Lily and James sent the man from the house, needing time to talk about this. They had spent the past sixteen years raising Hector, believing him the hero, even before the Halloween. They had believed him the hero, since Lily was pregnant with him. They had never even looked at the other baby, given any real thought to him, from birth. Lily had to be reminded to name the baby, who she named for her father, without any thought. Ever since Albus had spoken to her the first time, she could admit she had thought about the baby. She had told herself it was natural, it was her child, even though she never really cared about him. But she had told him that she hadn't wanted the boy back. Hector didn't know he had a twin, and her and James weren't about to have him back. The news though, that he was likely the hero, left them both with questions.

Albus had gone back to school, and he knew deep down, it was just a matter of time. He wasn't sure the test would work; he assumed the boy had been blood adopted. It might not tell him who the boy was, but there was a chance it could still lead him to Harry, if in the UK.

Albus watched as the couple came in two days later. "I wasn't expecting you. Should I call for tea?"

James led his wife to a seat. "You knew we'd come."

Lily added. "After the shock you dropped on us."

Albus called for tea. "I know it was a shock, but I thought you needed to know."

James didn't take tea. "This is some joke right? You're not known for your humor, but this can't be real."

Lily agreed. "Hector was the obvious hero, you told us."

Albus sighed. "I believed the boy was a squib. I was led to believe he had no magic."

James saw the look. "Hector was in the room at the time. I couldn't have known it was that baby."

Lily shook her head. "I told you more than once."

Albus calmed it. "I believe your son may have been an elemental."

James turned to the man. "Elemental? You're serious?"

Albus nodded. "I believe it is your Black blood."

James pointed out. "Sirius and his brother aren't. My Black blood is remote."

Albus shrugged. "I believe it was their great-grandfather. And that is a common link. It can skip."

Lily held something in her hand. "An elemental? That little baby?"

James asked. "What about the spell we used?"

Albus explained his conversation he had with Nicholas. He had wondered himself, how it was possible the baby had magic, after the leech spell. He should have been a total squib. When Lily mentioned maybe the spell didn't work all the way, Albus said if it malfunctioned, the second baby would just have died. He could see the shock in her face, but he continued with the rest of the story.

Lily heard few of the other words that came from his mouth. She heard the words, that the baby could have died, with the spell. She remembered sitting in this office, when she was pregnant, and asking about the risk to the baby.

She demanded to know. "You knew it could kill him."

Albus sighed. "Lily, it was a risk we needed to take."

James put a hand on his wife. "It worked out for the best Lils."

Lily looked at her husband. "You knew? You knew it could kill our child?"

James was pale. "I did. But I didn't want you to be upset."

Albus reminded her. "You gave him up Lily. Only weeks ago, you didn't want to hear about him."

Lily was irate. "Even if I don't want to raise him, he was my child. I should have known the risk."

James squeezed her hand. "I agree, but perhaps there is something we can do now."

Albus nodded. "I can't promise the spell will work, will tell the exact identity of the child."

Lily looked at him. "I thought you said you could locate him?"

James agreed. "Why would you tell us, if there was no chance?"

Albus reminded them. "You kept telling me, you had no desire to see him."

James ground his teeth. "That's before you told us the news."

Albus looked back and forth. "You do realize if we find him, and he has been adopted, they may not want to give him back."

James and Lily had not really thought about any of this. They hadn't thought about what they would do, or wanted to do, if they found him. They loved Hector, and they had never told him, that he had a twin brother. And then how would the world react, if they learned the couple had twins, and had given one away. Lily and James weren't sure they would have much of a claim on their own son.

Albus knew their thoughts. "You meant to leave him with your sister. We can play it, that you left him there, to keep him safe."

James pointed out. "That may work for the world, but for his adoptive parents?"

Albus shrugged. "Most people have a price."

Lily was pale. "You think they'd sell him to us? He is a child?"

Albus reminded her. "He is sixteen. And if not, you can sue for his return, state you never agreed to the adoption."

James held his wife's hand. "Perform the spell."

Lily looked back and forth. "We need to decide if we will take him back."

Albus reminded her. "We may as well learn if we can find him first."

James agreed. "Then we can go from there."

Lily nodded. "I guess, I'd like to know he was safe at least."

Albus went to perform the spell. "Hopefully this will work."

He had set up the spell, so if the boy had not been blood adopted, his identity would be revealed on a parchment. Normally, if a child had been blood adopted, he couldn't be tracked. He wasn't shocked when no identity had been found, but some information came up on the form. All it said was that the child was somewhere in the UK. Albus knew the chances were, that meant the child was somewhere here at school.

James looked at him. "Now what? Is there some way to sort out there he is?"


Ryan was completely unaware of what was going on a few floors above him. His family was keeping him protected from the truth of course. He had quidditch practice that evening, and he was happy to focus on it. The team was training hard, with the help of Oliver even, and the two new players seemed to be going well. Oliver never thought he'd be helping snakes, at least in quidditch, but he was now a coach and not a player. He also wanted some time with Ryan, and quidditch was an obviously easy way to do so.

Ryan smiled, when he went to land, and found both Oliver and Marcus in the stands. He had got used to seeing the two of them together. He was starting to think they may take his advice, and become friends, hang out together. They needed someone to hang out with, when he couldn't.

He came from the showers and smiled at them both. "Having a good time?"

Oliver shrugged. "Combination of work and pleasure."

Marcus smiled. "I always enjoy watching you fly."

Ryan shook his head. "I meant talking together."

Oliver smirked. "A riot."

Marcus moved towards Ryan. "I was just reminding him, not to mess up my old team."

Ryan shook his head. "You too are stubborn. I think you'd guys would make good friends."

Oliver ignored that comment. "Other than quidditch, we only have one thing in common."

Ryan didn't know what it was. "Well opposites do attract."

Marcus went red in the face. "You're not insinuating what I think you are?"

Oliver was just as red. "The twins aren't around to protect you."

Draco had come over and laughed. "Like either of you would touch him."

Ryan shrugged. "Okay, maybe not date, but you could be friends."

Marcus shook his head. "I think I have a busy enough social calendar."

Ryan pointed out. "You said you have been a bit lonely at school. And I can't go into town with you."

Marcus smirked. "I think I can find better entertainment."

Oliver pointed out. "And I have the twins in town as well."

Marcus turned to Ryan. "Can I walk you back inside?"

Oliver stepped in. "The two of us were heading for tea with Hagrid."

Ryan shook his head. "The more the merrier."

Marcus for the second time, took the invitation, to bud in on his competition. He could see Oliver was seriously looking ready to hex him. He knew Oliver, the kid would use the quidditch practice, to have alone time with Ryan. He had got his marking work done early, he had worked over dinner, to make sure he could come down. The lion was seriously mistaken, if he thought he'd get Ryan without a serious fight.

Ryan headed with them down towards the woods, and to Hagrid's hut. He had always been close to Hagrid, like his Uncles had been, when they were in school. He, Draco and the twins had often visited Hagrid over the years, the giant always happy to have company, whenever.

Ryan was almost at the hut when he had a dizzy spell. "Oh."

Marcus grabbed him by the arm. "Are you okay?"

Oliver took his other arm. "You look as pale as a ghost."

Ryan tried to reassure them but he felt woozy. "I am dizzy."

Marcus looked at Oliver. "We need to get him over to the bench."

Oliver agreed. "Hagrid should have water for him."

Ryan sunk down onto the bench. "I don't know what happened."

Oliver called to Hagrid who appeared. "Ryan needs some cold water."

Hagrid disappeared and came back. "Here you go Ryan."

Ryan sipped the water. "My head still feels a bit odd."

Marcus was worried. "You don't look good. I haven't seen you like this after quidditch."

Oliver agreed with him for once. "Maybe we should get you back to your dorms."

Ryan was about to respond, when his breath "What?"

Marcus looked at the beautiful phoenix. "That's not the school one."

Ryan shook his head, he had seen Fawkes enough. He had often wondered, how the headmaster had one, he wasn't so light. But his grandsire explained, that the phoenix belonged to the school, and not to the headmaster. The school always had a phoenix. Fawkes had been special, the old phoenix from the school died around the time of Dipet. Fawkes had come at the same time as Albus, so it led people to think he was Albus'. Ryan noticed this one wasn't red, but was a deep green. He had heard once, that phoenixes though all could be reborn, represented different elements. He realized, or he guessed, that this was an Earth phoenix, and not a fire phoenix.

He stroked the feathers of the bird. "Wow, you're beautiful."

The bird trilled and allowed Ryan to stroke him.

Oliver was amazed as he watched. "Where did he come from?"

Hagrid was about to say something when Firenze appeared from the woods. "I'd not speak of the bird to the headmaster."

Ryan looked at his tutor. "Is it because of that?"

Firenze looked at his young student. "Yes."

Marcus was confused but he spoke. "We won't tell anyone."

Oliver agreed. "Lips are sealed."

Firenze looked at the two young men and back at Ryan. "You have two true friends in these."

Ryan asked. "Why have you come? Your timing seems odd."

Firenze handed him a bag. "My father was worried. If you start suffering headaches, you need to make a tea of this."

Ryan took the bag. "I had a dizzy spell just now."

Firenze didn't explain. "My father saw a concern in the stars. I will see you for your next lesson."

Marcus helped him up. "We should take you to your rooms. I am sure an elf can brew the tea."

Ryan was taken to the dungeons, but he ended up going through to his Uncle's rooms instead. He didn't trust a school elf, and he didn't want to worry anyone, by calling Kreacher or a family elf. He had promised his dads and Uncle, if something was wrong, he'd tell them. His Uncle was worried, as he brewed him the tea, and got Ryan into bed with it. He insisted Ryan stay with him for the night.

He reassured Ryan. "I'm relieved you came to me Ryan. I promise I'll look into this, with Poppy."


Orion was a bit surprised, when he received word, that there was a special visitor at the manor. He hadn't seen the man in some decades, and though he knew there was bad blood with Albus, he was still cautious. His mind went to his grandson, and he had to wonder if this was related. He sent word to his son and son in law, and requested they come to the manor with him. Well Nicholas had asked to speak to them, which led again to the thought, that it was somehow about Ryan. He felt some dread, after what had happened recently.

Severus and Regulus went to the manor, where Orion often was on the weekend still. He had returned to spending the week at Grimmauld, as he had done before his wife was ill, years before. He had given the home up to Sirius, but with Sirius at school, he was using it again.

Regulus looked at his father. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why are we here?"

Severus agreed. "We have a feeling this isn't a social visit."

Orion motioned them in. "Have you heard anything from your son?"

Regulus nodded. "He has been suffering some dizzy spells at school."

Orion didn't like the sounds of that. "Has he seen Poppy?"

Severus confirmed it. "Magorian has given him some tea, which has been helping."

Regulus looked to him. "Is it why you summoned us?"

Orion shook his head. "No. I have a visitor about to arrive, I think you need to meet."

Severus was a bit uncertain. "Who are you talking about?"

An elf appeared first. "Lord Flamel is here to see you Master."

Regulus looked at his father. "Lord Flamel? As in Nicholas Flamel?"

Orion looked at the elf. "You can show him in."

Severus was as surprised as his husband. "What is he doing here?"

Regulus reminded his father. "He trained Albus."

Nicholas came in and answered for himself. "That partnership ended long ago."

Nicholas came into the room. Though not even Orion knew it, it was far from the first time he had been in the room. He had in fact been close to the family for more time than he could remember. The last member he had been close with had been Sirius, the elder one, when he was alive. The man and Nicholas had remained close until his death, and Nicholas had been Arcturus' godfather. Living as many hundreds of years as he had, you saw many generations pass, and families change through time. He had long kept an eye on the Black family.

Regulus shared a confused and worried look with his husband. He knew there had been a break between them, but he still didn't understand why the man was in their home. And with everything going on with their son, he was already on the edge.

Orion spoke. "I was intrigued, why you wished to speak to us."

Nicholas accepted tea. "I once counted your grandfather as a close friend, and your father was my godson. I thought I owed it to them."

Severus spoke up. "Owed what?"

Nicholas sat. "Albus came to me. He wished to speak to me about a leach spell."

Regulus held his breath. "Okay."

Nicholas eyed him. "I warned against it years before, but it seems he used the spell. He was worried it didn't work right."

Orion stirred his tea. "Interesting. I had heard rumors there was a second baby."

Nicholas looked at Regulus. "I believe your husband and brother were his godparents."

Severus had no idea how he knew. "I can't deny that."

Orion was careful. "I believe he told the order, the child was dead."

Nicholas agreed. "He is looking for the child. He believes the baby to be an elemental, and the boy who lived."

Severus smirked. "He thought the child a squib before Halloween."

Nicholas went on. "He realizes Hector has no magic to do it. And the only magic to survive such a spell, is an elemental, or like a veela."

Regulus found himself saying. "And neither Lily nor James do."

Orion spoke up. "Why come to us?"

Nicholas admitted. "I told the man, I'd put my entire fortune and power into protecting the boy from him, keeping him away from Albus."

As the words came from his mouth, Regulus shared a look with his dad. He came to the realization, Nicholas knew or at least suspected, they knew where Harry was. They had no idea if he knew it was their son, but if he suspected their family, it wouldn't take much to guess who. They didn't want to let on, if they were wrong, but he could see his husband and dad were thinking the same thing.

Orion spoke first. "Why would you feel a need to tell us?"

The man was straight out. "I believe you know where the boy is."

Regulus tried to keep his nerves in check. "And why would you think that?"

Nicholas looked at Severus. "I doubt either of the boy's godparents, left that child with muggles."

Severus took a chance. "And if I knew where he was?"

Nicholas assured them. "I'll take an oath. I meant my words, all I have, is yours to command, to keep him safe."

Orion pressed. "Why?"

Nicholas smirked. "We both know, Albus would use him as a pawn, like Hector. He can't be allowed to control an elemental."

Orion wasn't sure. "Perhaps he is wrong. There may be veela blood or such in Lily somewhere."

Nicholas shook his head. "True. But I let my earth phoenix out from the manor, and he seems to have visited the school."

It was no secret, that the Flamels had bred phoenixes, for centuries. Nicholas had at least one phoenix from all of the elements. He had sent the fire phoenix to school, as fire phoenixes were drawn to children, more than the others. Many people didn't realize there was more than one kind of phoenix, as fire ones were the only ones usually seen. But there were earth, air and water phoenixes as well. They were birds of light, and drawn to innocence, but not in the same way. They were also drawn to someone who was their element.

Nicholas stood. "His spell can't tell the identity of a blood adopted child. But there are other ways. I am willing to offer my aid."

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