A/N: Chapter 2, yeah!
Chapter 2: A Birthday
-------------------------------------
Almost 10 years later.....
The man known as Lord Voldemort sat in his brightly lit library, discussing Hogwarts with his liason, Severus Snape. The dark lord, shortly after what was referred to as the "Godric's Hollow Tragedy," had eventually driven himself into privacy, putting most of his Deatheaters into an inactive status and allowed the Ministry and Dumble to think they'd defeated him. Of course, this was not true at all; the raising of his heir came first. He had over the years, infiltrated the Ministry itself with his loyal followers and even now were changing things to their favour. He liked to keep in touch with Snape now since he wasn't having to play spy for the light, and the Potions Master kept him up to speed with the runnings and teachings at the wizarding school. He was just dazedly looking out into the library's small garden through the open doors when two blurs ran into the room, stopping to a halt after seeing the two men gazing at them amusedly. Then the smaller boy shouted, "UNCLE SEV!"
Poor Severus barely had a chance to move before a young boy tackled him on his seat, pinned down by the embrace given him. Voldemort just chuckled at Severus' situation and finally called the child off. "Now, Erebus, we can't leave Hogwarts without a Potions professor, can we?"
The boy just stood next to his companion and said, "Well, it's so rare that Uncle Sev ever comes over anymore, isn't it true, Draco?" The pale boy nodded his head, smirking.
As the dark lord sat in his chair and looked at his "son", he still grinned in delight at how well the Glamour Charm and everything worked out. The boy, while still slightly small and skinny for someone his age, was almost entirely muscle from constantly running around. His disguise came with white hair and red eyes, eyes just like the own man's. Draco and Harry, along with almost every Deatheater and Deatheater child, understood Harry's alternate name and appearance around certain people, and being the mischievious beings they were, considered it all to be a game. It was going to end soon, however.
"Well," said Severus, ruffling Harry's- er,- Erebus' hair, "I couldn't miss seeing Erebus on his birthday, now could I?"
The boy's eyes lit up, and his whole face shone with delight. "It's my birthday? I must have forgotten with Draco being here the week!"
Draco just shook his pale head and said, "Really, how anyone forgets their own birthday is beyond me!" This comment earned him a playful punch in the arm.
"Well, Erebus, I just came by to drop off your present before I head back. I daresay you'll get your letter any minute now. Happy birthday!"
Erebus opened the lid of the box and looked in amazement at a gorgeous cloak. It was a pristine silver spidersilk cloak with an inside lining of emerald green. Two clasps were included: one a charming little onyx snake with a whitegold eye, the other a small, whitegold skull. Harry could see when they fitted together they would become his father's symbol and crest, the Dark Mark.
"Thank you so much, Uncle Sev!" exclaimed the eleven year old, pulling it on and fastening it. "I'm going to wear it at the Sorting Ceremony just for you! Make sure to look for me!" And with a hug and a wave, he and Draco disappeared out the library doors into the garden again.
"Well, my Lord," said Severus, bowing, "I shall be back to Hogwarts and wait eagerly to teach Erebus. Goodbye."
"Just remember, Severus," said Voldemort, as the man left, "Look past appearances and stay true to your heart."
Harry was thoroughly enthusiastic as he waited for his Tom at the main fireplace of the chateau they lived in. He had just gotten his letter half an hour ago, and today would be his first day to Diagon Alley, his first place in the public eye that was magical. Tom had always said that because of who he was, it was dangerous for him in the wizarding world. Harry knew it had something to do with his parents, but he found it didn't matter too much to him; after all, even if Tom did kill them, Tom didn't kill Harry. 'He raised me well and gave me everything I ever needed without letting me get spoiled and arrogant. I'm lucky to have Tom.'
"Well, are you ready to go or what, child?" called Tom, holding out a pinch of Floo powder.
"Coming!"
---------------------------------------
As Harry fell through the fire of the Leaky Cauldron, he was amazed at what he saw; everywhere were witches and wizards. He'd never seen so many, not even at Tom's full Deatheater meetings. He had barely time to view this, however, because as soon as Tom came out of Flooing, he hurried Harry along out a back door and into a little back alley. He brushed off both of their cloaks, matching black velvet.
"Why are you keeping your hood up, Tom?" asked Harry, looking at the man as Tom pulled out his wand and counted bricks.
"This world is dangerous for both of us, Erebus," he replied and tapped one brick three times, and a large hole grew in the wall revealing a whole new world to Harry.
If he thought there were a lot of wizards and witches in the Leaky Cauldron, then he wasn't even sure how to classify how many were in this crooked street brimming with magic. Everywhere he looked as he walked along with his guardian there were fascinating things: pet shops, joke shops, an apothecary, a shop for wands, and a large book store he was sorely wanting to explore. Instead, Tom led him to a large, white marble building. If he remembered from one of the books he read, it was called Gringotts and was run by goblins.
Following close behind Tom, they came upon a free goblin who looked down upon them from over the counter.
"May I help you, sirs?" it asked, fiddling with a galleon in one hand.
"Yes,"said Tom, "I'd like to go down to the Riddle vault. Here is the key." He drew a small silver key out of a pocket in his robes and handed it to the inspecting goblin.
"Yes, yes, everything is in order. Quamen! Lead these two sirs to the Riddle vault!"
Out of nowhere, a tall goblin appeared and escorted them through a door next to the counter. One wild cartride later, Harry giddy, Tom slightly green, they arrived at a vault deep under the ground. Both stepped into the vault and took quite a bit before getting back in the cart.
"Shouldn't I be getting money for school from the Potter vault, Tom?" Harry asked once out of Gringotts and back to the bustling street.
"You can next year if you wish. I need to get rid of money. I do seem to have a bit too much, don't I?" said Tom. He took Harry over to a robe shop. "We might as well get your robes as they're closest. Come on."
A slight tingle of a chime was heard as they entered the little shop, and Harry didn't have to wait long before a kind, plump lady came out.
"Have you come for school robes?"
"Um, yes," said Harry timidly. He wasn't used to speaking to anyone outside of his father's circle. The lady seemed to find it adorable, though, and had him stand up on a stool. Hardly ten minutes later, she was done sizing him and duplicated his robes.
"Is that all, dear?" said the kind Madam Malkin.
"We're just going to look at some cloaks, thank you," said Tom courteously.
"Well, just call for me when you're done looking." And she disappeared into the back of the shop.
Harry had a fun time looking through cloaks and finally decided on getting dark colours, which suited him when he wasn't under Glamour, a fine deep crimson, a forest green, and a deep royal blue; he already had quite a few black ones . They rang out of the shop after paying and stepped out onto the street, just barely avoiding a whole crowd of redheads.
Harry managed to get all of his school things relatively well, Tom shrinking the bags and Harry putting them in his pockets. He finally got Tom into the bookshop where he bought not only his assigned books, but quite a few others on many subjects, but most on the Dark Arts. Tom disguised those books at the register so as not to arouse suspicion, of course.
All that was left was a wand, but they weren't heading towards Ollivander's. They were heading towards a dark alleyway quite apart from cheery Diagon Alley.
"Where are we going?" asked Harry as they slipped under a signpost that read "Knockturn Alley".
"Don't you want a familiar?" replied Tom, slightly arching an eyebrow and gesturing towards a small petshop off the corner. He just chuckled as Harry took his hand and dragged him into the shop.
"Why, hello!" said a familiar voice from behind the counter.
"Mr. Nott, I forgot you ran this shop. I was just going to get young Harry here a familiar for a birthday present," said an amused Tom, finally taking down his hood since they were alone in the shop.
"Well, is that right?" chuckled Nott, bowing slightly to his master and then going over to the boy, "Well, young master, what would you be interested in?"
"A snake if you have any!" exclaimed Harry, and following Nott's finger, ran over to the snake section to converse with the little creatures while Nott spoke to Voldemort.
"My Lord, are you going to take off the Glamour for when he goes to school?"
Tom, smirking, said, "Yes, I am, and I only wish I could see the old headmaster's face when they call Harry's name up to the Sorting Hat."
"And you're going to let him wander around telling everyone he's your son? Wouldn't that be risky for you, sir?"
"I'm depending on him to. The ultimate revenge. The boy who was supposed to be their little favourite raised by their enemy, and the child loves him. Ohhh, so chilly an idea."
"Could I have this one?" asked Harry, holding up the snake. It was a lovely thing, barely a foot long with black scales so shiny they captured the light and two little silver eyes, and all around its head were tiny spikes like a dragon, which seemed to flex around its head as though in a slight wind.
"Ah, a fine choice, young master. That's a rare one indeed, a Ebony-Crested Dragon snake. Such rare beauties, especially ones this young. Tell you what. Consider this a little birthday present from me, okay? I won't take your money here!" said Nott. Harry just thanked him and petting his new friend who had found a place around his neck under the cloak, Tom and Harry both headed back to the main street.
"Let's get your wand and go home for some dinner, okay?"
Harry nodded happily, and they quietly entered the little wand shop. Harry slightly trembled at the feeling of so much raw magic in the air. Out of the shadows minutes later appeared a man with large silver eyes.
"Well, hello, my young sir, here to get your wand, I presume? Let's get right to it then. Which arm is your wand arm?" he asked getting out a small tape measurer.
"I-I can use either hand, sir," replied Harry. This startled Mr.Ollivander somewhat, but Harry didn't put much thought into it. When the measurer was done, the old man started pulling out boxes. Harry tried wand after wand, but all felt cool in his grasp.
"Let's try this curious one, then. Holly and phoenix feather, 11 inches."
The instant Harry took it, he felt a wave of power like he'd never known. Papers all over in the room blew through the air, and the air was lit up with blue and silver sparks. The old man took the wand from Harry and wrapped it up for him, saying something about curious circumstances.
"What's so curious, if I may ask, Mr. Ollivander?" said Harry, turning to the old man.
"Well, young man, I was wondering who I was going to be giving this wand to. The core of this wand came from a phoenix who gave just one other feather. That other feather resides in You-Know-Who's old wand. Quite powerful, that one. I never should have sold it."
"Sorry again, sir, but who's You-Know-Who?"
"Why, the Dark Lord, young sir, the evil one who disappeared eleven years ago shortly after the Tragedy of Godric's Hollow, Lord Voldemort."
Harry gave a mischievious smirk and took his wand from Mr- Ollivander. "Well, thank you, sir. Have a good day!" And together Tom, Harry, and Harry's new familiar left for home.
------------------------------------------
A/N: Yeah! Harry's so cute! Could you imagine what Severus would do to Harry if he called him Uncle Sev in the books?! Harry would probably not come out of it so well. Oh, and you're going to find out more about Harry new familiar next chapter. We're heading to school, and many a head is going to turn!
(November 17, 2003)
Chapter 2: A Birthday
-------------------------------------
Almost 10 years later.....
The man known as Lord Voldemort sat in his brightly lit library, discussing Hogwarts with his liason, Severus Snape. The dark lord, shortly after what was referred to as the "Godric's Hollow Tragedy," had eventually driven himself into privacy, putting most of his Deatheaters into an inactive status and allowed the Ministry and Dumble to think they'd defeated him. Of course, this was not true at all; the raising of his heir came first. He had over the years, infiltrated the Ministry itself with his loyal followers and even now were changing things to their favour. He liked to keep in touch with Snape now since he wasn't having to play spy for the light, and the Potions Master kept him up to speed with the runnings and teachings at the wizarding school. He was just dazedly looking out into the library's small garden through the open doors when two blurs ran into the room, stopping to a halt after seeing the two men gazing at them amusedly. Then the smaller boy shouted, "UNCLE SEV!"
Poor Severus barely had a chance to move before a young boy tackled him on his seat, pinned down by the embrace given him. Voldemort just chuckled at Severus' situation and finally called the child off. "Now, Erebus, we can't leave Hogwarts without a Potions professor, can we?"
The boy just stood next to his companion and said, "Well, it's so rare that Uncle Sev ever comes over anymore, isn't it true, Draco?" The pale boy nodded his head, smirking.
As the dark lord sat in his chair and looked at his "son", he still grinned in delight at how well the Glamour Charm and everything worked out. The boy, while still slightly small and skinny for someone his age, was almost entirely muscle from constantly running around. His disguise came with white hair and red eyes, eyes just like the own man's. Draco and Harry, along with almost every Deatheater and Deatheater child, understood Harry's alternate name and appearance around certain people, and being the mischievious beings they were, considered it all to be a game. It was going to end soon, however.
"Well," said Severus, ruffling Harry's- er,- Erebus' hair, "I couldn't miss seeing Erebus on his birthday, now could I?"
The boy's eyes lit up, and his whole face shone with delight. "It's my birthday? I must have forgotten with Draco being here the week!"
Draco just shook his pale head and said, "Really, how anyone forgets their own birthday is beyond me!" This comment earned him a playful punch in the arm.
"Well, Erebus, I just came by to drop off your present before I head back. I daresay you'll get your letter any minute now. Happy birthday!"
Erebus opened the lid of the box and looked in amazement at a gorgeous cloak. It was a pristine silver spidersilk cloak with an inside lining of emerald green. Two clasps were included: one a charming little onyx snake with a whitegold eye, the other a small, whitegold skull. Harry could see when they fitted together they would become his father's symbol and crest, the Dark Mark.
"Thank you so much, Uncle Sev!" exclaimed the eleven year old, pulling it on and fastening it. "I'm going to wear it at the Sorting Ceremony just for you! Make sure to look for me!" And with a hug and a wave, he and Draco disappeared out the library doors into the garden again.
"Well, my Lord," said Severus, bowing, "I shall be back to Hogwarts and wait eagerly to teach Erebus. Goodbye."
"Just remember, Severus," said Voldemort, as the man left, "Look past appearances and stay true to your heart."
Harry was thoroughly enthusiastic as he waited for his Tom at the main fireplace of the chateau they lived in. He had just gotten his letter half an hour ago, and today would be his first day to Diagon Alley, his first place in the public eye that was magical. Tom had always said that because of who he was, it was dangerous for him in the wizarding world. Harry knew it had something to do with his parents, but he found it didn't matter too much to him; after all, even if Tom did kill them, Tom didn't kill Harry. 'He raised me well and gave me everything I ever needed without letting me get spoiled and arrogant. I'm lucky to have Tom.'
"Well, are you ready to go or what, child?" called Tom, holding out a pinch of Floo powder.
"Coming!"
---------------------------------------
As Harry fell through the fire of the Leaky Cauldron, he was amazed at what he saw; everywhere were witches and wizards. He'd never seen so many, not even at Tom's full Deatheater meetings. He had barely time to view this, however, because as soon as Tom came out of Flooing, he hurried Harry along out a back door and into a little back alley. He brushed off both of their cloaks, matching black velvet.
"Why are you keeping your hood up, Tom?" asked Harry, looking at the man as Tom pulled out his wand and counted bricks.
"This world is dangerous for both of us, Erebus," he replied and tapped one brick three times, and a large hole grew in the wall revealing a whole new world to Harry.
If he thought there were a lot of wizards and witches in the Leaky Cauldron, then he wasn't even sure how to classify how many were in this crooked street brimming with magic. Everywhere he looked as he walked along with his guardian there were fascinating things: pet shops, joke shops, an apothecary, a shop for wands, and a large book store he was sorely wanting to explore. Instead, Tom led him to a large, white marble building. If he remembered from one of the books he read, it was called Gringotts and was run by goblins.
Following close behind Tom, they came upon a free goblin who looked down upon them from over the counter.
"May I help you, sirs?" it asked, fiddling with a galleon in one hand.
"Yes,"said Tom, "I'd like to go down to the Riddle vault. Here is the key." He drew a small silver key out of a pocket in his robes and handed it to the inspecting goblin.
"Yes, yes, everything is in order. Quamen! Lead these two sirs to the Riddle vault!"
Out of nowhere, a tall goblin appeared and escorted them through a door next to the counter. One wild cartride later, Harry giddy, Tom slightly green, they arrived at a vault deep under the ground. Both stepped into the vault and took quite a bit before getting back in the cart.
"Shouldn't I be getting money for school from the Potter vault, Tom?" Harry asked once out of Gringotts and back to the bustling street.
"You can next year if you wish. I need to get rid of money. I do seem to have a bit too much, don't I?" said Tom. He took Harry over to a robe shop. "We might as well get your robes as they're closest. Come on."
A slight tingle of a chime was heard as they entered the little shop, and Harry didn't have to wait long before a kind, plump lady came out.
"Have you come for school robes?"
"Um, yes," said Harry timidly. He wasn't used to speaking to anyone outside of his father's circle. The lady seemed to find it adorable, though, and had him stand up on a stool. Hardly ten minutes later, she was done sizing him and duplicated his robes.
"Is that all, dear?" said the kind Madam Malkin.
"We're just going to look at some cloaks, thank you," said Tom courteously.
"Well, just call for me when you're done looking." And she disappeared into the back of the shop.
Harry had a fun time looking through cloaks and finally decided on getting dark colours, which suited him when he wasn't under Glamour, a fine deep crimson, a forest green, and a deep royal blue; he already had quite a few black ones . They rang out of the shop after paying and stepped out onto the street, just barely avoiding a whole crowd of redheads.
Harry managed to get all of his school things relatively well, Tom shrinking the bags and Harry putting them in his pockets. He finally got Tom into the bookshop where he bought not only his assigned books, but quite a few others on many subjects, but most on the Dark Arts. Tom disguised those books at the register so as not to arouse suspicion, of course.
All that was left was a wand, but they weren't heading towards Ollivander's. They were heading towards a dark alleyway quite apart from cheery Diagon Alley.
"Where are we going?" asked Harry as they slipped under a signpost that read "Knockturn Alley".
"Don't you want a familiar?" replied Tom, slightly arching an eyebrow and gesturing towards a small petshop off the corner. He just chuckled as Harry took his hand and dragged him into the shop.
"Why, hello!" said a familiar voice from behind the counter.
"Mr. Nott, I forgot you ran this shop. I was just going to get young Harry here a familiar for a birthday present," said an amused Tom, finally taking down his hood since they were alone in the shop.
"Well, is that right?" chuckled Nott, bowing slightly to his master and then going over to the boy, "Well, young master, what would you be interested in?"
"A snake if you have any!" exclaimed Harry, and following Nott's finger, ran over to the snake section to converse with the little creatures while Nott spoke to Voldemort.
"My Lord, are you going to take off the Glamour for when he goes to school?"
Tom, smirking, said, "Yes, I am, and I only wish I could see the old headmaster's face when they call Harry's name up to the Sorting Hat."
"And you're going to let him wander around telling everyone he's your son? Wouldn't that be risky for you, sir?"
"I'm depending on him to. The ultimate revenge. The boy who was supposed to be their little favourite raised by their enemy, and the child loves him. Ohhh, so chilly an idea."
"Could I have this one?" asked Harry, holding up the snake. It was a lovely thing, barely a foot long with black scales so shiny they captured the light and two little silver eyes, and all around its head were tiny spikes like a dragon, which seemed to flex around its head as though in a slight wind.
"Ah, a fine choice, young master. That's a rare one indeed, a Ebony-Crested Dragon snake. Such rare beauties, especially ones this young. Tell you what. Consider this a little birthday present from me, okay? I won't take your money here!" said Nott. Harry just thanked him and petting his new friend who had found a place around his neck under the cloak, Tom and Harry both headed back to the main street.
"Let's get your wand and go home for some dinner, okay?"
Harry nodded happily, and they quietly entered the little wand shop. Harry slightly trembled at the feeling of so much raw magic in the air. Out of the shadows minutes later appeared a man with large silver eyes.
"Well, hello, my young sir, here to get your wand, I presume? Let's get right to it then. Which arm is your wand arm?" he asked getting out a small tape measurer.
"I-I can use either hand, sir," replied Harry. This startled Mr.Ollivander somewhat, but Harry didn't put much thought into it. When the measurer was done, the old man started pulling out boxes. Harry tried wand after wand, but all felt cool in his grasp.
"Let's try this curious one, then. Holly and phoenix feather, 11 inches."
The instant Harry took it, he felt a wave of power like he'd never known. Papers all over in the room blew through the air, and the air was lit up with blue and silver sparks. The old man took the wand from Harry and wrapped it up for him, saying something about curious circumstances.
"What's so curious, if I may ask, Mr. Ollivander?" said Harry, turning to the old man.
"Well, young man, I was wondering who I was going to be giving this wand to. The core of this wand came from a phoenix who gave just one other feather. That other feather resides in You-Know-Who's old wand. Quite powerful, that one. I never should have sold it."
"Sorry again, sir, but who's You-Know-Who?"
"Why, the Dark Lord, young sir, the evil one who disappeared eleven years ago shortly after the Tragedy of Godric's Hollow, Lord Voldemort."
Harry gave a mischievious smirk and took his wand from Mr- Ollivander. "Well, thank you, sir. Have a good day!" And together Tom, Harry, and Harry's new familiar left for home.
------------------------------------------
A/N: Yeah! Harry's so cute! Could you imagine what Severus would do to Harry if he called him Uncle Sev in the books?! Harry would probably not come out of it so well. Oh, and you're going to find out more about Harry new familiar next chapter. We're heading to school, and many a head is going to turn!
(November 17, 2003)