Hello my little snake,

‘Little Snake?’ Harry thought quite shocked. Why would his mother call him that? Weren’t she and his dad Gryffindors? He decided to keep on reading, the answer might be somewhere inside the letter.

Surprised? I bet you are my little snake, especially with all the things you might have heard about James Potter. He truly was all Gryffindor, and had little to no tolerance for Slytherins or snakes. Actually, he had little tolerance for a lot of things, but that’s something to talk about later.

Little snake was our private name, the one just between you and me. You got it because the first word you ever uttered was in parseltongue. So don’t believe this ability comes from Voldemort, it doesn’t. You could speak it even before he marked you. And we can only thank Merlin that James never found out you spoke it my little snake.

James might have blown a fuse if he found out, but you can’t believe how happy and proud I was to hear you call me ‘mama’ a couple of months before you were supposed to say it in English. I don’t speak it myself, but I can understand it.

Did you know the Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin? He didn’t because of Voldemort and all of that pure-blooded bigotry he spews. We come from pure-blooded Wizarding families but our bloodlines needed to be re-established at the time. Neither the Evans nor the Connells (my mother’s –your grandmother’s- family) had figured in family trees for a few generations. After a bloodline has more than three consecutive all squibs descendants the names are removed. It happened to both your grandparents’ lines.

Harry was quite surprised at what he was reading, the theory Dumbledore had was that Voldemort had transferred some of his magical powers to him with that failed ‘Avada Kedavra’. But here was proof that at least the parseltongue was his by birthright. What else was his that people believed had been transferred to him from Voldemort?

I suspect the Sorting Hat might have wanted to put you in Slytherin, and you probably wouldn’t have known that it was all right to be in that house. People have told you how both James and I were the perfect Gryffindors. Don’t believe it please, as I said I was a Slytherin at heart doing what Slytherins do best, surviving against difficult odds; and James… James was an excellent actor. Unfortunately by not knowing I was a… closet Slytherin, and hearing what a wonderful person James was supposed to be, you were done a great disservice my son. You would have been better prepared to deal with all that has and will happen, had you been in the house of the snake.

With what he was reading Harry was getting the feeling that his Mum did not like his Dad and it was… strange. She had not said it, but the way she wrote about him was… too cold, almost… angry. But that could not be, everybody told him how perfect a couple they were. How much they loved each other. In the pictures in his album they looked like a happy family. And yet, she said James Potter had been an excellent actor… he really did not like what she was implying.

If you want to know, the parseltongue actually comes from Mum’s side of the family; she’s a descendant of one of Salazar Slytherin’s sisters, they never really knew exactly who, as some of those records were lost. Just as Dad is a descendant of Godric Gryffindor’s youngest son (I suspect they were more organized on this side of the family, the records are very meticulous. Unfortunately I did not inherit that trait, I got a few others but organization was not one of them. I could be organized; it was just hard for me to remain that way). Both Mum and Dad come from a long line of squibs. If you want to learn more about it, you’ll find the whole story in the journal enclosed in the chest.

So he might really have been Slytherin’s heir, and knowing that one of his ancestors was Godric Gryffindor himself made it easy to understand why he was able to pull the sword out of the hat. This was really getting interesting and he would read the journal as soon as possible. He wanted to know what else he ignored about his family tree.

Now I must move on to more pressing matters.

I’m sure Pet (that was your aunt’s childhood nickname) has already informed you I am a seer. My gift is a rare one, as unlike most seers, I can direct my visions to show me more of the vision or what I need to know. Sometimes what I see is not what I would like to happen, but you learn to take the good with the bad or you’ll go crazy with this gift. This ability lets me explore and understand what I’m seeing much better. It also helps me to be prepared or prepare the people involved for when they come to happen. The chest and its contents are an example of how useful this type of visions is.

I am really sorry that I won’t be there to see you, my little snake, grow from a little boy into a fine, handsome and very powerful wizard, and believe me; I know you will. I’ve seen it, and you made me so proud. My only comfort is what I can see of the future in my visions. I’ve had many, several times a day sometimes, since you were conceived.

From them I know your life has not been easy, far from it, and that a huge responsibility has been placed upon your shoulders by another seer. I know that you will do your best to fulfil it. Do not despair my little snake, you won’t be alone on your path. There will be people who love you by your side. Don’t be afraid to love them in return, cherish it instead, because that love is what will make you stronger, it is what will save you; and know that you have my love from wherever I am.

By the time you’re reading this, Vernon has finally gone overboard and has become extremely violent. I tried to warn Pet about him, but she loved him so, and believe it or not he loved her too (I know you’re wondering how could she? He’s, after all, such a despicable big brute, but I bet you’ve heard the saying that love is blind. It applies to the both of them). At the time I had the first vision; it was only a possibility so I didn’t insist on telling her what I saw.

I am certain Vernon has been hurting Pet for some time now, and she can’t find away to stop the abuse. I know my little one that you have reasons for being angry with the whole family; that you probably couldn’t care less what happens to her and her son. I don’t blame you for it; they neglected and abused you shockingly. But I know you have a good heart my son and you won’t deny them help when they need it. Both of them are changing my little snake, and you’ll find out they can be a good family if you ever find it in your heart to forgive them.

I won’t ask you to forgive them, although I have. Because forgiveness can’t be forced, it comes from the heart and the sincere desire to do it. But you might want to do that later, not for them but for you. Carrying that anger against them will only hurt you in the end, making you bitter and resentful. Still, I’m asking you to help my sister, for my sake if not for anything else, as believe it or not, I do love her.

Harry snorted; he could believe they were changing. He had seen some of those changes already, but it was hard to think that the three of them could ever become a family. There was a time when he dreamed of it, but that was a long time ago, when he was little. They had crushed cruelly those dreams everyday for several years until he stopped dreaming. The Dursleys as a whole had hurt him too much for him to want to have anything to do with them. A part of him believed real justice would be to leave his aunt and Dudley at Vernon’s mercy, but he really did not have it in him to do that. He would have helped them even if his mother had not asked him to.

In the chest you’ll find a thin box, like the ones you saw at Ollivander’s when you went to pick your wand. Inside there is a very special wand, twelve inches long, made of a combination of woods and with a core of Phoenix tail feather, both Unicorn and Darcorn hair and the wing feather of a Quetzalcoatl (they are very rare flying snakes from Mexico and Central America, extremely magical and poisonous, and they are creatures of the light. Some believed them the manifestation of a God). I suspect you’re a little surprised about such a mixture for just one wand, but it was necessary. You see this wand was custom made for you.

You were barely two months when I ordered it. The wand has several spells imbued in it that will be very useful to you. Among those spells is one that blocks the Ministry’s magic detectors. Any magic you do with this wand or while you have it on you can’t be traced. No more problems for underage use of magic! Another spell erases all tracks of previous spells cast with it, not even your magical signature will be detected.

This new wand will channel your full magical strength. Most wands are supposed to do that for their owners, but sometimes the witch or wizard is too powerful and the wand can’t focus and use all that power. Both your father and I had a similar problem. His wand is holly and has a core of Darcorn hair, Dragon heartstring, vampire blood and the wing feather of a Quetzalcoatl. My wand was yew with the combination of woods from two sacred trees, one from Japan and the other from Mexico. The core was Unicorn hair and a Phoenix tail feather.

Your current wand was good enough as a learning wand, but as a duelling wand it can’t channel all of your magic. Your current wand also has the disadvantage of being your enemy’s wand brother; yes I saw this in a vision. You can’t expect to use it in a duel against him and win. This other wand though, will give you an advantage over him. But don’t get rid of your current wand, carry both until you can order replicas of your new wand. Always carry a spare my son you never know when you’ll need it. I don’t know if you have met Alastor Mad-Eye Moody –he is an Auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix as your father and I are- but his motto of ‘Constant Vigilance’ is a very sound one that you should adopt.

‘Wow!’ Harry thought as he took the wand out of the box. He would be able to practice all that he needed, and would be able to learn new hexes, curses and jinxes. The moment his hand came in contact with it, a warm tingly sensation raced through his body. He could feel how his magic sort of awakened; the surge of power was exhilarating. He could only stare at the wand in something close to awe as sparks of all the colours of the rainbow came from its tip. There was absolutely no comparison to the first time he held his current wand. It had felt right then, now… this was like coming home, like finding a part of him that had been lost long ago, in a way he guessed it was so.

Wow indeed my little snake.

Well on to the next thing. You’ll find a money bag full of Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. These will cover your immediate needs like transportation, lodging, food, and clothing (both wizarding and muggle) for all three of you. Beside the money bag you’ll find five Gringott’s keys. Two will let you into the Evans vaults, two into the Connell vaults and one to my personal vault. I won’t go into much detail here son, but no squib was able to inherit the families’ fortunes. Our lines were quite wealthy, but when only squibs were born the access to the family wealth was denied to them. For several generations that money has been stored and producing interests in Gringotts. As the first witch born to both lines I inherited all. As now you do. You are as of today a very rich wizard my Harry, use that fortune wisely.

Next thing on our list, take out the small jewel case that’s in the chest. It should expand; inside you’ll find several items. You’ll need four of them now; the others can wait for later. The platinum neckband with the green and red gemstone is for you, and you should wear it at all times, even when you bath or sleep. I recommend that you keep it hidden, a simple `obscuro’ charm will do.

The neckband has been charmed to offer protection and do a few other tricks when touched with a wand. You’ll find a complete list of what it does in the journal, for now it will provide the protection of a family blood bond and a disillusionment charm when tapped four times with your wand. The matching wristbands are for Pet and Dudley, and they have the same protection, but theirs can remain visible. You’ll have to activate and deactivate the disillusionment charm for them though. You’ll also need the robe brooch. It is an Evans heirloom, and your birthright, wear it proudly. Dad’s wish was that one day the Evans name would be back to its rightful place in the magical word. Unfortunately contracts were broken and other circumstances made it impossible to happen while I was alive, but there is still hope that it will happen again.

Now on to the most difficult part of this letter my little snake. I know how you hate being kept in the dark about things that concern you and your past, and I can sympathize with you. There’s something very important that has been kept from you, not because anybody wanted to, but because I was the only one who knew and I died before you were old enough to tell you. I wish it had been different, but there was no chance of telling this to anybody, at least not while James Potter was alive. Now that neither of us are among the living the truth can come out.

I think you have noticed that not many people tell you much about me, especially James friends. Well there is a reason for it, one that might break some of the illusions you had about our family. Believe me when I say I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you refuse to believe the only person that saw the real James Potter and Sirius Black. Yes my little snake, Severus Snape (he was my dearest and closest friend) has been telling you the truth about James and Sirius all along.

You see Harry, I never loved James Potter and he never loved me either. I believe you’ve seen a glimpse of the real James and Sirius, and you were… disappointed. They never changed by the way, and even got worse. If you remember well, you might recall that I disliked him, his friends and the way he acted quite a lot, my opinion of him only changed for the worst.

Ours was an arranged marriage. The Evans wanted to be back into their rightful place in the wizarding world. That was never important to me, but it meant a lot to both Mom and Dad. The Potters? Well, the ‘illustrious’ Potter family was low on funds. They hoped to gain control of both the Evans’ and Cornell’s fortunes. I knew James never intended to fulfil his part of the contract and I managed not to fulfil my own, so he never got to lay his hands on the family vaults.

Why am I telling you all this you might wonder? Well, there is really no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to say it. James Potter is not your real father and your real father doesn’t know he has a son. A fidelity spell on the marriage contract did not allow me to mention being with another man even if it was before I got married. That is the reason why I couldn’t tell him or any body else that you weren’t James.

On my nineteenth birthday, which was also the day before I had to get married, my closest friends decided to cheer me up. They knew I didn’t want to marry James, but that I was doing it for my parents. We went to a pub to celebrate my birthday and say goodbye to my days as a single witch. We all wore glamories as it would not do for people to see that ‘perfect’ James Potter’s bride was partying the night before her wedding.

At the pub we found an old school mate. He was all alone and working on getting very drunk as fast as he could. This guy was never popular at school and some of the girls decided to challenge me to pick him up. I was a bit tipsy and feeling sorry for myself for having to marry someone I despised, so after a while I accepted. That was going to be the first and only time I was going to be free to choose a partner for the night.

I have to admit that before that night I had barely spoken three words to him, but we ended talking and dancing. He was in need of someone to listen to him with an open mind and I’ve always been a good listener. He told me his problems, which were really serious and I tried to give him the best advice that I could.

We both needed to forget our worries for a while and I ended seeing him in a new light, and realized there was so much more to him that what he let others see. He was by no means a handsome man, and yet I would not have minded getting to know him better. We ended together that night, the best night of my entire life because of the way he treated me (like I was the most beautiful woman in the world), because you were conceived and because I found out true love is not a myth.

I got married the next day, there was really no way to avoid it, but I could not get him out of my head. The marriage contract had a fidelity clause, but that did not stop me from having friends. If I could not have a relationship with him, I at least could become his friend and did. We ended being the best of friends, but we had to keep our friendship a secret. James would have killed me and Sirius would not have hesitated in killing him. Your real father got to know you, and to care very much for you even if he believed you were James’ child.

James was not a nice man despite the face he showed to the world Harry. He… was worse than Vernon, and Sirius (how I loath the man and he did not like me either) used to goad him into being more violent. I would not have allowed him to be your Godfather if James had not left me unconscious and gone through the ceremony without me. I’m not sure if he ever did change. I had seen that he was not going to be there for you, and I wanted someone else, more stable, more mature and not cruel to be your Godfather. Remus Lupin had agreed; he was not like them. He was and I believe still is a good man. But Sirius convinced James that he was the best choice.

You, my little snake, were my only happiness during my marriage, as was my friendship to your real father. He and Remus were the only ones that believed me when I said James was not what he seemed. Your father was the one to heal me after James rages, and he was the one who created the potion that kept me from miscarrying you. As the treatment I received from my husband was far from gentle, yet as part of the marriage contract we both had to pretend to be the perfect loving family.

You don’t know how hard it was for me little one, to pretend to love someone I despised. Because of that clause in the contract I couldn’t ask anyone for help, nor could I go to the Wizarding family court. It would have been a breach of the contract and punished by loosing everything, including you. I could renounce to everything including magic, but I could never give you up son.

I know you must be shocked, not only because James is not your father, but because my portrayal of him is quite different from what you probably knew of the man. Believe me, I am sorry for having to break this news to you, but I can’t let you keep living in a lie and trying to follow ‘those’ people footsteps, they don’t deserve it. There are better role models for you.

Also the glamorie I used to conceal the fact that you’re not a Potter has started very slowly to wear off, by the time the term starts the changes will be complete. Because of the new circumstances at Pet’s home, we can’t wait until it wears on his own. In order to get away, you need the anonymity that the change can bring you, together with a way to hide your scar.

By this time you’re wondering who your real father is, and if you know him. You do, my little snake, and I know that neither of you get along well. But I’m sure that once he gets to know the truth (and don’t you dare keep it from him Harry, despite what you think he does have a heart and a right to know) you might get to see the side of him that I saw. The side of him I fell in love with. He needs someone to care for him as much as you need a parent to care for you, however late it is now. Your father’s name is Severus Snape.

Harry’s hands shook so badly that he dropped the letter, now he understood the need for the calming potion. His brain was screaming that what he had read was not possible. This could not be a letter from his mother. Everybody told him what a nice couple she and James were. But it was true that neither Remus nor… Sirius had spoken much about her. In fact, Sirius had avoided mentioning her if he could, it was always James did this, and we did that, but rarely if ever did the name Lily came to his lips.

He could not deny what he saw in Snape’s… his father’s pensieve. Pensieves did not lie, nor could they show false memories. Merlin! Referring to the man as his father sounded so… odd. Both Sirius and James had been bullies to rival Dudley at his worst; and when he confronted his Godfather and Remus about it, they had no excuse whatsoever, blaming it on being fifteen. For crying out loud! He WAS fifteen and would have never done something like that, not even to Malfoy.

He did not know what to believe, but… pushing aside all his emotional turmoil and he could thanks to the potion. He could see how much she disliked James. He had wondered how they had ended together if she did not seem to like him in the least, now he knew she never did. From what he saw in the pensive, and what he had heard from Snape, it was not hard to imagine James Potter was capable or beating his wife. How dared he hit her? What about Sirius? He… had goaded James to hurt her, but… he… had been good to him. Would he have still loved him when he found out he was really Snape’s son? The son of the man he despised?

Sirius was dead now, because of him… because he was kept in the dark and because he was a fool… He had gotten him killed and it was his fault… the person that was the closest thing he ever had to a parent was dead because of him… Harry had to take several deep breaths to gather himself together and make an effort to push away all the questions and feelings he had regarding his Godfather. This was neither the place nor the time to dwell on them

Now Harry had more reasons as to why Snape hated James Potter. His mother said she and Snape were very close friends. No wonder the man hated anything Potter, if he was the one to take care of Lily after her husband beat her. But why did Snape hate him? She said the Professor had cared for him when he was a baby. This was just too much, he needed time to think, to analyze what he had just read, but a voice in his mind was screaming that he finish reading the letter. They needed to get away before Vernon came back, and the instructions were in there.

I know this must sound so unreal to you my son, but it’s the truth. I wish I could let you think things through, but there really isn’t much time. That’s why I suggested to Pet that you take three drops of the ‘pearly’ potion. You need to be calm and collected now; there will be time to… freak out later if you wish, when you’re not in danger.

We must go on with what needs to be done in order to keep you all three safe.

I have made delayed arrangements for a three room suite at the Leaky Cauldron. It’s under the name of Duncan Harold Evans (I know, I know, the name sounds odd. It really does not fit together, but Mum loved the name Duncan so much, and when I mentioned it to Severus had liked it too. I wanted to please both of them, of course I told James it was because mum liked it, but he would not allow it). Once Severus reads his letter and you both talk about it, the name Snape might end added to the name I gave you. At the moment, your real birth certificate, that’s in the chest, does not have his name in it.

Inside the chest there are also three shrunk robes, you’ll need them to blend in at the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley. The robes will expand and once worn they will adjust to fit. To leave the house you’ll have to have taken off the glamorie or you’ll be recognized. Use your new wand from now on Harry, that way there won’t be any trouble with the Ministry. The charm to remove the glamorie is the ‘Restituo veres facies’. This incantation has to be repeated five times while moving the wand on circular motions counter clockwise encompassing the whole body. After this is done, you will need to hide your scar, I did some research because hiding that type of mark is not easy. But this spell should work; point your wand to the scar and say ‘Abscondo macula malus’ wishing it hidden with all your heart. This is a really a very old and practically unknown charm, and can only be seen through or removed by the caster.

The last thing to do is to give a little makeover to your owl. I know she’s very important to you, and that you would not want to give her away. Snowy owls are rare, and so are black owls, but I think she will like to be black with some nice copper highlights and no one will link her to you. Point your wand at her and say ‘Mutation coloro pluma niger aenus’, if you want a bit more change you can make her eyes green with this charm ‘Mutation coloro oculus viridis’. None of these charms will harm her and they will remain until you cancel them with ‘restituo verus color’. She needs to have a different colour before leaving, and then send her flying to wait for you at the Leaky Cauldron.

After you’ve done that, use the disillusionment charms, walk to Magnolia Crescent and take the Knight Bus from there. Once in your room at the Leaky Cauldron you’ll need to cast some more spells to keep the place safe (it never hurts to be a little paranoid). The last page of this letter is a list of spells, incantations and charms that might come in handy.

Send the other letters tonight Harry, and tomorrow the three of you should visit Cavedweller –the goblin in Gringotts in charge of my accounts. I left instructions with him. He will know what to do for Pet and Dudley. You should also take the time to do what shopping is necessary. You do need a whole new wardrobe, trunk, broom and other things to assume your new identity. You must not be seen wearing and using the same things Harry Potter did. Don’t forget to go to Ollivander’s; he can replicate your wand, don’t hesitate in having several. They will be expensive, but worth it. By the way, since you’re already there get a wand for your cousin. He is a wizard, but I was afraid that Vernon might kill you if he found out; he would certainly put the blame on you for ‘contaminating’ his son. Vernon would have probably ended killing Pet and Dudley too.

Ironic isn’t it? The man hates magic and yet his son ends a wizard. I put a damper on Dudley’s magic, but the moment he puts on the wristband the spell will be broken. Pet already knows this as I informed her in one of the letters I wrote to her.

You’ll all probably need some rest tonight. There’s Dreamless Sleep Potion in the potions box. It is highly concentrated, you’ll need to dilute one drop in half a glass of either pumpkin or apple juice before going to bed. For at least a week or until you can start occlumency, dilute ten drops of the ‘pearly’ potion in your glass along with the Dreamless Sleep. It will help you deal with all that I have told you and block your mind from any intrusion by Voldemort (yes, my little snake, I saw about your link to him). But don’t get dependant on the potion to block him, you need to learn to do this on your own.

You should also take three drops of the ‘pearly’ potion in the morning for about a week to help you deal with all the information and feelings you’re going through. Then depending on how you’re dealing with everything, reduce it to one drop daily for the entire summer. You’ll get your summer assignments done faster if you do, besides actually learning from them (don’t groan my little Snake; this is something most parents do, pester their children to get homework done). If you’re still too stressed or something happens to make get you stressed then take two drops, also when in doubt you can always consult the journal.

I don’t know when you’ll be receiving responses from the other letters; I basically tell them about your true parentage and who our family is. They need to know if you’re going to be allowed to learn what you need to have a chance of defeating Voldemort.

When Severus contacts you my little snake, please give him a chance. He’s going to be just as shocked as you are now. He used to dream of having a loving family, just as you did. But after he joined Voldemort he began to believe that would never be. You both have a lot in common and that can bring you together if you allow it to happen. He will understand what you went through, and I believe you will understand him if he opens up to you just like he did to me.

Remember I will always love you, my little snake

Your mother

Lily Evans-Connell

P.S. There are better and more extensive explanations on the journal, it’s charmed to respond to your questions, help you train, or just to have a conversation if that’s what you feel like at the time. This journal has a part of me, so in a way it’s like having a chance at knowing me as I was before the fidelius charm. It will also be like a second chance for me to get to know you.

I think you have come across similar journals before, don’t worry I promise this would be a much better experience. I suggest you wait at least a couple of days before you start reading the journal, you need time to assimilate all that you have learned today.