Primrose Serpents

The trip to Diagon Alley was breathtaking. It was as if they'd stepped into an entirely new world. Professor McGonagall, the kind lady who had delivered his acceptance letter and explained the Wizarding World at length to him and his parents months prior, had led him and his parents about the bustling shops and stores. She was a busy woman though, having much to do to prepare for the year. Elias and his parents had already stopped by Gringotts and exchanged some Muggle money for the odd Wizarding currency, ready to go.

Professor McGonagall hesitated a bit, not wanting to leave them alone on their first trip into the Wizarding side of Britain. She only took her leave once they reassured her that they would be fine buying the needed supplies for the upcoming term without her.

As he and his parents made their way from shop to shop, Elias was too focused on everything around him to see what was in front of him. He found himself bumping into a girl and knocking her down.

Eyes wide, he quickly helped her up. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." He apologized.

"It's quite alright. I wasn't either." The girl replied.

Behind him, Elias' father spoke, shocked. "Dr. Granger!"

The raven-haired boy looked back at his father, then to who he was looking at. His eyes grew even wider upon seeing his dentist. "Dr. Granger- you're here too?"

Said dentist looked pleasantly surprised. "Mr. And Mrs. Cross. Elias. What a coincidence. I never thought we'd run into anyone we knew here."

"Neither did we. Are you two…" Elias' mother began, but trailed off.

Dr. Granger, the wife- they were both doctors- shook her head. "Oh, no. We aren't magic folk. Our daughter Hermione is a witch though. We are so proud of her. She's been insisting we buy her some new books to read over before the school year starts- aside from the textbooks we already got her."

The girl he knocked over, Hermione, gave a nod. "I've already read through everything. I want to be prepared for the school year."

Elias' father smiled brightly. "She'll be going to Hogwarts as well? That's lovely. It'll be good for Elias to know someone there. Isn't that right, son?" He asked, hands on Elias' shoulders.

The green-eyed boy was suddenly shy, giving a nod instead of speaking.

Hermione held her hand out though. "As I'm sure you've gathered, my name is Hermione Granger. I'll be a first year at Hogwarts next term. I hope we get along well."

Elias reached out, shaking her hand in return. "I'm Elias Prince. It's a pleasure to meet you." He replied.

His mother ruffled his long hair fondly.

"Since you'll be classmates starting next year, how do you feel about spending time together? I'm sure Hermione would love to go over your textbooks with you. She's already learned so much about the Wizarding World. It'll be a big help." The brunette's mother suggested.

"That's a lovely idea. Elias?" His father asked.

The boy flushed, now that five sets of eyes were on him. "Only if Hermione agrees. I don't want to be a bother." He replied.

"Don't worry, I would love to chat with someone about it. It had been dreadfully boring not being able to tell anyone about it all. Having a friend who gets to experience it all with me sounds delightful." Hermione smiled.

Elias smiled softly in return.

A new friendship was born that day, the two families going about the remainder of their shopping together, Hermione telling Elias all about the odd baubles and strange objects they saw. She gave him a run down of the history of Diagon Alley as well. By the time they'd finished, she had even gone over the basics of Hogwarts, promising to tell him more the next time they saw one another. Elias promised to start reading Hogwarts: A History in the meantime.

Their parents set up a little get together in a week's time, then the two families said their farewells.

In the months leading up to their first year at Hogwarts, Hermione and Elias grew closer, becoming great friends. On their days off from school, they were always at one house or the other, reading or chatting away about one magical thing or another.

Elias found that Hermione was brilliant. She was a quick study and spoke her mind, confident and clever. Hermione found that Elias was full of curiosity and always eager to learn despite his more introverted disposition. They fit well together, two birds of a feather.

~~~

They remained close, even as the day to leave for Hogwarts came. The two stood side by side, luggage already loaded onto the train. Their parents stood before them, reminding them to write, to get enough sleep, to stay out of trouble- not that they were the types to cause trouble in the first place. Then they hugged their parents goodbye and boarded the train.

Hermione led the way, picking a compartment that was empty and taking a seat. "I'm so excited. I can't wait to see Hogwarts in person. Apparently there is a tradition where first year's get to take boats across the Black Lake instead of the carriages all the others take." She began.

"Is that even safe? Isn't there supposed to be a giant squid in the lake or something?" The black-haired boy asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but I'm sure it's fine, otherwise it wouldn't be a tradition."

Elias nodded. She had a point.

"What about you? What are you excited for?"

"I want to know what house I'll be sorted into." He admitted. "I think I might be Hufflepuff. You'll definitely be Ravenclaw, with that brilliant mind of yours."

Hermione smiled. "Well, whatever house, I'm sure we'll both do well." She hummed in reply.

Eventually, the train pulled out of the station, the students officially on their way to Hogsmead, where the train let off. Everyone buzzed with excitement, chatting and getting comfortable. The train ride lasted quite a while, after all.

Elias, using some of the pocket money his parents allowed him to take with him, bought some snacks for the two, Hermione thanking him and happily getting something sweet.

They were a couple hours into the ride when a boy came in, asking if anyone had seen a toad. The two shook their heads, confused. The boy explained that it was his pet. Somehow, the toad, named Trevor, had gotten out and was lost on the train.

Hermione insisted on helping go from compartment to compartment. The boy, Neville, took a seat with Elias, who suggested he take a break. He'd already been searching for a while and it would be no good to exhaust himself.

He offered Neville some of his snacks, the boy accepting them with thanks, and the two waited for Hermione to return. It took a while, but when she did, there was a gleam in her eye. She took a seat, smiling wide.

"I couldn't find Trevor, but I did find something rather interesting. Harry Potter."

The name tickled something in Elias' memory, but he couldn't place it. Neville, however, instantly recognized it.

He lit up. "Really?" He asked, Hermione nodded.

"Who is he again? I can't remember." Elias asked.

"He's the only known person to survive the killing curse. It was in that book I showed you a few weeks ago." Hermione reminded.

Elias nodded then, recalling how she'd pointed out the passage from one of the extra books her parents bought her to hold her over until the school year. "Right. He just vanished after that, though. Didn't he?"

"People think he went to live with relatives. Both of his parents were killed, so he had to go somewhere." Neville added. "I heard some people whispering about it on the train, but I didn't know it was true."

"Is he in our year? Must be, right?" Elias asked.

Hermione nodded. "Correct."

Then she glanced out the window. "Best be changing into your robes. We'll be arriving soon." She noted.

Elias gave a small nod. She was right. Didn't want to put it off and be in a rush later.

Time seemed to fly by once they reached Hogsmead. The first years were gathered by a man taller than anyone he'd ever seen, then led to the boats. He boarded one with a blonde boy and what seemed to be his two friends. They didn't pay him much attention, and he held the lantern at the front of the boat quietly as they crossed.

He could have sworn he saw a shadow pass beneath them, his eyes turning to Hermione, who also saw the figure. They shared a smile.

The walk from the boat house up to the Great Hall took a while, what with there being so many stairs, but most barely noticed, too excited for what awaited them.

Elias walked beside Hermione, the two beaming. As they grew closer, however, he began to worry. "Hermione. If we are put into different houses, will we still be able to see each other?" He asked. "I would hate to lose my only friend."

The brunette smiled at him. "We will be friends no matter what houses we are placed in. Don't worry." She reassured him.

This eased his worries, at least slightly.

The next thing they knew, a teacher appeared before them and, after a small interruption by Neville, who found Trevor at the top of the stairs, led them into the Great Hall.

It was unlike anything he'd ever seen. A massive dining hall lit by hanging torches and floating candles, the enchanted ceiling letting starlight shine down on them.

Ushered to the end of the aisle, they gathered to be sorted, just as the Professor said they would be. One by one they were called, taking a seat on the stool and having the sorting hat placed on their head.

Hermione ended up in Gryffindor. Neville as well. Elias couldn't help wanting to be sorted with them, but he wanted to keep his mind open to other possibilities. Wherever he would fit the best, that is where he wanted to be.

Harry Potter was then called, the entire room falling silent. Everyone seemed curious, all their attention on the boy with dark wild hair and glasses.

The seconds seemed to drag on and then…

"Gryffindor!" The sorting hat called out. The boy seemed relieved.

Then Elias heard his name called. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and took a seat. As he did so, he couldn't help wondering if his birth parents had attended Hogwarts. They must have, since he clearly got his magic from them. What were they? Gyffindor like Hermione? Ravenclaw? Slytherin? Hufflepuff?

He wondered if he was like them at all.

In his head, the sorting hat hummed. "Interesting. I never thought this would happen." It spoke.

Elias grew confused. Was something wrong?

"Such a complicated family. Who would have guessed. Much like your mother, but you resemble your father so… Which house to put you in, though?"

Whichever would suit him best.

The sorting hat seemed pleased, then spoke aloud.

"Slytherin!"

In his head, the sorting hat spoke one last time.

"Good luck, little Halfblood Prince."

The table full of green accented robes cheered. Elias found his eyes turning to Hermione, however.

She seemed disappointed, just as he was, but they would remain friends, just as she said. This didn't change anything, right?

With the introduction of teachers and the feast, Elias found himself pushing his worries aside, enjoying the meal. Afterwards, the first year's were led to the Slytherin dorms, down into the dungeons and through a hidden entrance in a cold, stone wall. The common room was massive, the ceiling made of glass, looking up into the Black Lake. The windows looked out into the water as well.

Elias was left breathless, in awe.

His attention was captured by the head girl, who pointed out the different halls leading to the dorms. They were quickly ushered off to their rooms then, warned that the head of Slytherin house was strict and did not tolerate nonsense.

Elias found himself in a dorm room with five other boys- which apparently was odd, usually only 5 students were placed into each dorm room, but this year seemed to have had an unusual number of students entering, leaving six to share a dorm, Elias' dorm.

There were three bunk beds against the far wall, each bed with a thick curtain around it for privacy. To the left of the door was a small heater to keep the room warm, and on the right was a series of shelves. Their trunks and other belongings were already tucked neatly into place.

"So, who gets which bed?" One boy asked.

They all shared a look, then rushed forward, each one aiming for a top bunk. Elias, focusing as hard as he could despite the elbows flying and attempts at tripping one another, stepped up into the air.

His foot stepped up onto something solid even though there was nothing there, then he stepped up, using the invisible stairs he'd created using the magic he'd been practicing since he was young. He reached the bunk, diving into it before anyone else, and knocked away the hands reaching for it.

Focus shifted to the other two top bunks.

In the end, Elias had the top left, Theodore Knott the bottom left. In the middle was Blaise Zabini, beneath him a boy he'd heard referred to as Crabbe. The top right was the blonde boy, Draco Malfoy, and the final bed was Goyle's.

They settled in for the night, having had too much excitement for the day, and tucked themselves into bed.

Elias fell asleep near instantly as soon as he'd pulled the privacy curtain shut and curled up under the blanket.

Of course, his wake up call wasn't the most pleasant. He sighed, hearing a voice loudly ordering others around. He opened the curtain to find the blonde, Draco, urging Crabbe and Goyle to hurry up. Blaise sat up on his own bunk, telling the blonde to pipe down.

This earned him a sneer.

Deciding it was best to get up, Elias climbed out of bed and made his way over to his shelves, pulling out his trunk and retrieving his wand and the textbooks he would need- it was the first day of classes after all. He changed into his uniform and brushed out his waist-length hair, noticing the looks he received.

"What?" He asked.

"Why is your hair so long?" Blaise asked.

Elias raised an eyebrow. "Is it not allowed to be?" He asked.

"Nothing is wrong with your hair. Hurry up and finish getting ready. I don't want to be late because you fools couldn't move fast enough." Draco snapped, then looked to Blaise. "And you, get down from there and get your robes on. We need to go!"

Elias was grateful for Draco's words, even if they were a bit grumpy. He'd grown used to being told his hair was "too long" and "girly," but he'd always insisted on growing it out. Seeing someone as uptight as Malfoy stand up for him before the other comments could begin was nice.

But, of course, that didn't make up for the blonde's arrogant attitude.

He bossed those in their dorm around and threw insults without hesitation. Elias stood patiently by the door, assuming they would all walk to breakfast together, Draco tapping his foot impatiently beside him as he barked orders.

By the time they finally left, Malfoy was grumbling to himself about how "Prince is the only capable one out of you sorry lot" and storming off ahead.

Elias just brushed off the comment, able to tell that Draco had a sucky personality by now, and followed along.

The first thing he did was head over to Hermione, wishing her a good morning. She happily returned the greeting, ignoring the eyes the turned to her and Elias.

"Why are you talking to a Slytherin?" One boy asked.

Beside him, Neville waved. "Morning, Elias."

"Hi, Neville. How is Trevor doing? I'm glad you found him last night." Elias replied.

Neville smiled. "He's doing well. I made sure he was safe in his little habitat. No getting out again."

"Hermione. Slytherin students are bad news." The girl beside the brunette whispered.

"Nonsense. I've known Elias since before Hogwarts. He's the kindest boy I've ever met." She replied. "Neville met him on the train too. Ask him if you don't believe me."

The boy nodded quickly. "It's true. We were both convinced we'd be in Hufflepuff, but I guess the Sorting Hat decided otherwise. Elias is a good guy. Don't be mean."

Some of the older Gryffindor's gave him looks, but the first years seemed to accept the two's voucher for him. For the most part, at least.

One ginger-haired boy spoke up. "What are your thoughts on Malfoy?"

Elias tried not to say anything bad, but his face seemed to give away the fact he wasn't impressed, earning a laugh from the group.

"Alright. You don't seem too bad. At least we agree Malfoy is too stuck-up." The ginger huffed.

"Prince. Get over here." Said blonde shouted from the Slytherin table.

Elias sighed. "I have to go. I hope I see you in class, Hermione. Neville." He smiled, offering a wave before making his way to the tables assigned to his house.

"What do you think you are doing?" Malfoy hissed as he took a seat.

"I was just saying hello. My friend was sorted into Gryffindor." He replied innocently, not sure what the big deal was.

"Forget about them. You have new friends now." The blonde huffed.

"That's hard to do when our parents are friends as well." Elias mumbled.

"Who cares? Gryffindors and Slytherins can't be friends."

Elias looked across the table with a sharp gaze, causing Malfoy to pause. "I care. She is my friend, and that isn't going to change."

With that, Elias set about eating breakfast. Thankfully, he seemed to get Malfoy to drop the topic, the blonde moving on to complaining about the meal or the seats or who knows what.

Elias was honestly relieved when he got up to head to classes. The day went by maybe a bit too fast, so much happening around him. One thing stuck out to him most, though. In his Potions class, the teacher kept staring at him, almost confused. He was asked to stay behind for a moment, and nervously made his way to Professor Snape's desk.

"Your name is Elias Prince, is it not?" The man began.

"Yes, Professor." He replied. "Did I do something wrong?"

The man crossed his arms. "No. I was just curious about something."

Elias met his gaze, a bit anxious.

"Who are your parents?"

The boy blinked. "Well, that is a bit complicated." He began. "You see, I'm adopted, so I have two sets of parents. Although, I've never met my birth parents…"

Professor Snape narrowed his eyes. "Do you know the names of your birth parents?" He questioned.

"Only my mother. Lily Evans." Elias answered. "But my grandmother's name was Eileen Prince. She is who I'm named after. My adoptive parents didn't want to change my name because of that. They thought it would be rude."

The man seemed to go pale at his response, even going so far as to take a seat. "Are you certain? Lily is your mother? Eileen is your grandmother?"

He nodded, growing concerned. "Yes. Is that a bad thing? Did you know either of them?"

Snape met his eyes, then examined his face even closer than before. "I was in the same year as your mother. She was my best friend until… we had a fight."

Elias brightened. "Really? Do you know where she is? Do you think I could meet her?"

A look of grief crossed the Professor's face then, Elias deflating a bit.

"I'm sorry, but your mother… she passed away ten years ago." He spoke, barely a whisper.

Elias paused, eyes falling to the floor. "Oh…" He said quietly. They were both silent for a moment, then he spoke again. "You wouldn't happen to have an idea who my father is, would you?" He asked, voice small, a tinge of hope in it.

Snape met his eyes, quiet for a few seconds before giving a nod. "Yes, but I can't be certain."

"Could you check and see? Maybe there are papers somewhere proving it?"

Snape sighed. "I'll look. Don't get your hopes up."

Elias smiled brightly. "Thank you professor." He beamed.

Snape waved him away. "Go on. Go to your next class before you are late."

"Right. Thank you, Professor. Let me know if you find out anything!" He called out as he rushed from the room, offering a wave goodbye.

Snape, now alone in the class, suddenly felt exhausted and like he wanted to cry.

Lily was his mother. Eileen Prince was his grandmother. That meant one thing.

Elias was his son.

But that was impossible!

He and Lily…

Snape ran a hand across his face. It was once, years ago, when she and James had a fight and called things off. They weren't married yet, Harry still more than a year away.

The timelines didn't add up. It couldn't have been him. He couldn't be the father. Right? But Lily couldn't have been with anyone else. It had to be either him or James Potter.

Folding his hands together, he looked towards the door to the classroom. There was only one way to know for sure.

His family tree, magically updating itself with each new birth. He had never bothered to look at it figuring he'd be the end of the family line, but now he had to find it.

Snape missed the next day of classes, away on some urgent business. Unbeknownst to his students, he was at Gringotts, checking his vault. Aside from his decent fortune, he kept valuables inside. What few family heirlooms he managed to save, some journals from his mother, and the family tree.

It was a scroll of pitch black, tied shut with a silver ribbon. He wasn't sure how long it was, since it was enchanted, always growing, tracing back hundreds of years. He never tried to unroll it completely. It never seemed to stop.

When he opened it, he spoke the name "Eileen Prince," the scroll magically shifting to her spot on the long list of names.

Nervously, he slowly scrolled to the next name, finding his own written in pure white ink just as the rest were, clear and swirling on the black parchment.

His eyes took note of the line leading from his mother to his father's name, the line branching down leading to his.

Unlike when he'd seen the scroll when he was young, still a student, another line led from his name. Swallowing hard, he unrolled the parchment even further, finding it connecting to "Lily Evans."

His skin went cold.

Following the line that branched from them, he came across "Elias Sevryn Prince."

So it was true.

Elias was really his son.

He and Lily had a child. One who grew up without either of them in his life. One no one knew existed until now.

Severus, despite his best efforts, broke down and cried for a long while, tucked away in his vault deep within Gringotts.

When he returned to Hogwarts that evening, the first person he went to was Minerva McGonagall. He knocked on her office door, the scroll recording his family tree tucked safely in his robes.

She opened the door, surprised to see him.

"Oh, Severus. Please, do come in." She began politely, stepping to the side so he could enter.

He made his way inside, sitting down at a table sat across the room, a tea set already made up and ready.

"What's wrong? I heard you had to rush off somewhere. It was an emergency. Wasn't it?"

He gave a small nod, pulling out the scroll. "I had to check something." He spoke, abnormally quiet.

This left her unnerved, and she looked down at the scroll as he pushed it over. "Say my name and open it."

A bit hesitant, the Gryffindor studied him for a moment, then did as he instructed.

"Severus Snape." She spoke, clear and calm, then opened the scroll. Seeing it was a family tree, she looked at the names. Nothing seemed out of place until she looked below her fellow Professor's name. She unfurled the scroll a bit further, revealing two more names, both of which are familiar.

"Oh my." She gasped, her eyes turning back to the man seated across from her.

"This… Elias… as in the first year? The lovely boy from Slytherin?" She asked.

Snape gave one slow nod. "I just wanted to ask why his family name was Prince. I was curious. He told me far more than I expected-" He cut himself off to take a breath, voice having begun to shake for a moment there. "He's named after my mother. His middle name is obviously modeled after me."

"Lily… It's hard to believe. I never thought… She and Potter." McGonagall paused, eyes widening. "This means Harry Potter is his half-brother."

Snape nodded, running a hand down his face. "What should I do?" He asked. "Elias knows I knew his mother. I promised to tell him if I found out who his father was."

"Well, this is quite a shocking situation. He deserves to know, but… Is there really a right was to go about explaining it? You'll have to tell him about Mr. Potter as well."

Snape let out a small huff at that.

"They are brothers. They both deserve to know." She reminded.

The man sighed, nodding. She was right.

"How do I tell them?" He asked, genuinely lost.

Minerva offered a small smile. "I'll help you."

And help she did. They waited a bit before calling the two to her office one day after classes. It had been two weeks since the year started and Snape had finally gathered the nerve.

Elias bounced on the balls of his feet nervously outside her door. Harry arrived only a few minutes later.

"Prince? You were called here too?" He asked upon seeing Hermione and Neville's friend.

"Potter?" Elias perked up. "Yeah. You don't think we are in trouble, are we?" He asked- worried about the reason Professor McGonagall had called them there.

The boy with glasses shrugged. "Well, I don't know about you, but I can think of a few things I've done." He replied. He was lucky he didn't get in trouble for flying when he wasn't supposed to during flying lessons, even getting a spot on the Gyffindor House Quiddich team. If McGonagall found out about anything else… he didn't think he would be so lucky.

Elias shifted anxiously. "I might have told Malfoy off for the third time, but I don't think Professor McGonagall would be the one to call me to her office over it." He admitted.

"That would more be a thing for Professor Snape." Harry pointed out, Elias nodding in agreement.

"Maybe it isn't something bad?" He said, hopeful.

"Ah, you both are here. Good." McGonagall's voice sounded. The two boys spun around to see her making her way down the hall. Behind her was Snape.

"Or maybe it is." Harry whispered.

"Come on in, boys. This is important." She spoke, ushering them in once the door was open, sitting them down at the table and pouring them some tea.

The professors remained standing, leaving the two feeling anxious.

"Um, Professors, did we do something wrong?" Elias asked, glancing between the two.

"Of course not, Mr. Prince. This is regarding something you asked Professor Snape to look into at the start of the year." McGonagall replied.

Elias' eyes widened and he set down his cup, looking to the Potions Professor. "Did you find out who he is?"

"Who who is?"

"My father. I'm adopted, but Professor Snape was best friends with my mother when they went to Hogwarts. When I found that out, I asked if he had any idea who my father could be." Elias explained to Harry, then looked to said Professor.

Harry only looked confused. "Wait, why am I here then? Isn't this a bit… personal?" He asked.

Snape sighed. "Look at each other. Do you see any similarities between you two?"

The two boys raised an eyebrow, but turned to each other.

"We have green eyes." Harry pointed out.

"We both have black hair too." Elias added.

"We're the same age…" Harry continued, then trailed off.

Elias blinked, realizing the same thing.

Both boys went wide-eyed, then looked back at their Professors. "Are you saying we are long lost twins or something?" Elias asked, shocked.

"Half-brothers." Snape replied. "You were born December 31st, 1979. Harry was born July, 31st, 1980. Seven months apart."

Elias furrowed his brows. "But, doesn't it usually take nine months for-"

"Yes. It turns out, however, that both of you were born prematurely." McGonagall answered. "You were both born around six months. Elias, you were born in the Muggle World and given up for adoption. Harry, you were born in the Wizarding World, but ended up sent to your relatives after what happened to your parents."

Her words seemed to sink in, striking a chord for Elias.

"Wait- my mother… Lily Potter was my mother. That means…" He trailed off. "Professor Snape mentioned she'd passed away, but to know she was killed…"

Harry reached over, placing his hand on Elias' arm to try and comfort him.

"And my father? We have different fathers, so is mine still… or is he also…" Elias asked, green eyes looking up at the two Professors. Harry turned to look at them as well.

Snape took a deep breath and pulled out the scroll naming his family, setting it before them.

"Elias Sevryn Prince."

Opening it, he waited for the two to realize what it was he'd placed before them. It took a moment, but Harry froze, staring down at the portion of the family tree. Elias, on the other hand, looked up and met Snape's eyes in shock.

"You're-" He began, but cut himself off, feeling his throat constrict as tears threatened to spill.

Snape gave a small nod. "Yes."

Elias had to look away, using his sleeve to wipe away the tears that began to flow. Harry was completely silent, but lightly squeezed his arm to comfort him.

"I'm sure this is a lot to take in. I called you here because I thought you would like some privacy in order to process things. Feel free to help yourself to the tea." McGonagall began. "Severus, take a seat. I'm sure they will have questions. I'll step out for a bit so the three of you can talk."

Minerva then made her way from the room, leaving Snape alone and unsure of what to do. Looking back at the boys, he took a calming breath and sat down.

"I had no idea until recently." He began. "If I had known…"

Elias sniffled, still wiping away tears. "It's okay. Don't blame yourself. You did the best with what you knew. There's no point getting into the 'what if…' scenarios." He reassured. "The past is the past. I was adopted by a wonderful couple and grew up happy and healthy."

Snape gave a small nod. He was glad Elias saw things that way.

Harry looked over at him then. "So, you and my mom… you were best friends?"

Snape nodded once more. "For most of our years at Hogwarts, yes. I made a mistake one day, though. She was angry with me. We stopped being friends after that, but I never stopped caring for her."

"But you two… Elias…" Harry began, not sure how to ask.

"It was only once. Before she ever married your father. She left without a word, never telling me we had a son." He replied.

Harry took off his glasses, wiping his eyes. "I have an older brother." He whispered to himself, then let out a small laugh. "I always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. Never thought I would actually have one."

Elias managed a small laugh as well. "I'm just as shocked as you." He admitted.

Snape glanced between the two, seeing the way they offered one another a smile.

Lily's smile.

Needless to say, he went easier on Harry after that. As much as he hated James Potter, Harry was also Lily's son, brother to Elias, his own flesh and blood.

The two became friends, much to Hermione's joy and Malfoy's chagrin.

This strained Elias' relationship with his fellow Slytherins, but he ignored them as best he could, favoring his brother’s friends instead. He became a part of their group, always hanging out with them and working on assignments with them and just laughing and having fun.

However, the school year grew to be eventful and dangerous.

Elias found that out the hard way when Harry confided in him about his worries regarding a certain stone. Harry doubted it was Snape, but there was evidence backing up his suspicions.

Elias frowned, shaking his head, insisting there must be another explanation. His father wouldn't do that. There had to be something else going on.

He insisted they go over everything Harry believed pointed to Snape. Neither wanted it to be true, and they worked through each piece until they realized something.

Quirrell was present, or noticeably not present, for everything.

Both boys felt worry, and rushed to Elias' father.

They confessed they knew about the stone and where it was hidden, that they knew Quirrell was after it, but not why.

Snape was angry at first- this was something they shouldn't know about- but then worry seeped in. He told them that he didn't want them getting involved. It was too dangerous. He told them to leave it to him and the other teachers to deal with.

The two agreed, but it could only last so long.

Towards the end of the year, Harry, Hermione, and Ron snuck out and ended up facing Professor Quirrell. As soon as he heard this, Elias bolted from the Slytherin common room and ran to the infirmary to see his brother.

When he arrived, Harry was still unconscious, bandaged up, being treated by Madam Pomfrey. She told him to leave so she could work, now wasn't the time for visitors.

Elias begged her to let him stay, confessing that they were brothers. He couldn't just go and pretend Harry wasn't hurt.

Pomfrey was shocked by the revelation, but when looking between the two, it was apparent they truly did share blood, siblings if she'd ever seen any.

Caving, she let him sit in a chair beside Harry's bed, but warned him that she would kick him out if he caused any commotion. He promised not to, staying true to his word even hours later. He'd fallen asleep with his head and arms on the side of the bed. Albus Dumbledore came to visit Harry, noticing the boy beside him.

Dumbledore reassured Harry that everything had been taken care of. The Stone was to be destroyed. Hermione and Ron were safe and had been treated for their injuries. Snape was beyond worried, but couldn't stay angry at the boy.

Then Dumbledore questioned why Professor Snape would be so concerned, even more than other Professors. He also questioned why Elias was the one at his bedside.

Harry looked over at his brother, smiling softly, and told Dumbledore the truth. Elias was his brother. Snape was protective of them both since he'd been friends with their mother.

He intentionally left out the fact that Snape was Elias' father. He wasn't sure that was a secret for him to share.

Dumbledore looked pale at that, clearly shocked. He looked between the two boys for a moment, noting the way Elias was holding onto Harry's hand even as he slept.

The headmaster excused himself then, leaving the two alone in the Infirmary.

Harry, laying back down, ignoring the tray of gifts and goodies from his "admirers" as Dumbledore had put it, turned to his brother.

"Elias." He whispered softly. He noticed how the older's hair, which was usually pulled back into a neat ponytail, was let loose, falling down around his face.

Carefully, he brushed away the strands that were in his face. "Elias, wake up." He whispered once more, gently shaking the older's hand.

After a moment, Elias sighed, sleepily blinking his eyes open. Sitting up, he looked over at Harry. A few seconds passed, then his eyes widened, all traces of sleep gone.

"Harry! Are you alright? How do you feel?" He asked quickly, jumping up from his seat.

The younger smiled. "I'm fantastic." He replied with a small laugh. "Everything is okay now. We were right. It was Quirrell."

"I heard." Elias replied, still fussing over his brother. "I'm glad you are okay. So many of our friends stopped by to see you too. Everyone was worried since you weren't waking up."

Harry smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

Elias sighed, leaning forward and pulling Harry into a careful hug.

"You're awake and well. That's all that matters now." He replied.

Harry was frozen for a moment, then leaned into the embrace, letting his arms wrap around the older in return.

The two spent the rest of the day together, sitting on the bed and eating the candy Harry had been brought- it was too much for one person anyway. They laughed and chatted, Elias maybe skipping classes the rest of the day, but neither stopped to point that out.

When classes were over, they began to see their friends as they came by to check on Harry. Hermione and Ron were so relieved. The other Gryffindors as well.

The year came to an end quickly after that, the train ride home full of laughter and promises to write.

Elias and Harry both agreed to send letters as often as possible. They also agreed to tell their parents, or guardians in Harry's case, about one another. They hoped to arrange a meet up over the break, wanting to see each other again soon.

They said their farewells as they disembarked the train, also bidding their friends goodbye. Elias went with Hermione, her mother stopping by to pick them up since the rest of their parents were busy with work.

Harry was glad to know Elias and Hermione were close outside of school. Maybe the three of them could meet up as well. He knew he'd miss Hermione's company.

~~~