The Potter Brothers CH8 rough
AD
The next day Harry walked down to the great hall alone, once he reached entrance hall he saw Regulus hanging at the doorway, peering in at what looked to be the Slytherin table. "Hey Regulus, what's up?" He asked, his voice full of care.
Regulus jump in surprise. "Um, nothing." He said hurriedly. Harry decided to drop it and then went on to ask something else. "Do you want to sit with me today?" He was hoping he would be able to properly befriend the youngest Black.
"Um, yeah please." He said offering a smile. It seemed he had a problem with the rest of Slytherin house, or they had a problem with him. Harry vowed to find out.
As they stepped in, Harry kept close watch on the green clad house and saw some dirty looks thrown Regulus's way. Regulus himself however put on a blank, expressionless face and walked by without a glance towards them. Must be a Pureblood thing, Harry thought.
They made their way over to where James, Remus, Sirius and (unfortunately) Peter were sat at the table. Harry plopped himself down next to his cousin, who grinned and ruffled his hair. "Morning!"
"Hey James." He said with a smile.
He noticed Regulus watching Sirius with worried anticipation; he hadn't even begun eating yet. Sirius noticed that he was being watched and turned to his brother, with a natural carefree grin that seemed to say 'so what? You're Slytherin? Who cares' Harry could see made his friend relax. Regulus then happily began piling food on his plate. Some of the Gryffindors were shooting him distrustful looks but he ignored them with a smile.
After a few minutes Tommy joined them, every once in a while throwing nervous glances at the infamous Marauders who he had heard so much about from the other students.
Eventually breakfast ended and Harry got up, ignoring a painful twinge in his legs. He had been getting these slight pains for a while now, they were getting worse slowly but he hadn't complained. Maybe he had landed funnily during a Quidditch match with James or something. Anyway, he hadn't wanted to bother Charlus and Dorea about it, they already had so much to think about with Charlus going off to fight death eaters every day.
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OD
Once Harry had said this Hermione gave him a hard glare.
"You know you should have told them Harry!" She said exasperated by her friend's stupidity.
Harry had the decency to look ashamed by her words. "I know that now Hermione." He said quietly as James shot him a look that clearly said differently.
"Not true, Harry here never tells anyone if he's hurting or worse, well, apart from me and Padfoot and that's only after thirty five years of convincing that he should come first sometimes. He always worries about everyone else and never himself. He was destined to be the healer of the family!" James said, with a look between pride and caring of his little brother.
"Healer! Harry you became a healer! Oh well done!" Hermione said smiling widely; glad her friend finally paid attention to his academics, possibly since said attention wasn't focused on staying alive each and every year.
"James was right, you /are/ a nerd!" Ron said smirking.
"Oi, watch it Ron!" Harry said good-naturedly before continuing with the story.
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AD
The three of them, Harry, Regulus and Tommy, had a look at their timetables which had been given out during the meal. "We have transfiguration first with you, Regulus, then charms with the Ravenclaws and then Herbology and history of magic with the Hufflepuffs." Tommy said as they travelled up the staircases.
Harry tried hard to pretend he didn't know the castle as well as he actually did to avoid suspicion. Especially after Regulus had noticed how he knew where the transfiguration classroom was /and/ how he knew to jump the trick step on the way up. When Regulus had asked him he had made up the excuse that James had told him about the step and that he had remembered the route from the night before. He then made a few on-purpose mistakes to attempt to throw Regulus of his scent but he doubted that he succeeded.
When they took their places in the classroom, Harry sat next to Regulus. Looking around he could see a clear division between the houses, on his left were the Gryffindors and then the Slytherins were on the right.
Professor McGonagall strode into the room looking much, much younger than Harry remembered. However much of her was still the same: the confident, commanding air, the thin, stern line her lips often formed and the emerald green robes she always adorned. The raven-haired boy smiled to himself as he remembered her during the final battle with Voldemort when she ordered Seamus to blow up the bridge. He almost let out a small laugh but managed to contain it. It was easier now, thinking about the war. He thought as McGonagall began calling the register. With the possibility of saving all the lives he had thought lost it was made more bearable.
The lesson started, and McGonagall began her lecture on the transformation equation, it was the same topic Harry had started with when he was in his original universe so he was easily keeping up.
"Do any of you know the equation?" The Professor asked after explaining its uses.
Harry decided to put his hand up after no one else did and answered correctly, earning himself and his house ten points. He reckoned he would be able to stay ahead of how well he did last time he went through this, easy peasy. He thought with a grin.
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OD
"Yeah, 'easy peasy' when you get a seven year head start!" Remus joked with a grin. They all burst out laughing while Harry blushed.
"So? It wasn't my fault I got it. Anyway, you studied /whilst/ playing pranks on people, along with every other spare moment. I'd say you easily had enough time to catch up!" Harry retaliated.
Hermione glanced at the clock on the wall at the word time. "Wow, it's midnight already; we really should be getting to bed. Do you guys have sleeping arrangements?" She asked looking around the group. Harry reached into the pouch around his neck and pulled out a tent, the same design as the one they had camped in whilst looking for the horcruxes.
"We're covered." He said, holding it up.
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The next day was the 24th, the day before Christmas. Mrs Weasley came round again, half in order to confirm that they were all free for Christmas Day and the other half to come see Harry again and make sure she hadn't dreamt the last time she was here.
Once she had left Harry pulled Ron over to one side and excused himself from the apartment. He had to put on all the necessary charms and glamours so that Ron didn't go and tell Hermione on him.
Harry apparated straight in front of the Gringotts building. He looked at it with anticipation. He heard someone apparate behind him, whirling around he quickly drew his wand and pointed it at the newcomer. James.
"If you wanted some moral support." He said smiling, he knew exactly what Harry was doing.
"Thanks." Harry replied gratefully. Together the two of them made their way into the large halls of the bank. The looks from the goblins still managed to make the hairs on his neck shiver with nerves due to the last time he had been here; it had been fine back in the parallel universe but that was because technically it had never happened. They walked up to one of the goblin clerks at the desk at the front of the room. "May I request a meeting with the manager?" He asked politely, hoping not to give any reason for them to be denied the audience.
"Very well I shall make an appointment for you, the earliest time is at two forty-five." The goblin informed them. Harry glanced at his watch, the old metal hands read eleven thirty, three and a quarter hours until he had to be there.
"Thank you, we'll see you then." Harry said bowing his head in appreciation. After they left the pure white bank, Harry and James walked around Diagon alley for a bit. There were a few children playing around while their mothers sat drinking hot chocolate and gossiping inside a small café, a few important looking witches and wizards were debating some theory or another. As childish laughter filled the street Harry simply closed his eyes and took in everything of his old world.
"Hey," James said with a mischievous smirk. "I was talking Quidditch with Ron, and he said that the Thunderbolt Mark II is out here, do you want to check it out?" He asked.
The Thunderbolt was the latest series of racing brooms that all the teams were now using, the newest model, the Mark II, wasn't even out yet in the parallel world despite having been released to the professional clubs there.
"Hell yeah!" Harry said with a grin and the two of them ran off to where the shop was, acting just like the kids they used to be (and still were in James's case).
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After a few hours of messing about with James, Harry realised the time, two thirty, and began to make his way back to the bank with James in tow. The goblins respected punctuality as a quality. "I miss having a laugh with you, I mean, our jobs always overlap with each other's free time, I never get to spend any time with you anymore." James said with a wistful smile on his face.
"Yeah..." Harry trailed off while thinking of the upcoming meeting.
"Hey, whatever happens in there, you're still my brother, ok? No matter what." James reassured him with a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks Jamie." Harry said using the nickname only he was allowed to use since their parents died. He turned once again to walk through the large doors of Gringotts.
When they reached the front of the room the goblin merely gestured to one side where an open door was waiting for them. They wandered through, led by a small goblin who remained completely silent. They went through a door and into an expensive looking room. There was a soft red carpet spread across the floor with comfortable looking arm chairs facing a dark oaky looking desk. Everything was quiet, like a silencing charm was cast over it. Unlike the occasional clatter of coins or gems in the larger chamber. The goblin motioned for them to sit down and told them to wait.
Suddenly to the left a smaller looking goblin stepped out of a doorway that when closed looked like a part of the wooden panelling. He looked particularly ugly with a large wart on his chin.
"Well, it surely is a surprise to be seeing Harry Potter here of all places, we thought you had disappeared a while back." He said with a grin that froze Harry stiff in his seat. "Don't worry, your charms and glamours are still there, the wood in the walls is magical; allows us goblins to see past all disguises." But that didn't confirm he was going to keep his mouth shut though, Harry thought cynically.
"I am Dirmcork, the current manager of Gringotts bank, what can I do for you Mr Potter." The goblin asked, the malicious smirk on his features soon replaced by a gleam of interest in his eye.
"Well I, when I disappeared all those years ago, something rather strange happened, I would like to undergo a blood test, in order to see if a certain something had happened." Harry explained.
"Very well, I assume you will pay for the expenditures?" He asked.
"Of course, I do still have my vaults correct?" Harry asked.
"Correct." Dirmcork confirmed. "Gringotts never destroys a vault, even if it remains untouched for a thousand years."
"You may draw the funds from there." Harry said, giving permission.
There was a knock on the door. It opened to reveal yet another goblin carrying a goblet, a needle and a piece of parchment. The goblins were nothing if not efficient. The objects were laid down in front of Harry before the courier retreated out the room. The goblet contained a dark purple liquid that shimmered at the surface, distorting the reflection into what almost looked like runes. The goblet itself was an intricately shaped golden piece, it had runes across the rim. Harry got the feeling this was a much more complicated method than the one done at St Mungo's back when he was eleven, for the first time.
"You are to prick your finger and allow six drops of blood to fall into the potion." Dirmcork instructed. Harry did as told, once the final drop hit the potion the liquid bubbled vigorously, boiling away until there was only a small splash of a silvery liquid at the bottom which seemed to not settle in one place. The goblin manager took the parchment and dipped one corner into the liquid which instantly soaked up into it.
The parchment read: "Harry Eddard Potter, son of Eddard James Potter, Born, 31st July 1962, died 23 May 1972."
However, the letters kept shifting slightly, as if not settled on what they had spelt. After a second the word Eddard turned to James and the dates turned from "1962" and "1972" into "1981" and "1998".
"Peculiar, how very peculiar" Dirmcork muttered under his breath.
"You see Mr Potter, this artefact can distinguish the identity of any thing that has ever lived, and even beings that have yet to come alive. It is nigh impossible to fool." The goblin informed them. "And unless some incredibly strong magic worthy of Merlin and all the great wizards of the past were at play, you have two identities."
It confirmed it, his longest mystery. Harry had come into another body, not just creating the situation with his magic. But, thankfully, he hadn't shoved the other boy's conscience out of the body to make room for his, that would have been too much for him. "Well, that's a relief; I didn't destroy the real Harry." He said with a small smile.
"Hey, don't say that, you are the real Harry so don't go all depressive and self depreciational." He said looking his brother right in the eye.
"Thanks, again." Harry said smiling before hugging his brother tightly. "And I'm pretty sure 'depreciational' isn't a word!"
"And?" James said happily, glad that his brother had been brought out of a potential mood. Harry had no wish to share the reason behind the double identity of his nature with the manager of Gringotts and quickly bid the goblin goodbye, but not without making the goblin solemnly swear to not expose his existence or the nature of this meeting to any other sentient creature.
Once they were home Lily and Hermione fussed over them both, scolding them for having. Left without telling anyone. Harry then insisted he had told Ron but for /some/ reason the redhead had "mysteriously disappeared" for the time being. Probably fearing his wife's wrath.
Eventually, Hermione calmed down with the promise of further story time and they were all soon sat around the living room again.
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AD
Throughout the week Harry kept noticing that Regulus was uncomfortable around the other Slytherins, and it seemed as though the feeling was mutual. Whenever his house passed them they sneered at the younger Black brother, occasionally bumping into him. Regulus looked to pay them no attention but Harry could see it was bothering his friend.
By Friday it was getting worse, one third year Slytherin charmed Regulus's books to hit him over the head. Harry decided to sort it out.
After dinner their small group of three usually went to the library as that was unmentioned /neutral territory/ between the houses due to Madam Pince's strict rules. They studied for a bit before each going back to their own house common room.
Once they had finished their potions essays on the individual properties of the cure for boils potion (which had been a lot easier without Snape) they got up. Ignoring the familiar twinge in his legs Harry and Tommy grabbed one arm each and dragged Regulus up to where the portrait of the Fat Lady was.
"Fortitudo et animo*" Harry said before the other dark haired boy could protest.
The fat lady sent both Harry and Regulus a dark look before swinging open rather reluctantly. Harry could hear her mutter as they passed "telling the passwords to the Slytherins, disgraceful."
All heads including the four Marauders turned as they walked into the room, zeroing in on the three boys. Sirius shot his younger brother a worried look but it was quickly disguised under a mask of nonchalance. Another gaze caught Harry's attention, especially with the bright green eyes that were doing the looking. He glanced fleetingly in the direction of his mother. He hadn't been sure if he wanted to talk with her and had been debating it internally every time he saw her. James hadn't really given him much choice on meeting him but it ran deeper than that. From what he knew Lily Evans hated his cousin, twice this week had James been hexed or jinxed by the fiery-tempered woman. He was worried that she would instantly judge him on what she already knew from James.
"What's he doing in here? He's one of the enemy!" One of the fifth years shouted out in anger, Harry's attention had once again been caught.
"We're saving him from his own house!" Retaliated Tommy.
"Well he's bloody not staying in here!" Another boy shouted.
Harry was about it shout his own insult when James spoke up. "What's wrong Anthony? Afraid of a baby snake?" The boy blushed, to insult one's bravery in the Gryffindor common room was a huge insult.
"No, but he could run back to the others and tell them the password! We should confund him!" Anthony said, his face remaining red.
"With your history with that curse I don't think that's a good idea." One of Anthony's classmates pointed out.
"And anyway, since he knows the password there's all the more reason to keep him close." Sirius said, still throwing half glances at Regulus.
Anthony, sensing he was fighting a losing battle, backed down and sat back in his armchair however he was still grumbling.
Sirius made his way over to Regulus from where they were sitting previously. "Hey little bro, I see even little Slytherins like you can't resist the lion's den." He said grinning brightly despite the distrustful and in some cases, angry, looks from the surrounding students.
"Well, it's not like I had a choice was it?" He said nervously, eyes flickering from one red and gold tie to the next."
"Well you better wait until mother hears about this, she's gonna be mental, you sure you want to stay?" The elder brother asked with an uncharacteristically caring look in his eye.
Regulus looked frightened for a second before attempting a smile. "Well it's between a howler tomorrow and every day for the rest of my life, or those dark cold dorms for seven years, I think I can manage the howlers." He resolved, attempting to hide his nerves of his impending doom at the hands of his mother.
Ok so we had some more original dimension stuff for you all, I'm trying so hard to write the "present day" stuff without spoiling anything for you guys!
*The Latin password meant strength and bravery, if you wanted to know. Also I apologise for the Goblin's name, it's kinda terrible and thought up on the spot. Yeah, we can guess *sigh* Leo, bed, now. That's a good boy! Huh… I deserve a raise