Heir Apparent

Formerly 'Merlin's Little Brother'.

By Lady Sardonyx and Lady Aster

Authors' Notes:

Title: Heir Apparent

Author(s): Lady Sardonyx; Lady Aster

Rating: K+

Status: In Progress

Disclaimer: Sadly, we do not own the wonderful world of Harry Potter

Summary: Harry was thrown back into Merlin's time due to a birthday wish. There, he becomes Merlin's brother and lives a life of wonder. But what of the Wizarding World? When will Harry come back to be its savior? Used to be 'Merlin's Little Brother'

"Harrison's not my real name?" asked Harrison, confused. He was sitting on his new bed in Avalon, talking to Soul, Spirit, and Time. Memory, the old man, was sitting near the corner, listening in silence.

Lady Soul shook her head. "No, your name is Harry James Potter. Your biological parents, James and Lily Potter, named you so."

"Really?" Harrison asked in fascination.

"Really."

"But why don't I live with them, Soul?" he asked, watching her carefully.

Her golden eyes were sad. "James and Lily Potter were killed defending you against Tom Riddle, otherwise known as Voldemort."

"Call him Moldyshorts, that'll annoy him," Spirit suggested.

"No," Time piped up, her eyes weary and sad, looking far older than her form. "Call him Tom or Riddle when you meet him. It'll annoy him even more, because he hates any reminder of his non-magic past. His Muggle past, as the magical humans would say."

"What are Muggles?" Harry asked, confused.

"They are what magical humans call non-magical humans. Your mother, a witch, was a Muggleborn, according to the magical humans, because she came from a family of Muggles," answered Lady Soul.

"I liked Lily. That is, I will like her. She was pure. Not many were pure, not many ever are pure," said Time, and smiled the smile that children smiled.

"What were my parents like?" His eyes, his bright green eyes, watched her intently.

"They were good people. They had their faults like all humans, but they were, overall, wonderful people. Your father, James, loved to prank people. He had black hair and glasses like you, but hazel eyes. You have Lily's eyes. James used to be arrogant, when he was younger, but your mother, his soul mate, cured him of that. He loved her from the moment he met her, but she refused to become his friend until he shed his arrogance," Lady Soul said.

Harry made a mental note to look out for his soul mate. And not to offend her when they first met.

Spirit continued. "He was great at Quidditch, a wizarding sport involving flying on brooms, and also at Transfiguration, a branch of magic. He was a loyal friend and he loved you and your mother very much."

Lady Soul spoke first about Lily. "Lily had fiery red hair and green eyes and she was the kind, smart, and caring. She could look past people's exteriors and see their true selves. She was a genius at Charms and Potions, too other branches of human magic."

"Wow. Then I will be called Harry, for that is my true name, and honor the memory of my parents." He was silent for a moment, and then he sighed wistfully.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Soul.

"I wish I could remember them, even a little."

The three deities looked at each other, conversing in their heads. "Very well then, Harry. We shall bring back some of your oldest memories."

Memory, the deities called, Would you do Harry a favor?

What would this favor be?

Bringing back some of his memories of his parents…

I shall. For a price.

But of course.

Suddenly Harry felt a dull pain in his head. He gasped. He could remember. He could remember clearly that warm, content feeling. He could remember the loving red-haired woman with the green eyes, and the laughing black-haired man with glasses. He remembered the woman, his Mum, hugging him and reading to him, and he remembered the man, his Dad, laughing and throwing him in the air. He remembered. He opened his eyes and smiled at the deities. "Thank you."

"Thank Memory, not us. It was he who did the deed."

"I will, when I see him. But thank you as well."

They sat in a contemplative silence, thinking of Lily and James Potter.

Time sighed, breaking the silence. "If only Riddle hadn't killed them. Your mother saved your life, you know. She discovered a spell that could use her endless love for you to save you if ever she was killed and you were in danger."

"Was Riddle really bad?"

The three deities nodded. "He killed many people."

"Is he still alive?" Harry asked, horrified.

They nodded again.

"Why doesn't anyone stop him?"

"He is very powerful, Harry."

Harry squared his shoulders and sat up straighter on the bed. "I will stop him one day, when I am older. He has hurt so many people—he deserves to die." And so Harry decided to make his parents proud. He would learn in class the best he could, and try his hardest. And one day, when he met this—this Tom Riddle—Riddle would be sorry.

The deities, except for Memory, nodded in satisfaction. Harry had accepted his destiny—to bring back the balance. The Dark had prevailed for so long, but soon the homeostasis would be back. And all would be well.

Memory closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. There was no courage, no bravery, no hope in revenge. It was such a fickle thing. He was older than them all, except Time; but Time forgets and leaves memories behind. They were all so much more innocent than him, a tired, ragged, old man.

It was a difficult job, being the personification of memory. You remembered everything; the first life, the first death, the first pain and the first joy. You remembered, even, a time when Tom Riddle had been pure and good. After all, he had searched for justice in his own twisted way, hadn't he?

Myrddin's dream was very annoying. He dreamed that Harry was shaking him, yelling "Waken up!" into his right ear. In the dream, he waved his arm to shoo Harry away. He hit something soft and pulled back his arm in surprise.

"Ow! No need to hit me!" came Harry's indignant voice. Myrddin wrinkled his brow. He hadn't hit the Harry in the dream. What was Harry going on about?

Myrddin opened his eyes. Harry was rubbing his nose. He glared at Myrddin. 'What was that for, Myrddin?'

'Sorry, Harry. I was dreaming.' He smirked. 'Besides, it's payback for you waking me up this early. How many times do I have to tell you not to wake me up early?'

'I didn't wake you up of my own accord, Myrddin. It's that creepy Lady of Avalon, the one that's a war goddess or whatever.'

'For training?'

Harry shrugged. 'I guess.'

Myrddin changed into his clothes and followed his twin out of the room, into the main hall.

"You two have recuperated for long enough. Your training shall commence now," Lady Morrigan. Her violet eyes sparkled with barely suppressed, maniacal glee. Harry looked up at her and mentally groaned. It was not fun to wake up at 5:00 in the morning, especially to Lady Morrigan.

"All of us will teach you two, in our own ways, but your main teachers shall be Lady Danu, Lady Magdalena, Lady Cerridwen, Lady Brigit, Lady Morrigan, Lady Morgana, and Lady Vivien. Come, now. I have you two first." Lady Morrigan smiled predatorily and started walking away.

Harry and Myrddin looked at each other and gulped. It would be a long day. In unison, they turned and followed Lady Morrigan.

Bzzzzzzzz…

Harry watched the bees in the hives outside as they continued on their everyday lives. They seemed so happy, so carefree… How he wished he could be a bee right now.

"… salad fork, is that right, Prince Harrison? Prince Harrison!"

Harry snapped his head toward the Etiquette Master, who was holding up some type of spoon. "Yes," he answered with some conviction.

The class sniggered.

'Harry, you really must pay attention,' Myrddin thought-spoke in his proper voice. 'He asked you if a spoon was a fork.'

'Oops.' Harry hoped class finished soon. The Etiquette Master was so tragically boring.

"And would His Highness be so kind to show the rest of the class where the dessert utensils are?" Sometimes, Harry could have sworn that the Etiquette Master could read minds. This was one of them.

"Err…" Harry ran through the past lessons quickly, skimming for the answer. Nothing sprang up. He cursed. "Err…"

'At the top of the plate, Harry,' Myrddin told him patiently. 'We just learned this yesterday.'

"Well, excuse me!" Harry muttered.

"Well, Prince Harrison? Is it within your interests to tell us?" The Etiquette Master looked like a grasshopper when he rubbed his hands together; skinny, sharp and malevolent.

"The dessert spoon and fork is at the top of the dish," Harry said quickly, sending a mental 'thank you' to his twin.

The Master looked disappointed but rallied. "It would be better, Prince Harrison, to use silverware or utensils." He turned and began to speak again, ignoring the dark-haired boy for now.

Harry let loose a sigh of relief and leaned back to half-listen to the rest of the lecture the Master had prepared.

When class finally finished, Myrddin reverted from his proper, boring self back to his fun self. It was always that way. Myrddin would put on his 'proper' mask during every class. It was awful.

Besides, it wasn't as if etiquette would help him in his goal, right? He could just imagine it. He and Riddle sitting eating a three-course dinner together, with all the random silverware and stuff, when suddenly they started fighting—with silverware? He snickered to himself; as if Riddle would humble himself for a mere three-course dinner!

"Harry!" Myrddin called from behind him. "What's so funny?" He sounded hurt but the glimmer of mischief was obvious. "I would have thought that you would have at least appreciated my gift!"

Harry stuck his tongue out at him. "It's not funny. I don't see how you can sit through that and actually listen to it! The Master's so boring! He only ever goes on about proper manners and how to behave in front of royalty and ridiculous things no one needs to know."

"Why yes, Master, Harrison would like a detention," Myrddin said loudly, acknowledging someone behind Harry. Harry felt a chill run down his spine and turned very, very slowly.

No one, beside the rest of the students, was there.

Harry turned back with a gasp of relief and set chase after his hysterically laughing twin. "Get back here, Myrddin!"

"In your dreams, Harry!" Myrddin called out before speeding up.

Lady Aster's Comments: Sorry for the long wait. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We'll try to get out the next chapter faster than we did this one.

Lady Sardonyx says...: Yes, really. No, seriously. Thanks for all the reviews, everyone! Lots of Love~