Summary: In a fit of fear, Harry Potter disappears from his abusive aunt and uncle's nearing his seventh birthday and lands hundreds of years in the past. Eventual Rowena Ravenclaw/Harry Potter
CHAPTER TWO: BROTHERHOOD
Brotherhood - the act of being brothers
Salazar was a very different companion than Dudley. Unlike Dudley, who bullied and beat Harry until he was black and blue, Salazar was a welcome sight. He gladly taught Harry how to live in the tenth century, how to hunt and fish and most importantly, how to control his accidental magic.
That's what it was called, his miracle. Accidental magic. Although Mama, as Selene had allowed him to call her, had a strange theory about a pure celestial being called "Magic", Arnold simply believed him to be a strong wizard. The effects of abuse on a young wizard is dangerous, Arnold - or Pa - had explained to Harry.
It was all very fascinating to Harry.
And best of all, he had his own room!
The room he'd awoken in, which he claimed for his own later, was a guest bedroom usually for a great-aunt that had recently passed. Harry almost felt bad for taking the room until Salazar had told them of the awful woman who yanked on their cheeks and slapped them for tiny infractions. Harry didn't feel too bad then.
Not a month after living with the Slytherins, his room was made up. He kept the dark green bedsheets and blankets (he always was partial to the color green), a handmade bow, a furry rabbit pelt and a crooked iron sword was added to his collection. Eveline helped decorate his room with pretty paper stars that glowed silver and gold and floated on their own with magic. It was an amazing change from the dreary life he lived with the Dursleys.
Nearly two months had passed when Mama had approached him in the sitting room. He had been listening to Eveline play the flute (and she played beautifully) when she pulled him into Pa's office.
"What's an inheritance test?" Harry asked in confusion. Mama simply smiled and settled him in a cozy black chair while she puttered around the office. She finally revealed an ornate silver and emerald box and silver parchment that seemed to glow.
"An old practice, but it will help determine if you have any properties or money that could be used in this timeline." Selene explained. She gently opened the box, after smoothing the parchment in front of him. Inside the box was a silver blade with a snake handle. The snake's eyes were a pair of rubies that seemed to glow. It probably did, Harry though, this was magic. Harry obediently cut his palm, squeezing some droplets onto the parchment and repeated a few words in latin with Mama's help.
"Hereditatem meam revelare." He repeated this these times and on the third time, he watched letters and numbers appear in his blood.
HARRY JAMES POTTER
MOTHER - LILY ANNETTE POTTER NEE EVANS
DECEASED
FATHER - JAMES CHARLUS POTTER
DECEASED
HEIR
POTTER - UNAVAILABLE
EVANS - UNAVAILABLE
BLACK - UNAVAILABLE
PEVERELL - AVAILABLE
PEVERELL PROPERTIES
ST. HOGWARTS - SCOTLAND
MAGICAL ITEMS
ELDER WAND ; IN HOGWARTS VAULT SIX
INVISIBILITY CLOAK ; IN HOGWARTS VAULT TWO
RESURRECTION STONE ; IN HOGWARTS VAULT THREE
DRAGON EGGS (2) ; IN HOGWARTS VAULT SIX
"What are those, the wand and stuff?" Harry asked, looking up at Mama but she looked just as bewildered as Harry.
"I haven't a clue, boy." She muttered, but shook her head and replaced the paper, quickly drawing several runes onto the paper as well as the house insignia for Peverell. "Hold your hand to the paper and say, "I, Harry James Potter, claim lordship of House Peverell. So I say it, so mote it must be."
"I, Harry James Potter, claim lordship of House Peverell." He hesitated, glancing at her and at her encouraging nod, continued. "So I say it, so mote it must be." With a flash of white light, his name was replaced as "LORD HARRY JAMES PEVERELL" and a heavy ring was placed on his middle finger.
It was strange, Harry thought later, how quickly things can change. He thought this while stumbling through the foliage of Slytherin Forest with his brother. Salazar was, thankfully, not jealous of his new lordship and instead tried to make plans to go to Hogwarts.
"Who bloody names a home "Hogwarts"?" Salazar complained, easily jumping over a large log while Harry stumbled over it.
"We live in the Snake Pit." Harry deadpanned, referring to the old family estate name. The Snake Pit was a beautiful home, nearing mansion worthy with four bedrooms, two bathrooms (both which were magically charmed so thankfully he didn't have to worry about chamber pots like the muggles), a large library and two offices. There was a potions lab hiding under the first floor but the children had strict rules not to go near it.
"Yeah, yeah," Salazar scoffed, jumping across three large stones to bound over a river. "So with the lordship, that really means Mama and Pa couldn't find a way for you to get back to your time."
"I guess," Harry shrugged, secretly pleased they hadn't. He was sure they wouldn't leave him in the Dursley's care but the future seemed much darker without the Slytherins in his life. Now he couldn't imagine not listening to Eveline play the flute or watch her sew up his torn pants, or hear Mama singing while she did the laundry. Most of all, he didn't want to live a life without Salazar. They were thick as thieves and Harry thrived on the brotherhood they'd formed in the few months.
"Good," Salazar said loudly. "The future seems dull anyways. I mean, metal beasts run the modern world? How absurd!" Harry laughed with him. Cars and planes and trains did seem unnatural after living in the 980's for this long.
The silence between them was companionable. Harry had always preferred the quiet especially when he lived with Dudley for so long. He half wondered if anyone had searched for him or if the Dursleys had just been happy he was gone. It was most likely the latter, Harry mused.
"Doe," Salazar said quietly. Harry quickly ducked behind a tree and peeked out. A young doe gently nudged the grass, looking at peace with the world. The peaceful way she observed the world almost made Harry uncomfortable to shoot her and end her life, but one glance at Salazar had Harry shaking off that wariness.
Harry ducked from behind at tree and edged behind a log. He pulled back the bow, and narrowed down on the young doe. With a release of the arrow, it struck her in the side and she fell down hard.
"Nice shot." Salazar complimented as they approached the dying doe. Harry was too thankful when Salazar bent down and quietly ended her life with his snake handle blade.
"How are we going to get her back?" Harry asked in confusion. As young as the doe looked, she was bigger than the two boys.
Salazar gave him a strange look. "Magic, of course."
"Oh." Harry replied. His cheeks pinked when the doe's wounds sealed quickly and she began levitating above the two boys.
"So did you tell Mama what you want for your birthday?" Salazar asked as they began the trip back to the Snake Pit.
"I have everything I need," Harry said truthfully. He paused and that forced Salazar to stop as well. The boy looked at him with near-identical green eyes. "I never had a family, never had any happiness." Harry looked to the sky, at the trees arching above them providing cover. "This is all I need."
"Sap." Salazar complained, but he clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder with a soft squeeze. "Come, brother." He said softly.
Harry smiled warmly and hurried to catch up with his brother, grinning even wider when the Snake Pit appeared after a few minutes. Pausing, he could see Mama and Eveline hard at work in Mama's garden. Far from the garden, Pa was levitating different pieces of wood from a torn down tree. They'd had quite a few horrible storms in the past weeks and that tree was one that had fallen.
"That didn't take long," Mama said, standing from where she was gently working with the tomato plants.
"We found her surprisingly easy." Salazar shrugged. "Not too far from the Pit, either."
Mama rolled her eyes at his casual usage of the "Pit" and Eveline giggled at her brother. Much like the rest of the family, she wore emerald green and silver, the house colors of Slytherin. She'd quietly explained house colors and other things to Harry once he'd claimed lordship and he himself found out that while Slytherin's mascot was a great basilisk and it's color's green and silver, Peverell's mascot was a dragon with the color's being a scarlet red and black. The trim on his black overcoat was a scarlet color while his tunic was emerald green, a nod to both of his new houses.
While Salazar went and settled the deer in the shed, Harry gladly shed his overcoat, rolled up his sleeves and helped Eveline finish with the snap peas. By the time Salazar and Pa had returned, Harry was following Mama back into the manor and sneaking peas from under Mama's nose.
"Stop, Harry," Mama playfully swatted him as they gathered into the large kitchen.
Like the rest of the house, it was painted in a shade of green and was separated into two sides. The kitchen counters were set across one side along with an old stove and ice box. The vegetables were put away as Mama checked on the boiling on the stove. On the other side of the room, surrounded by many beautiful plants was a small breakfast table. A light green tablecloth covered it and a small vases was filled with several pinkish and purple flowers. It was a very warm kitchen and Harry enjoyed sitting in the kitchen and listening to Mama sing while she cooked.
"Quite the haul," Pa said, leaning against the table. Salazar snatched a pea and settled next to Harry and Eveline at the table.
"I know, magic bless." Mama said happily, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "When will that doe be ready?"
"I could have her ready to cook by tomorrow night, maybe." Pa glanced at the table and grinned. "If those boys will help me."
"Sure," Harry said excitedly.
"Don't be too excited," Salazar said loosely, an arrogance in his words. "Pa wants to show you the spell to prep the doe." A warning look had Salazar shutting his mouth.
"Remember, Friday is when we're going to town." Pa said sternly, facing the three of them. "No funny business from any of you. This is a town of mudders."
"Mudders?" Harry asked.
"Non-magical folk," Mama explained, stirring the pot absently. "We were crafted by magic, however mudders created from the earth itself. The official word is Mudblood, as their blood still carries the mud that birthed them."
"Don't call them mudders to their face," Eveline warned. "They get very upset."
"I won't," Harry promised, remembering the terms.
Wizarding terminology was strange enough and sometimes it winded Harry where he was. He repeated Mama's knowledge in his head a few times before smiling at a concerned Pa.
"I need to go the trader's and Mama wants to pick out more clothes and fruits at Old Mary's." Pa said pointedly at Salazar. "Stay away from Jacob Hart."
"Who?" Harry asked curiously.
In a moment, both Mama and Pa's face turned cool as they gave Salazar a direct look. "Jacob Hart is the son of Governor Mayor John Hart. He and Salazar have a deep hatred for each."
"He's a bully," Eveline said softly. "He calls us freaks, makes fun because we're poor."
Salazar scoffed and with an angry grumble, stomped off towards upstairs where his bedroom was. Mama just huffed and turned back to the dinner.
"Let him cool off." Mama said swiftly. Pa just grunted and went towards the back kitchen door. Harry wondered what he planned on doing. There was a drying rabbit in the shed that still needed to be cleaned and cut up, but Harry figured he might just be grumpy now.
"Pa and Mayor Hart don't get along," Eveline muttered. "They're on opposite sides of the town board."
"Enough, Eveline." Mama said calmly. "Set the table, will you?"
"Yes, Mama." Eveline and Harry said together. With wary looks, they obeyed.