Disclaimer's in the prologue.
Lars told Sirius and Remus who Ethan is the following day. They welcomed the kid like a new part of the family, which, without a doubt, made Ethan very happy. Harry, on the other hand, still wasn't speaking with Ethan during the first few times that they saw each other that day. Only a few words were said, like 'good morning' and 'hello' or a nod then Harry would disappear while they were out.
Lars let it go for the first few hours of the day but when he couldn't take it anymore he confronted his older twin about it and gave his twin a telling off on how insensitive he is, going as far as making a threat that he'll sabotage his potions and all his homework if he doesn't talk to Ethan that very instant. Of course, it didn't look like Harry was actually threatened (not that there's anything or anyone that can threaten Harry), but he did look like he was confused, before asking why he's on Ethan's side all of a sudden. So Lars told Harry what they talked about, minus the part that he asked about what happened to them years ago.
"Fine, I'll approach him." Harry said after Lars' telling off.
"Thank you." Lars said exasperatedly. Harry gave his twin a nod and then went to the pitch and called for Ethan who was playing with the quaffle.
Harry wasn't talking to Ethan not because he's insensitive...alright maybe part of it was that. But it was also because he does not know what he should say to the boy. He kept on thinking that it was Ethan's fault in the first place that they got into that quarrel, but at the same time it was also his. Oh well, here goes nothing.
"I'm -"
"No, I'm sorry Ethan." Harry cut off his little brother. "Sorry that I'm not acting like a good brother to you even when I promised that I would be." He promised the boy that he'll be a good brother, even if it was just a promise to reassure the boy at that time, he felt the need to actually fulfil that promise anyway. They are, after all, brothers, even if not in blood.
"I'm..." Harry sighed. "I'm sorry for what I wrote to you, I'm really sorry. I was just riled up that you're angry with me."
"It's alright." Ethan said with a shrug. "I shouldn't have told you that too."
"Lars told me that you were just scared and, in his words, I'm just 'too bloody insensitive, and cold-hearted to bring comfort to anyone'."
Ethan giggled "Maybe it was just because your heart got affected by the cold rain."
Harry shrugged "Maybe...Are we good now?"
Ethan dropped the quaffle on the ground then hugged him as a reply. "That's a yes then."
"Hey Harry, am I still living with you next year?" Ethan asked.
"Of course, I told you that you would, right?"
"I just, I thought you'd change your mind because I was being a brat."
"No, I wouldn't." He said with a sigh. "To be honest with you, little brother, I just don't know how I should approach you. If I should apologize or if I should tell you that it's your fault. Evidently I chose the former since it was the right thing to do." Not to mention that Lars is going to give him another lecture if he gets Ethan upset again.
"Well forgive but don't forget right?" Ethan said with a big grin.
"Yes." Harry replied, ruffling his little brother's hair. Ethan kneeled down to pick the quaffle and then.
"Tag, you're it!" Harry shook his head in amusement. He was glad that they're in good terms now. Even if he doesn't like the game, he played along with Ethan. Later on, Lars, Luke, Theo and Draco joined in. At the end of the day all of them were happy.
The days that Ethan and Luke stayed in the manor went smoothly from there. They played whenever Ethan wants to. Ethan and Lars partnered with each other when it comes to coercing Harry to play Quiditch with them, or any game at all. When the five day stay ended, Luke and Ethan already have to go back to Virginia, with Luke mentioning that his mom's already going to kill him if he doesn't go back the time that he was supposed to.
Before Luke and Ethan leave using the floo, Harry still had to talk to talk to him.
"Alright then Ethan, ground rules?" Harry said to his little brother.
"Don't be such a pain in the ass; only use accidental magic when getting back at someone; never ever start fights; and study hard."
"And?"
Ethan grinned. "Always tell Midas when Luke will do some pranks in school."
"That's my little brother," He fondly ruffled his little brother's hair. "I'll see you next summer." They exited the room and watched as Luke and Ethan, together, entered the fireplace and said "Inter Floo Net."
"All's well that ends well." Lars remarked.
"Indeed." he replied.
"I've always wanted a little brother." grinned Lars. "How 'bout our Surnames?"
Harry raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"
"Well, aren't you wanting to change it, I mean, you did say it was-"
"You do realize, that that is only part of the reason, correct." Harry cut off his brother.
Lars shrugged. "Figured as much, so our names will stay like this then. Brothers, with different surnames. Brilliant."
"You can change yours into 'Evandrus', or into a double barrelled one like 'Evandrus-Potter'," Harry told his brother. "But I'm not doing that, I have no desire to bear the surname of the one who neglected me."
"Though, preferably," Harry continued. "I think you shouldn't. While I have no reason to respect him, you, on the other hand, have. He may not have been a very loving father to me, but he had been to you compared to me. He did love you, so you can at least give him credit for that."
"You won't resent me for being a 'Potter' right?" Lars joked, but Harry answered nevertheless.
"You are not him, it was...stupid of me to feel resentment for you before we were acquainted again simply because you did nothing wrong." Harry seemed like he's not one to admit that he was being stupid.
"Don't blame ya, chap." his brother said. "I'd probably resent you, or at least be extremely jealous, if Dad favours only you."
Harry just hummed in response before they went back to their respective rooms.
During the third week of August, the twins went to Diagon Alley for their school supplies. As promised they went first to Gringott's bank to see Salazar Slytherin's vault. Harry, naturally, paid the goblins to be discreet about them claiming Slytherin's vault. Lars had a blood test to see his inheritances. They found out that they shared ownership of the vaults of Slytherin and Evans, except the Potter vaults which was solely named to Lars as their Father never disowned him and as such remains the heir even if Lars was no longer under the guardianship of their father. Harry is already the Lord of the House of Slytherin while Lars is just an heir, though Lars will also acquire his Lord status in the House of Potter once he becomes of age.
The goblin, named Nunuk, led them to vault 165. Harry personally requested Griphook, but the goblin was indisposed as of the moment. The vault was deep below the bank. He wasn't thrilled with the ride on their way there as Lars had the audacity to request Nunuk to speed up the ride, despite his vehement protest. Normally, goblins don't like Wizards, always business, but this goblin seemed to like Lars, especially when they both laughed hysterically when he threw up as soon as they got off the ride.
"Scourgify," he casted to clean his mess. The ministry cannot detect any magic done inside Gringotts.
"Try that again and I'll have you two murdered," his threat wasn't all threatening with a slur in his voice.
"Apologies Mr. Evandrus," Nunuk said, not sincerely at all before opening the door of the vault.
"We'll just call for assistance once we are done." Harry said to Nunuk who left them afterwards.
"Well this looks nice." He said dryly glancing around the vault filled with a tapestry covering the whole vault, a shelf with a pile of leather books, or perhaps journals, and a basin on top of a three and a half foot long stone pillar with snakes on it and beside it a wooden rack with a few phials, maybe just about five.
"You seemed surprised," Lars remarked.
"Of course I am." he retorted. "I haven't been here before."
"What?" Lars exclaimed "I thought you said you have."
"Twit." Harry sneered. "I never said that. I said I have access to the vault, I never said I have been here."
The first time he went to Gringotts, he didn't bother visiting the Slytherin vault, only the Evans vault which, like the muggleborns who are new to the world are automatically opened up for the witch or wizard, and was accessible to direct blood relations. That and he wanted to check if his father truly had disowned him.
"These are memories." Lars stated, while examining one of the phials on the rack. Lars then poured it on the basin, the pensieve, then after sharing a look with one another, they entered to see it.
"Get out!" A man with a beefy structure and scary looking face shouted at a younger, and much more handsome, looking one. "You are no longer welcome here anymore squib!"
"No please" The younger one said "You cannot...please don't do this Bartimaeus!"
"I can, I am the head of the family now and I have disowned you," the one called Bartimaeus said, pointing a finger at the other. "Father may not see that you are just a worthless squib when he was alive but I can, you have been disowned you have no right whatsoever to be in this place."
"You are making a mistake, brother." The younger one muttered. "Magical status was never important, that was his rule." The younger man sighed. "You have forsaken me brother, for just one petty thing such as me being non-magical."
"Enough with your dramatics!" The gaunt man barked. "As of this day you are no longer of Slytherin, you are no longer Edmund Secundus Slytherin, you are just Edmund Secundus a disowned man with no last name."
Edmund smiled sadly at his brother. "I bid you farewell and a good and happy life." He bowed to his brother as a show of respect and left after having just one more glance at his former home.
The memory was incredibly short, though if it were him, he certainly would remove it from his mind as well.
"I thought you said this was Salazar Slytherin's vault?" Lars asked with a confused look.
"It certainly was named after him." he replied, confused as well. "He must've had a deal with the goblin to have Edmund access this vault in his name. Maybe he sensed that the older one will disown the younger one." He looked around the large vault again. "I think all of these things here belonged to Edmund. Bar the tapestry perhaps."
"Maybe he has another vault?" Lars suggested while placing back the phials on the shelf with the memories of Edmund Slytherin, or rather Edmund Secundus since 'Secundus' was the surname he re - registered in.
"No, if there was we would have been able to access it." He replied to his brother and then suggested to take a look at the tapestry.
The family tapestry was huge the line started from Salazar Slytherin and his wife Miranda Queen. A lot of people there were magically burnt that you can barely read the name. There was a few from the descendants of Edmund but a lot from Bartimaeus' descendants. They traced the line of the long family tree from Edmund's line who were mostly muggles, surnames like, Blackwood, Aitken, and Evans came up, and they only have either one or two children.
"Mum," Lars breathed out and pointed to a small picture in the tapestry with the name Evans and beside her picture was their Aunt's, below their mother's was his and Harry's picture adjacent to their cousin, the fat oaf Dudley.
"It only shows blood relations." Harry stated after observing that the tapestry did not show the spouses of their descendants and the only ones that showed both husband and wife are those who got intermarried some many year later very, very distant relatives. He was surprised though that his muggle Aunt and Cousin is included in the tapestry. He wondered if his Aunt and cousin can speak and understand Parseltongue, but probably they can't because they're muggles and parseltongue is a magical trait.
"Who do you think that is?" Lars pointed at a burnt picture in the tapestry from Bartimaeus' line, last one in Bartimaeus' line as a matter of fact. The picture was just slightly above their mother's so probably he was a generation older. Harry tried to make out the name but the only letters he could read was a distorted 'T' and 'E'.
"I wonder why they're burnt anyway." Lars said out loud. "Edmund was the one who was disowned but his picture is not burnt. I mean remember when Uncle Sirius said that his mum blasted off his image in the Black family tapestry." After that they scanned the journals to which Lars frowned seeing it. It was all written in ancient runes. Harry can read some of it but not everything whilst Lars resolved to buy a book about runes so to be able to translate it.
It goes without saying that maybe Lord Slytherin really didn't loathe muggles. Wary of them, maybe, but not loathe. In their times magical people should really be wary of the muggles, what with all the witch trials during that time. Not only magical people were victims of those trials, but also muggles because some dunderheaded muggles convict people as witches just because they have a wart on their faces.
"You know I just thought of something." Lars said, still going through some journals. "Everyone knows that Voldemort is a parselmouth as well right?" Harry nodded. "Then that would mean he's related to us some distant cousin or whatever." Lars added with a dramatic shiver. "But why isn't he in the tapestry."
Harry didn't think about that but he shuddered at the revelation that they're probably related to Lord Moldywarts.
"I thought that his real name was always Voldemort."
Lars shrugged "Me as well, I mean I never thought also of that...really."
"Well, who would have named their kid Voldemort?" he said, feeling a bit ridiculous that he thought of such a thing.
"Vol – De –Mort," he recited to his younger twin, "it literally means 'Flight from Death' in French, though grammatically it is 'Flight of Death'. Quite weird if you would really call your kid by that name."
"How did you know that?" Lars asked curiously. "The French meaning."
Harry raised an eyebrow and gave his brother one of his 'you're daft' look. "Naturally," he said, "because I know how to speak in French, Lawrence."
"Wicked! I can speak gobbledook."
"Lars, get those journals that you want to...er...translate" he said abruptly. "...shrink them and if it has slipped your mind we need to meet with your friend in half an hour." They are going to meet with the Weasleys in Diagon Alley, it was Lars' idea he had just tagged along.
"Just a warning," he said as they gathered some of the journals, "don't ever tell anyone that we went into our ancestor's vault." Lars nodded.
"Hey Harry doesn't Slyt – our ancestor have a manor?" Lars asked while they were on their way to Fluorish and Blott's. "He's supposed to have one don't he?"
"Yes," he drawled, agreein. "He's supposed to have one. I'll work on finding out what happened to it." It looks like he's going to need Griphook to do some digging for him.
"What's with the commotion there?" Lars asked an ecstatic Granger as they met up in front of Flourish and Blott's.
"Oh! Hi Lars, hi Harry." She greeted them. Lars gave her a hug while Granger and he just gave each other a nod. A hug would be just plain ridiculous.
"Hey mate!" Weasley approached them "Evandrus."
"So what's inside the store? I never thought a lot of people actually like to read books." Lars stated dryly.
"There's a book signing!" Granger exclaimed with an annoying giggle. "Gilderoy Lockhart's book signing... he is such a great wizard... I read about his works..." and she ranted on how this Lockhart chap is great, terrific and plenty more synonyms to the word. After an eye rolling from them boys they entered the book shop. There are a lot of people there indeed. They went over to where Mrs. Weasley was.
"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny. This is my brother Harry." Lars introduced him.
"Hello," Harry said politely, shaking their hands. "Nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Weasley."
"Thank you for the basket of Christmas treats dear. It was very nice of you." Mrs. Weasley gave him a hug. He flinched a little bit, not really expecting it, but was polite enough not to scowl at Mrs. Weasley.
"You're welcome." He had no idea what he should give Mr. and Mrs. Weasley for a Christmas present so he just sent them a basket of fruits, with wine and some stuffs for the holidays.
"Nice to meet you as well." Harry held out his hand to Ginny who shyly shook it.
"Mum fancies him." Weasley whispered loudly to Lars as a flamboyant looking man with blonde hair and shiny white teeth came out after Gilderoy Lockhart's name was called.
The photographer kept on taking pictures of the idiotic looking man who was smiling and smiling which causes the witches to sigh dreamily and other wizards to growl in annoyance.
"It can't be Lawrence Potter." Lockhart muttered. Lars' eyes visibly widened before he stepped back.
"Lawrence Potter!" The photographer exclaimed, grabbing Lars' collar to pull him to Lockhart when Harry held the photographer's hand and fixed him with a glare causing the said photographer to let go much to Lars' gratefulness who sighed in relief. The others just stared at them. Whispers can be heard that he is jealous that Lars is going to have a picture with Lockhart hence why he stopped the photographer, much to both his and his brother's annoyance.
Harry motioned for his brother to go at the back. Lars followed but when they both turned the photographer had the gall to grab Lars again and literally shoved him to Lockhart who just smiled. Lars was looking really both anxious, at the same time mutinous in front of those people while Harry was looking murderously at both Lockhart, and the photographer.
"Ladies and Gentleman what an extraordinary moment this is," Lockhart said jovially whilst Lars look like he was trying to get away, "When young Lawrence stepped into Flourish in Blotts to purchase my autobiography 'Magical Me,'" Lars visibly scowled at the same Harry did. They wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't in the list of books. The people present, except most of the wizards who looked like they want nothing more than to exit the shop, applauded him. "Which incidentally is currently celebrating its 27th week atop the Daily Prophet bestseller, he had no idea that he'll be leaving, with my entire collected works, free of charge."Lockhart finished by shoving a lot of books into Lars' arms and another photograph.
"Also I'm proud to announce that I have accepted, after much persuasion from the dear Headmaster" Harry vehemently doubted that inside his head "the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor in Hogwarts." The witches clapped very happily and the rest groaned.
Harry saw Lars giving the books to the Weasleys before walking back to him, farther from the people and even farther from Lockhart near the exit of the shop.
"I hate him." Lars muttered. "Stupid Lockhart. I can buy my own bloody books, and to top that he's the FREAKIN DEFENCE PROFESSOR!"
"Dumbledore's gone barmy alright." On that remark, Harry had to agree with Weasley. It is official, the Headmaster has gone senile. Harry thought that a psychological evaluation should be required for Headmasters, just to see if the old man is still in his right state of mind.
Draco then suddenly strolled down the stairs.
"Bet you loved that didn't you Potter" Draco sneered at Lars. "Famous Lawrence Potter can't even go to a bookshop without making it to the front page."
Lars shrugged. "Well the crowd loves me."
They knew that Draco was just being playful though it does come out like an insult when he's the one saying it. The time that those two have spent endlessly talking about Quiditch made them almost buddy, buddies.
"Leave him alone." Ginny Weasley, the youngest Weasley, suddenly said, assuming that Draco's being hostile. Apparently the three Weasleys must not have mentioned that Draco was there during the birthday party.
Draco blinked stupidly for a few times before smirking at Lars "Oh look Potter you got yourself a girlfriend." Lars' eyes widened before throwing Draco an annoyed and incredulous look while the Weasley girl blushed.
"Ah...seriously?"
"Now now Draco, play nicely." An older man with shoulder long blonde hair and silver eyes, obviously Draco's father, said while placing the top of his snake cane on his son's shoulders.
"Mr. Potter." For a second they thought that he was referring to Lars but Mr. Malfoy was instead looking at Harry who looked back at the older man.
"Lucius Malfoy," Mr. Malfoy handed his hand to him.
Harry smiled at Malfoy Sr. "Evandrus actually," he corrected lightly before shaking the hand of the man along with a formal introduction. "I am Harold Evandrus and it is a pleasure to meet you Lord Malfoy." After the handshake, Harry gave a bow to the man.
"Forgive me, Mr. Evandrus," Mr. Malfoy smiled, or more like smirked. "The pleasure is all mine Mr. Evandrus. I have heard from Severus that you are the youngest potions apprentice this year."
"I'm pleased to say that I am quite adept in brewing potions." he said modestly, ignoring Weasley's mutter of "arrogant git."
"I should say that you are not just quite adept at it, rather, highly prodigious considering that you were able to brew a powerful truth serum magnificently."
Harry smiled for a little bit before replying "I can't say that it was brewed magnificently, Lord Malfoy, as it is not yet complete for it still needs a few more days from now before it can be completed."
Mr. Malfoy chuckled. "Modest and talented, yet ambitious." there were others who snorted at that statement. "My wife mentioned that you are very well mannered. Very well-mannered indeed Mr. Evandrus, not such a disgrace in the wizard name like your father."
"Having been discerned not being, as you say, a disgrace in the wizard name like him," he paused for the dramatic effect, "is, I must say, an illustrious compliment, Lord Malfoy, coming from a respected pureblood wizard such as yourself."
"I imagined it would be," said the Malfoy family head proudly, "considering the disgraceful acts of your father, losing his magic, and letting his older son go."
"Disgraceful," Harry repeated with a slight chuckle. "I do remember that he did not like me because of his assumption that I am a squib, a disgrace to the Potter name."
"He thought very wrongly," Mr. Malfoy agreed.
"We are very distantly related, as you might know," Mr. Malfoy said. "But then again, every pureblood families are related...even the...less than pleasant ones."
Lars and the other Weasleys were trying desperately not to gag at Harry and Mr. Malfoy who are still talking. Draco, on the other hand, was trying very hard not to snicker in front of his father.
"Your friend's acting weird, Draco," Lars remarked. "I think you influenced him with the haughty pureblood talk."
"Cobblers...He always talks like that to adults I think." Draco replied, turning his snicker into a cough. "Mother even said that Harry is 'a perfect pureblood heir' despite the fact that he wasn't here the whole time. Believe me, had father known Harry would turn out that way, I bet he'll be arse over tit on adopting him."
"Weird...really weird, he's speaking way too formally with Mr. Malfoy, like someone who studied all the pureblood etiquettes."
"He's a Slytherin," Draco said as if it were a reason enough. "We are the epitome of proper manners."
Lars raised his eyebrow at his brother's friend. "And what about Crabbe, Goyle, and...Macnair? They're hardly the 'epitome of proper manners' considering that they have none."
"Touche'" Draco said.
Two people that others, even Draco, barely like arrived, Macnair, and Macnair Sr. They don't look like each other, not really, but least to say both of them are, for the lack of better term, ugly.
"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear...unfortunately with another devil." Lars muttered causing Draco to smirk.
"Well...red hair, tatty second hand books," Macnair Sr. drawled as he took the book from Ginny's cauldron then returned it "You must be the Weasleys."
"Brown messy hair, indubitably unappealing face, you must be Macnair Sr." They turned to Harry who has just finished his conversation with Mr. Malfoy. He probably couldn't help not to retort. Macnair Sr. glared at Harry, but he couldn't care less.
"And who might you be?" Macnair Sr. said with a raised eyebrow.
"He's Potter's brother, the bloodtraitor Nott's friend." The younger Macnair, that they didn't really bother to remember the first name, said.
"Harold Evandrus," Harry said with an emphasis on his last name.
"Of course..." Macnair Sr. sneered. "the runaway Potter..."
Granger approached them with a gleeful look then frowned when she saw the Macnairs.
"She's Granger, the muggleborn." Macnair said the word with venom.
"At least she has better manners." Lars said with a scoff.
Macnair glared at Lars. "What manners can you expect from a muggleborn."
"Compared to you," Harry interjected, "I should say a better - correct that, a much more excellent one, Macnair."
"That muggleborn - " Harry interjected once more from there.
"Has more brain cells than you can ever hope to have, Macnair." The students, who heard Harry, snickered and even Mr. Malfoy looked amused judging by his smirk. Both the Macnairs were now glaring at all of them before anyone could say anything Mr. Weasley approached them.
"Children it's crowded in here, let's go outside." Mr. Weasley said.
"Well well, Weasley Senior." Mr. Malfoy drawled.
"Lucius," Mr. Weasley nodded.
"Arthur Weasley," Macnair Sr. said with distaste "I hope that they're paying you well...for those extra raids." Mr. Weasley works at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Department in the Ministry of Magic.
"Obviously not," Macnair Sr. added, glancing at Ginny's cauldron.
"Associating with muggles," Macnair Sr. drawled. "How disgraceful."
"We have different ideas on what disgrace is in the name of wizard Walden." Mr. Weasley bit back, still being relatively calm though they could sense that the man is at his patience end at Macnair Sr.'s insults.
"Clearly Weasley, Clearly." Mr. Malfoy said before he stepped to the counter of the shop and purchase Draco's books.
"To think your family could sink no lower," Macnair Sr. spat, continuing his insults. "Filthy bloodtraitors associating with muggles and mudbloods..." before the stupid purebloody says anymore things Mr. Weasley had lunged himself to Macnair Sr., knocking him backward into a bookshelf. Dozens of heavy spellbooks came thundering own on all their heads; there was a yell of, "Get him, Dad!" from Fred or George; Mrs. Weasley was shrieking, "No, Arthur, no!"; "Walden stop!" from Draco's father; the crowd stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over; "Gentlemen, please — please!" cried the assistant.
"Should we help stop them?" Lars whispered to him.
Harry stared at the rumbling men a few feet in front of them. "And get hurt in the process as well?" he ducked one of the flying books before standing up again, straightening himself and his coat. "No we'll stand here and watch them handle it." He then saw Mr. Malfoy pull out his wand from his cane to stop Macnair Sr. and Mr. Weasley, though it was quite unsuccessful since one of the books, a thick one at that, that Macnair Sr. was throwing flew straight to Mr. Malfoy's face when Mr. Weasley dodged it.
"Father will be ballistic later at home." Draco commented with a snicker from beside him before walking off to aid his father who fell down when he got hit by the book.
"This is all your fault, half-blood!" Macnair hissed at Harry.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Please, it's not my fault that you and your father do not have enough neurons to think of something good to say." Macnair moved to also punch Harry but was halted when the Weasley twins shielded him, thankfully.
So the two men continued to brawl until Hagrid pulled them apart.
"Get your filthy hands off me you big oaf!" Macnair Sr. said rudely to Hagrid who just let go.
Macnair Sr. looked like he wanted to have another round of rumbling with Mr. Weasley until Mr. Malfoy placed a grip on the man's shoulder along with a very murderous look. Harry smirked inwardly. It would seem that Mr. Malfoy was extremely pissed off because of the book that was thrown at him.
"Well, see you at school." Draco told them before leaving with his father and the two Macnairs.