Slytherins Secret
AN: I'm glad that so many of you like my Arthur, he shouldn't diverge much from canon, just stand up to Molly more, my logic on a lot of that generation's problems are that they are 'Dumbledore's children'. They all went through Hogwarts with good old Dumbels as head and he's not so good at teaching people to moderate their behaviour/stand up for themselves.
Chapter Twelve: Parting
Harry followed the Weasleys down to the public Floo in the little room attached to the great hall, they were some of the last to leave, but his closer friends in Gryffindor had also waited in order to say goodbye. A round of hugs from the chasers and a 'good to see you up and about mate' from Dean and Seamus wasn't technically much, but Harry appreciated the gesture and made a mental note to pay better attention to his friends in the future. His parting from the Weasleys was a little silly but he appreciated the twins lifting what could have been a sombre parting, he 'solemnly swore' (although why that wording was so important to the two reprobates he could hardly fathom) that he would be keeping in contact with them, by at least weekly owl, so that they wouldn't worry about their 'littlest brother' then waved them all goodbye.
Only Neville remained in the Gryffindor second year boy's dorm, apparently his Gran had decided that her prior plans couldn't be disrupted for such a minor reason. Harry certainly sympathised with Neville, he got the impression that his Gran cared about him at least a little, but she was not the best guardian and being all alone in Longbottom manor couldn't be fun… he was sure there was an idea in there somewhere.
Walking back into Gryffindor tower Harry saw that it was largely deserted, most wizarding children had left, the last exams were over as of this morning and except for the first years most Muggleborns had wizarding friends they could go to before being taken home. Hermione had been invited to leave with the Weasleys but had decided instead that she didn't want to miss this chance to devour the library, most of the Ravenclaws had left along with all but a few of Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Colin Creevy (the strange, excitable, fan boy) was thankfully gone; a teacher had taken him home to be with his parents almost as soon as he recovered from his petrification. Glancing around, Harry only recognised one person in the common room, Neville was curled up in an armchair with a thick Herbology tome on his lap, so Harry shrugged and wandered over. "Hey Neville, looking up something for your greenhouses?"
The shy boy glanced up and seemed surprised to see Harry, they were casual friends, but poor Neville always looked a bit shell-shocked when somebody wanted to spend time with him. "Harry! You're out of the infirmary, are you alright, you not going to have problems are you?" His voice dropped on the last and Harry heard the underlying question 'you're not going to be a nearly squib like me are you?'
"I am, ah sweet freedom!" Harry spun in a circle with his arms out grinning, "Nah I'm good Nev, no long term problems, Madam Pomfrey has me on daily, then weekly check-ups though, apparently I'm going to have to work my way back up to the level of magic use needed for third year spells, but I should be fine by the end of the summer." Harry reassured him.
"Oh, I'm glad, Harry could you, y'know, um tell me about what happened?" Neville blurted suddenly, he was so used to being pranked he probably didn't know how much of the stories floating about could be trusted. "If you don't want to that's fine, it's just some of the stories are a bit crazy, I mean one of them had you fighting You-Know-Who with a sword and the another had a gigantic basilisk in a girls bathroom!"
Harry couldn't help it, he looked at the derision on Neville's face and burst out laughing, he wasn't sure why, but talking about his life to Madam Pomfrey, Salazar, Dobby and now Mr Weasley seemed to have made the process easier, he honestly wouldn't mind telling Neville. "You want the full length version Nev?" He asked plopping down in a chair across from the plump boy.
Neville looked surprised at his agreement (he had probably expected to be brushed off or ranted at) either that or he was confused by Harry's new nickname for him, but he responded. "Full version if you don't mind, I've not seen much of you this year, I thought after the end of last year you didn't want…"
Harry cut him of "Oh Nev I'm sorry, we weren't angry with you, it's just, well it'll make sense when I tell you, but with all the Heir stuff I kinda fell back into old habits and isolated myself, you know I only really got comfortable talking to people at the end of first year."
"Oh, I'm glad, I thought you had decided I wasn't worth continuing the alliance with when I found out about it over the summer." He brightened up considerably.
"Alliance? I just found out that the Potters were and Ancient and Nobel house and that I'm the Heir not a distaff line, I'd been hoping to find out about the traditional stances and alliances." He lowered his voice and muttered mostly to himself "Wasn't sure how, I can see the signs that the library has been carefully purged of certain books, or possibly the books have been spelled so that nobody can find anything on the Potters."
Neville frowned, he had been surprised that Harry knew so little about his family and knew he had been researching, but assumed he at least knew the basics. "But that's illegal, as the last of your line you are supposed to be being taught everything about it!"
"I know, not much I can do, don't want to risk being obliviated… so the alliance?"
Neville looked horrified but answered his question about their alliance anyway. "Yeah, Gran was pleased when my marks came in at the middle of my year, said 'maybe I wasn't a totally hopeless wizard after all even if I couldn't hope to fill my Dad's shoes', anyway she decided I deserved to start learning some of the Heir's role. Apparently the Potters have been allies with the Longbottoms for at least twenty generations, we've intermarried a time or two in the direct line and more often in the further family, not that either of us have much of that left."
"Cool, so we're practically family yeah?" Harry found he rather liked that idea, Ron might be like a brother but this was better.
"Yeah not close cousins but still related, I think my Mum might have been your godmother and the other way around" Neville sniffed and hunched up a little.
Harry lent forward and tentatively placed a hand on his arm, "Nev what, what happened to you parents mate, you never talk about them, but I don't get the impression that they're dead?" Harry crossed his fingers where Neville couldn't see and hoped he hadn't just overstepped the boundaries of their tentative friendship.
"Not dead, almost wish they were sometimes, they just lie there, Gran makes me see them every Christmas and in the holidays, it's awful." His voice was a flat, then he took a deep shuddering breath and looked up at Harry "They were tortured to insanity Harry, a few days after the end of the war, Death eaters looking for their Lord caught them outside of the wards." he explained in a growl.
"Oh God Nev, I'm sorry I asked you, I shouldn't have pried"
"It's alright, I-I've never talked about it, might help to have somebody who knows, Ron might, but then his Mum is a bit determined to keep her kids in the dark, like all the evil in our world will leave us alone if we bury our heads in the sand." The end was snarled angrily and the anger might have been aimed more at his stifling grandmother than at the absent Molly Weasley.
"Guess that explains your Gran, if you're more like your Mum but she keeps comparing you to him… Damn Nev I'm sorry, that's worse than everyone thinking me a carbon copy of my Dad, despite the fact that I know nothing substantial about him."
Neville smiled slightly "thanks Harry, I don't know if I'm like my Mum, Gran didn't really know her that well since, like your parents, they hadn't been married long when-when what happened, happened."
"I wish we could find out more, about both of our parents, if I ask people I just get the Gryffindor, Head boy- Head girl spiel, that doesn't really help me feel like I know who they were, hell I don't even know where they are buried."
Neville looked up sharply at that "What! Surely you've been…"
"Nope!" Harry cut him off "And I have asked, it's not written down, and guess who saw to the arrangements after their death?"
"Judging by some of Gran's comments that would be the Headmaster."
"Right, he seems to have an unnatural interest in my life, and …" Harry caught himself before mentioning the blocks, he would probably tell Neville, but not until they were away from the school "and it's just a tiny bit creepy to be perfectly honest."
Neville snorted, "I think you must be the only student that's spoken to him directly in years, and with what you said about the aftermath to the chamber… actually there might be way we could 'meet' our parents, at least sort of…"
"Nev?"Harry prompted as the plump boy lost himself in his thoughts.
"Uh right, well there might have been diaries, I know boys don't tend to bother, but obviously You-Know-uh Riddle did, at least our Mum's might have. Gran talks constantly about how great Dad was but I don't know much about him as a person, I don't know who his first crush was, or where he liked to go at the manor, basically who he was when he wasn't acting the part of the Longbottom Heir."
"Well you might be able to find something like that in their old rooms but…"
"No, no it'd be in the vaults most likely, my parent's personal ones went back into the main Longbottom accounts, but I think the house elves can get them for me." His face fell,"oh I'm sorry Harry, you probably can't get into your vaults, I can wait until we're older."
"Nev it's wonderful of you to offer, but it's alright, I'll check the vaults I have access to, just in case, but I want you to be able to meet your Mum, besides, if she was my Godmother then there would be stuff about my Mum in them, you could tell me whatever isn't too personal." Harry smiled gratefully, Neville was so selfless it hurt to watch, but Harry figured he could be a great friend or ally, he felt more than a bit guilty for accidentally ignoring the other boy, but he had thought he was avoiding him rather than deal with the whole Heir of Slytherin business (which now never failed to draw a wry smirk to his lips). It was often hard for him to predict what people who actually liked him would do or think and he had forgotten the other boy's painful shyness in his own insecurities.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" it visibly cost Neville to offer again, but he still did it.
"Go ahead Nev, least I can do after accidentally ignoring you all year, I thought you didn't want to be around me because of the whole Heir thing." Harry blushed embarrassed at his admission now that he realised he had been accidentally pushing the other boy away.
"Thanks Harry and you don't need to make it up to me, it's not like you meant to!"
"Well alright then, now that that's out of the way why don't you tell me what you're plotting for your greenhouses this summer?"
Neville's face lit up and he became much more animated as he pulled a meticulously organised folder from under the book he had been reading "Oh its going to be great, Gran says if I'm in the middle of the year again and my Herbology grades stay up she'll buy me a new greenhouse for my birthday, I'm going to start some cuttings just in case and Professor Sprout is letting me take cuttings of some of the safer plants from her greenhouses. I have a really exciting project as well, I've been working on cross pollinating two varieties of shrieking daisy and I'm hoping the hybrid seed will be a success…"
Harry pleasantly spent the remainder of the afternoon chatting to Neville about nothing important, and incidentally being granted a wealth of context for his Herbology lessons. When it was time for dinner both boys were reluctant to break of their conversation and eat but Harry's stomach was demanding in light of his recent healing and would not be denied.
Later that night when Harry had once again travelled down to the Chamber Dobby returned, flushed a dark green with the success of his mission.
"Master Harry, Dobby is hoping you is well?" the devoted creature asked bouncing in place. Already knowing the answer thanks to their bond, he continued speaking before Harry could even nod. "Dobby has the start of answers for Master Harry, he is being ables to travel to Master's homes and is gettings some knowledge from being bonded, not all is current and Dobby cannot go to Gringotts until you is registering him but he cans be answering some of your questions!"
"Um thanks Dobby, that's brilliant, I guess the first one is homes? I have only ever lived in one place and I would not really call it a home."
The elf's ears dropped "Dobby is knowing Master Harry, Nasty Muggles is not deserving to have the sweet master in their home. Master owns many homes; he cannot live there until he reaches his majority or is allowed entry to the Potter vault which will probably be the same, Dobby is sorry Master." The elf had a look Harry recognised, a slightly crazed glint suggesting that he had failed and was preparing to punish himself.
"Dobby!" Harry's voice cracked sharply pausing the elf as he was about to start twisting his ears, he continued more softly "Dobby stop, you haven't done anything wrong, and I do not want you punishing yourself ever! You are bound to me as a friend, sort or a liegeman, not a slave; I will not have you hurting yourself."
"Dobby is sorry Master Harry, he was forgetting…"
"It's ok Dobby, I tend to fall back on acting the way the Dursleys wanted when I'm not thinking, I just don't ever want to see you hurting, you are my friend after all." Harry smiled slightly and Dobby launched himself at his legs muttering incoherently about best masters and great wizards.
When Dobby came back to himself he backed up a step and looked at Harry critically "yous is hungry, not as much as before, but Dobby wills be getting you something and your Fawkesy cans be healing you again" he disappeared with a pop reappearing about a minute later with a delicious looking yoghurt, toasted cereal and fruit compote. "Here Harry sir, light food with all the good things you is needing, you will be eating it all" he glared at Harry, who wondered if the concoction would be poured down his throat should he refuse, not that he had any intention of spurring the delicious looking snack.
Fawkes trilled happily at him ~you are making good progress nestling, when we are done you will be as you should have been, this way is much better than the potions regimen Madam Pomfrey would have been forced to use, she might have needed to entirely regrow your bones.~ He sounded as angry as a bird personifying peace could about Harry's prior physical state.
For his part Harry reached his hand up to stroke the miraculous bird's chest and nuzzled into him slightly, smiling softly ~thank you my friend, you are brilliant, I've certainly no desire to ever drink skelegrow again, I know it must be painful for you to be caught between your current companion and a potential new one.~ Harry apologised guiltily.
~Oh nestling, don't be sorry, this is how it always works, we are allocated a span in which to guide our companion, we do not always stay for all of their time on this earth, if I had not know that you would need me at Hogwarts I would have left Dumbledore over twelve years ago when his grip on reality began to slip. Sadly to bond before your magical maturity could be very damaging for you, Now say 'ahhh'!~ He trilled in amusement and Harry could hear the bird's amusement, so he stuck his tongue out at the chortling phoenix before opening his mouth, tilting his head back and saying "Ahhhh" in a very pointed manner. As Fawkes trilled a sound like liquid glass running down his spine and cried a single pearly tear in to his mouth, Harry felt the magic between them swirl like leaves on a blustery day, he tried to analyse the feeling that again enveloped him as his swallowed that miraculous tear but could not, except that he was sure it was a positive thing.
He immediately tucked into his food, the tear making him hungry in its need for resources to heal his malnourished body, and waved for Dobby to resume his explanation from where he was standing enthralled by the phoenix song which was all he could hear as the future companions conversed. Salazar sensing his intent sighed in exasperation but interpreted anyway "Please continue elf, you were describing homes?"
"Oh yes, Master's homes are all being sealed and will need some tending now that he has an elf again, but when master is old enough he has many properties. Several holiday homes, the land at Godrics' Hollow, and the old manor are unoccupied, various other properties, homes and businesses are being leased out, Dobby only knows about Potter homes, not other vaults, he is sorry."
"Don't worry Dobby, I intend to go with you to Gringotts soon after school is out, we will look at access requirements and add you to any vaults possible, it's good that I already have a home for when I leave Hogwarts, if I can get partial access you might be able to get anything stored in those homes." Harry reassured his faithful friend.
"Child I suggest you investigate which businesses you lease too and any stock or shares you own, there's always the chance you own something useful such as a weapons or armour manufacturer or potions supplier."
"Thank you ancestor I will, so then Dobby what can you tell me about my family?"
"Oh lots and lots, masters family is always associated with protection, first wards were runic clay tablets buried under the hearthstone and Potter family came from there! Emblem is of a white stag and rearing griffin divided by a sheathed sword, stag is spiritual, it is associated with the soul and was added when the Pevrells married into the Potter line, Griffin is for courage, a guardian, sheathed sword means protection or the victory of peace. Master Harry is related to nearly everybody in wizarding world, not necessarily closely, his father's mother was a Black, and the line his grandfather Evans came from was not just related to Slytherin, Dobby will hopefully find a family tree tapestry, but he cans be telling you some of it now."
Harry spent as long as he dared just learning about his complicated family tree and the deeper meanings behind the family emblems, but didn't neglect his fencing training and mediation, not that Slytherin would have let him! When he went to sleep he dreamt of a large white stag running through his mind and chasing away the bad dreams, and just before he work he smiled and whispered 'Prongs'.