Harry headed to the coast with Fred to speak to Bill. He knew he would have to tell Bill the truth and was fine with that. Though he didn't lan to announce it to the world those close to him would know the truth. But he wasn't in a rush to tell anyone other then Fred it seemed. Fred reminded him that Bill loved him as a member of the family and would be happy to help him out. They both hoped Bill would be able to help Harry with this box. Bill had spent over a decade training and working with the bank as a curse breaker. If anyone could help it should have been Bill. They had sent word and found out that Bill wasn't at work and would be at home on the coast.

Bill had been surprised when they asked to come but he was happy to have them. He and Fleur both cared about Harry a great deal. He hadn't only thought to protect Gabrielle in the Triwizard but he had saved Fleur in the final battle. He had also been more welcoming then some had.

Fred saw Harry's nerves when they arrived. "It's Bill, you'd think you were facing an executioner. Or at least a NEWT exam."

Harry managed a small laugh. "I know but beyond you I haven't told anyone. Not even Remus."

Fred put a hand on his arm. "You know we all think of you as a little brother. He will want to help."

Bill had appeared in the door. "I don't know about the little brother part."

Harry turned to look at him. "I guess you and Charlie don't….."

Bill cut him off with a laugh. "I meant you are a lot less annoying then some of the siblings."

Fred pouted when he heard that. "I think my favorite big brother has changed."

Bill motioned them into the house. "We all know Charlie always was."

Fred couldn't deny that. "Quidditch and all. Well you are second."

Harry shook his head. "Only a step above Percy? Not sure that was a complement."

Bill offered them some tea. "I was intrigued to find out what you wanted."

Fred took a cup. "We need your help solving a puzzle."

Harry put the box on the table. "I am hoping you can help."

Bill looked at the box. "Where did this come from?"

Fred shot Harry a look. "Your choice."

Harry sighed. "Snape."

Bill was surprised. "He left you a box."

"It seems he was my father."

Bill sunk down into a chair and Harry found himself telling the story once again. Technically he could have waited but he thought it might help. He had no idea what this box was and why it had been kept at Prince manor. He didn't know if he actually wanted what was inside of it. But he got the sense from Tiberius that the only way he would know the painting password was by opening the box. And he did want to wake the painting. He needed a chance to confront the man who had been his so called father. He was dead and the painting was the only way he could.

Bill was surprised by the news as one could only expect. But like Fred that changed nothing about how he saw Harry of course. He looked at the box and understood why they had come to him. But he wasn't sure he would be able to do much for them.

He motioned to the box. "I don't know if there is much I can do."

Harry was confused. "With all your training?"

"Its not charmed in the sense that I work with." Bill explained.

Fred shared Harry's confusion. "But we can't open."

Bill took out a dagger and motioned to Harry. "There is one thing that we can try."

Harry reminded the man. "I was blood adopted."

Bill pricked Harry's finger with it. "Severus would likely have taken that into consideration."

Harry looked at the blood. "Okay what do I do?"

Bill motioned to a small area on the front. "That is like the lock on a box. Normally where there should be a key hole."

Harry placed his finger against it. "A key would be so much easier."

Fred watched. "Nothing happened. Nothing opened."

Bill sighed. "Like I said I don't think it's a standard charm on it."

Harry motioned. "Something is happening."

Slowly a light had appeared around where the blood had been put and the blood disappeared. The entire box was engulfed in the glow and Harry worried that it was about to be destroyed. He worried that the box didn't recognize his blood and would self-destruct. He didn't doubt Bill wanted to help but he worried his brother had been wrong in this. But slowly the light disappeared and the box sat there again. But it looked very different. Harry thought that it looked like a long rectangular version of a rubix cube. And there was a family crest on the top of it.

Harry traced the crest. "The Prince family."

Bill looked at it. "It's a puzzle box."

Harry turned to him. "It looks like the muggle kind."

Bill sighed. "Even harder to solve. You have to know a certain combination."

Fred was reminded. "We had these as kids. They were to hide things from Ron."

Bill laughed a little. "One use for ours. But this one is far more complicated. And not something I can break."

Harry looked at the box. "Well how many possible combinations could there be?"

Bill didn't have good news for Harry. "The size of that box, you could try combinations for years and not find the way."

Harry was so frustrated. "Damn him."

Fred reminded him. "There may be someone who can help you."

Harry reminded him. "The painting is asleep."

"You know who I am speaking of."

Harry groaned. "I don't like owing that man anything."

Fred suggested he could try Draco as well but that didn't seem like any better of a suggestion to Harry. He knew Draco was stewing that his godfather had passed over him. Lucius also likely knew Severus better then anyone and may know what to do with the box. Remus and Draco had both known him but at different levels. Harry grudgingly sent an elf to Malfoy manor to see if Lucius was willing to meet with him.

Kreacher came back. "Lord Malfoy be saying he be expecting Lord Black for dinner at six."


Lucius had not been shocked when Harry had wanted to speak with him. Part of him thought it was just a matter of time. He knew the boy would want to know something of Severus. He was reminded though that Remus and Severus had once been close friends. He was a bit surprised it had happened so soon though. He saw how Harry had reacted to the little run in at the graveyard. He knew Harry would fight asking him anything. He was more like his father then he would ever admit. Lucius had been at the graveyard to visit and it had been an unintentional run in.

He had dinner made for the two of them. He knew Harry would not be pleased and he could admit part was that. He was reminded of the boy telling him he would not hold his breath on a family dinner. He assumed what ever this talk was about could be over dinner.

Minutes before dinner Harry was ushered in the door. "I see you are on time."

Harry grunted and looked ready to leave. "I may have had plans."

Lucius motioned to his bar. "Can I get you a drink?"

Harry came into the room. "I came for some answers."

Lucius motioned to the bottles. "Red or white?"

Harry grunted. "White."

Lucius poured him a glass and handed it to him. "Your family had quite the cellar, you should explore one day."

Harry sipped the wine. "Not the plan I had. Now I came for some advice."

Lucius went to lead him into the dining room. "Manners Harry."

Harry grunted. "Potter."

Lucius turned to look at him. "I thought that was straightened out."

Harry didn't. "I was adopted."

Lucius motioned. "I see you wear the ring."

Harry looked down. "To get into the manor. And I wear my other two."

Lucius took him into the dining room. "Enjoy your meeting with Tiberius?"

Harry grunted. "He is more bearable then some."

Lucius motioned to a chair. "Be grateful you didn't wake Ciscero."

Harry smirked. "Tiberius told me he was sadistic."

Lucius called for dinner to be brought in. "That would be putting it kindly."

For a man who had not turned dark, Ciscero came pretty damn close. Abraxas and Orion may have been cold and ruthless in business but they were not sadistic. Ciscero was the kind of man who didn't take what he thought to be an insult kindly. It was believed that he had leaked false information to Voldemort about his business opponents to rid himself of them. There was a reason Tiberius had not been sad his son had no children of his own. If Eileen had not married a muggle, he may have done the unthinkable and named his daughter his heir instead. The days a daughter would be passed over for a son were over now, but certainly not back then. Besides Eileen was younger then her brother.

Harry didn't have much of an appetite as he heard of the man. He reminded himself to try and not wake that painting up in the future. It seems there were worse people in the world to speak to then Wallburga. Maybe he could put them in one room.

Lucius watched him. "I wouldn't want this fine meal to go to waste."

Harry smirked. "I didn't plan on eating with you."

"I recall someone telling me not to hold my breath on a family dinner."

Harry went to stand. "I should have….."

Lucius stopped him. "There is some reason you are here."

Harry sighed and sitting he brought out the box. "I need help with this."

Lucius eyed the box and he actually smiled. "Why didn't you say so?"

Harry turned to him. "You know how to open it?"

Lucius motioned to the box. "He created such in school."

Harry tried to hand him the box. "Then you can open."

Lucius shook his head. "It is you who have to do it."

Harry was exasperated. "How? I am told there are thousands of combinations."

"If you look close, each of the boxes have different words carved into them."

Harry could see that. "So?"

"You need to align those which meant the most to Severus on the top of the box. They must go at the top, bottom and either side of the crest."

Harry looked at the names. "Draco, Lucius, Slytherin, Potions."

Lucius watched as Harry couldn't open it. "What meant the most to him."

"We know the only things that mattered to him were you two and his bloody potions."

Lucius reminded him. "He loved your mother, and you."

Harry refused to put his name in but he replaced potions with his mother's name. It still didn't work. "Damn it."

Lucius pushed. "Your blood opened the box."

Harry slammed it down. "Well my name is no where on the box so he clearly didn't mean me."

Lucius motioned and he pointed to a box. Not a name but a symbol. "Recognize that constellation?"

Harry wasn't sure but he stopped. "Leo?"

"Your constellation you were born under. Not to mention your house."

Harry reluctantly placed it. "Leo, Lily, Draco and you?"

Lucius shook his head and motioned to Slytherin. "For both my son and I. Potions."

Harry pushed the other three into place but paused when he went to push Leo. He was shocked it was even on the box in the first place. He thought surely it had nothing to do with him anyways. He was reminded that Remus and Severus had been good friends and maybe he was the reason. It was easier for him to think that was the reason then himself. He doubted this would work anyways but he placed the boxes in places and then touched the crest as Lucius told him to do. Harry was shocked as the different boxes began moving and the lid went to open.

Lucius saw his look. "The woman he loved, the son she bore him, his adopted family and the one thing which made him fit in with school."

Harry looked into the box. "There may be some answer to the painting at least."

Lucius laughed. "No need for that. I could have helped you."

Harry looked at him. "You couldn't simply have told me?"

Lucius reminded him. "You didn't ask. Besides you wanted into the box."

Harry grunted. "Anything else I should think to ask you?"

Lucius shrugged. "Nothing off the top of my head."

Harry demanded. "The password?"

"Familia ante omnia." Lucius explained. "Family over all."

Harry went to leave. "Too bad he didn't remember that before he got himself killed."

Lucius called. "You are not leaving before dessert are you?"

Harry turned back to him. "Lonely for company are you?"

Lucius shrugged. "My son moved into the town house. And the last person to sit in that seat seems not to be returning."

Harry smirked as he sat back down. "I am sure you will soon find a new one."

Lucius watched him as he ate and he could admit he was enjoying the company more then he thought possible. He and Severus had fought like true brothers but had loved one another the same. He was shocked Severus had never told him about this boy and being his son. He had once told Severus that James was not the reason that Harry frustrated him as much as he did. That it was because Harry was so much like him they butted heads. He could remember a glint in the eyes of Severus and now he had to wonder.

Harry went to leave. "I am sure you can find dinner or other company in a bar in town."

Lucius smiled over his wine as the boy left. "I have someone far more interesting in mind."