Chapter 3

Seeing a wave of shimmering air pass through the room Harry blinked as he had to struggle to decide if he did feel the squeezing sensation as the wave hit him or not. Deciding not to even bother thinking about it any longer he looked around the room for a way out, “Great! How the hell am I supposed to get out of a room with no door…”

“Wicked,” Harry grinned as a portal door appeared right after he ranted about there not being a door.

“Harry?” the voice of his mum came from the mirror along with his father’s chuckles.

“I asked for a door and it appeared,” Harry walked out into the hall. “I love magic…”

“Dad,” Harry looked down the hallway both ways and not seeing an exit, “Which way now?”

“Head to your left Harry,” James hugged his wife close while whispering a ‘shush you’ to low for the mirror to pick up. “You should see an engraving of our family’s crest on the wall,” then realizing that his son had probably never had a chance to see the family crest he added, “You’re looking for a picture of a crown on a field of red bordered in blue. You’ll find a small indentation on the crown where one of the jewels is missing, if you place your ring in it, without removing it from your hand, the door will open leading you to a ladder. After that it is up several floors and to another hallway where you’ll see stairs leading up on your right. You’ll end up in the central glade outside the Lords house.”

“O…kay,” Harry rolled his eyes and fought the urge to say something about playing hide and seek. Then again he thought as he saw the crest, it was probably for the best that there were secret ways in and out of the heart room, otherwise back when the Potters were attacked… “If all someone had to do was turn on the shields and protections to keep the Island safe, how come the ministry was able to seize our home without someone activating the shields?”

“I don’t know Harry,” James voice sounded worried. “I hope we can find out what happened when some of those that were cursed are returned to their normal forms.”

Climbing the rungs of the ladder in silence, Harry was feeling the adventure was starting to wear off. What he had been finding out worried him, more for the fact that he so desperately wanted out of the clutches of his relatives that he found out he shouldn’t ever have gone to.

Slipping into the hallway, Harry spotted the steps leading up and started up while noticing there was a strange musty scent. Walking out into the sunshine, Harry looked up wondering how there was sunlight when he knew they were deep underground. Taking a few steps forward to get a better look he let out a horrified mumble, “OH NO…No!” Rushing forward he twirled around as he heard his parent’s voices calling out to him from the mirror, “Everything’s dead…”

James looked at Lily in shock.

“Harry…”Lily called out trying to calm her son. “Harry, it will be alright.”

“Your mother is right son,” James calm voice along with his mothers did a lot to calm Harry down. “We can do wonders with magic, once we find out what went wrong we can fix it and then with magic Underhill will be green again.”

Staring at the mirror in his hand, Harry needed to see his parents instead of just talking to them, holding his hand out he commanded the trunk to return, “Potter Hideout.” Watching the bracelet turn liquid and drip off his wrist and reform on the ground in front of him as his trunk he threw the lock open as soon as it reformed and was down the steps without closing the lid. Calming down as he stared back at his parents worried faces he fell onto the couch, “Everything is dead. Everywhere I looked it was dead plants on top of dead plants.” Shivering he did not like seeing the reality that had shattered his fantasy of a magical world deep underground.

“I wonder why the house elves neglected their duties,” Lily kept one eye on Harry as she moved as much as possible in her frame. “It’s too much to be a coincidence that after seven hundred years all of a sudden they take off or stop taking care of the gardens.”

“I have to wonder,” James thought out loud. “I remember planning for every eventuality. But if Albus was the one to orchestrate hiding Harry and ignoring our wishes like we think; could he have hidden Harry under wards that would have broken the bond with the Potter house elves?”

Lily looked aghast, eyes wide she knew the facts fit, “But Blood Wars have started between families for doing that.”

“What are house elves?” Harry asked now that he was calm and away from all the dead gardens.

“House elves are a magical intelligent species that bond with a magical person to ensure their own magic stabilizes.” Lily looked at the confused look on Harry’s face and smiled, “House elves have magic, but they can only freely use their magic when serving others. Their magic only works as intended when they are serving. Long ago we would have called house elves, Brownies, Like described in children’s fairy tales of the shoemaker.”

“Over time the Brownies discovered that if they bonded to a family their magic stabilized to the point they could do great feats of magic at anytime they wanted.” Lily looked past Harry as she recalled what she had read, “But over time Witches and Wizards discovered that the bond could be used to enslave the helpful house elves and it has gotten to the point that house elves need their masters permission to reproduce.”

“All except for those House Elves here on Potter lands,” James added to the explanation from what he had gleaned from reading from the Potter Repository of Knowledge. “Because the lands that belong to the Potters have three converging nexus of Ley Lines, and our lands are the only place in the world three such nexus converge, the house elves here are slightly different. More true to their origins than those in the outer worlds, but even then the house elves that serve Underhill have a light link to the Potter family to stabilize their magic. The Potter family made sure they are not enslaved like those outside our lands.”

James nodded as he decided on a plan of action, “Right then. Harry I think it is time to try calling the house elves. To do that you need to state your name and claim the Potter lands for your own while dripping a drop of blood on your head ring. For best effect you should do this in the gardens right in front of the heads house. We’ll know what happened to them after you call them and how to proceed from there. After all the lands that have returned from the bottom of the oceans to the surface…well you described them as green and lush.”

Blinking, Harry nodded slowly as he remembered the image from the table and describing it to his parents. Staring at his parents as he thought things over, he tilted his head to see if he could figure out how the portrait was secured to the trunk wall.

“Something the matter Harry?” Lily enquired as she followed her sons gaze to their portrait frame.

“Can the portrait you both are in be moved?” Harry asked as he stood up and went for a closer look. “I was thinking it might be helpful if the both of you could see what is going on.”

“James?” Lily asked as she looked at her husband.

Looking up at the top of the frame James thought about the spell anchors they had used, “I think it should be possible. If nothing else it won’t do any damage to our anchors if it doesn’t work.” Looking back down at harry he smiled as he gave his son the instructions that would allow the portrait to be moved, “What you need to do Harry is to remove the four red gems, there is one at each corner of our frame. Start with the upper left and end with the lower left hand ones. After that the frame should shrink enough to allow you to lift it up through the stair well, after that you need to put the frame on the wall you want us to be placed on and return the gems in the exact reverse of how you took them out.”

Glancing at the portrait frame as his father told him how they could be removed, Harry spotted all four gems. Looking up at the topmost gems he held his hand up as he glanced between his hand and the top of the frame. Seeing there was no way he could just reach over and grab the gemstones he looked back over his shoulder to the couch before nodding and dragging it to the edge of the frame. Standing on the arm of the couch he grinned face to face with his parents a moment before reaching up and grabbing the first gem and twisting it out. Using his other hand to remove the other topmost gem he jumped off the arm of the couch and carefully placed both gems on the table top in the order he had removed them. Pushing the couch away from the portrait he removed the lowest right hand gen and carefully placed it on the table before going back and twisting the last gem out of its socket.

Catching the frame before it could fall off the wall as it suddenly shrunk, Harry was very careful as he slowly made his way up the steps and out of the trunk. Having already decided that the perfect spot to place his parents frame was on the outer wall of the house he had walked out of. He moved along the wall until he found the perfect spot, a place his parents could gaze out over the city and its hanging gardens. Of course right now it was all dead and depressing he thought as he clutched the portrait frame to his chest as he stood and gazed out over the devastation.

Shaking his head as he dragged himself out of the depressing thoughts as he turned away from the dead gardens, Harry placed the frame in the middle of the wall and twisted the gem he was holding into the lowest left hand corner slot of the portrait frame causing the frame to stick to the wall and enlarge back to the size it had been before removing the gems. Two trips back down into the trunk to retrieve the other gems he placed the last gem into the portrait after having to drag a chair from inside the house so he could stand on it to reach the upper slots.

Blinking as the magic of the frame started to flow once again, Lily gazed out and down the tiers that made up the hanging gardens of Underhill. Tears flowing freely as every where she looked she saw nothing but death and decay, “Oh, James…”

“Good show Har…” James started to congratulate his son on a job well done until his eyes caught the devastation to the gardens. “By the first ones…” he stuttered out as he gazed out and down each of the tiers and saw nothing but brown where there should be healthy green.

“I know,” Harry whispered in pain as he looked at the ground. Remembering what he had been about to do he pulled a pin out of his belt and pricked the end of his finger. Pushing on it until a large drop of blood and rubbed it on top of his ring, “I Harry James Potter…Head of the Potters…I reclaim all Potter lands and holdings…What was once taken has now been reclaimed,” Magic had taken hold of him and where he had planned just to announce he was head of his family, well magic had other plans. His voice took on an echoing quality, “A Potter now holds dominion over our lands once more,” glowing Harry turned away from his awe struck parents to face the city. “By Blood…By magic…” Harry started to float several feet in the air as a magical wind twisted around him. “By my Soul…” light started to shoot out from Harry’s eyes and mouth, “Magic walks through the land from a Potter once more…”

Feeling a strong second wave of magic flow through him, Bisby felt something tug at the back of his mind as the Potter link settled into place. Placing the watering can down on the bench near the seedlings Bisby popped towards the source of the mind tug. Appearing in front of the house where legend had it that the head of the Potter family lived, Bisby fell to his knees in awe as he saw something out of the mists of time. A Potter was reclaiming his lands in his family’s name.

Landing on his feet, eyes still glowing, Harry looked at the little being that had appeared, “Only one?”

Bisby knowing what the young lord was asking looked down in shame, “Bisby is being the only one left. All others have long gone to sleep.” Letting out a moan of fear he whispered, “Bisby not being enough to keep gardens alive, Bisby is only being one. But Bisby being able to keeps the greenhouses going.”

“Sleep?” Harry asked as the glow started to fade from around his body. “Do you mean they died?”

Shaking his head no, Bisby told him, “Theys be going to sleep. Likes those animules that sleep during the snow times.”

“Hibernation,” mused Harry as he looked down at the strange creature kneeling in front of him. “Can we wake them up? And,” he looked around at the gardens and the parched soil, “Do you know what needs to be done to fix the watering system in the gardens?”

“Harry,” James called out.

Turning to face the portrait Harry looked up at his parents, “Yes.”

“When you attached our frame to the house we became part of the protections of Underhill,” James started to explain as he looked sideways as if hearing an answer. “It seems Underhill uses a magical watering system for the gardens, and when I and your mother inscribed the ritual of cleansing to remove the curse from those turned into Dementors…well it seems we might have made a mistake and accidently short circuited one of the power arrays.”

“Can it be fixed?” Harry asked slowly as he wondered how he was going to be able to do that considering he knew nothing of magic.

“Yes, easily…” James started to tell Harry how to do it but was interrupted by Lily.

“Harry,” Lily interrupted her husband with a glare that told him he was losing track of what needed to be done first. “Why don’t we wait until all those cursed are released before thinking about fixing the watering system. That way some of the older Potters can fix it, after all it should be an easy fix for them.”

Nodding his head Harry turned back to face the house elf, “Bisby? Can you go and wake up the other house elves, from what I understand, once they are cured the Potters will be weak and needing some food…maybe some soup.” Thinking about how much food he had left he frowned. It was supposed to last him a month while living at his relatives, more like being locked in at his relatives. The problem was he had only bought around forty five meals, mostly breakfasts and supper. He was going to need to raid a grocers before going to bed.

“Bisby do,” Bisby nodded enthusiastically before snapping his fingers and popping down to the sleeping caves.

“Very strange creature,” Harry mumbled as he shook himself and faced his parents once more. “So,” bouncing on the balls of his feat, “How do I undo this curse then?”

--

Walking into the ritual room after getting directions from his parents, Harry looked all around the room to see strange writing and symbols covering what looked like every square inch of the place; including the floors and ceiling. Picking up a small golden piece that looked like it would fit a puzzle he looked around the floor and walls for the slot he was supposed to fit it in. finally finding it near some strange door frame without a door, or even an opening behind it he fit it into place and pushed it until it clicked. Blinking in surprise as he heard a loud hum from the walls of the room he stepped back as the door frame suddenly shimmered and he saw an image through it.

As he stared through the doorway Harry fiddled with the protective pendant he had put on yesterday as he looked at the milling mob of creepy Dementors on the other side of the door. After several minutes of staring he remembered his father’s words, “The means to reverse the curse on you has been found.”

Surrounding the lone stone arch near the edge of where the devastated land met the newly risen section of the island, the Dementors waited patiently for something to happen. What part of their minds that still remained human hoped for the first time in ages as the archway shimmered and they caught sight of…a young boy. Watching him move around as he spoke to them they saw the Potter family ring on his hand. So this was their head of house, but the question they wished they could ask if they had the ability was why such a young child was now the head of their family. What new calamity had befallen their family now?

Moving over to the spot his father had told him he needed to do the spell from, after placing a drop of his blood on the symbol that is, Harry knelt down as he called for the first to have the curse removed, he was going to have to have a long talk with someone about the amount of blood used in performing spells, after all he thought as he stabbed the pin into his finger to draw blood, it bloody well hurt. “One at a time you can enter the room, stand in the center of the circle while I do what I need too to activate the counter to the curse.”

Shivering as the room got colder as one of the creepy larger ones floated into the room, Harry waited until it stopped in the center of the room before dripping one drop of his blood on the symbol on the floor, “Blood calls to blood.” The room started to glow a bright white, “Cursed by betrayal…Chained in malice and hate.” The Dementor had been reduced to half its size as the cloak hiding its skeletal body was reduced to nothing in a flash of flame leaving it naked, “Created in hate…Be healed in love of family.”

Harry watched in wide eyed shock as the creature first lost all its clothes leaving nothing but wisps of mist and a partial skeleton. Then as if in great pain it fell over onto the floor as the mist was driven off in bright bolts of energy; each time it was hit from a different symbol from the wall or ceiling something happened. First the skeleton filled out, then organs started to appear and were soon covered by muscles and then skin.

Staring as the room faded back from its bright glow to a somewhat normal brightness Harry starred in shock at the naked young boy who was attempting to get to his knees in the center of the circle. Ignoring the screeches coming from the doorway he moved to the boy’s side.

Looking up in wonder at the head of his family, Christophe let his tears out finally. Knowing what he had to do he reached over and pricked his finger on the pin in his saviors hand and touched his bleeding finger to the spot of blood on the others hand. “Blood calls to Blood. By my magic…By the blood that runs in my body…And by my soul, I Christophe Potter swear loyalty to the Potter line and he who leads us.”

Blinking back the spots as the flash of light faded from his eyes, Harry decided to ask later what that was all about. Helping Christophe get to his feet he set him down outside the room with his back against the wall so he could rest. Returning to the room he groaned as he made himself comfortable, the next Potter to be returned to normal was waiting for him to start.

--

Bisby stared at the red crystal as it melted away from the body of Zazy, the guardian of the caves.

Zazy opened his eyes just as the last of the crystal melted off his body. Looking around he spotted one lone elf staring at him in anticipation. Groaning as he moved his stiff body out of the cavity he had been sleeping in, “Whos is you to be waking Zazy?”

“Bisby is,” Bisby told him as he waved at all the sleepers surrounding them on the three levels of the tower style cave. “The Potter has returned. The Potter is wanting all elves to wake and help him fix city.”

Feeling for the link Zazy was surprised to feel that indeed it was there. Frowning as he looked around the circular chamber at the resting elves, “City is fine. Nothings needing fixing.”

Bisby stomped his foot as he glared at the guard elf, “Zazy been sleeping. Zazy no know what city looks like.” Ears drooping as his face filled with shame, “Gardens be dead. Nothing survive but greenhouses for when The Potter comes home.”

Zazy stared at the other elf for several long moments as he thought about what he was told. Shaking his head hard enough for his floppy ears to hit his head, “Bad Bisby for waking Zazy; bad elf knows magic keeps gardens growing.”

Growling in frustration and anger Bisby grabbed Zazy by the ear and popped out of the cave into the middle of the hanging gardens. Waving his arm around at the four levels above them he whacked the old elf on the side of the head, “Bisby no bad elf…ZAZY LOOK , believe own eyes.”

Falling to his knees Zazy stared at all the brown vegetation, every where he looked all he could see was row upon row of dead plants where once there was beautiful flowers.

--

Four long hours after he started, Harry helped the last person returned to their normal form out of the ritual room. While he had family again, the oldest of those that were cursed was only twenty and the majority were younger than he was.

Tobias leaned on the railing overlooking the city with dismay. While the city looked to be in great shape he was very troubled seeing that the gardens had died. Being deep underground without the gardens the air would start to go stale and become poisonous before long if nothing was done soon to fix them.

Walking up to stand next to the older boy Harry asked after catching the pensive expression on Tobias face, “Is something wrong?”

Sighing, Tobias tore his eyes away from the gardens to look at the head of his family, so young he thought, yet he had the strength of conviction to get him this far. “Several things Father.”

 Screwing up his face in shock, Harry looked at the older boy as if he had lost more than one marble, “Father??? I think the seven hundred or so years you spent cursed has addled your mind.” Pointing to his chest as he took a step back, “Do I look like a Father to you? Bloody hell, I‘ve not even got hair down there yet.”

Laughing hard enough to almost fall down, it took Tobias several tries to explain himself, “That’s too funny...You are the head of our family…our clan if you will. The head of the family is always addressed as Father…but the other meaning is funny too.”

“Ha…Ha,” Harry grumbled as the other boy chuckled. Finally seeing the amusement in it he smiled, “So back to what I was asking then.”

Sighing Tobias ran his hand through his hair, “Several things. The first being that as we are deep underground, we rely on the gardens to refresh our air.”

“And with them being dead,” Harry frowned as he looked out over the city.

“Yes and we need to fix that as quickly as possible,” Tobias once again had to hold onto the railing to keep from falling, this time because he was still so weak. “Not only that, most of us are as weak as a newborn babe, we don’t have enough magic in our cores right now to do the work needed to get everything back to normal. I just don’t understand why the Little Ones let the gardens die.”

“Little Ones,” Harry mouthed softly as he tried to figure out who…”Oh, you mean the House Elves.”

“Is that what they are calling themselves now?” Tobias turned to look at his family head.

Shrugging, Harry pointed back towards the house he placed his parents frame on, “Don’t rightly know to tell the truth. That’s what my parent’s portrait told me they were called. I do know when I claimed my birthright this morning only one house elf answered the call.” Leaning against the railing so he could use it to hold himself up as he was feeling tired, “Bisby, that’s the name of the House Elf that answered the call, told me all the others went into some type of sleep like hibernating animals do in the winter.”

“I see,” Tobias mumbled as he stared at Harry by moving his head slightly. “Something must have happened before you became the head of the family that made them think there was no hope in returning us to normal from our cursed fate.”

Nodding his head, Harry pointed to the portrait across the way that he could barely make out, “My parents portrait told me that the person who betrayed them and me must have placed me under some type of…” thinking back he shrugged as he could not remember what his father called it, “Shields of some sort that broke the link to the House Elves. I think he wanted to make sure that I had no chance of getting away from the nasty people he placed me with after my parents were murdered.”

Raising his eyebrows, Tobias spotted the simmering anger on Harry’s face and decided later on he would talk to this portrait to find out what went on before Harry made his way home. Thinking about how the potion shelves were empty as they helped each of the cousins into the infirmary decided to concentrate on what was important. Looking around he spotted Dieter and called him over. “Father…”

Harry made a face at being called Father again and frowned as both teens chuckled at him.

“You’ll get used to it in time,” Tobias told him as he placed a steadying hand on Dieters shoulder. “Dieter here is one of the best medicinal brewers the Potters ever taught.” Turning to face his friend he sighed, “Somehow you are going to have to find the energy to brew the energy restoratives we need to get back on our feet. While you do that I need to see about trying to make something soothing for all of us to eat.”

Seeing how tired Dieter looked Harry remembered the first aid potions he had bought after talking to the man in the apothecary during his shopping trip, on top of that he had enough food to make some soup if he made several different types. But it would mean he had to go shopping right away. Touching his bracelet he startled the two older teens when the trunk returned to normal, “Potter’s hideout.” Opening the lid as he pushed the button for the third room, Harry threw the lid open and rushed down the stairs.

Tobias stared at the trunk in shock as he watched the head of their family disappear. Leaning forward he tried to think of how the space layering charms were integrated into transmutation charms.

Rushing up the stairs Harry wondering why his trunk was getting strange looks. Shrugging it off he knelt in front of the trunk and pressed the number two causing the trunk to shimmer and reform with the school compartments showing. Pulling all his potion supplies out of the compartment he stacked them up next to Dieter’s feet. Removing the rack of memories he stared at them before setting them to one side, he would have to remember to watch them later once everything settled down. Pulling the next set of racks out of the holder with a click he placed them next to him before returning the rack of memories to the holder. “I’m not sure what you need, but if you need some ingredients that I don’t have I probably can get them.”

“There should be more than enough ingredients in the greenhouses,” Dieter told Harry as he looked through the ingredient vials. “That is if they are not dead too,” he mumbled as he looked back at the gardens.

“Bisby told me they are okay,” Harry told him as he placed his hand on the trunk. “Form up!” Smiling as the trunk returned to his wrist he just could not think he would ever get tired of doing magic. Digging into the satchel for his supply of meals he glanced around as he started to pull out the dinners he had bought, “Um, does the hospital have a kitchen?”

Azkaban with a twist

I’m thinking this bunny should run between 4 and 5 chapters. After that I hope to be able to get back to my stories I am already working on. Later on I can go back through and flesh out each chapter and either turn it into its own story or a long one shot.

 

Now for the next chapter

 

Chapter 2

 

Waking up the next morning, Harry had no clue what time it was. Throwing the blanket off he grabbed for his glasses from the table and slid the lever back up until it stopped. Blinking the spots out of his eyes as the light suddenly became bright he stretched.

 

Looking up quickly he smiled as he saw his parents smiling back at him from their portrait. “Morning,” he smiled as he pulled his carry all over and enlarged the compartment with his new clothes in it. Pulling out a change of clothing he flipped the lid closed so he could open it back up and get his toiletries out. “I’m going to go clean up before we continue, if that’s okay?”

 

“That’s fine Harry,” James took in the old oversized clothes his son was wearing. “Before we get back into our history lesson, we’ll have to figure out where we can stock up on some food. You’ll have to risk going outside the trunk long enough to stock up for a week or two.”

 

“It seems we were betrayed before we could stock the trunk with non perishable foods,” Lily frowned slightly.

 

Harry smiled gleefully, “I have that covered Mum.” Pointing to his camera bag shaped carry all he bought, “I snuck into the camping store while Hagrid took me around Diagon Alley and bought a month’s worth of food.” Looking down he told them, “I wasn’t sure the Dursley’s wouldn’t lock me up without food again. Maybe starve me totally this time to keep me from going to Hogwarts.”

 

“The Dursley’s?” James asked as he looked at his wife questioningly.

 

“My Sister Petunia?” Lily asked Harry. When she saw him nod she could not keep the furious look off her face, “That vile, spiteful shrew.” Seeing the stunned look on her sons face she shook her head, “She will get hers, especially for breaking the vow to each other we took when we were children.”

 

“You were not supposed to go to them Harry,” James shook his head. It was worse than he thought if Albus took Harry to Petunia’s. “We’ll talk more after you clean up and get something to eat Harry…Go on.”

 

Once Harry had gone into the bathroom and closed the door James looked at Lily, “he is not going anywhere near that bastard. We have no choice now. We need to prepare Harry to take back the ancestral Potter lands.”

 

Nodding in agreement Lily hissed out, “And call for the Dementors to suck out the Dursley’s miserable souls.”

 

An hour later Harry had finished eating all that he could, even though it was not as much as a normal breakfast for any reasonable youngster. Sitting back he smiled as he gazed at his parents, twirling the crystal cluster around his neck with his fingers he wondered why he felt lighter. “Something is different this morning. I feel lighter as if some pressure has disappeared.”

 

“That would be the pendants doing,” James told Harry. “Later in your lessons we will get into the different properties of gemstones and imbuing them with runes and magic. Let’s leave it for now that the protections that pendant provide you cleansed you of any charms or spells that were anchored to you.”

 

Seeing the scared look on her son’s face Lily smiled in comfort, “We can find out later if anything other than the parental tracking charm was placed on you.”

 

“Okay,” Harry felt better about the whole thing. Thinking about last night’s conversation he asked, “I am seeing that I have a lot of people after me, and they don’t have good intentions. So if we leave this Albus person for now, that leaves the Ministry which tried to kill off our family. Why?”

 

This would work into their plans to install Harry as Lord of the Potter lands once more. James nodded and rubbed his hands together in thought, “From what we have found out the Ministry back then wanted the lands our family ruled. It was one of the larger hidden islands in the North Sea just south of the Shetland Islands. We never did find out why the Ministry wanted it, but I think it had something to do with the fact that non magical people never knew it existed. From the dawn of magic the Potters warded and hid the island from all outsiders.”

 

“Then how did the ministry find out about it?” Harry asked as frowned in concentration.

 

“I have no clue,” James shrugged. “I grew up knowing that the Potters only had a small cottage here and there. Not the reason why. Because all the other old families had extensive estates and mansions that housed their families, and we more than had enough gold and wealth that we eclipsed the wealthiest of those families; but that all changed during our frantic search for a safe place to hide during the war. I discovered a secret that was lost about the family headship ring you now wear.” Pointing to the ring on his son’s finger, “in an old journal that had been damaged almost beyond being legible your mother discovered that the ring could open a portal to the Potter ancestral…well underground city would be the closest thing to describe it. When activated the ring opens a portal into a deep underground complex that must have been a fall back point for our family in case of disaster.”

 

“Here we found family records going back to the founding of your fathers line,” Lily smiled as she remembered the huge libraries. “Not only did we find journals and libraries of knowledge long thought lost to the world we found vaults full of enchanted items long lost to legend…Like the pendant of protection you now wear.”

 

“Along with the knowledge of how to use and create what we found there,” James chuckled at Lily’s look of rapture. He knew she was remembering the libraries.

 

“Then why didn’t you hide there,” Harry asked with the slightest hint of hurt in his voice.

 

“We planned to,” James scowled. “We had decided to hide under the Fidelius and once everyone knew how we hid we would then sneak out once our preparations for dealing with the Dementors had been finalized. What we did not take into account was we ran out of time before we could end the curse on the Dementors.”

 

“You see Harry,” Lily slumped. “Instead of killing the Potters way back then. The Ministry decided to use a goblin made war spell to turn every Potter hit with it into a wraith. Those wraiths are what eventually became the Dementors.”

“Even deep underground the effects of the Dementors could be felt as they patrolled the island around the prison the Ministry built.” James wrung his hands as he relieved the terrible decision to wait until morning to leave, one that in the end cost them too much. “The problem was until we had dealt with the Dementors it would not be safe to have you anywhere near them. Their very presence could have destroyed your mind.”

 

“And because we did not know how the pendants worked, and with the warning of not placing it on a child under four,” Lily let the tears she held back out. “We could not take a chance of you dying before we could break the curse on the Dementors returning them back to their rightful form.”

 

“We needed another week Harry,” James looked sick at the thought. “The ritual to return the wraiths to their real form would have been completed and instead of being the last of the Potters there would have been almost eighty Potters again.”

 

“Not only that we would have taken control of Island once more and have been safe,” Lily let out a small sob for what could have been.

Glancing down at the ring on his finger Harry asked, “So what do I need to do to take control of Potter Island?”

 

Looking up in thought, James went over what he remembered, “Tapping the top of the head ring while…” James stopped his explanation to look at his son. “First rule you need to always remember when creating a portal with your headship ring; is to never create a portal while in this trunk. The magic’s are incompatible and I have no idea what would happen. But it would not be comfortable, might be downright messy.” Seeing Harry gulp and nod his head quickly he smiled, “I was able to find two locations in old journals the headship ring would take you. The first is to a large park like area. Tapping the top of the ring while saying ‘Potters Retreat’ will open a portal to the common area in the middle of the park; a good thing if you want more than yourself to go through the portal.”

 

“Speaking of which,” Lily smiled as she interrupted her husband’s explanation, “The portal will always close after the ring bearer goes through. So if you do let someone go through a portal you create make sure you are the last one through or you will leave them behind.”

 

Nodding in agreement James continued, “The second location is where the ward and heart stones are located. This is the one you want to call forth when you leave here, because this is where you will take control of the Potter lands from. The activation phrase is ‘Potters Heart’.”

 

“Okay,” Harry repeated mentally several times both phrases and where they would take him. “So I walk through the portal to the room that controls the defenses and shields…then what?”

 

“On one of my many trips to the underground fortress,” James smiled as he grabbed his wife’s hand. No need to tell Harry that some of the trips were fun in nature. “I set in motion certain enchantments that would siphon off magical energy to power the protections once activated. Because of the fact the protections had been down for over seven hundred years the act of powering them could leave an adult drained of magic for months.”

 

“Plus we did not know for sure if we would be the ones to activate those protections,” Lily watched Harry take in every word they both spoke. “James set the core taps to charge up the defensive wards from the Ley lines that converge under the Island, they should be fully charged by now.”

 

“They should be,” James agreed. “What you will need to do his make a shallow cut on the palms of both hands and touch your bloody palms to each of the blinking crystals. After your blood ties the protections to the Potter line once more, the crystal ward stones will stop blinking and glow intensely. Once that happens, you will find on the center table a place that you can fit both your hands. Once you place your bleeding hands in the depressions the protections will become active once more and you will have total control.”

 

“After that it should be more than safe to take your time removing the curse from those Potter’s turned into Dementors by the Ministry,” Lily told him with a gleam in her eyes. “Revenge on the Ministry and Albus can be planned in leisure later. First we need to catch you up in magic with what you would have been taught if we weren’t killed.”

 

After some thought and embracing the warm feeling that overrode any misgivings with his mothers words of getting revenge on those that had decimated his family or the fact people placed him in an environment filled with hate, Harry nodded as he came to the realization that the revenge his parents wanted to take was something he could live with. “How hard is it to learn to do whatever it is I need to do to end the curse on our family members?”

 

“You just have to close the circle with a small Mythril block once one of the cursed enters the pentagram,” James smiled as it was plain to see that his son would not shirk his duties to family. “Your mother and I inscribed all the runic clusters to be permanent in the small ritual room we chose, just in case the ministry would ever try to curse the Potter line with that particular curse in the future.”

 

“That is the other reason the Ministry wanted the Potter lands and the Potters out of the way,” Lily looked at Harry. When he looked back she tried to convey how serious the secret was, “The Ministry wanted control of and access to Mythril. Mythril is a perfect magical conductor and only Potters had the secret to it.”

 

“Did they ever get the secret?” Harry asked as he moved to clean up the room so he could leave.

 

“As far as I have been able to tell,” James watched Harry clean up in confusion, “they never did get their hands on any Mythril. I Know for a fact that they never breached Underhill, if they had there would have been no Potters to continue the line.”

 

Looking around to make sure he had not left anything behind, Harry pulled the carry alls strap over his head and settled it on his right side, “Right then. I need to move the trunk as I don’t think it is safe here under the train station platform. So I might as well go straight to the island and raise the protections.” Looking at his parents who were nodding in agreement he smiled, “Is there a way to take you outside the trunk with me? Or maybe some way to talk to you will outside the trunk?”

 

“The mirrors?” Lily asked her husband.

 

“They might work,” James mussed as he gazed into the room. “We never did get around to testing that feature.” Looking back at his son he pointed to the bottom of their frame, “Harry, if you look closely at the bottom of our frame you will see an indentation. There’s a drawer under the couch nearest to our frame that will have two small mirrors inside. One you can carry in your pocket and the other should fit in the indentation.” Seeing Harry retrieve the two mirrors he nodded, “Those are the two. Now the one that fits in our frame, once you have it in the slot give it a half turn to activate it.”

 

Pushing the small mirror into the depression, Harry turned it to the right and frowned as it refused to move. Twisting it to the left though left him smiling as it moved easily and with a loud click locked into place, waving to his parents He made his way up the steps, once near the top he slid the two locks to the open position and opening the trunk lid before climbing the rest of the way out. Looking around carefully he slid out of the trunk and closed the lid quietly. Once out and making sure the coast was still clear Harry placed his left hand on the trunk lock and whispered, “Form up.”

 

Gazing for a moment at the bracelet that a second before was his trunk he mouthed the word ‘wicked’ before slowly making his way to the side of the platform. Listening for any steps or sounds of people milling around Harry peaked his head out from under the platform and not spotting anyone stood up and looked across the platform. Not seeing anyone he smiled as he pointed his hand off to one side and tapped it while saying, “Potters Heart!”

 

Feeling a heat from somewhere in his chest racing down his arm and to his hand, Harry could not help himself as he spotted a glowing door appear before going clear, “WHOA…WICKED.” Cringing and quickly looking around to see if anyone heard him he turned back to see the door turn clear and a room on the other side. Deciding to move quickly he took a deep breath and trusted in his parents and walked through the door.

 

Looking behind him he noticed the doorway was no longer there. Turning his head slowly he blinked several times in pain as the crystals blinked with an almost too much for his eyes to handle bright glow. Opening the flap of his carry all he enlarged the compartment he had placed his potion ingredients in and pulled out the small knife. Gathering his courage Harry slowly tried cutting his palm, not getting any blood he winced as he cut deeper. Quickly, before the pain he knew was coming hit him as he saw his blood well up from the shallow gash he made with the knife; he cut his other palm and dropped the knife as the pain hit. Walking to the closest blinking crystal he touched it with both bloody hands. Feeling the pain start to fade, he had to look through his eyelids as the crystal flared into life. Quickly moving to the next one he left two bloody handprints on each before moving to the center of the room and the table. Placing his hands in the two depressions he kept his eyes on the table so as not to accidently look into one of the painfully bright crystals.

 

Feeling the heat once more build up in his chest and travel down both arms, Harry felt his hands get very warm. Wincing as he refused to pull his hands back as they grew hot, he stumbled as his hands were pushed off the surface of the table. Glancing down at his hands, he was surprised to see that they were not burned; in fact he could not find a hint of the cuts. Working his fingers back and forth he smiled in relief when nothing hurt. Noticing that the room was not as bright as it had been a few moments ago, Harry blinked back his surprise as he saw the crystals were behind some strange energy shield that brought the light done to tolerable levels.

 

Glancing back down to the table he noticed fort the first time a map. Staring at the map he saw a golden glow race around the edge of the islands outline. Then to his shock he watched the line skip the outline and head off into what he assumed was the sea. “Mum, dad,” Harry called out after pulling the mirror from his pocket.

 

“It works,” the voice of James potter cackled from the tiny mirror.

 

“Of course it does James,” Lily chuckled in the background. “What happened Harry you sound confused?”

 

“There is a map in the center of the table,” Harry stared at the map as he pulled the mirror closer to his mouth without knowing it. “The strange thing is the glowing lines started to edge the island like I thought a shield would, but know there are racing off into what I thought was the ocean.”

 

“I always thought the island was too small to allow so many Potters to live comfortably on it,” James voice came across the mirror. “Harry I want you to try something.”

 

“Okay,” Harry told James as he watched the line make a turn.

 

“Using the finger your Potter ring is on, I want you to tap the map and say ‘Show me’,” James down in the trunk looked at his wife with a shrug.

 

Doing what his father asked him, Harry tapped the table with his index finger and forcefully told it, “Show me!”

 

“Way Wicked,” Harry let out as the table top shimmered and an image appeared. “WOW…”

 

Frustrated James tried to be calming as he asked, “Harry…what do you see?”

 

“The Island is huge,” Harry exclaimed. Not taking his eyes off the image he tried to explain what he was seeing. “The Island…it’s rising from the ocean. Its surrounded by this blue glowing dome of light…and after it’s out of the water the shield turns all sparkly as it showers the sparkles to the ground.” Voice sounding excited, “There is all kinds of plants and trees and stuff inside the shield. I wondered about that seeing the first image of the island that appeared on the table was of a rocky wasteland.”

 

“This Island is half the size of Scotland,” Harry exclaimed as he watched the line make a turn back towards the start.

 

“Half the size of Scotland,” James whispered in shock to his wife. Who looked just as shocked as he was.

 

Outside, high atop Azkaban prison, the warden stared in confusion as land rose out of the sea. A few minutes ago he and everyone else felt the ground shake and heard rumbling. Racing to the top of the prison he had been greeted with what he was watching now. The island was growing.

 

The rumbling stopped and he was about to order his men to fly over the newly risen landmass, that was when the high pitched screams started.

 

Looking around frantically he noticed most of the Dementors were smoldering. Not only that they were the ones doing the screaming. Then to his horror they started to fall down as a string of light left their bodies and raced across the sky to the same point in the far distance.

 

Not liking the fact that a group of Dementors had not been effected, in fact the group was the one that were the oldest according to records, he felt such a strong amount of fear it was all he could do to not run down the steps screaming. Then the mass of Dementors that were left looked back up at him and his men, the panic he had barely been able to hold back surged through him. Turning to take the first step in his run of fright he saw and explosion of white on the horizon. The last thought he had as the wave of light raced across the land was that it was coming from the center of the new landmass and that was were all that energy from the Dementors went to.

 

With an explosion of magic all those Dementors not of Potter blood dissolved as their magic and the energy that they had spent centuries of storing after feeding on hapless victims was used to fuel the shifting of the Island into a sub dimensional plane.

 

Amelia Bones, Head of the magical law enforcement division had responded with all her on duty forces at the first panic stricken calls for help. Now she stood at the magically hidden docks on the mainland staring between the piles of the guards and prisoners strewed hither and yon and the Island of Azkaban. Ordering her guards to stun and bind the prisoners she looked up and back in shock when one of her people yelled out.

 

The whole island looked like it was being sucked into itself before it disappeared from view, groaning as her headache grew to monumental proportions Amelia cursed, “Get those prisoners port keyed to the Ministry holding cells immediately. And Merlin help any of you if even one of those prisoners escapes.

 

 

 

 

Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons

For thou are crunchy and taste good with Ketchup

 

Azkaban with a twist

Looking at the pile of gold coins that was higher than he was tall, Harry glanced over his shoulder to where Hagrid was waiting for him as his mind raced with possibilities. Listening to the explanation from the goblin standing outside the vault door his eyes narrowed in thought as he stared once more at the huge pile of gold in front of him. The pile of gold that was the ticket to his freedom from his so called relatives; he had to wonder if they were truly related to him as he caught his reflection in the stacks of silver coins off to one side as he bit into one of the gold coins and smiled as he realized it was gold.

 

Ignoring the harrumphing coming from the unpleasant goblin, Harry grabbed one of the larger pouches hanging near the door. Scooping the gold coins and dropping them in the pouch he looked at the pouch with interest as the heavy coins did not add any weight to it. Deciding to fill a second pouch with handfuls of the silver and bronze colored coins he secured the two pouches as best he could to his belt and pulled his shirt over them.

 

Taking his key from the surely and impatient Goblin without a word Harry climbed back into the mine cart lost in plans as they sped to the surface. Standing on the steps of the bank he glanced around the alley after looking at his school list again. “Hagrid? This is a lot of stuff to be caring around. Maybe I should buy something to put it all in before starting.”

 

Looking down at the young man Hagrid had to wonder what was going through the young lads mind, he had been so subdued after entering his vault. “Over there Harry,” he pointed to a shop off to one side back the way they had come. “Ya can get a nice traveling trunk at the Woodsman’s over there.” Seeing Harry nod he swayed just the slightest bit as he started down the steps, the cart ride was still not sitting to well with him. “If ya don’t mind Harry I’ll meet you there after I get something from the pub to calm my stomach after that ride.” Staring at Harry as he looked up over his shoulder he tried to smile through the roiling of his stomach, “Gringotts carts and me don’t rightly mix if you know what I mean.”

 

Taking in the pale and slightly greenish face of the man who had brought him away from those people Harry nodded as he pointed to the apothecary two doors down from the shop Hagrid pointed out, “If you need a moment or two I can meet you at the Apothecary if you’re not back…so you don’t have to waste your day taking me shopping.”

 

“Ah, Harry,” Hagrid frowned slightly before beaming at his young charge. “Not a waste of my time taking ya around Harry. But a good idea just in case.”

 

Arm across his waist, just to make sure he did not lose either of the two pouches with his money in them, Harry entered the store Hagrid had pointed out and made his way to the back where he spotted the trunks being displayed.

 

Spotting a dark haired lad walk into his shop Ernest caught sight of the lightning bolt scar on the lads forehead, Harry Potter had rejoined the Wizarding world. “Be right with you lad,” ha called out as he quickly went back to his office and pulled a dusty box from the shelf above his desk. Blowing the light coating of dust off the lid he glanced in to make sure the shrunken trunk and bottled memories were undisturbed before hurrying back to the showroom. “Sorry Mr. Potter for not coming right away, but I had to go to the office and retrieve the trunk your parents sent to me when their contingences plan activated when their will was sealed by the Chief Warlock.”

 

Blinking several times Harry tilted his head as he looked at the dusty box in the man’s hands, “Excuse me?”

 

Putting the box on the display table Ernest ran his hands through his hair, “Sorry about that Mr. Potter.” Motioning for the lad to come over he explained, “Right, from your expression and the ill fitting clothes your wearing…Well, I need to explain some things then.” Moving two stools over with a wave of his wand he sat down and motioned for Harry to sit. “I went to school with your mother.” Smiling at the memory he went on after seeing the eager expression on Harry’s face. “She was two years behind me in Hogwarts, though she probably could have graduated early if they let her. Then again she had fallen in love with Hogwarts library, so maybe not.”

 

“During the war your parents took turns sneaking to my shop after hours so they could create a special trunk that they could use to hide in plain sight.” Ernest opened the lid of the box and pulled the miniature trunk out and set it on the floor in front of Harry and tapped it with his wand cancelling the spell he had used to shrink it. After the trunk returned to full size he pointed to the engraving, “A drop of your blood on the engraving of the fairy on the lock will allow only you to open your trunk. Your father, James made the lock so only those of his blood could open the lock.”

 

Looking at the trunk, Harry felt the yearning to know about his parents that had been growing as the shop keeper told him about his mother blossom into a furnace of desire.

 

“All I know for sure about the trunk is that there are three compartments, just like any standard students trunk and one special feature that I built into the trunk.” Ernest watched as Harry nicked his finger on the broken belt buckle holding the too large pants on his thin frame and touch the fairy with his bloody finger. Smiling at the soft click as the lock opened he pointed to the row of compartments along the right side of the top of the trunk. “Your father spelled the trunk to change shape; I believe he said it would turn into a bracelet so it could be kept with you. Once again with the thought of hiding it in plain sight. My contribution is the project was to create what your mother called the dispenser system. Those eight compartments on the right side are spelled to be much larger than they look inside; and to dispense to the outside of the trunk when it is in its bracelet form. If you look closer you can see the first three compartments are engraved with the symbols for the magical Currency Wizarding kind uses.”

 

Curious Harry pulled the trunk closer so he could easily see the lids on the compartments and opened the first three. Peaking inside he let out a smile as he saw that there was quite a bit of money already in them. Grabbing the bag with the silver and bronze coins he dropped it into the trunk before taking the bag of Galleons and pouring them into the compartment that already had some in it. After the last coin dropped into the compartment it looked the same as before, he thought he would be able to put his whole vault in there, “How much does it hold sir?”

 

Running his hand through his hair, Ernest shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t think there is a limit on what the money compartments can hold. As long as the items can go through the lid with ease that is.”

 

“Wicked,” Harry said as he smiled widely.

 

Pulling the rack of bottled memories out of the box, Ernest slid them across the table, “If you look closely on the edge of the trunk at the spot the latch covers you will see three numbers. The first number is the one that the trunk will automatically open to. If you press on the number two, the section would be perfect to keep your school supplies in. The space is divided into four compartments to place your things in, the back left compartment is set up to hold all your potion making supplies. I have no clue what is in the third part of the trunk as your parents never had me build anything for it.” Shrugging his shoulders he sat back after pointing to the rack of small bottles with his memories in them, “One last thing Mr. Potter. When the trunk appeared on my desk the night your parents were murdered I knew their contingences plan had been enacted, so I spent every moment I could in the Chambers our governing officials hold trials and enact laws in the months that followed your parent’s murders. Those bottles contain copies of my memories of those events.” Seeing the look on Harry’s face, “Your mother asked me to try to get as many memories of the goings on is the worse happened, so I assume in the third compartment is a pensive; a device that will allow you to see the memory play out as if you were there.”

 

Glancing out of the window as the crowd started to shape up into the normal pre Hogwarts shopping frenzy, Ernest stood up, “We’re about to get a crowd in here as parents bring their young ones to get their Hogwarts supplies.”

 

Harry pulled his eyes away from the rack of bottles he picked up when the shop keeper told him that for now it would be best to secure the rack in the part of his trunk that would hold his potions supplies because there were special slots to secure bottle racks in.

 

Hearing his name Harry looked up, “Your father told me the procedure for turning the trunk into a bracelet. You need to place the palm of the hand you want the bracelet to form on over the lock and say ‘Form Up’. Then if you want anything from the dispensing compartments you need to curl your pinkie finger into your palm so it touch the bottom of the bracelet and say clearly what you want dispensed. To return the trunk to its original form you need to say ‘Potter’s hideout’.”

 

Closing up the trunk Harry placed his left hand over the engraved lock and whispered, “Form up.” He smiled as the trunk shimmered and melted, reforming as an intricate fairy, wings wrapping around his wrist. Turning his hand over he saw that the fairy’s hands reached the bottom of his palm in the perfect position for his fingers to touch it. “I need something that I can put everything I need to buy in without letting the secret of my trunk out to everyone.”

 

“Follow me Mr. Potter,” Ernest smiled as he took in the delight on Harry’s face as he examined the bracelet. “The work on the trunk of course was paid for by your parents, so you do not owe anything for that.” Placing what looked like an oversize camera bag on the counter he smiled, “This should do for you. This bag is first of its kind; I made it based on the compartment spells I placed in your trunk.” Opening the flap he tilted it so Harry could easily see, “I had a thought that if people did not see you carting around a trunk they would be suspicious. So I designed this bag so to any observer it would think it was a new trunk design that could be carried around easily. If you open one of the compartments and do like so,” Ernest opened the back compartment and pulled it to the opposite corner, thus enlarging it to its full size. “To reset the bag so to speak all you need to do is close the lid,” doing so he opened it once more so Harry could see the nine compartments back to how they originally started.

 

Looking at the Bag Harry grinned, “That should keep my trunk a secret easily. How much do I owe you sir?”

 

“These cost slightly more than my standard trunks,” Ernest winced slightly. “Five Galleons instead of three and a half.”

 

“Sold,” Harry grinned as he pulled the bag over and put the strap over his head. Once he had it secured he followed the instructions and curled his pinkie to his palm and grinned as he spoke the price, “Five galleons sounds reasonable.” Feeling the coins hit his palm he grabbed them before the could fall and placed them on the counter with a huge grin.

 

“Well done Mr. Potter,” Ernest chuckled. “If you put your hand in your pocket first then no one will be able to tell that you did not have your money there in the first place.”

 

“Thank you sir for doing this for me,” Harry waved as he left the shop eager to get his shopping over with so he could find out what his parents left him in the third compartment of his trunk.

 

--

 

Stopping on the other side of the street from the house he had spent the worst part of his life surviving in, Harry played with the strap of his bag as he weighed the consequences of spending the next month with the people who had done their level best to stamp the magic out of him. Their words not his. Mind flashing back to his visit to the bank and the pile of money in his vault he asked himself if crossing the street was worth it. After a moment he decided it wasn’t, now that he was part of a new world, a hidden world. Turning his back on Number 4 Privet Drive for the last time Harry started back towards the station. If he was lucky he could make it before the last train headed for London.

 

He was not lucky.

 

Hand clenching the wrinkled pound notes in his hand as he glared at the ticket attendant who refused to sell him a ticket since he did not have an adult with him. Folding the money back up carefully he turned away from the woman as the train left the station, sliding the money back into the slot he had ever so carefully created between the two pieces of leather of the old belt he had rescued from the trash. Glancing at the train schedule on the wall as he walked past he decided that he would spend the night hidden close by so that he could try again in the morning, this time hopefully he would have better luck with the number of people travelling to London for work.

 

Doubling back to the station once he was out of sight of the horrid busy body, Harry squeezed his way under the station decking. Wiggling his way towards the back, he settled down in a space big enough to return his trunk to full size. If his parents had planned to use the trunk to hide in plain sight, that probably meant there was a room or something in the third compartment. One he could use to spend the night in so he was safe.

 

Extending his left hand out Harry whispered, “Potter Hideout.” Grinning when his bracelet shimmered and like liquid running off his arm reformed on the ground in front of him he pulled it over so the middle was in one of the few rare slits of light from the streetlamps. Opening the lock he pushed down on the number three before the lid was fully open. Looking inside he squinted as he saw what looked like a platform with stairs off to one side. Climbing in, he squatted down on the trunk bottom as he let the lid close. Chuckling softly as the walls started to glow when the lid closed he noticed two levers, pushing the one to lock and the other to hide he sat down on the floor and scooted over to the stairwell.

 

Sliding forward so his legs were hanging over the edge, Harry slid his legs apart as he leaned forward to look down the stairwell. Blinking in surprise as he saw a small room with only enough room for a couple of couches, in fact the three walls he could see each had a couch filling the whole length. Scooting so his legs were on the stairs, he scooted down a step or two before getting to his feet and making his way down the steps.

 

Looking around he spotted a small door that led to under the stairs. Glancing in it he saw a small bathroom, just enough room for a small shower and toilet. Letting his eyes rest on the painting he had ignored as his mind grappled with the two people in it he let out a small sigh of longing as his brain finally allowed what his eyes were seeing to register. “Mum…Dad…” Harry whispered with longing as he drank in the first image he had could remember of his parents.

 

Moving back to the far couch so he could keep the image in sight, as if he would take his eyes off of it they would disappear. Finally as he sat down on the couch and removed the strap of his carry all from his neck he looked down at the small table in the center of the room as he placed his carry all on it. Seeing a funny red gem on a chain along with a ring on top of a note he reached out and carefully slid the two items to the side so he could read what was written there.

 

To our son Harry:

 

There is so much we need to tell you, so much we will miss out on as you grow up. Your mother and I have put plans on top of plans in place in case our wishes were not followed in the events of both of our deaths.

 

So many things we found out while in hiding during the war. And with the possibility of everything we wanted for you being ignored by those we should not have trusted we delved into our ancient heritage to find answers. And to make sure our final backup plan would be for naught we linked our very being to the portrait across the room from you. Unlike normal Wizarding portraits, ours will be able to be there for you as we would have been save one exception. We will not be able to hold or touch you, and that is the one thing that will be agony for us. But you are our son and any parent would go through any amount of agony to be there for their child.

 

We wished to warn you of our portrait before speaking out so you are prepared. So you know by our written word that this is not a dream or fantasy.

 

But first my son.

 

There are two pieces of jewelry that we placed on top of this letter. The necklace once it is on can never be removed. And I ask you to put it on as quickly as possible as it has layers of spells and charms on it to ensure your safety and the safety of your mind and soul from one of the most fierce cursed creatures brought into existence. A being called a Dementor, Dementors are a cursed construct no sane wizard would get within miles of. I will explain more of who they were before the ministry cursed them into their present forms later.

 

The second item is the Head of house ring. This ring should never be removed until it is time to pass it to your eldest son. This ring will protect you in the Wizarding society as it proclaims you are an adult. That is right, once you put that ring on it will give you total control over the Potter family and its vassals. And it is vital to our plan to ensure that with whomever you had been raised will no longer have any say over what you do in the future.

 

Once you have done as we ask, we can talk.

 

Your Father, James Potter

 

Putting the letter down, Harry looked up at the portrait of his parents and was shocked to see them smile at him. They moved…

 

Quickly putting the chain with the strange red crystal on it over his head he ignored the fact that it shrunk so it would no longer go over his head. Picking up the ring he looked at it before trying to figure out which finger it was supposed to go on. Looking at his father in the portrait he tried to see if he was wearing the ring and which finger it was on. Staring at the portrait of his parents intently he asked, “Which finger is it supposed to go on?”

 

Hugging her husband in relief, Lily smiled as she motioned towards her son, “It should be worn on your right index finger Harry.”

 

Slipping the ring on his finger Harry felt his heart skip a beat as he heard for the first time in his memory his mother’s voice. Tears falling silently he took in his parents actually moving in their portrait he jumped up and moved closer to his parents and hesitated with his hand out, not daring to touch the portrait in case it would destroy the magic.

 

“Oh Harry,” James and Lily whispered, pain evident in their voices.

 

“How did you know to set this up?” Harry got out as he backed away from the portrait, so he did not give in to the urge to reach out and jump into his parents arms.

 

“Have a seat son, this is going to take some time to explain everything,” James gestured to the couch as let go of Lily.

 

“This will take several weeks to explain everything Harry,” Lily told him with a smile. “But we have those weeks to prepare you.”

 

“During the war with the Dark Wizard Voldemort, we were manipulated into several at the time questionable actions,” James began. “We began to wonder after the third time we were confronted by Voldemort what Albus was doing.”

 

“We knew we had truly been betrayed by our side of the war when Albus steered us to discovering the Fidelius charm to hide with,” Lily controlled her rage so as to not scare Harry. “This charm hides the secret of a location inside a person’s soul. On the surface this seemed to be a gift from the gods which would allow us to safely hide as it was near time for you to be born. The problem is we were given false information.” Looking down at Harry sitting on the end of the couch she tried to convey how serious her next statement was, “We were led to believe that the secret keeper could not be one of us. We were pushed by Albus to choose someone else, if we had ignored him and chosen either of us we would never have been found.”

 

“But he did not want that to happen,” James ground out. “A prophecy had been made about us; at least that was what he told us. I’m not sure I believe it, but part of it was leaked to Voldemort and he believed it. According to Albus your birth would foretell the downfall of Voldemort.”

 

“From what Albus told us you would be marked as his equal,” Lily turned so Harry would not see the rage on her face until she could control herself. “But when you were born you were perfect in every way. Not a single blemish.” Chuckling as she smiled at her son, “though the fact you performed your first magical act a month after your birth told us you were special.”

 

“And somehow Albus presumed you would be stronger than everyone else,” James frowned. “He must have known more about the Potter heritage than we did at the time.”

 

“We know for sure that he never suspected my heritage,” Lily frowned in thought. “We spent eighteen months after your birth digging into your father’s heritage, and because I was curious we investigated my heritage and found I was from a magical family that went into hiding almost a thousand years ago. And we forgot who and what we were.”

 

“There was no way Albus could know your mother was descended from Morgana Le Fay,” James smiled lovingly at his wife.

 

Harry was shocked and blurted out, “But the stories about the Knights of the Round Table say she was evil!”

 

Chuckling sadly Lily reminded him, “History is written by the victors. My ancestor was a Druidic High Priestess. She was the loving sister by choice to Merlin who Wizards treat like a god.”

 

“Wow,” Harry whispered after yawning.

 

“To answer your question,” James smiled as he drank in the image of his sons fighting to stay awake. “We Knew the Ministry had already tried to wipe out the Potter family back in 1265. And with our doubts about the good intentions of Albus…Well we planned for the eventuality of our wishes not being carried out.” Waving his arm around at the room as he explained, “If you were with your godparents you would have had this trunk back when you turned six. Your mother spelled the trunk to appear in Ernest’s shop if either of your godparents did not take you in within twenty four hours after our deaths. The spell was linked to the crystalline pendant around your neck. Both your godparents knew that they should put the necklace on you the moment they took you in.”

 

Frowning, Harry picked up the pendant and looked at it.

 

“Another item lost to the history of time,” James smiled sadly.

 

“Rediscovered When we found your fathers heritage,” Lily looked at James fondly. “And because of the way these portraits were made we will teach you everything we know and discovered.”

 

“We can tell you about Soul portraits another day,” James saw Harry yawn again. “There is a blanket or two under the bottom stair. Just lift it up to get to the drawer.”

 

“Before I forget,” Lily called out as Harry moved towards the steps. “You did push both locks to the closed position didn’t you?”

 

“Yes,” Harry told her over his shoulder as he pulled one of the blankets out of the ingeniously designed drawer. “I did that first thing before coming down.”

 

“Good,” Lily sounded relieved. “No one will be able to open or even see the trunk with both those wards activated.”

 

“Go to bed son,” James told him as he pointed to the corner. “The control for the lights is between the two couches over on the right. We will continue in the morning.”

 

“Night Mum, Night Dad,” Harry found the lever and pulled it back until it was almost dark. He found his heart raced with glee being able to say goodnight to his parents.

 

 

 

 

Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons

For thou are crunchy and taste good with Ketchup