Embracing His True Self

Chapter 47

Harry made his way towards the first room that Neville suggested his Gran might be occupying. A few moments later, he could hear the sounds of shuffling and a House-elves squeaky voice, considering House-elves didn't generally talk to themselves, with the obvious exception being Kreacher of course, he knew that Augusta was within the confines in the room. He stood at the doorway, silently, for a few brief moments before knocking and opening the door. He only belated realised just how rude he'd been. You didn't just go entering rooms until you've been given leave to do so. Ugh, the elocution lessons he'd had sucked, but he was glad he was prepared for the world on a whole.

Harry purposely moved a little louder to gain Lady Longbottom's attention, she might be old, may be injured but there was definitely nothing wrong with her hearing or instincts he realised. She had gone for her wand, which was right next to her on the writing board she had in front of her. Her gaze turned shrewd and calculating and quite frankly it made Harry feel rather exposed.

Exposed in ways that he hadn't felt in the longest of times.

"Lord Potter-Black," Augusta said her tone clipped. Smoothing out the covers, feeling rather underdressed in front of the young man who had saved her and her grandsons life. She had made the mistake of underestimating him once before, and she most definitely would not allow it to happen again. She'd underestimated him because she thought she knew him due to the fact her grandson wrote about him, more so in the last year than before. It had started off as an awe, having met someone so famous but it turned into something deeper, after she met the wizard herself at the will, turning their friendship into a long-lasting kinship and brotherhood. It shouldn't have surprised her really, both boys had suffered so much and in a similar way, if what Neville had said…perhaps they had suffered in an even more similar way than she relished. "I apologise for my state of undress and positioning. If I had known I would have company…" she trailed off, she would have dressed for it, as well as made sure she was seated as someone respectful for the house of Longbottom. This wasn't the way her house acted, they were always poised, elegant and respectful.

"Lady Longbottom, I do hope you're recovering well after the horrendous attack," Harry stated, his brow furrowed slightly, "And please, no apologies are required, at least not from you," his eyes gleaming sharply, oh, no, this was all on Dumbledore.

Augusta was surprised by the genuine worry that crossed Harry's face, perhaps not fully aimed at her but Neville instead? Or perhaps the thought of Neville losing the last of his family? It wouldn't surprise her if that was the case. There was something different about the Lord, he had a sharpness to him that hadn't been present during his parents will reading. A sharpness and a darkness, Neville was probably blind to how dangerous Lord Potter could be, but Augusta was beginning to realize just how dangerous. "Thank you, Lord Potter for your kindness and generosity, and may I say, the House of Longbottom owe you our lives, we will do what we can to repay our debts." A flash of magic bound Augusta to her word.

"Truthfully you do not owe me anything," Harry said darkly, a scowl on his face, "Dumbledore attacked you in order to draw me out."

Surprised flittered over Augusta's features, "This is true," she agreed, not even attempting to lie to him, she saw no need. "However, you cannot allow yourself to be responsible for one man's insane actions."

"Not just one," Harry added icily, Doge had been in on it after all.

"Indeed," Augusta said, gazing at Harry speculatively, the way he was speaking, his mannerisms vividly reminded her of someone. Her mind couldn't quite pinpoint whom it reminded her off, but she would not rest until she figured it out. "I'm sure you didn't just come to ensure an old woman's wellbeing considering Neville has no doubt kept you informed."

"He has," Harry stated immediately, remaining at the doorway, he had no wish to make the woman feel uncomfortable. Or more uncomfortable, it was obvious she wasn't used to entertaining anyone while weakened and with only a nighty on and in bed to boot. "Tell me…what do you plan to do regarding Dumbledore, Lady Longbottom?" he asked seriously.

"Come, sit by me, let us drink and converse," Lady Longbottom suggested, her frail hands pressing upon the beautiful China coffee pot with a sprinkle of triumph in her eyes. Apparently talking about Dumbledore made her less self-conscious about her current state. "And also, I would like it if you call me Augusta, you are a friend of the family, and allied with us in our debt to you," she added as she poured them both cups of coffee, which was housed in China cups that were identical to the coffee pot. Truth was, she wanted to kill Doge more than Dumbledore, it was Doge who had nearly killed her grandson. Hurt Neville to a despicable degree.

Harry stared at Augusta pensively, the way she was looking at him…quite honestly, it was beyond probing. It was almost as if she had realized who he was deep inside and who he was allied with. If that was true…was Augusta pushing Neville towards what she thought was the safe side? The winning side? Or was he reading too much into it? Surely, Augusta wouldn't contemplate the idea of letting her grandson join the dark side? No, he couldn't let his imagination run away with him. Either way, it changed nothing, it's not as though he could force Neville to be friends with him when the news broke that he was on the 'dark side' now. He knew it would happen, especially with Voldemort bloody announcing it to every single Death Eater and ally. "Then you must call me Harry, Lord Potter-Black…makes me feel decades older than I am," he said wryly, it wasn't as if he could say 'reminds me of his dad' the truth was he had never known him and never would. He had died for a cause he believed in, and Harry would do the same at the end of the day.

Making their coffee's as they liked them, both of them began to drink their brews in silence. Augusta thinking on what she wanted to say and Harry waiting patiently to hear what she had to say.

"The way you asked me that question…belays a sense of…invasive probing, you have something planned," Augusta stated sharply, "You are behind the news article this morning, aren't you, Harry?" an acerbic smirk hidden behind her cup, but Harry saw in nonetheless.

Harry blinked at her, green eyes wide and innocent, "Why would you think that?"

Augusta snorted in amusement, very unladylike of her, but she was just unable to contain herself, "You are good, Lord Potter-Black, very good, but I can see right through you, it's much too much innocence for a soon to be sixteen-year-old."

Harry smirked wryly, conceding her point, "I shall neither deny or confirm that,"

"There is no need, not many have the information you do, Harry," Augusta pointed out, "You messed up if you didn't want Dumbledore to know."

"Oh?" Harry asked, sitting up a little straighter, more alert, eyes narrowed in on the woman cautiously. Not that it really mattered, Dumbledore would know he was the one behind it all, but still…the thought of Dumbledore already knowing was rather alarming to him.

"The article about the chamber of secrets," Augusta explained, before placing her cup on its saucer, "Only someone who has read it more than once would find it. It's in there, only one who has actually seen the chamber would have known about those particular details." According to her grandson only three people had seen it, and she knew the Weasley's were too entranced and entrenched in Dumbledore to even contemplate such an idea. This left only one other potential candidate and the most likely one too.

Harry closed his eyes and cursed when it dawned on him what she was talking about, "The damn statue of Salazar Slytherin," and here he was thinking he was being so bloody careful. Even Voldemort had read over his work and made sure he hadn't missed anything and they'd both apparently missed something quite significant. Since Dumbledore didn't have a massive part to play in that particular incident, Harry had gone with that being revealed in the first article and was content to keep the articles going as Dumbledore's involvement would be unmistakable.

Augusta's lips twitched, "You still have far to go, but for your age and the length of time within our world…you are doing magnificently." She was oddly proud of him for his actions, spreading awareness of Dumbledore in such a manner, it was…astounding really. Neville was very…insecure and innocent in ways that pureblood teens did not retain, and Neville wouldn't know how to manipulate someone let alone do it. He couldn't even keep his emotions in check, he was just too genuine. Some people had what it took, which Lord Potter-Black definitely did, and some did not, like her grandson. At least he would have someone there to look out for him and give him the best chance of survival and prevent Neville from being eaten by the sharks so to speak.

Harry just wordless huffed in annoyance, still pissed off with himself for failing to realize that he'd been potentially outed so quickly. If Augusta knew, Neville suspected, Hermione definitely had to have worked it out too and would likely waste no time in lording her knowledge in everyone's face whether they wanted to know or not. He idly wondered if Dumbledore had caught that, or if he had been too pissed to properly peruse the article. Regardless if they knew, Dumbledore likely had cottoned on. It really was a good job for lockdown.

"I do hope you enjoy tomorrows edition," Harry stated smugly, unable to help himself really. He placed the cup down when he heard footsteps and quiet murmuring that sounded like Neville. "If you'll excuse me, I have other engagements that require my time today," he sighed, mostly to himself, today was going to be a long, long day. He'd need to come up with one hell of an excuse to Sirius and Remus as to why he was suddenly not going to be visiting them on his birthday. Something he'd already agreed to prior.

"Ah, yes, I do remember such days, where you weren't sure you'd fit everything in your social calendar," Augusta stated, her face was inscrutable but the gleam told her she was remembering the good times.

"I'm sure," Harry said dryly, just as Neville peeked his head in, giving Harry a smile. "Good luck with your continued recovery, may it be swift," with that Harry stood up and made his way towards the door again, leaving Augusta behind.

Augusta watched Harry leaving, despite the fact she was no longer attending Wizengamot sessions – she was training Neville to take his rightful place one day – she still had those who were willing to impart her with information. Not that they were doing wrong per se, she was still a member, albeit nearly retired. They thought her dead, but whatever she needed to do in order to save Neville. He was very important, the last of a long-distinguished line of Longbottom's, they'd never been in such short numbers before, and now Algie was gone, leaving no children with his wife, Neville truly was all that was left of the main branch. She had distant relatives in America, where Neville could go if need be. They had said they'd be happy to take him in any time, even provided a portkey.

The latest laws though were surprising to say the least, she hadn't seen politic manoeuvring like this for decades. Or policies, there had been rumours of a group called the Knights of the Walpurgis back in the day. There were no such rumours now, but the policies were almost identical to those who looked close enough. There had been a suggestion that Tom Riddle was the mastermind behind it. The wizard must be in his seventies now, he hadn't seen him since he was twenty-ish usually around Diagon Alley, last rumoured to be going abroad to continue his magical education. She presumed he'd died during the war, with Grindelwald since there hadn't been a peep since.

Harry's mannerisms, had been strikingly like Tom Riddle. Could it be possible? Had Harry sought him out and asked for aid? He certainly wasn't that young child that knew nothing of their world. Was it someone continuing his legacy? Or the wizard himself? Harry hadn't written his name as Harry Riddle-Potter-Black so perhaps he was just a ward of Tom Riddle's.

"Remus, is that you?" Harry gaped, staring at the man he could barely recognize at all, as he absently wiped away the ashes from the floo that got caught on his clothes during the travel.

Sirius laughed, standing up, bringing his godson into a hug, relishing in the fact he could do so. "How are you doing? Everything okay?"

"Nothing's happened since last night," Harry said, it was a familiar banter between them, since Harry had kept his promise, even if he could only chat for like three minutes, he got in touch with his godfather every evening without fail. "I'm good." Still shocked by the difference in him, he was…like a whole new person, and well, Sirius looked really happy with that.

"Harry!" Remus said, standing as well to receive a hug, "It's been too long." Which was true, Remus hadn't seen Harry in roughly a month, he seemed to always miss the conversation Sirius had with his godson before coming to bed. He blamed all the literature there was to read. He loved reading, nothing could compare, and he spent a lot of his time doing so. He missed teaching, he would do anything to be able to teach.

"Clearly, I can't believe not taking that swill has such a drastic change like this," Harry said, stepping back and just staring amazed. "Are you on a special diet to help you bulk up as well?" Remus had always been very lean, too thin and just gaunt really. To see him putting on weight, muscle with actual tan to his skin, he also seemed so much happier now.

"I'm following one that the healer suggested," Remus said, smiling at Harry's attention to detail. "I owe it all to you," he murmured, bringing him into another hug. He'd refrained when he initially met Harry when he was thirteen. Harry hadn't known him, and he was too much of a coward to reveal he'd known him young and been best friends with his parents. Knowing ultimately the question of where he'd been would crop up. How could he tell a child he feared for his safety and he was actually a coward and ran instead of facing his fears. It's how he'd been raised, any suspicion then they ran, no exception. The only ones he'd ever told (until Severus revealed everything with his complete understanding, he'd almost bitten Harry, Hermione and Ron, the bitterness he felt over it was nothing compared to the horror of what he'd almost visited on Prongs son) had been Sirius, Peter and James, although, it had only been confirming what they knew, his intelligent friends had figured it out on their own.

Harry shrugged, dismissing his contribution entirely, it wasn't that difficult a thought, he'd barely considered the idea for a few seconds before telling Sirius. "It was nothing."

"It is, to me." Remus declared firmly, as Sirius got them all something to drink, or rather topped up his and Remus' and got Harry his favoured Pepsi Max which he made sure was always well stocked. Reminding Remus, when they weren't shopping together, to buy it.

Harry nodded seriously, "I don't get how none of you guys considered it." He admitted, they'd made a map of Hogwarts that recorded where everyone was in real time, even if they were under Polyjuice potion. It was absolutely the most amazing work of art he'd ever seen. Then his father and godfather became animagus' when they were still at Hogwarts which was less impressive – to him – but still good. He'd cast a fully-fledged Patronus, so of course, becoming an animagus didn't seem all that awesome but it likely was.

Sirius conceded the point with a tilt of his head, agreeing with him, they really should have considered it. It's not like expanding trunks was a new concept to him, heck, his first trunk had been expanded inside so everything he had could come with him to Hogwarts. Whether he liked his family or not, they never skimped on anything. He hadn't realized that until he was sixteen and the reality had been slapped in his face. "You normally let us know you'll be coming, not that I'm not happy to see you, but what's up?"

Remus cupped his hand around his coffee, staring enquiringly, a tiny hint of concern, but Harry looked well enough, it obviously wasn't something awful.

Harry joined them at the table, feeling awful for what he was going to have to do, but he did not want to miss seeing everyone that was going to be there. Voldemort basically said all of his side would be there, supporters and all anyone that could be a danger to Dumbledore and his order. "Two things actually, just to let you know despite the paper that Augusta and Neville are still alive, Algie is the only one who died the newspapers have been misinformed, by Dumbledore."

Sirius froze, relieved to hear that they were alive, but at the same time confused, "Why would Dumbledore be under that impression?"

Remus straightened, "Come now, Sirius…Dumbledore wouldn't…" and before he could answer, Harry spoke again.

"Dumbledore and Doge were the ones that attacked them, for one simple reason, to draw me out." Harry confessed, opening his can of Pepsi max stunning the two of them. "Algie was killed in the attack. Of course, I didn't know when it happened, what had happened, but Neville and Augusta came around and everything was revealed. They tried to tamper with their memories, put visions of a Death Eater attack in its place. It didn't work. She's bloody amazing for an older witch, man she can fight." His admiration clear for the witch.

"That makes a difference from how you treated her at the will reading," Remus commented, reeling over what Harry had said.

"Oh, she wasn't the best of grandmothers to Neville, and I'll always hold a grudge for that, she should have protected him. It was just a level above how the Dursley's treated me, I might be projecting a bit but someone had to defend him." Harry said defensively.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Remus pressed his hand against Harry's in reassurance, "I'm glad you helped Neville, he's such a shy and reserved little boy." He didn't even want to press on how the Dursley's had treated Harry, he felt nothing but immense guilt over it. If he had just got his nerve together once…just once and he would have seen how they were with him. Maybe then Harry would have grown up in the magical world where he should have been all along.

"What's this about Augusta?" Sirius asked, staring between them curiously, he didn't know anything about it.

"I'll tell you later," Remus promised him, "Are you sure their memories weren't tampered with the other way? Because it can be easily done…and the article did say the dark mark had been in the sky…" he hadn't told Sirius about the little argument between Harry and Augusta, still reeling over Dumbledore knowing about Sirius not being the secret keeper. He'd nearly ripped and tore Dumbledore to shreds; he had been so furious.

"Their memories weren't tampered with." Harry said firmly, Sirius was just staring at him horrified, not because of what happened in particular, but because his own worst fears were being confirmed. That Dumbledore might actually behind what had happened to Remus, if he could attack to kill the Longbottom's in a bid to draw Harry out…he was capable of anything. He didn't doubt his godson for a second, not even if Dumbledore declared it a lie under Veritaserum. He knew deep in his bones that Dumbledore had orchestrate Remus' incident near fifteen years ago.

Remus as always so quick to try and see the good in people, despite what happened to him.

"Sirius, you're being very quiet," Remus noted, narrowing his gaze on his partner, knowing him well enough to realize that it wasn't a good thing, his silence.

"Just trying to make sense of everything," Sirius confessed, shaking his head almost bewildered, to think they'd worked with Dumbledore for years and nary a clue on his true character. Remembering how pleased he was when he was hand-picked to be an order member, strutting his stuff because the leader of the light saw he wasn't a true Black, wasn't a member of his family. "What the hell happened? Were we blind to it? What screwed up shit have we done thinking we were in the right, Remy?" feeling sick to his stomach, what if all those 'missions' they'd been on hadn't been what they thought? What if their memories had been tampered with? Everything they knew was being turned on its head, as if it wasn't already bad enough that Dumbledore had left his godson defenceless at the Dursley's, while leaving him to rot in Azkaban knowingly. Now attacking the Longbottom's in a bid to what? Somehow draw Harry out of hiding? Oh, he knew they were still looking for him, he got random letters and if any of the Order members saw him, they'd ask after him – like he'd tell them – honestly, he wasn't a fool.

"Don't dwell on it too much, there's no point in torturing yourself," Harry told them, grimacing a little, "Just stay away from them all, everyone in that bloody cult of Dumbledore."

Remus swallowed down the words of protest, but had to concede, yes, yes, they'd practically been a cult. Who knows, they might be just as bad as the Death Eaters if their thinking might be right. He couldn't bear to think of those missions he'd gone on being wrong…a set up by Dumbledore. Harry's right, it was best not to think of it.

Regretfully, it wasn't as easily applied.

"I'm also here to let you know that I'm going to be away for my birthday," Harry said apologetically, "As in out of the country."

Sirius perked up, "On holiday? Where are we going?"

"We are not going anywhere," Harry said immediately, emphatically shaking his head so that Sirius didn't get to linger long under the wrong idea. "Where I'm going you two are not getting to get anywhere near."

Sirius narrowed his eyes, "Oh, you've got a boyfriend," he said, coming up with a plausible excuse, even if it was completely wrong.

Harry also just picked the very worst of times to blush red at the idea, his mind filling with images from his dream.

"Ha! Who is it? Where are you going?" Sirius was almost squealing in delight for his godson, "When do I get to talk to him?" he added with vicious delight, almost rubbing his hands together, laughing manically in a playful way, but also, you know, seriously. It was his duty now since James couldn't do anything and it would be beyond irresponsible if he didn't threaten him. James would never forgive him, hell he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't threaten a tiny bit. Hopefully it was someone that didn't give one hoot about his fame.

"Uh, is that the time…I have to go, bye!" Harry said, taking his opportunity and diving for the Floo network, and making his way home.

Sirius, just laughed, it was good they'd finished off on a good note instead of souring it later.

"Our little Prongslet is all grown up, now, Remy," Sirius said howling with delight.

"It would seem so," Remus said, more composed than Sirius, as always, but deeply amused by the conversation that had just taken place. "However, if we wish for Harry to have his gifts for his birthday, best get them sent now before he leaves, if we're lucky enough to catch him in time before the Portkey activates."

Sirius chortled, "Bold of you to assume he's going by Portkey, could be a muggle he's dating," Sirius pointed out. "We should send them though; I don't want to miss him any other birthdays than he already has missed being in Azkaban. As depressing as it was, he'd only gifted him with two presents, although the firebolt was to make up for the rest of them and to show Harry he cared. This would be the third year of gifting him something. Each gift more extravagant than the last, but something Harry would love.

Standing up, Sirius muttered, "I sort of wish he had stayed, so I could give it in person, it's a pricy item, I'd hate for him not to get it."

"Shouldn't have teased him so much then," Remus teased his partner, "Come on, let's get them wrapped and sent off."

R&R

A/N – Augusta Longbottom won't be aware of who Tom Riddle really was, it wasn't even information Dumbledore released to the Order members at least it was never mentioned anyway so that's the reason she doesn't know anything other than the façade he had at school.