Chapter Two: Brothers
He was in his thirties but gray was already visible in his hair. To look at him, one would almost think he was looking at a beggar. His robes were old and frayed, and had been patched on numerous occasions. He lived in a place that was not much better than his clothes. It was one room and sparsely furnished. An old bed, but still sturdy. A small table with two small chairs, although both were rarely used at the same time.
Out of place stood a bookcase, the only other piece of furniture, unless you counted the dozens of books that filled the shelves. The old/young man sat in one of the chairs, reading one of these tomes as he often did. Every now and then he would lift his cup and take a sip of his tea. It was during one of these times that a knock was heard at his door.
"Come in," he called easily, marking his place in his book, and was immediately on his feet to greet his guest once he saw who it was.
"Albus? This is a wonderful surprise. I haven't seen you for years. Would you like some tea?"
"Thank you, Remus," the headmaster said gratefully and sat down in the other chair while Remus Lupin conjured a cup for him. He took a sip. "This is wonderful. Thank you."
Remus smiled in gratitude and held his smile as he asked his question. "I do appreciate your company, Albus, but I've known you too long as a teacher and a friend. Why are you here? And this close to a full moon?"
Albus smiled. "Doctor Pantely is at Hogwarts. He wanted me to send his regrets that he could not make his regular meeting with you."
Remus continued to smile. "I'm helpful to Xavier Pantely in his research and he is the main reason I can afford such lavish surroundings." Both men grinned at the irony.
Albus held out a bottle, big enough to hold a standard cupful. "Xavier also asked me to give you this. It is his latest potion. You said that the last potion eased the pain of transformation. He hopes that this one will be more helpful."
Remus nodded gratefully. "His potions have been a wonder. For over a year I have not had to fear the full moon except for myself. It is a blessing knowing that others are safe from me."
"A noble thought," Albus admitted, "but we both know that Dr. Pantely is searching for more than that. I do hope to see a cure in my lifetime, and that means soon."
"I've seen the results," Remus said sadly. "He is having success but I fear you will have to live a long time before there is a cure. He has examined my curse many times and admits that he is faced with a puzzle." Remus paused. "Why is he at Hogwarts?"
"Because he has been given another puzzle to solve. And to answer your first question, which is also why I am here. I may need your help."
"I will do anything I can," Remus told Dumbledore. "What do you want from me?"
"I would like to offer you a job, at Hogwarts. Assistant Groundskeeper. I have no authority to pay you but I can offer you room and board for the present."
"Why?" came the question. The one word expressed all the confusion that the young man felt.
"It concerns Harry Potter."
"He's at Hogwarts? Has it been that long?"
Albus smiled. "He is in his second year. He is in Gryffindor, by the way."
Remus smiled but sadness filled his face. "James would have been proud."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "He is also on the Quidditch team."
Remus laughed. "James would have cheered."
Dumbledore cleared his throat. "We have a problem at the school. It seems that Harry was on his way to his first practice of the year when he tripped over a body. It was a boy, the same age, and barely alive."
"From the way you say that, you think I know this boy."
"I know you do, Remus. The boy he tripped over is Harry Potter." Albus saw the surprise on the other man's face and kept talking. "He doesn't have the scar he was given the night his parents died, but every spell we cast tells us that he is exactly Harry's age and that James and Lily were his parents."
"But that would be impossible. There were enough of us there trying to keep James calm or helping Lily. One of us would have noticed if Harry had a twin."
"He isn't Harry's twin," Albus pointed out. "According to our school physician, Madam Pomfrey, the boy is exactly the same age. If he were a twin, the spells would have shown him to be two minutes older or three minutes younger. Poppy says it's a matter of logistics."
Remus smiled thinly at the remark, but quickly returned to the subject. "Do you know how this happened?"
Albus shook his head. "We have no idea. All we know is that the boy is a jumble of contradictions. He was found barefoot and dressed in rags, with his hair cut short without regard to any sort of style. He had blisters on his feet, and his neck was scarred from an iron collar. We know this because Poppy found slivers of iron embedded in the boy's neck Minerva described him as the perfect example of a beggar boy from the previous century. Even down to the bruises from frequent, and recent, beatings."
Remus listened carefully, drawing the obvious conclusions. Barefoot but blistered meant that the boy had, until recently, worn shoes. A metal collar meant that he was clearly being held captive, perhaps as a hostage. The beatings were obviously done to break his will. He looked up at the headmaster.
"Why did you need to see Dr. Pantely?"
"The boy also has a curse placed on him. As you well know, Dr. Pantely's specialty is examining curses to find a means to end them."
Remus nodded. "Such as the curse of the Werewolf."
"And the curse of the second Harry Potter. Pantely also spoke of contradictions. It seems that the spell on the boy is not very powerful, but it has been carefully woven into the boy. If any of the usual attempts are made to remove it, it will remove all of the boy's memories. He will become an empty shell. And the nature of the curse, according to our expert, is to suppress those memories. That is why I need your help. We don't know for certain what the boy's condition will be when he wakes up, but we think he will display the same symptoms as a victim of amnesia. He will probably know how to speak and write, assuming he learned, but he will know nothing of himself or his family."
"And why do you want me there, at Hogwarts?"
Albus smiled. "You are the excuse for Doctor Pantely to visit the school on a regular basis. The spell may not be strong but it was well crafted, unlike anything I have ever come across. It is also weakening, although at an amazingly slow rate. If we are lucky, the curse will fail on it's own in only a couple of months. At the worst, it will last over a year. Once the curse does fail, the boy can answer all of our questions. Until that happens, we need to explain the boy without creating too much of an outcry. That is another reason we want you at Hogwarts. You can confirm the story we make up as being true."
Remus nodded again. "You have a nice kettle of fish. Everyone will be asking questions once they find out there are two Boys-Who-Lived. How many people know about him now?"
"Besides the two of us, Dr. Pantely, Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall. No one else has seen him except for Harry, his housemate Colin Creevey and our caretaker, Argus Filch. Neither of the three noticed the resemblance"
Remus smiled as a thought came to mind. "It's simple to explain, really. He isn't Harry at all, but he is his twin brother, younger by, did you say three minutes?"
Albus returned the smile. "We have already thought along those lines. Those times were very dark, and James and Lily were afraid for their expectant children. They arranged to send the younger of the two to safety, to be fostered in secret."
"And they trusted this to an old friend," Remus said with a smile. "You still need to explain the boy's amnesia, and you will need a name."
Albus looked pointedly. "What would James have named a second son?"
"Harry was named after Lily's father. I would assume, being twins, the other would have been given the name of James' father, Charles."
"Then I must congratulate myself on making an excellent guess." Albus smiled to confirm that he had thought along the same lines. "As for the amnesia, Madam Pomfrey has the solution at hand. Its cause is emotional, a trauma resulting from the boy's recent injuries. He will recover in time."
"I feel as though I needn't have said anything," Remus commented. "You have thought of everything."
"And that is the third reason we need you at Hogwarts. We can tell this to Harry when he is introduced to, um, Charles, but he . . ." Dumbledore paused. "Both boys will need to know more about their parents. An old friend would be more than helpful. When Harry is told he has a brother, and if we are correct he will be a brother with no memory of his past, Harry will have very little to share. He lives with his aunt and her family. The arrangement keeps him safe but it is not very pleasant. He will not want to share that."
Remus nodded thoughtfully. "I see what you mean. Friends are important but they can never take the place of family. I will be happy to help." He paused in turn. "The boy, Charles. Do you have any idea of how or why he was . . . hurt?"
"He was tortured," Albus said firmly. "I have no difficulty using such a harsh word when it is entirely accurate. And then he was mortally wounded by a muggle weapon. I assume he had outlived his usefulness. We don't know who or why, nor do we know how he ended up in Hogwarts."
"He was found in Hogwarts? Inside the school?"
Albus nodded. "It seems he appeared moments before Harry found him. Other students had traversed the same hallway only minutes before and saw nothing. The boy would have been hard to miss."
"I definitely want to come now," Remus said strongly. "I want to be there when all of this is explained. When do you need me?"
"When can you come?"
Remus looked around his small room. "It would take me at least a minute to pack my belongings."
"I would be happy to help," Albus offered. "The boy has been forced to sleep and he's almost recovered from his injuries. We were planning on waking him tomorrow night. Saturday morning, conditions permitting, we will introduce the two boys after Harry finishes with his practice."
"Harry?" Colin Creevey asked carefully, standing quietly in the common room next to the table Harry was sitting at
Harry and Ron both looked up from the game of wizards chess they were playing to stare at the first year. "Colin?"
"I wanted to warn you."
Ron sniggered. "You're giving warnings now? That's an improvement."
"Ron! ," Harry said petulantly, reminded for some reason of Dobby, the house elf he had met. "What are you warning me about?"
"The picture that I took of you and Lockhart. He's been trying to ask me about signing it. I've been avoiding him but I have his class tomorrow. I don't know what to do."
"Just have him sign it, Colin."
"But he'll want you to sign it, too."
"So did you when you took the picture," Ron said.
"That was then," Colin said with a frown. "Now I'm embarrassed by that picture."
Ron snorted. "And knowing Lockhart, he'll want copies made to show off to people." As both Harry and Colin groaned, Ron had a thought. "Tell him you haven't developed it yet."
"But he'll just keep asking," Colin insisted.
"Exactly," Ron assured him.
Harry smirked. "That's a brilliant idea. Colin, just think how big Lockhart's ego is. I'm sure he won't ask you more than twice, and then he'll probably ignore you to prove it didn't matter."
"Are you sure?"
"It's guaranteed," Ron told him.
Colin suddenly became his usual energetic self. "Thanks. I'm sure it will work."
As he ran off, Ron looked over at Harry. "He's mental, you know."
Harry laughed. "He told me that's what they said about him at home. But that was before he found out about magic."
"Magic has nothing to do with it." Ron moved his Queen. "Checkmate."
"I was distracted," Harry said as an excuse.
"Do you want to play again?"
"I've lost three games already. That's enough for one day."
Ron paused. "Harry, why are you being so friendly to Colin Creevey."
"You know what happened. About finding that boy."
"Of course I do. Colin told me. Colin told everyone."
"He didn't tell me."
"He didn't have to. You were there." Ron paused. "Harry, you didn't tell anyone, did you?"
"I told Colin."
Ron looked confused. "But Colin was there."
Harry nodded, his smile gone. "I knew he would understand how I felt. I was scared, Ron. More scared than I had ever been. And it wasn't for me. I couldn't think of anything to do. I didn't do anything."
"Neither did Colin Creevey." Ron pointed out.
"Yes he did," Harry corrected. "He took a picture."
Ron started to make a joke about Colin but saw how Harry looked. Instead he said, "Colin probably didn't mean to. It was a reflex or something."
"It was," Harry agreed. "Colin felt he had to do something and it was the only thing he could think of."
"At least he didn't do any harm by it."
Harry looked at Ron in surprise. "He didn't do any harm at all. The Fat Lady noticed the flash and looked over, then she called for help. That boy is alive because of what Colin did."
Ron let out his breath. He had not realized he was holding it. Then he gave Harry the Weasley Grin. "He is mental, Harry. No one in his right mind would have thought to take a picture."
"He's a good friend, Ron."
"You're right," Ron said appreciatively, "but you still have to convince Hermione."
Harry was flying around the pitch, practicing his moves and avoiding the bludgers. Mostly, he was enjoying the fact that he was flying. He noticed Ron and Hermione watching him from the stands while Colin was taking pictures from the edge of the pitch. He also noticed the man who joined his friends but he was too involved to pay much attention at the moment. Ron and Hermione, however, were being distracted from watching the practice. For Ron, this was no small feat.
"May I intrude?" the man asked and the two Gryffindors shrugged their shoulders. Remus
Lupin introduced himself as he sat down behind the two, and they politely returned the favor. He then bothered them with another question.
"Is that Harry Potter?"
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, familiar with Harry's notoriety.
"Why yes," Hermione answered for them. "That is the Boy-Who-Lived."
"Oh, that his father had lived as well." Remus sighed. "James would have loved watching his son."
"You knew Harry's dad?" Ron asked, his head turning suddenly. Hermione was staring as well.
"I knew James and Lily very well. We went to school together." Remus smiled at a memory. "I even changed Harry's nappies on one occasion, but I don't think I should mention that."
Neither of the two was paying the slightest attention to the practice. Both were now riveted to their seats. Hermione recovered first.
"You've come to see Harry. Haven't you?"
"Of course he has," Ron said. "You have, haven't you?"
"Yes. I came to see him as well. I assume you are friends of his."
"Best friends," Ron assured him, and Hermione nodded. "We should let Harry know you're here."
"Not yet," Remus said. "Let him finish his practice. I won't be leaving, and he is obviously enjoying himself."
Hermione smiled at his words, then frowned. "You said you came to see him as well. Did you come to see someone else as well? The boy he found? Do you know him, too?"
Remus laughed at her seriousness. "Dumbledore was right when he told me you were smart." He smiled as Hermione beamed at the compliment. "You are right on both counts. I met the boy last night. We had a wonderful conversation. I thought I would invite Harry to join me after he eats, to meet him."
"Not just him, right?" Ron said quickly. "His friends, too? You wouldn't have mentioned it otherwise." Ron's eyes lit up when Remus said that would be a wonderful idea. He turned to see a matching look in Hermione's face. They would be the first students to meet the mystery boy.
"Who is he?" Hermione asked.
"That is something I need to talk to Harry about, first. I promised Dumbledore that I wouldn't say anything to anyone else before then. And I think I've stretched that rule enough. I also need to ask if you know where a boy named Colin Creevey is. Because he was with Harry, Albus wants him to come as well."
Ron turned around and pointed to the edge of the pitch where a camera flash went off. Colin took two more pictures then happened to look over to where Ron and Hermione were sitting. Five minutes later, he had the same attitude that they had, wishing that practice would end so they could get Harry to join them.
Harry gasped as Ron quickly informed him of everything Remus Lupin had told them. He even offered to go to the infirmary immediately, but Remus told him no. "Everyone else wants to have lunch first, even if the four of you don't."
"You mean six," Fred said as he and George walked up. "Ron, if you want a private conversation you have to learn not to yell."
Remus eyed the twins with amusement. "If either of you has the curiosity of your father, I think you would find a way to join us, even if I said no."
"You don't know what it's like," Fred told him as they walked back to the school.
"This is the biggest thing to happen since . . ." George paused to look at Harry, who laughed in response. ". . . since Harry Potter came to Hogwarts."
Harry then asked his own question. "Mr. Lupin, why are you here? I mean, it's wonderful to have someone to talk to who knew my parents, but why now?"
"I will explain what I can during lunch, but I will tell you this much. You are the reason I came once I was invited. I was curious to find out what happened to my best friends' family." Remus sighed. "You look very much like your father, but you have Lily's eyes. Looking at you reminds me of happier days." He cleared his throat. "Enough of this maudlin rambling. It's time to eat."
Fred and George were as curious as the others about why the boy was being kept secret, but they were satisfied with being part of the group. Dumbledore was there to greet them when they arrived at the infirmary, showing no surprise at the number of people who had come. Instead he showed his approval.
"I think this is wonderful. Charles will meet Harry with his friends."
"Charles?" Fred asked.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley. The boy everyone has been talking about has a name. You will meet him shortly. Madam Pomfrey is helping him dress. He has been told about Harry and Colin and he wants to be at his best when he meets them, and you."
"Sir," Harry said, "Mr. Lupin said you would answer any and all of my questions about him, but only after I meet him. I was curious why."
"There is a simple answer. Neither Remus nor myself could think of a better way to handle this situation." He smiled at Harry's puzzled look, then turned as Madam Pomfrey announced that they were ready.
All eyes turned to the partition that separated the boy's bed from the rest of the room, and six voices gasped when Harry Potter walked from behind with Madam Pomfrey at his side.
"You must be Harry," he said as he stepped forward.
"And you're Charles?"
Fred and George looked at each other and grinned. "Charles Potter!"
That remark shook Harry loose from his surprise. He stared, then asked, "Do you . . ." and finished the question by pushing his hair off his forehead.
"Nasty scar." Charles looked at Harry's forehead, then understood, and pushed his own hair out of the way. "I appear to have been more careful."
"This is great," Ron said. "Harry, ask him if he can play Quidditch."
"Definitely," Fred and George said together.
"You must be joking," Hermione yelled at Ron. "This is a big moment for Harry and you ask a question like that."
"It's important," Ron said half in embarrassment, happy that Fred and George were backing him up.
Harry looked over at them as Hermione let out a loud huff, then turned back to Charles with a smirk.
"Do you?"
"I have no idea."
Harry was stumped by the answer and turned to Dumbledore.
"It seems, Harry, that I have to explain a few things to you and Charles. The first, which I have already explained to your brother, is the result of his injuries."
"He IS my brother?"
"I think that is obvious." Albus smiled. "But there is a problem. Because of his injuries, Charles has suffered a loss of memory. He knows nothing of his past. We even had to tell him his name. And before you ask, Miss Granger, he will recover in time. It is not permanent."
Hermione blushed and smiled at the same time. She also held her breath while Dumbledore explained to everyone the prearranged story. She even cried when Dumbledore described the conditions under which the twins were separated. And she was the first of the group to welcome Charles to Hogwarts, and the only one to do so by hugging him.
"Colin, do you have your camera?" Fred asked.
"That's a great idea," Colin said enthusiastically as he pulled his camera out of his robes. "Harry, stand next to your brother."
"I have a better idea," Dumbledore said as he took the camera from Colin. "Why don't you make the first picture a group portrait?"
"Picture?" Charles asked.
"It's so Colin's parents will believe him when he tells them what happened," Harry explained.
Hermione shook her head. "I think Charles was asking about the camera." She turned to Charles. "I assume you don't remember cameras."
"I suppose you are right. But Professor Dumbledore said he would 'make' a group portrait?"
"It's an instant picture," Fred explained easily. "You don't have to wait for days until the painter is finished."
"Oh," Charles said suddenly. "You mean photography."
George grinned. "You could say that. If you wanted to use the right word."
Smiling easily, Charles and Harry stood next to each other with Hermione and Colin on either side. The three Weasleys, being tall enough, stood behind them, with Ron in the middle. Dumbledore snapped the shutter, and Charles remembered to not look at the flash.
As he handed the camera back to Colin, Dumbledore smiled inwardly. He was right to bring Remus along. The man's familiarity with James and Lily made the impossible story seem more than plausible. This was proven when Remus decided to explain why the two boys had their names.
"Our Grandfathers?" Harry said in surprise. "I never knew their names. I have an album that Hagrid gave me, but there was nothing to tell me who the people were."
"I'll help you with that," Remus offered. "When it is convenient, the two of you can stop by my room."
"Then you are staying?"
Remus smirked. "I'm the Assistant Groundskeeper, but I have a room within Hogwarts."
Charles looked at Harry then to Dumbledore. "Headmaster, I know all of this is new, to both Harry and myself, but I must ask if I am to stay as well."
"He'll be going to school, Sir. Right?" Ron asked.
"Perhaps," Dumbledore answered. "He will stay at the school until his memory returns, but I don't think he will be a student. After all, he is already twelve. He would have to be placed as a first year. It could cause several problems."
"We can tutor him," Ron insisted. "Well, Hermione can."
"It takes more than tutoring, Mr. Weasley. And besides, Gryffindor has the same Quidditch team from last year. It wouldn't make any difference."
Ron blushed furiously at those words, while Fred and George laughed. Hermione smirked and gave him an 'I told you so'.
"That is the second time you have mentioned Quidditch," Charles said. "I assume it is a sport, but I am not familiar with it." He paused. "I do not think I am familiar with it."
"If you're anything like Harry," Fred said quickly.
"You'll be a natural at it," George continued.
"Just like Harry," Fred concluded.
"We should know," George added. "We know what it's like to be twins."
"How about it, Professor?" Fred asked the headmaster. "We'll give Charles the tour of the school and the grounds and let him try a broom."
"What would I use a broom for?" Charles asked.
Harry grinned. "You use it to fly."
Charles' eyes widened when he realized Harry was telling the truth, then turned with unexpected eagerness.
Dumbledore waved them away. "Go with my blessing."
Madam Pomfrey shouted as they went to leave. "If he ends up back here, I'll have all your heads."
