I own nothing. If the spell is not from the books then it's the Latin translation.
Please enjoy.
Chapter XII
August 1991
Most would consider it a crime for a child's first sight of Hogwarts to come from anywhere other than the boats on their first night. The way the castle lit up the night's sky and reflected in the water of the lake was a treasured memory for all who had resided within its walls. Unfortunately, both sons of the Potter name would prematurely gaze upon the school they would reside for the next seven years.
The two young brothers stood together outside the gates of Hogwarts with their mother behind them. From the moment Harry returned from his second year, he and his family prepared for this day. It was imperative that Danny made the right first impression with Dumbledore. A matter so important that Lily refused to allow it without her presences. James and the others had strongly advised against it but Lily was adamant. Their concern was, of course, due to the absence of the Potter name to protect her. As Lily Evans once more, the fact that she was the mother of the Potter scions mattered little to the current wizarding society. To them, she was nothing more than a muggle-born who had wormed her way into the heart of an ancient family.
Lily, though, could give a damn. For too long she had been cooped up in hiding and would not allow both her children to travel alone, even if it was to Hogwarts. With such resolve, there was little James could do to stop his passionate wife.
"Mum, stop it." Harry looked over to see his mother trying to flatten Danny's hair down to no avail. She licked her fingers and tried to at least fix his bangs. Danny's face scrunched up as he swatted at her hands and pulled away.
Lily huffed and turned to Harry who just shook his head. No way was he going to let her mess with his do.
"Why couldn't I have sons with normal hair?" she asked despairingly.
"Why would you want that?" asked Harry incredulously.
"Yeah, otherwise we wouldn't be so pretty," added Danny, effortlessly playing off his brother.
Lily shook her head and smiled despite herself. Sometimes it was tough being the only woman in a house of men.
A moment later Harry had a sense of déjà vu as a silhouette emerged from the cool mist on the other side of the gate. Professor McGonagall strode forth, her normal stern expression soften almost instantly once her sight fell upon her former student.
"Lily?"
Lily smiled warmly. "Hello, professor."
Professor McGonagall opened the gate hurriedly and rushed to her. She grabbed hold of Lily's forearms and squeezed her tightly. "It is good to see ya," she said emotionally, her accent slipping slightly to her Scottish roots.
Harry and Danny smiled along as they witnessed the reunion before them. Harry took note of the softer side of his transfiguration professor and stowed it away in the back of his mind.
McGonagall must have sensed their gaze and quickly adopted her usual stern expression and cleared her throat. "Come along. The headmaster is expecting you."
Lily knowingly smiled at her former mentor's persona and ushered her sons along. Both she and Harry kept an eye on Danny when they cleared the tree line and caught their first sight of Hogwarts. Unlike Harry before, Danny was far less subtle in his amazement.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Danny as he stopped to admire the view. Everyone else stopped with him and took in the view as well.
"Indeed," commented McGonagall. It was clear from her expression that she still appreciated the beauty of the place where she had worked for almost fifty years.
Harry leaned closer and whispered in Danny's ear. "Just wait until I show you around the inside." Danny grinned excitedly as the group started to move again.
"So, how's Harry doing?" Lily was extremely curious to hear her former head of house's opinion of her son.
"He is doing very well, despite a few bumps. I had hoped to see him among my lions but he's seemed to have made quite a name for himself with Horace's snakes," she replied with a certain amount of disappointment.
"You should have seen James when he heard Harry was sorted into Slytherin," said Lily, leaving it open-ended.
Harry smiled sheepishly but, in truth, he knew his parents were very proud of him and understood his choice.
"Hopefully, I'll manage to land at least one of my former students' children." She glanced at Danny who blanched a little under her gaze.
"Yes, professor. I'll try."
McGonagall curiously raised one of her eyebrows. "My students do not try, they act, Mr. Potter."
"Y-Yes, professor," he said meekly.
"Mmmh." She looked to Lily. "We'll have to work on that."
Harry leaned in to Danny and whispered loudly, "Don't be afraid of her, Danny. She's really just a sweet little kitty cat."
"Harry!" admonished Lily though she had to cover her mouth to hide her smile.
Danny was openly laughing until he noticed McGonagall facial expression. Her eyes were practically slits and her lips almost disappeared as she stared at the two. "We'll revisit that comment in September, Mr. Potter."
Harry wasn't worried. He knew that as long as he kept up his exemplary performance in her class then she would ignore any mischievous behavior; a fact shared with the other professors as well. He gave Danny a wink and slung his arm around his brother's shoulder as they continued on their way to the castle.
When they made it to Dumbledore's office, Lily and McGonagall stopped and faced each other. Harry drew Danny's attention to the portraits and statues as he sensed that his mother and her old mentor wanted a moment alone.
"How have you been, truthfully?" McGonagall's stare was intense and Lily felt as if she was back in school.
"We've been just fine, Minerva, honestly." Lily was touched to see her so concerned. The truth was that her life and the life of her family had dealt with many peaks and valleys. James's paralysis had left her vibrant and youthful husband stuck in a magical wheelchair. It was difficult for him to accept and sometimes Lily ended up on the wrong end of a bitter outburst. They persevered, though, and most days they were still the madly in-love couple that were once McGonagall's Head Boy and Girl.
"Why didn't James come with you, then?" She found it very suspicious that James would twice forego a meeting with Dumbledore about his children.
"He had other things to attend to." Lily hated lying but there was no way she could reveal her husband's condition. McGonagall, though, remained suspicious.
"Things are alright between you two?"
"Things are perfect." Lily reached out and held McGonagall's hands to comfort her. "You don't have to worry about us."
"I've always worried. You did marry James Potter after all." McGonagall implied in a joking manner. In truth, she was one of the first to see the connection between James and Lily and wholeheartedly approved of their relationship.
"And I couldn't be happier," Lily said through a smile.
"Well alright then. Give James my best when you see him and don't let it be another eleven years between visits. I like to know how my lions are doing."
Lily laughed. "I will." They shared one last hug before they called Harry and Danny back over and shared their goodbyes as McGonagall departed.
The trio made their way up the revolving stairs to Dumbledore's office and found the door open. The headmaster was already waiting for them in the foyer. He too was surprised to see Lily.
"Hello, headmaster."
"Lily, it is good to see you again. Harry," he greeted warmly. He reached out and shook Lily and Harry's hands before he stopped in front of Danny. "And you must be Daniel, a pleasure to finally meet you. I am Albus Dumbledore." Dumbledore extended his hand.
Danny slowly reached out and took it. "A pleasure to meet you too, sir," replied shyly. Dumbledore smiled in a grandfatherly way before his eyes caught a glimpse of the metallic bracelet under Danny's shirt sleeve. He pushed back the sleeve and his eyes grew in horror at the glowing red ruby. Danny pulled his arm away and quickly covered the bracelet.
"Dear Merlin, Lily-"
"-We have much to talk about, headmaster."
"Yes, yes we do." He motioned to his desk and they all took their seats with Lily sitting between her sons.
Dumbledore didn't wait long to begin his questioning. "Why have you done this?" He tried to sound calm but he clearly wasn't.
"We didn't have a choice. I have-" Lily reached inside her robes but was interrupted.
"-How could you have no choice? You must realize what this means. To take away his magic-"
"I can still do magic," Danny interrupted shyly.
"I beg your pardon." Dumbledore directed his attention to Danny.
"I can still do magic," he said more assertively.
Dumbledore turned back to Lily. "But how? Devil's Grip takes away a wizard's magic."
"Danny's not just any wizard." Lily went back into her robes and pulled a miniature folder that she enlarged and placed in front of Dumbledore. Harry smiled at the look of disbelief on Dumbledore's face.
'And we're only just getting started.'
For ten minutes the shuffling of parchment was the only sound as Dumbledore examined Lily's research; a culmination of eleven years of hard work. When Dumbledore finally finished, he put down the folder, took off his glasses, and placed them down on the desk. Lily and her sons held their breath.
"It's extraordinary."
"You think I'm right?" Lily was, of course, confident that her research was correct but it was always good to hear the most gifted and intelligent wizard of their age agree with her.
"Indubitably." He then looked upon Danny with a new light. "I would never have imagined it in all my years."
Danny ducked his head to hide his blush while Lily and Harry smiled.
"You can understand now the need for the secrecy and security," said Harry.
Dumbledore turned to him and acknowledge the circumstances of Harry's first visit prior to his first year. "Indeed, we must tread carefully." He turned to Lily. "I still must ask about the need for Devil's Grip. Is Daniel's magic unstable?"
Lily shook her head. "Not in the sense you're speaking of but there was…an incident that required us to limit Danny's magical emissions."
"I see." The wheels were turning in Dumbledore's head. "I assume then that you managed to alter the bracelet's purpose."
"Yes. Remus and I restructured the runes to act more like a safety gauge to keep his levels down."
"Ingenious as always, Ms. Evans."
"It's Potter." Harry asserted. He didn't care about what society's rules, Lily Potter was his mother.
Dumbledore bowed his head slightly. "Of course, my apologies."
"It's nothing." Lily brushed it off but was pleased to hear her son defend her.
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. "Well, I'm afraid I'm at a loss for words. This was certainly not what I was expecting."
"Perhaps, then we should move on to a demonstration," suggested Lily.
"Demonstration?"
"Yes, Harry and Danny have been working very hard this summer in order to show you what he's capable of." Lily smiled warmly at her two sons.
"Then by all means. Fawkes!" A flash and the phoenix appeared. Everyone except Dumbledore jumped in their seat.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Danny. Harry couldn't help a smile. He knew Danny would be excited to see a real live phoenix.
Dumbledore chuckled, "Daniel, meet Fawkes. Fawkes, Daniel Potter."
Danny started reaching out with his hand but stopped and asked, "May I?"
Dumbledore once again smiled in a grandfatherly way as he motioned to his familiar. "That would be up to Fawkes."
Danny turned back to the phoenix and the two locked eyes. It was as if the two were conversing in silent conversation which ended with Fawkes bowing his head. Danny took the few necessary steps and trailed his finger along Fawkes's plumage. "Hello Fawkes, you're beautiful."
"Fawkes, would you please take us to the grounds?" Fawkes turned his attention to Dumbledore and nodded his head.
"Excellent, grab hold everyone and be sure to exhale."
Harry and Lily joined Danny around the phoenix and grabbed hold of Fawkes's extended leg. In a flash of fire, they were on the grounds near the Black Lake. Harry, Danny, and Lily immediately broke out into coughing fits while Dumbledore breathed in deeply.
"Beautiful day, isn't it?"
Harry struggled to clear his airways. "I don't think I want to do that again." Danny and Lily nodded along which agitated Fawkes and he disappear in another flash of fire.
Dumbledore chuckled merrily to himself. "He's always been a bit temperamental about that."
Their coughing subsided and Harry and Danny busied themselves with preparing their demonstration. Harry grabbed six of the largest stones he could see and placed them in front of Danny.
"Where's his wand?" inquired Dumbledore.
Harry smiled. "What wand?"
Dumbledore's eyebrows rose. He looked to Lily for answers.
"He doesn't need one. Even with the bracelet, he can still perform spells."
"Fascinating." He looked to Danny. "If you would indulge me, could you remove the bracelet for the demonstration?"
Danny nervously looked to Harry and Lily. "I-I don't know if that's-"
"-Don't be afraid. What happened to your father won't happen to me. The wards rely on the ambient magic of the castle and its inhabitants, not on me."
Harry, Danny, Lily were shocked to hear their family's secret revealed. Dumbledore decided to explain himself further.
"I've inspected many manor wards, even erected a few, and would expect the Potter family estate to have wards anchored to the Head of the House. With Danny's need for Devil's Grip and James's continued absence, I can only imagine the side effects."
Danny ducked his head and spoke softly, "He can't walk anymore, he's…" Danny started to tear up and Harry gave him a comforting one-arm hug.
"He's paralyzed from the waist down." Lily finished as she wiped a tear from her eye.
Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Lily."
Lily, unable to speak, nodded her head in thanks for his condolence.
"I'll look into it myself. If there's a way, we'll find it," he spoke comfortingly.
"Thank you, Albus." She grabbed hold of Dumbledore's hand and gave it an appreciative squeeze.
"Can you? Can you do it?" Danny asked hopefully.
"There is a counter for every form of magic; even the Unforgivables will one day be answered. I'm confident there's a solution to what ails your father." Dumbledore exuded confidence and filled the Potters with hope.
Harry regarded Dumbledore. His father had warned him about Dumbledore's tendency to keep his own agenda and use people. And yet, since the first time they met, Dumbledore had done nothing but accommodate him and his family. Harry could already see the way Dumbledore stared at Danny and it made him a little uneasy. But if it meant his father's cure then Harry would indulge him for the time being; but that didn't mean he wouldn't keep a very close eye on him.
"Come on, Danny. Let's get started." Harry patted Danny on the back and kneeled next to the pile of rocks. Danny stared long at the bracelet before he released the clasp and removed it. He gingerly handed it over to Harry who put it in his pocket. Immediately, Danny's body started to glow. A wave of light began at his feet and rolled up his body and disappeared into his hands. Danny closed his fists and took a deep long breath to the new feeling of power.
Harry peeked behind him to see that Dumbledore's jaw had dropped slightly but it was his eyes that caught Harry's attention. Behind the amazement, Harry could swear he saw a little bit of fear. Lily was watching Dumbledore too and noticed it as well.
"I'm ready, Harry."
Harry turned his attention back to Danny and lined a row of six stones in front of him and stepped aside.
Danny waved his hand over them. "Wingardium Leviosa!" Instantly the six stones flew into the air and levitated in front of him. They floated in a small circle, Danny moved his hand in a circle which the stones mirrored. Harry picked up another handful of six stones and tossed them lightly in air. Danny outstretched his other hand and cast more levitation charms to catch each one. He now used both hands to spin the stones in a circle; his face scrunched in concentration. This first test was to simply show his mastery of levitation. After such a struggle in the early goings, levitation was no longer a problem. He picked up the speed of the rotation so that each stone was only a blur.
Harry got to his feet and took a deep breath. He stepped forward and stood in front of Danny. Danny spread his arms to increase the space between his two spinning circles of rocks. Harry walked forward very slowly right between the circles. It was a risky move for if Danny lost his concentration and a single rock drifted then it would go right through Harry's temple. He could feel the wind against his skin and the whistle of the rocks mere inches from his head. Harry stood absolutely still before he turned around to face the others.
Danny's focus was completely on the rocks, Dumbledore looked contemplative, and Lily was holding her breath.
Harry slowly backtracked to put roughly ten yards between him and his brother. Danny slowed the rocks until they came to a complete stop in the air. He floated them in front of Harry and lowered them into two neat six-stone pyramids. As soon as the last stone landed, Danny hunched forward and breathed heavily, clearly winded. Harry, though, didn't let him rest for too long. He grabbed one of the stones, reared back, and threw it as hard as he could at Danny's head.
Danny reacted instinctually. He put up his hand and wordlessly produced a shield to protect himself. The stone never made it within three feet before it harmless fell to the ground. Harry grabbed two more stones and threw them in quick succession for the same result.
Harry picked the last three stones of the first pyramid. "Move!"
Danny started side-stepping to his left and right. Harry hurled the first stone, followed by the second and the third. Danny stopped the first one with the same shield but chose to duck and weave to avoid the last two.
Harry paused to allow Danny to collect himself and used the time to once again observed Dumbledore. The headmaster's eyes were fixated on Danny, and rightly so, but it was bit disconcerting how greedy the headmaster's stare was, like a schoolboy in a candy store. It definitely made Harry a little worried that Danny had revealed that he was capable of performing silently.
Meanwhile, Danny stood up right to catch his breath. He had never done so much without the bracelet on and felt exhausted. He could feel himself using more magic than usual. He looked down to his hands and noticed a slight shimmer emanating from his skin. He turned his hand over and really looked at his skin. It was strange and yet familiar, as if this was how it should be.
"Danny? You ready?" Harry called out.
Danny looked up confidently and nodded. He closed his fists and eyes. His brow furrowed in concentration as he focused his magic into his hands.
Harry pulled his wand and levitated the last six stones and waited. "Come on, Danny. You can do it." Harry whispered softly. This was going to be Danny's hardest test. Remus had concluded that the mysterious ball of light that Danny could conjure was his magic in its purest form. He theorized that Danny had the capability of making them have any effect he desired. A theory they were about to put to the test as they prepared to show Danny's offensive abilities. They had never tried this before because Danny could never sustain multiple orbs.
Danny's brow was still creased in concentration as the light in his hands grew brighter. With a grunt of exertion, Danny opened his palms to release six glowing balls of light. They rose into the air and resided just over his head. Two of them flickered dangerously and almost disappeared but remained lit.
Harry didn't want to wait since he wasn't sure how long Danny could sustain this. "Alright, I want one Reducto and one Summoner!"
Danny nodded his head and scrunched his face in concentration. One of the orbs turned blue and another turned red for the Reducto and Summoning Charm, respectively. He stared over to Harry and nodded that they were ready.
Harry nodded back, flicked his wand, and sent two of the stones out over the lake. Danny tracked the two stones with his hand and the red and blue orbs chased after them. The blue one connected and shattered the stone into pieces. The other missed and the stone splashed harmlessly in the lake. Danny looked discouraged but Harry wouldn't let that happen.
"It's okay, Danny! Let's focus on the same thing." Danny shook it off and turned another two balls into red and blue. When he signaled to Harry, two more stones were sent towards the lake and this time they went in separate directions. Danny made sure to track the stones with both hands. The blue one connected again and shattered the stone. The red one made impact but didn't summon the stone, it destroyed it.
"That's fine, Danny! Last two! Finish strong!" The last two stones went racing over the lake and didn't have as much altitude as before. Danny reacted quickly. This time, he had to change the orbs to red and blue as they raced towards to rapidly falling stones. He clenched his teeth as the blue orb once again destroyed its target but this time the red orb froze the stone in mid-air and caused it to come whizzing towards Danny and land softly into his outstretched hand. A huge smile broke out on his face as he threw the stone into the lake.
Harry rushed to Danny and embraced him.
"Great job, Danny."
"Thanks," he said sheepishly with a slight smile. Secretly, he was dancing inside. He had never had this much success using his magic. He felt pretty tired but he shrugged it off.
A slow clap turned the two brothers' attention to their mother and Dumbledore. They turned and gave a long theatrical bow with Harry raising their hands together in triumph.
Then Danny fainted.
Harry watched as Danny's eyes fluttered open and looked down at the unfamiliar bed where he resided. He then looked up to see Harry, Lily, and Dumbledore standing around him. He moaned and brought up his hand to rub his aching forehead. As he did so, he noticed the bracelet back on his wrist.
"What happened?"
"You passed out," Harry stated simply.
"I would say it was because you are not accustomed to casting without the bracelet holding back the majority of your magic. You were simply putting too much behind each spell so you exhausted yourself. We transported you to the hospital wing to have Madam Pomfrey check you out, just to be sure," explained Dumbledore.
"And…?" he asked worriedly.
Lily settled on the edge of the bed and picked up Danny's hand. "You're just fine, sweetheart, but we put the bracelet back on just in case."
Harry noticed the look of discouragement on his brother's face and quickly spoke up. "You did awesome, though, Danny. It's the best I've ever seen you do."
"Yes, it was quite impressive," Dumbledore added. "I can now understand why you don't require a wand."
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"The final presentation with those balls of light," Dumbledore stated plainly.
"Uncle Moony says they are made of pure magic," said Danny.
"I agree. While wandlore is not my forte, there a few certainties that can help explain Danny's abilities." Everyone settled in and awaited Dumbledore's lecture.
"The way magic exists in nature is unlike any form of energy. Physics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed and yet, based on your theories Lily, magically energy is leaving this world. If this is true then how does it keep accumulating to the point that one of the events like the one that led to Daniel's abilities keep occurring."
"What does this have to do with wands?" asked Harry.
Dumbledore held up his hands to hold off any more questions. "I, among others, have always held the belief that magic is not energy but more of a sentient force that allows other sentient beings the ability to use it. Essentially creating a symbiotic relationship that allow both wizard and magic to grow and reproduce. However, this is not limited to just human beings. Tell me, what materials make up all wand cores?"
"Unicorn hairs, dragon heartstrings, and phoenix feathers." Lily listed off easily. There were other types of wand cores but these three were the most effective.
"Precisely. Each creature, unicorns, dragons, and phoenixes are all immortal beings. They share a relationship with magic unlike any other which is why they are almost exclusively used for wands. The magic inside each and every hair, heartstring, and feather is unique. The old idiom, 'The wand chooses the wizard,' is not just for the mystique but is the very foundation of wand-making. Every witch and wizard must find the wand that contains the core that syncs harmoniously with their own."
"So you're saying that Danny has this harmony inside him already. That, basically, he is his own wand," Lily simplified.
"It's a theory," said Dumbledore as he stroked his beard. "But given the way Daniel performed during his demonstration, I don't think I'm mistaken." Dumbledore then addressed Danny directly. "Tell me, have you always been able to perform silently?"
Harry knew that that wouldn't go unnoticed. Danny, though, didn't shy away from it but instead seemed quite excited.
"Pretty much but Uncle Moony is the main person who teaches me and he uses spells."
"As I thought. If what I've seen is true, then you should never need the use of spells. We shall have to find a way to help nurture your silent abilities. "
"Cool," Harry quipped. He smiled at Danny who shrugged with a soft smirk on the side of his mouth.
Dumbledore stroked his beard some more. "I have another theory that I would like to test, if I may?"
"What is it?"
"A spell that will reveal the nature of Danny's magic." Dumbledore paused in apprehension before he continued. "It would require a sample of Danny's blood, though."
The Potter trio looked nervously between them. A wizard's blood was precious not just because it's their life source but because of the many untold things that could be cursed upon them. With Danny's unique physiology, his blood was all the more valuable.
Dumbledore understood their indecision and sought to reassure them. "The spell will neutralize the entire sample, I assure you."
"It's up to you, Danny." In the end, Lily knew that it wasn't her decision to make.
Danny looked between his mother and brother before he held out his hand to the headmaster. Dumbledore pulled his wand and gave a slight jab to his outstretched finger. A few doublets of blood floated in the air in front of him.
"Sanguis Sanguinis Mei, Vita Vitae Meae," chanted Dumbledore three times.
Harry didn't recognize the incantation and from the look on his mother's face, neither did she.
A flash of clear light consumed the droplets of blood. It shimmered there for a second before the light turned a bright shade of green.
"What does it mean?" asked Danny.
Dumbledore smiled sadly. "That you, my young man, will change the world."
Harry didn't know why but Dumbledore didn't make it sound like it was a good thing.
Once the Potters returned to Potter Cove, Lily immediately insisted that Danny go to his room and rest. Danny didn't complain too much as he was still dreadfully tired from the day's events. The rest of the household now resided in James's office where Lily and Harry summarized their visit with the headmaster.
"I can't say I'm surprised," started Remus when they came to Dumbledore's revelation about the nature of Danny's magic. "I've done what I can but he's magic is so different than anything I've seen before."
"We'll just have to figure it out as we go." James didn't sound too keen on the way Dumbledore spoke about his son. Even if his theories answered a number of questions about his youngest son's nature.
Remus, though, was tired of James's attitude. "It's more than that James. Danny needs more than what I can give him. We need Dumbledore."
"Are we even sure Dumbledore is right?" James was not about to hand Danny over on just theories.
"He seemed very confident and he even performed a spell with Danny's blood that he said confirms his theory," interjected Lily.
That got Sirius and James's attention. As the only two with a pureblood background, the mention of blood caused them great concern.
"What spell?" asked Sirius.
"I don't know. I've never heard of it," shrugged Lily though the looks on Sirius and James's faces concerned her.
"What was the incantation?"
"Sanguis Sanguinis Mei, Vita Vitae Meae," Lily carefully recited.
James and Sirius shared a concerned look.
"What, James? What does it mean?" Lily begged.
"'Blood of my Blood, Life of my Life,' the Ancestry Spell," said James slowly.
"It's old magic," Sirius started to explain, "Used almost exclusively among the old pureblood families. It's designed to test whether a person's children with inherit their magical abilities."
"Families wouldn't want to marry into a line that could produce a squib," James continued. "What was the result?"
"Green."
"Dear Merlin!" exclaimed Sirius.
"What?" Lily asked frantically, "What does that mean?" She hated not knowing something, especially when it concerned her youngest.
"It means that Danny's abilities will pass on to his children." Sirius sounded particularly alarmed and it took a moment for the implications to knock them all back. If Danny's abilities were hereditary than he represented a new breed of wizard. One that was more powerful and capable of wandless and silent magic from infancy.
'You will change the world,' Harry recited Dumbledore's words in his mind and now understood what he had meant. Given enough time, wizards and witches, as they were now, would become extinct and replaced; much like the Neanderthals and the Homo sapiens. It was now perfectly clear why Harry and Lily had sensed fear emanating from Dumbledore.
Harry looked to his mother but her attention never left James. Her expression was one of disbelief and Harry couldn't blame her; Dumbledore hadn't necessarily lied to them but he certainly hid the truth. Harry knew that she had always defended Dumbledore against his father's skepticism. Even he had come to trust the old headmaster but now he didn't know what to think.
"But why? Why would Dumbledore trick us?"
"Why does that man do anything?" spat James. "He can't help but feed his insatiable desire for knowledge." If he were a lesser man, he would probably say 'I told you so' but he held back. In all honesty, he wished that his wife and son were right and Dumbledore wasn't hiding his own agenda; it certainly would have made things a lot easier for him.
"And he probably knew you wouldn't let him do it if he told you the whole truth," Sirius stated simply.
James fell back in his chair. This changed everything for them. He knew enough about their society that the pureblood sect would never accept or even allow the possibility of their way of life becoming extinct.
"James, we have to do something. If this gets out…," Sirius paused as words escaped him.
"It won't come to that, Sirius. I won't let it," James asserted strongly.
"Now wait a bloody minute," Remus crossed his arms, "Just what are we talking about here?"
"Remus, you more than anyone know how prejudice this world is to things that are different. Couple that with the possible extinction of our very way of life…" Sirius left it open ended. From his time among the Circle, he knew most of all how unaccepting the purebloods would be to the changes that Danny would bring about. "Hell, he'll be the new pureblood."
"If it even comes to that," Lily whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. They all turned to her to wait for her to explain. She looked to each of them before she continued. "I was only with them for a few months before we went into hiding, but if the Unspeakables ever find out about him than they'll claim him for themselves." Lily spoke hauntingly. She knew that if things had worked differently, she would have been one of those Unspeakables. She would have taken Danny into the Department of Mysteries and he would never be heard of again.
"So what do we do? Does it mean that Danny can't go to Hogwarts?" asked Harry. It was the first time he had spoken since he first entered the room.
"I don't know. I just don't know." James brow furrowed in concentration.
"It'll be impossible to hide. Everyone would know from the moment of his first Charms lesson," said Sirius.
"But it won't help him to stay here. He needs the freedom to use his magic at its highest potential. It's the only way he will stand a chance against Voldemort," countered Remus.
"Can we send him somewhere else? Somewhere no one knows about?" offered Lily. She despaired at the thought of sending her son away and not have Danny follow in their footsteps and attend their alma mater. But, if Dumbledore had something planned then Danny would be better off somewhere where he would remain safe.
"Is there such a place?" Sirius countered. "The whole country knows this is Danny's Hogwarts year. They'll be looking for him."
"Because of me," said Harry. "Because I went to Hogwarts, I've opened a door we can't close."
James raised his hand to hold back his son. "No, Harry, it's not your fault. It's mine."
Harry considered his father. For his entire young life, his father was a pillar of strength and a god in the eyes of his sons. He always knew what to do and always displayed the highest level of confidence. It was what made Harry so proud to be his son. And yet, since James's incident and this moment, Harry was reminded that his father was just a man: a great man, yes, but just a man trying to do the best for his family.
James rested on the arms of his wheelchair, his brow furrowed in concentration as he voiced his thoughts aloud. "He can't stay here, he can't go there. Not without revealing his abilities and bringing the whole world done on us. He has to go, though. There has to be a way for him to go and still keep this secret. There has to be a way for him to appear like everyone else." James's musing brought his attention to what lie on the desk in front of him. He slowly reached out and grasped the eleven inch mahogany wand and felt the warm sensation creep up his arm. From the moment of their eleventh birthday, this is what every wizard looked forward to; it's what made a wizard a wizard.
"Why can't that be the same for Danny?" he thought aloud.
"James?" questioned Lily.
"We need to make a trip to Diagon Alley. There's something I need to talk about with Ollivander."
"James!"
"No, you can't go."
"I will not," he spoke loudly overtop the others, "let this wheelchair stop me from doing what I must for my sons! I'm doing this and that's final!" He looked everyone hard in eyes, daring them to challenge him.
Harry proudly sat further up in his chair. This was the father he had grown up with. He didn't know what his father's plan was but he'd do whatever was necessary to see it done.
Unbeknownst to all of them, Danny stood outside the doors of the study. His fists clenched with a slight glow and his brow furrowed in frustration.
Two Weeks Later
The weeks leading up to September 1st were always a hectic time for Diagon Alley. Students from all over the country flocked to its cobbled streets to purchase their school supplies for the upcoming year.
It was also a time where many wide-eyed muggleborns and their parents are introduced to the magical world for the first time. For the most part, the presence of non-magicals were only a feigning interest. A few vendors saw it as an opportunity to line their coffers with wild sale pitches of worthless items they'd need while other more pureblood-minded vendors would turn their nose at them. So there were only a few curious glances at the red haired young boy pushing a wrinkled old man in a wheelchair that just entered the Leaky Cauldron.
"What is this place?" the old man grumbled.
"The Leaky Cauldron, grandpa."
"It smells funny," he said grumpily and shivered, "And it's drafty in here. Where's my blanket?"
The young boy breathed a long exasperated breathe as he retrieved the aforementioned blanket and spread across the old man's lap. He used the closeness to harshly whisper, "What are you doing, Dad?"
It was Lily that had suggested that they disguise James as an old muggle and for Harry to be his muggleborn grandson. She explained that it was quite common to see handicapped muggles especially among the elderly. It was a brilliant idea except for the fact that James was having way too much fun playing an old man.
"I'm selling the bit. Now sharpen up, Tom is coming," said James in his normal voice.
Sure enough, the balding barman came from around the bar and approached them. "Hello, this must be your first time to Diagon Alley, am I right?"
"No sir. I'm a third year at Hogwarts," corrected Harry though he immediately realized his mistake.
"Funny, I don't recognize ya and I usually never forget a face," he mused.
Harry scrambled for an answer. "You've never been the one to let me into Diagon Alley. I was with Professor McGonagall my first year and she showed me how to enter the Alley." Harry then patted James on his shoulders. "My grandfather is coming with me today. He's a muggle."
Thankfully, Tom was a rather simple man and accepted Harry's story. He smiled warmly down at James. "It's nice to meet you, sir."
"Who're you?" James practically yelled.
Tom startled a bit but recovered with the same smile. "I'm Tom, the owner of this pub."
James squinted up at Tom and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "Anyone ever tell you look like a walnut?"
"Okay thank you." Harry hurriedly pushed them away from the god-smack pub owner and out the back door to the archway.
"You know you've always thought that," commented James after they were far enough away.
Yes. It was true that the old pub owner with his large amount of wrinkles closely resembled a walnut but Harry would never say it to his face. Apparently, though, that wasn't the case for his father. Sometimes Harry forgot that his father was such a prankster at heart. As he carefully pushed his father through the crowded alley, he prayed that there would not be any more opportunities for his father to misbehave.
But when had Fate ever been that kind to him.
"Owww!"
Harry hadn't paid attention and accidently rolled up on the back of the foot of a girl in front of them. The girl whirled around to reprimand them but stopped short when she noticed the old man in wheelchair being pushed by a boy her age.
Harry's heart jumped up into his throat as he instantly recognized her.
"Can you please watch where you're going?" said Daphne Greengrass. Harry could tell she was trying to hold off from yelling at a crippled old man. She was dressed in a dark blue sundress with a brown belt which complimented her crystal blue eyes. Her medium length dark hair and bangs were angled to her right which framed her face beautifully.
"Daphne," said Harry before he could stop himself. He was completely startled seeing her here.
"Do I know you?" she asked suspiciously. There was no way she could recognize him through his disguise so it shouldn't be all that surprising that she was curious of how he knew her name.
Harry couldn't find an excuse that would get him out of this situation. Thankfully, James must have sensed Harry's indecision and stepped in. "Well, aren't you a pretty young lass? Why don't you have sit here, huh? We can go for a ride." James patted his lap and displayed a perverted old smile.
Harry felt like he was going to die of embarrassment. He was never going to let his father ever use an old man disguise ever again. No matter how briefly he thought that Daphne did look very pretty.
Greengrass turned her lip up at James. "No thank you." She then turned her attention back to Harry. "How is it that you know my name?" She clearly wasn't giving up.
"I-I…" He still didn't have an answer.
"Oh, Reginald here goes to that magic school. What's its name, Reggy? Pigmole or some such hogwash like that. You magic folk sure have funny names for things."
"It's Hogwarts, grandpa." Harry finally found his voice. "And yes, I'm in Hufflepuff." He didn't know why he choose that house but he was positive that Daphne didn't know any of the badgers.
"Yeh see, what kind of name is Huppledorf? But my Reggy is smart as a whip, he is. And handsome, too." Harry's eyes almost popped out of his head. He desperately wanted to push him and his father out of this situation but James had a firm grip on the wheel brake underneath his blanket. "What do you say, lassie? Fancy going steady with my grandson?"
"Never," she deadpanned.
"Why not? Got a boyfriend already?"
"No," she said rather quickly and not very convincingly. That raised Harry's eyebrow. She couldn't have a boyfriend. The only guy he ever saw her around was…him. Harry paled.
James caught it too. "Ooo, yes you do. I bet he's not as good as my grandson. Come now." James reached out to lightly grab her arm. "He's got my virility," he said as he suggestively wiggled his eyebrows.
Harry didn't get a chance to hear Daphne's response as his father's action released the hand brake. He was practically running as he weaved them through the crowd and to the steps of Ollivander's Wand Shop.
Stepping in from their left and right, Sirius, Remus, and Danny (disguised with blonde hair a few facial glamours) surrounded them. Once they entered, Sirius grabbed and turned the Open/Closed sign to display Closed. Remus, meanwhile, pulled the blinds and sealed the door. They didn't want any interruptions.
As soon as the place was secure, Harry turned to his father. "Dad!"
"What'd I do?" asked James like he did nothing wrong.
Harry threw up his hands in frustration.
"Did we miss something?" asked Remus, looking confused between Harry and James.
Harry angrily pointed at James. "He tried to pimp me out to Daph-a girl from school." He tried to hold up from saying Daphne's name but Sirius caught Harry's slip up.
"Daphne? As in Daphne Greengrass," he said with a mischievous smile.
"Wait. That was the Greengrass girl?" asked James with wide eyes. He looked proudly at his son. "Nice work, son."
"There's nothing between me and that-that witch." He had much more creative adjectives to describe Greengrass but he was sure his mother wouldn't approve if she heard him say them.
"Then who's this boyfriend she's got," James teased.
"It's not me," Harry fired back quickly.
'There's just no way,' he thought. 'Sure, we spend a lot of time together. But that's because she manipulated me. And maybe we managed a few pleasant conversations. But she's annoyingly sarcastic and snooty. She did look pretty today-NO!-I'm not her boyfriend.'
"Better get on that then, son. A girl like that won't stay on the market for long."
"I hate you all."
"Can we please do what we came here to do?" asked Danny grumpily. Harry looked at Danny strangely. He was happy for the change of subject but Danny's attitude was troubling. He had become more moody and short-tempered ever since they returned from Hogwarts and Harry didn't know why. They had barely spent any time together as Danny chose to spend his time alone in his room. It was strange for Harry not knowing, the two had always shared everything with each other.
"Too right, young man." Ollivander appeared from the back room. "Now what can I do for you gentlemen?" He didn't appear fazed at all that they had basically taken over his shop.
James pulled his wand and one by one removed the glamours on himself, Harry, and Danny. Ollivander's recognition was instant.
"James Potter, mahogany, eleven inches, dragon heartstring, good for transfigurations. Harry Potter, holly, eleven inches, phoenix feather, very strong. Sirius Black, hew, twelve inches, dragon heartstring, good for offense. Remus Lupin, ash, eleven and a half inches, unicorn hair, very balanced." Ollivander listed off for each of them before his eyes rested on Danny. "I must admit that I have been waiting for this day for some time." He reached out his hand. "It's a pleasure to assist in finding the wand right for you, Daniel Potter."
Harry expected Danny to shy away from the attention but was surprised to see Danny remain stoic as he took Ollivander's hand. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed, I don't need a wand."
Danny's answer shocked everyone in the room, none more than Harry. He had never seen his brother like this.
"He's right, Mr. Ollivander. We're here for something else." James wheeled himself beside the two.
Ollivander appeared confused. "If not for a wand, than why have you closed my shop early for the day?"
"Should I show him, Dad?" Danny looked at his father.
"No, Danny, I'll handle this." James waited for Danny to step aside and stand by his uncles and brother before he continued. "My son is right. He does not need a wand but I want you to make him one."
"I'm afraid I don't understand." Ollivander was still confused which was odd sight for Harry. His first encounter with the wand maker had given him the sense that Ollivander was psychic or something.
"I want something that looks exactly like a wand but does not function," ordered James, sounding every bit like the pureblooded lords Harry met at the Circle's ball. Harry knew it was just an act but it was still weird.
"What you ask is impossible."
James clenched his teeth and stared menacingly at Ollivander. "You'll do it."
"I cannot-" A loud clink of coins interrupted Ollivander as James dropped a large pouch onto the counter.
Ollivander gave the pouch a long look and understood the implications. He reached into his robes and pulled a set of spectacles with many additional lenses.
"If I may?" He motioned for Danny to come forth and immediately started to examine him. Occasionally, he would flip down a lens and try different combinations. He didn't take any notes but muttered to himself incoherently.
"Ah ha." Ollivander exclaimed all of a sudden. He reached and plucked a hair from Danny's head. James, Sirius, Remus, and Harry all reacted by reaching for their wands but there was nothing for it. Ollivander was completely oblivious as his attention was entirely on the hair. He worked until he used every single lens on his spectacles. He held the hair close, far away, and even sniffed it.
"Curious, very curious." He muttered as removed the glasses with a bit of flourish.
"What?" asked Danny.
Ollivander appeared startled as if he forgot that he had company but recovered quickly. "It'll be difficult. I will need to find the right wood and I will need more samples but I should be able to manage it in a few days."
"Today," James ordered.
"Oh no, something like this would take at least a day."
James pulled another pouch of galleons and dropped it on the counter. "Today," he ordered more firmly.
"As the customer wishes." Ollivander conceded. He was a business owner, after all, and gold was king. "Come, Mister Potter, we will need to find the right piece of wood."
Ollivander motioned for Danny to follow him to the back of the shop but James grabbed hold of Danny.
"No, we will stay here."
"Very well." Ollivander bowed and disappeared to the backroom. He returned momentarily with an assortment of different wands.
"I have yet to infuse these with a core so perhaps one of them will due." He spread them out on the counter and had Danny stand before them. "Tell me if any speak out to you."
Danny wordlessly considered the row of six wand shells. He reached out and grabbed the third one from the left. He gripped it tightly in his hand and turned it a few times.
"This one," he said as he handed it over to Ollivander.
"Ash, twelve inches, very sturdy. Good for what we need, I think." Ollivander twirled the wand a few times before he pulled his own. "Now the hairs."
Danny reached back and pulled a handful of his auburn locks and set them on the counter.
"Good, good. Now I need all of you to step away and avoid using any form of magic. This is a very delicate process."
They did as they were told and put away their wands. Ollivander waved his wand over the hairs and wand shell which caused them to rise into the air and circle each other. They started off slowly but the speed steadily increased. All the while, Ollivander was muttering incoherently, his eyes fixated on the swirling mass of hair and wand. Every now and then, Ollivander would raise his wand over his head and swirl it around like a lasso. After he did that the hairs shot towards the wand but would fly back as if it were repelled by an unseen force. It was like the hairs and wand shell were made of opposite ends of two magnets.
This went on for hours but Ollivander showed no sign of fatigue or distraction. The only sound in the room was the aged wand maker's mutterings. Right when Harry's eyes started to droop, Ollivander made the largest lasso motion yet and the hairs and wand shell stilled and aligned. One by one, the hairs melted into the wood. Once the last hair disappeared, the now complete wand shuddered a bit before he rested upon the counter once more.
"The core is accepted," said Ollivander tiredly, showing the first sign of fatigue since the process started.
"How did you do that?" Harry couldn't contain his curiosity.
"Trade secret." Ollivander said dismissively. He grabbed the wand and presented it formally to Danny. "This truly is the most unique wand that's not a wand I have ever made."
Danny cautiously took hold of the wand and the room was blinded in light.
To Be Continued...