Chapter Eleven

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Chapter Eleven

Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave

Silence descended as the two boys headed for the Gryffindor common room. Each was lost in his own thoughts, the events of the day still overwhelming them. Glenadade couldn't help thinking about this unique opportunity presented to him. Not only was he free of Lucifina's constant threat, he also got to see what the world was like a thousand years after he was born. It was a chance not many people got, and he was prepared to embrace his good fortune. For him, though, the best part was getting to speak to his parents. Although his mother had died when he was very young, she was still a big part of his life. He remembered her from his childhood, and had clung tightly to her memory after she was gone. Now he could get to know her as an adult, and she would be able to hear about his life so far. It was very emotional for the two of them. As for his father, for Glen it was a dream come true. When he was tiny, his mother, and later his grandmother, had told him stories of the great Harry Potter, who travelled through time and fell in love, only to be separated from his family. He had always found the stories amazing, only beginning to doubt the truth of them as he got older. Since he was born, he had this perfect image of the father he never knew built up in his mind, and now he had the chance to see how much of it was true. From what he had seen, Harry seemed like a fairly normal teenager on the surface, but Glen could see the weariness and maturity in his eyes. This frightened him, he admitted. It also seemed strange that he was only a year younger that his father. While Harry had been time travelling, he had grown up mentally much faster than Glen, and the ancient boy realised that while Harry was physically only eighteen, he was psychologically much, much older. All Glen could think was that it would be fun to find out more about the man who had sired him.

Harry was having very different thoughts to Glenadade, but no less serious. He was questioning the wisdom of his decision to reveal Glenadade's true heritage and origins. The more he thought about it, though, the more he realised that it was the only real option. He could try and keep it from the students, but he knew from past experience that nothing could remain secret forever. Eventually, someone would find out, and when they did it would be all over the school. If that was the case, the information would be mostly speculation, and he would have to repair a lot of damage. If he was honest from the start, it would save a lot of hassle, and he would have a reasonable excuse for keeping Glen safe. It would also be better for Glen in the long run, as he wouldn't have to keep his identity a secret. Harry and his friends had had three years of hiding who and what they were, and the pressure had taken its toll. He wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially his own son. That thought sparked myriad emotions in the Gryffindor. His son was here. He could see him and speak to him. His son. Harry felt a warmth inside that he hadn't felt that often. He had a family, a real family, and he was given the opportunity to get to know his son. It was dream come true. With that thought, Harry shook off his other worries. No matter what happened, or what Voldemort did when he found out, Harry would look after his son. He would get to know him, and show him his world. Glen would have a father, Harry was determined of that.

As the two boys reached the Fat Lady, they came out of their thoughts and looked at each other.

“ Ready?” Harry asked.

“ As I'll ever be. What if they don't like me? I'm a Ravenclaw, I don't know if I'll fit in…”

“ I'm a Gryffindor, and I did fine in all three of the other Houses. In fact, the experience taught me a lot. You'll be fine. And remember, if anyone gives you any trouble, especially the Slytherins, tell me. I'll soon sort it out. And if anyone lays a finger on you, they will regret it. Understand?”

“ Yes, Father.”

“ Good. Now, are you ready to meet my friends?”

“ Yes. I've heard so much about them; it'll be nice to finally meet them.”

“ Well, Glen, you have to understand something.”

“ What?”

“ Well, have you heard about Ginny?”

“ The redheaded girl? Your best friend's sister?”

“ That's the one. Well…you see…she's my girlfriend now.”

Glenadade was silent.

“ Look, Glen, son, I'm sorry, but I had to move on. I still love your mother, and I always will, and it was her idea anyway, and…”

“ Dad, it's alright.”

“ Are you sure?”

“ Yes, I understand. Mother was dead; you have to live your life. I'm sure I'll like Ginny.”

“ I'm sure you will, too. Let me introduce you, then.”

That said, Harry told the Fat Lady the password and moved the portrait out of the way, leading Glen into the Gryffindor common room. Everyone stopped what they were doing when they spotted the nearly identical boys standing in the portrait hole. Hermione, Ginny and Ron, who were in the corner playing exploding snap, had their mouths gaping open as comprehension dawned on their faces. Ron was the first to regain his composure as Harry and Glen made their way over to their table.

“ Is that….?”

“ Ron, Ginny, Hermione, let me introduce my son, Glenadade Potter.”

Ron fainted, Hermione choked and Ginny let out a small scream. The rest of the people in the common room either gaped at the pair, or started to frantically whisper to their friends. Harry sighed, and turned to the rest of the room. Clearing his throat he grabbed everyone's attention before addressing them.

“ I know this may seem strange, but I promise Professor Dumbledore will explain at dinner. Until then, I ask that you leave us alone for the time being.”

Everyone nodded dumbly and went back to their mutterings. Ron was revived by Ginny and the Potters sat down at the table. They were quickly joined by the Weasley twins, who were sending Glen evil looks. The younger boy was starting to get a little worried.

“ So, Glenadade, is it?”

“ Y-yes,” Glen replied, using Harry's newly created mind link to speak English.

“ Where are you from?”

“ I think you mean when,” Harry interrupted.

“ Ok, when are you from?” Fred asked.

“ My mother was Gallatea Ravenclaw.”

“ Wow, Harry, when you said you went out with Rowena Ravenclaw's daughter, you weren't kidding, were you?” George said.

“ No, I wasn't. Glen turned up earlier. Apparently he was sent to the future by the Dark Queen Lucifina, Slytherin's lover. He'll be staying here for the rest of the year.”

“ Do you like pranks, Glen?” Fred asked the obvious question.

“ I-I don't mind them…”

“ Good enough. Well, maybe you can help us. You see, there's this teacher called Umbridge…”

*~*~*

At dinner that night, gasps could be heard as the two Potters walked into the Great Hall. Apparently, over the course of the afternoon, the news had spread to the other Houses. There was a lot of speculation flying around, and everyone fell deathly silent as Dumbledore stood up to make the announcement. Everyone had been waiting all day to hear what was going on, and they were determined not to miss a word.

“ Everyone, I have an announcement to make. Today, after the duel, something rather extraordinary happened. When I got back to my office, Harry Potter and I found a young man there. All I will say on the matter is that he is a fugitive from the past, sent forward in time by a Dark Queen. Please make him feel welcome, as he will be with us for the rest of the year. Oh, and incidentally, his name is Glenadade Potter, Harry Potter's son.”

As the headmaster sat down, whispering filled the Great Hall. It was official. Harry Potter had a son, and he was at Hogwarts.

*~*~*

The rest of the evening went rather well. Glen settled in well at the Gryffindor table, as everyone was trying to be especially friendly to him. It might have been Gryffindor hospitality, or more likely the glare Harry sent to anyone who seemed to be annoying his son. Not even the Slytherins tried to do anything. The loss of their ringleader earlier in the day had had a profound effect on them, and they seemed to be giving the Boy-Who-Lived and his friends a wide berth. It probably had something to do with the fact that the Gryffindor had survived the Killing curse right in front of their eyes, without even flinching. Something like that could gain a person a lot of respect. Harry, though, wasn't going to mention the immunity necklace he wore around his neck.

Glen's first night in Gryffindor Tower, he spent the time sitting in bed all night talking to his father through telepathy. Harry was trying to teach him some English, as what he knew of the language was limited. Harry's use of Glen's mother tongue soothed the boy, and made him feel less isolated from the rest of his life. Neither boy would have been able to sleep anyway, so they decided that Glen may as well learn something.

The following morning at breakfast, Harry, Ron, Glen and the Weasley twins could be seen at the far end of the Gryffindor table, plotting. Harry's detention was due to be that night, and they had to go over some last minute details. Glen had proven himself in the eyes of the twins by coming up with some elaborate twists to their plans for the evil DADA teacher. Umbridge's face the night before at dinner had been a beautiful sight when Dumbledore gave his speech. Although the gossip mill had been working overtime among the students, the teachers hadn't heard about it. Harry knew that she would have gone straight to the headmaster's office after dinner to demand an explanation, as would Sev. Thoughts of Sev made Harry realise that at some point that week he would have to find the time to introduce his son to the Potions Master.

As they headed out of the room for Charms, Harry turned to his son when he remembered something he needed to tell the boy.

“ Glen, a word of advice. When we're in lessons, could you please remember to use your wand at all times?”

“ Why?” he asked, confused.

“ Because in this time, the art of wandless magic has been lost. The only ones capable of it are me, my friends, my Potions Master, and Dumbledore to some extent. Everyone else has to use their wand for every spell, no matter how simple. If the students or teachers see you using wandless magic, it will cause havoc. Even those of us that know it in this time hide our ability, as we know that it would give us a greater advantage in battle.”

Glen nodded in agreement, and the group headed to the classroom. The lesson went well, even though Glen had a bit of trouble using his wand for such simple spells. Eventually, though, he got the hang of it. The rest of the lessons that day seemed to fly by as well, until the evening finally came. The evening of Harry's detention.

*~*~*

“ Are you sure you're up for this?” Harry asked as he waited outside the door to Umbridge's office.

“ I'll be fine, Dad, trust me,” Glen answered.

“ You know what you're doing?”

“ Yes!”

“ Good, I'll call you when I need your help,” Harry confirmed.

“ Yes, I know Dad.”

“ Right. I'll be back later.”

“ Sure.”

Harry knocked on the door and waited for Umbridge to acknowledge his presence. It took a good ten minutes and two repeat knockings before she finally called for him to come in. Opening the door, Harry moved over and stood in front of her desk, his arms crossed and a bored look on his face. Eventually, she looked up and sent him a sickly smile.

“ Mr. Potter, how nice of you to join me. Now, sit down, I have a few questions for you.”

Harry fell into the seat behind him and crossed his legs in front of him, looking insolent. Umbridge smirked at him and pulled out a list of questions she wanted to ask him. She set the parchment down in front of herself, and took out a bright red quill.

“ Now, I want to know what you can tell me about that room you disappeared into.”

“ Nothing.”

“ Come now, you know which room I mean. You put your hand on the wall and said something. What room is that?”

“ I'm not telling you.”

“ Oh, yes you are, Mr. Potter, or we will be here for a very long time. What is the password to the room?”

“ There is no point in me telling you Professor.”

“ And why not?”

“ Because you cannot enter it, even with the password.”

“ And why is that?”

“ It's keyed to magical signatures and handprints. Only certain people can enter it.”

“ Who else, besides yourself, can enter the room?”

“ I'm not telling you.”

“ Why not?”

“ Because you don't need to know.”

“ I am a professor of this school, and you will tell me what I want to know.”

Harry leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and glared at the toad-like woman.

“ Professor, I am not telling you anything about that room, so please drop the subject.”

Umbridge stared at him for a moment before continuing her questioning.

“ Very well, we'll come back to this later. Now, tell me about your son.”

“ You leave my son out of this,” Harry said vehemently, “ He is nothing to do with you, and I will not allow you to do anything to hurt him.”

“ Very protective of him, aren't you,” she simpered.

“ Very.”

“ Why is that? From what I hear, you have never seen him before yesterday. A father at sixteen, I've heard, and abandoned the mother to pursue your own selfish gains.”

“ Shut up! You know nothing, you hear me. Nothing. Leave my family alone.”

“ Now, now, Mr. Potter, we don't want you to become angry. It's not safe for people who are as unstable as you…”

“ I am not unstable!”

“ Anyone who claims that the Dark Lord is running around with his band of merry men has got to be unstable.”

Harry was seething. He thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to get her back. I'll show her unstable, he thought.

~Glen, anytime now would be good~

~Sure, Dad~

Harry tuned out Umbridge's lecturing and started to concentrate on her mind, and the mind of his son. Once they were all linked, both Potters started sending random comments to her telepathically, overlapping them so that she knew there was more than one voice in her head.

~Do you see her?~

~Yes, I do. Is that her?~

~Oh yes, can't you tell~

~Is she real?~

~Yes, she is, but I'm not sure~

~Can she eat fish?~

~I'm not sure~

~Shall we ask her?~

~Will she answer?~

~I don't know~

~Dolores, are you there?~

Harry tried hard not to laugh when he saw the look on Umbridge's face. As soon as the mental attack had started, she started to look more and more constipated.

“ Are you alright Professor?” Harry asked.

~I think she's a toad, what do you think?~

~I agree, definitely a toad~

~Do you think she's poisonous?~

~No, I doubt it. Poisonous toads are normally brightly coloured~

~True, and she's all pasty~

~What was that?~

~What?~

~That? She looked at me!~

Umbridge, at this point, was clutching her head in her hands and looking wildly around the room. Harry was sitting in silence, watching in amusement as she tried to figure out where the voices were coming from.

“ Professor, you look worried. Is something the matter?”

“ Potter! Make them stop!”

“ Make what stop, Professor?”

~What! She doesn't like us!~

~I feel hurt~

~Me too~

~She'll never get rid of us~

~No, we're here to stay~

“ Potter!” Umbridge cried, “ Get them out of my head!”

“ Get what out of your head?” Harry asked innocently.

“ The voices!”

“ You hear voices in your head, Professor? Why, that's serious. You should go to Madame Pomfrey about that, you know. Hearing voices is a sign is insanity, after all.”

“ I am not insane,” she screeched, “ You are the unbalanced one!”

“ Strange, that,” Harry said, “ I'm not the one hearing voices.”

With a cry, Umbridge stood and pointed a shaking hand at the door.

“ Out, Potter, out!”

Harry headed to the door and went out, a large smirk on his face. When he saw Glen outside the door still sending messages, he decided to join him in a parting thought.

~You'll never get rid of us~

~We'll always be here~

~In the day~

~In the night~

~When you're awake~

~When you're asleep~

~Always~

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