Tracey sat down next to Daphne and put her arm over her shoulders "What's wrong Daphne?"
"That man…. I saw the pictures in his locket." said Daphne. "Of a bride and groom on their wedding day."
"Well… that's sweet" said Tracey.
"Tracey. That man was an adult Harry Potter. He even had the scar on his head." said Daphne "And the woman in the pictures… it was me, but older." she looked at the floor "Those were time travellers, and Cassiopeia Black… I suspect that was my daughter."
"What, with Harry Potter?" asked Tracey "He never talk – " Tracey paused and continued in a hollowly "– well apart from when his daughter from the future dragged him in here to see you."
"The same daughter that explained that Potter was a Black, and a distant Slytherin relation." said Daphne "Just in case her pure-blood mum was put off by him being a half-blood, pointing out his mum was effectively the heiress of the Slytherin line."
"So, given that he ends up tall dark and handsome, you going to ask him out?" asked Tracey, poking Daphne, with a slight smile.
"Of course not. It's not the done thing" said Daphne.
"Well if you're not interested I'll take him. He's still malleable, and grows up tall, dark and handsome and Hogwarts plays a trumpet when he arrives."
"It plays a serpens, a Celtic brass horn with a snakes' head" said Daphne.
"You are such a music dork" said Tracey fondly.
Lily came over and sat on Daphne's trunk "Daphne" she said "Those weren't who they said they were. Were they?"
"I don't have an aunt the age of the father." said Daphne. "If I did I'd know I had cousins my own age to play with, not my sister. They're all french and older, and think I'm very boring."
Tracey and Lily didn't comment on that.
"Who were they ?' asked Lily.
"Time travellers" said Daphne bluntly. "That was an older Harry Potter."
Lily looked at Daphne and Tracey and frowned "That's got to be illegal or something." she said. "Potter ends up quite dishy though. If that's his daughter, Potter marries that aunt of yours."
"I don't have an aunt on the Bathory side that's like mummy and I" said Daphne, and she sighed "And I saw the inside of his locket. It's… someone a lot like me in the locket. A wedding photo. And one of a bride throwing a bunch of flowers, which is odd, who would even do that."
"You've got sharp eyes" said Lily "I've got sharp ears; he knew who Tracey was already, and liked her."
"Everyone that knows me likes me" said Tracey "I'm just naturally lovely."
"Ignoring Davis's inflated ego, do you really think it's you?" asked Lily, "I mean with Potter… that seems a bit of a stretch."
"Don't imagine that, Imagine me married to the head of the house of Black, who on the quiet is also the head of Slytherin?" asked Daphne "Mummy would… well she'd be pretty happy. I could… well, I could see that working, and well… he was tall dark and handsome." Daphne looked off sightlessly into the distance.
"If Sirius Black's the head of Black now… and That was Potter, Sirius Black must die in the next decade or two. He's only in his thirties. That seems awfully young." said Lily. "Must get caught and kissed, I suppose."
"If he's innocent, the head of a major family has spent a decade or more in prison for… losing his mind with grief" said Tracey "Sound like the worst miscarriage of justice since Gilderoy Lockheart got mind-wiped."
-==0==-
A flustered-looking Professor McGonagall found Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the ground floor, and took them off to her office. They stood in a row before her desk, looking guilty.
"Hogwarts just made a very odd sound, that shook the Headmasters office. What did you three do?" she asked from behind her desk.
The three friends stood, stalwart in a row in front of her desk. "It's not our fault" said Hermione.
"It really isn't," said Ron, "It was all Cassiopeia Black."
"Cassiopeia Black?" asked Professor McGonagall "The only Cassiopeia Black I know died forty years ago."
"Um... this one's our age and goes to Beauxbatons with her twin brother Altair." said Hermione. "They used a … Jumper to come to Hogwarts to see about transferring next year."
"And what, pray tell is a Jumper?" asked Professor McGonagall.
"It's… like a portkey by they arrive like they're stepping out of an invisible seam" said Hermione "Blue glowing dust falls off them as they step out."
"So you three just happened to see the Miss Black and her brother arriving?" asked Professor McGonagall. "So you were off Hogwarts grounds at the time? Perhaps in the forest?"
"Um" said Hermione "She appeared on the fifth floor east hallway. We didn't see her brother arrive, but he arrived a bit later."
"So a couple of Beauxbatons students, who are Blacks, arrived inside Hogwarts for a little look?" asked Professor McGonagall, getting some parchment and making notes.
"Well… their dad turned up, and he was the one that made the horn noise happen. Cassiopeia says it always happens when he comes to Hogwarts, and nobody knows why" said Hermione.
"Which presents an obvious difficulty in this story" said Professor McGonagall. "So this mysterious Mr Black arrived after the children, and took them away?"
"After he um… talked to us and gave me a letter." said Harry.
"Oh really?" said Professor McGonagall. "I wonder who they really were then? Only one Black male I can think of is that age, and he's a wanted criminal."
"It wasn't Sirius" said Harry. "And I think I need an appointment to see Professor Dumbledore. The letter is notes for him, but… I'm the only one that can read it. It's written… in parsel."
"In Parsel?" said Professor McGonagall raising her eyebrows.
"Cassiopeia Black spoke Parseltounge too" said Hermione helpfully "And claims a few things about Harry's mother. That she was the heiress apparent of Slytherin, whatever that is. And that Harry's now Heir apparent…. And she and her father mentioned and Uncle Tom."
"That's probably best kept for Professor Dumbledore" said Harry hurriedly.
"So you claim that multiple persons appeared mysteriously, and they made the noise" said Professor McGonagall.
"Professor Snape saw Cassiopeia, and we um, got dragged to the Slytherin fifth year dorms to meet Cassiopeia's relative, Daphne Greengrass." said Ron "They look really alike, Hermione thought it was just Daphne Greengrass in glasses, but Cassiopeia really has got green eyes, not blue and is blind as a bat without glasses."
"Cassiopeia mentioned that like Daphne she's a Daughter of Bathory , whatever that means?" asked Hermione "And Professor Snape was… underwhelmed."
"She was a bit spoilt" said Harry. "And her dad was really cross. Only he didn't yell, or hit them or nothing. Just told her she was grounded. Till she was thirty."
Professor McGonagall's lips twitched, and she frowned "Potter, that's what better parenting than you had looks like" she explained.
-==0==-
The Headmaster's appointment, as usual, came on a letter, with a password and a time.
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger stood in front of the Headmasters Gargoyle.
"Ice Mice" said Harry, and the Gargoyle leapt to the side, exposing a set-back spiral staircase.
They started up it, and it began spinning, sending them upwards, stopping at heavy door.
"Come in Harry" said the Headmaster voice.
Harry went into the headmasters rather magical circular office. It was, as always full of odd things, and little silver instruments that blew puffs of coloured smoke, crowded onto spindly tables.
Behind the desk sat Professor Dumbledore, who looked ancient, bearded and wise, and his half-moon glasses glinted in the candlelight.
"And Miss Granger and Mr Weasley" said the Headmaster, sounding a little like he didn't want them there.
"Headmaster" said Harry "Mr Black came to see me… from…. France." said Harry "When he arrived, Hogwarts did that trumpeting thing."
"Mr Black?" asked the Headmaster "Our mutual acquaintance?"
"No" said Harry "But he knows Sirius. He… also spoke to me, gave me a letter. It's rather long and involved and ... maybe we should sit down."
"Well, Mr Weasley and Miss Granger can go back to their dorms. I'm sure – "
"It's about Harry's uncle Tom" said Hermione "If you know who I mean. And Mr Black spoke Parseltounge."
"Uncle Tom?" asked Professor Dumbledore. "Uncle Tom?" he repeated, more worried sounding.
"Can we sit please" asked Harry. "Ron and Hermione heard the conversation, met Cassiopeia and Altair Black; Mr Blacks children, and well… Ron and Hermione already know about Tom from second year. Or Voldemort, but Mr Black called him Uncle Tom."
"Uncle Tom" said Professor Dumbledore hollowly, and waved his hand, and three well padded chairs appeared, and the trio sat, in a row. Hermione took out her notes and propped them on one crossed knee.
Hermione read out her notes "We first met Cassiopeia Black on the fifth floor hallway. She used a Jumper to appear in the hallway, directly from Beauxbatons. She's a little shorter than me, has wavy blonde hair, and green eyes, and glasses."
"And looks a lot like Daphne Greengrass, her cousin" said Ron "But Cassiopeia claims Daphne's the prettier of the two."
"Guys… that bit's not so important." said Harry. "But. The Parricide bit's interesting."
"Oh yes" said Hermione "Apparently, Tom Riddle is the current head of the house of Slytherin. But he murdered Harry's mum, who was apparently Heiress apparent, and tried, as we all know to murder Harry. So he's a parricide."
"Which makes you-know-who a blood traitor, and Harry's other uncle" said Ron "Or something."
"Mr Black intimated that Lily Evans … was a Slytherin by blood?" asked Professor Dumbledore incredulously.
"And he spoke Parseltounge himself. As did his children" said Harry blandly. "Now that bit, you guys know."
Professor Dumbledore nodded encouragingly, but he had a frozen expression on his face, much like that time he got an earwax-flavoured Bertie-Botts bean.
"Professor, you probably want to do some privacy spells for this bit" said Harry.
"Privacy spells?" asked Professor Dumbledore.
"This bit's partly whispered to me, partly Mr Black looking me in the eyes, and… this letter" said Harry.
Hermione referred to her notes "Oh, and he said that he understood that Uncle Tom could be a real headache, but that he was giving Harry a list of where some of Uncle Tom's things were, and that of they were broken, he wouldn't come around again" said Hermione enthusiastically. Ron, of all people had a very thoughtful look on his face, like he'd just thought nineteen moves ahead in chess, or something.
"Bloody Hell" exclaimed Ron, but didn't explain.
Harry nodded, clearly Hermione was rubbing off on him. "So… I've got a list, written in Parsel. Oh, and I'm apparently an actual heir of Slytherin, according to Cassiopeia Black."
"Who looks like a cross between Harry and Greengrass, really." said Ron.
Professor Dumbledore stiffened. "And how did Mr Black arrive?"
"Oh he apparated inside Hogwarts" said Hermione blandly. "As he was wearing a locket that looks like the one in the painting of Salazar Slytherin in the Slytherin common room, I would personally guess that the horns are announcing the arrival of the head of the Slytherin family, except that could only happen if – "
"They were time travellers" interrupted Ron "And the dad DID seem really ticked off, in a really reasonable way. Quite scary, he was all polite, didn't yell, just... told his daughter she was grounded for thirty years. He didn't actually seem to be kidding." Ron looked thoughtful at that.
Harry unfolded the letter "So my… relative gave me this letter. And… he had a scar just like mine, only faded. Anyway, he suggested we have a talk with Uncle Alby. So here we are."
"Ah, can I see the letter?" asked Professor Dumbledore, and Harry opened it wide and turned it to face the Professor "Parsel-writing. I can read it, but… I suspect you just see – "
"A multiplicity of squiggly lines" said Professor Dumbledore.
"So anyway, here's the list" said Harry, looking at his letter.
"Locket: Grimmauld Place china cabinet. Regulus retrieved it. Harry will need to open it. Please destroy H. carefully." said Harry. "I expect because it's a family heirloom, of mine" said Harry grimly.
"Ring: Under floorboards of Gaunt Shack, Little Hangleton. Take backup, it's got a withering curse on it. Destroy ring, do not damage Stone. Belongs to Harry" said Harry. "Dunno what that's about."
"Diary: Harry has done this."
"Cup: Bellatrix LeStrange's vault. Suggest all LeStrange's die in Azkaban, after Sirius has ejected Narcissa from family. Sirius can collect."
"Diadem: In the room of requirement, in a drawer over by the statue of an ugly wizard with a wig draped over it. Walk past the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy three times thinking "I need the room of lost things" said Harry and shrugged "That makes no sense at all" he added.
"Barnabas the Barmy tried to teach trolls in tutus to ballet" said Dumbledore "There's a tapestry of that on the seventh floor"
"Snake: Not made yet, or Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton, York, HP14 3LA" said Harry.
"He put the postal code." said Hermione "How helpful."
"Harry has one. Perhaps ask Unspeakables." said Harry "Whoever they are."
"… OR let Tom try to kill Harry with a Killing curse" said Harry reading out, and he looked up and made eye-contact with the Headmaster "I don't like the sound of that really," Harry added.
Professor Dumbledore was looking horribly pale "Harry?" he asked.
"Well" said Harry "Then he had some kind of funny turn, started to cry and needed to look in the locket."
"It had a wedding photo in it" said Ron. "That Bloke and some blonde witch. Quite pretty."
"Then his children hugged him, and it was mentioned he'd spent time in Nurmengard, but that it had been a set-up, and a misunderstanding." said Hermione. "And that he was only there because he'd got so badly injured."
"And never wanted to go to Spain ever again" said Ron. "What's Spain like anyway?" Ron asked.
"Harry?" asked Professor Dumbledore, pulling over some parchment and a quill "I need the list again."
"He said not to. And this letter CANNOT get to Voldemort." said Harry "I wonder why?" he said.
Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath, held it and exhaled.
"Tom Riddle used a very dark magic… to prevent himself dying naturally. I will not even hint at the process, and there are no books at Hogwarts about it. Learning that magic will darken your very soul, and put you at odds with me" said Professor Dumbledore, suddenly just sounding like an old, powerful wizard. "The result is normally one object, which if kept safe, means the caster cannot die. Tom evidently decided to do it six times, for reasons."
"Like the Warlocks Hairy heart" suggested Ron "Only for dying, not feeling lovesick."
"Quite" said Professor Dumbledore "The list... is not what I anticipated. Time travel is almost certainly what happened."
"Well, you know how to go see Sirius… try not to break the locket. It looks quite handy." said Harry, who looked thoughtful "Shit," Harry swore. "The bloody basilisk was a family heirloom. And I killed it. Bugger."
"Language Mr Potter" said Professor Dumbledore. "If you truly are, as implied, the heir apparent, then… technically it was a … family pet I suppose."
"My Aunt's dog Ripper tried to eat me too" said Harry morosely. "All my family hate me. But… Uncle Tom more than most. Why does he hate me?"
"Erm… a prophecy." said Professor Dumbledore, "which... if the locket is truly Slytherin's locket… seems..."
"If you need to open it, and Harry's the only person apart from… uncle Tom who can, then..." said Hermione "Harry is the only one that can kill him. And… there's one in Harry? How does that work?"
"We will," said Professor Dumbledore mysteriously, "Have to find out later. Right now… perhaps Harry, I can prevail upon you to write the list out?"
"No" said Harry "As long as uncle Tom doesn't get the letter, I'm the only one that can read it."
"Harry?" asked Hermione "What did Mr Black whisper in your ear?"
"That Daphne Greengrass was a lot nicer than she seemed. And likes having her button hissed at. Whatever that means" said Harry. Hermione went pink in the face and hunched over, hands over her face.
'What's wrong with her?" asked Ron.
"You will" said Professor Dumbledore, seriously, "perhaps find out one day."
"So… the nearest one is … the house with Sirius in it" said Harry "Can't we just floo there?
"Ah…. We can I suppose, though how we will deal with it, I don't know" said Professor Dumbledore.
"Well… the sword of Gryffindor's got basilisk venom in it now" said Ron. "It's said it absorbs anything that doesn't destroy it, because its goblin made."
"Nah" said Harry "That'd put a bloody big hole in the back, like future me's one."
Hermione turned to stare at Harry, and Ron boggled, while Professor Dumbledore frantically packed something into a pipe.
"Oh come on" said Harry "It's blatantly me from the future. And I'm fated to marry her and have twins."
"It's possible" said Professor Dumbledore, taking a drag from his pipe "That changes already made will result in a different future."
"Well, as he was a bit mental" said Harry "I'm okay with changing the future."
"Oh my god" said Hermione "His children. They said his friends died in the war… and Cassiopeia and Old Harry freaked out at meeting Ron."
"Pardon my language sir," said Ron "but sod the future if I die in some bloody war."
"Basilisk Venom?" asked Hermione "It's terribly destructive."
"There's loads of teeth left in the head" said Harry.
Fawkes was woken up, and Professor Dumbledore and Harry vanished in flames.
They reappeared a minute or two later, Harry holding a crystal box, with a fang in it.
"It's in surprisingly good shape" said Harry "Bet someone will want that for potions ingredients."
"I'll look into it" said Professor Dumbledore.
"Uh… Professor… It's a family heirloom, and I killed it." said Harry "If you kill a dragon, you get to keep it … and I killed a basilisk."
"Same thing really" said Ron, casually chewing on a lemon drop. Possibly not his first, as the dish was nearly empty.
They flooed off to Grimmauld place, to see a dirty kitchen, and Sirius Black passed out at the table, empty bottles around him.
"He needs help" said Ron. "Seeing as how he's innocent."
A wrinkled, bent house-elf appeared with a pop.
"Thieves" croaked Kreacher.
"Hi Kreacher" said Harry "Just came to destroy that locket that Regulus brought home."
Kreacher blinked "Destroy Master Regulus's locket?" it croaked "I cannot."
"Professor Dumbledore is very good at this stuff, and I have special skills" said Harry. "Bring it please?"
Kreacher vanished with a pop and reappeared, holding a golden locket.
"Slytherin's locket" said Professor Dumbledore, sounding surprised "It's real"
"Kreacher, put it on the floor, I need to stab it really carefully" said Harry.
Kreacher shook his head "Won't work" he croaked.
"Look Kreacher, It's late, I'm tired, " said Harry, "and I'm heir apparent Slytherin. That's Slytherin's locket, with something in it that you-know-who put in it. I can open it, and once it's fixed, we'll put it back in the china cabinet, and later, after my uncle Tom dies, I'll have it."
"Half-blood filth" croaked Kreacher.
"Kreacher" slurred Sirius, who seemed to have woken up "Do what Harry says. I'm adopting him!"
"Bad Master" grumbled Kreacher.
"Kreacher, just put it on the floor, I need to stab it" said Harry.
Kreacher grumbled, and Harry bent over and looked at it "The S looks a bit like a snake." he said.
"He just hissed $open$ at it." mused Harry, partly hissing. The locket clicked. Kreacher stiffened like a gun-dog scenting prey.
Harry opened the crystal box and pulled out the tooth, and Kreacher helpfully opened the locket. Inside, was a glass cover, and behind it, a blinking human eye, but red.
"Bloody Hell" said Ron, as Harry gently poked the glass with the fang-point. Venom oozed onto the glass, and the eye blackened, and the glass snapped, a jet of black smoke shooting into the room, to make a small black cloud, and with a loud scream, so loud the plates rattled, it faded.
"Bloody hell, I'm hung over" said Sirius "That was awful."
Harry gingerly put the fang back in the crystal box and closed it.
"Um. Professor Dumbledore… can you clean the inside?" he asked.
Kreacher picked up the open locket and carried it to the Headmaster, who bent down, and pointed his wand at it, and carefully waved his wand. The cracked glass stopped looking oily, and with a click, re-formed. The locket was… empty.
"Well Kreacher, pop that back in the cupboard." said Harry "Till Uncle Tom's dead."
"Who's Uncle Tom?" asked Sirius groggily.
"Voldemort." said Harry "He's a Slytherin, and so was mum, apparently. Green eyes are a tip-off, as is speaking to snakes."
Sirius fainted back onto the table.
-==0==-