Harry Potter a Clockwork Mage
I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does and anyone she has sold the rights to. I am not any of those. I just write because I love the Potterverse. This is an AU story and many characters will be OC.
Harold James Potter = Harry James Potter
James Charlus Potter = Vernon Dursley until Harry left for Hogwarts
Lily Marie Potter nee' Evans = Petunia Dursley until Harry left for Hogwarts
Steven Brand = Sirius Orion Black
Simon Tiberius Prince = Severus Tobias Snape
Narcissa Prince nee' Black = Narcissa Malfoy nee' Black
Drake Centauries Prince = Draco Scorpios Malfoy
Xenophilius Goodelove = Xenophilius Lovegood
Clair Goodelove = Celeste Lovegood nee' Olivander
Luna Goodelove = Luna Lovegood
Isabella Regina Brand= Bellatrix Black
Hermione Isabella Jane Brand = Hermione Jane Granger
Richard Lawrence = Remus John Lupin
Patricia Lawrence = Petunia Evans
Douglas Lawrence = Dudley Dursley
I do not own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does and anyone she has sold the rights to. I am not any of those. I just write because I love the Potterverse. This is an AU story and many characters will be OC.
Chapter 5
James and Sirius contacted Peter Pettigrew, they were wary as they had not seen their old friend in a while, he had been forced back into the mundane world as he was a New Blood or First Gen Wizard, or as the idiots known as purebloods, called him a muggle-born or mudblood.
Peter came to Gringotts as asked; he was dressed as well as he could afford. He had found a job working a mundane bank near his mother's home in Brighton. Peter was only 20 but looked older, much older. He was going bald, and was overweight, as the stress of not being able to find work in the magical world had hurt him, he wasn't as good with magic as the other Marauders were but he was still better than the average Pure-blood magical.
Peter entered the bank and waited for an open teller, when one became available he walked over to the shorter being and in a quiet, but polite voice said, "I am Peter David Pettigrew, I have an appointment to see James Charlus Potter and Sirius Orion Black."
The goblin looked at the wizard and smirked, "Hand please?"
Peter knew the goblin ways, and he had been one of the Marauders that had actually liked Professor Binns class, yes it was boring but if you listened very closely, you did learn about how goblins think and act. Peter reached out the hand and allowed them to make a small cut, allowing the blood to fall on the enchanted parchment it reveled his name.
The goblin looked at Peter, "Mr. Pettigrew, I will have you escorted to the meeting." The goblin waved he's hand and the small cut healed without leaving any indication a cut had been made.
Soon a younger goblin was walking Peter to the rented conference room deep within the bank. Peter walked in and stood, he waited until James and Sirius stood and motioned him to join them at the table, "Wormtail it's good to see you," said James or Prongs as he was known as a marauder. "Please join use we have a few things to talk about."
Wormtail was nervous, he was all the time now, he was being forced to do things he didn't want to do, but it was the old truth that stronger would always prey on the weaker. "Prongs, Padfoot…I am sorry but having to work at the bank in Brighton isn't what I expected all those years ago when I started at school, but it is a living."
Prongs smiled, "Peter, I have a question … please show us your left forearm." James was hoping against hope that Peter was still a Marauder not a death muncher.
Peter knew he'd never escape, not this deep inside Gringotts, it wasn't possible, not even as a rat. "James, Sirius, I … please don't make me, yes I did it but he … he … he … he …"
Peter looked ill, the harder he tried to speak the name of Dumbledore the worse he felt, the more pain he experienced. "Please … I can't tell you, he made me … me … me …Dumbledore …" With him saying that he passed out from the pain and was slowly dying.
James and Sirius called for medical help from the goblins, they were not able to save Peter, the unbreakable vow had killed him, he had wanted no needed to tell them, and in the end he was a true Gryffindor, he did what was right over what was easy.
The goblin healers had to remove Peter's jacket and shirt to try and save him, they saw the dark mark, and they knew it due to seeing it so many times as Special Autors in the DMLE.
James and Sirius cried for their friend, another person that was killed and all due to the MoB, "He has to pay, Dumbledore was going to use Peter against us, he had to force Peter in some manner to take the mark." Sirius was angry, even angrier after he had found all that the MoB had done to all of them.
James looked at the goblins, "Thank you for trying to save our friend, he was forced to join Voldemort, we do not want that to be part of the report made to the ministry."
Brightaxe had watched the healers, both goblin and human work to save Pettigrew, "Lord Potter, Master Black, we can remove the mark from the body as he is dead the magic that allowed it to exist required a living soul to empower it." Brightaxe understood Wizards better than most goblins as he had been an account manager for Wizards for almost 50 years; he had been trained for the job of caring for the Potter accounts and was good at it.
Sirius and James looked at each other, Sirius nodded at Brightaxe, "Please do so, Peter fought the vow and it killed him, he was a hero." Sirius and James would add Peter's name to those to be paid for by Dumbledore and Voldemort, and pay they would.
"Sirius we have to keep this a secret, at least until Dumb-as-a-door and Moldy-shorts do whatever they plan to do." James hated the idea of doing this but it was the only thing they could do.
Sirius looked at James, "Prongs, Wormtail was our friend and he will be remembered always as a Marauder." Sirius looked at the now peaceful face of a fallen Marauder, "Always remembered and always honored." Sirius, wiped he's eyes and took a deep breath. "How can we do that?"
Brightaxe made a soft noise, "We will remove the mark and prepare the body, and we will place a stasis spell on it, as well as store it until you allow us to release it to the family."
James looked at Brightaxe, "That is welcome, plus make sure Peter's mother is given 100000 pounds."
Brightaxe nodded, "It will be done Lord Potter."
James and Sirius nodded and thanked Brightaxe, and used the Portkey to take them back to Bennett Manor.
HPtCM
James and Sirius had to tell Lily, Frank and Alice what had happened; it was one of the hardest things either had ever had to do.
Lily and Alice cried and held their husbands, they now knew exactly to what limits the MoB would go to get he's way, and he'd sacrifice anyone, any number to promote what he called "The Greater Good!"
James was now worried about contacting Severus, it could cost them another friend, a friend that as knew at this moment hated James and was angry with Lily and despised Sirius.
The conversation between the adults was long and at times loud, but in the end it was decided to contact Severus, Lily sent the request to her old friend and made the arrangements for the meeting the next day. It would also be the day that the manikins would be complete for all seven, as they had waited for Sirius's to be completed before they would allow Dumb-as-a-door to think he'd won and go into hiding.
HPtCM
Lily arrived early at Gringotts and had worked with the goblins so they would be ready, so if Severus Snape showed any signs of the same level of controls had been placed on him that had been placed on Peter they should be able to save him.
Dumbledore had sent him an owlpost telling him that he wouldn't become the potion master this year, but he would the year after if the Board of Governors allowed it. Severus Snape was very surprised when the Gringotts Owl arrived at the small Spinner's End cottage where he lived. He entered the bank with the same expression he had learned to use while a student at Hogwarts.
Snape was known to the goblins and still had to do as Pettigrew had to when he arrived, it was not comfortable but it was the goblin way. After he was confirmed to be Severus Snape, he was lead to the same conference room that James and Sirius had used when meeting with Pettigrew.
Snape entered and noticed a witch was sitting in a hooded cloak, but he knew the way the witch sat it was Lily, the women he had loved and lost due to his being a bastard and using a term he hated but still used. She had been his first true friend, the first person other than he's mother he ever remembered loving.
Lily stood and allowed the hood to drop, "Sev? Thank you for coming, I am still your friend, I was angry when you said what you said, but Severus?" Lily looked at her old childhood friend, "I need to ask you a question, do you remember the first time on the express?"
Snape was expecting to be treated with anger but he was beyond shocked about her question. "Lily-flower, the trip on the express was … it … was …" Snape was a natural occlumen, and had ordered he's mind and memories, but as hard as he tried he was getting two set of memories; one, had himself and Lily sitting and talking to James Potter, Sirius Black. They had talked about the magical world, but he also remembered being miserable, as he had been forced to sit with those that became the only friends he ever made at school, Malfoy and others, all of them became Death-Eaters as he had.
"Lily, I remember, but it is strange I have conflicting memories." Snape was getting a terrible headache, he hated that he had taken the Mark and he also hated Dumbledore, to be honest most of the time he hated himself, "I do not understand."
Lily smiled at her old friend, "Sev, we think you have had many thing done to us," Lily was going to not say who we were unless he asked."
Severus looked at her, "We?" Severus was wondering why if he believed that we were her and James he was not going to be a victim again of a prank. "Please Lily, I hope this isn't a prank, I know I hurt you with what was said, but to prank me …"
Lily would be paying the bet to James, he had said Sev would think it was a prank, "I Lily Marie Potter nee Evens, swear on my magic this is no prank. So mote it be." She then held out her hand and said, "Luminos." A bright light appeared in the palm of her hand, "nox," and the light disappeared. "Sev it isn't a prank, I, well we are worried about you."
Snape knew that Lily had risked her magic for him, this proved to him it was not a prank, "Lily-flower, what do you wish of me?" Snape knew that Lily would have never done what she had if she wasn't certain he was in some kind of danger and he was the danger he was a Death-Eater and he was being set up to be a spy for Voldemort as well.
"Sev," Lily smiled, "let the goblins do a medical checkup on you as well as a mental one, they tell me that they can remove any spells or anything else your under, if you are under any spells." Lily looked at her friend the emerald green eyes filled with hope, "Please Sev?"
Snape nodded, "Only for you Lily-flower, only for you." Snape stood as an older goblin walked into the room."
Lily smiled at Brightaxe, "Severus, this is Brightaxe he is in charge of this."
Brightaxe motioned the goblin medical personal to take Snape to the chamber to begin the tests on him, both physical and mental.
Snape made a respectable bow to Brightaxe and then followed and was soon placed into a magical sleep that would make it easier for the healers to do the needed tests and then the rituals they would need to use to free Snape from the control of both Voldemort and Dumbledore.
HPtCM
Lily contacted James and the others. They used the Portkey and waited together for the tests and any ritual needed to be completed; they all wanted the friend they all remembered now that they were freed from the manipulation of Dumbledore.
The small group talked and made the needed plans for when the manikins were completed, and also to allow them to begin the first part of the prank on the MoB.
After a many long hours, Brightaxe escorted the man that had been Severus Snape. He had been told the only way that they could remove the Dark-Mark was for Severus Tobias Snape to die. The healers had explained this to him and before returning to those he now remembered had been friends from the first trip on the express. He was now Simon Tiberius Prince, as his grandfather had removed his mother from the family for her marriage, but when the same grandfather who had disowned the mother who when he had been close to death named Severus he's heir, but he would have to change the name. Severus Snape had died, and a new identify had been required, the action of Lord Prince had given him the name he would now be known.
Simon walked into the conference room as was actually smiling, he looked different, younger, he's face had a softer shape but if you had known Severus Snape you could see it, and also he no longer had the greasy looking hair he had always had; now he had shorter, sandy blond hair and it was actually styled. "Well, I would like to introduce you to Simon Tiberius Prince, the former Severus Tobias Snape." The words from Simon were full of laugher and he was finally free of the manipulations of the two Dark-Lords he had been bound too.
James, Lily and the others stood and were hugging their old friend and were soon laughing and talking about the true memories they all now shared.
HPtCM
Professor Flitwick was a bit surprised when he received the letter from the Potter's asking for a meeting at Gringotts a few days before Halloween of 1981. He knew that the Potters and Longbottoms had gone into hiding due to Voldemort and the Death Eaters but to get a message from them written in Goblin was more than he'd ever expected or even understood, he was mostly human but did have a goblin as a great-grandfather that was unusual but at the time it had happened the two races had been closer and for what looked to be a time where each would accept the other, but it had not lasted. A mage and a goblin fight and it soon became a full out rebellion.
Filius made he's way to London and was soon inside the bank in one of the special conference rooms, the most secure one's. Waiting for a short time an older goblin entered and nodded to him, "Good Morning, Professor Flitwick."
Filius nodded, "Good Morning to you sir." Filius was treated a bit better than most mage's due to his partial goblin heritage but he had not expected a good morning something was different. "I was asked to be here by my former students, James and Lily Potter?"
"Yes, I am Brightaxe the account manager for the Potter's, I need to ask you to allow us to cast a few spells to determine if you have any spells on you that could endanger the Potter's or yourself." Brightaxe took out a parchment and placed it in front of Flitwick. "This is the contract allowing us to cast the spells, the reason for them."
Filius read over the contract, it was very short and had been written in very easy to read and understand language, the spells would show if he had any memory modifications, any tracking spells, compulsions or potions that would alter/change his personality or loyalty. Taking a few moments he just sat and thought … to be asked this was not common but seeing that it was two of the best students he had ever taught as well as them becoming friends made him smile as he signed the contract. "I do this because I do wish to find out why the Potter's feel I need to be checked and I also find myself curious as well."
Brightaxe nodded and soon a few goblins had entered and had begun casting, soon they had completed the spells and had written down nothing. "No spells of any kind on him, a few tracking spells on his clothing, which we removed." The eldest of the small group said, "We can find no memory or other spells that would alter his mind or memory."
With that Brightaxe nodded and the small team left, soon a few others enters the room, James and Lily Potter, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Simon Prince, and Sirius Black. James smiled at Flitwick, "Hello Filius, I know you expected us to be in hiding and I know you didn't expect us to be here with Simon or as he was known Severus."
Lily smiled, "Professor, the reason we had to have those spells cast was we have come to mistrust the Headmaster, and we know that due to your heritage that you are very resistant to mental magics, we had to be certain that you where not being controlled," Lily smiled again, "Filius, things are not as they seem, we have been fighting what we thought was only one Dark Lord but in reality there are two of them."
James handed papers to Filius, "Professor, Filius please look these over and then we can talk about the many things we need to."
Filius read over the papers and before he was done he was beyond anger he was livid, but he had long since learned the goblin version of Occlumency and was outwardly calm. "James, Lily if this is true then Dumbledore created Voldemort from Tom Riddle?"
The others looked at the small man, James looked at the others, "Filius we cannot prove it but we do believe it is true, Tom Riddle was an abused boy that grew up different, he was magical and in an environment: a mundane orphanage, that was only going to make him hate non-magical people as well as any non-human as well."
Filius remembered Tom Riddle as he had been at Hogwarts with him but graduated almost four years before Riddle had, "James I remember Tom Riddle, he was a brilliant student and was a true Slytherin." Filius took a deep breath, "I knew he hated going back each end of term to his home, I had no idea it was going back to an orphanage, we all were lead to believe that he was being fostered by an old family, he had the bearing of that and more. I never saw him as anything other than a true Pureblood."
James looked at the others, "Filius, he was and is a half-blood." James handed another set of papers, "His father was a muggle and his mother was the last daughter of the Gaunt family, she was almost a squib."
Filius read over the information, "If this is true and Dumbledore knows this why hasn't he used the information to ruin the lie and destroy the support the old Pureblood families give him?" Filius was surprised but as he thought about it, it all began to make a terrible kind of sense, it explained so many things. "I work for the man and never saw it, how can I stay and work at Hogwarts knowing that Dumbledore is so evil that he's allow so many to die."
James looked at Lily, "Filius," Lily spoke softly, "We need someone that he cannot control and is good enough an actor to be our man on the inside, someone that can record all the things that the Headmaster allows to happen." Lily sat beside the small man and looked at him, "We would love to have Minerva, Pomona, Poppy and Hagrid on our side but they won't be able to keep Dumbledore from finding out we know just what he is, but you can and do protect your mind and your being of goblin decent in part makes it hard for anyone to control you."
James smiled at Filius, "Plus with you at Hogwarts you can protect the students, or at least pass on to us information that can protect the first generation magicals and the other non-Pureblood's, well at least help them find work after that would keep them more or less in our world."
In the end the conversation went on for hours, the plans were made that would allow Filius Flitwick to stay at Hogwarts, watch and record the happenings inside the school, and also pass on information that would allow the Potter's to build a strong base of people that they knew would be ready and able to help when the time was right. In the end the prank would either free the magical world or end in tragedy, they hoped the plans would free them in time.
A/N: this is all I have at this time, I hope it is liked, please review. I made a few changes to the wording of this chapter, I hope it reads easier.
TheRavenIs
7/16/2016
1544 EDT
