AN:/ As always I would like to let it be known that I do not own Harry Potter as that honor goes to J.R. Rowling. I would also like to thank my beta and friend AlphaFlash for his assistance in both running beta and for helping me come up with ideas for my writing. Something I forgot to mention last time was that this fic will be getting updated every Friday. So I hope I give you something else to anticipate other than the weekends!
Chapter 2
Harry's earliest memory from his new life was when he was four. It was the time when his parents had taken him to the Grand Canyon in Arizona. They had gone out on the skywalk to observe the canon. It was a beautiful sight and he had been pulled back from the edge by his mother who was afraid of heights.
It had taken both him and his father holding her hands to get her to come out with them. It had been his first trip he had ever been on that he could remember, and he knew it would always hold a place in his heart.
As the next few years went on, he found that he did not think of James and Lilly Potter as being his parents any longer. The image of them in that regard had faded.
To him the only two people that were his parents were Uther and Jessica Pendragon. He grew up on stories of his ancestor the king of Britan and his wife Guinivere. He was taught how to read both English and Parseltongue seeing as it was a trait that passed along the Pendragon line. He was also told of how it could be used for healing magic making it more potent than normal spells.
The next significant event came when he was seven. When he found a very peculiar seven headed serpent in his family garden at the redwood forests of Washington. It was a quaint little estate they had for themselves, and Harry loved exploring the woods with his father. He would garden with his mother another favored activity of his.
But back to the serpent, it was a very odd serpent with Dark red scales that shimmered like blood across its three-foot-long body. Its heads were oddly familiar. It was not until he noticed the bright yellow eyes that seemed to glow on every head that he knew why it was familiar.
He froze as he stared into the eyes of a beast that he had faced once before a long time ago. The one he had faced back then though did not have seven heads. He knew this was it, that he was dead. He had already looked into its eyes. But nothing happened, he was completely fine. He even felt his muscle relax.
"Excuse me but are you not a Basilisk?" Harry asked it in a hiss.
He watched as all seven heads tilted to the right. "Yes, I am human! You speak our tongue?" It said in the voice of a young boy seeming extremely happy.
"Great now you will want to kill me for being a Basilisk." A second voice said in a dower tone.
"But what if he wants to be my friend?" a third voice said sleepily.
Harry just sat there getting rather confused. "Um excuse me are you talking to me?"
The seven heads turned back to him. Six of the seven shouted yes with the sixth shouting no. One raised its head. "Sorry about them I am just a bit confused sometimes. You see while I am a single snake each of my heads have a personality of their own, yet we all agree we are one."
Harry stared at it for a long moment. "Well... okay then. So, if you are a basilisk why didn't I die when I looked at you?"
"Why you want to die?" Asked an angry voice.
"Oh, hush you grumpy." Said the cheerful voice again.
"Well, no I would rather not die I was just curious is all." Harry told them... him.
"Oh well that is simple you see us basilisks..." Started an intelligent sounding voice.
"Just give him the basics you know it all!" grumbled the grumpy one.
"Fine, you see we have a second eye lid that prevents our gaze from killing without us wanting it." The voice returned.
"I see. So, what brings you here?" Harry asked after nodding.
"Oh, we felt a pull on my magic that led me here!" The cheerful voice said excitedly bobbing its head. Harry was starting to get a feeling of which head belonged to which voice.
"And that pull then led us straight to you." Said the head with its head lowered a bit bashfully.
"A pull on your magic you say?" A deep voice came from behind Harry causing both boy and snake to jump. Harry whirled around to find his father standing over him with his hands in his pockets and a soft look in his blue eyes.
"U-um yes sir." The bashful one spoke up softly.
"Hmmm how interesting this is. It seems that you have found a familiar bond with my son here. Very odd indeed that to that you are a Hydra Basilisk. Basilisks are rare enough, but a hydra is down right near impossible." Uther said as he pondered it. "Well then I don't see any harm in it."
Harry sat there looking at his father as if he were crazy. "Um dad you know what you are saying right. I highly doubt that MACUSA would let me keep it."
Uther looked down at his son and smiled softly. He was happy to see his son try and follow the law even at such an age. "Ah but if you bond with him, you won't have any worries. You see it is part of an ancient law that magical familial bonds can't be split up by any governing bodies. This is one law that all magical governments are to follow. Same goes for the fact that they cannot tell you, you can't take him anywhere."
Harry sat there and thought it through. It would be rather interesting to see how this would turn out. "How do I form the bond." He then turned to the snake remembering his manners. "If that's okay with you that is."
"Oh yes please, please, please." The happy head bobbed.
Uther chuckled. "Well then all you need to do Harry is place your hand on its... ah... heads and focus your magic to your hand. Nature will take over from there."
Harry nodded and did as his father told him. The creatures fourteen eyes glowed a moment as did Harrys and when it faded, he could feel a connection to the snake in the back of his mind. Uther clapped politely as he smiled down at his son. He was a laid-back parent but could not help but shutter at the sudden realization of what his wife was going to say to him.
Harry let the serpent slither up his arm and curl around his neck. Harry tickled the middle one on the nose causing it to sneeze. He smiled at it. "I think I will call you Larry." He announced proudly. That was when Uther lost it and fell against a tree laughing. It took a week to get all the papers signed to register Larry as his magically bound familiar. The snake would now ride everywhere with him under his shirt.
Another almost two years passed by with the happy little family enjoying their lives and living it to the fullest. They would go on picnics in the woods. Vacations to various places both magical and muggle. Harry had even started taking muggle karate classes so that he could defend himself without magic if he needed.
However, on one particular day Harry's world came crashing down once more. His mother and father were tragically ripped from his life in a car crash of all things. They had been crossing the street in Los Angelis when a drunk driver ran them over. Harry found it morbidly ironic that the lie the Dursleys had told him would come so close to what happened this time around. It left Harry alone with Larry and two-house elves Trixie and Kurt. The two elves did everything they could to keep Harry's life running the way it had before. Trixie would even put on a glamor to look somewhat like his mother so that she could pass as an aunt and take him to his karate lessons.
Honestly if it were not for those two and the seven heads of Larry, he would have most likely lost it. This had been so much worse than growing up just knowing that your parents were dead. He had them for nine years in his life and now they were just gone. He felt broken really, like it was all he could do to keep himself from breaking completely.
His parents' wills had been oddly specific in their directions for him. He was to be granted emancipation upon their deaths. He was also to be given the lordship of house pendragon immediately along with all its fortunes. He could not help but see deaths hand in all of this. He had, after all, mentioned that he would still suffer loss in this life. He also figured that it was a form of punishment. A reminder that if he did not remain vigilant for Voldemort that things were going to get much worse for many people. It also stated that he would be going to Hogwarts when he turned eleven. He was both happy and not happy about that. He had made friends here in America who would be going to illvimorny.
He took to studying a lot more in the absence of his parents. Trixie would often find him holed up in the library reading about the British government and his role in it. He would also start studying the theory of magic trying to get ahead of it. He could always get the practical aspect of spells but never the theoretical parts.
He would also start learning potions from scratch during this time. He may be emancipated and technically able to wield a wand, but his magical core was still too unstable to do so properly. So, it was theoryvand potions that he would study. He would spend hours in the library or his father's potions lab every day, and every day Larry would be sat upon his shoulders or somewhere else with in the room keeping him company. Every now and then hissing out a comment about this or that.
This went on for two more years until just before his eleventh birthday. Trixie and Kurt had packed up the house into one undetectable expansion trunk and Kurt whisked it away to Briton. Apparently, The Pendragons while no longer owning a large and spectacular castle did own a large and magnificent manor home. It was placed atop the ruins of the onetime Camelot castle. The only remaining portion of said castle being the crypts away from the manor proper.
He was currently waiting in the now empty kitchen next to a length of rope. He stood a little taller than average for his age at about four foot ten inches. He could easily pass as a second year. He wore a good fitting black suit that was not fancy enough to stand out but was dapper than your average day wear. His mother had always insisted that he dress properly. He wore a large silver wrist wristwatch that had belonged to his father and was still slightly too big for him. He also wore a silver locket around his neck that had belonged to his mother. Inside was her favorite picture of them all when Harry was eight. He had shaggy straight blond hair with a section much longer than the rest on the left side that was braided down to his shoulder. A silver bead with Celtic knotwork was holding it together. A few strands of wild hair came from the opposite side of his head to the front of his face. His father always joked that it was a Pendragon trait that all men be cursed with. His dark blue eyes shined brightly behind half frame glasses.
Trixie would be traveling there shortly to help Kurt. However, for now she was to wait until Harry departed with his international port key. He was nervous. He had not exactly had pleasant experience with British port keys in his past life. The only thing keeping him happy currently was that an old friend of his fathers was the one to make this one. If it were not for that and his many times using them with his family, he would have chosen to fly or sail to Briton.
Harry was to take the portkey at midnight in Washington so he may be there bright and early on Monday morning. Harry took up the length of rope a moment before the clock struck midnight and he felt the familiar pull on his navel. His world suddenly went a whirl of color as everything started spinning. He could feel Larry tighten around him trying to hold on for dear life. Finally, he started kicking his legs like his father had taught him and straightened himself out. He landed perfectly on a marble floor in a large room.
He looked around, his back straight and his head held high. His father had always instilled upon him the importance of first meetings and how one carried themselves. If you wanted to be taken seriously you must present, yourself in a serious manner. Now that by no means said that you must act pridefully or as though you are better than others though. Always be polite whether you are talking to a janitor or to a king.
He looked around for a moment before he noticed a rather board looking fat man sitting behind a small desk. He approached the man keeping his composure as the man looked up with beady eyes. He reminded him of a skinner Vernon Dursley. He shook his head at that. It was not very nice to compare a man he did not know of to that whale of a man.
"Welcome to the British Ministry of Magic. Can I get your name and reason for arrival." The man drawled out in a board tone as he looked back down at his desk.
Harry spoke in a strong tone. "Harry Arthur Pendragon and I am here to immigrate to Briton."
The man looked back up at his last name. "Pendragon you say?" He asked.
"Indeed." Harry drawled in a tone that suggested that the man should move on.
The man got the hint and indeed moved on. "Um yes, well, do you have anything to announce?"
Harry nodded a little. "Yes, I do actually." He handed the man his papers for Larry and watched his face go white as a sheet as he read down the page.
"A...A... A B-b-basilisk?!" He shouted.
"Is that a problem sir?" Harry asked.
"I-I-I'm not sure I will need to look into this. Please follow me sir. I will need you to wait in a waiting room." The man quickly got up from his desk and almost ran out of the room.
Harry rolled his eyes as he followed him. He was led to a small room and left to stew. He had to deal with this even when his parents were alive. No matter where they went people would freak that he had a basilisk for a familiar. At least with Harrys magic Larry could stay small or grow to his full size for his age. Which as of now was about eight feet.
He sat there for an hour as the powers that be did their arguing. "How long are we going to wait here!" Angry Larry hissed.
"Can't you just be happy that it is quite." Larry replied to himself sadly.
"Oh, shut up." He snapped back.
"Look Larry it's not like we don't have to go through this anytime that we travel. I mean can you really blame them?" Harry asked.
Larry just grumbled from his place on Harry's shoulder while the other heads snickered. Finally, three people came bustling into the room. The only one Harry recognized from his last time through though was the now head of the DMLE Barty Crouch Sr. He groaned internally at seeing him, he just knew that it would end in a headache.
"Ah Mr. Pendragon it is such an honor to meet you." The heavy-set man said exuberantly.
Harry raised an eyebrow at her. This was obviously the minister of magic though for the life of him he could not remember his name. "And you are Sir?"
The man seemed a bit but out that he did not know him. "Ah well I am James Wilson the minister of magic." the man said puffing out his chest.
Harry decided that he should play a bit of the politician on this. He hated brown nosing the minister, but it also would not do to make an enemy of the man. "Ah well then it is an honor to meet you Ministor Wilson. Though it is rather honoring to meet someone of your position I find myself wondering why I have been here for over an hour. It is, after all, a simple thing to handle seeing as it deals with my bonded familiar."
Que Barty Crouch. "That is exactly why you are here boy. You have brought a dark creature upon our soil and expect us just to..."
"Excuse me sir but according to the International Consortium of Wizards It is against international law and the law of magic to detain and try to separate a magically bonded familiar from their witch or wizard. The fact that you are ignoring an ICW law and the fact that you have legal documents within your grasp there that state that it is my familiar by magic is mind boggling. You are also miss identifying a creature sir. You see you cannot simply call a creature dark simply due to its nature of being able to kill. You yourself have the capability to kill and yet are you dark sir?" Harry told him off as the minister and the other man stood aside looking embarrassed as Crouches face started turning red.
"Why you little..." He started.
"On top of that you have come in here and virtually accused me of being dark before the minister of magic and someone I can only assume is the head of the control and regulation of magical creatures and have not even give me your name." Harry said making his face turn redder. He went to speak again but Harry held up his hand and turned to look at the minister. "Well now Minister perhaps you could tell me something. Is this something I should be expecting to endure here in Britan should I stay."
The minister suddenly looked rather flummoxed. "Ah... should you stay?"
Harry leaned back in his chair still ignoring Crouch. "Yes, should I stay. If this is the kind of treatment that I shall be enduring by your administration or the administrations of the future I don't really see why I should come to Britan. I mean I'm sure it would be pleasant knowing that the founding house of magical Briton and the house of the once king was back on its home soil. However, I am not sure it is worth being accused of being dark simply because I have a creature capable of killing with a look as my familiar. Not even to mention if the Ministery won't even be following the laws of the ICW. I mean I am sure that an intelligent man such as yourself can understand where it is I am coming from."
The minister was growing white at his words. It had been centuries since the Pendragon line was removed from Britian. If word got out that the Head of the most important family to their history was not only accused of being dark but also turned from Britan before actually entering it would be a huge blow to them. Britian would become a laughingstock in no time. It would be a PR nightmare to boot and all because of Barty.
Harry decided to push it a little further. "Perhaps I shall go to France instead now that I think about it. I do have a rather lovely chateay there from what I have been told." He said as he started to stand up.
"N-now no need to be hasty Lord Pendragon." Willson said quickly deciding to be even more formal seeing the situation. "I am sure that Barty here did not mean it. After all we here in Britan follow the ICW perfectly. After all we have one of our very own in a top spot with in it. Albus Dumbledore, you know. The headmaster of Hogwarts is the chief mugwamp." He said with a huge smile. He then turned to Crouch. "Come now Barty apologize to Lord Pendragon."
Harry turned to look slightly down his noise at the taller man. His teeth were gritting together so tightly he was sure he would chip a tooth. "I apologies Lord Pendragon."
Harry took a moment to stare at him, another thing his father had taught him, to make your opponent sweat no matter the arena. The minister started to squirm a bit and he decided to answer. "Very well. I do hope that there is not a repeat of this in the future."
The minister seemed to sigh softly before putting on a smile. "Of course, Lord Pendragon it shan't be happening again I can assure you."
Harry nodded and stood up. "Then I presume that I am free to leave?"
"Ah yes though there is one more thing. I see here that you are emancipated is that correct?" The minister asked hopping not to offend the boy again. He was not sure why, but he seemed to understand that doing so would not be a good thing.
"Indeed I am. Is there an issue with that as well?" Harry asked his voice turning a tad cold. His emancipation was like a constant reminder of the family he had lost once again.
The minister waved it off frantically. "No, no I just wanted to be sure that it was correct so that I could make sure they don't put a trace on your wand. Here you go sir." He said handing Harry a sheet of paper. "Just give that to Olivander at the wand shop in the ally and he will take care of you. Just remember the statue of secrecy and all shall be good."
Harry nodded. "Very well thank you."
He made to leave before the third man finally spoke up. "Ah Mr. Pendragon, sir. Do you mind if I take a look at your familiar? I am simply curious is all. I'm Kyle lofty head of the department of magical creatures as you said."
Harry looked at the man for a moment making him sweat a bit. He was rather good at it apparently. Finally, he nodded and hissed softly shocking all three men. Parstltoung was not just a trait of Slytherin. Larry slowly stuck his heads out from the collar of his shirt causing all three men to look away quickly. "You can look, they have a second set of lids that prevents them from killing when they don't want to." He told them rolling his eyes a bit.
The three men turned back slowly. They each looked over the seven headed serpent in a mix of awe, fear, and anger. You could guess who was showing what emotion. Finally, the minister spoke up. "Ah so you are a Parstletougne?"
Harry really had to hold himself back from rolling his eyes again. "Yes, I am in fact. You see contrary to widespread belief here in Britan Salazar Slytherin was not the only one who could speak the language. The Pendragon line was also blessed with the ability. As too was a good majority of India. It is not as rare as people would like to seem to think it is. It is also well known to be a much better use for medical spells the practitioners of it helping to cure many in India."
The minister seemed stunned by this so-called revelation. Crouch on the other hand seemed to be trying to swallow something bitter. After that Harry was quickly ushered out and up to the atrium. As he was walking along the halls, he got flashes from the last time he had been here. Of him and his friends running through here to find the prophecy. He gently shook the thought from his head as he came upon the large fountain and looked up at it.
As he looked up at it, he felt a presence come to stand next to him. He looked over to see a man with deep red hair and a square jaw standing next to him. The man's eyes were looking up at the statue just as his had been. Finally, he tilted his head in Harry's direction. "Interesting statue is it not?"
Harry eyed the man for a moment before he looked back at the statue. "If you believe that this is how we should view other magicals and them us then yes, I suppose that it is. Though I am sure that it is said to be a statue of equality among the races."
The man turned a curious eye toward him at his words before looking back at the statue and nodding. "Aye you are right. It was said to be made to show the equality of magical beings. Though I must say I agree with you that it does not appear to show that at all."
Harry nodded. "Yet most will believe in the false tale that was created for it. Seeing it as they want them to see it. The real question though is whether it is due to them genuinely believing that we are all equal or whether it is because that is what people think others want them to appear to believe."
The man turned his head to look at him properly. "You are rather mature for your age." He stated looking him up and down.
"I have had to grow up faster than most." Harry told him off handedly.
The man nodded a bit before offering his hand. "Edward Bones."
Harry looked at the proffered hand a moment before taking it. "Harry Pendragon."
If Edward was shocked by his name, then he was exceptionally good at hiding it. "So, I take it you are new to British soil?" Harry nodded. "Ah well then welcome to England then. If you don't mind, I would not mind talking to the parents who have raised such a smart young man as yourself."
Harry's face darkened a bit. "I am sorry sir but that would be quite impossible. My parents passed on three years ago."
Edward frowned a bit at that his eyes showing sorrow. "Ah I am sorry about that then. Are you here alone then?" He seen Harrys eyes narrow and nodded his head. "Don't worry lad I don't mean you any harm. Just a concerned parent trying to look after a young man on his own."
Harry stared at the man the way he did the minister and it broke Edwards heart a bit that one so young was able to look like a full-grown man. He looked like he was sizing up a political opposite or a dueling opponent. No one that young should be able to pull off such a look. Then again if he was a Pendragon perhaps it was just a part of the blood line. One doesn't become a king for nothing after all.
Finally, Harry spoke again. "I have my familiar with me, along with my house elves. I am also an emancipated minor ever since they passed."
Edward nodded again slightly. "Well, if you ever need anything look me up lad. I am always willing to help the younger generation. Perhaps you can come by for supper sometime over the summer. I have a son and daughter about your age."
Harry seemed to think over his proposal. If he remembered right this should be Susan Bones grandfather. Susan was a nice girl and loyal as any Hufflepuff. Her aunt Ameila was the head of the DMLE in his time so it may be good to get to know her if she ends up there again. He nodded slowly. "I do not see a reason to turn your offer down. I would be honored to join you and your family for dinner... Lord Bones." He decided to add the honorific to show that this isn't just an acceptance from a child to an adult. It would be one lord accepting the invitation of another. It would also show that he understood how the British magical society ran. He made sure that his head of house ring glinted a bit to draw the man's attention.
Edward for his part noticed the ring and the way his reply was worded. He nodded even though he had a bit of an internal struggle at seeing a child acting just as a lord should in such an instance. Also seeing a child know how to act in such an instance was a bit of a shock. "Well then if it is all the same, I shall send you an owl within the week to set something up." Harry nodded his acceptance. "Well then I must be off."
Harry said his farewells and watched as the older man moved away. He looked around to see that no one was really paying him any mind. He nodded to himself as he made his way to the floo. This had worked out well and would allow him to possibly make a few connections within the political ring as the years went by. He may not be able to take up his seat until he turned seventeen, but it never hurt to get allies. He got to the floo and quickly made a trip to Daigon ally. He would be eleven in a few days and needed to look into his finances before his letter came. He would not be able to once school started until the summer.