He Is Not One of Us
Disclaimer/Plot/Challenge Information/Author's Note: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Recommended Reads: Who Dares Wins by OlegGunnarsson, Xenogenous Souls by Quatermass, Apex by JustBored21, When Daylight Dies by BloodyRose90, Harry Potter and the Hidden Truth by KingFatMan25, Midnight Sun and Darkest Before Dawn by Herald-MageAnduli, Dark Prince Rises and Argent Knight of Pendragon by Ronin2106, Beautiful, Broken, Deadly by ifYouDieInCanada, Small Changes by KnightCarter007, Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man, Harry Potter and the Shadowed Light by itshanniee and Antithesis by Oceanbreeze7
Key Pairing: Harry/Gabrielle;
Other Pairings: Neville/Ginny; Lily/James; Others TBD
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
/Parseltongue/
Review Answers:
EndingF4te: Given your review appears twice, I kind of feel compelled to obey now, so…enjoy;
With the taste of blood, Harry Potter, Golden Boy, became something…else.
Something…someone who needed to see James Potter beg for mercy, forgiveness and his own damn life…then Harry would be happy.
And, no matter what, now that he was, technically, a free agent in the game ahead, the young lion made a vow that he would see that happen.
Payback, as the old saying went, would be a bitch!
Chapter 2: The Ultimate Revenge
It was some time before Harry's body finally decided to remind its bearer of just how tired he was, energetically-speaking.
Before it did so, however, Harry, running on sheer adrenaline and an emotional rollercoaster, took a long and winding path throughout Hogwarts.
One that, instead of going to Gryffindor Tower or somewhere he could be alone with his thoughts, meant he was just walking around in circles, arcs, U-turns, and labyrinthine movements that made him look a little crazy, not that he cared too much, mind you. Instead, his vision and his senses were left drowning in a sea of red that seemed to follow his steps. A deep-seated bloodlust, as well as thoughts of vengeance, justice and ideas that would make everyone see the truth for what it is, blinded him to all that was around him.
As a result, he was a lone wanderer, moving through the known into the unknown.
All the way through Hogwarts, down the Grand Staircase and through the corridors, he walked, unaware of his blood still dripping onto his clothes and the floor as he walked, his mind clouded by rage, anger, pain and his newly-spawned hunger for revenge against his attempted controller.
In fact, the only reason Harry even broke out of his reverie was because of a familiar voice that snapped at him.
"Potter, what in Merlin's name are you doing wandering around in such a disgusting state?"
"Auditioning for a horror movie, what do you think?" snapped Harry, a part of him unaware of the fact that the owner of the voice was the same person he'd just compared his ex-Father to, while he snarled under his breath as he hissed, "You can thank Saint Potter for this: go on, go and kiss his ass and bend over so he can give you it back!"
"What are you talking about?" demanded the same voice.
As it did so, Harry's body caught up with the rest of him as the sea of red faded away.
As his mind and body found each other again, Harry let out a growl and bit back a string of curses as he felt the pain from his broken nose and the scar on his cheek; he was also aware of the fact that he was practically oozing blood while his legs finally started to tremble from the fatigue that now racked his mind and body.
He was also aware of his stomach giving a funny jolt before Harry's whole world spun, turning his surroundings into a cyclone of colour and darkness that, inevitably, sent Harry to the ground, the force of the impact causing him to hit his head on the wall.
At the same time, Harry felt someone grab him as his head hit the wall and, as he looked up, he was aware of a familiar cloying, greasy scent and the sight of eyes darker than dark looking at him, but, for once, those eyes did not look at him in disdain or hate.
Instead, they looked on in disbelief, worry and a note of shock as they stared into the green colour of Harry's eyes.
In later days, Harry would learn the owner of those eyes had used a mild Legilimency probe to see what he was talking about.
However, in the present, he just scowled as he was able to identify them.
"Of all the people…it had to be you…"
"My office…now!" hissed Severus Snape, using his own body to support Harry's fatigued frame while, as the boy tried to struggle in apparent protest – if only because of who was helping him and the fact that this was the last person he wanted to see him looking as weak and frail and even pathetic as he did – the Potions Master surprised Harry when he added in a stern, almost-caring tone, "No arguments…Harry; you appear to have lost a lot of blood and you're barely standing. How you're standing at all, I do not know; your eyes are so glazed over, you look like you've been put under the Imperius!"
"I…I throw…throw it off…remember?" slurred Harry, trying again to leave the embrace of the man holding him, but his body refused to budge.
As for Snape, he scoffed softly as he whispered, "I doubt you could throw off a fly right now, boy. So, regardless of whatever animosity is telling you otherwise, you can either come to my office or be taken back to the Hospital Wing; your choice."
Knowing who was likely getting looked at by Madam Pomfrey, not to mention said bastard's loving wife, Harry surrendered to his rescuer's whims.
As he did so, a part of him was made dimly-aware of the possibility of the man using his first name – but he just put it down to blood loss making him imagine things – as he said, "Lead the way…Professor…"
He would have said more, but as was previously-noted, his body finally managed to catch up with the rest of him and, adding in the head wound he now had from the fall, it was no surprise Harry's world spun into blackness even as he was led away by the embrace of the last person he would have expected to help him.
However, that being said, Harry had to admit it to himself:
Compared to that arrogant blowhard who he would get his revenge on one day, he'd have even gladly accepted help from Voldemort himself!
Probably…
Not One of Us
Once Harry's broken nose was repaired and the bloodstains had been cleaned from his clothes – while Severus also called on an elf to take care of the blood Harry had trailed through the corridor – he felt a little better, but only so much that he felt marginally grateful to the Hogwarts Potions Master for what he'd done.
When Severus went to heal the cut on Harry's cheek, however, Harry held up a hand to stop him, his eyes no longer glazed over, but still as cold as death itself as he looked into the eyes of the Potions Master. "Don't."
"Why?" asked Severus, though he had to fight the urge to smile when he heard Harry's response.
"Soon enough, they'll forget I was their hero, so, as far as I'm concerned, I might as well let them see what the real me looks like."
Hearing the coldness of the young boy's voice, as well as the venom in his voice, which was unlike any other time he'd heard the boy speak since he'd first known him, Severus' lip twitched in amusement as he heard the response, though Harry wasn't done. "Besides, I want James to see it every time he looks at me and, as more of my true self emerges, I want him to look at it, see me wearing it like a badge of honour and know how stupid a mistake he's made thinking of me as just some spare tyre boy-wizard!"
Nodding in silent agreement, although he still couldn't believe the venom in his least-favourite student's voice – a mantle he also suspected would soon become history once the other Potter came to Hogwarts – Severus closed the wound, leaving a scar that, later, when Harry looked at it, he saw it resembled a small, three-pronged scar, similar to the sign known as the triskellion. As for the part of the wound that'd narrowly missed his eye, it seemed to give Harry a real devil-may-care look that, when combined with the cold, vengeance-hungry glare in his green eyes, made him look like someone you did not want to cross.
Unfortunately, Lily and James Potter had done just that and, by the time they'd realise it, they'd be so far past the point of no return, they wouldn't be able to remember what it looked like when they'd passed it.
As Harry looked up at the Potions Master, he couldn't resist letting out a scoff as, now he seemed capable of standing up under his own power, so too did he show his rebellious, opposing side to the Potions Master as he asked, "I bet you love this, don't you, Snape? Hey? You're finally getting physical, indisputable proof you were right about Potter all these years."
"In any other circumstance, you might be right, Mr Potter…" Severus began, but as soon as he said it, his eyes widened as Harry suddenly pointed his wand at the Potions Master, his AK-green eyes filled with hate and darkness that was nothing like the boy Severus had taught for four years.
"Never call me that disgusting name…ever again!" snarled Harry, his voice almost-trembling with fury and barely-controlled restraint, "The selfish bastard who did this to me has made it clear I'm no son of his! Just because I refuse to kiss the boots of his other child. So, until further notice, it's Just Harry and nothing else!"
"Very well…Harry," replied Severus, a note of fear and worry as well as a small, but thankfully-hidden note of loathing in his words as he saw and heard just how badly the resurrection of the elder Potters and their son had affected Harry's mind and his spirit.
He'd seen brief glimpses of what Potter and Lily had done and said to the boy while he was bleeding out, but even that didn't show Severus how deep the knife had been planted as much as hearing the cold, unforgiving hate from Harry himself.
Clearing his throat in a bid to relieve some of the tension, Severus went on, "As…as I was saying, in any other circumstance, you'd be right about my feelings. However, in light of what's happening and how you've been received by those you've fought for many times over the past four years, I can only say how sorry I am for misjudging you for how I saw him."
"Oh yeah? Well…apology accepted…I guess," drawled Harry, though he seemed to be fighting back his own raging tempest of new emotions as he not only accepted the apology, but also seemed to struggle with the idea of what may or may not happen next.
After several minutes' soul searching, Harry surprised Severus again when as the little boy who'd lost his parents so long ago showed through the cold, dark-minded teenager as Harry curled his knees to his chest, while his breath trembled as he sniffed sadly. "Why did they do it, Professor? Why hide themselves from me, even though they claim to know about what I've gone through, and wait until Tom comes back to reveal themselves again? And what's all this bullshit about a brother of mine…excuse me…I mean ex-brother?"
"That part, I'm loath to admit, is truth," said Severus, earning a pained, but still-curious look from Harry as he told him, "Potter was able to reveal the existence of his golden child shortly after your return from the Third Task. It was your sibling that revealed the fact of the Dark Lord's return and how he'd murdered the other boy as he called him."
"And me?" asked Harry, scoffing with disbelief at how that other Potter didn't even have the pride or honour to name Cedric or show any other emotion concerning his death. "Did they even notice I was cut open, in pain and unconscious from magical exhaustion or was the wellbeing of the so-called real Saviour more important?"
"Given the fact that the Minister himself was there, and that he was dealing with a quite-clearly alive Lord of the House of Potter, I'd say the latter," answered Severus, his words edged by sorrow as he explained, "It was Poppy and I who took you to the Hospital Wing while the other Potter, the younger one, announced there was a Death Eater at Hogwarts and he was impersonating none other than Professor Moody."
"And you?" asked Harry, earning a shocked look from the Potions Master before the green eyes of the ex-Potter met Severus' near-black ones as he told him, "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not stupid, Professor: you called Tom the Dark Lord and you were also challenged by Karkaroff about signs. So, if you're going to lie, you might as well throw me back to the wolves because I won't let anyone lie to me…never again, do you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Harry," said Severus, his lips twitching in amusement as he told the boy, "And I will not lie to you…not anymore, anyway."
As Harry relaxed, if only enough to show he trusted the man enough to hear him out, Severus quickly continued, "Yes, I am a member of the Dark Lord's forces, but towards the end of the War, I was convinced to switch sides and spy on His ranks by the Headmaster on behalf of a band of allies of his, whom your…I mean, whom the Potters are also members of: they are known as the Order of the Phoenix and, now that he has returned and events are set in motion, I suspect they may be reconvened sooner rather than later."
Stretching his legs out again, Harry took a slow, steady breath before he asked, "Do you think this…Order knew of them being alive? Potter let slip Lupin knew, but did anyone else? You? Their friends? Or…or…"
His throat seemed to close up as he said it, but before he could finish, it was Severus who seemed to fill in the blank himself as his expression softened, a look normally reserved for his Slytherins, as he addressed his distraught student.
"If Black knew about their conditions, you can bet every Galleon you own, and then some, he would have told you. I may not get on with him, Harry, but even I will gladly admit it…even if only to you: for all his faults and what it is about him that makes me dislike him, Sirius Black will never lie to you, never trick you and he will always be open with you, no matter what circumstances may compel him to say otherwise."
Hearing the determination in Severus' voice – surprising though it was to hear him say something…nice about someone that wasn't Draco Malfoy or a Slytherin, let alone someone associated with Harry himself – Harry let out a sigh of relief before he listened as the other wizard went on, "As for others, I would not be surprised to learn the Headmaster was aware of their not-dead status as well. He is Potter's oldest of friends and, switching it around, Potter is as deep in Albus' camp as the parents of young Mr Weasley."
Again, Harry's throat tightened as he thought about what Ron and Hermione would say about this.
From what Severus was saying, it sounded like everyone knew of the existence of the real Boy-Who-Lived – a title Harry was more than willing to give the prick's son – and so, if he was hailed as such, there was every chance Harry might go from hero to zero in the eyes of his friends.
As the Potions Master said, the Weasleys were as close to Dumbledore as his ex-family and they wouldn't just up and turn on Albus Dumbledore because of some small technicality.
All right, so there might be some leeway in the case of the Twins, who'd always looked out for Harry as best as they could, but other than them, he didn't know what might come of the Weasleys learning the truth and seeing what had come of it.
And if James played the Marauder card on the Twins…
It didn't bear thinking about.
As for Hermione, who despite her friendship and her support where it mattered, was still a staunch believer in the old man and always seemed to treat his word as gospel, she would turn on Harry because of what he'd done – well, what James had done, but she wouldn't see it that way. More than likely, she'd then launch into some long-winded, unneeded lecture about respecting family and trusting those who knew better than him.
While he tried not to think about what might happen next, Harry looked back to the Potions Master before he asked, "If you didn't know, why are you helping me now? I mean, what about the debt you owe him?"
"I do not owe Potter anything," seethed Severus, his voice edged by the same ire he'd heard Harry use so many times before, including earlier that day, as he told the boy, "You may not believe me when I say this, but the fact of the matter is, since the day you walked through those doors four years ago, Harry, I have always tried to do what's best for your sake…and no, it's not because your surname is Potter before you ask."
"Then…why?" asked Harry, linking his fingers together as he asked, "If you never owed any loyalties to Potter, what about the way he saved you when you were students? Or what about the Quidditch Match and the near-miss with Sirius and Remus in the Shrieking Shack? Why would do any of those things if you never owed him anything?"
"Because," replied Severus, moving a chair from his side of the desk so that he was sat in front of Harry as he went on, "When I thought Potter Snr had died, I was forced into a corner where I became nothing more than an observer, silently-assisting your endeavours where and when I could. As the instigator told me, I would risk my life every day to protect you however I could, but when they made me agree to this, they unwittingly passed rights over the debt I had towards Potter to the one whom became my…my charge, if you will."
"Me," said Harry, earning a nod from Severus before he asked, "So, if he tries to make you do something now…"
"I can and will take the greatest pleasure showing him why I am the Head of Slytherin and someone he should not underestimate," said Severus, a note of amusement in his voice as he looked into Harry's eyes before he added, "A desire, I suspect, you wish to show him too, am I right?"
"So, what if you are?"
"Then here," Severus went on, his voice edged by a calm note of suggestion and assurance as he told Harry, "Now, from this moment forth, allow me to do what I swore to do all those years ago: help you, protect you and give you the means to stand tall and stride across the skin of this world. Not as the spawn of that arrogant brat, Potter, I once thought you were, but as the lone wolf who wanders through the wasteland with one ambition: to sink his fangs into the throats of his enemies and watch them bleed as they made him bleed."
"Poetic…and a little bit graphic," sniggered Harry, earning another smirk from Severus before he asked, "But how? I mean, now Tom's back, how do I know this isn't just part of some game to make me side with him?"
Severus, clutching at the spot where Harry suspected the Dark Mark was located, let out a low hum of thought as he went on, "If you want proof of my guarantee, let me prove it to you, Harry. First, let me grant you a place in Slytherin, even if it's only as my ward: we both know Potter won't allow you to stay in Gryffindor with his perfect child anyway, so since you are no longer a Potter by name, figuratively-speaking, let me see if I can get you resorted and, if you are sent to Slytherin, I will do as much as I can to protect you…even from the Dark Lord and his allies."
"I think you're forgetting something," drawled Harry, holding up one finger as he added, "Name of Lucius and, by extension, Draco Malfoy? We both know that one would pay a king's ransom to see me dead and the other thinks of me as the bane of his existence in ways that almost come close to how you used to see me. Send me to Slytherin and you might as well cover me in gravy, or offal and gore, and offer me to a hungry dragon!"
"You may be right," agreed Severus, a thoughtful look on his face as he added, "However, your past transgressions with the younger Malfoy aside, you may also find yourself accepted for the sole fact that you no longer stand as the hero of this little tale of destiny."
Here, Harry adopted a thoughtful look of his own before, looking up at Severus, he quickly returned to the fact at hand as he explained, "No matter what happens here at Hogwarts, I guess you should be the first to know it."
Drawing himself to his full height as best as he could, Harry cleared his throat as he went on, "There's only one thing I want right now and that's for James Potter to stand across from me and know he made a very stupid mistake thinking of me as just a decoy he could use in his arrogant thirst for recognition. And, if that means I take down his precious bastard instead of Tom, then…I guess that'd be a bonus for me, wouldn't it?"
Severus took a moment to think of what he could say or do to try and suggest other options, but when he looked into Harry's eyes, seeing the same fire he'd once seen in the boy's eyes when he'd been facing down a mother dragon and everything else he'd put up with that year, he caved.
Linking his hands together, the Potions Master asked him, "And what of the Dark Lord? His attention may get diverted to Potter and his ilk, but do you really think he'll let you go just as easily?"
Shrugging in response, Harry said the only thing he could given the circumstances;
"I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
Not One of Us
After discussing further options for the future, including how he promised the Potions Master he would not forget the kindness shown to him or hold back anymore in lessons, Harry was left alone in Severus' office while the older man returned to his duties as Potions Master and Head of Slytherin.
He also told Harry he'd see if the thought they had about Potter and his belief that Harry should not be in the same House as his perfect son was right and, if so, the invitation to Slytherin and the resort option were both open to him.
Left alone with his thoughts, Harry took some time to enjoy a meal Severus conjured for him, savouring the warm taste of food and the feeling of renewed strength it gave him after everything he'd gone through. Once his belly was full and warm, Harry let his eyes wander around the office of the Potions Master, a small part of him realising that, the incident in second year aside, this was the first time he'd ever set foot in the room.
As he looked around the room, noticing the large number of Potions ingredients as well as what looked like a vast number of books and tomes on the subject as well as framed records showing Snape's qualifications in the art.
'No, not Snape…Severus…Professor Snape now,' Harry reminded himself, taking a closer look at what he saw on the walls of the office.
To his surprise, he noticed that the man had not only a Mastery in Potions, but also a Mastery in something called Mind Magic, Healing Magic and even Herbology – but then again, given his post as Potions Master, Herbology was probably a necessary addition to his resume – as well as something called a Class S-Commendation from the Dark Force Defence League.
Remembering this title from the fraud, Lockhart, Harry couldn't resist looking closer, which resulted in him looking shocked, if not in awe of his once-hated teacher as he saw how the Commendation had been signed, sealed and recognised by none other than someone identified as the Archmage of the International Confederacy of Wizards, though the name seemed illegible from the scrawl above the title.
"Merlin's beard! I always heard he was after the post of Defence Professor," muttered Harry, a feeling of awe rising inside him as he mused, "But I never would have guessed he was as talented as this, even for…for a member of Tom's forces."
As he continued looking around the room, something on a shelf to his right caught Harry's attention.
It looked like an old, somewhat-used copy of a book that looked more like a Potions textbook he might use in future classes.
However, what really caught Harry's attention was the fact that this particular text was stored with others that looked to be in perfect condition.
Before he could stop himself, Harry rose from his seat and, moving to the shelf, he pulled out the book, which he saw was titled Advanced Potion Making and seemed to be used for lessons or some other purpose, judging by the dog-eared pages and faded covers.
Flipping open the cover, a look of surprise flitted across Harry's face when he saw words written inside.
This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince
"Huh?" asked Harry, a small part of him amused at the name.
The Half-Blood Prince sounded like something you might use to show that you were proud of who you were.
However, as Harry looked at the book, holding it up as he started flicking through its pages, he was surprised when a note fell out of the book.
Looking at the note, Harry bent down and picked it up, unfolding it to reveal a note that was written in the same script as the identification of the Half-Blood Prince.
However, when he read the note's contained information, Harry's eyes widened as he found out who said Prince was.
Hello Harry
I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to resist looking around while I wasn't there.
Do not be guilty: I kept this book hidden for obvious reasons for so long, but with the latest action by your Father, I decided to bring it out of hiding and award it to one whom I have always believed was destined for greatness, although I never showed it.
Everything in this book is now yours as it was mine and, should you require any further tutelage, do not be afraid to ask.
Consider this the first sign…an olive branch, you might say, to show that I am serious in my choice to help you.
Just don't lose this book!
Trust me, I will be very displeased if you do.
Severus.
"You…Slytherin," whispered Harry, smiling as he returned to his seat before, while he waited for the Potions Master to return, he slowly leafed his way through the book.
To his amusement, it did contain Potions recipes that looked to be the sort of thing he'd be expected to explore in sixth or seventh year, including one that struck a chord with him from First Year, the Draught of Living Death. However, the book also contained pages that seemed to have been added magically, each one filled with notes on Potions and what looked like spells that, to Harry's surprise, from the sounds of the descriptions and formulas on said pages, Severus had created by himself.
The thought of creating an arsenal of spells that would be his to use made Harry smile while, as he looked at some of the spells, there was one that stuck out immediately, both for the fact that it was heavily underlined and because of what it said next to it.
SECTUMSEMPRA
For your enemies
'I can think of one enemy I'd like to see what this spell does to them,' thought Harry, a dark glint appearing in his green eyes as he read through the book, which he then realised was less of a book and more of a journal.
A diary kept by the Potions Master to be used of his own accord; with this, he had earned the commendation and the Masteries to his name, but it was more than that.
Severus Snape had created a legacy and now, it seemed, he was ready and willing to pass that legacy onto a new recipient.
An apprentice, if you will, of the Half-Blood Prince…And his name was Harry…
Suddenly, as Harry managed to tear his eyes away from the spell that had caught his attention, he jumped as a loud, scratching noise came from the door behind him. As he turned to the door, wincing from the tension in his muscles that suggested he'd been sitting there for a while, Harry's eyes narrowed as he wondered who or what could make such a noise, let alone outside Severus' office.
As he thought on it, however, a suspicious, but still-delighted look crossed his face when he heard a familiar snuffling noise that was accompanied by a low whine.
Just below the crack at the bottom of the door, Harry also caught sight of a flash of black that made him smile, though warily, as he rose before, walking to the door, he stopped next to the handle, drawing his wand – which he was thankful had been recovered, but only marginally as it was a remnant of his past he wanted to be rid of…and soon – from his pocket.
"If that's you," said Harry, keeping a tight hold on the wand as he insisted, "Prove it…tell me where you stand…"
A low whine came from the other side of the door, but Harry didn't back down.
"I know it's dangerous to see you, but risk it! Change back to human form and tell me what your choice is: the man you thought was your best friend, but is instead a lying, backstabbing, abusive son of a bitch or me; the boy you risked your soul to be reunited with."
For a moment, there was silence, but as Harry listened, he heard a soft sneeze followed by a sound he knew to be the sound associated with the change from beast to human.
At the same time, the being on the other side of the door stifled a cough before a familiar voice told Harry.
"As if you should ever need to ask, pup."
"Say it…" hissed Harry, using his free hand to brush the scar on his cheek, while his wand actually trembled in his grip, and tears started to form in his eyes as he whispered shakily, "I need to…let me hear you say the words…"
"I'm yours," said the man on the other side, earning a gasp from Harry as the newcomer added, "And, to prove it, I want you to know that, in the name of what you mean to me and everything else I risked to get back to you, I swear I didn't know they were still alive…them or Jason!"
"And do you care?" asked Harry, his voice edged by hurt from the emotional, as well as mental and physical aches he felt having to question said man like this, but he wouldn't drop his guard around any of his allies ever again. "Do you care that this…Jason's back or…or is it still…"
"I am your godfather, Harry," whispered the familiar voice of Sirius Black, a note of pain and sorrow in his words as he addressed his boy. "I always have been and always will be, doing whatever I have to do, for you! When I broke out of Azkaban, I tried to do what I felt I had to do, to get back to you, not Jason or anyone else with them. You, Harry! I tried to do what I did for you, not them and that's not going to change because their plans mean it's time for them to come back from the dead. If I lie, by all means, kiddo: get the Ministry here and I'll willingly feed myself to a Dementor."
Hearing the familiar air of determined, if not, somewhat-deranged fire, care and love from the owner of the voice, Harry's defences shattered like glass as he threw the door open before running into Sirius' loving embrace, the latter of whom smiled warmly while he stepped into the office, closing the door behind him. Once the coast was clear, Sirius crouched down so that Harry could sob into his embrace, the full extent of the pain, the betrayals, the lies and the hurt venting in the arms of the one man he loved and trusted more than anyone else, especially right now.
"I…I'm sorry, Sirius…" whispered Harry, earning soft shushes from his godfather as he rubbed Harry's back soothingly.
At the same time, Harry choked back a sob, his heart turning cold in his chest as he continued, his voice racked with pain as he hissed, "I could…I couldn't let myself be fooled again; after what they said, how…how little they care. And Remus…they said he knew too, but he never said and…and He said it was because I had to lift the banner that he came back to me. I couldn't…I was so scared…"
"And so angry, I know," finished Sirius, lifting Harry up before he wiped the tears from his godson's eyes.
As he did so, his grey eyes hardened as he saw the three-pronged scar on Harry's cheek, but his voice seemed to try and remain consoling as he told Harry, "You have every right to be, not only because they kept themselves away from you, but also because of what James did. And I can't believe Lily would encourage it; I mean, you are as much theirs as Jason and, although I didn't know the truth, I swear, Harry: I am on your side, then, now and forever. I will follow you to hell and back, I will do whatever you ask and your enemies shall be mine."
"I'm not theirs," whispered Harry, wincing only slightly as Sirius touched the scar on his cheek, but when he saw his godfather's worried look, Harry shook his head, as though anticipating the question, "I know it can be healed, but I asked Severus to let me keep it: I want to let them see I don't fear their scars or the pain they etched into me, but I'm not theirs anymore, Sirius."
Turning away from his godfather, Harry fingered one of the tips of his scar before he went on, his voice low, but full of the hatred he felt inside him as he told Sirius, "I walked away and he said it himself to try and stop me: if you do this, I won't give you a thing! You'll have no home, no name, no life: nothing. If I see you again, you'll be nothing to me and, no matter what, I will never extend the olive branch to you, you insolent, ungrateful little brat! So, I've called his bluff…and now, I guess I'm nobody…just Harry No-Name or whatever the term is…but I don't care."
"I see," said Sirius, a note of realisation and dark shock in his voice as he looked away for a moment before, rising up, he added, "So that's your game, is it?"
"Sirius?"
Looking back to Harry, who turned back to him as he heard the venom in his godfather's voice, Sirius smiled as he told his pup, "Before I got here after being asked by Snape of all people, I got a letter from him that told me he was alive and so was Jason. He said he knew about my status and he was going to make it right so it was safe for me and him to get the band back together."
Harry's eyes flashed with rage, causing the jars and bottles on the shelves to tremble, "That…that bastard!"
"Yes, he knows I'd sooner die than turn on you," said Sirius, looking at Harry with a fond expression as he explained, "If I had to guess, he'd have gotten me off the hook and then spun some sob story about how you'd defected in the hopes of turning me against you. But the point is he'd also claim I owed him for clearing my name and, with no-one to back up my claim, especially with Remus in his pocket…"
"The Marauders ride again…this time, on Dumbledore's side and with Prongs holding the reins," growled Harry, earning a nod from Sirius before, looking up at his godfather, Harry hissed, "You can't let him, Sirius! I'm sorry, but if it's a choice between remaining a criminal for now and being indebted to him, then…"
"Then I know what to do," Sirius told him, looking back to Harry before he smiled broadly as he asked, "And I know how to stick the knife in deeper."
"How?" asked Harry, unable to keep a smile forming on his face as he sensed this was Sirius Black, aka the Marauder known as Padfoot he was talking to and not Sirius Black, the criminal.
In response, Sirius winked before he asked, "Let me answer that question with a question: how would you like the ultimate revenge on that man for what he did? And to get a chance to remind him that you're not a Marauder's kid for nothing?"
Harry's eyes lit up as he nodded before he asked, "What do I have to do?"
"Something I've honestly wanted to do since I escaped, and was going to do anyway once my name was clear before Wormtail showed his true colours," replied Sirius, kneeling down again while he stroked Harry's cheek, touching the scar on his boy's cheek as he added, "But under the circumstances, I think we'll skip the formalities and I'll just come out and ask you…"
Taking Harry's hands in his, Sirius smiled like the big kid he was before he looked up at his boy with a fond, planning smile;
"Harry, how would you like the opportunity to become what I've always looked at you and seen you as…my son?"
Not One of Us
Later that evening, while the rest of Hogwarts made their way to the Great Hall for the evening meal – which included three very special guests, one of whom was now dressed in Gryffindor-trimmed robes – as she made her way to the High Table, Lily Potter's eyes widened while her hand flew to her breast as an icy feeling pierced her heart.
A sensation like something being stolen from her, leaving a hole that could never be filled, occupied her heart.
As she looked to James, she was surprised to see him look pained, his eyes shining with malice and disbelief as he whispered, "He didn't…"
"James?" asked Dumbledore, rising from his seat as he asked, "Is everything all right, dear boy?"
"No, Albus, it isn't," hissed James, turning on his heel as he made for the doors of the Great Hall, Lily at his heels while, on the Gryffindor Table, a dark-red-haired, chocolate-brown-eyed young man with smooth skin and a V-shaped scar on his brow made his way out behind his parents.
As others made to follow, including a concerned, bewildered Headmaster, they found Lily and James standing outside the Entrance Hall in the Courtyard, the dark skies overhead laced with thunderclouds that promised one Merlin of a deluge.
However, the ominous weather and the dark feeling of the tempest to come weren't what had made James stop.
Instead, it was the fact that he, along with the rest of the onlookers and the new Gryffindor with them, found themselves looking at a sight that was confusing, but also alarming.
Walking towards them, dressed in brand-new robes of deepest black inlaid with silver and a crest that showed a raven's head and a sword on its shield, was none other than Sirius Black. He seemed to be acting like someone who knew he was free to be as bold as brass, while he also looked much cleaner than the last time some of them had seen him and, to James' outrage, he wasn't alone.
Next to him, also dressed in robes of noble design, was a raven-haired young man with smooth, noble features; he had eyes that were the coldest, darkest shade of emerald-green imaginable, but when he got close enough, those who looked at the eyes saw flecks of grey among the green.
In one hand, much to the amusement of those with serpents on their crests, the young man carried a cane that had a wolf's head in the top, the fangs of the wolf parted in such a way that they fit the slender, pale fingers of the boy as perfectly as though they'd been moulded to his frame.
As they reached the small group, James' eyes widened as he caught sight of a familiar-looking scar below the left eye of the young man.
A scar that he knew for one reason…
He'd put it there himself!
As the two men reached the group, James broke the silence as he snapped, "What the fuck have you done, Sirius?"
"What I swore to do when you made me godfather to your now ex-son, Potter," said Sirius, holding up a hand as James went to open his mouth before he added, "And before you threaten me with blackmail, you should know my son and I have just spent the better part of this afternoon in session with both the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement…lovely Amie…and the Minister of Magic himself. Mind you, he couldn't believe it when I said that you, the returned Lord Potter, didn't get the news of my wrongful arrests, criminal status and the truth of my once-loyalties to you and my boy, to him sooner."
Not to Sirius' surprise, James was turning a nasty shade of red while, next to Sirius, the young man whom the Black Lord had identified as his son looked to the redhead with Lily and James, eyeing him up and down before he asked, "Is this him, Father? The Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter?"
"It is, Harry," said Sirius, the revelation of the young man's name, as well as the cool-toned, but familiar sound of his voice surprising many of the watchers as Sirius added, "Sorry, I guess first meetings usually do warrant introductions, don't they?"
Indicating the redheaded young man, who looked at Harry as though he was seeing a ghost, Sirius smiled broadly as he explained, "Harrison, alias Harry Regulus Black, allow me to introduce Jason Charles Potter…and I think you know Lily and James too, right?"
"Hmm…names ring a bell," drawled Harry, the sound of his drawl surprising a few of the students who knew him, especially a certain Slytherin blond who watched the confrontation with an interested eye, "I guess since I'm now yours, I should get a resort, shouldn't I?"
"Do you know what, son? That sounds like a good idea," agreed Sirius, intentionally emphasising the term used on Harry whilst looking past Lily and James as he asked, "Well, Minerva? Albus? I know it's a bit of an imposition, since it's the end of term and all, but do you think we can arrange that? I mean, the rules are there for a reason, right? And as a newly-adopted and disinherited child both, I daresay Harry's got more rights to be resorted than even the new boy there."
"That's my son, Black!" snapped James, but he was cut off when Harry smiled like a shark smelling blood in the water, his eyes filled with so much delight and dark liking for the way that he and Sirius had, officially, stuck the knife in the back of the Brutus whom he'd called Father before now.
"Not anymore, Potter!" spat Harry, moving towards James and Lily, who looked from Harry to Sirius with a look of shock, accusation and fear in her eyes, before he asked, "Or was I just imagining you telling me that, when I walk out, I don't come back? Personally, that's as good a dismissal from you and your family as an official one, wouldn't you agree? Ergo, Father has every right to make me his son and the new Heir Black."
"You will surrender that title to Jason now!" spat James, earning a laugh from Harry that radiated the coldness felt by the Black Scion, as well as the air of the love-slash-desire-slash-hunger for the revenge he'd scored over the man in front of him all around his person.
"And why would I ever think of doing that, Lord Potter?" asked Harry, sneering at the brown-eyed boy with a look that would have made a certain senior blond envious as he smirked defiantly, "He's not my family…and neither are you."
Again, James' hand went for his wand, but this time, Harry smiled when Sirius drew his first, pointing it at the Potter Lord as he asked, "What do you think you're going to do, Prongs? Attack the Heir of a Most Ancient and Noble Household out here in front of Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and many other proud heirs and heiresses? Not a very heroic response, is it, for the Boy-Who-Lived's Father to show?"
To his amusement, James went redder than Harry thought possible while, as he moved his hand away from his wand, he glared at Sirius as he hissed, "How dare you betray me, Padfoot: you're no better than Wormtail."
"Says the guy that willingly uses a hex, though given the result, I'd say it's more like a curse, to cut a scar on his ex-son's face just because he won't bend the knee to the precious Golden Boy," scoffed Harry, earning a gasp from some of the students, including a couple of his friends, while he tapped said scar as he added, "Looks like we know exactly how the traitor got into the Marauders so easily in the first place; with a spiteful, arrogant bully as leader and a pathetic, cowardly, impotent kicked puppy as a member, it was practically throwing open the doors for traitors, desperate men and cowards…"
"Glad I no longer have anything to do with them," drawled Sirius, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder as he added, "Come on, son, let's go and get your resort done: we've held off the farewell feast long enough and, between you and me, I'm looking forwards to seeing where you go."
"No offence to you, Dad," said Harry, raising his voice as he walked with Sirius, passing a certain blonde, whom Harry winked at as he stuck the knife in even deeper as he proclaimed, "But as a true Black Heir, there's only one House I'd really accept…and, I'm sorry, but it's not the one you went to when you were here with fools and madmen."
Laughing proudly as he walked into the Great Hall alongside his son and heir, Sirius tousled Harry's dark hair.
"That's my boy."
As they reached the front of the hall, Harry looked to where Severus was returning to his own seat, the spot in front of Harry now occupied by a worried, but shocked Minerva, who held the Sorting Hat in her hands, and a solemn, but surprisingly-tense Dumbledore, his bright blue eyes now cold and hard as he stared at Harry.
Without bothering to wait for the announcement, Harry sniffed before he asked, "Shall we?"
As the old hat was placed on his brow, Harry smiled as he whispered, "Sorry for disturbing you, old friend, but if you'd be so kind?"
"Certainly, Lord Black," whispered the Sorting Hat, the use of the Lord's title earning a curious look from Harry before he was cut off when, raising his voice, the Sorting Hat declared its choice with a note of pride, humour and anticipation:
"SLYTHERIN!"
Though only a few people applauded the result, Harry dipped his head courteously before he turned and made his way to the Slytherin Table.
Once there, he surprised everyone, including a smug-looking Sirius, as he stopped next to a certain speechless blond before, reaching a hand into his pocket, Harry sniffed once as he asked, "May I join you, cousin?"
In his seat, Draco Malfoy looked somewhere between shocked and amused, but as he saw Harry there, he smiled before he nodded, indicating the seat next to him, which Harry sat down in, resting his new cane next to him while he sighed as he added, "I should have done this four years ago."
"Better late than never, cousin," said Draco, scoffing to himself as he looked at the scar near Harry's left eye, the sight of which made him smile venomously as he told Harry, "Well played with the revenge on your attacker too: very Slytherin, Mr Black."
"Now, now, Draco," drawled Harry, the mimicking voice that made him sound like Lucius Malfoy startling Draco.
Though not as much as the boy's next words as he smiled proudly before, extending a hand, which was the same one he'd put in his pocket, he added, "I think it's safe to say that family, more than anyone else, has the right to call me Harry."
As stunned as he was, it didn't stop Draco accepting the hand with a laugh as he nodded in response before he asked, "Who are you and what have you done with that Golden Brat I know and loathe, Harry Potter?"
"Hmm…" muttered Harry, a thoughtful look on his face before he laughed proudly as he shrugged;
"Harry Potter, you say? Never heard of him, Draco; I think you have me confused with somebody else…"
Not One of Us
After the feast, however, Draco remembered feeling something else in his hand when Harry had shaken hands with him.
Waiting until it was safe to do so, he checked what it was, finding a note written in surprisingly-neat handwriting, which spelled out four words;
We need to talk
Chapter 2 and it looks like the first shot has been fired, but now Harry has a real family watching out for him, what will he do about the black sheep? (And I don't mean those like Tonks or even Bellatrix)
Also, what could he want to talk to Draco about and how will Harry handle being where he should have been from the start?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: Draco sees for himself what the new and improved Harry looks like as they talk: also, Harry has a worry put to rest, but not all is as it seems as Harry finds himself meeting his wayward ex-brother…
Please Read and Review
AN: Portrayal
Jason Potter: Jack Gleeson