It was too late. Looking at the ruins of what was the Potter's safe-house, Severus knew he was too late to save her. His mind kept on coming up with ways she might of survived, he knew none of them were true, and that hurt him. As if he'd just taken a Crucio and now was shaking off the residue pain.

Mostly he just felt numb. Emotionally dead.

Stumbling through the rubble, Severus found the auburn-haired female, lying motionless on the ground. He tried to resuscitate her, though he knew fully well that his former master had used the killing curse on her. With trembling fingers, he laid Lily's delicate head in his lap and gently stroked her pale cheek. Her captivating green eyes – once filled with so much life, now replaced with a vacant stare. Severus couldn't bear looking into those green eyes that he had once loved. With a feathery touch, he ran his hand down her face, closing her eyes. With no gaudy scars or blood stained clothes, Lily looked like she'd fallen into a peaceful slumber – beautiful even in death.

It was all his fault, Severus knew. He had heard the prophecy and told his former master, finding out much later that it was Lily's son who was the one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord. Upon finding out that the love of his life was in danger, he hadn’t hesitated to switch sides. He had done it to protect her. He thought he could keep her safe. He also knew that Dumbledore hadn't taken enough precautions. He hated him for that.

Not as much as he hated himself though.

Severus was to slow, and to weak to save Lily. He had known that Lily was in danger, Lucius had told him. Severus had still been to slow, despite his knowledge. Severus could still hear the blond pureblood's mocking words, telling him that the Dark Lord had found where the Potters' were hiding.

Severus picked up a piece of a piece of ruble and threw it at one of the crumbling walls, but it was only half-felt. He only felt rage at himself. Severus just wanted to rip his hair out, he wanted someone to blame for all this.

But there was only him. And he felt hollow. All he had was his self-resentment and grief.

Raising his tear-stained face to the heavens, Severus allowed his grief to echo out into the clear, starry night. His sobs came loud and hard, yet not loud enough to block out another sound – that of a baby's wail.

Her son.

Gently, ever so gently, Severus kissed Lily's cold lips and laid her down onto the ground. He swiftly wiped the salty tears off his face and went looking for the baby. There it was. In a ruined cot, the black haired spawn of his childhood nemesis sat.

Not knowing what to do, Severus awkwardly picked up the child, and to his amazement, the child stopped crying. It blinked its green eyes up at him, snuggled himself into his chest and promptly fell asleep. In the background he could hear the hum of one of those Muggle motor things gradually getting closer. Someone would see him! Severus made to place the child down and disappear into the night.

But he couldn’t just leave the small boy there.

What if other Death Eater came by, looking for his master, and found his slayer resting here?

Try as he might, Severus could not even imagine himself leaving the child that Lily gave her life for. He could not just stand by and let the child of Lily Evans be harmed, even if he was contaminated by James Bloody Potter. But what could he do? He could take the child with him or...

Albus!

Severus's mind swirled with ideas in conjunction to that name. Albus could help! He thought. Dumbledore would need to know what happened tonight and he could tell Severus what to do.

Severus strode swiftly over to were Lily's corpse lay. He bent down and kissed her forehead goodbye… well, he tried to. It became an awkward quick head butt, as he tried not to jostle the baby. Severus tired to take in every detail of her, lest he forget... He didn't want to just leave her there, lying broken. But he had to go now. The Muggles were getting closer.

"Goodbye, Lily Evans." Severus said quietly.

Severus tried to calm himself. Dumbledore would need to know what happened tonight and could tell Severus what to do. With a crack, Severus disapparated away from Godric's Hollow.

 <li>

"ALBUS!" Severus bellowed as he pushed through the Hogwarts doors making his way towards the headmaster's office. "Albus, where are you?"

"Severus? Is that a ... a baby??" came the incredulous voice of Minerva McGonagall. She immediately followed him, but he was too focused on his task to notice her. He made it to the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's room, just in time to see the old man descending the stairs.

“Albus,” Severus hissed in an angry voice. Albus was also to blame for Lily's death. “I need to talk to you. You said you'd protect her!” Albus Dumbledore eyed the child wrapped up in blankets writhing in Severus's tight grasp. Minerva McGonagall came to screeching halt behind him, still trying to find out what was going on.

"Calm down, Severus. I'm listening," the old man said kindly, ignoring Severus's vehemence.

“I-I-I.” Severus stopped himself. He had lied to Voldemort to his face, he could not stutter now! Severus put his emotions away in a box, and then reported to his master. No emotion could be hear in his dead tone.

“I heard that the Dark Lord was attacking the Potter's tonight. Lucius Malfoy was flaunting the information to me. Sir, I told you about why I quit the Death Eaters and began spying for you. It was the knowledge that the Dark Lord was tracking Lily's Family down...” Severus said, his voice wobbled slightly on Lily's name, but he went on quickly. “I always loved her... When I got there it was too late. She was dead, and her boy was crying. I’ve brought him here. If there is anything, anything at all, that I can do to protect Lily’s child, to make her sacrifice worthwhile, tell me.”

Severus slowly handed the rugged child over to Albus, hoping desperately that he had made the right decision about Lily's child.

“This child is Harry Potter?” Minerva demanded. She had gone white during Severus's speech, and now with thin lips she peering inside the wrapped up blankets.

Albus gently took the sleeping one-year-old boy out of Severus's hands. His curious blue eyes raked the child's face. "You have brought Harry here?"

"Yes."

"And you wish to be his protector?"

Severus nodded.

"You, Severus Snape, will do anything to protect your childhood rival's heir?"

Severus hesitated, but nodded again.

Albus thought this over. "I already knew of the unfortunate happenings involving the Potters. In fact, I had already sent Hagrid out to go collect him. Arrangements have already been made for little Harry to live with his Muggle relatives," Albus told the young man in front of him.

"Why not Black? As much as I loathe the man he is the godfather, surely even living with that man would be better than any Muggles. Hell, even that mangy mutt Lupin or the sniveling coward Pettigrew would suffice."

Albus looked pensive. "The only way for Voldemort to track down the Potters' is through their secret keeper." At Severus's confused expression, he continued on. "He's only know if Sirius showed Voldemort where the Potter's were hiding."

“Are you telling me that good-for-nothing wastrel killed my Lily?” Severus asked, his voice dangerously low. I will kill that bastard, even if he gets sentenced to life in Azkaban, Severus promised himself. I'll get to him and kill him. Even a damned life in Azkaban was to good for Sirius Sodding Black now.

"No!" the transfiguration professor exclaimed, momentarily distracting Severus from his murderous thoughts. "That cannot be true! Sirius loves James like a brother and Lily was also a dear friend to him. Surely not, Albus, surely not!"

"Minerva, please," Albus said calmly.

“I'll kill him.” Severus assured Albus.

“Severus, be sensible. This is why Harry must go to his relatives. Also, he will have far more protection this way through blood wards.” Albus said consolingly.

"If you must give the boy to the Muggles, then allow me to be their neighbor or something, Albus, I must help this boy. It might just be the only worthy thing I ever do in my miserable life!" Severus told the Headmaster resolutely.

Albus contemplated. "Allow me to think on this, my dear boy. Till then, take little Harry here to Madam Pomfrey- he might need to be examined after what he's been through." Albus passed Harry to Severus. Turning his head to Professor McGonagall, the old headmaster led the very emotional professor away.

"Of course, Headmaster." Severus said to Albus's retreating back, and went off in search of the school's healer.

<li>

"Everything seems to be in order, Mr. Snape." Madam Pomfrey told Severus. "No damage has been done to little Harry here. But I would like him to stay the night, just in case."

"Good," Severus sighed in relief. "Everyone's saying he survived the Killing Curse... I thought that Lily must have died protecting him and the father somehow scared him off by foolishly risking his life or something..."

"James was a good boy, but according to the facts the Death Inspectors recorded, he died before Lily." She saw that Severus was about to protest to James being a good boy, "James was loyal and just to his friends," Madam Pomfrey told him sternly.

"I still don't think it's possible for the child to have survived the Killing Curse," Severus muttered.

"Well, Albus said he did," the school healer told him with finality. She bustled off to complete some other work, leaving Severus alone with the child once more.

Severus laid himself down next to the sleeping body, telling himself he'd just wait here awhile, till Pomfrey could take care of Lily's son properly. The tiny body curled itself up next to him, and the next thing Severus knew, he was dreaming, or rather having nightmares about, his red-headed angel's death.

Gently, Albus closed the doors of the infirmary and left his watching post. Suddenly he had a thought about the two black-headed boys in his care. In times of test, family is best. Perhaps the cut-off ex-Death Eater and the apparent boy hero could use each other and protect each other more than any one else could.

Standing at the far corner of Privet Drive stood a bright-eyed old man and an enraged younger one in heated debate, a baby was resting peacefully in the young man's arms. To his left stood a stern-looking woman, who was trying and failing to pacify him. Every now and then, she would twitch and stretch out her limbs, which had become taunt from her being in her Animagus form for a day.

 Their once-hushed whispering had been raised to angry exclamations.

"I'm just saying you would not be capable of giving Harry the protection he nee-"

"What do you mean I'd be incapable, Headmaster? I could look after Harry and he wouldn't have to go to these…these things!" The young man shouted at the old man. "And don't you dare say I'm too young! If Potter could do it, I can do it better!"

"Just let me finish, Severus. Patience is a grand virtue." The Headmaster of Hogwarts said mildly, he didn't even look at Severus while speaking. He was looking at something in his hands which he was fiddling with.

Severus felt rage at the fact that Albus was so dismissive of him, but instead of speaking up he just scowled at the Headmaster through the mop of hair that had fallen in front of his face. Then a judgemental expression set itself on his face.

"Now Severus, you may not be Harry's surrogate father," Albus Dumbledore said before the young man could interrupt. "But you will join him. I've thought this over, and I've decided this is the best course. You've been good to the Order, Severus, and although you might not believe it, you are quite noble and deserve a just reward. This life has not been kind to you, my boy."

"What are you trying to say, Albus?" the woman questioned. "If you are not giving Severus what he wants, how are you rewarding him?"

"Wait, Minerva." Albus reprimanded her, "When I defeated Gellert Grindlewald all those years ago, I was rewarded with a great gift from the then Minister of Magic, nice man, that I had been saving for a worthy cause." Albus pulled a small silk bag out of his robe pocket. Opening it, he produced a small earring and held it up to the light.

"What is it?" Severus asked cautiously, squinting his black eyes. The dim light made it so that he could not see all the details, but he could tell that it was a gold-like substance with small grooves running though it in intricate patterns.

"The Earring of Parvulus." At the confused looks of his companions, he continued to explain. "When you pierce your ear with this and repeat the chant 'Parvulus denuo' thrice over you will be young again. Or rather, you will return to age one and from there you will grow up until you reach the age of eighteen."

"What then, Headmaster?" Severus asked eagerly, though privately he wondered if the Headmaster always carried around mysterious, powerful, magical objects.

"Then you return to the age you were when you pierced your ear. It's not a well known magical item, and is considered in a shadier light by the Ministry because you have to say the chant while the piercing is still fresh, while there's still blood. With this, my boy, we can make you appear about Harry's age." Albus paused for effect, "With this you can be Harry's twin brother."

<li> 

Most people never experience how utterly humiliating it is to stand in the middle of a suburban street in nothing but a blue child's blanket. Unfortunately Severus Snape could now count himself among the minority. The freezing cold English wind left his skin prickling with goosebumps. Severus had wrapped his blanket around him as one might wrap a towel around himself, but aside from the blanket he was all but naked.

In his mind, he could not stop wondering why that bloody old coot couldn’t have told him his plan beforehand so they DIDN'T have to do it in the middle of a street.

But that would have diminished a lot of the drama.

Muttering, Severus cocked his head so that Minerva McGonagall could pierce his ear. The pain was sharp but could easily be ignored. Now that was one other thing Severus never thought he'd do. Albus was urging him to say the chant.

"Parvulus denuo, Parvulus denuo, Parvulus denuo!" Severus's voice rang out. There was a moment’s pause and then he could feel his skin rippling and distorting. Growing pains, or rather de-aging pains, shot up through his bones. His joints cracked and bent as he slowly changed back into a year-old baby.

The whole thing only took ten minutes, but to Severus it felt like hours. Minerva had at one point, managed to get close enough to hold him, so that as he got smaller he wouldn’t hurt his fragile child self.

Severus felt ashamed that he needed her help.

Now, wrapped in the blue blanket was one-year-old Severus Snape. Or rather, as Albus declared him, Hayden Potter, the twin of Harry Potter. He was suddenly aware of the splitting headache he had acquired in his de-ageing process. It was not going away. If anything, it was getting worse.

The pain was building and building, it was driving him mad, building and building...

Severus realized why. This one-year-old's brain could not possibly contain his consciousness. It was like he had too much knowledge to fit into this head. The sensation was hard to explain, but if Severus had to put it to words, he felt that it was most like being trapped inside a metal cage, with its walls slowly closing in around him. With him growing inside it, being pressed up against the barriers...

The pain was building upon itself... Building, building and BUILDING.

I can't ... fit in here... pain... can't fit... Severus's delirious thoughts bubbled around in his all-too cramped brain.

Albus was looking down at him with sympathy. "I hope now you can have a happy childhood, Severus, free of the abuse of your father and trials of a spy for the Order. Now, I'm going to have to Obliviate you. Completely. A few things might slip through the cracks in dreams or visions, but until you reach your 18th birthday you will not remember being Severus Snape."

Severus tried to nod in response, but it made his head hurt even more.

"Albus, is that wise?" Minerva asked quietly, but the challenge to the leader of the Phoenix seemed all too loud. "If he knows nothing, how can he help Harry?"

Severus could barely pay attention to their words. My head just feels like it's about to burst! he thought to himself, and for some reason this struck him as really, really funny.

The thought of his head bursting, of his brain being splattered across the ground... The idea of Minerva holding him when this happened, brain dribbling down her face, just standing there, shocked. It was, quite simply, in a grotesque way, hilarious to think about.

A giggle emitted from his baby mouth.

His whole brain seemed to have been taken over by absolute pain.

In a far corner of his mind, there was a small part of him that was aware of the sound of the Headmaster chuckling at Minerva's words, and kindly offering her a lemon drop. That small part listened as Albus uttered a sigh of disappointment that she'd refused his candy, and it listened as he tried to explain the workings of his mind.

Severus barely heard the words that the small part of his brain was telling him. His head just felt too ... big. Building and building and BUILDING... Why won't the... pain... just STOP?

But that small part of him continued to record the conversation, despite the rest of his mind being overtaken by pain. Perhaps it was just his spy instincts kicking in, but he still heard Albus and Minerva talking.

"Whenever Harry is in a truly life threatening situation, Severus will remember all the skills he learnt in his previous life. But until then he will be Hayden," Albus said.

"And what of that? People know that Harry is an only child." Minerva said, looking desperately now to find a flaw in the old man's plan. "And Remus will never stand for-”

"Remus has enough on his plate, Minerva. He has just lost all of his childhood friends in one mighty blow. He needs to heal," Albus said, interrupting whatever rant she was about to go on.

Minerva eyed the Headmaster sceptically.

"I will tell the people closely linked to Harry that Voldemort's spell split his soul in two, and that Hayden is Harry's other half. That includes Remus, and Remus knows he'd have enough trouble looking after one boy, let alone two."

"You can't expect that to stop him from trying to get to, and look after Harry and Sever- well, Hayden. They might be all he has left, you shouldn't take that away from him! Surely you'd have to be out of your mind to think that people will react well to hearing Harry's soul was split." Minerva interjected. Albus politely ignored her doubts.

Hayden's a silly name... Severus thought. He felt now like he was wafting on the wind... Pain is building, the pain is rising. The thoughts echoed through his mind like childish song. He also found this terribly funny. He giggled, and at the same time, was mortified that he could ever make such a sound.

Mortified is such a silly word, too. Pain. Pain. BUILDING PAIN.

Albus was speaking, oblivious to Severus's mental decline. "...Tomorrow in the newspapers I will anonymously 'leak' a story to a reporter that I saw the Potter Twins being bundled up and taken to live with their relatives in, oh I don't know, say Southern Ireland or France... Nobody but us two need ever know who Hayden really is," Albus explained cheerfully. The man almost seemed generally pleased about the way things turned out.

"Well if you’re sure, Albus," Minerva said forlornly, handing the Headmaster the dark-haired child and reverting back to her cat form. Severus felt a bizarre temptation to touch the cat that was standing at Albus's feet. He reached his small, chubby arms down towards the cute, small kitty cat...

Severus tried to tell himself to stop. That this was behaviour unfit for a young man and spy for the Order. The kitty cat looked so soft, and her fur begged to be stroked. He continued to try to reach out.

The cat nodded her furred head at Albus and with a swish of her tail, she was bounding off into the night, leaving Severus alone with the Headmaster. Idly, Severus wondered why the kitty cat hadn't stayed to help Albus finish the preparations.

The Pain is building, the pain is rising. The Pain is building, the pain is rising. The Pain is building, the pain is rising... Pain. Pain. BUILDING PAIN.

Severus was almost too lost to the world to notice that a wand was being pointed at his nose.

"Obliviate!"

And then there was just emptiness.

<li> 

 Sighing heavily, Albus aimed his wand at Hayden's head and whispered the charm that would take the boy's memories away. With a hint of his not-so-well known ability to read and manipulate minds, he made sure all was well within the head of Harry's new 'twin', so as not to damage his mind.

Albus noticed a small snake and skull was still etched into Hayden's arm.

That was one aspect of Severus that would be hard to remove from Hayden. The mark of Voldemort was irremovable and hard to disguise. Perhaps if he made it look like the result of a spell, like Harry's scar, on the night on which Voldemort was destroyed?

Yes, that might work. A burn mark.

Albus set Hayden on the ground, next to his soon-to-be brother, so that he could work on him without having to rearrange himself constantly.

Setting his wand to the babe's wrist, he muttered the incantation that would make the dye of the mark a red colour. The skin became blotchy around it and it looked like a harmless burn. Well, perhaps not so harmless, but non-offensive nevertheless. Nobody would notice it if they didn't look at it too closely. Even then, its resemblance to a Death Eater's brand could be explained away as coincidental.

Dumbledore entered Hayden's mind once more, and linked the soft, malleable mind to Harry's. He made it so that if the boy ever abandoned his brother he would feel his pain. This way Hayden could not possibly turn his back on Harry. He would have to fulfil this one duty before all else.

He sure Severus would not mind. No. Of course not. He would be glad, if anything, that Albus had helped him to keep his word. Yes. This was all as it should be.

Albus nodded to himself. He was indeed doing what Severus wanted. The fact that it would help Harry, who would, in turn, help the wizarding world, was even better.

Albus stood up from his work briefly, and pulled a shrunken package out of the folds of his purple robe. After casting the counter-spell, Albus pulled out several bottles of potion. He had thought through this night well.

Albus bent again to take blood from little Harry's arm. He dropped three droplets into three different bottles of potion that he had set up around him and Hayden.

Now all he had to do was to get Hayden to drink the potions, cast a few spells, and such other things, and he'd be done for the night.

Various heritage and glamour potions later, Harry's duplicate lay next to him on the cold concrete. Albus Dumbledore lowered then knife he had used earlier to shed Harry's blood to Hayden's head, intending to add a scar to Hayden's forehead. Strangely, he found himself unable to do it.

He could not purposely scar a young child. He was no monster, whatever else he may be. Well, perhaps a little bit of individuality couldn't hurt the boys. Also, he wouldn't want Hayden to be thought of as the Chosen One.

The public had to be clear about who their hero was, so that they could throw their full support behind him. Slowly, Albus brushed the black locks off Hayden's forehead and silently wished him good luck.

Albus reached in his pocket once more, and un-shrank another item.

A blue baby's bassinet. He gently placed the two boys together within its warm hold.

The old wizard placed a letter with them inside the bassinet, and retreated into the night with a heavy heart. At some point in the night, the two boys' hands joined.

That night the two slept on peacefully, not knowing that their companionship would be what would keep them alive through their childhood; or that one was famous and the other a Potions Master twenty years older than the first; and that with the rise of the sun the next morning, their Aunt Petunia would screech and scream at their discovery.

The closet was cramped, but the two boys huddled inside were glad of it. It meant they were warmer under their moth bitten blue blanket. The two 4 and half year old boys were currently arguing, though they did this in hushed tones for fear that Uncle Vernon would stick his beetroot face inside the closet and yell at them for making so much noise.

"Well I think we SHOULD tell her, she's nice." Harry said defensively. Currently the two boys were at odds about their preschool teacher, Miss Easterbee, who had been far too perceptive for their own good.

Miss Easterbee was very nice though, she'd always let them have the orange quarters like all the other children. She treated them like they were normal and never once called them freaks. But she was always asking them awkward questions and writing the answers down in a special book that she'd give to the principal.

She'd taken one look at the bruises that were visible when the boys had to take off their baggy old jumpers, the empty lunch boxes, how frightfully skinny they were and called this thing called ChildLine. A funny looking man came into talk to the class about how Mummy's and Daddy's should always be nice to their children. Now the grown-ups were always asking questions and always watching them. It made Harry uncomfortable and Hayden nervous.

Then Miss Easterbee had told them they would need to come to a special meeting with a lot of people. She'd said that it might be a bit boring but if it worked out right they'd be better off. The twins didn't know what this meant but Dudley had told Vernon and Petunia and they'd been acting strange for a few days. For one thing they didn't have to do half as many chores. And they got two full meals, a day!

Harry argued that Miss Easterbee had brought this on, it was good. Miss Easterbee was nice and smelled pretty, and she'd only brought them good so far, after all she was the one who figured out Hayden and him needed glasses. Harry said this is why they should return her kindness by answering her questions.

Hayden was less trusting of the kind teacher and was reminding Harry of how the last time they lowered their defenses to a seemingly kind Grown-Up that particular one, Mrs Figg, treated them to a lengthy lecture on cats and then told their aunt and uncle when they fell asleep in the middle of her speech. They hadn't eaten for 3 days after that, for being disrespectful to their elders.

"No, we'll get in trouble! Uncle Vernon said no talking about home, or else!" Hayden pleaded to his identical counterpart. The only difference between them was Harry had a lighting bolt shaped scar on his forehead while Hayden had a burn mark on his left forearm which Harry claimed looked like a skull with something like a tongue sticking out of it. Or maybe a snake.

"You're really worried about this, aren't you Haydy?" Harry goaded him, using a different tactic. His brother only showed weakness in front of him, all other times he was scowling and defensive. Sometimes Harry could be cunning enough to use this against him.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt. I mean what if you get the Belt? Or no food for a whole week!" Hayden said and crossed his bony arms across his chest in a very defensive manner. And that at the bottom of it was the truth. Hayden was always looking out for Harry and Harry was always looking out for Hayden.

"I won't, we'll be fine." Harry assured him, and with that it was settled. Next day of school they'd tell the Grown-Ups what they wanted.

"Harry, look at you! You have holes all through your clothes, what's your aunt going to say!" Miss Easterbee exclaimed at the sight of Harry unhooking his large clothes from a snag wire on the fence. Hayden tensed up, knowing his brother would tell her the truth this time.

Hayden quickly checked for exits, and was worried to find that the playground outside their preschool was so empty that the teacher could see everything for a long way. No chance of running if things turned ugly then. Maybe that bush in the corner there, they could hide behind that.... Hayden's thought process was interrupted by the talking of Miss Easterbee and the children around her.

Hayden would have been happy about Harry not answering, if it had not been because of Dudley answering for him. "She's gonna get him in trouble! Harry's gonna get in trouble for being a naughty freak!" their fat cousin had called out. He then started a chant with the other preschoolers.

"Freak's getting in trouble, Freak's getting in trouble, Freak's getting in trouble!!!" They called out in a taunting tone. Even pretty little Ashley joined in. Hayden watched as Harry sniffled, his brother dared not cry outright for fear of harsher teasing.

"Stop! That's enough!" Miss Easterbee's voice cut through the horrid chant. "What have we said about put-downs? They're not nice."

"But my mum DOES call him a freak, and my dad does too." Dudley retorted, obviously confused as to why he should deny what his parents had taught him was the truth. Miss Easterbee looked very grave at this news.

Hayden hung back from rushing to his brothers side and pulling him away from the jeering crowd. He got himself into this mess, he could get himself out again. Hayden watched with hardened eyes as Miss Easterbee took his brother inside, away from the children and to the school solicitors. His throat felt dry as he did not join his twin but he ignored it and found a place to hide. Knowing how his classmates minds worked, he would be their next target.

"Hayden, I'm sorry," Harry said for the millionth time whilst they were doing their chores. Harry was sweeping up in the kitchen while Hayden dusted the living room. It was Harry's fault they had extra jobs. The only good thing that had come out of this incident was that the Dursleys wouldn't even shout at them, well in public, and that they'd got Dudley's second bedroom and a pair of fitting clothes each.

Hayden was yet to forgive him for what happened to the only kind Grown-Up in the world. When Harry had retreated inside with Miss Easterbee and told her all aspects of his and Hayden's life she had gotten mad. Not mad at them, she was all too quick to assure them, but mad at their aunt and uncle.

She had told Harry that she would be filing a neglect and abuse complaint to the police station and hopefully soon they could go and live with new mummy and daddy, wouldn't that be nice? Well it would, if it had actually happened. All adults were liars. Even the ones that seemed nice, like Miss Easterbee.

Hayden had allowed himself to hope against hope, in spite of his misgivings, and thus suffered twice the disappointment. Two days after Harry had talked to the people Miss Easterbee called Children's Workers, a man came in and told the class that Miss Easterbee was suffering from severe amnesia, (where you forget everything, he had explained to the class. Hayden had been worried she might forget to breathe!) And that she could not come back. Ever.

It was obvious the news of their life had been so horrible that they had killed Miss Easterbee. No, not they - Harry. Yes it was all Harry's fault. She was going to die and it was all Harry's fault. Well, it was Aunt Petunia who said that it was their fault she forget everything and the last time they heard the phase "not coming back, ever" was when Uncle Vernon's mum died. So it made sense, Harry was a murderer.

"Don't talk to me, murderer," Hayden spat and then purposely swept the dust off the book shelf onto the floor, to make more work for Harry. As he did so he felt a pain in his chest, like his heart was ripping in two. That must also be Harry's fault.

"I'm not a murderer, Haydy, and you know it." Harry said, trying to disguise the sadness in his voice with anger.

"I know you're the reason Miss Easterbee forgot things, and that she forgot how to breathe like Grandma Dursley got attacked by a heart," Hayden said reasonably.

"You said you'd forgive me for anything, that I was your bestest friend!" Harry cried. Hayden scowled at him, regretting that he was a murderer's twin.

"I said, don't talk to me, murderer!" shouted Hayden hysterical now, the pain in his chest was twice as bad and his throat was hurting from his shout. Harry only ever caused him pain.

Aunt Petunia took that moment to scurry in. She took on look at the boys, red-faced with their cleaning instruments thrown on the floor facing each other down, and screamed. "Do your work, brats!"

Harry was all hyped up from his argument with Hayden, and snapped "No!" It was all he said, but even a large speech could not of done worse damage to him. Petunia was calling for Vernon to get down here and punish the freaks, now. Harry, terrified, tried to run out of the door. A bad mistake.

"Want to leave do you, ungrateful freak? Good!" And with that she pushed him, and he fell. He fell bad, Hayden knew it from where he stood. Rooted to the spot with fear, Hayden gasped when saw Harry's arm bend funny under him, and felt it in his own arm.

That was all Hayden needed, nothing stopped him this time from rushing to Harry's side and hugging onto him tight. Even when Aunt Petunia slapped him across the face and Uncle Vernon hauled the boys into their closet.

In the dark calm of their space, they started to cool down. Hayden dully realized Harry was crying and so was he. His face stung and his right arm ached in sympathy for Harry.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I'm sorry." Hayden said repetitively, and could not stop himself from saying it over and over again. It was like it was bringing him back to earth, with each repetition his arm ached less and the pain in his chest lessened.

"It's alright, Haydy, do you forgive me?" Harry said softly. Hayden's heart leaped with affection for his brother, he could never stay mad with Harry, anymore than he would stay mad at himself.

"O-of course, Harry. It wasn't your fault anyway, Grown-Ups are just mean." Hayden assured his brother, who nodded along weakly to what he said. They sat there a moment, in silence, not knowing what to say.

"Can you move your fingers?" Hayden asked Harry. He had heard Aunt Petunia say the same thing to Dudley when he fell off his bike.

Harry looked down at his hand and tried, he gave out a little gasp of pain. "N-no, what does that mean?" Harry asked his twin. To be truthful, Hayden didn't know what it meant. When Dudley had been able to Aunt Petunia had gushed over him, called him a brave boy and put an ice pack on Dudley's arm. She'd also told him not to over use it, so since Harry couldn't maybe that meant he should do the opposite? Hayden really didn't know.

"Umm, perhaps you'll feel better in the morning? I mean, whenever Dudley gets sick Aunt Petunia tells him to sleep it off." Hayden offered, he really wanted to help Harry.

"Okay, Haydy, I trust you." Harry told him, and settled himself down in the cot which they shared. Hayden watched as his brother went to sleep and made a silent vow to himself that when he grew up, he'd become a doctor so he could always help his Harry.

When the two boys where allowed out of the closet two days later they looked weak to the untrained eye. Harry's arm was in a sling made out of Hayden's shirt (inspired by a dream Hayden had one night) and they were both starving.

But if you looked closely enough you could see how they carried themselves with pride and how from that day forth one was always there for the other one to lean on. That nothing could ever make them truly fight again and that given the chance one would die for the other.

Most people would find it strange that a young boy was excited about cleaning up, but then again, Harry was an extraordinary boy.

He'd been ordered by his uncle to vacuum upstairs while his brother had to clean Dudley's room, with gloves on, of course. Dudley didn't want his toys contaminated by his freakishness. Harry had allowed himself a small laugh when he heard his brother, Hayden, mutter that he was only too happy to wear the plastic gloves as he didn't want to catch Dudley's fatness.

Harry was excited because if he was cleaning upstairs it meant he was allowed into Uncle Vernon's study and his Aunt and Uncle's bedroom, which he normally wasn't allowed in. Those two rooms held an air of mystery as all forbidden places do, and Harry couldn't wait to get in them.

The nervous hyper eight-year-old entered the bedroom that belonged to his aunt and uncle, that he was forbidden to set one toe in, or else.

And found it utterly disappointing.

It was just an ordinary couple’s bedroom, it had a large bed in the middle of it and a cupboard to the side. It had a bathroom attached to it as well but that was all. No great surprises or amazing things.

Sighing out his pent up excitement, Harry found a power plug for the vacuum cleaner and got to work. He'd just got to the under bed bit when he hit something with the head of the vacuum cleaner. Getting on his hands and knees, he went under the bed to investigate.

It was a shoe box, opened from where the vacuum cleaner had knocked its lid off. Harry pulled it out and had a small peek at its contents. It was just lots of letters and photos, Harry was just about to dismiss it when he saw the pretty red-headed lady in the photo move. Harry pulled the box onto his lap and studied the photo.

It showed a young woman of about 20 with red hair, she was smiling at him and really truly waving. It was amazing. It was the forbidden word-- Magic! Bound by curiosity, Harry kept looking through the box. The next photo was that of a wedding. It held the same woman and a black haired man as well.

He looked just like Harry.

"Dad... Mum," Harry murmured softly. Hayden. Harry just had to show him. He was about to bellow his brother's name, but realized that he'd draw the attention of the Dursleys as well. Harry gently traced his finger along the line of his father's features, thinking on how he could show Hayden the pictures, and maybe keep one for themselves without anyone noticing...

"Harry, we’re going to get in trouble." Hayden all but whined as he followed his adventurous twin brother into his aunt and uncle’s room.

"It's ok, Haydy, I planned it all out. We'll just have a quick look and then go back to our room before the Dursleys come home." Harry said with an air of confidence.

"Harry, that's not a plan, that's a half-cooked scheme!"

"Just come on." And with that Harry looked under the bed for the shoe box, feeling a hard corner, he pulled it out and presented it to his brother. Pride gleamed on Harry's face at the fact that his plan had worked so far. Normally his plans failed, that's why Hayden was planner and he the doer.

"Is this... Harry, is this our parents?" Hayden asked in awe as he held up the picture. Harry nodded a yes. "Harry, she's moving! The picture’s actually moving!" He exclaimed

"Yeah I know, weird huh?"

"More than weird... Our mum's very pretty, Harry. She had our green eyes," Hayden said softly and then frowned so that Harry knew was getting one of his special headaches, which hurt awfully. Hayden always said it was like his head was bursting with memories.

"Does your head hurt?" Harry asked needlessly, he knew it did. But he hoped Hayden would explain why. That maybe he remembered something of their mum. No such luck.

"A bit," Hayden replied. "But I'm fine, hand me one of the letters and I'll read it." Harry happily obliged. Whilst he could read, Hayden was just better at it. But that was okay because Harry was better at math and that way they could help each other. It was one of the many deals the twins had made.

"Dear Tuney," Hayden started out, he was putting on the voice that he used when he read out loud, low and deep.

"Tuney?" questioned Harry before his brother could go on, laughter was barely hidden in his voice. Tuney, what a silly name!

"Must be Aunt Petunia." Hayden explained. "Right, now if you'll stop interrupting?" Hayden said, giving his brother a mock scowl.

July 31, 1981

Dear Tuney,

Well today's the day! Little Harry finally turns one, and James was so excited for him that he woke the poor boy up at 6 in the morning! Anyone would think it was his birthday and not his son’s. Well I know for a fact that our neighbors think James is only one sometimes, like when they’re woken early in the morning by the sound of him shouting "Happy Birthday!" loudly.

As I'm sure you know, raising a little boy is quite a handful, but sometimes I feel like I'm raising two. I hope Dudley doesn't give you too much grief, how is he anyway? Perhaps one day we could meet up and let the cousins get to know each other. I would hate to think that they'd grow up not knowing about their relations.

Petunia, I really want to make everything right between us again. As you may know Voldemort is after us because of the Prophecy and there’s a chance that he might find us. If James and I die, heaven forbid, I want Harry to know about his cousin, aunt, and uncle. Harry will go to live with Sirius Black, but he could visit you sometime.

Remember the time you taught me to ride a bike, and every time I fell off you were there to catch me and tell me to try again, or the time we took Mum’s make-up and played dress-up with it and got in so much trouble, but you told Mum it was your idea so I didn’t get in half as much trouble as you did? I wish we could be that close again, like we used to.

I am sorry that we ever argued and I want to make amends, please?

Lily Potter

"Wow," murmured Harry. He now knew what his parents looked like, their names, and that they had loved him and Hayden.

"No, not wow," Hayden said.

"What you mean?"

"Harry, don't you get it?" Hayden asked his brother desperately, his green eyes filled with grief. His brother just frowned at him.

"What? There’s nothing to get."

"Yes, there is. I'm not mentioned. It's all about baby Harry's birthday. But I'm not mentioned. Where am I? It’s like I don’t exist!" Hayden explained to his less perceptive brother.

"But... You’re right!" Harry cried in alarm.

"I... I don't like it, can we go now?"

Harry nodded and placed the shoe box back under the bed. It was just weird with its waving pictures, talk of a prophecy and no mention of Hayden.

"We won't talk of it again," Harry promised his brother and led him out of their aunt and uncle’s bedroom.

And right into Uncle Vernon.

"What aren't we talking about, brats?" He asked nastily, the twins did a double take in shock. "Been sneakin' in my bedroom, huh? I'll show you!"

"No, sir!" Harry cried.

"Sorry, sir!" Hayden cried.

"Ungrateful freaks, after all I've done for you! Well, let’s get you reacquainted with the closet!" Vernon bellowed. His meaty hands flashed out like vipers and each grabbed a handful of scared Potter twin. He shoved them inside with a sharp smack to their behinds, cramming them into the tiny space like sardines.

The two boys barely fit in the closet. When they'd been four it was small enough, but now it was tiny. The door had to be held closed by a weight to keep the two inside. They waited in the quiet until they were sure Vernon was gone.

"I'm sorry, Hayden, I'm sorry." Harry said to his brother.

"Wasn't your fault. I just wish we weren't here." Hayden whispered back,

"So do I." Harry said and then felt an odd sensation. "Did you feel that, Haydy?"

"Yeah! I felt it when I said I wish I wasn't here." Harry nodded in agreement, then he felt it again. Like he was being pulled by his belly button.

And then they weren't there at all.

A cool wind blew across the twins frayed clothes from their perch upon the roof. Harry's green eyes were sparkling with excitement and wonder - their previous peril forgotten with the knowledge that for at least a couple of hours they would be safe from the Dursleys and could enjoy the sights. Not that there was much of it; just high enough to see the roofs of a couple of rows of streets. Privet Drive could never be truly exciting, but to Harry it was the most he'd ever seen.

Hayden was more concerned with the fact that he would be skinned alive for doing the dreaded "M" word. He was fearing the moment the Dursleys realized he and his brother were no longer in the cupboard. And quite frankly the height was making him dizzy.

"Harry, how are we going to get down?" Hayden asked softly.

A look of shocked surprised crossed his identical's face, "You want to go back down THERE?!" he exclaimed.

"That's not what I mean! I –– I, Harry, we'll get in trouble - maybe if we can get down we can sneak back in the house and-"

"No. I won't, I'm not going back."

"But-"

"No."

Hayden sighed at his brothers stubborn expression, and thought quickly. He knew Harry hated the Dursleys with a passion and there would be no getting down if they were going back to them. But Hayden really, really, hated being up this high. He didn't know why, but it was just one of those things that gave him headaches –– this was one of the more vivid ones. This one came with visions.

He did not want to see that vision again.

"What if, no let me finish, Harry." Hayden said with his best stern look. And he could do very good stern looks, "What if, when we get down, we run away?"

"You mean just... leave?" Harry asked, it was as if the thought had never crossed his mind. Well it probably had but not to the extent of carrying it through. Harry gazed at his brother's face, to see if he was serious or not. All he saw was confidence.

"Yeah, I think so." The idea, for all Hayden's outward appearance, made him tremble inside. "I mean yes, of course. Think about it, Harry –– we can look after ourselves easy. Heck, we've been looking after ourselves since Dad crashed that car. And the Dursleys too, for that matter."

Harry mulled it over. And then came to a decision; "Ok."

When the Dursley house was plagued by owls it wasn't nearly the weirdest thing that ever happened within its walls. Not even near it.

Anyway, the point is that when the first owl came, no one thought too much of it. It was a normal morning, Hayden woke with the rising sun and then turned over to wake his brother who enjoyed sleeping in and denied him this joy. The two then trudged into the kitchen to cook breakfast, however this particular morning Petunia was dying Dudley's old clothes grey for their uniform. Harry stated it smelled bad and the two were promptly sent to sit outside the kitchen, they wouldn't be getting breakfast today.

With backs against the wall, the two contemplated with each other what their life would be like at their new school. Hayden was excited that they wouldn't have to purposely fail their classes just to make Dudley feel good. Harry was excited that they might be able to make a friend.

Click!

The mail slot opened and allowed the morning post in. Dutifully, Harry picked it up and was ready to give it to his uncle (perhaps if he sucked up he'd get breakfast) when he noticed that two of the letters weren't addressed to the Dursleys, they were addressed to Potters.

Harry gestured for Hayden to come look at the letters addressed to them. Exactly to them, one read:

Mr H. C. Potter

The Smallest bedroom

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

While the other said:

Mr H. J. Potter

The Smallest bedroom

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

"This must be yours, Hayden." Harry had said, handing the one addressed to H.C. Potter. "Because on those Medical Certificates that we had to give to the nurse at school for shots it said 'Hayden Charles Potter' on yours."

Hayden was just about to read the letter, his very own letter. But not for long, he had just started opening it when Dudley had come downstairs demanding his bacon and snatched the letter off him.

"What's this, Freak-Boy?" He'd sneered, "touching our mail?"

"It's mine!" half-shouted Hayden.

"Why would anyone want to give a letter to you?" Dudley ripped the letter up and then took Harry's as well after punching him in the stomach."Dad! Look at what The Freak-Boy stole!" Dudley called. Moments later they heard the staircase groaning under the weight of the boys’ uncle.

"What has it done now, Dudders?" Vernon huffed out, slightly out of breath from the long trip down the stairs.

"They've got letters! Addressed to them!" Dudley said, enjoying every moment of getting them in trouble.

"Rubbish." Vernon snorted, but took the proffered letter none the less. And then his face went very white. "Was their another one?" he asked softly.

"Yeah, to the other thing." Dudley replied, confused as to why his father cared. Normally he'd just smack his cousins and send them to their room. Not that them getting letters was normal. But that was the standard procedure for these things.

Vernon left the entrance hall containing his son and nephews and went into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. He didn't say anything. He just left.

Raised voices were heard inside, and the boys outside scuffled for the best listening post. Hayden had been allocated to peer under the door through a tiny slit. He could see Uncle Vernon's black shiny shoes pacing to and fro.

"We swore we'd stamp the freakishness out of them, Petunia!" Vernon's hushed voice said. "You said you didn't want them to end up like her."

"I don't! But... They know about them Vernon, I think they're following us, how else would they know that about them?"

"We could call the police."

"They have their own kind of police men, and they're horrible, Vernon. They steal children away and corrupt them." Petunia wailed.

"Lets just ignore it for now. They'll give up." Vernon said miserably, and a wailing sound could heard from inside. "Aw, now don't cry... it'll be fine, dear."

"B-but it won't. They'll die and before that they'll show Dudley and...and he'll be in danger from their people... It will be just like last time!" sobbed Petunia.

Slowly and quietly Hayden shuffled away from the door, he felt like he was eavesdropping. He was, but this just felt worse then normal. And raised far too many questions. Pulling Harry away with him, Hayden retreated to his and Harry's bedroom.

The next morning the twins got up very early and snuck down the stairs to the front entrance. They'd decided that if they did this they could wait for the mail to come they'd be the first to get it. And maybe, just maybe there’d be a letter for them.

Harry eagerly went forward, until he felt a yank, and slowly turned to find Hayden holding him back. "Hey!" Harry said crossly, and tried to pull himself free.

Hayden shook his head and pointed, Harry followed the line and realized he had almost stepped on Uncle Vernon! His large uncle was camped out next to the front door... He was waiting for their letters! Harry had to forcibly hold down his rage, and with one last sad look he followed his brother back up the stairs.

Later they could smell the smell of a fire, Vernon was burning the letters.

But that didn't stop them coming. Each day the number of them grew. Vernon even had to nail up the mail slot. On Friday, since their was no mail-slot 24 letters were pushed under the door. Vernon nailed that up too.

On Sunday morning, Vernon hummed happily and informed his family that it was a Sunday, and the post didn't come on a Sunday! Petunia looked worried for her husband’s sanity.

But obviously nobody had told the mysterious sender of letters that the post did not come on Sundays, as a flapping sound could be heard in the general direction of the fire place. With swoosh more than a 100 owls, yes owls (!!!), flew down it with letters clasped in talons. Letters came into the house through every available gap. For one comical moment Vernon eyes widened and his face purpled.

Then it ended and he was shouting. The twins traded glances, and followed their basic plan.

Ever since they were little the twins had a form of Plan B, that one of them would distract their oppressors for a moment, while the other used the time to fill out their needs. It worked with stealing food, sneaking into places they shouldn't go, and even throwing a punch at Dudley.

Now it was applied to Hayden visible taking a letter in front of Vernon, so that he'd try to wrestle it off the boy, while Harry snatching as many as he could subtly.

"Give it here, boy!" Vernon roared at Hayden and grabbed the black-haired youth in his meaty hands. Harry gave Hayden the signal, Hayden gave into his uncle and retreated.

"How did you go, Harry?" said Hayden, panting. Within the sanctuary of their room, Harry laid his loot down on Hayden's bed. 17. Harry had managed to get 17 of those letters! "Wow," Hayden breathed out in awe. Who could want to talk to them this much?

"Let's sort them out," Harry said practically.

There were 5 with a purple wax seal with a big "H" for Hayden, 7 of those for Harry too. But there was also 3 with a black seal with a "D"on it for Harry, Hayden got one too, and one with a pretty blue seal with a "B" for Harry.

"Okay... Lets open the "H" letters first." said Hayden and cracked one of his open, Harry copied his movements.

"Read yours out, Haydy," suggested Harry.

"Ok," Hayden agreed. He gently ran his fingers over its surface before he opened the envelope and read the letter within.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZADRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First class, Grand Sorc., Cf. Warlock

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Mr H. C. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of all necessary requirements that are available at Diagon Alley.

Term begins on September 1. We await your confirmation by owl no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely.

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

"Is it a joke?" Harry asked his brother, who looked equally puzzled at what he'd just read. Hayden shrugged, and then picked up the letter with the black seal.

"Should I read this one next?" He asked, showing it to his brother, Harry gave a tiny nod as confirmation. Hayden pulled the letter open.

"Hey!" he dried out in outrage. "It's in another language, German I think."

"Ignore it then. Try reading the blue one." Harry said and offered his letter to Hayden. Who opened the flowery seal.

"No luck here either, I can only make out 'Monsiuer Harry Potter', then it’s all in French." Hayden said, with sad disappointment.

"Well, we still have all these other letters, I don't reckon it’s a practical joke because it's been sent so many times and... Well weird stuff does happen around us, Haydy, maybe that’s what we are. Wizards." The word was foreign on Harry's tongue. Yes, Wizards. Magic and Witchcraft.... It would explain a lot.

"We can't be, Dursleys told us there’s no such thing as magic." Hayden then noticed the look Harry was giving him. "But then again, they are the Dursleys."

"Should we ask them about it? I mean now that we know will they keep trying to hide it?"

"Harry, remember the Dursleys number one rule? Don't ask questions. And they'll get mad that we opened them."

"You’re right... Of course you’re right, you’re always bloody right!" shouted Harry in frustration. "It's just, this is our chance to get out, to get away, and it explains everything... I want to belong somewhere, Hayden, and I never will when I'm near the Dursleys."

"Harry-" Hayden started to say.

"No, don't worry it's fine, its just... Fine."

Hayden watched his brother carefully, he could see how much this meant to him. And so, as any good brother would, he'd make sure his siblings dream of being free would come true. Even if it killed him."Well, let’s get an owl then," he said.

"W-what?!"

"It said it waited on our reply by owl."

"But it’s just some kid’s joke-"

"No, it’s not. I'm going to get you an owl, Harry, and then I'm going to get you to Hogwarts." Harry swallowed as his brother spoke those words. Because he knew it was true and Hayden would do anything possible to get him to Hogwarts.

Vernon was packing the car, (he had a plan to get out of here, go hide for awhile. Let the freaks try and find them then!) when the brat came to him. The one without a gash on his forehead, and the more silently brooding one. His eyes where full of fear. Good. He'd taught those freaks their place well. Vernon allowed himself a moment of pride.

"Sir," The boy said with fearful respect. There was something else. The brat wanted something! After all he'd done!

"What?" He growled, the thing flinched.

"I, err, um sir... I'm sorry! I opened the letter, it says I'm a wizard and I was wondering, see the thing is, being a wizard and all-" Vernon stopped the boys babbling with his self-righteous outraged yells.

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

"Opened the letter, sir, I'm sorry, sir!" The boy flinch away, hands protecting his face, and was sobbing with fear. Vernon felt only disgust for the pitiful freak.

Vernon thought quickly, if he just got rid of them, just made them go away, the letters would stop, they'd stop being a mess, Dudley wouldn't be at risk due to exposure to them... But how could he rid himself of them? If he let them go to the freak school and then... Then they could move! Leave the country, get fake I.Ds ...

"Alright. You can go to the freak-school." Vernon said as kindly as he could to the thing. It looked suspicious. Vernon rolled his eyes. "Do you think I want you around?" it seemed to accept this and nodded. "But you have to be on your best behaviour, and buy your own things!"

"Yes, sir!" It said happily and scampered off. Vernon watched it leave and continued packing the car. Petunia might not take this well, but it was for the best, for the best...

"Harry!" shouted Hayden excitedly, and Harry looked up from his place on his bed at his brother to greet his happy green eyes, identical to his own.

"What is it, Hayden?" Harry asked kindly, wondering if Hayden had come with a half-baked scheme to get them out of here.

"Vernon said yes! He agreed, we can leave –– only I . . .we pay our own way, I don't know HOW we'll do that but –– but –– It’s getting us out of here! Well, only for the school year, but still!" Hayden practically oozed excitement.

"Slow down, what’s happened?"

"We can go to Hogwarts! Uncle Vernon has let us!"

"Really?" asked Harry, unable to believe his ears. "But... How?!"

And with that Hayden spent the whole afternoon telling his brother what happened, what was happening and what he planned to do next. He spoke of leaving, becoming great wizards and never having to be imprisoned again.

Mrs. Figg watched as Harry Potter (also known as the Boy-Who-Lived and by others the Golden-Boy), and his shadow, Hayden Potter (also known as the Half-Souled-Boy and by others as the Shadow-Child), sat on the curb of the street and discussed their plans. They weren't very quite or subtle. She learnt that they needed an owl to send a response with. The Dursleys had taught them nothing about magic.

Mrs. Figg gently stroked the ginger tom she was holding and then retreated inside her house to floo Albus. She'd get him to send an owl along, perhaps as a gift. They'd love him forever if he did that she suspected.

Her life as Albus's eyes went on.

A great horned owl tapped its beak on the twins’ bedroom window, it had a letter clasped in its talons and proffered it to the boys as they opened the window. Hayden gently took it out of the bird’s claw and opened it at Harry's gesture.

"Shall I read?" Hayden asked nervously as he gripped the yellowish colored parchment. Harry rolled his eyes at his brother.

"You always read, don't break tradition!" Harry said in mock frustration. Hayden poked his tongue out at his brother and read.

Dear Harry and Hayden,

It has come to my attention that you were raised without knowing of your magical heritage. And so, I have sent you this letter and owl. His name is Bertie Botts, Bert for short. In addition, I will send a friend of mine to help you collect your things on your birthday.

I hope Bertie Botts serves you well.

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

(Order of Merlin, First class, Grand Sorc., Cf. Warlock

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

On the night before Hayden's birthday he sat up late making his brother a card. He and Harry always did this, it had become a tradition of sorts. They'd make each other cards from the paper in their school books and pencils they where supplied with. Then, in the morning they would give each other a card and sing the "Happy Birthday" song.

It was just like being given presents and having a party.

Hayden gently colored in the card he'd made for Harry and wrote a happy, cheerful message inside. On this card he'd drawn a wizard’s hat, it was fitting he believed, as they were supposed to be taken into the wizarding world tomorrow.

Hayden didn't believe it could be real. Whenever he told this to his twin, Harry would just shake his head and remind him of the day they appeared on the roof. Hayden conceded this point. Bert gently nipped his finger. Another thing he was unable to explain, Bertie Botts was incredibly well house trained.

Petunia wasn't too keen on having an owl in the house. She was actually quite mad about it, but said the twins could keep it if it only stayed in their room. So the owl would doze lazily on the twins desk and fly outside to go hunting or stretch its wings.

The Dursleys as a whole had been quite tolerant of late. Harry said it was because they were scared of them, and that they would stay this way.

But Hayden didn't want to get his hopes up, just in case they were crushed.

Stop being so melodramatic, Hayden scolded himself. You’re just really tired, it’s probably really late. Hayden had no way of checking the time, so he just finished coloring in the card and curled up in his bed.

He was just about to fall asleep when he heard a loud knock on the door.

Thump,

Thump,

THUMP

With each knock the sound grew louder. Hayden curled up into a tighter ball and just wished it would stop. But then something worse happened. Hayden could hear the tell tale pounding footsteps of his uncle walking, walking towards the knocking.

Muffled voices met Hayden's ear, and in the next bed, Harry's too. Hayden watched Harry wake to the sound of his uncle talking to whoever was at the door.

"Dursley, yer couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been a easy journey..." A deep voice said from downstairs.

"Who? Wha- but," Harry and Hayden could hear Uncle Vernon blustering, "How?!"

"I havn't introduced meself, havn't I now? Rubeus Hagrid, I'm here ter see der boys." The voice replied.

The twins quickly exchanged meaningful glances, and crept as silently as possible out of their room and closer to whoever it was at their door. Careful not to step on floorboards that were known to creak or tread to hard, the boys slowly walked down the stairs that they once lived under.

Then they saw him. The giant man their uncle was talking to.

He was a massive man, in fact he was twice as tall as a normal man and four times as wide. And that was no exaggeration either! Hayden had to crane his neck skywards to see him properly. The man saw them quite easy though. Very easily.

"Der yeh are!" The man exclaimed. "Harry come over 'ere, I havn' seen yeh since you were lil'" Harry let his curiosity get the better of him, and with his eyes trained on Vernon, he walked over to the man. Hayden hung back, he hadn't been called, and knew the man obviously didn't know him.

"Eh, I mean yeh too, Hayden. Yeh, come over 'ere. I got stuff for yeh too." The man said when he saw Hayden. Hayden walked over quickly. "Now Dumbledore tells me yeh've been talkin to him, and that you didn' know nuthin bout magic till yeh got yeh letter. He's told me I got to tell yeh all bout it."

"Um, yes, Hagrid, was it?" Vernon asked. "Right well, we didn't tell them about magic because we thought it best if someone with an in depth knowledge of er, magic, would. So how about you take them out for their birthday, show them the sights and teach them, eh?"

"Well... Would der boys like dat?" Hagrid said.

"Yes, sir!" The twins said immediately.

"When do you want them?" Vernon asked perhaps a bit to quickly.

"Well If they get dressed and ready, right away. I'll take em' on der Knight bus, It's a good learnin experience." Hagrid said. Both boys beamed and ran up the stairs, behind them they could hear Vernon telling Hagrid to keep the boys for a week.

They quickly shoved everything they thought they'd need for a day in their school bag, and dressed as fast as humanly possible. The whole thing only took a half a minuet. As the two boys rushed down the stairs to Hagrid, the only thing going threw their minds was the fact that they were allowed to go far away from the Dursleys and even become wizards!

"Alright lads, got yer things?" Hagrid asked in his big booming voice.

"Yes, sir!" The twins replied in unison.

Hagrid laughed, "No need to go callin' me sir! Just call me Hagrid." And with that the giant man they had just met led them outside and down the road. He led them away from the Dursleys.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hayden shivered almost to a violent degree as Hagrid led them to an empty street. He felt Harry grasp his hand, freezing fingers gripped tightly. They both watched as Hagrid took out an umbrella and shook it at the road.

BANG

A large purple bus just -appeared- out of nowhere, the twins stumbled backwards. Hayden was too frightened to speak, but that didn't mean Harry was.

"Wow!" he said in complete awe of the large purple bus. Hagrid just let out a rumbling laugh.

"That'd be der Knight Bus." The giant man told him. "Now come along, lads, you'll enjoy this!"

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shumpike, and I will be your conductor for this evening." Said the conductor, he was a boy who could of only been 15. Behind him stood a taller man, who had a notebook and pencil, which he scribbled in, every time the boy talked.

"Ello Stan! I didin know you worked for der Knight bus," Hagrid said.

"Ello Hagrid, yup, I started working dis holidays, part time job and al-" Stan said, but was cut off by the behind him making a polite cough. "I mean, please sir, where-abouts wassit you wanted to go to?" Stan said, looking out of the corner of his eye at the man Hayden supposed was his supervisor.

"Er, right we want to go to der Leaky Cauldron, London. How much do I owe yer?" said Hagrid.

"Eleven Sickles for you, and 6 each for the lads if they're under the age of 13." Stan replied, "But for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the colour of your choice." Hagrid nodded at this and dumped a mixture of bronze and silver coins into Stan's outstretched sweaty palm.

Hayden was amazed to notice that on the bus there weren't seats, but half-a-dozen beds. "'Ere you go, lads," Hagrid said to the boys and motioned to the closest couple of beds. "Yer best get some rest as we drive der." The two scrambled up on to their own, and sat cross legged in the middle. Exactly identical in every way.

Stan plunked the two boys small back-packs under their beds and motioned towards a hunched over man sitting in an armchair in front of a steering wheel."This is our driver Ernie Prang. Ern, this is a friend of mine from Hogwarts."

Ernie only grunted in reply and slammed the accelerator down, the Knight bus lurched forward with back-breaking speed.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"This is it," said Hagrid, as they got off the Knight bus, "The Leaky Cauldron. It’s a famous place."

Hayden's green eyes widened in wonder as Hagrid ushered his brother and him into the Leaky Cauldron. The tiny, grubby-looking pub was very dark and shabby for a famous place. However the people seemed nice enough, and all of them seemed to know Hagrid. A few of the old women sitting in the corner drinking what looked like sherry waved to him, and the barman smiled at him.

"The usual, Hagrid?" he asked kindly.

"Can't now, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business." Hagrid said and placed one of his giant hands on Harry's back. "But I'll be needing two rooms for bout a week."

"Right, room 43 and 44 are yours - Good Lord," said the barman stopped, peering intently at Harry, and then glancing over Hayden. "Are they? Can they be... Hagrid, is it them?"

The light buzzing sound of people chattering abruptly ended.

"Bless my soul," whispered the old barman, "it's Harry Potter and his Shadow! What an absolute honor Mr Potter!"

Chairs scraped as people rushed forward and shook Hayden's Twin's hand. They all seemed in awe of Harry.

"Welcome back, Harry, welcome!" One wizard said.

"I've always just wanted to shake your hand-" Said a witch, but was cut off as the next began to speak.

"I'm so proud, Mr Potter, so very proud."

Hayden watched as Harry grew more and more uneasy and confused. Stepping closer her grip his brother's hand, and was pleased to find Harry gripped back. He couldn't help but wonder what all these people were going on about, and why Hagrid wasn't stopping them. He just stood back and beamed.

Hayden gently nudged the giant, and when that got no response he elbowed him hardly. "Hagrid, Harry's scared, make them go away." Hayden said loudly over the noise of people clamoring to meet Harry.

"Er, right!" Hagrid said, only just noticing the boy's unease. " That’s enough, you lot. We've got things to do, you know."

Hagrid pulled the boys through the crowd and headed upwards towards the rooms. Most of the crowd backed off, put a few had to be gently pushed out of the way by Hagrid.

The sound of the crowd rang in Hayden's ears, only to be replaced by the slamming of room number 43's door.

"Er, righto lads. I reckon it's time I told you who you are, and why that just happened." Hagrid said. And took a seat on one of the beds. If Hayden wasn't so curious about Hagrid's tale he would of laughed at how the giant man caused the bed to take on a banana shape.

But he was very very curious.

"Well it's like this, I don't know the whole story, no one does... Well, maybe Albus Dumbledore knows. Great man, Dumbledore is, a real great man.

Anyway. About ten years back, there was a truly evil wizard. By the name of V-V... Well, I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does. See, this wizard went bad, real bad. Bad as you can go. Worse even. So everyone jus' calls him You-Know-Who. Well, his supporters called him the Dark Lord.

But like I was sayin'. You-Know-Who was at the height of his power. He was takin' over. 'Course some stood up to him, an' he killed 'em. He was only afraid of Dumbledore, I reckon.

Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew. Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... Or tried to kill 'em before. See, they were smart an' brilliant an' completely on the side of Dumbledore.

They had denied You-Know-Who before that night. That Hallowe'en night they were killed. He went to their house, your house.

'Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em.... Maybe he just wanted 'em outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, ten year ago. You was just a year old. He came ter yer house an'  . . .an'-"

Hagrid suddenly stopped his tale to bring out a huge disgusting looking handkerchief from his pocket and give a huge blow into it. The whole bed shook with a sob that escaped him.

"Sorry," he said. "But it's sad, yer never knew yer mum an' dad... Well, at least you got each other, so ter speak . . . anyway -

You-Know-Who killed 'em, an they wern' push-overs either. An' then, an' this is the real myst'ry of the thing. He tried to kill you, Harry, too. An then somethin' happened.

People have been puzzlin' all over this. He musta hit Harry with the killin' curse. But instead of him dyin', like his mum an' dad. He just sorta... Well, split."

"SPLIT?" Harry interrupted, shouting slightly. "I mean, I'm whole. Not split at all."

"Nah, Harry, I don' mean physically, like. But, well it's hard to explain... The Killin' Curse is supposed to kill you, and by doin' that, it's gotta kill your soul. Well, with you, it just split your soul in half. An' a soul needs somewhere to live. So the magic of the night made a body for it, an' brought to life your twin. Hayden."

Both boys looked at Hagrid in disbelief. Hagrid cleared his throat and plowed on with his story.

"An, people reckon that it was the joint force of the spell then rebounding off your now two separate souls that killed You-Know-Who. Some others reckon that Hayden's half complete soul sucked in You-Know-Who's energy. Adding to his destruction.

But there was another person there that night... Severus Snape. Now, I dunno what part he played in all this, but Dumbledore reckon's it's a big one. Dumbledore thinks that Snape went there to warn your mum of You-Know-Who's attack. Says Snape was desperately in love with her, an' when she chose James over him he joined You-Know-Who.

But when Snape heard that You-Know-Who was gonna kill her, he went to her house to save her, and no longer be You-Know-Who's slave. But he was too late, he only got there in time to see You-Know-Who about to kill little Harry. An' even though he hated James, he loved Lily so much he tried to kill his master.

Dumbledore reckons he called to You-Know-Who when he was half way through the spell. Breaking off a spell halfway is always dangerous, more so when that spell was made just with the purpose of pain and killing.

The spell was weak then, and so could only divide your soul, not destroy it. An' Snape then saw what had happened to his love's only child. An’ took you an' Hayden straight to Dumbledore. Snape asked him for custody of the two boys, but Dumbledore denied him that. Said you two had to go to the Dursleys as they were your last living relatives, and only by using a powerful warding charm based on family would you be safe from the dangers of the dark that now hunted you.

Well Snape was obviously maddened with grief over Lily, and now that he could not look after the boy she gave birth to, and his other half, he lost it. Apparently he calmly told Dumbledore he understood, and before anyone could do anything about it, he threw himself off the top of the Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts.

Well, I hear there’s a romance book or two based on his life. He was always a bit shifty at school but it was through his love of Lily that he became a hero in the end."

Hagrid blew his nose once more, before he finally went on and finished his story.

"Well, Dumbledore had you bundled off to the Dursleys. Where you wouldn't even know your true identities. And grow up unspoilt. Well that was the plan, but I don't reckon the Dursleys treated you to well.

Every child in the wizarding world knows you. Harry as The-Boy-Who-Lived and Hayden as his other half, the Shadow Child. The world loves you Harry, but Hayden I've got to warn you, now while there’s some like me who think there’s nothing wrong with you, that’s not the same all round. You’re considered tainted by the dark, by some. And some don't even think you a real human.

There are some groups out there that either want to help The-Boy-Who-Lived by merging him and his Shadow together once more. Others just want to kill you, Hayden, and they will stop at nothing to end all so called 'Evil'. Be careful."

Hayden mouth opened and he made a gasping sound like a fish, tears welled in his eyes and he vehemently shook his head at the end of Hagrid's tale.

“N-no, no its not true!” He shouted and fled the room. With nowhere to run to he collapsed against a wall in the corridor outside their room, he sat there with his head in his hands for a long time.

Harry made to go to him, but Hagrid held him back.

“Leave him be, Harry, he needs to think. No doubt you do too. Come with me, and I'll buy yer a lemonade.” Hagrid told Harry, and led him out of the room and past his brother. Hurrying him along so that Harry could not see Hayden staring at him with envy, betrayal and disbelief.

Hayden's mind buzzed with Hagrid's story. It repeated itself over and over in his mind, again and again he heard Hagrid tell him that he wasn't really Harry's brother. That he was just an anomaly, a freak born from magic.

And of course Harry was so – so... So Magic. So special. So wanted.

Of course Hayden was not.

He'd only just entered the wizarding world and already everybody hated him – Oh sure Hagrid said he didn't and there were others who didn't. But he probably just added that to make Hayden believe that.

But then again, Hayden couldn't really believe any of it.

He was a boy made out of half a soul and the "magic of the night?" It was absolutely ridiculous. It was quite possible that Hagrid was just pulling his leg, a kind of initiation into the wizarding world. Perhaps everyone who was raised by non-magic people were told this story. But then Hayden thought of the wizards and witches in the bar...

They seemed fairly certain that Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived. Maybe they were in on it too?

Or perhaps not.

Hayden rested his head against the wall and just sat there thinking. The sound from the bar below rose up to meet his ears. He could hear Hagrid's booming voice telling the barkeep that he was just stepping outside for a bit with little Harry, to get the boy a drink and give his brother some peace.

Hayden wasn't sure he wanted peace. If there was no peace, he'd be too busy to think these thoughts. To be wrapped up in whatever it was to care.

But right now all he had was peace and quiet, and his traitorous thoughts kept coming.

What if now that Harry was famous, he wouldn't need Hayden any more? He wouldn't want a whiny brother now that he had everything else. Hayden would get sent back to the Dursleys at the end of the week. Harry would not. Harry would end up staying with Hagrid.

Harry would be happy, Hayden would not.

<li>

Harry's stomach felt bloated with the amount of lemonade in it. Or maybe it was just the guilt that Hayden's stare had inflicted. He had wanted to hug his brother like he normally would, he wanted to tell him he was sorry and that everything would be fine --

"But why couldn't I go to him?" Hayden blurted out.

Hagrid looked down at the young boy in surprise, but then his craggy eyebrows shifted on his face to a thoughtful position. "Well, yer see. Whenever I feel upset I like ter just be alone, maybe take a walk through the forest with Fang... But also, it’s more than that. Dumbledore reckons that Hayden is more than just half of your soul, he reckons Hayden is your conscience." Hagrid paused to take a sip of his drink. "Now, I'm not questioning him, Dumbledore's a great man, but Hayden's only half a person then. Now, I've had to deal with people who look down on me, people who reckon I'm not a real person either. Dumbledore helped me when the world would not, and gave me a job when all employers would not."

Harry looked at the giant man incredulously. He could not imagine anyone looking down on him. Besides, what could Hagrid do to make anyone think he was not a real person? If this Dumbledore was smart enough to give Hagrid a second chance, perhaps he would help him and Hayden too.

“What? Hayden is as human as me, he's my brother!” Harry inisted.

“Aye, he might as well be. But not everyone thinks so. I believe he's your brother in heart an' mind, and that's what matters.” Hagrid said. Harry shook his head, he was going nowhere with this giant man.

Harry asked Hagrid a question that had been nagging in his mind, "But... Doesn't this all mean only I have half a soul? Won't people reject me as well?"

"But... But yer the one who defeated You-Know-Who! 'Nd 'nd since you’re the original one... The soul would grow back, wouldn't it?" Hagrid seemed a bit desperate to back up his argument. "Anyway, I reckon there's nothing wrong with Hayden. I jus' reckon that he's got to stop usin' you as a crutch if he's going to be yer conscience. If he's going to be your guide, then he needs to figure out himself first 'nd he needs to be alone for that."

"Why would I need him as my guide if we," Harry put a lot of emphasis on that word, because in his mind when it came to Hayden there was no 'I', only ‘us’, "got rid of You-Know-Who ages ago?"

"Well Dumbledore reckons that You-Know-Who did not die that night," Hagrid said mysteriously. "He reckons he was just weakened... And I of course agree with him.”

Harry sat there, mulling Hagrid's words over. "Hagrid, does absolutely everyone call You-Know-Who by a name that is not his real one?" The young wizard asked after a moment of contemplative silence.

"No one says it, Harry, 'cept for maybe Dumbledore." Hagrid said, fear mingled in his deep, booming voice. "I mean, not even his real name can be his real name. No mother would call their child that."

"Please tell me, Hagrid. Tell me what his real name is?" Harry asked politely.

"Gulpin' Gargoyles, Harry, you can't just go round asking for You-Know-Who's real name! People are still scared. Blimey this is difficult." Hagrid gulped. "His name was -" but no words came out. Hagrid coughed instead.

"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.

"Nah – can't spell it." But Hagrid then saw the dismayed look on Harry's face. "All right then – V-Voldemort." Hagrid shuddered. "Don't make me say it again.

"Thank you, Hagrid." Harry said politely, but Hagrid just watched him sadly. He could tell that something very painful was going on in Harry's mind.

And it was. It had been going on all day, ever since Hagrid told him and Hayden story of what happened the night his parents died. In his head, the old visual that haunted the nightmares of his childhood returned once more. But this time, in addition to the flash of red and then green light, he heard a high pitched mocking laugh.

"You alright, Harry?" Hagrid asked with concern.

"Yeah, just a bit to get my head around is all... I-I'm going to go see Hayden now." Harry replied, he got up and left before Hagrid could say anything in response.

Bushy eyebrows met in the middle of Hagrid's craigy face. He just could not understand why Harry was being like this. Surely he wanted to hear of his parents more than anything right now? Hagrid had seen it in his face. But surely he understood that Solitude was good for man, now and then.

 Harry diddn't notice or care.

Hagrid watched the young wizard leave his side to go to his brother's.

<li>

"Hayden," a soft voice called. Hayden's head whipped round in response, to see his brother standing three meters away from him. "Did you want to talk?"

"Ha. What about?" Hayden replied.

"All of this."

"Well maybe I don't-," Hayden bravado failed. His shoulders slumped and he stared at the ground. "Sorry. Not at the moment let’s j-just go downstairs and see if we can go shopping for our school books."

"That sounds more like the you that I know. Only thinking about learning and books." Harry laughed weakly, and extended his hand to his brother. Hayden took it, Harry hoisting his brother off the ground, embracing him in a quick hug. They walked back to Hagrid, as if there hadn't been a chance that their friendship might break.

Hagrid look up from his mug and saw the two boys. He gave a huge grin, "'ello, Hayden. Look at you, all smiles. Feeling better for a lil’ bit of alone time?"

Hayden was attempted to tell the man that he wasn't, and he was only happy because he knew no matter what, Harry wouldn't abandon him. But he just smiled and nodded at Hagrid, although he didn't understand children or their emotions, Hagrid was a good man inside.

"Right then, I was thinking you boys might like to see Diagon Alley in all its glory on a busy weekend." Hagrid said happily. "Then we set up yer bank account and get a few of your school things, how does that sound?"

"Good!" The twins chorused, Hagrid laughed and showed them the way to a door. It led into a small, walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a dustbin and a few weeds.

Hagrid grinned at the twins, and then pulled out his umbrella.

"You'll love this," Hagrid assured them and then tapped a certain brick three times with the umbrella.

The brick he had touched wiggled, and small whole appeared in the wall, till it grew bigger and bigger. It turned into a Huge archway that even Hagrid could fit through with easy.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley, lads." Hagrid said, grinning his largest grin. Hayden all but fainted at the sight of it.

<li>

The main street of Diagon Alley buzzed with life. Hayden had never seen so many people in his life. The Dursleys never took the Potter twins out, they were too ashamed of them and didn't want to be seen with the freaks. Hayden and Harry's school had been relatively small, and all those occupants had teased them.

Hayden walked closer to Hagrid, hiding behind the man's large gait. He was shy, pure and simple. But he'd never admit it. When a man came up to Hagrid and told him his order of anti-flobberworm pellets had just come in, Hayden hid his shyness with a scowl upon his face.

Harry of course just saw everything as something amazing, and took it all in. His joy was evident in everything he did. The way he looked at everything, smiled and waved to everyone, the way he was all but skipped alongside Hagrid. He was happy.

"First things is first, to Gringotts." Hagrid said. He pointed out the building to them, it was huge. It towered over the other shops, Gringotts was snow-white with burnished bronze doors. Standing outside them was a creature... It was strange with a uniform of scarlet and gold.

"Yeah, that's a Goblin, best ter never get on their bad side." Hagrid said, noticing Hayden's look, who nodded in return. They walked up the white stone steps, both Hayden and Harry were silent at Hagrid's side.

They approached a second set of doors, silver this time, and engraved on them look to some kind of poem. Hayden naturally went forward to take a closer look at it.

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn,

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of more than treasure there.

"Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter get on the Goblins bad side an' try an' rob it," Hagrid said. Two goblins bowed and the silver doors opened to reveal a vast marble hall.

Hundreds of goblins were talking to people at their small desks. There were too many doors to count leading out of the hall.

"Amazing," Hayden breathed out. At his side Harry turned to give his brother and gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, amazing." He agreed.

Hagrid chuckled and led the two boys to a free counter, the Goblin behind it looked up expectantly at them.

"Morning," Hagrid cheerfully greeted the Goblin. "We've come ter take money outta Misters Harry and Hayden Potter's safe."

"You have Mr Harry Potter's key, sir?" The goblin said, completely ignoring Hayden.

"Yes. And Hayden's."

"Sir, you know as well as I that Mr Hayden is not real, and we simply cannot serve those who do not exist." The Goblin said condescendingly.

"He is so!" Harry protested for his brother's sake. Hayden shrank down.

"But yer can see 'im right there! How is that not real?" Hagrid's voice grew louder and Hayden shrank down lower.

"Well, if you insist upon it, we can take a blood sample of Mr Hayden and have him fill out the necessary paperwork so that we can set him up a account. You must have more than 50 Galleons to open an account. But, Mr Hayden is not a true Potter, and thus I cannot allow him to access the Potter vault." The Goblin explained impatiently.

"Use the money from my account to open his. Split the money equally." Harry said quietly, hoping he had more than 50 Galleons, whatever they were.

"Har-" Hayden started to protest.

"No, Hayden, the money is as much mine as it is yours." Harry interrupted him and then turned to the Goblin. "Um, can we do that, sir?"

"Very well, Mr Potter. We can do that, provided you have the key." The Goblin said and eyed Hagrid.

"Right, I got it here somewhere," Hagrid responded and promptly began empting his pockets onto the counter. The goblins pointy nose wrinkled with disgust as Hagrid piled mouldy dog biscuits and other items onto his desk in his search for the key.

"Got it!" pronounced Hagrid triumphantly and handed a small key over to the Goblin.

The Goblin looked at it closely.

"All seems to be in order, I shall take Mr Hayden here, to one of our more private offices to sort out his affairs. You and Mr Potter will go with Griphook to the vaults." The Goblin announced.

"An' I also got a letter here from Profes-"

"Then I advise you to also show that to Griphook." The Goblin interrupted Hagrid, obviously the small rude Goblin had had enough of Hagrid. He then turned slightly and shouted "Griphook!” Summoning the other goblin over who, after waiting for Hagrid to shove the dog biscuits back into his pockets, said "Follow me, sir." to Hagrid, and then led him, and Harry, away from Hayden. Abandoning him all by himself with the Goblin.

<li>

The Private Offices were indeed private. They were small little rooms with white stone walls and a thick wooden door. At the back of the room was a simple sink and counter with drawers, all of which were bulging out with their contents. In the centre of the room that the Goblin had led Hayden into was a round table with two simple wooden chairs. In the middle of the table an abnormally bright candle burned away slowly.

Hayden nervously scratched his arm, on the burn mark on his left forearm, and looked at the Goblin. He was filling a small bowl with a bright blue liquid, and next to it a sheet of white fabric was lying with what looked like a bird’s feather on it.

"Sit down, Mr Hayden." The Goblin commanded, Hayden obliged quickly, remembering Hagrid's warning from earlier about not getting on a goblin's bad side.

"Don't look so petrified, Mr Hayden. It won’t hurt. Now put your wand hand into the potion." Catching Hayden's confused, and still terrified face, he went on, "Are you right or left handed?" Come on now! Don't be shy, I don't have time for shy little boys. No matter how much money they have."

"Er. Right. Um... What kind of potion?" Hayden said.

The Goblin let out an expressive sigh. "You, Mr Hayden, are going to require a lot of work. I hate extra work."

"Sorry," Hayden said weakly. "But I know nothing of the wizarding world."

"What, and you expect me to tell you? No. Now, put your dominant hand in the potion, it's so we can test what species you are. And if giving you an account will break Ministry regulations." The Goblin said tersely.

"Er. Right." Hayden said, he distrusted this goblin but put his hand into the potion anyway. He found it to be surprisingly warm, yet it was all slimy and smooth. The potion began to get hotter and hotter until Hayden yelped and pulled his hand out.

Looking back into the bowel, Hayden could see the potion's colour had changed to blood red and a smoky steam was coming off the top of it.

The goblin pulled what looked like a stirring rod out of one of the counter drawers. He dipped it into the bowl, it barely even fit, and then pulled it quickly out again. Laying the rod out on the white cloth he had set up besides the bowl. The feather that had been there beforehand, he lightly brushed it against the rod. And much to Hayden's surprise, it jumped up and began to write.

Human... 95% ... Acceptable

"Very well, Mr Hayden, you are eligible for a Gringott's Bank account. Do you wish to have one?"

"Yes, please." Hayden said, all but bursting with joy. He was practically euphoric, he was human. Hagrid and everyone else was wrong. He was real.

"We'll just conduct a simple blood test, to see if you are related to Mr Harry Potter, and have you fill out the necessary paper work." The Goblin told Hayden in a bored tone.

"What do I have to do for that?" asked Hayden, nervous once more. What if the others were right? What if he was actually related to this You-Know-Who character? Would the Goblin kick him out? Would Harry hate him? He would be, of course, descended from the man who killed their parents.

"Arm." The goblin commanded, oblivious to Hayden's emotional turmoil. Hayden held out his right hand once more, the Goblin seized it and before Hayden could protest, or even know what was going on, the Goblin turned a large knife on him.

The Goblin dragged the knife quickly through the flesh of Hayden's arm, before he could even gasp. The cut was clean, and precise. Almost as if it had been well practised on other victims. Red blood welled out and began to drip onto the stone floor.

"What was that for?!" Hayden exclaimed at the ill-mannered Goblin. The Goblin just rolled his beady eyes at him.

"I told you I needed a blood sample, Mr Hayden. Try to keep up." The Goblin said slowly, as if talking to a very little and very stupid child. Hayden gave his best withering glare in response. The Goblin didn't seem to notice, he simply picked up the feather and stabbed it into his bloodied cut.

"Ah!" Protested Hayden, but the the Goblin paid no heed and allowed the feather to continue to suck up Hayden's blood. Some of the remnants of that potion were still on the quill, they stung worse than having lemon juice rubbed into them. Hayden almost wished he was back at Privet Drive juicing lemons for Aunt Petunia.

Just when Hayden though he was going to embarrass himself by crying like a little girl, the Goblin withdrew the feather. He placed it on a spare piece of parchment, once again it rose with an invisible force and began to write. Hayden could see names and lines joining them... It was a family tree. When he went closer, eager to see his family's line, the Goblin snatched up the parchment.

"Oh, Sir! I didn't know it was you! What are you doing in this humble guise, I can't help but wonder... We all thought you were dead, but we had suspended your account just in case...You have always treated the Goblin kind well, well that is to say, you treated us as you treated everyone else. No more, no less, you respected us to some degree and you gave us back many of our relics. You should have said it was you. Your on some mission for one of your masters, no? I won't intervene... Well as long as it obeys protocol of course." The Goblin babbled, Hayden couldn't help but stare on with confusion.

"What?"

"Worry not, sir, I will not give you up. As you know, goblin folk were strictly neutral, like yourself. I will gain nothing from telling, and of course, if I did, it would be bad for business. Well you are related to Harry Potter... Then again, a lot of wizards and witches are related to each other at some point. But I will inform Griphook that you are close enough related for my liking. I will also reopen your old account. Think of it as a favour from an old friend."

"Wait, what?" Hayden said, completely perplexed.

"Oh I get it, sir, playing dumb. Not going to give the game away? Very well, sir. I will play along, but only because I like you. Now follow me and we will find Griphook." The Goblin said, and gave him a stage wink.

Hayden gave up then and there trying to reason with the Goblin. It was obviously quiet mad. As in, so insane that one should not even approach the damned Goblin for fear of it's illness was catching.

<br />

Griphook started to lead Harry and Hagrid to one of the doors leading out of the hall, Hagrid roughly put one of his hands on the Griphook's shoulder. Harry knew Hagrid probably didn't mean to be so rough, he was just so big. Griphook on the other hand didn't understand at all. The goblin indignantly squawked and turned to face the giant man.

"Er. This letter here is from Dumbledore." Hagrid said, "It's about You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen." He than thrust the letter into Griphook's hand.

The goblin read through the letter very slowly and with great care. He then inclined his head upon finishing reading.

"Very well." Griphook said and then led across the hall to a different door. "This way will be much faster." he held the door open from Hagrid and Harry.

Behind the door was a small stone passage way, lit by flaming torches. But harry didn't notice much of the scenery, he was to focused on the letter that was still in Griphook's long-fingered hands.

Harry finally built up the courage to ask what it was. The Dursley's hated questions. Their were specific rules against them, but Harry's curiosity got the better of him.

"Hagrid, what's in vault seven hundred and thirteen?"

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

Harry nodded, but his shoulders slumped slightly. While Hagrid hadn't shouted at him like Vernon did whenever he asked a question, it was obvious he still found him nosey. Hagrid was a nice man. He hadn't rebuked him, but...

Harry shook such thoughts out his head and got into the small cart Griphook had called for. Hagrid had much more difficulty getting in.

The cart jolted forwards, and was soon hurtling done the tracks. Griphook wasn't even steering the cart, it moved with it's own will, and apparently, speed. Hagrid looked slightly green as they whirled around twisting corners and flew down the descending hill in the vaults.

Harry could swear he saw a burst of fire, but when he tried to gaze closer to see if it was they turned a corner at a jarring speed.

"Was that a dragon?" Harry asked Hagrid, but the wind had carried the sound away and Hagrid didn't seem to have heard. When he went to ask again, Hagrid put up a silencing hand that he quickly moved to his mouth, as if trying to stop himself from being sick.

Moving at the speed they were, Harry felt like the wind was actively trying to pull his face off, but he tried to keep his eyes wide open. As the descended lower Harry saw an underground lake whiz past where there were stalagmites were growing from the ceiling... or was that stalactites? Harry told himself to remember to ask Hayden which was which. He would know that kind of thing.

Hagrid let out a kind of happy grunt of relief when the cart stopped moving. He all but jumped out, he wobbled over to wall and steadied himself against it. He was breathing deeply. He looked like someone who had just rode a boat in the middle of a storm, or ran a marathon in which there was a sudden earthquake. It wasn't a pretty look at all.

Why is he here? Harry wondered as he stared at the giant man who rescued him and his brother from the Dursleys. I know that he was sent here because the headmaster needed someone to tell them about their magical heritage... But how did the headmaster know that we didn't know? And why didn't he send someone to save us sooner? Harry recalled how Albus Dumbledore had just sent Bertie with that letter.

Hagrid himself was nice enough, Harry mused to himself. Harry had enjoyed Hagrid telling them in his story that his father wasn't a drunk that killed himself and his mother in a car crash. Hayden had always hated their father for abandoning them at the Dursleys.

Harry hadn't taken it as personally as Hayden had. He had just thought their father was irresponsible, Hayden had taken it that their father had abandoned them. And now Hagrid said that their father was a hero. That he'd tried to defend to them. Harry wanted to be brave like that. What Hayden thought now that dad was a hero and not a scoundrel was another matter.

"Your vault, sir." Griphook said to Harry as he unlocked the doors. Inside were mounds of large gold coins, columns of silver and stacks upon stacks of small bronze Knuts.

Harry did a double take, amazed at the apparent wealth his parents left him. And Hayden, Harry mentally added. This is as much his as mine.

Some jealous, and snide part of him told him that he didn't have to give Hayden exactly half. That this was the first thing that he truly owned himself, but now, like normal he would have to share with Hayden. That now that he broke free of the Dursleys giving nothing to him, and taking all that he did have away, surely he shouldn't have to share it.

Harry squashed that part of himself. He squashed it to the pits of his heart, and locked it there. Hayden was the only person who would ever look out for Harry. And Harry should be the same back to him.

Hagrid seemed to mistake Harry's quiet thoughts for awe of his parents wealth. "All yours," Hagrid said with a smile. "Yer didn't think yer parent would leave yer nothin'?"

Harry ignored that comment. "I didn't think it'd be this much... Well, I don't how much this is anyway."

"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleons and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, its easy enough." Hagrid helped pile some of the gold coins into bag.

"You think this will be enough for Hayden and me to get through school on?" Harry asked. While the piles in front of him looked like a lot, he had no idea what the wizarding currency was to the Muggle one. Was a Galleon a pound? How many pence was in a Knut? Or was it visa versa, and Knuts were much less then a penny was?

"Get through school on? Harry this is a small fortune by most peoples standard!" Hagrid exclaimed.

Harry breathed out a sigh of relief – he'd been worried that he and his twin would have to go to to Hogwarts on a scholarship or some such thing. Hagrid handed Harry the bag he'd been placing coins in.

Harry was interrupted by the sound of one of the cart screeching to a stop outside the vault they were in. Harry turned to see his brother getting out of the cart. The Goblin they first met was with him. The Goblin crossed the room and greeted Griphook, and seemed to strike up a conversation in hushed tones.

"Hi, Harry." Hayden said, smiling one of his rare true smiles at his brother. Harry returned in kind. "Hi, Hagrid," Hayden added thoughtfully, "er, is all this stuff ours?"

"'Ello there, Hayden, we're right to go. What about you though? Got all that bank stuff sorted?" Hagrid asked warmly.

"Yeah, I think so." Hayden said, a little uncertainty was present in his voice though, Harry noted mentally. He seemed unsure of himself, though Harry reckoned he was the only one who noticed. "We are, right?" Hayden asked the Goblin.

"Yes, of course, sir. Unless there was something else you required?" The Goblin said politely. Harry's eyebrows rose in confusion. That's a change of tune, he thought to himself. Just before that Goblin was positively rude to us... Maybe it's impressed by all this gold.

"Right then, we can go ter my stop an' then we'll head out get you lads some ice cream, an' maybe get me a drink." Hagrid said jovially.

"Of course, sir." Griphook and the Goblin said together at exactly the same time. It unnerved Harry a great deal.

"Can we go more slowly?" Hagrid asked, eyeing the carts waiting outside the vaults warily.

"One speed only," Griphook replied. "It was vault seven hundred and thirteen, was it not?"

"Er, yeah. Great." Hagrid sighed a resigned sigh and follow Griphook to the cart. Harry felt sympathy for his new giant sized friend, but some things just can't be changed. Harry himself rather like the rickety cart. It was just like how he imagined a roller-coaster would be like.

A problem occurred to Harry as he and Hayden went to join Hagrid in the cart. "How are we all supposed to fit in?" He asked.

<br />

After one nauseating and cramped trip down to bowels of Gringotts, Hayden had decided that while Hagrid was generally nice man, if a little bit emotionally blunt, he needed to wash himself twice as much as he currently was. The ride down had upset Hayden's stomach, and he felt as if he was about to be sick all over the stone floors of Gringotts once the cart pulled to a shuddering stop.

Hagrid appeared to share his weak stomach, while Harry the insufferable git, enjoyed the damned ride. His brother, so full of curiosity, jumped out of the cart and was practically dancing with excitement as he waited for Griphook and the Goblin to open up the mysterious vault.

Once Hayden had managed to figure out how to use his legs again, he walked closer to the doors of the vault. It was covered in locks the looked more like decorations, they shined and glimmered in the low torch light. Hayden reached out his hand to touch one of the locks-

"Don't!" Commanded Hagrid, and roughly pulled him back from the door. "You never know what spells the goblins have placed to stop thieves."

"Theirs nothing terribly severe on them," Griphook said somewhat nastily. He rose his long-fingered hand and stroked it gently down the centre of the door. "If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that they'd be sucked in through the door and trapped there."

"How often do you check to see if someone's trapped inside?" Harry asked the question that had all but begged to be asked. Hayden could see by Griphook's nasty blossoming grin that the answer was not going to be a nice one.

"About every ten years."

Hayden's curiosity ran away with him and he peered inside the vault, but the contents of it proved to be anti-climatic. Harry looked rather disappointed too, that the vault wasn't filled with rubies or gold or at least something a little bit awe inspiring.

Instead, their was simply a small grubby looking package lying in the centre of the room. Hayden covered up his annoyance that there had been all this mystery for nothing, by going over and picking up the package.

"Best be giving that to me, Hayden." Said Hagrid, his deep voice filled with something that sounded suspiciously like suspicion. "I never said yer could touch it. That's Dumbledore's business you've got in yer hands there."

"I was just getting it for you!" Hayden exclaimed defensively, "you know, being helpful."

Hagrid just took the package off him wordlessly, and stuffed it in the pocket of his huge coat. Hayden glared at the pocket it know rested in. Although he had longed to know what it was, he wouldn't open it or anything. Why doesn't Hagrid trust me? He though to himself as once more they all jumped inside the cart. Does he think I'm evil like the wizard who killed mine and Harry's parents? I haven't even done anything...

Whilst brooding over the unfairness of it all, the cart sped upwards towards the light.

"Hey Hayden, what's the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite?" Harry asked him.

"Stalactite grow from the celling cause they 'hold on tight,' and stalagmite's grow up from the ground 'with all their might.' Now shush, or I'll be sick." Hayden answered, already his insides felt all queasy and wobbly.

"Thanks, your really smart, you know that right?" Harry responded, smiling. Suddenly that cart trip didn't feel all that bad to Hayden.

<br />

Hayden had never had any money. Never. Not even the pocket money that parents give children to buy themselves a treat from the school canteen.

He had money now.

He wanted to use it.

He did not want to have to wait with Hagrid to get ice cream, he want to go right now and buy a book on wizardry, or some real clothes. Or anything.

Harry wasn't a patient person by far, Hayden knew that. He knew his brother must also wanted to get his school things. Maybe, they could both convince Hagrid to let them go off and do something. To run and revel in their finical independence.

Harry was already far ahead of Hayden.

"Hagrid, that ice cream line looks a bit long. How about Hayden and I go to one of the shops and buy a few things off our school list to save time. You know. While we wait for the ice cream and all."

"Er, alright Harry. If that's what yer want," Hagrid said. "That's where you can get yer uniform. Best head there, I can catch up to you then." He point over to shop that bore the sign 'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.'

"Great! Thanks, Hagrid." Harry said, then grabbed his brother's hand and rushed off to the store.

Hayden had to jog to keep Harry from ripping his arm off.

The Madam Malkkin's was a friendly feeling store, homely even. As soon as Harry had dragged Hayden in, a squat smiling witch greeted them and introduced herself as Madam Malkin.

"You both for Hogwarts to, dears?" The witch asked them kindly. Her words sort of spilled out of her mouth at a fast rate, and before either Harry or Hayden could reply she was going on about another young man being fitted out up the back. She babbled on about how she was very busy these days, but that was quite alright, and how wizarding twins was unusual, and say what was your names were again?

"Well, I'm Hayden Potter, and this here is Harry-"

"Potter! Oh my. Imagine, Harry Potter and his Shadow in my store. Come, I shall have you both fitted right away! Come, follow me." The witch exclaimed and bubbled away happily.

Just inside the room they were talking in front of, a yelp could be heard. Apparently the boy being fitted in there had accidentally been stabbed with a needle by the assistant when she heard that the Potters were here.

Madam Malkin stood Harry and Hayden on stools either side of the unfortunate boy. His own pale and angular feature appeared surprised, but he covered it up.

"Why, hullo there, did I just hear you two are the Potter twins?" He asked with extreme politeness. "I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."