The whole hall had been shocked when the owls had come in. Normally the mail only came in during the morning at breakfast time. The odd owl came in through the day but not in mass like this. When they noticed it was copies of the paper the confusion had only grown. None of them had been old enough during the war to remember times when this had happened. Back then, there was so much news, the papers came out more often. But it had been so long, and the oldest students in the hall, had only been two or three when the war had ended. The teachers seemed as shocked.
Draco was one of the many who had received a copy of the paper. He didn't read it often and he didn't have a subscription as many others did. But his cousin did, and in failing to find Ryan, Ryan's owl delivered it to him.
Blaise looked over. "What is all the fuss?"
Draco stared in shock. "I can't believe this."
Blaise stole the paper. "This can't be real."
Greg looked up from the food. "What has you two gaping?"
Draco stood up. "I should find Ryan and tell him."
Vince was confused. "His family in trouble?"
Blaise turned back. "Hector is not the boy who lived."
Greg practically spit out his food. "What the hell? That arrogant brat is not the hero?"
Draco showed him the paper. "According to the paper."
Vince pointed out. "The paper is not always believable."
Blaise agreed. "And it is Rita Skeeter."
Draco took his bag. "She will lose her job if not real and she knows it."
Blaise went to follow him. "She claims to have some trusted source."
Draco had seen Hector leave the room. "I wonder who it is."
Blaise reminded him. "Ryan and Marcus are on a date."
Draco sighed. "I know but they'll both want to see this."
Draco had no idea why his cousin cared but he seemed to. He seemed to have made some peace with the kid in the last months. Hector seemed to have become less pompous this past year for some reason. And Blaise knew his girlfriend was starting to count him among her friends as well. He knew there had to be something good about him, if Hermione was making friends with him. Hermione didn't have as big a heart as Ryan did.
They spotted Ryan and Marcus as they seemed to be headed out for a walk. Draco felt bad interrupting them, but he knew Ryan should know. He thrust the paper into his cousin's hands when Ryan was about to leave them. Draco hoped he was right.
Ryan looked up in shock. "What?"
Marcus looked at the paper. "He isn't the hero?"
Draco shrugged. "According to the paper there was a twin."
Ryan thought about Hector recently. "I think he knew."
Blaise looked at him. "You think it is the reason for his change around don't you?"
Marcus thought it made sense. "If he learned he wasn't the hero, his ego would pop."
Ryan read the story. "They had a kid and hid him away?"
Draco smirked. "Looks worse than that. They threw him away."
Ryan got to thinking. "Uncle Siri no longer talks to them. I wonder if he knew."
Draco shrugged. "No idea. But there is one way to find out."
Ryan put the paper in his pocket. "I think we should wait until tomorrow."
Draco wasn't certain why but he nodded. "I guess."
Marcus looked at Ryan. "We have enough time to continue our walk before curfew."
Draco smiled. "Don't let us stop you anymore."
Ryan shook his head. "Now that is the cousin I was expecting."
Ryan had his mind on the paper as they walked though. He had to wonder how Hector was going to react when the news came out. He was shocked to realize that the kid had a twin. And by the sounds of the paper, Hector may have known about neither fact. Ryan could only imagine having both of that dropped on him. It was one of the reasons he had suggested they wait to talk to their Uncle. He had a feeling Hector would be talking to Uncle Moony tonight. Of course Draco had no idea how close they had become.
He was surprised when he found Hector out on the grounds. The kid seemed to be reading something and he realized it was the paper. For a moment Ryan almost walked away but he headed towards him. Marcus seemed to understand and held back.
Ryan looked at him. "You read."
Hector didn't look up. "The whole school has."
Ryan moved a bit closer. "It might not be the truth."
Hector shook his head. "It is."
Ryan actually sat. "You seem to be taking it calmly."
Hector looked at him. "How should I be taking it?"
Ryan shrugged. "I don't know. But you just read your life was all…."
Hector finished for him. "Lies? I guess I have had time to let it sink in."
Marcus came over as Hector left. "How is he?"
Ryan stood. "I think he has known."
He had his suspicions and had voiced them to the others in the hall before. But he hadn't been as sure as he had sounded at the time. But talking to Hector he was certain now. He realized it was the reason Hector had been changing so much in the past few months. And he had to wonder just how long the kid had known about it all. But some other questions were starting to come to his mind as well.
He watched the kid. "I wonder if he was the one who leaked the story to the press."
Remus was not home even if his nephews had gone to speak to him. Both he and his husband were not in their rooms or the hall. Sirius had gone to London to see his brother and father as soon as he heard. And Remus was in search of Hector who he knew was going to need him right now. Both he and Sirius were worried about their godsons right now. Sirius knew Ryan would have questions for the family. He would have no reason to believe that he was Harry and they would keep it that way. But he would ask if they had known about the second baby.
Remus had kept a secret from his husband when Sirius had left. He had known what Hector was going to do, at least deep down. He had spoken to Hector after the confrontation with James. He had told Hector that it was his choice if he continued to live the lie or not.
He found Hector in his office of all places. "Hector."
Hector looked up. "The world knows."
Remus came around. "You told her the story didn't you?"
Hector nodded. "You told me it was my choice."
Remus agreed. "I was a bit taken back by how you did it."
Hector shrugged. "You wanted me to announce it in the hall?"
Remus shook his head. "No. But you didn't have to tell everyone at once."
Hector sighed. "I knew my father and the headmaster would try to keep it quiet."
Remus motioned him to sit. "You know I support whatever choice you made."
Hector looked up. "I know. I trust you."
Remus held his hand. "It took a lot of courage to do that."
Hector pointed out. "No one knows it was me."
Remus agreed. "But you'll still have to face the talk."
Hector didn't regret it. "I am done being him."
Remus took him by the arms. "Then who are you?"
Hector shook his head. "I have no idea. But I want to find out."
Remus smiled. "I am happy to help."
Hector sunk into his arms. "You may be the only family I have left."
Remus kissed him. "Your mum does love you Hector. I know it hurts, but she does."
Hector wanted to believe his godfather but he had his doubts. His mum had lied to him even if she hadn't known he was not the hero. She had known he had a twin brother and kept it from him. He wondered if they would have thrown him away if they had known he wasn't the hero. Would he have been the one sent to the muggles? He wondered where his brother was and if he was alive out there somewhere. He hoped he was and that he had a better life than Hector had. Hector hoped it couldn't have been worse than his own.
Remus kept Hector with him as long as the boy would. Remus thought about Ryan and thought about the twins knowing each other. He knew it wasn't possible, as Ryan didn't know. But part of him felt bad that Hector would never know who his twin brother was.
He headed home and found his husband and the Blacks there. "I am not surprised."
Sirius kissed him. "How is your godson?"
Remus confirmed. "He was the one who leaked the story."
Severus looked at his father in law. "Should we be concerned?"
Orion shook his head. "It will likely help us keep Ryan safer."
Regulus was confused. "Won't the public want to find out who the hero is?"
Orion agreed. "But the public will want to keep him away from Albus."
Severus agreed. "Hector made a good job of making Albus look a monster."
Sirius sneered. "He didn't need much help in that department."
Orion reminded them. "Nicholas is going to help."
Severus sighed. "We have to make sure our son never learns."
Remus reminded him. "He will ask if we knew."
Sirius agreed. "We will just let him know we believed the boy to be dead."
They hated lying to Ryan but they had his entire life. But unlike Hector, Ryan's had been to protect him. He was Orion Black, he was their son and grandson, and that was all that mattered. Learning the truth would do nothing but hurt him in the long run. Hector could use his brother but it wouldn't help in the long run. Remus had already seen the boys spending time together and thought to encourage it.
Sirius smiled a bit. "We could allow Hector to come live with us when he turns seventeen."
Severus stared at him. "You're going to take in James' son?"
Regulus voiced in. "He will need a place. And the kid seems to have a good heart."
Remus agreed with his husband. "It would allow the brothers to be together without knowing the truth."
Sirius agreed. "Seems fitting. The Potters took me in."
Orion ground his teeth. "You had a perfectly good home."
Sirius looked at his father. "I did. I am sorry it took me so long to realize that."
Regulus spoke up. "I think enough has been rehashed this weekend for a life time."
Orion agreed. "What is important now is the safety of my grandson."
Severus thought aloud. "I have a feeling Lily could even be convinced to help."
Horace was with them, as were Poppy and Eileen who had come. They all loved Ryan and had worked for years to keep him safe. Borden wasn't there but he was willing to do his part even for a fake nephew. They needed to lead Albus to believe that the boy was no longer in the country. He had performed a test and knew the boy was here or once lived here. Now they needed to take his eyes abroad again.
Orion stood. "I will be here for my usual class with Ryan in a few days. I will check on him then."
Albus was in a bad mood when he had gone down to dinner that night. Nothing seemed to be going right for him in the past few months. Hector had always been a problem, he wasn't the kind of hero Albus needed. In a way the truth had almost been a blessing in disguise. He couldn't believe Harry was the hero at first. The child had been so sickly but he must have had some amazing powers. He had no idea how Hector had killed Voldemort and now he understood. Harry was an elemental he knew deep down and he wanted his hands on those powers. It would be a real nail in the coffin for the old bloods. He would have a half blood with powers unlike anything they ever knew.
But along with not finding the boy, he had the problems with James and Lily. He had never thought revealing it to Hector would go as bad as it did. He thought surely he could have this all under control like he had everything else. But at dinner, it all came crashing around him again.
He came late and saw people looking at papers. "What is all of this?"
Minerva looked up. "I would read the paper."
Albus looked down at it. "How?"
Filius looked at him. "Twins?"
Minerva agreed. "How long have you known he wasn't the hero?"
Albus was lost for words. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Filius smirked. "Are you going to try and deny this?"
Albus saw eyes on him. "I will not speak about this here."
Minerva called as he was leaving. "You know you can't just bury your head in the sand this time Albus."
Albus turned back. "You knew as well as I did."
Minerva sneered. "That there was a twin. But you told us he was dead. What other lies have you told us?"
Before he could answer an elf appeared. "Headmaster."
Albus looked at the elf. "What?"
The elf bowed. "Lord and Lady Potter be in office."
Albus grumbled. "Both of them."
Minerva watched as he went to leave. "This conversation is not over."
Albus left the hall and wondered how they had both got here so fast. And how they had come together as well. From the last time he spoke, James had said the couple had not spoken to one another. But he should have known they would both come pounding on his door over this. This was his worst nightmare seeming to come true in front of his eyes. And he needed to find out who had leaked the story to the press.
He found both the couple in his office but he could see they had just arrived. And he could also tell they had come through the floo. It had been opened since the war and they did know the passwords. But he couldn't remember them doing it before without being invited.
Albus cleared his throat. "I was told you were up here."
James turned. "After this you had to know we'd come."
Lily agreed. "How did the story get out?"
Albus shook his head. "I have no idea."
James saw his look. "You don't think either of us sold it?"
Lily laughed. "It makes us look nearly as bad as you do."
Albus reminded them. "Only the three of us know."
James pointed out. "And Hector."
Lily shook her head. "He would not put himself through this."
Albus sneered. "How well do you know that? He is the only one not in this room who knew."
James admitted. "he told me he wouldn't continue to live the lie."
Lily was shocked. "You think he would really talk to the press like this?"
James nodded. "If for nothing more than to stick it to us. Yes I do."
Albus calmed them. "We need to talk about what we can do."
The fact was they needed to find the boy. The time line was made even quicker now that the world knew. There would be other people who would want to find him and soon. Many people had lost any interest in the war and the boy who lived had lost most of his fame. But this whole story would just boost interest again. People would be drawn to the scandal, and learning about the missing child.
Lily thought. "Maybe we ignore it. The talk will die down and people will move on."
James tended to agree. "If we ignore it, people will think it lies."
Albus smirked. "We have come too far not to look now."
James reminded him. "You haven't been able to find him so far."
Albus stood. "I will just increase the potion in the food. If anyone in this school has those powers, it will reveal them or kill them."
Lily was pale. "Kill them."
James calmed her. "It is just an expression Lily, I am sure."
Albus reminded her. "I don't want to kill him."
Lily stood. "Not this time at least."
Albus called as she left. "I am starting to think you may have been the one to leak it not your son."
Lily turned back. "I am starting to think I should have."
James spoke up. "What about the chances the boy is in a school abroad?"
Albus smiled. "That is why I sent the potion to several of the schools away. If he is at any of them, we will know."
Lily had been standing in the doorway unseen when she heard that. She knew she had failed her son, both of her sons, in the past. She had her doubts that the headmaster was simply exaggerating. Now that Hector had been ousted, he was more desperate to have Harry in his control. She thought about the talk that she had with Remus about Harry. She went to seek out her old friend. If anyone could help, it was him.
Remus wasn't happy to see her. "I have no time for this."
Lily stopped. "It is about my son."
Remus sighed. "I have spoken to Hector already."
Lily shook her head. "I meant Harry."
Remus grunted. "I told you to leave him to rest in peace."
Lily told him what Albus planned. "I thought you should know."
Remus stared at her. "I don't know what good you think that'll do."
Lily looked at the man and she knew she could be wrong. She had no idea what he would have done with the child or how he could have known. He had been poor and living off of them for those first years. But there was a part of her which believed he knew more than he was letting on. She could be wrong but it wouldn't hurt to let him know. She needed to try everything. She had failed both of her sons once in the past.
She stopped as she was about to leave. "Just tell me please, is he happy, is he safe? I won't ever ask anything else."
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