A TALE OF TWO BROTHERS

SUMMARY: Harry Potter was not the boy-who-lived and therefore he was not the favored child. No, his twin brother Nathan Potter was, and Nathan was easily loved by all.

Harry had no time for jealousy, nor was he given the time to simply enjoy his childhood. His early youth as heir to an ancient and most noble house was spent under the guidance of cold and strict tutors whose lessons forced him to become a rather detached young man. However, perhaps his friends could help him learn what it meant to have friends that weren't his brother. And maybe, just maybe, guidance from professor Snape, and upperclassmen could help Harry become the empathetic Healer that he knew he could be.

That is if he can learn to navigate and cope with his visions as a seer and not fall victim to Voldemort's ever-growing obsession with him that may lead him to insanity.

Chapter 1: A Terrifying Start

"LILY, GRAB THE CHILDREN AND GO! DON'T LOOK BACK!" James yelled as he did his best to barricade the door. With various charms, chairs, tables and any other items that could be found in their living room.

Without hesitation Lily ran to the nursery and barricaded herself inside, she used the same method as her husband with haste. Her goal was not to find safety within the nursery but to evacuate her children as quickly as possible. Desperately, she searched for the baby rattle that they had spelled into port key that would take them to the Potter Manor. However, she could not find it in its designated hiding place.

Before she could think about it anymore, she heard an awful voice hiss, "Bombarda!"

Another door down stairs exploded and Lily became even more desperate in her search for the rattle. Nathaniel currently cried so very loudly, and it seemed as if Harrison was doing his best to calm the other baby. Lily wiped away the tears that had formed out of frustration and she attempted to pull herself together. If Harrison could comfort his brother during a time like this, then surely, she could come up with another plan to protect her children since port-keying out of Godric's Hollow was no longer an option. It was odd that the rattle was nowhere in sight. Lily asked herself how that could be because the only other person besides James and Lily herself to know of the port key's placement was… Wormtail.

Lily screamed in frustration at the thought of such a horrid betrayal. They might die, and Wormtail-no, sweet, quiet, submissive Peter Pettigrew would be the cause. She removed the items she used to barricade the door. She feared that the inevitable bombarda would cause the scattered pieces of debris to hit the babies like bullets.

It was silent down stairs now, and that made Lily feel paranoid because she did not know what was to come. Lily removed her wand and turned to the babies inside the bed desperate to see her babies for what the last time could be. She gasped at what she saw; Harrison's eyes bore into her own. The baby looked contemplative as he stared at her and held his brother. Nathaniel however, looked as if he were falling asleep in the other's arms.

"Lily Potter." Lord Voldemort hissed as he calmly opened the nursery door and invited himself inside. Lily found herself grateful that he did not explode it into a million pieces.

Lily breathed, in through her nose and out through her mouth; she steeled herself. Lily was far from a coward; she was a Gryffindor and this was not the first time that she had come face to face with Voldemort. However; she never outright had to deal the man either. She then proceeded to turn her entire body to face him. Her wand was at the ready fore she was ready to defend these boys with her life.

"Where is James!?" She demanded.

"He is alive, you may go to him. Leave us," Voldemort hissed as he gestured a hand towards the door, "I have no need for you or your death."

Lily laughed, "I am staying right here, you need not harm these children."

Voldemort used a silent expelliarmus charm on her wand and it flew out of her hand. Lily gasped and immediately began to call for her wand, but her plan was cut off by Voldemort who threatened her, "attempt to retrieve your wand and your husband will die along with your children. Am I understood, girl?" Voldemort threatened.

Lily gulped and nodded.

Voldemort approached her regally as he spoke, "you are right, you know. I will not be harming any child. I will, however, kill the child of the prophecy. You know which child that is. It would save you the loss of two children by telling me."

By the end of his threat, Voldemort had gripped Lily harshly by her chin. His face was so close to her own that she could feel the air leave his nose as he breathed.

Lily began to sob; she would never choose. It would be needlessly cruel.

"Please, don't—please. Take me! I have defied you; I still continue to do so! You will not harm these children!" Lily in a state of panic managed a bout of magic that knocked Voldemort back. The Dark Lord became enraged at this, "I have no time for this, little girl!" With a flick of his hand back he sent Lily flying into a wall across the room, hard. It knocked her out upon impact.

"Tch. Now, you two…" Voldemort hissed as he approached the crib, wand in hand.

The children clung to one another which was more than impressive considering that the two were mere babes.

One of the children eyed him fearfully and sniffled as snot dribbled from his nose. 'disgusting.' Voldemort sneered internally.

The other child however; challenged Voldemort. The Dark Lord could tell that it was a challenge the moment his red eyes were met with fair colored amber ones that peered into his own with what could be mistaken for calculation.

"It could be assumed that it is you that the prophecy forewarns me of. However, due to your asinine mother, both of you must die." Voldemort raised his wand pointedly. Brown eyes continued to stare unflinchingly into the man's own even as the boy's brother continued to snivel and cry.

"I am sure that you would have grown into a formidable opponent, Avada Kedavra!"

Lily awoke to James' desperate voice, "Lily, Lilian! Wake—" he called out as he shook her gently.

"'M up James. I'm up," Lily mumbled as she sat up slowly. Her head felt as if it were attempting to tear itself apart. She looked around the room and quickly noticed that everything was in shambles and debris laid just about everywhere.

Suddenly she remembered why she had even been "asleep" in the first place.

"James! Nathaniel, Harriso—"

"Lily, my girl! They are fine," soothed one Albus Dumbledore-their former headmaster, the current leader of the light and the Order of the Phoenix. An order that they pledged their own lives to-he approached the two ever so slowly and he held a twin in each arm.

Lily held out her hand for them. She wanted them both but was only given Harrison. Quickly she checked him over and when she deemed him okay, she desperately reached out her other arm for Nathaniel.

"Lily, calm down!" James demanded as he grabbed her hand. He was slightly off-put by Lily's hysterical behavior.

"No, James! I want my son!" Lily cried. She shook the arm that James currently held onto in an attempt to shake him off.

Professor Dumbledore smiled sadly but he still refused to hand over Nathaniel. He did, however, angle the baby so that she could see the scar that faintly glowed on the boy's hand.

A sob escaped the mother and Lily reached for him again, and this time Dumbledore allowed her to take him in replace of Harrison who seemed to be dozing off.

James nodded, confirming the unsaid, "It's him Lily. He's the one of the prophy," James huddled close to his wife and youngest son and held them.

"Indeed, he is," Dumbledore stated as he attempted to rock Harrison asleep. However, the boy became even more alert within his arms. The babe had physically shaken himself awake and Dumbledore allowed a surprised chuckle to escape his throat.

Lily stared at the two men, unsure of their certainty. However, she was startled out of her thoughts as she remembered something of utmost importance, "Voldemort! Where is—"

James laughed a bit hysterically, "he's dead, Lily. Nathaniel killed him."

Lily gaped at James and then at her son who was asleep within her arms, she then turned to the headmaster and displayed her open disbelief onto her face in hopes that the man would provide some answers.

The professor eyes twinkled in amusement, "it's true, the boy is exhausted from what I can tell is magical depletion. He has the mark and it even faintly glows. It is young Nathaniel who has slain Voldemort-at least we are assuming that it is, unless you were the one to vanquish him?"

Vehemently Lily shook her head in the negative, "no, no, I was knocked out… Thrown against a wall."

The professor nodded as he had suspected as much.

"Well, Sirius has gone with the other Aurors, to confirm Voldemort's remains. Only his ashes could be found, we will know for sure if they are truly the remains of Lord Voldemort in a week's time."

The Potter's nod, Lily still did not understand what truly transpired after she was knocked out, how did Nathaniel do it?

As if reading her mind, the professor said, "Voldemort attempted an Avada Kedavra. Nathaniel threw it back, most likely with accidental magic alone. I believe that he may have used Harrison's magic as they are both equally weak in magic at the moment."

Lily nodded again. That almost made sense and because she was too exhausted to question anything else, she left well enough alone for now.

"Wormtail betrayed us," James stated the obvious after a moment of silence, just in case Lily was too tired to figure it out on her own.

She let out a dry laugh, "I figured as much when I couldn't find the rattle."

James only nodded gravely in response. They sat in silence after that, silently deciding that they would further debrief later when everything wasn't so fresh.

Nathan held Harry's hand in a tight grip and lead him down Diagon Ally excitedly.

"Harrison, look! Bargen's Books! We can go there after going to the wand shop and Quidditch shop, okay?" Nathan Potter informed his twin, Harry Potter quickly as he babbled on about the various shops in Diagon Ally. Nathan nearly bounced on the balls of his feet in excitement. He continued to list what he and his older twin brother would do that day, without pause and without consulting Harry himself. To outsiders it probably looked as if Nathan was bossy and demanding, however; that wasn't the case. Nathan could be bossy, but it never bothered Harry who could speak up for himself if he so wanted. However; rarely did he feel the need to. Nathan was his best friend, and usually did things with positive intentions.

Harry nodded in approval and only half listened to his brother as his eyes drifted toward the bookstore longingly as they passed.

Lily, who had walked alongside her husband and allowed the boys to be for the most part finally faced the two once they finally reached the building for, Ollivander's wands. She clapped her hands loudly, commandeering her boy's, and James-her big boy's attention.

Today they were getting their boy's wands a few months early so that Nathan could practice the practical spells he had been taught in his private lessons with his own wand instead of his father's. Nathan of course, refused to get a wand if Harry didn't get one too. Unbeknownst to Harry's mother and brother, Harry was quite adept with wand work already due to the extra lessons that he was forced to take by his father, with his father-and a mentor Harry refused to think about on a good day such as this. However, Harry had been forced to use a hand-me-down wand from the Potter vaults and it would be nice to finally have his own as his father never allowed him to have for some reason. "Ok, boys are we ready to get your wands?" Their mother asked excitedly.

Nathan jumped up in down in his own excitement and nodded enthusiastically, he took a peak at Harry and got a small smile in return. On Harry it may as well be a grin. James ruffled Nathan's hair and fixed Harry's bangs out of his eyes before he placed a hand on each boy's shoulder and lead them inside.

Upon entering the two twins were greeted by the renowned cryptic wand maker himself, Ollivander. "Good evening all, I see that we have the infamous Nathaniel Potter among us, and oh—Harrison Potter as well, a pleasure, my child."

Nathan looked ready to tell Ollivander off for using his name like that, but Harry beat him to it.

"It is indeed a pleasure, Mr. Ollivander. However; please refrain from calling myself Harrison, and Nathaniel as Nathaniel. You may call me Harry, and you may call Nathaniel, Nathan." Harry stated politely, he even nodded after; as was good wizarding manners-well, in high social circles that was.

Their father looked slightly irritated at Harry's words. He was ready to reprimand Harry for correcting an adult in such a manner. That is until Nathaniel jumped in with enthusiastic agreement, "Yeah, Olliva—I mean, Mr. Ollivander! Only Harrison and I can use each other's full names, even our parents use the shorter alterations." As if remembering himself, Nathan hastily threw in a small nod at the end. He looked toward Harry for approval and smiled wide when he got an approving nod.

Ollivander simply nodded in return, "understood, young Potters. Please, this way." Ollivander's calm acceptance relaxed the two—well, relaxed Nathan since he was the only one that needed to—as they followed him deeper into the store.

Harry found a chair in the far corner, he ignored Nathan as he pouted at such a development. Harry, however, was used to such behavior and rarely let Nathan have his way just because he pouted a bit; unlike the adults in their lives. Harry stated that he was sitting down so that he could be comfortable, because it would be better to take turns as he knew that Nathaniel would take a long time. Nathan sniffed a bit at that and childishly retorted that he would only take 5 minutes. Harry raised a brow at the other boy but made no comment.

Nathan most certainly did not take 5 minutes. As a matter of fact, he took 30 minutes and his wand was apparently the dark lord's twin. Harry had only heard the Dark Lord mentioned in passing by his father during his defense lessons and his father switched between calling the dark wizard, 'the Dark Lord,' and 'You-Know-Who.' The man would often criticize him when he failed in performing certain spells by saying things along the lines of, "if the Dark Lord were here, you and I would be dead. Try harder." Harry only vaguely knew of the Dark Lord, and the man's henchmen who were called Death Eaters, but Harry knew enough that he could understand that his brother's wand further cemented him as the Boy-Who-Lived. A title his brother had supposedly earned for surviving the avada kedavra spell which was a killing curse that killed the target upon impact. Talk about dark magic.

"You should be very proud, Nathaniel, it is an incredible wand and your new—hopefully life long—companion." Harry congratulated.

Nathan hugged him tightly. His brother was affectionate as ever Harry noted, "thanks Harrison! your turn now!" Nathan said enthusiastically.

It was only 30 minutes in of no wands even slightly matching for Harry. None of them even sparked. Ollivander looked toward Harry with a gloomy expression plastered on his face; "I must confess, young heir, no wand I have crafted here calls for you. You would only damage them."

Harry looked down shamefully. He was frustrated that he was making something as simple as getting a wand a difficult affair.

"Do not appear so glum, young heir. A wand calls for you, however, I did not make it, and I pity you, because it is calling for you, a mere child. Please, give me one moment."

The wand-maker traveled to the back of the room in a dark corner, which left the small family alone. Lily rubbed Harry's shoulder gently which he thanked her bluntly for. His father watched the two intently, Harry did not notice the frown that formed on his father's face when he strangely thanked his mother for her affection. Nathan tried to encourage him by telling him that he would get a wand, just as he did.

Ollivander returned and in his hands, he held onto a long ashen box languidly. Ollivander opened it slowly and the box released a harsh chill throughout the room. Harry felt mesmerized as he stood before the box. Gently, Harry took the wand from its box and immediately, he felt the deep despair and sorrow that emitted from the wand the moment his hand contacted the sleek end.

Before Harry could stop himself, a tear fell from his eye as he grieved with the wand.

Ollivander placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder as Nathaniel ran to Harry's side in an attempt of comfort.

"Harrison Charles Potter, may I ask why this wand has called for you?" Ollivander whispered.

Harry understood Ollivander's curiosity. The man did not make this wand, therefore he understood little about its origins. He would have no idea why such a wand would choose a boy like Harry and frankly, Harry did not know either. If he were to be honest, the fact that the wand chose him terrified him immensely.

"I don't know. Death. I can only explain it as death." Harry said earnestly.

Ollivander dropped his hand, his eyes were downcast as he smiled grimly, "Ah, you will most likely need it at your death, or to vanquish another. It is a powerful wand. I can feel that much."

Lily jumped out of her seat, fully prepared to end such a barbaric conversation. However, before she could cut in James placed a hand on her shoulder and gestured for her to watch and listen.

"I see," Harry stated determinedly, the energy from the wand shook his very core. Ollivander's words did not frightened Harry tremendously. Harry understood what the man meant for the most part. Sometime, in the near future, Harry might die, and he would need this wand—but for what? That he was yet to know. He understood things like this easier than most children his age. It was not that he wanted to understand such things as death and sacrifices, but the dreams and visions he had, often revolved around death and eventually he had gotten used to the concept. He remembered when he first had begun to have such dreams and visions. They had scared him so deeply that he went to his parents for help. However, after his father accused him of attention seeking and his mother brushed it off as nightmares, he was unsure of himself and never brought them up again to the two. Not even when the visions taught him things that he should not know.

Ollivander gazed at Harry, eyes alight with something akin to respect.

"I… did not make this wand, the core is unknown even to myself. However; the wood—whatever it may be—is mixed with bone. A bone that was given voluntarily by a threstal, if legends are to be believed. It is because of that bone that the wand is near invisible to those who have not seen death. I do not know which wood and core were used, but I do know this. You and Mr. Nathan both—are destined for great things, but who will suffer the most I wonder?"

"OK! We would like to pay, Ollivander—sir." Lily stated effectively cutting them off. She had been clearly uncomfortable with the conversation from the start. James nodded his head in agreement and fished through his coin purse.

"Ah, yes, that will be 9 galleons, please."

James paused momentarily, mouth turned in confusion, "but we are purchasing two wands." He informed dumbly.

Ollivander nodded in agreement, "yes, however, young Harrison's wand has always been his. I did not make it."

"Got it…" James said in open confusion. He shook it off and hastily paid before he herded his family out the door.

"Merlin, can you believe that man?" James said aloud once they exited the facility.

"I can, actually! Ollivander always behaves in such a way but Nathan already must constantly hear about that blast supposed prophecy and now Harry is being told he will possibly suffer and was given such a grim wand? I am shocked!" Lily bent over to check on Harry who had Nathan glued to his side in a one arm hug. Gently, Lily cupped his face and checked him over.

"Harry, are you ok?" She asked worriedly which genuinely surprised Harry. Often Lily always assumed that Harry was the stronger twin. That he could handle anything. This tender motherly care was usually always reserved for Nathan.

Harry nodded silently in confirmation that he was fine. He squeezed Nathan's hand and looked at his wand determinedly, "I do not believe Mr. Ollivander meant to be offensive. The wand—I agree, it is a sad wand and perhaps it is a sign of misfortune that is soon to come, however; it is my wand." Lily looked near to tears, she hated when Harry spoke like this. So wise, so old, so dejected.

James rubbed his face tiredly, exasperation evident, "why must you talk like that!? Can't you be a normal boy, just for today, Harry? Look, you're making your brother awfully sad."

Lily hissed her husband's name at his callousness, she completely failed to stop the man from being insensitive to their eldest. Nathan frowned even deeper than he had been, "S'not Harrison's fault," He mumbled with a slight glare toward his father. Nathan had always despised the preferential treatment James gave him as he was always too hard on Harry in his mind.

Nathan tugged Harry along gently, "May we go to the bookstore, now?"

"I thought you wanted to go to the Quidditch store," Harry reminded his brother. He was confused by his brother's sudden change in decision.

Nathan walked on in the lead, refusing to face Harry, he shrugged, "I changed my mind," he stated defensively.

oOoOoOoOo

A/N: I have also posted this to AO3, under the same screen name. I am getting familiar with this site. Please bear with me. As a warning, postings to this site will be a lot more random and slower, sorry.

A/N Part 2 (Long descriptor but worth a read): [SUBJECT TO CHANGE]

This is VERY VERY AU as you can tell. There will be OCS, characters may be vastly different (have different pasts, etc) than they are in the original books by JKR.

Voldemort/Harry will not consensual nor will it become so. (This is just in regard to being in love, there will be much interaction between them at some point)

Tom/Voldemort are/will be one (for the most part,) as in they will not be separate from the other. (This story will not include graphic rape, nor will it include any graphic sexual situations between Harry and Tom. Their relationship is nonconsensual because Harry does not want and never will want it and Tom is a sociopath who considers his own "emotions" more important than anyone or anything else, especially someone he considers his possession, he is not randomly or appropriately loving.

Harry is dark, but not in correlation to Voldemort or his death eaters, just his magic. He is also EXTREMELY smart, but not immediately so, and it will progress in the story. He will be very powerful because this is a fanfic and au.

This isn't a bashing fic; this is just a different take on WBWL fics. Where his brother is not mean or too snobbish and James, Albus and Lily aren't suddenly evil, and Severus is not suddenly supportive.

I hope you enjoy my de-stressing coping fic, ha ha.