A/N Hmm, still nothing really to put up here. Thanks for the reviews, I'm glad people are enjoying the story.
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Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
Severus Snape opened the door to the headmaster's office and strode in, only to find it empty. Annoyed, he started to sit down and wait when an open file on the desk caught his eye.
"What's the brat done now," he muttered, picking up the file.
A few minutes later, his reading was interrupted as Albus Dumbledore entered the office.
"I was not aware we had an appointment, Severus," he said, his eyes lacking their usual twinkle.
Completely ignoring the headmaster's comment, Snape slowly looked up with wide eyes.
"She lives with Potter!" He asked incredulously.
"Indeed she does," Dumbledore replied evenly. "You met him, in fact, when you delivered her Hogwarts letter."
Snape looked like he wanted to slap himself. "Her second brother?" Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "Certainly this cannot continue then, headmaster!" Snape exclaimed as he rose from his seat. "A Potter and a squib? What is being done?"
"Calm yourself, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "She is quite happy where she is, of that I have no doubt. She is also our only confirmed link to Mr. Potter; we would do well not to antagonize her."
Snape scowled. "I see no difficulty. Drag the Potter boy back and put him where you please. As I have said before, there are many families that would be honored to accept Miss Thomas as their charge."
"To forcibly separate them from each other would be unwise," Dumbledore replied in measured tones. "We need to bring Mr. Potter to Hogwarts by choice, not by force. Otherwise we will only lose him later. Miss Thomas is a similar case; she is fiercely loyal to Harry and I have no doubt she would not react favorably to being separated from him or her brother."
Snape's scowl deepened. "So nothing is being done then?"
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "Our first priority is to bring Mr. Potter back to Hogwarts and into our world. I will not jeopardize that, Severus."
"The boy is not even here and already the school revolves around him," said Snape bitterly. "This is a mistake, headmaster. The boy will be insufferable."
"Nevertheless, he is needed," Dumbledore replied.
Snape bit back an angry retort and gave a curt nod before turning on his heel to leave.
If he wants Potter, I'll get him Potter, thought Snape angrily. Then we'll see how important the brat is.
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Row woke up on the last day of term relieved that she was finally going home. Having packed all her belongings the night before, she made her way leisurely to the bathroom only to be confronted by a very angry looking Sarah.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sarah asked heatedly.
"Tell you what?" Row asked, confused.
"This!" Sarah spat, thrusting a newspaper into her hands.
With a bemused look at her friend, Row looked down at the paper's headline and froze.
HOGWARTS HEROINE ROWENA THOMAS: THE LAST RAVENCLAW?
By Sandy Becker
Sources at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have recently revealed that Rowena Thomas, the first year student recently responsible for the rescue of a fellow classmate from the infamous Chamber of Secrets, may in fact be the last descendent of Rowena Ravenclaw. A recent anonymous tip obtained by this reporter indicates that Miss Thomas's full name is Rowena Selena T'Albieran Thomas, indicating a possible blood relation to the T'Albieran family which was thought to be deceased.
Miss Thomas is currently attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a first year student, and already……
Row looked up from the paper with an absolutely gobsmacked expression.
"What, I… what is this?" She finally managed. "Is this some kind of sick joke? I've never heard of any of this! This is what you're angry about!"
"You never told us about the chamber either," Sarah continued heatedly. "I know the headmaster didn't tell us everything, and you never mentioned that the phoenix saved you. Did you know about all of this before?"
"OF COURSE NOT!" Row screeched. "HOW CAN YOU ASK ME THAT?"
"You should listen to her, you know," came the voice of Luna Lovegood as she exited the bathroom. "She's telling the truth."
Row gave her an odd look. "Uh, thanks Luna," she said, before finishing under her breath, "I think."
"I thought you lied to me," replied Sarah, abashed. "And with everything else, it just sounded true. I'm sorry."
Row seemed to deflate at that before tiredly rubbing her eyes. "It's ok, I'm sorry I yelled. I just don't know how much more of this crap I can take," she sighed and looked at the paper again. "I've never heard the name T'Albieran before in my life. I'm just glad we're going home today. How long do we have, anyway?"
"The train leaves in 2 hours, so I'd better get packed," her friend responded.
"I'll help."
Two hours later found a very annoyed Row sharing a compartment with Sarah, Hermione, and Padma. It seemed that the entire school had seen the morning paper and decided to verify its authenticity.
"If I have to tell one more person that I don't know anything about this…" Row muttered threateningly. Hermione looked at her before pulling her wand and pointing it at the door.
"Colloportus," she said, giving her wand a quick flick. She was rewarded with a squelching sound and turned back to Row with a shy smile.
"Thanks Hermione," Row smiled back.
The group passed the rest of the ride reliving the past year and discussing each other's plans for the summer holiday. By the time the train finally pulled into King's Cross Station, Row had almost completely forgotten the offending article and was simply happy to be returning home. She said goodbye to her friends and made her way onto the platform, only to be stopped from behind by a nervous looking Ginny Weasley.
"Hey, I uh, just wanted to say thank you," Ginny stammered. "You know, for everything in the chamber and all."
"Well, I don't know how much I really did," Row hesitated. "I'm just glad we both made it out safe."
"Yeah," Ginny replied. "Do, do you think I could owl you this summer? I know you and Hermione are friends and she's always been nice to me, but I understand if-"
"I'd like that Ginny," Row cut her off with a smile.
"Really?" Ginny grinned. "Great! Well, there's my family. You'd better get going if you don't want to the victim of a Molly Weasley bone-crushing hug."
Row laughed. "Ok, thanks for the warning. Talk to you later?"
Ginny smiled and nodded before turning to meet her family. Row took out her messenger and scribbled a quick note saying everything was fine and she was on her way out. Grabbing her surprisingly light trunk, she made her way to the taxi stand outside and found both Jack and Harry waiting for her.
"Hey sis," said Jack quietly as he pulled her into a hug. "Harry told me about everything. You ok?"
She nodded and moved to hug Harry while Jack hailed a cab.
Just like their last trip, the trio avoided talking about any magical subjects on the ride home, so Row focused instead on talking about her friends.
"Hermione is starting to come out of her shell a little, I think," she was saying. "I heard she really told off some boy in her house not too long ago for trying to prank her. She's still really shy and nervous though, especially around the Slytherins."
"What about them?" Asked Harry, interested.
"Well, they have the most bullies, definitely," Row replied thoughtfully. "And they're known for being the darkest and most dangerous house. There's a couple of guys in that house that basically get away with anything they want because their parents are powerful, and they lord it over everybody else like it makes them better people."
"And your friend is afraid of them because of that?" Queried Jack.
"Well, actually she's more afraid because a lot of them are racists." Row replied. "You know about her parents, right?" She mouthed the word 'muggleborn' and both her brothers nodded. "Well, a lot of them have this pure-blood supremacy belief, and they think she's below them. Some of them call her 'mudblood,' which is a serious insult. I think that's why she's afraid of them"
"Do they say things like that to you?" Asked Harry, his eyes hard.
"Not really," Row replied thoughtfully. "But Gryffindor and Slytherin have always been rivals, so the most insults fly between people in those two houses. Ravenclaws generally stay out of it. It's worse for Hermione, though, because she doesn't have anybody in her house to stick up for her, so she gets bullied more than normal."
"I don't like bullies," said Harry coldly.
Row giggled. "Hero Harry strikes again!"
That sent Jack into fits as well when he saw the extremely annoyed look on Harry's face. He opened his mouth to retort but Jack cut him off.
"Yeah, yeah, we know. Great gift, responsible. Blah blah," he ended laughing again.
Harry abruptly closed his mouth and turned back to the window.
"Oh, sod off," he grumbled, making his siblings laugh even harder.
Row struggled to listen to the exchange through her giggles, and finally completely broke down at Harry's final comment. It was good to be home.
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The next morning, Row handed Harry his first letter from Dumbledore.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I hope that this letter finds you well, and that you are able to look past my transgressions enough to read to its conclusion. You have no doubt already discussed some of this with Miss Thomas, but I would like to say it to you directly.
I'm sorry, Harry. As you are aware, it was my decision to place you with the Dursley family after your parents died; a decision that I regret more than anything else in the world. The only excuse I can offer is that I had no reason to believe that you would be treated so badly, and that living with your Aunt provided you a magical protection you could not get anywhere else. In my ignorance, I did not consider protection from your relatives, and I can only beg your forgiveness.
You are no doubt wondering why I would even consider placing you in the muggle world rather than the magical one. What you cannot know is that I was the executor of your parents will, meaning that I was responsible for carrying out their last wishes. Unfortunately, all the individuals named by your parents as potential guardians were unable, for various reasons, to take you in. This left me in a quandary, since I had effectively run out of options, and I elected to keep you safe and isolated in the muggle world. I will not pretend to know how difficult it was for you, Harry. All I can ask is that you allow me the chance to make up for this incredible mistake and to help you assume your rightful place in the magical world.
To this end, I have contacted a friend of mine who was also a good friend of your parents when they went to school, and he has agreed to meet with you if you wish. His name is Remus Lupin, and he was one of the individuals your parents wanted you to live with, but under magical law he is unable to have custody of children. If you want to know the reason, you will have to ask him, as it is a very personal matter.
I know that you do not trust me, nor do I believe that you should. However, I truly do mean you no harm, and I do not wish you force you into anything. I honestly believe that you would enjoy a much more complete life in the magical world, it is the life your parents wanted for you.
I ask you for one favor, however. I do not know how you managed to divert all your owls to the cupboard at the Dursley house, but it would be much easier if you were reachable directly, rather than through Miss Thomas. If you could modify your owl protection to allow my letters, I would appreciate it very much.
Also, you are no doubt aware that Miss Thomas is currently quite popular in wizarding publications. I have taken the liberty of making a statement regarding the incident in the Chamber of Secrets, and have discouraged any further contact with Miss Thomas. I have also done my utmost to ensure that no one else in the wizarding world find you until you are ready. I hope this meets with your approval.
If you have any questions for me, please send them at your leisure and I will answer all that I can.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Without a word, Harry passed the letter to Row, who immediately started reading.
"Well?" Asked an anxious Jack. "What'd he say?"
"Not a lot actually," replied Harry as he took a seat on the couch. "Mostly he was apologizing about putting me with the Dursleys and explaining why he did it. I really don't know how to feel about that." He frowned. "It turns out he's the executor of my parents will, so at least I should finally be able to get some answers about that. He also said he'll set me up with somebody who knew my parents if I want to meet him, so overall it's not as bad as I was expecting. I still don't trust him though, and I'm really confused about the cupboard comment."
"Are you going to meet the guy?" Jacked asked. Harry gave him a confused look. "The one who knew your parents, are you going to meet him?"
"I think you should," piped in Row as she finished the letter. "It can't hurt, and you'll be able to tell if he's lying about anything."
"That's true," Harry nodded thoughtfully. "I guess I will then, but not until after the emancipation hearing. We can't afford to let anything screw that up."
"Does the Hogwarts Headmaster know about that yet?" Asked Jack.
"I don't think so, but I'm not sure," replied Row. "If he does, he hasn't mentioned it."
"There's been no attempt to stop us yet, in any case," put in Harry. "So we're still looking good."
"Actually, that reminds me," said Row glumly. "This was in the paper yesterday." She handed Harry the Daily Prophet article hailing her as the last Ravenclaw.
"I guess it's possible…" said Harry slowly when he was finished reading. "I mean, you were adopted from an orphanage as a baby, right?"
"And mum died right afterwards," said Jack. "So she wouldn't have had time to tell you. Actually, she might not have even known."
"How much do remember about your mum, Jack?" Asked Harry quietly.
"Not much, really," he replied quietly. "It's more of a feeling, you know? She loved me, I know that. It's like I can remember feeling protected and cared for."
"I have no memory of my mother," said Harry softly. "My first memory is the cupboard under the stairs."
The three of them were silent after that until Jack cleared his throat.
"Well, that's all over with now. Just think, another week and we'll be free for real!"
"Yeah, you're right," said Row. "I just don't want any more attention until everything is sorted out. We have enough drama right now."
Jack snorted. "Yeah, I think that's pretty safe to say."
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It was only two days later that things began to fall apart.
Harry was in the training area practicing some spell work when Row came rushing in with a letter in her hands, only to find Harry standing in the middle of a very disheveled room looking incredibly happy with himself.
"Uh, Harry?" Row asked, her letter temporarily forgotten. "What are you doing?"
"I did it!" Harry exclaimed happily. "I finally got it right!"
"What are you talking about?"
"Huh? Oh!" Harry seemed to shake himself out of his stupor. "You remember how Jack was talking about how he found me unconscious that one morning because I'd hit myself with a spell?" Row nodded. "Well, I've been trying to get a different version of a concussion hex to work for me, and I finally did it."
"Concussion hex?" Asked Row. "We haven't learned that yet."
"Really?" Asked Harry, surprised. "Well, watch." He waved his hand and 2 chairs floated to one side of the room and landed a few feet apart with their backs to each other. Harry whipped his hand forward and the chairs were thrown violently away from each other, as if the air between them had exploded outwards.
"It used to be called an exploding air hex," said Harry as he returned the chairs to their normal position. "Basically it creates a shockwave, or concussion, emanating from a single point. The problem is, the point generally has to be far enough away from you that you don't get hit too, which means it's pretty useless if your attacker is close to you."
Harry turned and summoned 5 more chairs, positioning them in a ring around him.
"What I've been trying to do is create the same effect emanating from wherever I'm standing," he continued. "That way you could use it no matter how close they were, and it would be perfect if you were ever surrounded. That's how Jack found me unconscious" he said sheepishly. "I tried it but hit myself and cracked my head against the wall. I think I've got it now though, stand back."
Row moved back and watched as Harry's face took on a look of complete concentration. Suddenly his body seemed to shimmer, and he threw his arms out violently. The ring of chairs exploded away from him in all directions, and Row had to duck to avoid behind hit. When she looked back at Harry, he was smiling again.
"See? I did it!"
"How long have you been working on this, Harry?" Row asked as she surveyed the damage. All of the chairs had been thrown at least 15 feet away, and two of them had broken apart upon landing.
"A few weeks maybe," he said dismissively. "I've got a couple of other ideas, but I wanted to get this one down first. What's that in your hand?"
"What?" The question caught Row off-guard until she remembered the reason she needed to find him in the first place. "Oh, this could be really bad Harry. It's about the emancipation, read it."
Harry took the letter from her hand and began to read.
Dear Ms. Thomas,
I regret to inform you that your emancipation hearing has been delayed due to a recent claim filed by your uncle, Severus T. Snape. Mr. Snape has submitted a petition to become your guardian, and your case has been delayed until such time that the claims from both parties can be reviewed by the department.
Should you have any more questions, you may contact…
"Snape? Isn't he a professor at Hogwarts?" Asked Harry angrily.
Row nodded. "He teaches potions, but how can he be my uncle?"
Harry was about to respond when an owl flew into the flat and perched on Row's shoulder, extending its leg. Row unrolled the parchment and looked at it in confusion before handing it to Harry.
"It's for you."
Bewildered, Harry took the parchment and began to read.
Potter,
As you have no doubt been informed, I have recently filed for guardianship of Miss Thomas. Do no bother asking how I know this, it is irrelevant. I am also the man you attacked on the train platform last year. I'm sure you remember.
I have been informed that you would prefer to continue your current living arrangements with Miss Thomas. If I am appointed as her guardian, I guarantee this will not happen. Furthermore, she will have no contact with the muggle world whatsoever, and that includes her real brother, the squib.
I write this letter to offer you a deal. The headmaster wants you to come to Hogwarts, so you will come, and you will not make any attempt to leave. In return, I will withdraw my petition in the muggle court, and Miss Thomas can have her emancipation. If you mention this to the headmaster in any way, I will make sure that you do not see her again until she is 17 and out of my control.
Severus Snape
As soon as he had finished, the letter burst into flames in his hand.
"What the-" Exclaimed Jack as Harry extinguished the burning parchment. Harry glanced at him quickly, having been so engrossed in the letter that he hadn't heard him approach.
"What did it say, Harry?" Asked a concerned Row.
Harry ruthlessly reigned in his anger and answered in a calm voice. "It was from Snape. He says he'll drop his petition if I agree to attend Hogwarts. He's blackmailing me."
Row looked horrified and Jack looked furious.
"Who the fuck does he think he is?" Jack exploded. "Uncle my ass! How come we've never heard of him? What a-" he abruptly stopped when he heard a strangled sob and turned to see his sister with tears in her eyes.
"What are we going to do?" She asked fearfully. "I know it's all my fault, but I don't want to live somewhere else! I want to stay here with you!" She sniffed.
"Hey, don't worry about," said Jack, patting her shoulder. "You're not going anywhere, right Harry?"
"Absolutely," Harry replied. "I'm going to talk to our solicitor about this, but even if it turns out to be legit, there's no way anyone is splitting us up."
"You mean it?" Asked Row in a small voice.
"Yeah, I mean it," Harry forced a smile. "It's not like he's asking for a lot anyway, since I'm sure Dumbledore was going to insist that I come to Hogwarts next year. Honestly, I'd already resigned myself to the fact that I'd be going, I just don't like being blackmailed." He scowled. "It leaves a bad taste in my mouth, like he thinks he owns me."
"I don't like it either," Jack said, looking thoughtful. "I mean, you're already talking to the headmaster, right? Then out of nowhere this Snape guy comes in trying to push you around." Jack's eyes suddenly flashed. "If he really is our uncle, he's got a lot of explaining to do."
"He might be Row's uncle, but not yours," said Harry thoughtfully. "She was adopted, so he could be her uncle by birth."
"In that case, he's got even more questions to answer," Jack scowled. "You don't think this is a ploy by the people at Hogwarts do you?"
"I wouldn't put it past them," Harry said evenly. "But it really doesn't matter at this point. Like I said, it's not like he's asking for anything big, so if the solicitor says he's really your uncle then I'll take his offer, at least until you're emancipated. I'm not above going back on the deal once we get what we want, anyway. That's what he gets for blackmailing me."
"I didn't even think of that," Jack said, grinning. "That'd really stick it to him! Good one, mate!"
"I'll do anything I have to to keep us together," said Harry seriously. "We're a family; and nothing is going to change that."
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It took a day for Harry's solicitor to get back to him with information on Severus Snape. When it turned out that Snape was indeed Jack and Row's uncle, Harry immediately sent an owl to Snape indicating that he agreed to the terms and would attend Hogwarts starting the next year. After that, he finished the letter he had been writing to the headmaster and told him the same thing. That done, he settled in to wait.
He didn't have to wait long. The next morning Harry got a phone call from his solicitor informing him that Severus Snape had withdrawn his claim for guardianship, and that Row would still be able to present her case at the hearing.
At dinnertime, Harry received a reply from Dumbledore as well. As expected, the headmaster was rather pleased with his last letter.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I am relieved and overjoyed that you have decided to attend Hogwarts next year. It gives me hope that I may still be able to atone for the sins I have committed against you. Also, I would like to thank you for making yourself accessible by owl once more, it will make correspondence much easier.
As to your questions regarding your parents will.
Your father, James Potter, had three close friends that were to receive you in the event of your parents' death. They were all great friends in Gryffindor together, and remained inseparable even after Hogwarts. The first two, I'm sorry to say, are dead. Both died bravely in the last war opposing Lord Voldemort.
The third friend of your parents is Remus Lupin, who should be contacting you shortly now that owls can once again reach you. He could not take you in for legal reasons, which he shall no doubt explain in person.
The two other individuals named by your parents as potential guardians were Frank and Alice Longbottom. Both Frank and Alice are currently in the long term wing at Saint Mungo's Hospital in a catatonic state due to the prolonged torture they suffered following an encounter with Lord Voldemort's followers. Again, I am sorry, Harry.
As for your inheritance, the vault that you currently have access to was set up as a trust account that you can access until you are 17, at which time you will receive the full inheritance of the Potter family. When that time comes, you will find yourself quite wealthy, although I know that it is a poor substitute for all that has been taken from you.
I have attached the book list for first, second, and third year students with this letter. I do not know what subjects you have studied, or how extensive your knowledge is. I would be happy to discuss the progress you have made on your own either by owl or in person, and I am especially interested to hear how you were able to survive your encounter in the Chamber of Secrets. Truly, you must be a very talented young man.
If you wish to attend classes with students your own age, I would be happy to provide you with a summer tutoring schedule in any Hogwarts subject, should you require it.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
When Harry had finished reading the letter, he handed it to Row. After reading the first paragraph, Row gave Harry a questioning glance.
"How did you do that owl thing, anyway?" She asked.
"I don't really know," Harry said, shrugging. "He said I wasn't accessible by owl and that I'd done it myself. I meditated on it a couple days ago, and basically focused on my desire for owls to reach me wherever I was. I didn't even know it had worked until he mentioned it."
"You're a strange one, Harry Potter," said Row with a shake of her head.
"Yeah," Harry grumbled. "Don't I know it."
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Harry spend the rest of the week preparing for the emancipation hearing, and was understandably nervous when the time finally came. After everything he'd dealt with in the last few weeks, Harry couldn't help but expect something disastrous to happen.
As it turned out, his worries were mostly baseless. The hearing proceeded exactly how the solicitor had said it would, with Harry, Jack, and Row all presenting their cases individually before Jack spoke for them as a group. Once all the statements had been made and evidence presented, the judge considered the case before delivering his verdict.
"I have made my decision," the judge began. "Mr. Jack Thomas will be granted emancipation. He is to be considered a full adult in the eyes of the law from this day forward, with the all the rights and privileges that entails. Mr. Thomas will also be entrusted with the care of his sister, Miss Rowena Thomas, who shall be his charge until she reaches the age of 18. Miss Thomas will be completely emancipated from her previous guardian." The judge paused before looking over at Harry. "In the case of Mr. Potter, I find myself in a bit of a quandary. Mr. Potter, I have no doubt that you can take care of yourself, and I commend you for finding friends that are as supportive as yours are. However, I cannot in good faith grant adult status to a 12 year old boy. As such, I am also appointing Mr. Thomas as your guardian, under the condition that your case be re-examined yearly to ensure that everything remains in order. Also, your family will be assigned a social worker who you will be required to meet with once a month." The judge looked down at Harry only to find him wearing a large grin. "I take it this arrangement is acceptable?" He asked, amused.
"Definitely, sir. Thank you." Replied Harry politely before he was pulled into a 3 way hug.
"We did it, we're really free!" Row exclaimed as they left the courthouse.
"Well, seeing as how I am the adult now," said Jack pompously. "I'll expect you two to obey me, and no back talk!"
Row snorted and Harry ginned.
"I don't know, Jack, I might have to fight you for it if you act like that," he said nonchalantly.
"Woa, hey, enough of that," Jack raised his arms in surrender. Row seized her opportunity and began to tickle him mercilessly.
"It's so obvious that the judge made the right decision," said Harry over the laughter. "I mean, just look at how mature you are."
"Shut it, you," Jack grumbled as he regained his feet. "Anyway, let's go home. I have a date."
His only response was two sets of rolling eyes.
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Harry celebrated his newfound freedom the next day with a trip to Diagon Alley, where he purchased all the books from Dumbledore's list that he didn't already have. When he was finished, he made his way to Ollivander's to get his wand.
"Hello?" Harry called when he entered the empty shop. "Is there anybody-" He stopped abruptly when an old man seemed to materialize behind the counter.
For a moment, the old man looked at him quizzically, before he seemed to find what he was looking for and smiled.
"Well, Mr. Potter, I was wondering when I'd be seeing you," he said.
Harry's eyes darted around the store quickly before he realized that they were alone.
"You can see through my glamour?" He asked, fixing the old man with a questioning glare.
"That is indeed a skill I have," Mr. Ollivander replied with a slight smile. "It is almost as rare as say, performing magic without a wand. Both useful, wouldn't you say?"
Harry's eyes narrowed, but he could only nod.
"Now then," said Ollivander as he moved to the shelves behind him. "Let us see what I have for you." He withdrew a long box and removed a walnut colored wand from it. "Ten inches, Mahogany, good for Transfiguration, much like your father's wand." He handed the wand to Harry, who immediately knew it wasn't right.
His suspicion proved true when, at Mr. Ollivander's insistence, he attempted a simple levitation charm and destroyed half of the front counter.
"Well, no matter," said Ollivander pleasantly. "We'll find the wand for you, Mr. Potter, don't you doubt it."
Half and hour and 10 wands later, Harry was beginning to think that perhaps he couldn't use a wand at all. He was about to say as much when he caught Mr. Ollivander bringing him another wand with a strange look on his face.
He seemed to hesitate before offering the wand to Harry. "Perhaps…..this one." He said carefully. Shrugging, Harry reached for the wand and wrapped his fingers around the handle.
For a moment, Harry couldn't tell what was happening. As soon as he grasped the wand, the room seemed to disappear and his every sense was consumed by a feeling of intense power accompanied by a beautiful song. As he regained his senses, he was amazed at the amount of sheer magical power he felt flowing through him. Instantly, he knew he'd found his wand.
Belatedly, he realized that he was grinning like an idiot in front of an amazed Mr. Ollivander. With a sigh, he released his hold on the wand and placed it back in the box on the counter.
"That's the one," he said with certainty. "How much?"
"Never, in all my years have I seen such a display, Mr. Potter," said a stupefied Ollivander. "That wand was made for you and you alone, of that I have no doubt. It is curious, however, that you should destined for this wand, when its brother gave you that scar."
Harry's head snapped up. "Voldemort?"
Mr. Ollivander flinched. "Yes indeed. The phoenix whose feather resides in your wand gave one other feather that resides in the wand of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Curious indeed."
"A phoenix?" Harry asked curiously. "It wouldn't happen to have been Albus Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, would it?"
"Well, yes, actually," replied a surprised Ollivander. "How did you know?"
"Lucky guess," said Harry dismissively. "Now, how much for the wand?"
It was late afternoon by the time Harry finally exited Ollivander's with his new wand. Looking at his watch, Harry remembered that Jack was going out with Christy again tonight, and he had promised Row that the two of them would work on wandless magic together. Securing his belongings, he apparated back to their flat…
…and into a firestorm.
"I TOLD YOU I LEFT THE MESSAGE BY THE PHONE YOU GREAT PRAT! Row screamed.
"THEN WHERE DID IT GO, HUH?" Jack yelled back. "I TOLD YOU I WAS WAITING FOR HER CALL AND YOU DELIBERATELY IGNORED ME!"
"I DID NOT! YOU SPEND TOO MUCH TIME WITH HER ANYWAY!"
"HA! I KNEW IT! I KNEW YOU'D TRY SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU'RE ALWAYS-"
BOOM!
Both Jack and Row jumped a foot in the air before whirling to face a very annoyed Harry Potter.
"I don't know what you guys are arguing about," he said evenly. "But unless you want to hear another cannon blast charm, I'd suggest you tone it down a notch."
"But Harry, he-"
"Don't put me in the middle," Harry interrupted, holding up his hands. "I don't like her either, but she's Jack's girlfriend and he's a free man. I'm going to put these books in my library, let me know when you're ready for some practice."
"HMPH!" Row huffed, before storming off to her room.
Jack looked at Harry and shrugged. "Women, what're you going to do?" Harry shrugged back. "Well, thanks to Row I'm late, so I'll see you guys tomorrow," said Jack as he grabbed his coat. Harry gave a half hearted waved before making summoning his trunk and putting his new books inside.
When he was finished, he pulled out the first year potions book and began to read. Thirty minutes later, Row came out looking contrite.
"I'm sorry about earlier," she began. "I just don't like how Jack's been lately. And I really don't like that girlfriend of his."
"Don't worry about it," replied Harry nonchalantly. "She's enough to get on anyone's nerves."
"Ain't that the truth," Row snorted. "Whatcha reading?"
"First year potions," Harry replied. "I didn't want to end up with Snape as a tutor, but I don't want to be behind either."
"How's it going?"
"Not too bad, actually," Harry said as he gestured to the rest of the books around him. "From what I can tell, I'm well ahead of the third year curriculum in Charms, Defense, and Transfiguration. Actually, I've read most everything covered in History of Magic as well, although I skipped over some of the goblin rebellions. Astronomy is pretty self explanatory, so really the only subjects I'm behind in are Herbology and Potions. I figure I'll read the first two years of Potions first, then Herbology, and if I have time after that I'll look at the third year books."
"You're that far ahead, huh?" Asked Row, impressed. "How about the defense training you were doing, are you going to tell anybody about that?"
"Not if I can help it, no," Harry replied evenly. "Third year Defense Against the Dark Arts focuses mostly on dark creatures anyway, and that's a topic I pretty much ignored. As for the rest, I told you I got stuck in Transfiguration, right?" Row nodded. "Well, that actually ended up being a real problem, because I can't seem to conjure anything substantial." Seeing Row's confused look, he continued.
"Defense and Charms both come really easy to me, like I told you. So when I was finished with the regular books, I moved on to the advanced topics. The problem is, almost all advanced defense techniques involve some sort of high level transfiguration or conjuring. Like this spell," Harry summoned a book and opened it to a page for Row to read. "This is an advanced attack called a spell whip; it's basically a whip that you can charge with a specific charm or curse and use it to attack."
"Is that better than a regular curse?" Row asked.
"Well, you need a partially corporeal shield to block it," replied Harry. "A normal curse can be blocked by a weak magic shield, like protego. This can't."
"Corporeal..? Never mind." Said Row, shaking her head. "Go on."
"Well, I can cast the charm or curse on a whip no problem," Harry continued. "But if I can't reliably conjure a whip from my hand, the spell is worthless. Almost everything in here is like that; it's a combination of conjuring, transfiguration, charms, curses, and the like."
"Wow, this is some really advanced stuff, Harry," said Row as she flipped through the book. "Where did you get this?"
"I got it in Knockturn Alley a couple months back."
"You went to Knockturn Alley!" Row squeaked. "Isn't dangerous there?"
"It could be, but I was disguised," Harry replied evenly. "I got some other books there, but this was the only one worth anything. Actually, I got one other book that might be useful, it's supposed to be an introduction to ancient magic, but it's written in runes."
"Really?" Row looked interested. "I think Hermione is going to take runes as one of her electives next year. Are you going to take it too?"
"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I'm thinking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. I haven't read any good beginner books on either of those, and they look much more worthwhile than the other options."
"So basically you're going to be bored out of your mind in most of your classes," Row smirked.
"Probably," Harry shrugged. "Maybe I'll get a couple of the professors to work with me on an independent study type of deal. Although, that would probably bring some unwanted attention, so maybe not."
"Why don't you see if you can get into 6th or 7th years classes for charms and defense?"
Harry leaned back in thought for a moment before answering.
"If I can keep most of my skills secret, I'll have an advantage if someone decides to move against me," Harry replied slowly. "I can always reveal my extra knowledge later, so I'd rather keep it secret at first so I can see what Hogwarts has in store for me."
Row looked at him oddly. "You're really paranoid, you know that right?"
"I am what I am," Harry shrugged. "It's the only reason I'm still around."
Row continued to look at him with a frown before deciding to change the subject.
"What house do you think you'll be in?" She asked.
"Hmm, that's a good question," Harry said thoughtfully. "Dumbledore said my parents were in Gryffindor, so I'm sure that's where everybody expects me to end up. Of course, with my luck I'll end up in Slytherin."
Row wrinkled her nose. "That would suck. On the bright side, maybe you could beat some sense into a few of them."
"Maybe," Harry chuckled. "So, are you ready for some wandless practice, or has Hogwarts made you soft?"
Row took a deep breath and made herself comfortable.
"Ok, let's go."
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True to his word, Harry spent the next two weeks reading and practicing potions from the first and second year curriculum. Between studying, going to the dojo with Jack, and practicing wandless magic with Row, time passed quickly for Harry and before he knew it the day he was schedule to meet Remus Lupin had arrived.
"You're meeting at the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Yeah, then we'll probably go to someplace in regular London," Harry said as he checked his glamour in the mirror.
"You're not going to apparate directly there, are you?" Asked a concerned Row.
"Not directly, no," Harry replied. "I found an alley that's about a block away and I'm going to apparate there. I seriously doubt that they'll be an auror trap there, in any case."
Satisfied, Row wished him luck and Harry promptly apparated to the alley and made his way up the street to the Leaky Cauldron.
He'd been given only a brief description of the man he was supposed to meet, the most important detail being that he would be wearing a cloak with a gold phoenix embroidered on the breast. Harry spotted him almost immediately in the empty pub, and made his way over.
"Remus Lupin?"
Lupin looked at the young man in front of him in astonishment before remembering that he was disguised.
"That's me," he replied with a small smile. "Shall we be off?"
Harry nodded and led the way outside. Once they were safely away from the pub, he hailed a cab and the two of them headed to a small café. When they were seated, Lupin gave Harry an odd look.
"The headmaster warned me that you'd be under a glamour, but I must say it's still rather strange," he said with a chuckle.
"What were you expecting, Mr. Lupin?"
"Honestly, I thought you'd look like your father, right down the mop he called hair," Lupin replied. "And please, call me Remus."
"You were one of the people my parents wanted to be my guardian, right?" Harry asked, Lupin nodded. "What happened?"
Lupin fidgeted in his seat before looking back at Harry.
"Harry, I have a rather, uh, delicate condition," he began cautiously. "It's a very serious magical malady, serious enough that the Ministry of Magic passed a law stating that anyone with my..affliction..cannot legally raise children."
"Well, that clears it up," said Harry sarcastically.
Lupin cringed. "I'm sorry I can't be more specific, but-"
"It's ok," Harry said, cutting him off. "I understand. Some secrets have to be kept."
Lupin eyed him shrewdly but nodded. Harry considered him carefully before carefully phrasing his next question."Did the headmaster want you to talk to me about anything special?"
As Lupin began to answer, Harry entered his mind. He had asked that question specifically, hoping to get Lupin thinking of any conversations he and Dumbledore had concerning Harry. Almost immediately, a memory floated into his mind.
"Just tell him a little about his parents' days at Hogwarts," Dumbledore was saying. "How they met and how much they enjoyed themselves. He will want to connect with his parents, Remus, and he can only do that at Hogwarts." He finished twinkling.
"Anything else, headmaster?"
Dumbledore paused. "He does not need to know everything yet. It is important to keep the conversation positive, so do not tell him about Sirius's betrayal, that time will come later. Our first priority is to bring him firmly back into our world, Remus."
Harry pulled himself out of the memory and realized that Lupin was still speaking.
"…questions about your parents, I'll try to answer them."
"Who were my parents' other friends, the ones that died in the war?"
A dark shadow seemed to pass over Lupin's face, which did not go unnoticed by Harry. Tentatively, he extended his leglimency just enough to read surface emotions.
"Our other friends' names were Sirius and Peter. They were good friends, and I still miss them."
Harry could tell that what he was saying was only half-true, but he couldn't tell which part. Shrugging, he asked Lupin to tell him some stories of his parents' days at Hogwarts.
Over the next hour, Harry grew increasingly frustrated. Everything Lupin said was true, strictly speaking, and yet Harry knew for a fact that he was hiding something major. He was considering risking a full leglimency assault when Lupin abruptly got up looking at his watch.
"I'm sorry to leave you Harry, but I have to be back at Hogwarts soon."
"That's ok, Remus," Harry replied, hiding his frustration. "What's at Hogwarts, if you don't mind me asking?"
Remus paused before giving Harry a small smile.
"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you," he began. "I'm the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."
"Are you really?" Asked Harry, interested. "Well, according to my sister, the last teacher didn't leave you much to work with. I'll look forward to your class."
"Thanks Harry," said Remus with a kind smile. "If you'd like, I'd be happy to meet with you again. Maybe I could bring some of my old photos along…" he trailed off.
"I'd like that, Professor. Until then."
The two parted ways as Remus made his way to the apparition point by the Leaky Cauldron and Harry ducked into a deserted alley. Giving the alley a final glance for bystanders, he disaparated silently and reappeared in his room. Throwing his coat on the bed, he made his way to the kitchen.
"Hey Harry," Row greeted him from the living room. "How'd it go?"
"Well, he really did know my parents, that much was true," Harry replied as he made himself a sandwich. "But I caught a glimpse of Dumbledore telling him not to tell me everything, and he mentioned something about one of my dad's friends betraying him. I was trying to get more out of him the whole time, but all I could get was the sense that he was hiding something big, and that it still hurt him to think about it."
"What do you think it was?"
"Well," Harry looked thoughtfully at his sister. "Honestly, I think it's just more half truths designed to get me feeling good about Hogwarts. Something bad obviously happened and they don't want me to know about it in case I change my mind."
"Why didn't you just break into his mind and find it that way?"
"I didn't want to risk it," Harry replied. "The deeper I go, the more likely it is he'll catch me. He's obviously not an occlumens, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know what leglimency feels like. Plus if he caught me then he'd tell Dumbledore and that would bring a lot of questions I don't want to answer yet."
"So you can't trust this Remus guy then?" Row asked sadly.
"Not completely," Harry answered. "He seems to genuinely care about me though, and I know he cared about my parents. I guess I understand that he wouldn't want to talk about his dead friends, but it still irks me that they're trying to keep me in the dark."
"Just give it some time, Harry," Row replied thoughtfully. "They'll come around."
"Maybe." Harry just shrugged and sat down to eat his lunch.
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Malfoy Manor
Lucius Malfoy was sitting down to tea when his fire abruptly flared green and Severus Snape stepped out.
"Severus, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked silkily.
"Lucius," Snape nodded. "I have a rather interesting situation and am in need of your…assistance." At Malfoy's nod he continued. "You have no doubt been informed about the incident at Hogwarts regarding Miss Rowena Thomas."
Malfoy's eyes flashed in anger before he resumed his cool expression. "Your niece, I believe."
Snape looked shocked for a moment and Malfoy chuckled.
"Come now, Severus, I am nothing if not well informed."
Snape inclined his head in agreement and continued.
"It has recently come to my attention that Miss Thomas is currently living under the muggle guardianship of her squib brother." Malfoy's face contorted in disgust. "I quite agree, I assure you. I was hoping to secure a more… suitable magical guardian for her, without attracting unnecessary attention."
"A guardian like yourself perhaps?" Malfoy asked with a small smirk. Snape scowled. "Relax, Severus, your attitude towards children is well known. I am quite amused every time Draco mentions Professor Snape." He chuckled. "Of course, I'm sure the minister would understand the need for a change in Miss Thomas's guardianship. He is of a similar opinion on such matters, after all. Such things do take time, however."
"Of course," Snape replied smoothly. "She will be at Hogwarts for most of the year anyway. That should allow plenty of time to find a suitable replacement."
"Of course," Malfoy nodded. "Well, with the proper motivation, I'm sure we could have this matter settled sometime around the New Year. Would that be satisfactory, Severus?"
Snape smirked.
"Quite."
A/N You didn't think Snape was going out like a chump, did you? I hate the guy, but he's not a Slytherin for nothing.
Next chapter there's a few more things to wrap up and then Harry heads to Hogwarts. Then the real fun begins...