Chapter 6

Birthdays

"What the bloody hell!" the words passed Harry's lips before he could stop them and he winced when they rang loud and clear in the misty white expanse where he stood; for the two men standing in front him appeared distinguished, and such language was not proper. But both older men laughed kindly as he blushed and tried to hide his embarrassment.

One was tall and lithe, dressed in silver robes with flowing white hair, and flashing hazel eyes. He held a magnificent white staff inlaid with gold and opal, and a crystal ball the size Harry's fist adorned the top.

The other was shorter and muscular in well-cut dark grey robes, his arms crossed over his chest. He had hair, black as night, that dropped to his shoulders, and his eyes were a steel grey. He had a gnarled, dark brown, staff topped with a blue prism tucked in the crook of his arm.

"Do not worry, Harry," the taller one said, leaning more on his staff, "we do not care of the proprieties of language. My name is Myrddin, and as I said earlier, it's time we talked."

Harry blinked. "Your Myrddin? Myrddin Emrys?" he asked.

The older man nodded, "You can call me Merlin. Everyone does these days."

"That must make you Arcturus Black!" Harry nearly shouted, looking at the other man.

The man threw back his head and barked a laugh, "Yes child, I am Arcturus Black. And I am very happy to make your acquaintance."

"The honor is all mine, sir. I have heard and read many things about you and Lord Emrys."

"Ah, ah, ah I am not Lord Emrys," the other man interrupted, "You are."

"But you were the first Lord Emrys," Harry countered, "That means you are still Lord Emrys."

"Titles mean nothing in the afterlife, my boy," Arcturus explained, "Hence we don't use them."

"And so," Merlin said, leaning on his staff, "We only use first names or nicknames."

"So, not that am I not honored, but what am I doing here?" Harry asked as he looked around the vast, empty expanse of white.

"Very simple, Harry. We wish to be your tutors," Merlin answered.

"Tutors?" the boy glanced between the two men.

"Indeed," Arcturus crowed, "Give you a head start on your schooling! Also to give you advice, train you on how to run your house, teach you politics, and obscure and ancient magiks no longer taught."

Harry arched a brow, "I mean no disrespect whatsoever, sirs, but you guys are dead, in the afterlife. How can you know about todays politics, or what is taught in school?"

"Just because we're dead in the mortal realm, doesn't mean we are out of touch," Merlin answered, kindly. He gestured around them, and the mist shimmered, before melting away to reveal the inside of Harry's room in the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry looked around with wide eyes, "Where are we?"

"We are in your room," Arcturus said, smiling, watching Harry's body sleeping soundly on the bed.

"I see that," Harry responded, confused, "but where were we earlier?"

"Right where we are now," Merlin said, "This is what is known as the Nexus. It is where the deceased can come to watch the mortal realm."

"The deceased…" Harry sputtered, "My parents?"

"Yes, they will be allowed to come watch you, and with your power you will learn to come visit the nexus, however you must first learn to harness the immense power at your fingertips, and your parents must finish their time atoning for their misdeeds," Arcturus said calmly

"Misdeeds!" Harry yelled, incredulous, "What misdeeds might they need to atone for, for 10 years?"

"Everyone has misdeeds that they must atone for when they die. Every lie, everything even slightly wrong means atonement upon your death," Merlin answered gently," Atonement depends on the misdeeds. A murderer will have a much more severe atonement then let's say a pathological liar. A person who killed someone in self-defense or in a war, such as your parents, will have a more severe atonement than some but nowhere near as severe as others. As to what the atonement is, I don't know. That is between you and The One."

"But for ten years," Harry whimpered,

"Mortal time means very little outside of the spirit realm, your parents atonement may only seem like a few days to them, but to you it's ten years."

"You will see your parents soon enough, Harry," Arcturus smiled, "But you must be patient."

"So, what do we do now?" Harry asked.

"Now we start teaching you what you need to know, starting at the beginning of the history of magic," Merlin answered, waving a long, dark brown wand, and his surroundings changed yet again.

LP:HoH

A sharp rap sounded on the ornate door of the Headmasters suite, the knock sounding as stern as the woman standing before the door looked.

"You! May enter!" yelled an extremely slurred voice.

The woman closed her eyes in exasperation, before twisting the knob and pushing the door open. Albus Dumbledore, an open bottle of scotch clasped tightly in his hand, sat at his desk. The rising sun caught off the glass of the empty beer and whiskey bottles cluttering the desk.

"AH, Professor McGonagall," the old man hiccupped, "How are you this, wonderful morning?"

"Professor Dumbledore," the woman responded crisply, a hint of Scottish brogue coloring her voice, "Must you continue to lower yourself to this level?"

"Level," Albus slurred, lifting the bottle in his hand to study it, "I have a good level left."

The woman sighed and drew an elegant, black wand. With a few quick flicks the empty beer bottles covering the large oaken desk vanished, and the partially full whiskey bottle still clutched in the hands of the headmaster resealed itself before wrenching itself free and floating away towards the open alcohol cabinet.

"Minerva, I wasn't finished with that yet!" the man whined, trying to rise from his seat.

"Oh yes you are," McGonagall retorted, as the Headmaster, swayed, then stumbled against his desk, before falling to the floor. A second of silence permeated the room, before Albus giggled.

"Minerva, have you ever heard this marvelous joke?" the mage struggled to his feet, collapsing into his chair, "A lumberman walked into a wood…"

"Albus, you are drunk," the stern looking woman snapped, "You cannot keep doing this to yourself! This is the fifth time in a month."

"Can if I want," Albus countered, childishly.

Professor McGonagall huffed and slipped a vial filled with a light blue liquid out of her robes. "Drink this," she ordered, handing the vial to the man.

"I don't want a sobering potion," Dumbledore moaned, tossing the vial onto his desk.

"Drink the potion Albus, or I will make you drink it," the Scottish woman warned.

"You wouldn't," came the confident retort.

"I have before," the witch responded, extending her wand threateningly.

"Oh, very well," the old man snapped, before opening the vial and throwing back the contents with a grimace.

Once the vial was empty, the man tossed the vial aside then grabbed the waste basket by his desk. A second passed, then Dumbledore was bent over the basket, retching severely.

As the old man emptied his internals, Minerva walked around the room flicking her wand, tidying the office.

"Ghastly as always," Albus grumbled from his desk, "They certainly should be able to make those taste better."

"You know very well why Poppy has Severus brew the potions the way she does," the woman sniffed.

"Yes, yes, that excuse works well for the students."

"Sometimes it works on stubborn old men as well."

Dumbledore huffed, drew his wand, and flicked it at a stack of papers, causing them to float over.

"So, Professor McGonagall, what is the morning report?" the old man asked, rifling through the papers.

"I was able to visit two houses on our list of muggleborns, yesterday" the Scottish women answered, sitting herself in a straight-backed chair that appeared at a wave of her wand, "As it turns out Mr. Finnigan is a half blood. His mother is Cressida Fidellis."

Albus paused, briefly, looking up at the woman, "Really? Interesting. I always wondered what happened to her after she was thrown out of her family. Who was the other?"

"One Miss Hermione Granger. Her family was very open to the idea of magic, once they were convinced it was real, and were very quick to accept our offer. I will be bringing them to Diagon later this morning. From what I can tell, Miss Granger may very well turn out much like Lilly Potter," Minerva added.

Dumbledore flinched like he had been struck.

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "Are you quite all right Albus?"

The headmaster gave a rueful laugh, "No, Minerva, I am not. You were right, that night, and I made a horrible mistake."

"Mr. Potter?"

"Lord Potter," Albus corrected, "and yes, damn the law, I should have never left him with those…" the old man's voice trailed off and he flicked a glance at his near empty whiskey cabinet, before picking up the picture on his desk, "It's the boys birthday today, he shouldn't be spending it without a loving family. And now because of my mistakes, he has to spend it in a world still so strange to him."

"How bad is it really, Albus?" Minerva asked quietly, looking at the picture of the young Potter family, taken on the day of Harry's first birthday, over her friend's shoulder.

"Its bad," whispered a broken man.

LP:HoH

"I'm going to miss you when you go to school in a month's time, Lord Potter" Mr. Fortescue said as he levitated Harry's breakfast in front of him, "You've been in every day. It's almost like you enjoy the place. By the way, this meal is free of charge."

"Mr. Fortescue!" Harry protested, his hand in his pocket digging for a coin.

"Non-sense, Harry! It's your birthday! All people get free meals on their birthday. House rules," Mr. Fortescue smirked, pointing his wand at Harry's wrist. Harry rolled his eyes as his hand was pulled from his pocket and was gently, yet firmly placed on the table. He smiled at the café owner as he walked away before turning his attention to his meal. As he ate his mind drifted over the events of the last month. Within that month his life had gone from horrible to nearly perfect. He still pinched himself at night to make sure he wasn't dreaming. The nearly daily visits from the headmaster were refreshing, except for when the man insisted Harry introduce himself to others with his full title, and informative as Harry would lay into the man with questions from his daily reading. At least, the visits were informative until Dumbledore stopped answering his questions, claiming that Harry had to leave something to learn at school. Harry had been a bit miffed but had then remembered that the bookstore was just down the street. His library trunk grew daily that, and he quickly became good acquaintances with the manager. He had even been able to buy several books from the mundane world, having ventured into London with Professor Dumbledore to visit multiple bookstores. The garish orange three piece suit the professor had chosen to wear was forever burned into his memory.

The nearly nightly visits from Merlin and Arcturus also were of significant help, though they agreed with Dumbledore and did not teach him much in the way of spells, claiming they would wait until after his first year. Because of this Harry was still having problems with a couple of spells either not working, or not working correctly, but Harry looked forward to the nightly visits where the history of the wizarding world was literally replayed before his eyes.

At least one of the girls came every morning to check on him, and to see if there was anything they could do to help, but Harry could never find it in himself to ask them to do something. That seemed to bother the girls a little bit, and so they usually puttered around the room cleaning imaginary dust, or remaking his bed, before sitting and reading with him. Harry had once asked if that wasn't something a house elf would usually do, but Su had simply replied, "You don't have a house elf."

Finishing his meal, Harry checked over his shoulder for the owner before flicking a galleon onto the table and slipping out the door. Stopping only for a second to stretch in the mid-day sun, Harry turned towards the inn at the head of the alley. He had spent the morning browsing stores and visiting with the people he knew. It had been a good morning, but he felt a gentle pull towards the Inn, and he knew that something was about to happen that he couldn't miss. He walked towards the entrance to the alley, whistling along to the melody that hummed in his ear. He hadn't paid much attention to the music of his magic, most of the time it was no more than a whisper at the edge of his hearing. However, it had proven that it could make itself known very quickly if it felt like it.

As he entered the inn, his attention was immediately attracted towards the bar where a huge man sat taking up nearly three stools. The man would have easily broken 11 feet tall if he stood, and his massive, bristly, black beard hid most of his face, save for two black eyes that glinted like two black beetles. He wore a moleskin coat, and a pink umbrella was hooked on the bar railing next to him.

"Harry," yelled Tom, the old barkeep, "come on over here, lad. There's someone here I want you to meet."

Harry swallowed nervously before walking over and sitting on the open bar stool next to the humungous man. Tom handed the boy a fizzy drink before turning to the giant, who was staring at Harry with an unreadable expression.

"Hagird, meet Harry Potter. Harry, this is Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds Hogwarts,"

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," Harry said, extending his hand with/ what he hoped to be a confident smile on his face.

The big man stared at him for a second before a huge tear leaked from an eye and he grabbed Harry, wrapping him into crushing hug.

"Harry, I'm so glad ter see yeh, again!" the giant boomed, thrusting him out to arm length, "Look at how yeh've grown. The last time I saw yeh, yeh were smaller than me 'and, just a wee li'il tyke."

Harry blinked, trying to place the huge man who so obviously knew him.

"Did you know my parents, Mr. Hagrid?"

The groundskeeper snorted, "What's with all this mister stuff. Jus' call me Hagrid, everyone does. And o' course I knew your parents! They were wonderful friends o' mine. It was such a shame ter have lost them. I was also the one to ge' yeh from the house. Yeh slept all the way to yer relatives house."

Harry froze. This big man had left him with his relatives? Anger started to seep onto his face, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry at this huge man. A soothing tone flowed over him, the sound of his magic calming him. He tried to listen as Hagrid continued.

"Yeh know, it's a real shame that that law exists. Putting a child with their relatives, and not considering if the relatives actually like the child," Hagrid shook his head and took a swig from the huge mug on the counter.

Harry stared at the giant, the comment chasing away the building anger.

"Law, Hagrid?" he asked quietly

"Aye, a law that came from the muggle world. An orphan must be sent ter live with relatives, if no relatives can be located, then the orphan is sent ter an orphanage or a willin' family. It's got somethin' to do with the magic. I dunno, I just think it's a stupid law, especially when the child's parents don't talk ter the relatives. That's a good sign the relatives don't like them."

"Yeah," Harry said thoughtfully, taking a sip of his fizzy drink.

"Oh, Harry, I was actually coming ter see yeh. I've gotta birthday present for you. I hope it makes up for the last few years, Dumbledore, great man he is, didn't want anyone to visit yeh for fear that they might lead some of yeh know who's crowd to yeh," Hagrid's whiskers lifted as he smiled, pulling a covered bird cage from his coat and setting it on the bar.

"Hagrid, you shouldn't have," Harry said staring at the cage.

"I know yeh don't know me all that well, I haven't see yeh since yeh were but a year ole', but I hope that yeh and I can become good friends, as I was with yeh parents. I thought this might be a good way to get started."

Harry gently pulled the sheet covering the cage off, his hand shaking. Two amber eyes opened and locked with his as the last of the sheet slipped free. Harry gasped as he physically felt his mind reaching out towards the beautiful white owl. Everything faded as the beautiful amber color filled his vision and the music only he heard swelled into a majestic chorus.

The pub went silent as everyone stared at the boy and the owl in the cage. The two stared at each other, neither moving, neither blinking. So intent on what was happening no one noted the door opening and a well-known figure entering the pub.

Professor Dumbledore stood at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron, surprised at the lack of noise upon his arrival. His eye, however was quickly drawn to the bar and the event taking place there. His eyes widened and he quietly moved towards the young lord. 'I don't think anything about that boy can surprise me now,' the old man thought to himself, 'a true familiar bond, so quickly and for someone so young?'

Upon reaching the boy, Dumbledore gently placed his hand on the young mans shoulder, breaking the intense staring match. With a sudden inhale, Harry blinked and looked up.

"Professor! I…the owl…Hagrid, he…" the boy sputtered.

Dumbledore chuckled and flicked his wand at the cage, opening the door. The Snowy white owl looked at him with something akin to gratitude before hopping out of the cage and onto the boy's shoulder. She softly bumped him with her head and settled down to sleep.

Harry gathered his wits as his hand came up to gently scratch the owl on the back of her head. "What just happened professor?" he asked pointedly, "There's something different. I can feel her, in my head."

"You just experienced a familiar bond, Harry. Something incredibly rare for someone so young," the professor said, in a kind voice, "Basically, this beautiful owl, just became a part of you in a very intimate way. The bond is still new, but as it grows, the closer the two of you will…"

"But sir, what's a familiar?" Harry interrupted, a look of confusion on his face.

"Ah, good question. A familiar is a being, usually an animal that is a constant companion to you," the old man started, slipping into teacher mode, "A familiar is a creature that is anchored in both the physical and spiritual realm. They act as both guardian and guide, while also being a conduit through which magic can flow. A person and their familiar share a mental link, allowing both access to the others mind. The familiar can help guard the mind from attacks from the spiritual realm, such as nightmares, and can also help with challenges in the physical realm by acting as, literally, an additional set of eyes and ears."

"Ok," Harry said slowly, "I guess I can understand that, but how do they act as a conduit?"

"We will learn much more about this later," Albus responded," but the basics are fairly simply. Magic as you know, is all around us all the time in its many forms. Animals and people use different forms of magic, and it is the soul that uses the magic. A person's body uses a surprising amount of energy absorbing, sorting, and dispelling the forms of magic that are unusable to it. An animal's body spends much less energy absorbing the forms of magic that are usable to them, as their souls are not as complex as ours. They then funnel the magics we use directly to us, saving our bodies much of that energy which can then be used for other things. Understand?"

"Yeah I think so," Harry nodded. He looked at the huge man who had been sitting quietly, "Hagrid, I don't know what to say. Thank-you so much."

"Don't yeh worry 'bout it, Harry," the giant boomed, his whiskers lifting in a smile, "What are yeh gonna name her?"

"Hedwig," the boy smiled, "After Saint Hedwig. The ancient Germanic witch who provided a home for hundreds of orphans during the war with Dark Lord Herpo the Foul."

"You've been doing some reading," Dumbledore laughed.

"And some watching," Harry quipped.

Dumbledore stopped chuckling and looked at the young man, "What do you mean by watching?"

"Have you ever heard of the Nexus, Professor?"

"It's said to be the place between the spirit realm and the physical, the place where dreams happen, and some say where the dead visit the living; how do you know of this? The Nexus is only recorded in a few journals," Albus said, his sky blue eyes drilling into Harry's emerald.

"I've been there," Harry stated, staring right back at the professor, "A couple of my ancestors have taken it upon themselves to show me the entire history of the wizarding world."

"Your ancestors? Which ancestors…" the old mans voice trailed off as his eyes widened. "Oh my," he whispered in realization, "Lord's Emrys and Black."

Harry simply nodded. Dumbledore just stared at the boy, shock evident on his face.

"Er… Professor Dumbledore, sir, I found that item in the alley that you wanted. I'll leave it on yer desk," Hagrid said, sounding unsure of himself.

Albus shook his head and brought himself back to reality.

"Right, thankyou Hagrid," the old man said, turning to the half-giant.

Harry started running his fingers through Hedwig's soft plumage as his attention was drawn to the door of the pub as it opened, allowing entrance to a stern looking women dressed in a smart looking black suit jacket over a white blouse with a dark Scottish tartan kilt that matched well with the jacket. The woman was leading a family who was looking about themselves with awe on their faces.

"I've been all over London, down this street many times and I've never seen this pub before," the man was saying. He was tall and fit. He wore a t-shirt that hugged his well-muscled frame, a pair of jeans and a set of well-worn combat boots. His wife stayed close to his side, looking around with wide brown eyes. She was wearing a flattering light blue sundress and sandals that accentuated her slim frame. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she wore a tight choker around her neck. Their daughter was standing next to their guide, her eyes darting about taking in every detail. The girl's wild almond hair fell past her shoulders, and she clutched a book to her chest. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Hagrid nursing his mug of mead.

"This pub has always been here," the woman said, "Up until now, Dr. Granger, you just haven't noticed it. The wards around the pub help ensure the Statute of Secrecy is upheld."

Albus turned to meet the group as they approached, "Professor McGonagall, I was hoping I would run into you here. I have someone here I believe you would very much like to meet."

"As do I, Professor Dumbledore," the now identified Professor McGonagall replied, "Dr. Granger, I would like to introduce you to our headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore. Professor, this is Dr. Richard Granger, his wife, Dr. Jean Granger, and their daughter Hermione."

"It's an honor to meet you, Professor" Richard said, extending his hand.

"The honor is all mine, Doctor," Albus smiled firmly shaking the other man's hand, "If you don't mind me asking, what are you doctor of?"

"Dentistry. Both my wife and I. We own a practice in Dagenham," Dr. Granger answered.

"Dentistry. The study of teeth, I believe, correct?"

"Teeth and gum health actually," Richard corrected, a slightly puzzled look on his face.

"You must have known that," his daughter interrupted, "I mean everyone must go to the dentist for a checkup, even wizards."

"Hermione!" the girl's mother hissed. The girl blushed and looked down.

"Don't worry, Dr. Granger," Albus smiled, "It is quite alright."

"Jean, please," the woman corrected quickly, "Or if you must, Mrs. Granger. It keeps the confusion to a minimum."

The old mage smiled and bowed his head in acceptance and turned his attention to the girl standing by her mother, "Miss Granger, from what you know, what can magic do?"

Hermione shrugged, "I haven't really learned anything yet, Professor, but I imagine anything you want?"

"Very good answer. That would include helping us to keep our teeth and body healthy, correct?"

"Oh, right," the girl smiled sheepishly, "I guess I didn't think of that. The idea of magic is still so new, and still almost illogical."

Harry cocked an eyebrow at the girls wording. She was his age and had an air of intelligence about her. Maybe she would be a good study partner when the time came.

"Professor Dumbledore, who was it that you wanted us to meet," Professor McGonagall asked lightly, her eyes flashing with impatient interest.

"Ah right," the old mage cleared his throat before turning to Harry, "Harry would you like to introduce yourself?"

Harry swallowed nervously, sudden panic clouding his mind. He didn't know what to say or do. He was about ready to refuse, when the owl on his shoulder shifted gently, her presence in his mind pushing its way forward. A calm flowed over him and he smiled genially.

"Doctors Granger, Hermione, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Harry Potter," Dumbledore cleared his throat, but Harry ignored him, "I'll be attending Hogwarts with your daughter," he said, holding his hand out to Richard.

"Harry," the old professor said meaningfully, making Dr. Granger pause in his response to Harrys offer for a handshake.

"Oh, come on, Professor," Harry protested, "They don't know the magical world yet. I'm still getting used to it. It'd be best if I didn't, at least not now."

"Ah, but Harry they will learn, and it would be better if they learned from you instead of someone like Malfoy. Don't you agree? Besides, you still need to learn to use the titles," Albus smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Titles?" Jean Granger asked turning a curious eye to Harry.

The young man sighed to himself in defeat. He turned to look at the family, ignorant of the other patrons all of whom were watching and listening.

"I don't know yet if you've noticed, but the wizarding world in general is stuck in the late medieval period. As such they put a lot more stock into the nobility class, family age, and blood purity. To be honest, I find it disturbing and somewhat barbaric. However, there are some components that are enforced by Magic herself," Harry paused as he heard the quiet mutterings of the people watching him. Swallowing, he continued, "Yes, I speak of magic as if it were sentient. In a way it is. The best way I can describe it, is the Holy Spirit from a Christians viewpoint."

The elder Grangers nodded in understanding, though their faces showed apprehension at his words. Hermione just stared at Harry, soaking in every word.

"I am the heir to two of the oldest families," Professor Dumbledore interrupted Harry with a slight cough, "the two oldest families," Harry amended reluctantly, "in the wizarding world."

"How medieval do you mean," Richard asked, skeptically.

"Medieval enough that the ruling body of the wizarding world, the Wizengamot, is made up solely of the oldest houses in the wizarding world," Harry answered, "Imagine just the House of Lords of Parliament. However, they are current enough that there is an actual parliament. Robes still make up all formal wear, but everyday wear is pretty equally split between robes and modern clothing, however nobility is still recognized, and encouraged here."

"The views on non-magical born children and their families is, for the most part, changing for the better as well. However, many of our customs are quite outdated" Professor McGonagall added giving Harry a small smile, "Harry it is so good to see you again after all these years."

"It is good to meet you, Professor," Harry smiled back.

"Now about your titles," Jean said, looking at Harry.

"Bollocks," he muttered to himself, "Very well. Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Lord Harry Potter Black, Head of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House Potter and the Most Ancient and Most Noble House Black. I am the sole survivor of House Potter, and the only recognized male heir to the House Black. There, those are my titles. Now, please forget you heard them and just call me Harry."

"Whatever you say, milord," Mrs. Granger said, with a smirk and a deep curtsy.

The group laughed as Harry began to sputter.

"Yeh had better get used to it, Harry," Hagrid boomed, "Not a lot o' people can say they are head of two houses. Even fewer can claim that they were head at yer age, and only yeh can claim those houses."

The Grangers startled as Hagrid stood wiping his mouth with a hanky the size of a hand towel.

"Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts Groundskeeper, pleasure to meet you folks" the huge man said by way of introduction. He tucked his hanky back in a pocket before plucking his pink umbrella from the rail.

"I'm sorry to run but, I have to get back to my duties," He shook hands with Dr. Granger and Harry and walked out the front door.

"Rubeus Hagrid, wonderful man but very shy around people," Dumbledore commented off handedly.

"Is he a giant?" Hermione whispered; her eyes glued to the door.

"Half giant," the old professor responded.

"Your world gets stranger by the second," Jean commented before Richard pulled the Professors into a conversation about tuition.

Harry turned away from them and looked at Hermione, who stared back with wide brown eyes, "Hermione, may I call you Hermione?" at her nod, he smiled and continued, "I was raised in a muggle family, I only found out about magic a month ago. I am in no way a bigot such as some you'll meet, and I'm sorry to say you will meet them. I was hoping, you and I could study together sometime. It would be so nice to have a friend who is just as new to magic as I am."

The girl looked at him for a second before replying, "I would like that Harry, though it seems you have quite the head start."

"Yeah I do, but that's only thanks to those blasted titles," he snorted in response, "Honestly, it's just the history of the wizarding world, and a little bit of magical theory that I've read on the side."

"Oh," Hermione clasped her hands in front of her and looked down at her shoes shyly, "So you're a lord? What does that mean in the wizarding world?"

"Well simply that I'm the head of a Noble House. The houses of the wizarding world are broken down into four classes, Ancient, Most Ancient, Noble, and Most Noble," Harry responded, "The Ancient Houses are Houses that have lasted for over 25 generations, Most Ancient Houses have lasted over 75. Noble houses are determined by a few things. One, how far back the family line can be traced. Two, wealth, three, general magical ability, and four, the deeds of its members."

"Seventy Five generations?" Hermione gasped, "That must take thousands of years!"

"Some of the houses are that old," Professor McGonagall said, as the adults walked over, "However, it simply means that there have been over 75 heads of that house. Some of the heads may have ruled for a few months, other's years."

"Many of the houses in the wizarding world can trace their lineage to the days of the biblical Noah," Professor Dumbledore added.

"How old is the wizarding world then?" Richard asked, "You said some houses are thousands of years old, however the wizarding world is only stuck in medieval times."

"Contrary to popular belief, King Arthur was a king in ancient times not medieval times," Harry piped up, "After the events of the biblical Tower of Babel, a group led by King Arthur eventually settled in what is now Great Britain. Magic had already existed long before that in the form of druidism, alchemy, mentalism, and other practices which still exist today. However, while Arthur was trying to lead his people, two men, Myrrdin Emrys, also known as Merlin, and Arcturus Black, were blessed with magic as we know it. They introduced themselves to Arthur, and the rest is history, so to say."

Silence reigned as the everyone absorbed what Harry had just said. The young man stood awkwardly in front of them, the warmth of Hedwig's presence the only thing keeping him from panic.

"Ok, first, the events of the Bible truly happened?" Jean asked slowly.

"Maybe not exactly as written but yes," Dumbledore answered.

"Then that means that there really is a God," Richard stated.

"Perhaps not God as portrayed, father, son, and holy spirit and all that, but there is definitely a higher power. There are multiple spells and rituals that draw their power from the supernatural using Enochian, the language of supernatural creatures," Albus clarified.

"Then there is an afterlife," Jean shot back.

"Most definitely," Professor McGonagall said, "Many of the ghosts at Hogwarts have talked about it."

Hermione and Harry both turned to the woman. "Ghosts?" they chorused.

"Yes, ghosts," the professor affirmed, "In fact your history teacher will be a ghost."

"Oh my," Jean breathed.

"Well," Richard swallowed, "I believe we should continue on. If you have a bookstore here, I would certainly like to buy some volumes on your history, culture, and … ah… "

"Oddities?" Harry suggested, "I can recommend a few books that were of a great help to me."

"That would be fantastic, Lord Potter," Richard smiled.

Harry winced at the title. "Just Harry, please," he said, "Would you mind if I accompanied you on your trip through the alley? I have nothing else to do currently and I'll be going back there myself as I need to stop at Eyelops."

"We would be honored if you joined us, Harry," Jean smiled, taking her husband's hand.

"Well then I'll leave you to it," Dumbledore said, "Harry, I would like to continue our conversation about your…um… extended tutoring at some point."

Harry nodded and followed Professor McGonagall and the Grangers into the Alley

LP:HoH

Albus smiled around the private room he had rented for the afternoon. Most everyone had finally arrived, and the last of the food was being placed on the buffet table. Molly had outdone herself with the cake that was displayed proudly at the center of the table. It looked delicious with the white sugar frosting over the huge chocolate cake.

Molly was sitting with her husband, Remus, Sarah Li, Aalia Patil, the Tonks family, and Amelia at a table sipping tea and sharing memories from over the past years. Lord Francis Greengrass was sipping whiskey with Lord Jasraj Patil and Lord Boqin Li by the bar, discussing the leanings of various other members of the Wizengamot. Harry's girls were sitting at another table with Ginny, Fred and George, and Padma and Parvati Patil all engrossed in a game of exploding snap. Dumbledore glanced down at his ornate pocket watch. If he wasn't mistaken, Professor McGonagall would try to keep Harry in the Alley for another few minutes.

The door to the room opened and allowed in an older woman who stood tall and straight in pale green robes. At her side stood a boy about Harry's age. He was a little pudgy and looked about the room nervously.

Albus stood and made his way over to the woman.

"Dowager Longbottom, I'm so glad you could make it," He said, firmly shaking her hand.

"Professor Dumbledore, I'm honored to be invited. I know Neville is excited to finally meet his godbrother," the woman responded.

Albus suppressed the flinch at her rebuke. "Yes, I am sure Harry will be very happy to meet Heir Longbottom."

Dowager Longbottom gently pushed Neville in the direction of the kids. As he walked away, she rounded on the old headmaster, "Albus, are you daft? We all know of the history between Lilly and her sister and you sent that boy to live with her? I understand the theory of the blood wards, but we knew the boy would never be loved or accepted! He would have been safer with any one of the people here in this room! Now, that young man is going to be under significant stress, with school, learning his role in our world, and dealing with that bloody prophecy!"

"I know I made a mistake, Augusta. The boy was terrified when I retrieved him from his relatives. He had to be given a calming potion twice just so he could keep his head," the old man ran his long fingers through his hair, "However, I don't think we have to worry about his stress level while in school. In the past month he has learned an extreme amount about our world and his place in it. If he's not in the alley he is in his room studying. And, Augusta, he claims his ancestors have brought him to the Nexus."

Augusta gave her friend a sharp look, "Albus, that is impossible. No one has ever been to the Nexus, and it was only theorized by Socrates, who may I remind you, was a mentalist, not a wizard. The best in the mental magics have attempted to explore the possibility and we know some extra dimensional mental plane exists; we just can't enter it. You know this!"

"Yes, I know. But he claims to have been there. You know as well as I that nothing is truly impossible," Albus sighed, "It is something for further study and consideration later, but right now is a time to celebrate."

Augusta gave a thin smile and a crisp nod and left to join Lord Greengrass at the bar. Albus took a deep breath to push the regrets of his past decisions to the back of his head, and turned to the door as it opened again to let in a wide eyed Harry Potter, followed by Professor McGonagall who wore a small smile, and a confused looking Granger family.

"Ah, Harry, welcome, and Happy Birthday!" he smiled at the boy who looked back at him in shock.

"Harry," Hermione chided, poking him in the ribs, "You didn't tell us it was your birthday!"

"Slipped my mind," Harry muttered as the people in the room gathered around the door. Hedwig, still sitting on her master's shoulder, scrutinized each person before closing her eyes contentedly.

"Lord Potter Black," Francis Greengrass smiled, holding out his hand.

"Lord Greengrass," Harry shook his hand warmly.

"Harry, I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine, Lord Jasraj Patil, of the Noble House Pati,l" Francis said, motioning towards an Indian man in a royal blue silk sherwani.

"Namaste, Lord Potter Black," Lord Patil said, bowing slightly before shaking Harry's hand, "It is an honor to meet you. Allow me to introduce my wife, Aalia, and my daughters, Parvati and Padma who will be joining you at Hogwarts this term."

Harry smiled and dipped his head at the women, who bowed in return.

"I hope not to inconvenience you, Lord Potter, but I was hoping you have the time to talk with Lord Greengrass and myself about a possible alliance in the Wizengamot," Lord Patil added, looking almost contrite.

"That is certainly a conversation for the near future, Lord Patil," Harry answered, pushing his confusion at the older man's actions away, "However, I still have to appoint a proxy and I would prefer to do that before I sign to any alliances as I would like their input."

"A wise decision, Lord Potter Black," the Indian man smiled, "Please, keep my house open for consideration, once you have appointed your proxy."

"I most certainly will, Lord Patil. Please, relax and enjoy the party."

Jasraj and his family all bowed and drifted back to the tables. Francis nodded approvingly to Harry and followed his friend back to the bar. Harry smiled at the group and motioned for them to be patient, and turned to the family behind him, "Dr. Granger, I would be honored if you and your family were to join this party that Professor Dumbledore put together in honor of my birthday."

The man exchanged glances with his wife, smirked and nodded, "The honor would be ours, Lord Potter,"

Harry shook his head and rolled his eyes playfully at the title. Turning back to the group, the boy stiffly accepted friendly hugs from each of his girls as they stepped forward in turn. The Weasley twins then stepped up, reached across each other, and grasped both of Harry's hands.

"Happy Birthday, Mate!" they grinned in unison, pumping his arms.

"Thanks, guys," Harry smiled.

"You need," the twin on the left started

"to come over," the right twin continued,

"more often," they chorused.

Harry's eyebrows shot into his hairline as they spoke, his eyes bouncing between the two.

"Don't worry, Harry," Ginny said as she stepped up between the twins, "you'll get used to it."

"Hi Ginny," the young man smiled at the red head.

"Milord," the girl curtsied deeply, then giggled and jumped at him, wrapping her arms around him.

Harry sighed and awkwardly wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He felt the girl sigh and relax against his chest until her father and mother approached. Molly pulled him into a motherly hug and Arthur put a proud hand on his shoulder.

"Happy birthday, dear," Molly whispered, "Your parents would be so proud of you."

"Thankyou, Mrs. Weasley," Harry choked through the sudden tears.

The red headed woman held him out at arm's length and smiled through her own watery eyes. Running a hand through his hair and down his cheek, she let him go and moved to the side with her husband.

Harry rubbed his hand over his to rid himself of the building tears and smiled politely at the older woman who approached with a boy his age.

"Lord Potter Black, I am Dowager Augusta Longbottom, this is my grandson, heir apparent Neville Longbottom, of the most ancient and noble house of Longbottom," the woman introduced, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Dowager Longbottom, Heir Longbottom, I am honored to meet you at last. I have read and heard of the history between our houses," Harry responded formally, "I hope we can continue to keep the alliance strong."

"That was the wish of your parents when they named my daughter-in-law as your oath sworn godmother," the older woman

"My godmother?" Harry repeated stunned, "I didn't know. When can I…" his voice trailed off when Neville paled.

"My son and daughter in law are confined to the long-term care ward at St. Mungo's, after they were attacked by a group of Voldemort's followers," Dowager Longbottom clarified.

"And my godfather is in prison, falsely accused," Harry said sadly.

"Lord Potter, your father and Sirius Black may have been good friends during their school years," Madame Longbottom started, spitting the name of the perceived traitor, "But that is no excuse for what…"

"Sirius Black," Harry interrupted, his voice icy cold, "Was my oath sworn, magical godfather, witnessed by Elder Gragnock of Gringotts bank, and Professor Dumbledore."

"And his imprisonment is under investigation at the request of the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW," Madam Bones finished crisply, stepping up next to the older woman. She gave Harry a warm smile before fixing Albus Dumbledore a somewhat cold stare.

"Albus, you and I must sit down about that investigation," the head of the DMLE snipped.

The older man nodded sadly, before gesturing to the room, "Enough about business, we are here to celebrate,"

The adults nodded and smiled at Harry then drifted out towards the groups. Harry smiled sadly at his mentor then walked with Neville and Hermione over to the table where the card game had resumed between the kids.

Albus watched the boy as he sat with the group of students and gesture to the cards, clearly asking about the game. The old man sniffed slightly as his hands began to tremble. He needed a drink.

The sound of the door opening again caused the aged professor to turn. The man who entered was short but lanky, wearing suit cut robes with a matching beret. Two stunningly beautiful girls stood on either side of him, looking about the party. The elder of the two girls, who appeared to be around thirteen, wore an elegant silk silver dress that went well with her pale blonde hair. The cut of the dress matched the aristocratic look of arrogance that kept her nose high. The younger, who was clearly her sister, was doing her best to copy the elder's look.

"Seigneur Delacour, thank you so much for stopping by," Albus said, reaching to shake the other man's hand.

"My pleasure, Professor Dumbledore," the man said with a mild French accent, "Is the young Lord Potter in attendance."

"Indeed, monsieur," Harry called stepping up behind Dumbledore. The men turned and regarded the boy. Harry was dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans, a well-fitting button down over a grey t shirt. A moleskin bag hung from his belt near where his right hand rested, and a beautiful white owl perched on his shoulder.

"Harry, this is Seigneur Louis Delacour, of the French Magical Council, Seigneur Delacour, Lord Harry James Potter Black, Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses Potter and Black," Dumbledore introduced genially.

"Seigneur, it is a pleasure," Harry said with a smile, feeling unnaturally confident. Hedwig shifted on his shoulder as the feeling slowly increased.

"Lord Potter, the pleasure is all mine," Delacour responded, shaking the proffered hand, "These are my daughters. Fleur, my eldest, and Gabrielle."

"You call this a party," the newly identified Fleur sniffed in a thick accent, "Where is the music, the dancing, the elegance?"

"It's more of a gathering of friends," Harry responded coolly, his eyes narrowing.

"Even a gathering of friends is held in a place better than this hovel," Fleur simpered, before muttering something in rapid French that caused her sister to pale and her father to flush.

"I offer my sincere apologies, Lord Potter, for my daughter," the man said laying a heavy hand on the young blonde. The young girl opened her mouth to argue but glanced at the boy, paled, and looked down.

"Apology accepted, Seigneur," Harry smiled slightly, shrugging his shoulder slightly as Hedwig shifted in her spot, "Would you be interested in staying?"

"I must respectfully decline your offer," Louis said, eyeing the snowy owl as it continued to glare at his older daughter, "We must prepare for our trip home in the morning."

Harry shook the man's hand again then watched as he herded his daughters out, keeping a firm hand on Fleur's shoulder.

"I'd heard stories, but I never understood why the French never liked us Brit's," Harry muttered, his hand coming up to scratch Hedwig's head. After another second of staring at the door, Harry shrugged and went back to the table, collecting a handful of spoons from the bar and withdrawing a pack of playing cards.

Dumbledore sighed as Harry walked back to his seat. He just couldn't place what was happening with the young man. Harry had known of the wizarding world for a month, and had been a broken, terrified young man when he had first arrived. But in less then a month, he was standing before one of the most powerful men of France and didn't bat an eye.

The old man shook his head. He hoped that Harry had been able to release some of his tension and that he wasn't bottling it up within himself. Then he remembered what he had felt below the boys clothing that first night.

His hand's started trembling again as he looked towards the bar. He really needed that drink.