Disclaimer: I'm too young to be Rowling so there is sadly no way Harry Potter is mine…
Placing: After the war - could be canon…
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Learning Curve
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"Eridanus, Perseus," Marius said while entering Har… Eridanus' room. "How are you doing this fine morning?"
"I'm better," H… Eridanus said truthfully.
"Define better, H… Eri," Perseus said with narrowed eyes.
Eridanus sighed.
He hated it when his… brother wanted him to clarify.
"My skin doesn't hurt anymore, the same with my eyes. My face hurts less and it's easier to speak," he listed.
"Good," Marius said before handing him a potion.
"This is from your Uncle Pollux," he said. "It's for internal injuries that might not have healed by now. It should help with your throat."
Har… Eridanus nodded gratefully.
"Thank you, F… Marius," he said, interrupting himself when he noticed that there was no way that he could call the other man 'father' already. He wasn't ready for that, wasn't ready to claim another family after losing his old one so cruelly just such a short time ago.
Marius just patted his head soothingly.
"I understand that you're still very much missing your first parents and your siblings," he said. "Just know that Susanna and I don't mind if you only ever call us by our first names. And know that if you need someone to talk to, we will listen."
Perseus and Eridanus exchanged a glance at that, but in the end both of them nodded.
When Marius pointed at the vial in Har… Eridanus hand, the teen nodded reluctantly, opened the stopper and then downed it in one go.
Oh, how he hated to take potions!
Marius on the other hand smiled and took back the vial.
"If you feel up to it this morning, you are allowed to leave the bed and come down for breakfast," he told his new younger son. "After that I can teach you both some runes and arithmancy, if you like. I learned quite a lot of that when I was young – before I knew that I would never be a wizard."
Harry was surprised when he couldn't hear any resentment or bitterness at that in his new father's voice.
"You… don't actually seem to mind," Percy noticed confused.
Marius smiled a surprising toothy smile.
"There are things that I can do that most wizards have no clue about," he said. "And I'm not helpless. I fought Grindelwald with my father and siblings – believe me, I know how to take on a wizard and win."
Yet, Harry and Percy both knew that Marius and Susanna would have lost their lives the day they met them…
Marius seemed to see their thoughts on their faces because he sighed.
"I'm not used to protect anyone," he said. "That – and I am getting old. I'm sure that the Death Eaters would have won back then if you hadn't helped us. I would have given them a good fight – but they would have won in the end, I'm not denying this."
Percy and Eridanus exchanged another glance.
They both guessed that that was exactly what happened in the future.
Harry raised an eyebrow at Perseus.
Percy sighed and in the end inclined his head.
The answer was a smile from Eridanus.
Marius just looked at both boys with mirth in his eyes, never knowing that he had interrupted a heated if whispered argument when he entered.
The two time-travellers had been fighting about their further actions in the past.
Perseus had all been for keeping his head down and trying to keep the changes to a minimum. Eridanus had argued that they had changed far too much already and that they should stop trying to preserve the timeline because it obviously wasn't working.
The last exchange in front of Marius decided the argument to Eridanus' favour.
Now Eridanus had just to see how long it would take until his… brother would be back to 'trying to preserve the timeline'…
"Now," Marius said. "Are you two coming down or do you want to stay here and rest a bit more?"
For a moment, Eridanus and Perseus looked at each other, not too sure about Marius' sudden change of topics. In the end, Har… Eridanus settled for the simple solution.
"We're coming down," Har… Eridanus answered instead of further speaking about the night they had stumbled upon Marius and Susanna. "I think I can manage some steps and some teaching."
With that he smiled at the man he was now allowed to call 'father' while acting as if he was a lot further healed than he actually was.
Perseus next to him rolled his eyes exasperated.
"You're acting as if you hadn't been on your deathbed just yesterday," he pointed out even if his voice hitched at the word 'deathbed'.
Eridanus flinched.
"I wasn't anywhere near death," he defended himself. "You're a bit too concerned there, Per…seus."
His… brother pinched his nose but didn't object and Marius shook his head fondly before turning around and leaving the room.
"Put on some clothes and come down," he told them and then closed the door to Ha… Eridanus' room behind himself.
Eridanus looked at Perseus.
Perseus returned the look and Eridanus decided that if he didn't bring up their previous topic it would come back to bite him later.
"Did you truly still think that we could somehow preserve the timeline?" He asked incredulously while acting that Perseus' decision to accept Eridanus' decision with Marius in the room didn't happen.
From the look Perseus send him, it was a good idea to ask that again. Percy had always been stubborn – and just because they had lost their family and were back in time didn't mean that he lost that trait.
The gleam in Percy's eyes told Harry that the man had been about to dismiss his previous acquisition to Harry again.
Har… Eridanus rolled his eyes.
"You can't actually still think that we can keep the timeline like it was before we arrived, can you?" He asked with an incredulous look towards his …brother.
Perseus sighed.
"I thought that we should at least try," he replied. "I mean, I know we changed a lot already, but… shouldn't it be saveable somehow?"
Harry sighed and shook his head.
"I doubt it," he said. "After all, we changed a lot already."
"Not too much!" Percy objected.
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Marius and Susanna are still alive," he said slowly, repeating his arguments from before Marius had entered. "The Grey family hasn't died out because of us. The Blacks have two more heirs. Pollux Black and Marius Black are obviously talking with each other again after years of just writing or no contact. It might seem 'not much' but considering that the Black family was deeply involved in the first war I fear it's far too much already."
Percy sighed and then inclined his head.
"I give," he said. "I already gave in when Marius was in here and I won't change my mind about it now. Just… Harry, please let us try to change as few things as possible!"
Harry groaned.
"I'll think about it," he said. "Just know that I don't plan on deliberately changing anything right now."
Percy thought that over.
In the end, he nodded.
"Alright," he said to his… brother. "Thank you, H… Eri."
The younger boy nodded and then stood up.
Five minutes later both boys entered the kitchen of their new home.
Susanna was cooking breakfast.
The moment she noticed them entering, she smiled and gestured at the table.
"Sit down," she said. "Breakfast is nearly ready."
After breakfast, Marius sat them down and started them on arithmancy with a rune or two thrown in.
"We will work on actual runes either tonight or tomorrow after breakfast," he promised. "For now we'll concentrate on arithmancy."
In other words, poor Percy would be bored…
Later that day, Pollux came back and took over their introduction to ancient runes.
It was when Susanna called them to dinner that he finally brought up another issue.
"Marius, Susanna," Pollux said before pulling out a stack of paper.
Marius looked at the paper and raised an eyebrow.
"What's all this?" He asked concerned.
"One time nearly fifteen years of a fake life, and one time nearly fourteen years of one," Pollux replied before spreading the papers on the kitchen table, despite of Susanna's protests that they should eat now and look over the stuff he brought later.
Marius frowned and pulled one of the stacks towards himself.
"That's all muggle," he said with a frown.
Pollux nodded.
"Since you and Susanna live in the muggle world, I thought it best to ensure that everything looks legal there first," he said. "Don't worry, it isn't just these papers. I made sure that people won't question anything. It's properly filed not only in the wizarding world but in the muggle world as well."
Susanna nodded.
"Good," she said. "That only leaves the people we regularly interact with."
"Give me a list and a day or two and I will make sure that they remember your sons as well," Pollux replied unconcerned.
Percy frowned.
"Modifying memories of muggles without license is prohibited," he said concerned.
Polled waved it off.
"Don't worry about it, Perseus," he said. "There are some privileges when you are part of the Black family."
Percy's eyes narrowed.
"But –"
"You will get used to it, soon," Pollux said. "Just give it a few months and you will know that there are some difference when it comes to the Greys or the Blacks."
Harry was quite sure that his new uncle was talking about the political clout and the blackmail material the Black family had access to when he talked about 'difference'. Harry also doubted that Per…seus would in any way or form accept the fact that their new family had no qualms to use things like that to get what they wanted…
Percy snapped his mouth shut, but his face still showed his disapproval. But then, Har… Eridanus wasn't sure himself if he was alright with the fact that Pollux basically forged and oblivated to ensure they had the proper background – on the other hand, Eridanus was quite aware that this was the only way Percy and himself would gain a legal identity again…
Marius meanwhile had taken a closer look at the papers and scrolls his brother had brought to them to sign.
"Neither of them have done their OWLs according to this," he said slowly. "And I'm also sure that you picked their dates of birth randomly…"
Pollux pouted.
"It wasn't random," he said. "I had to choose dates that explained why Perseus hadn't yet taken his OWLs. I may have made him a bit younger than he is, but nobody will know and nobody will question it if you send a fifteen year old to Hogwarts for his OWL year. If I made him older, people would wonder why you didn't send him at the proper time before."
Percy frowned at his new uncle and opened his mouth to object, but Pollux beat him to it.
"I know you're already fifteen and should take your OWLs this year," he said. "But we need to hide that you can be related to the Greys in any way or form. Making you a bit younger will ensure that nobody will question it if you start to attend Hogwarts in the coming fall."
Perseus raised an eyebrow.
"So you decided that I was born on the first of September?" He asked sceptically.
Pollux shrugged.
"That's just a few months from now and you will officially again fifteen if you decide to attend Hogwarts," he said.
Perseus looked quite unhappy with that.
Harry couldn't fault him.
They were in the past, looked like bloody teenagers and now their new age was reduced even further by their new uncle so that nobody would get suspicious. It was agitating!
"So," he said slowly. "When's my new birthday?"
Pollux smiled proudly.
"Hallowe'en," he said and Harry had the awful thought that his uncle was right and that that date wasn't randomly chosen at all…
"Fate must hate me," he thought despairingly, just to be brought out his thoughts by his uncle's next comment.
"The only thing left is going to Gringotts," he said. "I have to ensure that you get a proper vault as sons of the Black family and are recognised as part of the family."
Percy and Harry exchanged another uneasy glance.
"Will the goblins be able to tell that we aren't Blacks by birth?" Harry asked nervously.
Pollux shook his head.
"No," he said. "Even their rituals will only list you with your new legal name – naming you born Blacks. They will be able to tell you what else you will inherit, but you will only be known as Blacks to them."
Har… Eridanus raised an eyebrow.
"So my unknown heritage -?"
"The goblins might give us the answers we have researched fruitlessly," Pollux said. "But that's just a might. You're not of age yet, meaning that even if they have the answers and will make sure that the ministry won't take your inheritance, there's a huge chance that they won't tell you about it for another two to three years."
Harry nodded glumly.
If he knew his luck, he wouldn't find out until the last moment, like always.
"I hate being left in the dark," he thought to himself. But at least this time around everybody else around him wasn't any wiser.
"Perseus, Eridanus," Pollux said in that moment, his face serious. "When we go to Gringotts in the next few days, you will already have to act like boys being raised by Blacks all their lives."
Harry and Percy frowned, but Marius nodded and Susanna looked at her husband and his brother as if she agreed with them.
"Therefore," Pollux continued. "You will have to learn how to behave like a Black. We will add those lessons to your schedule immediately."
"But you will continue only after dinner," Susanna intercepted. "Now pack away those papers and let's eat. You can teach the boys while their father and I sign and fill out those papers after dinner."
Pollux frowned, but in the end he nodded and gave in.
This ended with Harry and Percy having etiquette lessons for the rest of the evening while their new parents gained 'legal' custody over them.
They ended the lessons when Harry nearly fell asleep at the table.
"Let's stop here," Pollux said. "Eridanus, take your potions and go to bed. We will continue with this tomorrow."
That schedule would be their lives for the next two weeks – not even adding the nightly lessons Harry had thanks to Pater.
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That night, Harry found himself again in the green room with Pater.
He stared at the man… ghost… whatever.
"Do I have to stare at walls again?" He asked unhappily.
Pater just raised an eyebrow.
"You're the one who decided to stare at walls in your waking time as well," he pointed out amused.
Harry pouted.
"It helps," he admitted with a sigh. "If I didn't do it, I'm sure I would have long since lost my mind."
Pater nodded seriously.
"Most likely," he said unbothered.
Harry just sighed again.
"So… am I staring at walls again tonight?" He asked. He had been staring at walls the whole last night after going to bed after research. He had been staring at walls before going to bed and after waking up and before arguing with Percy as well.
He was tired of walls.
Pater snorted amused.
"As long as you promise to continue your exercise, I won't make you," he said finally and Harry sighed in relief.
"So what -?"
"Tell me about the arithmancy and ancient runes you learned today," the spectre replied and leaned back against one of the green walls of the room they were in.
Harry frowned at the man, but dragged up all the knowledge he had acquired today. Harry was surprised when he noticed that he hadn't forgotten a thing.
"Very good," the man said in the end. "It seems that your Occlumency is coming along nicely."
Harry stared at Pater in confusion.
"Occlumency?" He repeated with a frown. "I don't know any Occlumency."
The spectre just raised an eyebrow.
"What else do you think I'm teaching you when I force you to look at the wall," he asked with a raised eyebrow.
Harry thought about that.
He hadn't actually believed that he was learning anything until he was forced to use his remembrance of the wall to free himself from his new and disconcerting power.
"I don't know," he finally said slowly. "Maybe control over that weird view I suddenly posses?"
The answer was another raised eyebrow.
"Seeing magic is a gift," Pater said coolly, "One that is specifically bound to the beast-speaker families like ours. It's not a 'weird view' at all."
Harry gulped.
"But you are at least partly right about your guess," Pater continued. "I'm teaching you control over your gift – with Occlumency."
Harry frowned.
"I'm rubbish at Occlumency," he pointed out confused.
The spectre sighed and pinched his nose.
"You're a beast-speaker, youngest son of Erich Grey," he said. "You have been one before I even met you. Only the most powerful beast-speakers are able to overcome their shortcoming in normal Occlumency and learn it like any non-speaker. You're definitely not that powerful."
Harry frowned.
"I'm not a beast-speaker," he pointed out.
"You're a parselmouth," the spectre replied. "I saw you speaking in one of your memories."
Harry sighed.
"It was the horcrux in my head which gave me the ability to speak Parseltongue," he pointed out cautiously with a sigh. "It wasn't my ability but one gained through the soul-piece in my head. I lost the ability the moment I lost the horcrux."
Harry had expected several reactions to that revelation – but he hadn't expected the spectre to actually laugh at him.
"It doesn't matter how you acquired your ability," Pater said. "It doesn't matter that you think you lost it. The horcrux in your head was just a transmitter. It might have been the original beast-speaker, but you grew up with it in your head. Your whole formative years it was there, influencing you and helping to form your soul. It doesn't matter that it's gone and you think you lost the ability. Your soul mimicked the grown soul in your head for far too long to not be affected."
Pater grinned.
His grin was feral and sharp.
"You, youngest son of Erich Grey, are a Parselmouth," he said. "And unlike that mutilated part of abomination you call a horcrux, your soul is whole and a beast-speaker through and through."
Harry opened his mouth to object, but Pater continued already without waiting for Harry's objection.
"If you hadn't been, you would have died the moment I touched you the first time. No savage of a normal wizard would have been able to survive a true beast-speaker's touch. You would have been burned to crisps long before you even knew what was happening to you."
Harry's eyes widened.
"This… your actions the first time we met would have killed me?" He cried shocked.
Pater waved it off.
"I already knew that it wouldn't," he said. "The moment I met you I knew you were the only one to inherit my line and magic. You are a beast-speaker, touched by death and yet alive. I was lucky to meet you that night because my strength was vanning and a couple of days later I wouldn't have had the strength to give you my line anymore. My blood would have been lost in time like it had been in your future."
Harry looked at the spectre in confusion.
"What do you mean?" he asked frowning.
Pater sighed.
"One half of a millennia is the time granted for a soul to stay in the in-between and find an heir," he said. "After that time, there will be no heir and nobody of that family ever again."
Harry's eyes widened.
"My time would have been up in less than a week when I met you and found you to be the perfect heir," Pater said. "You were a beast-speaker, touched by death and accepted into a family that was grey and not light like the one you were born to. You gained favour by said family and changed into the youngest son of Erich Grey."
Harry stared at Pater.
"But… but… I'm not a Parselmouth!" He exclaimed. "And you said that I was weak with not being able to learn Occlumency and all that!"
Pater scoffed.
"Not weak, youngest son of Erich Grey," he replied amused. "Just not as magically inclined as the man who calls himself a Dark Lord, currently."
Harry gulped when Pater reminded him of the fact that Voldemort as a Parselmouth was an Occlumens and a Legilimens as well. Harry didn't even want to know how much power that implied if a Parselmouth should be rubbish at normal mind magic…
"Voldemort," Harry whispered and Pater inclined his head.
"The monster you fought and won against," he said. "The monster you will fight again."
Harry frowned.
"I'm not playing their figurehead again," he refused coolly.
Pater grinned a feral grin.
"You won't," he said. "You're going to be my heir, after all. Not one of us has ever fought a fair fight."
Harry's eyes widened.
"What -?"
That was the moment memories that weren't his own flooded his mind, taking him with them.
Blood, gore and broken wards featured heavily in his mind.
Deadly silence, unearthly fast movements and enhanced silver weapons instead of a wand.
"It's time for your next lesson, youngest son of Erich Grey," he heard Pater's voice over the chaos of the memories. "Take this knowledge and make it yours. Let it burn and mark your body, mind and soul."
Harry, desperately reached for the memory of the wall, forcing himself out of the storm of memories coming down onto him until he could grab a hold of them and wrestle them down like he had wrestled down his ability to see the wards.
Harry woke with a gasp.
His eyes snapped open.
His chest hurt for air.
His face burned and his muscles ached when the memories embodied themselves not only inside his mental place but inside his muscle memories as well.
"Well done," a voice, not even loud enough to be the wind whispered inside Harry's mind.
Harry forced himself to breath, before closing his odd blood-red, gold and bronze eyes.
When he would wake up the day after, the red in his eyes would have turned green again.
In the in-between, the sprectre of a man who died five hundred years ago, laughed a chilling laugh of death.
There was a new player in the game – and light and dark would tremble in his wake…
The Iudex Asccabanis was finally back.
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AbitmoretrainingforHarryandabitmoreexplaining in this chapter...
Well, ittookmesometime. Iwas a bit preoccupied with other things and had to keep putting off finishing this chapter. Sorryaboutthat.
I hope you liked it anyway.
Ebenbild