Chapter nine
'Even though I think you are too young, you're an adults and it is your life. I just want you happy Harry and if you want to live with Tobias, then I have to accept it.'
'Blimey mum, you've been whacking my head every time you find out I've shagged someone, and you're fine with Harry living with a bloke he only met a few months ago,' Charlie said, 'I admit his is cute though.'
'Charlie, behave yourself. I can see how much Harry and Tobias care about each other, you, no, you like to have fun, nothing serious as you keep saying.'
'And which "he" did you mean Charlie, Harry or Tobias?' Ginny grinned.
'Both,' Charlie growled, 'But I never realised how cute Harry was.'
Harry and Tobias chuckled, 'We're taken Charlie, you need to find your own man,' Harry and Tobias sat at the table, Harry turned to Andromeda, kissed her cheek then she handed Teddy to Harry, 'Tobias, meet my godson, Teddy Remus Lupin.'
'He's cute,' Tobias reached out and took one of the little boy's hand, 'So who does he look like, his father or mother?'
'His father,' Harry and Andromeda said together, 'Remus was friends with my father and godfather. When he told me he'd named me godfather, I thought being a werewolf had finally gotten to him. I was in the most danger, so there was a really big chance I could die and not be around for Teddy.'
'He was a werewolf?'
'Yes, bitten as a kid, but Remus use to lock himself up on the wolf nights, he never wanted to hurt anyone.' Harry could see Tobias was engrossed with Teddy, so he looked at Hermione, gave her a small squeeze on her hand and hoped she got the message.
'Tobias, I hope you don't mind, but I need a word with Harry. I promise not to keep him long, Ron and Ginny will make sure you don't get too lonely.'
'I'll be fine Hermione,' Tobias grinned then Harry handed him Teddy, 'I've never held a baby before Harry,' he squeaked nervously.
'Neither did I when Andromeda handed him to me the first time and he was a lot smaller then. She'll make sure you're okay, so don't panic love and I won't be long,' Harry kissed Teddy's head, then Tobias lips before heading into the living room with Hermione.
'What's up Harry?'
'I'm glad you can still read me. I need to ask you something, it's personal, so I need you to keep it to yourself.'
'Alright, so what's this about?'
Even though Harry hated lying, he knew he had no choice and had his story ready to tell Hermione.
'I found out some information on my parents, well my mother, I went into the house,' Harry shrugged, 'Anyway, what I found out was that a couple that met and fell in love were actually related. They never knew anything until they had been together for a long time. This was someone in my mother's family. They never knew Hermione, but they loved each other and they also decided that they wouldn't have kids, but they couldn't give each other up either. Now I remember reading this book I found at the Dursleys. This adopted girl found her true love, they got married and had kids. Finally she found out that her husband was really her brother. After reading about this ancestor of mine, I remembered the book. Do you think that happens a lot, or more than we know?'
'I know the book you mean, they made it into a movie. The man came to England on holidays, met the girl, they fell in love and got married. He decided to research his family because he knew his father came from England. It was based on a true story and they did have three children, all of them turned out fine. When I first read the book, I thought it was wrong for them to stay together, when I saw the movie I realise that they couldn't help it. This life they found themselves in was thrust upon them. As to what you asked, I think it does happen more than we know. Think of our world Harry and what it just went through. There are so many orphans now, if a child can get adopted their lucky, but usually a couple can't take more than one child or siblings. So those kids do get separated when their young, it could easily happen. Especially if they are alike and that's who they got attracted to.'
'So if it was something they didn't know and an accident, you don't think it's wrong if they stayed together?'
'No, I don't, but I do believe they shouldn't have children. I know there's a lot of stories about inbreeding, but that is usually when the family keeps marrying within the family. If it's just once, then I don't see why the children wouldn't turn out okay. But I'm still not sure they should have kids. Can you tell me who it was on your mother's side?'
'A great, great uncle of my mother's, something about hard times, so they kept the son who could help work the farm, but the daughter was sent to an orphanage and adopted out. She met the man she fell in love with when she was seventeen and he was eighteen. They were together two years before they finally married.'
'I can see why you asked me to keep it to myself, there are a lot of people who would think it's wrong. It happens in the magical world too, we've all heard that. Purebloods want to marry purebloods, but there aren't a lot left.'
'Sirius told me that when he showed me the tapestry. Now what if Ron wants to know what you wanted to talk to me about.'
'Easy, I'll say I asked you how Tobias liked his gift because it was me that got that for you so he wouldn't find out. Ron knows that and he also knows you didn't want Tobias to know you asked me to get it for him. So did he like it?'
'Love it, snogging me senseless then told me he loved me. I love him Hermione, I really do and I want a life with him.'
Hermione smiled, 'You've got it now Harry and you're also living together. Now let's get back in before Charlie decides to chat Tobias up,' Hermione put her arm through Harry's and they stepped into the kitchen where they saw Charlie sitting next to Tobias, 'Told you.'
Harry stepped behind Tobias and wrapped his arms around him, 'I hope you're not trying to chat up my man are you Charlie, I might just have to hex you if you did.'
'He was until mum slapped his head again,' Ron grinned at his brother, 'Now move so Harry can sit with Tobias again, their taken brother.'
'Yeah, I know, blimey, two great looking blokes, I can't win,' Charlie huffed to everyone's laughter but he did move and Harry sat back with Tobias, but ended up pulling him onto his lap. He felt very protective of Tobias and wanted him as close as possible, especially with the looks Charlie was giving Tobias.
'Eyes off Charlie, Tobias is mine, aren't you love?'
'All yours babe, forever and always,' Tobias grinned at Harry who grinned back, but so did almost everyone else around the large worn Weasley table. But they did know it was going to be a great day and that's what they all wanted, a great day with family and good friends.
It was the day before Harry and Tobias were due to head back to Hogwarts, Tobias moved until he was lying on top of Harry.
'You said in a relationship couples should be honest and open with each other, right?'
'Right, I do believe that.' Harry reached his hand out and ran it down Tobias long black straight hair.
'I know something's been on your mind, something you're not telling me. At first I thought you were having second thoughts about asking me to live with you, but it's not that, is it?'
'No, I want you to live with me,' Harry moved so Tobias rolled off, then Harry sat up, 'There is something, I knew I was going to tell you but I've been putting off because I'm scared. I love you so much Tobias, you know that, more than you realise. I've been so worried that when I tell you this, you might leave me and want nothing to do with me anymore.'
'That won't happen love, I told you I love you, we're living together. I want this Harry, all of it.'
'I know you do, but what I have to tell you is big Tobias, really big,' Harry got off the bed and stood staring out the windows at all the snow covering the trees.
Tobias stared at Harry's back and noticed how tense he was, so he realised what Harry had to tell him was serious. He got up and wrapped his arms around Harry.
'It might be big, I won't know until you tell me, but it couldn't change the way I feel about you.'
'I hope it doesn't love, but I know it could,' Harry sighed, 'I found some information, I've been checking a few things. See, after you showed me that letter that was left with you at the orphanage, I noticed something.'
Tobias looked puzzled and turned Harry around, 'What are you talking about?'
'Okay,' Harry sighed again, 'I recognised the handwriting, so I compared it with another letter I'd seen, it was identical, the writing I mean. Then I found some more information and also proof. What I'm trying to say Tobias,' Harry hesitated for a minute then sat both of them down, taking Tobias' hand in his, 'I found out who you're parents are.'
'My parents, how, tell me what this is all about and how you worked out who they were?'
'Let's get dressed, also get the letter and I'll show you,' Harry stood up, kept his back to Tobias and dressed, when he turned around Tobias was also dressed and had the letter in his hand. Harry grabbed his old pouch, took Tobias' hand and they headed downstairs to his office. He went to the desk, took his mother's diary out and they both sat down. 'Open your letter,' Harry took his letter out and unfolded it. When Tobias had his lying flat, Harry put his letter next to it, 'This is a letter from my mother to my godfather, she was asking him to visit my father as he was depressed from being in hiding for so long. See after they found out about the prophecy, the fidelius charm was placed around their home and my parents couldn't go out.'
Tobias stared down at both letters, 'It's the same writing, are you saying you're parents were my parents?'
'We have the same mother Tobias, not father,' Harry opened his mother's diary and handed it to Tobias to read, 'She had an affair and got pregnant with you,' Harry watched Tobias read his mother's writing.
'Apart from the writing being the same, it doesn't mention me by name or about taking me away. So how can you be positive this baby means me?'
'This is about your father and what you're letter said. Eileen Prince was your father's mother, she married a man who your father did hate, his name was Tobias Snape. Don't you see Tobias, Prince, Princeton and Tobias. You're the exact age of when my mother would have had this baby, meaning we're half-brothers.'
'First,' Tobias closed his eyes for a minute, 'I heard the name Snape, he was a teacher at Hogwarts. I heard you say that he gave you some memory. So tell me about this Snape bloke.'
'Okay, he was the potions master for years, he was a bastard, a Slytherin, a former death eater and hated me because I looked like my father. Snape grew up with my mother, he loved her, but he started getting involved with the first lot of death eaters and it caused a falling out between my mother and Snape, then my mother married my father. When she died, Dumbledore asked him to come back to the good side and help protect me and he used the argument that I had my mother's eyes. He did help even if he still hated me and that was only because I look like my father, the man she married. Reading the diary, I realised mum and dad were having problems because of what they were going through. One day, mum went out, using my father's cloak and she saw Snape, they got talking, they were old friends. She ended up crying into Snape's arms, he took advantage of that, had sex, she found out she was pregnant. She wrote that note, took you to Australia for one reason Tobias, to keep you alive. It was me the prophecy was about, he was going to do anything to get to me, if that meant killing whoever was with me, then that's what he would do. My mother wrote that even though she hated to think it, if I was killed and she survived, then she would still have a son alive, you,' Harry felt himself choke up, so he got up and went out into the living room and stared out the large windows overlooking the snow covered trees that surrounded his garden.
Tobias kept staring down at the letter that was left with him, then started to read the diary. By the time he finished, he realised Lily Potter was his mother and she did love him, but it also meant Harry was his half-brother and they were in a relationship. That's why Harry was scared, two brothers, even half-brothers and they were having sex. He sat there thinking as his eyes stayed on the diary.
Harry knew this but still made love to him, his own brother. Tobias loved Harry, but could he stay knowing what they were doing. It was considered wrong to be in a sexual relationship with a relative that was so closely related.
Tobias didn't know how long he sat there until he felt Harry sit beside him again. He looked up and saw the pain on Harry's face, the pain he felt in his own heart. Tobias put the diary and letter down, then wrapped his arms around Harry and both young men ended up crying into each other's arms because they knew this relationship should finish, but neither of them wanted it to finish. So now they had a lot of thinking to do, stay or give each other up just because of the laws that say two brothers can't have a life together, a life that involved sex, a relationship classed as incest.
