Found Family - 1 (Patreon)

My brain was on elevator music when I tried to write anything, but I wanted to keep my creative muscles working. So... Here's a short story. I might continue it for 5-10 chapters just for a break while my brain recharges. Not all at once. Two more chapters before I get back into the swing of things.

Enjoy.

1.

Harry sighed as he looked at the multiple corpses scattered around him. He wasn't sure how news got out to the general public that he had the Elder Wand. A steady stream of hopeful witches and wizards lined up to try to take it. They were getting smarter, attacking in groups instead of one at a time. He did wonder what their plan was if they were able to kill him. There was only one wand. He didn't think they were the type to share.

He took off his glasses, cleaned them, and put them back on. Harry didn't need them anymore though continued to wear them out of habit. He reached for them constantly. Getting a new pair saved his sanity. They had enchantments copied from Moody's eye. The lenses would also block Legilimency as long as he had the glasses aligned.

His cloths were muggle rather than robes. He kept those for the times he had to shake hands and smile for the cameras. Harry wore a black acromantula silk shirt over black slacks and basilisk leather oxfords. Like all his cloths, they were lined with enchantments.

How many people had he killed in the last month alone? Thirty would be a safe estimate. It had been worse when he was an Auror. Then every two-bit thug and potential dark lord lined up to take him down. He learned he was immune to poison after the first few attempts. It was either the basilisk venom burning the weaker stuff away, or the phoenix tears healing him before any damage could be done.

The only way to get people to stop throwing away their lives by attacking him was to get rid of the wand. There had to be some sort of enchantment or curse on it to attract interested parties. Stashing it in Dumbledore's grave might give him a bit of a rest, but he didn't want to think what would happen if someone found it.

He could hide it another way. It had fixed his original wand when it broke. Advanced magic shouldn't be done in surrounded by the dead. Well, the sort of advanced magic he liked to use. There were dozens of rituals that required bodies of the recently deceased.

There was only one place he could think of to do something with a wand. He apparated away then appeared outside of Ollivander's a moment later. Diagon Alley was steadily returning to its previous grandeur. A smattering of new shops filled the empty storefronts. There were some that paid homage to the original businesses.

Harry checked to make sure the door was unlocked before he opened it. Olivander didn't have standard hours after the war. The old man had begun to interview potential apprentices as well.

"Mister Potter," Olivander greeted him.

The old man stood behind the counter with a patient smile. He had already cleared the stretch in front of him.

"I suppose you know why I'm here," Harry said as he walked over to the counter then set both of his wands on the counter.

Olivander nodded, "The Death Stick needs to disappear."

"Exactly," He nodded. "I can't hide it. Someone always finds it."

The old man sighed, "Yes. It is part of its mystique is the draw. Your plan?"

"I'm going to swap the wands," Harry stated. "If I can change the appearance of the Elder Wand to mine, then I can destroy the 'Elder Wand' publicly."

Olivander smiled, "You came to me for help."

"I came to see if it's possible," Harry replied.

The old man disappeared into the back for a few minutes. He returned with a small bolt of fabric tucked under his arm. Harry picked up the wands as the old man spread the cloth on the counter. It appeared to be some sort of silk and had an intricate array of expertly stitched runes. Harry could feel the ambient magic it emitted.

"Place the wands here," Olivander motioned to a strip of tightly packed runes.

Harry did so, "And now?"

"Now, channel your magic into the cloth," Olivander explained. "Focus on the connection you have with the wands. Then visualize the two swapping places. I've found it helps to hold the feeling of Apparation."

Harry nodded. He placed his fingers on the edge of the cloth. As suggested, he attempted to conjure the feeling of Apparation as he focused on swapping the two. He could feel the magic flowing from one wand to the other. It steadily pulled on his energy reserves. The runes along the cloth glowed as his magic filled every stitch.

"Mister Potter," The concern in Olivander's voice was clear even though it came from farther away than it should have been.

Harry tried to pull his hands away to find it wouldn't let him. He could feel the magic flow along his fingers then up his arms. His eyes were locked onto the two wands. They dissolved into ash then began to mingle in the center of the cloth. The wands solidified with each heartbeat.

The world went white as the wand completely reformed. He blinked the light out of his eyes to find a younger Olivander staring back at him.

"Mister… Potter?" The wandmaker said.

His gaze dipped to the single wand that had appeared on the counter between them. It looked like his Phoenix feather and Holly Wood wand radiated power for a moment before the ambient magical energy settled.

"That is one of mine," Olivander said. "In fact, I just sold one of its exact make." He squinted as he studied the wand another moment. "Almost its exact make."

"Are you my dad?" A soft voice whispered from behind him.

Harry turned to see a little girl, no more than eleven, holding a Holly wand. A myriad of emotions played across her face. Joy from the wand, confusion at his arrival, and -most dangerous of all- hope for rescue. The girl had rich red hair and green eyes he had only ever seen in the mirror or photos. It was the lightning bolt scar on her forehead that made his heart sink. A pair of glasses held together mostly by hope and scotch tape.

"No," Harry knelt to look her in the eyes. "I'm not your dad."

He moved his hair out of the way to show the faded scar on his forehead. The girl's eyes filled with tears.

"Don't worry," Harry whispered. "I'm here to help. Can you tell me about yourself?"

The girl took a steady breath. She held the weight of a terrible life in that sound. His heart ached again. He finally properly looked at the girl. She wore oversized cloths that were clearly second-hand and belonged to a boy. There was a hand-shaped bruise on her shoulder that peaked out when her shirt shifted.

"My name is Iris Potter," She said clearly. "Who are you?"

He offered her his hand, "My name is Harry Potter."

Harry spun his wand along his fingers until it came to a stop at her eye-level. The emerald orbs went wide as she looked from the one he held to the matching wand in her hand.

"You're me?" She asked.

Harry shrugged, "You're me. I was here first."

"No," Iris shook her head. "I've been here for eleven years."

He smiled, "Good point." He turned toward Olivander. "If you'll excuse us, we have some important stops to make."

"But Hagrid hasn't come back yet," Iris protested.

Harry smiled at her, "Don't worry, he'll be back soon."

Hagrid stood outside holding a familiar owl in a cage. The half-giant stared at Harry in wonder.

"James?" Hagrid choked out.

Harry shook his head, "Nope, Harry."

"Harry?" The half-giant repeated slowly. "You look like James Potter. How did you get here? Iris, get behind me."

"It's ok, Hagrid," Iris replied. "He's me." She gasped when she saw the owl. "Who is that?"

Hagrid smiled broadly, "Happy Birthday Iris. Every witch needs an owl."

He glared at Harry as he held the cage out to Iris. Harry cleared his throat trying to clear the tightness. It had been years since Hedwig died and he still missed her.

"You're the best Hagrid," Iris beamed.

She tried to hug the half-giant. Her arms didn't stretch long enough to wrap around him. Hagrid smiled, carefully patting her on the back.

"We need to go to Gringotts," Harry said. "Would you like to escort Iris?"

The smile dropped from Hagrid's face, "Why would we need to do that? What are you planning?"

Harry couldn't stop the smile that crossed his face, "Blood test to prove who I am."

"Why would the goblins do it?" Iris asked. "Shouldn't the government. The Ministry?"

He nodded in understanding, "You would think that. The goblins keep meticulous records when it comes to bloodlines. They track families through the years to make sure the proper vaults are accessed."

"Oh," Iris replied.

Harry stepped behind Hagrid to block the view from the street. He closed his eyes to concentrate on detailed self-transfiguration. Any magical person could change their appearance. It took some serious transfiguration to do it safely and correctly. Transfiguration was one of the subjects that he loved. He ran a hand along his face then over his hair.

Iris gasped as his hair changed to the same red she had. He opened his eyes. Something in her heart ached when she looked into those emerald orbs.

He smiled at her, "I know."

"You know?" She scrunched her brow.

Harry nodded, "You won't have to go back there."

Her breath caught in her throat.

"There is something I'm going to have to do," Harry continued. "If I claim the title of Lord Potter I can take you under my care. No one would be able to take you away."

She nodded while trying to fight back tears.

"We can check if you're able to claim the Lady Black title," Harry held his hand out for her to take.

Iris grabbed his hand. She held it tight desperate to make sure he wouldn't vanish.

"Why would she be Lady Black?" Hagrid asked.

Harry stopped after they walked a couple of steps. Iris squeezed his hand to make sure he didn't let go. He smiled gently at her as he held out his arms. She sprang into his grasp. Harry pressed her against his chest where Iris instantly pressed her face into the crook of his neck. He had always dreamed of someone holding him like this. Hagrid and he both ignored the muffled sound of sobbing.

Hagrid glared at him, "If you hurt her-"

"I will do everything in my power to make sure she is safe," Harry's eyes flashed brightly as he spoke.

That seemed to appease Hagrid for now. The odd trio continued to Gringotts. Harry had learned a lot about the goblins over the years. Breaking into the bank and stealing their dragon had earned some respect from them. It was the fact that he entered a vault under false terms that was the issue. They didn't care what people kept in their vault as long as it didn't damage the goblins or the bank. The horcrux wasn't against their rules since this one was protected with the Gemini Charm rather than temptation.

Harry didn't acknowledge the guards as he strode through the doors. He ignored the initial desk instead heading to the row of tellers. Hagrid went to stand in the waiting area. It wasn't made for people his size, but it was better than nothing.

"Goblin," Harry said. "I request the services of Gringotts."

"Wizard," The goblin replied. "State your request."

"Heritage Test followed by access to my vault," Harry replied.

The goblin nodded before pulling an inkwell from under the desk. Harry held out his hand. The goblin stabbed his finger with a silver blade in the shape of a quill then placed it against a sheet of parchment. They watched for a moment. The goblin stared in confusion as the quill stalled for a moment longer than usual.

Eventually, ink spread across the parchment listing his heritage back five generations. At the bottom he was listed as the son of James and Lily Potter right beside Iris.

"Curious," The goblin said. "Mister Potter, the fee will be taken from your vault. A guide will be along. Don't waste our time."

Harry nodded. He turned away from the clerk to wait. A goblin stomped over to them. He looked Harry up and down then turned around. Harry followed behind without comment. Iris finally disengaged from him to take a seat in the cart.

"It's better if you put your hands in the air," Harry whispered.

The goblin spared a quick glance to make sure they were in the cart. They hit a switch without checking if they were seated or not. Iris and Harry whooped as they sped along the rails. The witch stopped cheering when the cart zoomed passed the vault she had been at earlier with Hagrid. They went down a few levels via a spiral path that pushed them into the side of the cart.

Finally, they came to a stop before a much larger vault than the one from the morning. Harry got out and held a hand for her which she took.

"This is the Potter vault," Harry explained as they got closer to the door. "The one you saw earlier was your starter vault. There is a yearly deposit for you to do whatever you want."

He touched the door with one finger for it dissolved into sparks. Iris gasped at the broad expanse. There were carefully stacked coins in various preset amounts, antiques, tomes, and multiple little things that they could lose themselves in. Harry had done exactly that after the goblins allowed him access again. The most important thing was a piece of parchment set in the center of an imposing desk.

"This is our parents' will," Harry explained. "We can take this to the Ministry to have it read."

Iris scowled at the parchment, "Why didn't they read it before?"

"Things after Voldemort died were chaotic," He replied. "The will was stored in their vault with a few people authorized access. One was arrested, one betrayed them, and the other ran off like he always did." He shook his head. "No one else was able to get the will. You were too, but not until you hit you're old enough."

"When is that?" She asked.

"Once you pass your OWLs," He answered. "It's a test you take in your fifth year."

She shrugged, "Why do we need it?"

"This will prove our godfathers' innocence," He replied. "It will also let everyone know who betrayed them."

Iris came to a sudden stop, "Someone betrayed them?"

"Yes," Harry replied. "We can talk more in private."

Iris nodded. Harry moved efficiently through the vault thanks to his previous experience taking a bottomless bag connected to the vault. There was one other thing that he wanted to grab. The Potter Ring. It would give him a solid claim on everything under the Potter name. He would be able to claim Iris as his sister to prevent any issues from desperate Purebloods.

"Are you ready?" He asked.

Iris nodded, "Where are we going next?"

"We're going to rent a room until it's time for school," He replied.

"The Leaky Cauldron?" She asked.

Harry shook his head, "No, It's a nice place for some food, but there are better places with rooms to stay."

Their conversation paused as they rode the cart back to the ground floor. Hagrid saw them coming and met them at the door.

"We're going to rent a room," Harry told Hagrid. "Could you please tell Dumbledore I will be visiting in the next few days?"

Hagrid nodded, "I was already going to tell him about you."

"We'll be at Embers Hearth," He said.

Iris grabbed the cage for the yet unnamed owl. Harry hit the luggage with a shrinking charm and tucked it in his pockets. He smiled at the look of wonder on Iris' face.

Embers' Hearth was an upper-scale restaurant and inn. Harry was able to get a suite with two bedrooms that each had its own ensuite. The rooms were made for owl post as well, so Hedwig had plenty of room. He had accidentally let the name slip. Iris, of course, loved it.

Harry watched as Iris stared at wonder in the hotel room. Not only was it the best place she had ever slept, it was magical. She spent about ten minutes studying everything she could reach.

Iris gasped in shock as she started to float. She looked over her shoulder to see Harry directing her with his wand.

"Just wait until you can try a broom," Harry chuckled letting her settle to the floor.

Her eyes widened, "A real broom?"

"I'll have to take you flying soon," He smiled at her. "Do you want to come with me while I do some errands or stay here?"

Iris stared longingly at the fluffy coach nearby.

"You don't have to walk," Harry added.

She perked up, "A broom?"

"They don't let people ride brooms in the alley," He shook his head.

Harry caught the sight of a strange man out of the corner of his eye. He turned and had his wand up in a flash. Heat rushed to his cheeks when he realized it had been his reflection. His hair was still red. It would probably be best to keep it to settle his business establishing his identity. Things would kick off once it came out that there was a new Lord Potter.

"No," He squatted and patted his back.

Her eyes went wider than he thought possible. She sprinted across the room and sprang onto his back. He caught her with ease. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hooked her legs around his waist. Harry held her with one hand to keep one free. There were dozens of little things that he had always wanted when he was a kid. Seeing other kids getting carried by their parents was one of them.

The fact that Iris was being carried around by a man that looked like her father complete with matching hair made people dismiss her. Everyone knew Iris Potter was an orphan that lived in a castle being trained by the ghost of Merlin. Why would she be in Diagon Alley riding piggy-back? He took her to another clothing shop that wasn't swamped with school children. Iris helped him choose a new wardrobe. They both liked Muggle clothing over magical options. She didn't realize he had swapped over to getting her cloths. They both walked out with a new wardrobe.

"Brooms?" Iris asked giving a pleading look toward the display window.

He laughed, "We don't have somewhere to fly it yet."

"Yet?" She asked hopefully.

He nodded, "Our family had a lot of properties. We can look through them to see if you like any of them. After your first year. There isn't enough time to settle into a place before school starts." He paused. "That reminds me, there are a couple of things I need to take care of at Hogwarts." He looked at her over his shoulder. "And something with you too."

"Me?" Her voice dropped to a whisper.

His face grew serious, "That scar on your forehead. I don't like to call good or evil, but the thing in there doesn't have the capability for good."

"Oh," She whispered.

He smiled gently, "I know how to get rid of it. It will hurt."

"I'm tough," She replied with a shrug.

"I know," He replied. "Ready to be bored?"

"Why?" Iris asked scrunching her nose in confusion.

"It's time to go to the Ministry," Harry sighed. "There is going to be a lot of paperwork. It has to be done to make sure you're in my custody as an older sibling and new Lord Potter. Then no one can take you back to Privet Drive."

"Okay," Her face was too serious for someone her age. "We can do this."

Harry laughed, "I hope you're right."