< >< >Snape's body froze and he and McGonagall lifted off the ground, their eyes wide in fear and surprise. They floated to the ceiling, staring at each other, then back at Professor Erwin who was sliding his wand back into his robes.
< >< >"I am sorry for doing this to you, you know - well, maybe not sorry for you, Severus - but you'll be down whenever Dumbledore or another teacher comes around here. I seriously doubt a student will risk your deaths, just by taking off the spell. It would a very stupid student who would do that," Professor Erwin said with a soft chuckle, setting his broom against the wall.
< >< >"And Severus, the reason I have not made you invisible is that I would forget and no one would see you . . . honestly, I thought you would have known that! Smart as you are." Professor Erwin glanced up at Snape who's eyes were wide with hatred and surprise.
< >< >Professor Erwin swooped away down a hall, then turned down another. He passed several coats of armor and paintings before a figure jumped out in front of him: Argus Filch, his cat at his ankles.
< >< >"Professor Erwin?" he asked blankly, expecting a student.
< >< >Professor Erwin brushed past him. "Your sister hopes you are well, Argus," he called over his shoulder. Filch sized up in anger, but didn't move or say anything, because as much as he disliked the professor, he respected and feared him, for Professor was nearly next in line to Dumbledore as best wizard in the world - and most powerful.
< >< >As he swept through the halls, he came across a flying man. "Ah, Peeves."
< >< >Peeves sneered at Professor Erwin. "'Fessor Tommy's back at Hoggy's?" he asked sickly sweetly, leaning in to look at Professor Erwin, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
< >< >Professor Erwin smiled coyly. "The Bloody Baron's been telling me that he's been quite angry with you, Peeves," he said, acting as if he had been at the school for a while that day and was very pleased about this.
< >< >Peeves looked at the professor in shock. "Er, uh, angry at Peevsie?"
< >< >"'Says you displeased him and he's very angry with you. I expect he'll be coming 'round soon. You'll be hiding, then, I suppose? He seemed very angry, but he might cool off, I suppose . . . Do his eyes pop out normally when he's extra angry, or just when he's angry?"
< >< >Peeves let out a shriek and flew away, disappearing down a corridor. Professor Erwin chuckled to himself as he hurried to the Gryffindor tower, stopping outside the picture of the fat lady.
< >< >"Is that you, Thomas?" the fat lady squawked, squinting at him.
< >< >Professor Erwin smiled and nodded. "Yes it is. How have you been, my lady?"
< >< >The fat lady smiled and blushed. "Same old, same old, I guess. No new people, except the first years, but they have nothing really to do with me, nor do the older students. Same old, same old." She sighed. "It hasn't been the same without you."
< >< >"Was I the only one that actually stopped to have a conversation, then?"
< >< >"The nicest one and most handsome, I'll say," the fat lady replied, blushing again.
< >< >Professor Erwin chortled, stroking his throat. "My lady, you flatter me, although my colleagues have complained about my current appearance. Say, how many people do you have behind this beautiful picture now?" he asked smoothly, dripping with flattery, though, if you'd asked him, he would have wanted to say he hated doing this to the poor lady.
< >< >The fat lady swelled up with pride, a smile on her face. "About everyone. I think a few prefects are out, and Fred and George Weasley, of course," she said with a sigh, "and I think Harry Potter - " she didn't see the professor wince " - is still out, but I don't know where. Maybe the library." The fat lady smiled again. "Why do you ask?"
< >< >Professor Erwin shrugged. "Conversation. I'd better be off now - I have a meeting. Have a good day, now." He flashed her a winning smile and hurried away, toward the library, his smile fading as soon as he had turned his back.
< >< >The library was nearly empty. The librarian had her back to the professor, stacking books in a cart. There were a few students, but, alas, no Harry Potter, as no one was old or young enough, and Professor Erwin hurried out, unseen by anyone.
< >< >It was quiet in the halls, until soft footsteps began to echo in the hall. A small boy with mousy brown appeared at the end of a corridor, fidgeting with his camera. He didn't see Professor Erwin until he was five feet away from him.
< >< >"Oh! Sorry, sir, I didn't see you," the boy said.
< >< >"Quite all right, of course. I am looking for someone - are you a Gryffindor?"
< >< >"Yes! A third year," the boy said with pride. "Who are y'looking for?"
< >< >"Someone by the name - er - Patter, I think it was," the professor replied delicately.
< >< >"Patter? Oh! You're talking about - "
< >< >"All students return to their house common rooms immediately," Professor McGonagall's voice called through the house, magically magnified.
< >< >"I'd better go!" the boy chirped cheerfully, yet still with a tinge of worry. He hurried down the corridor to the Gryffindor tower.
< >< >Professor Erwin cursed angrily, shaking a fist. Someone had come and seen Snape and McGonagall - already! He mumbled a few words, disappeared from sight, and hurried to the staff room, following a small man in quickly.
< >< >"What is going on, Professor McGonagall?" a man asked.
< >< >"Professor Lupin, everyone, there is something going on that - "
< >< >"What, Minerva?" Snape demanded angrily, jumping up from the table, clenching his fists. "Besides Erwin showing up and body binding us, then suspending us in air, leaving us to be found by Binns and Flitwick? What, besides that, is going on?"
< >< >"I will tell you, Severus," said a grave voice.
< >< >Everyone looked to the door. Dumbledore stood in the doorway. He closed the door behind him and sat down at the table. Snape looked around at everyone, then sat back down.
< >< >"As you all very well know, James and Lily Potter died, survived only by Lily's sister and the Potter's son." Snape's face twitched. "But what you didn't know is this: The Potter's are survived by another."
< >< >The blood from Snape's face drained away. "You don't mean - Thomas Erwin?"
< >< >All the teachers stared at each other in amazement.
< >< >"Impossible," Snape continued. "Who is he related to, Dumbledore? That Muggle family? Hardly!" His angry face became a sneer of disgust, like he didn't believe Dumbledore at all.
< >< >"Severus, Thomas Erwin is the half - brother of James Potter," Dumbledore said.
< >< >Snape faltered, nearly falling out of his chair. "W - what? How?"
< >< >Dumbledore sighed. "Dear me, how?" he said with a bit of amusement. "Well, they had different mothers; Thomas is the older of them."
< >< >"You are telling me that I feu - that I went to school with two men I didn't even know were related? And you're telling me - you are, aren't you? - that Potter is related to one of the most powerful wizards in the world?" Snape yelled.
< >< >Professor Erwin leaned in next to Snape. "That's right, Severus," he whispered in a hoarse voice, making Snape straighten in his chair like a board. "My flesh and blood. And he already has a bit of Voldemort in him, too, but you knew that, didn't you? Jealous, are you?"
< >< >Snape jumped to his feet. "No, I am not, you lunatic!" He looked around wildly as if to see where Professor Erwin was, but it was impossible. The other teachers stared at him, until he hissed, "He's here."
< >< >"Thomas," Dumbledore said suddenly in a loud voice, "show yourself."
< >< >Professor Erwin chuckled mockingly from across the room, making the teachers swivel around in their seats. "Not likely, Albus. I may have been taught by you - but I am not your slave anymore."
< >< >Dumbledore's eyes narrowed slightly and he sighed. "Thomas - "
< >< >"You really think you can convince me, don't you?" Professor Erwin sneered. "I mean, come off it, old man, you can't convince everyone anymore. There was bound to be someone who didn't listen to your every whim."
< >< >"Thomas Erwin, if I could see you, I would slap you," McGonagall snapped.
< >< >"But I can see you and I can turn you into a snail, so I advise you hold your tongue, Minerva," Professor Erwin said calmly.
< >< >"Hold my tongue - "
< >< >Dumbledore gave her a look and she fell silent. "Thomas," Dumbledore began, "for ages I have been trying to convince you to come to Hogwarts to meet Harry, but you have refused every time. Why now?"
< >< >"Other matters first, Albus, the Dursleys are the boy's only living relatives?"
< >< >Dumbledore looked at the table. "I thought you would be too distraught - "
< >< >"So you handed him over to them?" Professor Erwin snapped angrily, snapping into view, and pointed a finger at Dumbledore accusingly. "He would have been better off with Severus! I have only read things they have done to him and I was furious! How dare you even think you have the right - "
< >< >There was a sudden knock on the door and it was pushed open. Professor Erwin recognized her slightly.
< >< >"Madam Pomfrey?" McGonagall asked with a slight edge to her voice.
< >< >"All this yelling is going through the castle and it's giving Potter a headache and that's the least of his problems," the woman snapped in Dumbledore's direction, narrowing her eyes at Dumbledore, as if blaming him.
< >< >"What is wrong with him?" Professor Erwin asked, his voice suddenly shrill, touching his throat.
< >< >Madam Pomfrey glared at him. "He's sick and I doubt it's any of your business, anyway. What is your name?" she demanded sharply.
< >< >"Thomas Erwin."
< >< >Madam Pomfrey stared at him.
< >< >"Thomas Erwin, half-brother to James Potter, uncle of . . ."
< >< >Madam Pomfrey just stared at him.
< >< >"Thomas . . ."
< >< >Professor Erwin swung his head around. "Albus," he said coldly in response.
< >< >"To finish our conversation - "
< >< >"The conversation has barely begun, you twit!" Professor Erwin yelled. He snapped his head to McGonagall. "Don't even try anything, Minerva. You may not know it, but I am a lot faster than you," he said coldly, turning back to Dumbledore.
< >< >"Thomas, please, if you will listen to me - "
< >< >"Listening to you is pointless, Dumbledore. And furthermore, back to the original conversation, what gives you the right to ship my brother's boy to people you knew would hate him? Who you knew wouldn't give him a life other than near slavery? Who would break his leg to stop him from being a wizard? Who would lock him up to stop him. Minerva warned you about them - you should have known anyway, since you seem to know everything," Professor Erwin sneered angrily.
< >< >"YOU - ARE - SICK - THOMAS!" Dumbledore suddenly yelled, making everyone jump in surprise. His eyes burned with blue fire. "I know it - you know it - everyone knows it. How many people have told you to look in the mirror? How many have to? While I was in London, I got a flock of owls from Madam Tatooli - scared out her mind - that you're going to kill yourself so you do not have to undergo all this - when you know you have to! You have not even spoken the boy's name in fourteen years - "
< >< >"Personally, this subject bores me. I have heard it dozens of times - " "And that doesn't seem to be enough, does it?" McGonagall yelled angrily. "For fourteen years, you have not spoken Harry's name, you forbid your own students to say it in your presence - everyone knows, Thomas. It's not like nobody doesn't know! How daft are you? Suspicions of you being on Voldemort's side have run rampant through the Ministry for years - and they didn't connect you with being related to Harry at all!"
< >< >"Because no one ever thought to! They all thought James Potter was an only child and they were wrong! And come off it, Minerva, you would like to know why these people are so stupid, too!" Professor Erwin yelled. "They still don't know they're wrong! They all thought we were in now way related, maybe because we never had time to actually be together after we left Hogwarts - and even then, people didn't know we were brothers, except for Lily and you, Dumbledore, of course.
< >< >"And me being connected with Voldemort? Ha! That's a laugh! The only thing I see being is connected is that we all looked alike! If you lined up pictures of the three of us, you probably couldn't tell the difference!"
< >< >"What does that matter?" Snape shouted suddenly. "Look, Thomas, you, James, and I feuded for years and I could tell the difference between you both! It was easy! And even if I had known, despite your looking identical to each other, I still would have been able to tell the difference! You were hard, James was brave. That's the difference between you and your brother that made you so apart, don't you understand at all?"
< >< >"So what about comparing the difference between Voldemort, my brother, and I?" Professor Erwin sneered, though he was penetrated by Snape's words. "One's brave, one's hard, one's evil? If you had that kind of philosophy when we were kids, Severus, why, you might have been Head Boy!"
< >< >Dumbledore cut Snape off from snapping back. "The thing is, Thomas, you never wanted to see Harry. I have pelted you with letters for years, you always had a snide comment to make, you sent that Howler on me few years back - "
< >< >"That scared the bats out of the rafters, all right," McGonagall muttered dryly.
< >< >" - you terrorized your students, colleagues, and friends. And never once did you ever write or say the name - "
< >< >"HARRY POTTER!" Professor Erwin bellowed, shaking the room. "Is that it? It that what you wanted me to say? Harry Potter! There - I said it again! Or do you want me to parade down Diagon Alley or the middle of London screaming, Harry Potter! Harry Potter!" he demanded coldly. "Because if you do, I'll do it, Albus. I'll do it! I'll follow your every whim, dear old Dumbledore - the bumblebee - sir!
< >< >"And what do you think all your letters, a little girl asking why I hated him so, his name, his injuries, his triumphs, and his history did to me, Albus?" Professor Erwin demanded, tears suddenly forming in his eyes. "I have asked you this before and that is something you obviously don't know!"