Chapter 12
It was the first quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. This was also Harry's first quidditch match. That morning, Ewan had noticed that Potter seemed nervous. 'Well so am I'. Ewan already started feeling apprehensive. He was defiantly going to be taking his wand with them. Though he was half tempted to not even go to the match at all.
Now as he stood with the other Ravenclaw's watching the match, he just hoped that someone catch the snitch and get the game over with. However, that wasn't the case when Harry's broom started acting erratic. Then of a sudden, he was hanging from his broom with only one hand. It took all of Ewan's will-power to not call his broom and fly to get his little brother. He didn't even realize he was holding his breath.
The Weasley twin's tried to help but the broom would just jerk away from them. Suddenly and thankfully, Potter was able to climb on his broom. All of a sudden he was flying to the ground, and then looked like he was going to be ill.
"I've got the snitch!" he shouted loud enough for Ewan to hear.
'That little bugger!' Ewan thought to himself, it didn't matter though, and he couldn't deny it, he was proud.
***
Finally, Christmas had arrived. Ewan, though he liked Christmas at Hogwarts he promised his parents he would come home this year. Jon wanted to celebrate Ewan's 14th birthday.
On Christmas morning, Jon went to wake Ewan up early, he called his name, turned on his stereo loudly, and then was half towards getting a cup of freezing cold water, when Ewan finally got up.
When he was done taking a shower and brushing his teeth, he noticed that Lara was already up and waiting for him so they could exchange gifts.
From Fred and George he got a box of dungbombs and sugar quills, their mum also sent him a new sweater. From Roger, he received a pair of blue and silver quidditch chaser gloves. From Liam, he received a book on Defense, 'This book is better than Quirrell's lessons'. From Le, he received another dictionary for ancient runes. Katie Bell sent him a picture of the two of them, he slightly blushed then hid it so no one would see. Lara and Jon gave him new clothes and some muggle books.
He even received two gifts from people he wasn't expecting, like Hermione Granger for example. She sent along a card that read: "Thank you for help saving me, I hope we can be friends." Along with the card she sent a box of chocolate frogs. The other unexpected gift was anonymous, as he unwrapped it something silvery and fluid like slipped out. It was a cloak. An invisibility cloak.
Jon and Lara's jaw dropped when their son went invisible "Wonder who sent it?" Lara asked.
Ewan picked up the note that came with it.
Your father left this in my possession before
he died. It is time it was returned to you and Harry.
Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas.
"Who is Harry?" asked Jon.
"He's my birth brother."
"You met him?"
Ewan nodded.
"Why didn't you tell us?" his father asked.
"I didn't tell anyone, actually. Harry thinks that Ewan Evan Potter is dead. Everyone in the wizardry world think Ewan Potter is dead! So I mind as well stay Ewan Tyler."
"That wouldn't be fair to Harry though" Lara pointed out.
"You don't understand" Ewan said sardonically.
"Then helps us understand." ordered Jon.
Ewan took a deep breathe. 'How to put this in term's muggle's would understand.' "Ewan and Harry Potter are… are famous. Very famous." He said. "Especially Harry, he's the boy-who-lived! Remember dad… when you found me… I was only three, it was November 1st?"
"I remember…"
"The night before, Halloween, a very evil wizard was… was trying to take over the wizardry world. My birth parents defied him. The evil wizard went to kill them, Harry and I as well. We were a threat to him…" he exhaled before continuing, "He came to our house, killed my…father, went after my mother… killed her. He should have went after me next but… instead he attack Harry. Harry was only 1 or so. Except, something happened, the evil wizards spell backfired and no one knows what happened to him." He finished.
"The night I found you, you were asleep in the streets…"
"The house was falling apart from the evil wizards spell; I was scared I thought everyone was dead. So I ran away from the house… I ran as long as I could, but I was so tired."
"How long have you known?" asked Lara who had tears in her eyes.
"Since first year." He confessed.
"Is Harry at Hogwarts now?" Jon asked.
"Yes, he's a first year Gryffindor."
"Okay, then we're going to meet him."
"What?"
"Harry is your brother… that makes him a part of this family. You shouldn't have to choose between you brother and us, when you can have both." Jon said.
Ewan smiled. Before his embarrassment stopped him he hugged both Lara and Jon. Then got up quickly.
"What are you doing?" asked Lara.
"I have ten years to make up to Harry." He said before he rushed off to his room. Jon and Lara held hands, they weren't expecting a second son, but they would accept him all the same.
***
After the holidays, Ewan made it his effort to say 'Hi' to Harry whenever he passed. At first it looked like this new behavior confused the black haired boy, 'probably thinks I have a mental disorder, I would think that.' He hadn't found good ways to tell Harry about him but he would get to it, before it was too late.
Things started distracting Ewan, like quidditch and homework. Quidditch was getting closer to the end of the season; if Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor then they would play against Slytherin for the cup. The question was 'if' Ravenclaw beat Gryffindor, it would be harder now that Harry was on the team.
It was morning one day when Ewan noticed a change in the giant house hour-glasses. 150 points were missing from Gryffindor. 'Harry.' It had to be, only Harry and Ron or the Weasley twins could cause this. His assumption was proven correct when he noticed everyone shunning Harry, Hermione, and another Gryffindor first year.
Then he remembered something. With Gryffindor in last place, Slytherin would surly win the house cup. 'Again!' he couldn't help but fell anger towards the three Gryffindor first years. 'Wait, this is Harry and Hermione here. Calm down' He decided then and there that he would talk to Harry.
"Hey Harry," he said sitting down at the Gryffindor table, "Look, whatever you did to lose all those points, I want you to stop."
"Why do you care?" the boy asked
"I'll tell later only if you promise to stop." He whispered, before getting up and heading to his first class.
***
Soon end-of-term examines were taking place. Ewan felt he done well. He thought that now that school was ending nothing bad could happen. He was wrong when he overheard Harry, Ron, and Hermione talking to Professor McGonagall, something about the Headmaster being gone and someone stealing a stone. They left her and stood in the middle of the hallway, Ewan was just out of sight.
Professor Snape came upon the trio and talked to them before leaving them. The trio then went to the steps with Ewan following. He then heard them planning about the forbidden third floor corridor. When they left Ewan rushed to the Ravenclaw tower got under his father's invisibility cloak and hid by the door separating the rest of the school from the third floor corridor.
Harry and Ron showed up but were quickly caught by Professor McGonagall. Ewan had a feeling that they would return, so he stayed. All day, all through dinner, and all night, he was practically starving when Professor Quirrell had come but he assumed the teachers were allowed. Finally close to midnight, the trio arrived. It was just luck that weren't caught.
He watched as Harry talked to Ron and Hermione.
After a minute, Harry went near to pull door. Ewan stood behind them, took off the cloak. "And what do you think you three are doing?" he asked, scaring the three.
"Ewan… we…we were just…" stuttered Hermione
"You were just going to sneak into a forbidden corridor and try and stop someone from stealing the stone, right?" Ewan asked
"How did you know that?" asked Ron in disbelief.
"I'm a Ravenclaw, I know everything. But explain to me why you're going after this stone…"
Quietly and quickly, Harry explained everything to Ewan. Ewan was shocked to say the least. He said that Snape was trying to steal the stone, and give it to Voldemort. He said that he saw Voldemort when he had to serve detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest one night.
"But Snape hasn't came through this door, trust me I've been watching it. The only one who has come to that door, other than you three is Professor Quirrell." argued Ewan.
"Then Snape has threatened Quirrell to do it, either way we must stop them from getting the stone."
Before Ewan could say anything else, they heard soft footsteps coming their way. Quickly all three ran into the forbidden room. The largest dog Ewan had ever seen, which had three head, was in it, sleeping.
"That's Fluffy, he belongs to Hagrid." explained Hermione.
Meanwhile, Harry was playing a flute to keep it asleep. Ron was pulling a trap door open.
"What can you see?" asked Hermione, her voice dripping with fear.
"Nothing – just black- there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."
Harry was pointing to himself to go first.
"No," Ewan said. "I know more spells than you three; I'll go first and call you when it's safe. Harry, you can jump next, followed by Hermione, then you Ron. Keep playing that flute; don't want to wake the beast up."
Harry handed the flute to Ron, who immediately started playing. Ewan took a look at his brother, then took a deep breathe and jumped down.
Once he landed he yelled up to Harry.
"You can come down, it's a soft landing!"
Soon, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were down below. Ewan was looking at the strange plant.
"What is this stuff?" asked Ron.
"It's Devil Snare, wraps it victims up then chokes then to death. If your calm, you're going to be fine." Ewan said. Hermione remember something she learned in Herbology, she then casted bluebell flames. Soon, the four were released. They continued walking down a stone passageway.
"Can you hear something?" asked Ron. "Do you think it's a ghost?"
"I don't know, sounds like wings to me." answered Harry.
"There's light ahead- I can see something moving."
At the end of the passageway, they entered a huge lit up chamber. They were bird like creatures. Ron and Harry were talking but Ewan was looking at the… things. Harry ran across the room. The creatures didn't attack him. The other two followed him and went to open the wooden door on the other side.
"They aren't birds." said Ewan, gaining their attention. "They're winged- keys."
"One of them must open this door" said Harry.
Harry, the youngest seeker in a century spotted the correct key. Ewan and Harry together went for it. They keys had all gone wild, trying to avoid capture. Harry was able to grab it and throw it to Ewan, who threw it to Hermione who opened to door; Ewan and Harry then flew through the door, while Ron slammed the door shut.
The next room was a giant chess board. Ron, who was undoubtedly the best chess player in all Hogwarts, took command. It turned out they weren't just playing chess, they were playing wizard chess. Pieces attacked and destroyed their opponents. Ron had to sacrifice himself so they could win.
Ewan told Hermione to stay behind with Ron, and try to get back to the surface to get more help. Harry, with Ewan continued ahead. They passed a room with a passed out troll in it. Then entered a room where there was only a table and seven potion bottles. There was a piece of paper lying on the table. Unfortunately for them, as soon as they entered a large fire block both entrance and exit.
"This must be Snape's."
Ewan looked at Harry; he wanted to say 'no duh' but stopped himself. Taking the paper, it read:
Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
"Where's Hermione when you need her?" asked Harry.
Ewan looked at Harry in disbelief.
"What?" asked Harry.
"Wood chuck chuck, remember." Said Ewan
Harry laughed. "oh yeah, that funny."
Ewan laughed also, "That was wasn't it."
"Back to the riddle." Said Ewan. "Remember I'm a Ravenclaw for a reason."
Ewan was in his element. Every 3rd year knew that Ewan was the best at potions in their year, and was quite good at riddles. After reading it a second time he grabbed a small bottle.
"This small one will get us through that door toward the stone."
"Can we both get through that door with only that much? It doesn't even look to be enough for one." Asked Harry
"Take a small sip then" Ewan said with vexation, handing the bottle to Harry.
Harry opened the bottle and toke a sip then gave it back to Ewan who drank the rest. Together they walked through the fire into the next chamber.
