The Half-Giant Family
Chapter 2: A Trip to Gringotts
Hagrid woke to the sound of soft cries coming from the crib next to his bed. He blinked blearily as he sat up and gently pulled the toddler from the crib, holding him close and rocking gently.
"Hey, little one, it's okay. I'm here. What's the matter?" Hagrid said in a soothing voice as he raised the little one enough to smell if the issue was a dirty nappy.
It was.
He stood slowly and walked over to the changing table that had been set up and filled with everything he needed. He changed the nappy, put Harry into a clean outfit of some soft trousers that had little dragons on them, and a plain white, long-sleeved top. He also put on some tiny white socks and a pale grey baby cardigan that made Harry look adorable. He then took Harry into the living room to feed him.
As he was just starting to feed the little one, making little cooing noises as Harry did the same, there was a knock on the door and Hagrid called the person in, smiling at a nervous Severus as the young man entered and closed the door quietly behind him.
"Morning, Sev," Hagrid said, his voice soft as he looked at the bloodshot eyes the other man had.
"Morning," Severus said, sitting in one of the large wooden chairs at the table.
"Did you get any sleep?"
"Not much,"
Hagrid nodded.
"Can you take Harry so I can go get ready?"
Severus nodded and Hagrid gently passed the boy over, smiling as Harry beamed at Severus and patted his cheek gently.
Severus smiled down at the boy in his arms as Hagrid left to his bedroom. He couldn't stop himself. The boy just called to him, to his instincts that he had hidden for so long.
Severus couldn't stop himself from stroking the small pale cheeks with his index finger, or running his fingers through the soft hair. He had Lily's eyes and it twisted something in Severus' heart, as did seeing the resemblance to James. But he found himself surprisingly able to move past those things. Harry wasn't them. He wouldn't be them. He would be himself. Whoever he was meant to be. And Severus couldn't help but want to love and protect him. His instincts had gone into overdrive in ways that they never had before.
He heard the bedroom door creak and looked up to see Hagrid smiling at him gently, with love and care in his eyes.
"I think you should tell Albus, Sev," Hagrid said as he sat back in his large armchair.
"Tell Albus what?" Severus asked, confused.
"That you're a bearer,"
The world seemed to stop for a moment for Severus. No one was meant to know. Only him. He had never told anyone. He couldn't. He didn't want to be used for it. He couldn't be. He…
"Severus, there is no need to be scared. I am not going to hurt you, or use you. The only ones that know are me, Filius, and the creatures in the forest. Creatures who accept their creature side are the only ones who are able to sense it in someone. And, there are a number of things that you have done over the years, including now, that showed me you are one. The way you looked after the younger students who were being bullied, or just were hurt in general. The way you are looking at Harry, the way you hold him. Your power, your ability with wandless magic, potions, herbology. The way you became a Death Eater to protect the younger students who were going to be forced into it too soon, not because you actually wanted to be one. The way you became a spy and have been saving children, or trying to since then,
"I'm not going to tell anyone, neither are the others. It is your secret to tell and we understand why you might not want to. But I do think, only if you want to, that you should tell Albus,"
"Why?" Severus choked out as Harry finished drinking his milk and dropped his bottle on the floor. Severus smiled down at the boy and wandlessly levitated it over to the table.
"Albus isn't going to give up on sending Harry to Petunia, we both know that. He only gave in last night because he wanted to come up with a plan. But, if you come out to him, then why would he want Harry anywhere else? Especially with Petunia. A bearer's magic is more powerful than any witch or wizards could be. Especially when they are protecting a child, even if that child isn't theirs. Albus would have no choice but to let us raise Harry. I felt that you were holding back yesterday, probably to not announce to him what you were, but if you tell him, then he can't do anything, especially since you know Petunia personally and he doesn't,"
Severus looked at Harry, not sure what to say. Not even sure how to feel that people knew his secret. That they could see through the masks he had worn for so long. Though, he supposed that Hagrid had been one of the only ones he had ever let in. It was hard not to when the friendly half-giant wouldn't stop looking after him and no one else would even try to.
But he was right. He did hold back yesterday. He kept a tight hold on his magic, his abilities, his emotions. Always. No one could know.
But Harry couldn't go to Petunia. He knew her. He knew what she would do to him. What her husband could and would do to him.
He had to protect Harry.
"Mummy," Harry said happily, patting Severus' cheek with a grin on his face.
Severus' heart twisted in pain.
"No baby, mummy isn't here," Severus couldn't stop himself from saying.
"Yeah, you mummy now," Harry said slowly, his little lip trembling.
"Harry, I'm not your mummy, baby. Lily was your mummy, but she's gone,"
"Li-ly mummy gone. You here,"
The words dug into Severus' heart, but he knew that Harry was young, much too young to truly understand.
"You mummy now," Harry said again and all Severus could do was shake his head.
He would get Harry to stop calling him that. He was sure he could. It wasn't fair to Lily.
"We should go to Gringotts, they should be open now," Hagrid said, smiling sadly at the two.
Severus nodded and stood up, Harry still in his arms securely.
They walked to the gates in silence, mostly anyway, Harry kept babbling away in Severus' arms and the bearer's heart smiled at the little talk and the warmth emitting from the baby.
Despite the fact that Severus had never wanted anyone to know about his gift, he always found himself hoping, desiring a family of his own. He wanted to be a mum more than anything else, no matter how his life had turned out so far and what he portrayed to people. He couldn't stop those desires. He had always hoped that he would find someone he could trust enough, love enough, to tell them his secret and that they would make a family for themselves. That he would get the one thing he had always wanted.
But it hadn't happened yet. He knew he was only twenty one, he had time, but it was difficult for him to trust anyone. And with everything that had already happened he didn't think it was in the cards. At least, not any time soon. Though his mind and heart couldn't stop hoping.
Severus apparated them to Diagon Alley, and calmed the fussy baby in his arms when they had landed. All the while not saying anything to the half-giant standing next to him, watching him with a sad yet happy twinkle in his eyes.
"Mummy," Harry groaned into Severus' chest.
Severus' heart twisted again, "I'm not your mummy, Harry," he whispered.
"Yeah, are," Harry nodded.
Severus sighed and started walking towards the bank, Hagrid following close behind.
Thankfully the Alley was quiet at that time in the morning, barely anyone was around, and those that were didn't pay attention to the three, despite Hagrid's size and the mask that Severus was wearing as he stormed forwards.
…
They were sat in King Ragnok's office, which was a shock to both Hagrid and Severus, but little Harry just babbled away at them, a grin on his face, though his eyes seemed to be looking for something, or someone, as he bounced on Severus' leg.
"I must admit that I am rather glad your Albus Dumbledore didn't bring him in, and that it was you two instead. Not that I expected Mr Dumbledore to bring him in at any point, but you never know, miracles can happen," King Ragnok said.
"You were expecting Harry?" Severus asked, curiously.
"Not expecting, per se. More hoping someone would bring him in for the reading of his mother's will, instead of just putting him anywhere and leaving him to flounder around on his own with no knowledge of… well, anything. Which is exactly what the late Lady Potter was worried would happen, especially if Dumbledore involved himself. She was particularly worried that if Harry were to survive her and her husband then the Headmaster would place him with her muggle sister,"
"He wanted to, King Ragnok," Hagrid said, "I was meant to take Harry there but I couldn't after what Lily had told me about her,"
"Good. You did well. I don't doubt, though, that Mr Dumbledore is rather unhappy though," the two nodded in response, "Of course. First things first, I will need an inheritance test from each of you, just as a formality. Then we will read Lady Potter's will and everything else will follow,"
The two nodded again and the King of the goblins pulled three identical blank parchments, three potions, and three tiny knives out of the top drawer on his desk. At the sight of the knives Severus couldn't help but hold Harry closer, trying to protect him from them, almost growling at the goblin who smiled at him knowingly.
"It's alright, young bearer, the knife won't cause the little one any pain, and you can heal the cut straight away. We goblins do whatever we can to not hurt a child. He is safe with us. I swear it," the goblin said and Severus relaxed somewhat, but was still tense and had his arms around the baby protectively.
"It's okay, Severus. They wouldn't hurt him, especially with a bearer so close," Hagrid said, and Severus relaxed a little more.
Severus only relaxed fully when he was allowed to take the knife and cut gently into little Harry's hand, sighing in relief when the child made no show of pain and just continued to smile at him.
When the tests were done they all read them, shock and other emotions passing over their features when they read Harry's and Severus'.
Harry James Potter
DOB: 31/07/1980
Mother: Lily Rose Potter nee Evans
Father: James Fleamont Potter
Godfather: Sirius Orion Black
Godmother: Alice Longbottom nee Fawley
Inheritances:
Heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter
Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black
Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Gryffindor
Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell
Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Slytherin
Abilities:
Bearer
Intuition
Health:
Horcrux of Tom Marvolo Riddle (also known as Lord Voldemort) in forehead scar
And Severus' read:
Severus Tobias Snape
DOB: 09/01/1960
Mother: Eileen Snape nee Prince
Father: Tobias Snape
Inheritances:
Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Prince (can become Lord)
Heir to the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Ravenclaw (can become Lord)
Abilities:
Bearer
Master of Potions
Spell Crafter
Master of Defence
Master of Herbology
It was a shock to Severus that he could become Lord to those two Houses. He had thought that his mother was disowned by a Muggle, and he hadn't even known that he was part of the Ravenclaw Line.
Then he glanced back over at Harry's parchment and saw that word again.
Horcrux.
Harry was a Horcrux.
The Dark Lord had created Horcruxes.
He wasn't truly dead.
Harry was a Horcrux.
He held Harry close as his mind and emotions got the best of him. He couldn't stop it. His mind was screaming at him to protect this child. And he would. He would do anything to make sure Harry survived this.
He looked at King Ragnok, "Please tell me you have a way of getting rid of the Horcrux without killing him," Severus almost begged.
Hagrid gasped, looking both shocked and scared.
"I'm sorry, Heir Ravenclaw-Prince, but I don't know of a way. I promise you, though, that the goblins will do everything in our power to aid you in the search of one, or in creating one," Ragnok said, and Severus nodded, swallowing thickly as he tried to put his mask back into place.
"What's a Horcrux?" Hagrid asked, worried.
"A Horcrux is a container, living or inanimate, that holds a part of someone's soul. This piece of soul ties the person who created it to this world so that they can't die, or stay dead, because there is part of their soul still alive. The only way to create a Horcrux is through a ritual performed either shortly before or shortly after you murder someone. And the only way to kill someone who has created them, properly, is to destroy the Horcruxes. Currently the only known ways to do so is to destroy the containers beyond repair, basilisk venom, or in the case of living beings, death," Ragnok said when it was clear that Severus wasn't going to say anything.
"So… You-Know-Who is still alive," Hagrid received two nods, "And Harry is a Horcrux?" two nods, "So Harry has to die for You-Know-Who to die?"
Severus flinched, his arms tightening around the toddler in his arms a little more, wanting nothing more than to protect him from the world.
"Unless we are able to find something else, yes," Ragnok said.
Hiya my lovelies, how are you all?
Merry Christmas! I hope you all have an amazing day, even if you don't celebrate it. And if you are celebrating something else, or have recently, then I hope you enjoyed yourselves! I also hope you enjoyed this chapter. What kinds of things would you like to see moving forward? The next chapter will be the rest of the Gringotts trip, but is there anything you might like to see later on?
I have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are all welcome to join if you want to and are able to. It is where we can discuss Harry Potter, fanfics, life, share memes and more. It is also where I have a sort of update schedule and will be keeping you up to date on what I am working on and such, both fanfics and original works. So if you want to join I am more than happy to accept you all.
I hope you are all having an amazing day!
Kind regards,
Paige xx
