena's. Harry will have to pretend to have lived in Germany so far after all."
Helena said: "We thought about Alexander, Sebastian, Julian, Thomas. Well, at least the names which came to my mind. But Opa has a list you can read before you make a decision."
Harry and Severus looked at her surprised. Harry cleared his voice and said: "I have to think about everything. I need to be alone a bit."
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A/N: Translations:
Milly, bring bitte Tee und Kürbissaft – Milly bring tea and pumpkin juice, please.
Opa - grandpa
