Chapter Text
Four-year-old Harry Potter, sitting in his favorite spot behind the couch, heard his cousin come home from school. Giggling to himself he waited for Dudley to come into the living room as usual. Instead he went into the kitchen to talk to his mother. Curious Harry followed in time to hear Aunt Petunia ask "A diet? What brought this on?"
"Well, Harry was worried about it and my gym teacher said he was right to be, I'm no where near in shape." Dudley explained.
"Was he now?" she said smiling at the black-haired boy in the doorway. "And where did you learn about something like that?"
"Sal told me." Harry said with a shrug. "He said greasy food'll make your blood sticky an' slow." at this he sent a worried look at Dudley.
Petunia's smile looked a bit more forced at that, as it always did when Harry's imaginary friend was mentioned, but luckily neither boy noticed. "Well we'll talk about it over dinner. Vernon will be home soon, so you two need to pack for your sleep over."
During dinner Dudley mentioned eating healthier to his dad. "Excellent idea. Miranda from work said her mother was putting together a cookbook of healthy food, I'll see if I can get a copy." Vernon said while Dudley beamed at Harry.
"That sounds wonderful dear, we've been meaning to try some new dishes anyway." Petunia said. Just then there was a knock at the door, "That must be Piers, go grab your overnight bag."
After hugs all around, the boys left with Piers' mum, and Vernon and Petunia sat down to coffee before bed. "So what brought on the healthy eating idea?" Vernon asked.
"Harry got worried over something Sal said. I know how lucky we are about his accidental magic, but I still get the creeps everytime he knows something he shouldn't. Dumbledore thinks he might be some sort of seer, but instead of seeing the future he sees the present. Honestly I don't know what we would have done without that man."
Vernon chuckled,"We would have had magical accidents every other day. Look at that Finnigan boy. He set something on fire the last three times he was here." The clock chimed." Well we had best get to bed, we have an early train tomorrow. I still don't see why they wouldn't let us bring the boys, it's just a company workshop. You know how Piers' parents are, he could set the house on fire and they wouldn't notice till the tv caught."
"Oh hush you. I plan to enjoy our weekend away, and Dudley and Piers are more than capable of watching Harry for a couple days."
Meanwhile, Piers had cornered Harry while Dudley was in the bathroom. "I don't know why we agreed to keep you," he sneered." You just a worthless little freak. I should lock you outside, then Dudley and I won't have to babysit you." he grabbed Harry's arm and stiffened, unconsciously tightening his grip. Harry's eyes had turned cold, and a dangerous voice had sounded in Piers' head. "I despise that word, and Harry is worth many times more than you. The pain you feel now is nothing compared to what I can cause should you continue with your infantile jealousy." Harry curled into a ball on the floor and cried as Piers fell back against the wall clutching his head. Dudley rushed in and went straight to Harry, glaring at Piers, "What did you do to him?" he demanded. Picking Harry up off the floor he noticed the huge bruise forming on his arm. "What is wrong with you?! He's four! Come on Harry we're leaving, I'll call Dr. Granger."
'What did you do to Piers?' Harry thought to Sal, as he snuggled into the covers at Hermione's.
'It's called Legilimency. It enables one person to enter the mind of another.' Sal thought back.
'You've never done that before.' Harry said half asleep.
'I couldn't before, but I seem to be getting stronger. Sleep Harry, you need your rest.'
'G'night Sal. Thanks for protecting me.'
*
"Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday dear Harry, Happy birthday to you!"
Harry blew out the eight candles on the cake while his friends and family cheered and cameras flashed.
Mrs. Weasley cut the cake, while Mr. Fortescue served ice cream to the people filling his shop. Dudley passed out cutlery and Aunt Petunia forced napkins on people who claimed they didn't need them. Harry had been staying with the Weasleys while Dudley and his parents toured colleges, but they had come back in time for Harry's party. After everyone had eaten, Harry sat in a chair in the middle of the room and opened gifts; the newest Encyclopedia Brown book from Hermione, homemade candy from Ginny and Mrs. Weasley, Quidditch through the Ages from Ron, child-safe magical fireworks from Seamus, a mint-flavored-strawberry growing kit from Luna (who knew what was going through her head), a book on hair-based metamorphmagus transformations from Tonks (who was currently flirting with Dudley), and the monster book of monsters from Fred and George (which Mrs. Weasley promptly took and demanded to know where they had gotten it before promising to replace it with a safer book). Harry spent the afternoon playing party games, while the adults chatted and Dudley tried to fend off Tonks. As the Dursleys and Harry made their way to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner, Dudley stopped by Magical Menagerie to pick up his gift to Harry, a beautiful snakelet with black and silver scales and glowing green eyes. One look and Harry loved the tiny snake. Dudley winked at Harry as he handed over the cage. Harry grinned back, Dudley was the only one who knew he could talk to snakes, Sal having warned Harry about how that gift was viewed in the wizarding world.
During dessert, two men came over from the bar and demanded what a bunch of filthy muggles were doing there. Dudley and Vernon went to stand and were forced back into their seats at wandpoint. The two of them started discussing the horrible things they were going to do to them when one of them noticed Harry. "The kid would fetch a good price down knockturn," he slurred. "Greyback'd...." he was cut off as Harry's eyes flashed and the both of them were suddenly wandless with a floating steak knife pressed to their throats.
In a voice too cold and dangerous to have come from an eight-year-old, Harry said, "I suggest you leave, while you still have the chance. Aurors will more than likely get here soon, and I don't really have the patience to hold you at knifepoint until they do, so either you leave now, or they clean up your corpses." the minute they had passed through the door Harry slumped over unconscious. Tom insisted their meal was free and had someone call a cab. "What did he say to them?" he asked tilting his head to the boy in Dudley's arms.
"We couldn't hear. I think only they could." Vernon said.
Aurors took statements, cast a few scans over Harry, and left a guard just in case they came back. Good thing too, because less than an hour later four deatheaters attacked diagon alley. All but one managed to escape, the identity of the one they captured sent the ministry into an uproar. Bellatrix Lestrange had escaped Azkaban and no one had realized.
*
Harry thought Mr. Olivander was strange. He been standing here for hours, waving wooden sticks and the old man just kept getting more and more excited. At least until now.
"This is the last wand I have, if it doesn't work I'll have to floo a few other wandmakers." he said almost angrily. Harry took the wand and knew immediately it was his.
"I don't believe it. My great great grandfather was laughed at for spending twenty years trying make that wand on the say-so of a seer. Twenty years trying to put a boggart into a wand. And a hawthorn one at that. Honestly!" Mr. Olivander ranted as he started putting away the hundreds of wands piled around the room. "Oh he managed alright, but I nor anyone else ever expected to match it to a person. That'll be seven galleons." he took the offered money still grumbling about the wand.
Harry sat alone in the compartment as the train made it's way from london. Hermione and Ron were in St. Mungoes with Wizarding flu, Seamus riding with his friend Dean who had had a panic attack and was made to sit with the prefects. Fred and George were plotting with Lee. Three boys entered the compartment. The blonde in the middle demanded, "Is it true? They're saying you are Harry Potter."
"Yes it's true. Now do you and Thing 1 & 2 mind either sitting down or getting out. I feel like you are about to make vague threats while they crack their knuckles."
The three of them sat looking a little confused. "You don't know who we are do you?"
With help from Sal Harry responded, "Well you're a Malfoy given the hair, and I'll assume their presence at your side means these two are from more traditional pureblood families. What did you think I would hate you on principle?"
"Well, yes actually. You were raised by Dumbledore." said the taller Thing.
"No, Dumbledore left me, an infant at the time, on a doorstep in the middle of a november night. The only reason I have had any contact with him is because my cousin made our squib neighbor send a letter to him, and I have never seen him in person. My aunt and uncle were planning on dumping me at an orphanage because they didn't know how to deal with my accidental magic. I was raised by my aunt, uncle, and the parents of several pureblods, halfbloods, and muggleborns our age." At a knock on the door Harry stood and looked through the window. Turning back to the other occupants he whispered, "Be nice, I'll explain later."
"Hey, Neville, come on in." the pale boy shuffled in and when he saw Malfoy he started shaking and hid behind Harry. Harry mouthed at Malfoy, 'Please.'
It was actually the shorter Thing who came to the rescue, "Is that a European Firebelly?" he said, gesturing to the toad in Neville's hand.
"O-o-oriental a-actually." Neville stuttered.
"What's a Firebelly?" Malfoy asked with obvious curiousity. Thing 2 (who Harry learned was Vincent Crabbe, and the taller one Gregory Goyle) started explaining about the Fire-breathing toads and before long Neville was adding in facts as well.
"So you're telling me, dragons, who have lost their mate, keep those things around to heat their eggs while they hunt?" Malfoy (Draco he'd insisted they call him) said sounding absolutely amazed.
"Well yeah. And when the bones attract flies they have a constant source of food. They rely on each other to make their lives easier." Neville said, still nervous, but not as terrified anymore. The door opened and a woman stuck her head in, "Anything off the trolley, dears?"
While Harry and Draco bought for everyone, Neville said he had to go and visit Madame Pomphrey, but would be back soon.
"So why are walking on eggshells around Neville, exactly?" Draco asked while Vince picked through a bag of Bertie-botts and Greg stared up at the luggage rack. "I mean now that I've talked to him, I actually think he's quite interesting, but you said you had something to explain."
"Your aunt managed to hit him and a couple of others with wandless curses at her farce of a retrial. He was hit with a permanent variant of the Nightmare Curse. They can't remove it entirely, just suppress it somewhat. If you wouldn't mind asking Slytherins to leave him be, I'd be greatful." Harry explained.
"Harry?" Greg asked sounding nervous. "Why is there a snake above you? Should we go get help?"
Harry grinned, "No, that's just Moonlight." Perking up at the sound of her name the snake slithered down to wrap around Harry's shoulders and nuzzle under his chin. Greg still looked wary, Draco excited, and Vince looked terrified.
§Good morning§ Moonlight hissed just as Draco asked, "What kind of snake is that?"
§No idea. Shop owner found her egg somewhere in Asia and kept waiting for it to hatch. When it didn't, but spells kept showing it as alive, he figured it would hatch when it was ready. My cousin was shopping for me a birthday present when it rolled off the shelf and into his hands. And the rest is history.§ Harry said.
"Harry!" Neville said coming into the compartment and shutting the door tightly. "You have got to get better control of that. Do you want the whole world to know?"
Harry, realizing what had happened, sent a panicked look at the others in the car.
"You're a Parselmouth?" Draco demanded. "Are you descended from Slytherin then?"
"Swear you won't say anything and I'll tell you." Harry said. Looking slightly impressed the three of them swore.
"Have you ever heard the phrase 'All legends have a basis in truth'? Well the same is true of The Tale of the Three Brothers. The story is based off Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus Peverell. Antioch had a potions mishap and managed to combine his blood with a courage potion. He used Liquid Luck for duels. Cadmus was the first Necromancer, his betrothed, the first infiri. Ignotus invented the first invisibility cloak, and took the secret of its permanent charms with him. What the story doesn't tell is their father was the first parselmouth. The Slytherin line is descended from Cadmus, the Gryffindor line from Antioch, and the Potter line, from Ignotus."
"So as long as there is no direct heir you could possibly claim both Gryffindor and Slytherin lines?" Vince asked.
"No," Malfoy replied. "If he were indirectly related twice over he would be considered a direct heir, and could claim them."
"Normally that's correct," Harry said. "However, only the Hogwarts heir can determine if a Founder's heir has a legitimate claim. Otherwise both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw could be claimed now. I'm not sure about Hufflepuff, though, and Salazar Slytherin never married."
"What do you mean 'Hogwarts heir'? And who could claim the founder's lines?" Draco demanded.
"Both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are Matriarchal, so when she turns 17 Luna Lovegood could claim Ravenclaw and her mother could have before she passed. And the Weasley Family is directly descended from Gryffindor." Harry explained. "And Hogwarts Castle does not belong to the school, it belongs to the Hogwarts line. The founders were hired by Lady Hogwarts to tutor her children. They convinced her to let them use her castle to start a school, and thus the 'Highland School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of Hogwarts Castle' was born. As she was dying, the Founders had Lady Hogwarts sign a magical contract stating only her heir could name their's, unaware that in order keep her title, she had never married her children's father, and children born out of wedlock are considered indirect heirs."
Before anything more could be said the announcement came that they were approaching Hogsmeade station.
"We'll meet up sometime, yeah? No matter our houses?" Harry asked as they changed into their robes. The others agreed.
*
"Granger, Hermione!" Mcgonagall called.
"Excuse me, Professor, but Hermione and Ron Weasley were admitted to St. Mungoes last night. They are being quarantined due to a vaccine-resistant strain of Wizarding flu." Harry called back. "Outgoing mail, and all floo calls have been forbidden."
"Thank you, Mr. Potter, but how are you aware of it?" Dumbledore said from the head table.
"For some strange reason it doesn't affect people born in July. You have to show your birth certificate to get anywhere near the floor they are on."
"He's right Professor. We sent a letter...." Percy was interrupted by a bedraggled looking owl falling with a thump onto the head table. "And that seems to be it now." he turned as red as his hair and sat back down.
The sorting continued on until...
"Potter, Harry!"
Harry walked forward under the scrutinizing gaze of everyone in the room. The minute the sorting hat touched his head, both Harry and Dumbledore fell over unconcious. The last thing Harry heard was the hat saying, 'Welcome home.'
*
'Harry, you need to wake up now!' Sal screamed in his head. 'Harry, I can't take control without hurting you, but you are about to die, so I will if I have to! Wake up, NOW!'
Harry slowly rose from the darkness to hear Dumbledore yelling, "I don't know how the wards transfered, but he is not old enough to maintain them! We have to wake him up and figure out how to transfer them again, before they kill him!"
Harry moaned out, "The hat. Get the hat." before falling unconcious again.
Harry jerked awake this time, heart racing.
"Harry I need you to listen carefully. You need to name a steward to the Hogwarts line." Dumbldore told him. "Repeat after me 'I, Harry James Potter, declare Albus Dumbledore my Steward, so mote it be.'"
'No!' Sal roared before Harry could open his mouth. 'You will name a proxy, not a steward.'
'Not Dumbledore, but I can't think of anyone else.' Harry thought back.
'Snape, I trust him for some reason. He was your mother best friend and your aunt always said how reliable he was. Say it fast so Dumbledore can't interfere.'
"I, Harry James Potter, name Severus Snape as my Proxy, so mote it be." Rather than the anger he expected, he saw understanding and acceptance, as well as a small amount of sadness, on Dumbledore's face as he drifted back into the darkness.
"Thank you, Sal." Harry said, unaware it was outloud.
*
When Harry awoke again, he smiled. Hermione, in Gryffindor red, was reading a book with Draco, whispering quietly. Vince was playing chess with Ron, who had that look he got when playing someone as good as he was. Neville was explaining something in their Herbology book to Greg. Seamus and a Hufflepuff girl named Susan Bones were playing exploding snap.
"Hi." Harry said suddenly, making everyone jump.
"Harry!" both Hermione and Neville tackled him in a hug.
"No injuring my patient!" Madame Pomphrey yelled as she came out of her office. Neville jumped up so quick he tripped, landing in the next bed over. He stretched out and put his hands behind his head, the nonverbal "I meant to do that!" making everyone laugh.
"How long have I been out?" Harry asked as Madame Pomphrey cast scans over him.
"It's Thursday now, and you've been out since Sunday, " Greg said. "You haven't missed any classes though."
"Classes have been postponed, since the stairs are dancing and the suits of armor keep hugging people." Hermione explained, sounding quite upset about it.
"Well I don't see anything wrong, but I don't want you doing any magic until Monday." Madame Pomphrey announced before turning to the others. "If he gets dizzy, fatigued, or nauseated, you bring him here immediately, kicking and screaming if necessary." she ordered before returning to her office.
Harry opened his mouth to ask about clothes, when a house elf wearing a black dress popped in with a stack of clothes, set them on the end of the bed and popped out again.
"Before you ask, yes, that was your elf, and yes, she was wearing an evening gown. Evidently the uniform for Hogwarts line elves is formal wear. The one who took Moonlight was wearing a tuxedo." Draco informed Harry.
"What!?!" Harry exclaimed. He rushed to get dressed. "I need to see Dumbledore, do any of you know where his office is?"
"It's almost lunchtime, you can see him there." Hermione informed him. "And we will be having a talk about those elves."
"What do you have against house elves?" Susan demanded.
"Nothing, I'm against their enslavement." Hermione shot back hotly.
"What would you rather we kill them?" Susan yelled back.
"Set them free!"
"That's the same thing!"
Harry got between them and said calmly, as if they were just discussing the weather, "Did you know that muggles have legends about house elves? Only they call them brownies. Hermione you've heard of brownies, right?"
"Yeah," Hermione said understanding starting to dawn in her eyes, "So they actually enjoy their jobs?"
"YES!" said everyone sounding exasperated.
"And what's more they are magical leeches," Harry said. "They die in agony over a period of months if unbound."
Susan nodded, "My aunt is trying to make it illegal to dismiss them. If you don't want yours, give it to someone else. Don't force it to starve to death."
"I'm making a pamphlet." Hermione said decisively. "Muggleborns need to know this. I wonder what other things there are like this."
As they walked into the great hall, everyone else went to sit down while Harry walked up to the head table.
"Headmaster I was wondering if I could speak to you after lunch?"
"Of course, of course. I'll invite Severus, shall I?" Dumbledore said brightly.
The memory surfaced and Harry wanted to groan. "Yes sir, thank you."
Dumbledore grimaced in understanding, "Memories a bit hazy? It'll get better, don't worry."
Harry was nervous. Professor Snapes was staring at him as if trying to figure him out, and Dumbledore just sat waiting for him to speak but Harry didn't know where to begin and said so.
"Well I have a few questions for you." Harry nodded for Dumbledore to continue. "Do you know the difference between a proxy and a steward?"
"A proxy acts in my stead until I'm of age, a steward takes control from me until I'm of age. A steward is more common as with a proxy, the child is required to understand and make decisions, which few children are capable of making wisely."
"Did Sal explain that to you?" Dumbledore asked cautiously.
Harry sighed, "Yes he did, and you want to know who he is, if he's real, or how unstable I am, if he isn't. He's real. His name is Alonsius Salazar Potter. At the time I couldn't say his first name and he refused to go by Ally. The Slytherins, Gryffindors, and Potters are all descended from the same family, so he was named for his cousin. He married Lady Hogwarts' eldest daughter, so I knew I was indirectly descended, as Lady Hogwarts never married, I guess my mum must have been from a squib line. After having me research extensively, his theory on how we communicate is surviving the killing curse allowed me to call for help from a dead ancestor. Some muggle cultures are built around asking their ancestors for help, so it may have once been a common occurrence. His theory on why him is he was born and died not far from the house in Godric's Hollow, and he was much more powerful in life than my parents."
"Fascinating. I'll have to research this phenomenon." Dumbledore said. "Is he capable of anything other than speech?"
"He can direct or supress my accidental magic. He can take partial control me, but anything more than a couple seconds leaves me in pain, and anything at all leaves him unconscious for days. It's why he's not talking now, he had to help me make the oath, so I didn't slur. That alone means I probably won't hear from him for at least a week. He absorbs information somehow, but we haven't figured it out yet. That's how he knew I could trust Professor Snape, well that and my aunt."
"Petunia talks about me?" Snape said.
"She told me she always felt relieved to know that Lily had you to look after her. And Sal said he wasn't sure what it was, but he was sure you would protect me."
Snape narrowed his eyes at that.
"The reason I asked for this meeting has to do with me being Hogwarts heir. Do either of you know what the primary duty Hogwarts heir is, in relation to the school? I have to find and name the Founder's heirs. Two I already know. Arthur Weasley is the heir of Godric Gryffindor and Luna Lovegood is the heir of Rowena Ravenclaw. Slytherin never married and the only line to have attempted to claim heirship in centuries are descended from a line thief. Helga Hufflepuff's only grandchild moved to France, so that will be the one I need to focus on."
"Arthur Weasley and Luna Lovegood own half of Hogwarts?" Snape asked. "I think I'm going to resign."
"No they don't actually. The founders never owned the school. The school itself is communal property, which is why the school board seats are assigned by popular vote, however the building and land are owned by the Hogwarts line, so, well, me." Harry said, sounding a little sheepish.
"Sal doesn't trust me?" Dumbledore asked, sounding simply curious.
"That's more me. Dudley is still furious about you not explaining in person what happened. I don't mistrust you exactly, but I plan to decide your trustworthiness for myself before I'm anything other than neutral towards you." Harry explained.
Snape looked slightly impressed, and Dumbledore's eyes glimmered with humor, "I can see why you named a proxy, you are certainly capable of wisdom. Now shall we see about getting you sorted, for your class schedule at least, Hat says you'll be sleeping in the heir suite."
"The issue with that is I would really rather not be thought to favor any house over the others. Elaine Hogwarts had a similar stance and was allowed to rotate between houses each week. One week with Gryffindor, the next with Hufflepuff, the next Slytherin, and so on. And anyway the school crest is already on my robes." Harry said gesturing to his robes.
"Very well," Dumbledore said.
"Great," Harry said grinning. He narrowed his eyes in concentration and his a hair started to grow, and red, blue, yellow, and green streaks appeared.
"Metamorphmagus?" Dumbledore asked smiling.
"Partial. I can only do the hair, and I have trouble with blonde."
"Headmaster what about the point system?" Snape asked.
"Oh no-one would have been fair about it anyway, just don't bother. I can still get detention and if I do something overly exceptional let me pick a book from the resticted section in whatever subject it was, or give me an extra day on homework or something." Harry said with a shrug. "Honestly just knowing I did well is usually plenty."
Snape seemed to find that acceptable, and Dumbledore looked quite happy about it.
*
"Hello Xenophilius, here for a meeting as well?" Arthur Weasley said as he appeared outside the gates of Hogwarts.
"Yes, I am your wife said you got a letter as well, when I stopped by to see if she could watch Luna. You wouldn't happen to know what this about? I'd like to get back Luna and I had planned to work in the garden." Lovegood replied as they began the trek up to the school.
"I had assumed it was about the twins, but I'm not sure what they could have done that would affect you though." Arthur said before holding the door open for his companion. The noise of students breakfasting hit them like a wall.
"Mr. Weasley! Mr. Lovegood!" Harry called, today wearing spikey bright red hair with golden streaks, walking up with Snape.
"Good morning, gentlemen." Snape said. "If you'll follow us please." He lead the way towards Dumbledore's office, Harry at his side. Both men shared a confused glance before following.
"So are you who we are meeting with?" Arthur asked.
"Indeed." Snape said as Harry grinned and ran ahead, only to stop short of the gargoyle, at a large crest set in the floor, a simple H on a blank shield.
"Alonsius." Harry said and the crest split sliding away to reveal a stairway leading directly under the gargoyle. "Shall we?" Harry said grinning at their shocked faces.
After a short hallway, they arrived at an office decorated in warm browns and pale greens. Harry sat down in a chair in front of the fireplace, still smiling. There were two Gringotts files on the coffee table along with two wooden boxes.
*
"How did your meeting go?" Molly asked as Arthur and Xeno walked in.
"Well Mrs. Weasley-Gryffindor, you tell me." Arthur said grinning, showing her the crest on his ring.
"What!?!" Molly shrieked.
"I've been named Gryffindor's heir."
"Mum is everything alright?" Ginny said coming down the stairs with Luna. "Mum, what's wrong you're crying!?"
"Nothing, sweety, we just got some really great news." Molly said hugging her daughter.
"Us as well, Luna." Xeno said. "Come, I'll tell you all about it at home."
*
"What's got you grinning, Draco?" Daphne Greengrass asked at breakfast.
"I'm going to be a brother." he told her.
Congratulations were heard from everyone at the table. It was well known that Draco was considered a miracle child, given how difficult it had been for Narcissa to get pregnant, so this was truly exciting news.