Disclaimer: We do not own the Harry Potter characters or world, but the over-active imaginations that produced this we will claim.

Rituals and Consequences

by mmagicwolf and WickerChair

Chapter Fifty-Two: Know Thyself and Be Free

Sunday, June 23, 1991

Marian awakened early, her sleep interrupted by questions about Harrison. She went to the library and looked up old issues of the newspaper, looking for a picture of James Potter. Less than an hour going through old microfilm resulted in newspaper photographs of the wedding between James Potter and Lily Evans. Marian could see Harrison's unruly hair on James as well as several other men labeled as cousins of the groom.

Back issues of Whitaker's Peerage revealed more records of Harrison's family. The title dated to the twelfth century and Harrison Potter was the seventeenth earl of Gryffham. A little quick math and Marian was startled to find that almost every Potter heir was born when their parents were in their fifties or sixties. A mere four earls held the title between 1850 and the present and that included James Potter who had held the title for a mere six months. Harrison's parents were unusual in their youth at the time of their first child and their marriage. A quick check of the papers surrounding the time of the death of James and Lily Potter showed pictures of them at their wedding and the announcement of the fact that their son, Harrison James Potter, was missing. The current issue of Whitaker's Peerage showed that Harrison Potter still held the title.

Marian realized that Liam could have requested an inquest to have Harrison declared dead. He was the official heir of Harrison Potter, but he had done everything in his power to prevent anyone from declaring Harrison Potter dead. The news that Liam Potter might have custody of Harrison before the end of school changed all of her plans. She had meant to suggest that Harrison go to camp with the other chimps, but now...

Marian tried to think of alternatives, but could come up with nothing. Her mind was too busy running in circles wondering about the life Harrison could have had. The "if only"s were suddenly drowned out by two questions, "Why had Harrison Potter been placed with Petunia Dursley?" and "How did the news not get out that it had been done?"

Knowing that she would not get answers, Marian firmly turned her mind to the preparations for her wedding. Scheduled for mid-August, she and Daniel would finally be having the wedding of her dreams. Marian pulled out her appointment book; this weekend was scheduled for the Orangutan meeting and a meeting with the florist to make a final decision on the flowers. Roses were nice, and orange blossoms of course, but perhaps a bit of holly to remind her of the occasional hardships as well.

~O~

Monday, June 24, 1991

Marian waited in the early morning light waiting for Harrison to appear. She had been unable to sleep and hoped that Harrison would appear early as usual. In the bag by her foot lay a copy of the wedding photographs for James and Lily's wedding and an older edition of Whitaker's Peerage borrowed the previous day from The London Library. Harrison should be fascinated to know about his heritage, and Marian wanted to see the excitement on his face when he realized that he was not alone in the world.

Her watch beeped to indicate that it was now six o'clock when Harrison appeared outside the door. Opening the door to let him in, Marian was struck by the odd look on his face. "Harrison, how was your weekend?"

"Mrs Figg took me to London with her to see her doctor. She broke her leg last week and was getting it checked. I met with a Doctor Scott who promised to begin paperwork to get me removed from the Dursleys." Harrison's look cleared to reveal pure misery, "What if there is no one who will take me?"

Marian pulled out a copy of the newspaper she had brought with her from London. "Harrison, your family is larger than you know."

Harrison looked at the photograph, "Who are these people, Miss Marian?"

"Your mother and father," she pointed to the couple in the center of the photograph, "your cousins," a group of about seven men, all with the same unruly hair, "and your grandparents," two older couples, one with the same unruly hair as the cousins but gone gray at the temples.

"They're all dead. That's why I'm living with Aunt Petunia, right?"

Marian pulled out the copy of Whitaker's Peerage. "Your cousin Liam Potter is the current heir to the earldom of Gryffham. You, Harrison, are the seventeenth Earl of Gryffham."

"Me? Harrison Potter an earl? Miss Marian, I have no family except for the Dursleys." Harrison's face reddened, then paled. "Miss Marian, the Dursleys are not my family. The Potters are my family. Why? Why did they not come and find me?"

For a brief moment, Marian saw the reactions of a normal ten-year-old whose dreams had been crushed, then the sorrow turned to rage.

"Why? Who did this to me? I had a family, one that might actually have wanted me. How did my parents die? Miss Marian, did you find out how they died?"

Marian struggled a moment with emotion, "Harrison, your parents were murdered. They don't know how it happened, but there was an explosion in their home. If the stories in the newspaper were accurate, you should not have survived either."

"They lied about that too. Did they ever tell me anything that was true?"

Marian, for just a moment, felt a cold shiver run down her back. Then the shiver was gone, as if it had never been. Before her was her precious Harrison, the reason she had postponed the wedding with Daniel for a year. The student who challenged her, not to make him learn, but to find more for him to learn. A student now curled up into a ball consumed by pain and loss. "Harrison," she knelt beside him. "Harrison, it will change. I promise."

"How can you promise that, Miss Marian? The Dursleys are my guardians."

"But now Liam Potter knows where you are. He is trying to get you returned to him."

"How long, Miss Marian? How long will it take?"

"A bit over a month, I think. Can you hold out that long?"

Harrison bit his lower lip, then nodded firmly. "I can handle it a month, but then," his face darkened, "I will be away from that house. With the Potters? Excellent. Someone else? Fine. Alone? Acceptable. But I will be away."