Founding a Cousin
"Well, my Lord, you are officially Lord Harry James, Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter, Peverell, Black, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. You have the loyalty of Helga, the wisdom of Rowena, the cunning of Salazar and the bravery of Godric" added the goblin. Harry and Daphne just stood wide-eyed. Rupert and Remus grinned.
"I knew Harry was special!" said Remus.
"Why me?" groaned Harry as Daphne burst out laughing.
"But how am I heir of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, Ragnok?" said Harry.
"Simple, Harry" said Ragnok. "your maternal family, the Davis family, are descended of Slytherin and Ravenclaw (Lily is a Pureblood Davis) The Blacks are of Hufflepuff and Slytherin descent, and you're also Slytherin's heir via right of conquest after you first defeated Thomas Marvolo Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort". Daphne shuddered.
"I see" said Harry. "Here's a how-de-do".
"I think it may be wise to see your parents, I need to discuss thing with Lord Lupin, Lord Greengrass and Lady Daphne" said Ragnok as Harry was escorted by Griphook to the Potter Vault.
When he entered the vault, Harry immediately moved towards his parents' portrait.
"Hi Mum! Hi Dad!" he greeted.
"Aha, Prongslett!" grinned James.
"Harry, sweetheart" smiled Lily. "Back so soon?" Harry smiled and nodded, but then schooled his features into a serious expression.
"I found out some interesting things today. For one, Gryffindor and Slytherin go well together" he began.
"Who said they didn't, my Prongslett?" said James, until he was elbowed in the stomach by Lily. "Oof, what the?" But he was silence by his wife's glare.
"I also find that Sirius and Andromeda are brother and sister" said Harry.
"Twins, actually" smiled Lily. "She was one of my closest friends in Slytherin".
"I also find that you are a pureblood from the Davis family" said Harry, "I also find I have a real Aunt and Uncle and a cousin. That and I have Amelia Bones, Rupert and his wife, Mooney, Aunt Elanor and Uncle Tim, Professor McGonagall as well as Sirius, Alice and Frank Longbottom as Godparents".
"Well, they were our dearest friends" said James. "Amy Bones was our best friend in Hufflepuff, she adopted Susan, her niece, when her parents died. Rupert, my auror partner and honorary Maurauder, and Marie were special friend of your mum's. They helped Tim and Lily reunite in school. The happiness that emitted from those two would have powered a patronus continuously for years." Lily then continued,
"Tim told me that I was the daughter of Henry John Davis and Maria Regina Longbottom, was the cousin of Augusta Longbottom. Elanor, or if you value your existence, was in Ravenclaw and had wisdom beyond her years. Alice and Frank were great support, and Neville was practically your twin, being born but a few hours before you were. Sirius, well, he, your father and Remus were practically brothers. He also loved your Aunt Heather. Remus, he was a dear. We both had a love of knowledge. I was able to support him when he had his furry little problem. I was a doe animagus. As for Minerva, she was my mentor. She didn't judge me by my house. So there you are."
"There's more that I've seen" said the young Potter. "You, Mum, have a proficiency for magical languages, Troll, Mermish and most interestingly: Parseltongue, a language associated with dark wizards".
"Let me guess, Dumbledore told you that" growled Lily.
"He did, Mum" said Harry, meekly. "He said I could speak it due to the night when Riddle scarred me, he transferred is powers to me".
"Why the little..." began Lily, angrily, until James interrupted.
"He was wrong" he said fervently.
"Too right" said a voice. "You cannot call someone dark because they can speak to serpents". The voice turned out to be a man who appeared in the portrait. He had Brown shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. He wore a green robe, adorned with a silver belt. "Greetings, my god-knows-how-many-times-great grandson!"
"Who are you?" asked Harry, shocked.
"Why, I am Salazar Slytherin, a founder of your school and your very long deceased grandfather" he said silkily. "I know opinion of me has been warped and usurped over the years, by such people as Thomas Marvolo Riddle or Voldemort as you know him. Trust me, your great grandmothers, Rowena and Helga, are unhappy with what happened and as for Godric, your other great grandfather..."
"Is not at all bally impressed with the idea of his descendant has been marked to defeat him!" said another voice. He was tall with piercing blue eyes and shaggy auburn hair, he wore a crimson robe with gold accents. "Hello, Harry, my dear god-knows-how-many-times-great grandson! Good to see you!"
"Hi, Uncle Godric!" smiled Lily.
"Hi, Grandad!" chuckled James cheekily. Harry was confused when the image of his ancestor appeared to exit the frame and come into Harry's presence.
"What the...?" said Harry, but was cut off as the figure hugged him. His mouth opened and shut soundlessly as this happened. Lily saw her son in shock and ran out of her portrait to her son.
"It's Ok, sweetie" she soothed. Harry finally regained his voice.
"But you just-l-left y-your p-p-portrait!" he stammered. "I-I-I'm dreaming. You c-c-can't be real ..." and with that that, Lily hugged him and kissed him.
"Merlin knows how long I've wanted to do that!" she said sniffing. Harry broke down and sank into his mother's embrace. This embrace was gentle, yet loving, quite unlike the bone crushing hugs or suffocating hugs he had experienced.
"Sssh, my brave man, it's going to be ok" said Godric, nodding to Salazar and James to join them. Once he had calmed down, Harry felt like he was in a dream.
"You're not dreaming, young one. Just because we may be dead, doen't mean we are not real" said Salazar, seemingly reading Harry's mind. "I know that there are quite a few people who want to see you".
"Like me, Harry" said a familiar voice. Harry turned and beamed.
"Sirius!" he cried as ran to his half laughing and half crying godfather, who held out his arms.
"Harry, my brave Prongslett!" he chuckled.
"Is that my nephew?" said a small voice gently. Sirius and James smiled. A figure came. She had long raven hair and brown eyes-the spitting image of James Potter.
"Yes, Heather, this is Harry" said James to his sister. "Harry this is..."
"Aunt Heather!" said Harry in realisation.
"My little Harry" Heather whispered as she hugged her nephew. "I should be kicking your hide for getting my daughter into all sorts of scrapes!"
"Well, trouble finds me easily and she willingly followed me" replied Harry. "that, and she is my best friend". Heather sighed.
"Can't stay mad at you after all you've been through" she said ruffling Harry's hair, despite him being taller than she. "Just like your Dad, eh?" she added affectionately.
"Oi!" cried James indignantly as Godric, Sirius and Salazar burst into roars of laughter. Then, two more figures appeared, one clad in yellow and black, the other in blue and bronze.
"Harry" said Lily, "meet your many times great grandmothers".
"Helga and Rowena" breathed Harry, smiling. Despite coming out of portraits, the two women held an air of beauty about them. Helga, who looked like Heather in many respects, had piercing blue eyes that shined. Rowena, on the other hand, reminded Harry of Daphne with her demeanour, except Rowena had emerald eyes and raven hair, making her look the spitting image of Harry.
"There he is, Ro!" chimed Helga. "Our little grandson!" She held harry at arm's length. James and Sirius were sniggering, whereas Godric and Salazar just continued to roar with hysterics, not even stopping when Harry and Rowena glared at them.
"Do you mind?!" they hissed in synchronisation, and then looking at each other, they laughed. Rowena hugged Harry.
"Not so little, Hel. Makes my little Helena look like a dot when she was his age" she said.
"Helena?" said Harry. Rowena was saddened.
"My daughter" she said, taking out a lace handkerchief and dabbing her eyes. "The Grey Lady of Ravenclaw". Harry nodded and thought that he would have to see her at school.
"Cheer up, nana" said Harry, gently patting Rowena to calm her.
It was then it was time for Harry to rejoin Rupert, Remus and Daphne in Ragnok's office. The Ladies were reluctant to let Harry go. When Harry was with his mother, she didn't want to let him go. She insisted that she had many years to make up for. When she returned to portrait, Harry shrank it down and place in his pocket with several galleons.
When Harry returned to Ragnok's office, where Ragnok, Remus, Rupert and Daphne were, he was greeted by Daphne who immediately ran to Harry and kissed him. He just laughed.
"Hi, Harry" said Daphne quickly. "We've got to go- Diagon Alley. Now!" and with that Harry could not get a word in. Rupert laughed.
"Be firm with her, Harry" he chuckled. Harry gave an incredulous look.
"I don't think I have much choice in the matter!" he said, before he was dragged off by Daphne. He turned to a laughing Ragnok and shouted in Gobbledegook: "Lord Ragnok, may your wealth grow!" Ragnok just chuckled.
"And may your friends and gold flourish!" he said laughing and waving as Harry was dragged off to Diagon Alley.
"Right Harry" said Daphne, outside Gringotts. "Madame Malkin's Shop first to get you looking like a proper Lord'.
"Yes dear" said Harry reluctantly. The two of them walked into the shop where they were greeted by the kindly proprietor.
"Ah, Lady Daphne, who is this strapping young man with you" said Madam Malkin.
"This is Lord Potter-Black-Peverell-Gryffindor-Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw-Slytherin, Madame" chirped Daphne, beaming at a red-face Harry.
"It's me, Madame Malkin, Harry potter, Lord Potter and everything else" said Harry, tersely. The lady laughed.
"At long last!" she said. "Out of Dumbledore's clutches".
"Finally" added Daphne. "Harry requires robes for the Council of Seven, Wizengamot and general everyday robes with his various crests on". Madam Malkin wrote this down.
"In silk?" she said.
"Of course" said Daphne and Harry in unison.
Harry took up a gold robe with a "W" monogram and had Madame Malkin put his crests on it, with the Potter crest being on his heart, at the suggestion of the proprietor herself. Daphne was just enjoying seeing Harry being fitted. She was bought out of her reverie when saw one of her friends.
"Tracey!" she squeaked as a teenage girl with dark reddish brown hair and emerald eyes came in.
"Daphne, sweetie!" she greeted, hugging her friend. "How's things? Did you find him?"
"Who?" said Madam Malkin.
"My cousin" said Tracey. "Harry…." but she was interrupted when she saw said Harry appeared from behind a curtain.
"Do you mean me?" he said gently. Their eyes met and immediately, Harry had another flashback.
He saw himself as a young boy, with Tracey, Daphne, Hermione, Neville, a younger looking Tonks and another girl. They were all laughing and playing together.
Coming back to reality, Harry and Tracey smiled at each other.
"Harry, my cousin!" whispered Tracey holding her hand out.
"Hello, Tracey" replied Harry, kissing her hand. Tracey snorted and pulled him into a hug. Harry sighed. "I must be a teddy bear in another exsistence" he chuckled, causing Tracey to thump his arm, whilst laughing until tears came.
"Prat!" she squawked. "You have no idea how bloody relieved I am to see you alive!" Harry smiled. "You know Mum and Dad are going to be chuffed when they find out, but what happened to you?" Before Harry answered, Madame Malkin called Harry back for more fittings. Tracy just squeezed him and kissed his cheek. "Hey, at least we can start anew, eh Harry?" Harry just smiled and followed the shop proprietor.
It took a little while, Harry ended up with several sets of robes in black, grey, red, blue and green, alongside his Lordly robes. Harry, after paying Malkin for her services, pulled on the green robe and left with is soulmate and his cousin for the Leaky Cauldron. When they got there, they found a private booth and Harry cast a privacy charm.
"Harry, I have seen you in the past at school looking so, so..." said Tracey looking downcast.
"Maltreated?" offered Harry, to which Tracey nodded.
"When Daphne ran off before the end of term to find you, I had a feeling the boat was going to hit the rocks at the bottom of the waterfall" she said. Harry described to Tracey what had happened to him. At the end, she was trembling with anger. "Why the overgrown puerile git!" she growled as Harry tried to calm her.
"Shh, Trace, vengeance shall be had" he said.
"He forced you to grow up being hated!" she said sadly. "You're my family, you should have known love!" Harry shook his head in sorrow.
"Love…family…" he muttered sadly. "The two things I desire most". Tracey put her hands into his as a silent tear trickled down his face. Tracey's eyes watered slightly. Daphne put her hand on Harry's arm.
"You are loved, never forget it" she said through gritted teeth. Harry felt a bit more happier at this. The rest of their time together was spent laughing at some of Harry's more unusual exploits, like trying to sneak into Hogsmeade with the help of the Maurauder's Map. Tracey could only roar with laughter.
"Seem's like Uncle Jimmy was still looking out for you" she smiled.
"Aye, that he is" said Harry, wistfully, as he passed a piece of parchment to Tracey.
"Inheritence test?" she said.
"For our family" said Harry. "To show who I am. What I have lost and what I have gained." Tracey smiled.
"Thanks, bro" she smiled. Daphne smirked.
"Oh, 'bro' now is it?" said Harry, giving Tracey a one-armed hug. "In that case, you're welcome sis!" he chuckled whilst Tracey stuck out her tongue childishly.
"See you soon, Harry" she said, kissing Harry's cheek.
"Stop hitting on my betrothed, Tracey!" joked Daphne as she bade farewell to her best friend. As they looked at Tracey going, Harry wrapped his arm around his girl and walked to the floo, little knowing what was going to greet them in the House of Black.
"Harry!" squeaked Hermione and Tonks as they shot into Harry as he left the floo. He fell down, making Remus, Rupert, Neville, Daphne, Andromeda and the Weasley's howl with laughter.
"Do I always have this effect on my cousins?" Harry muttered.
"Yep" said Tonks, emphasising the 'p'. "Only because we love our cousin and we have 15 years to make up". Hermione just grinned like a Cheshire Cat.
"Anyway" said Harry, "guess what I discovered at Gringotts" and Harry told of his and Daphne's day, the discoveries, the vault (without explain about the portrait) and meeting Tracey. When they showed Harry's inheritance sheet, Hermione had to scoff.
"Well, looks like I have competition with you, eh, Harry?" Everyone laughed.