Fake

From how out of it Damien was the whole journey, it was a surprise to nobody when he fell asleep as they approached King's Cross. After a short, silent squabble over who would carry him, Lily carried all of Damien and Blaise's belongings as Blaise carried his twin. Fawkes was back in his phoenix form, though he was sulking in his cage. 

"I thought your mother would meet you at the station." Draco furrowed his eyebrows as he looked around, waving to his own parents. 

"No, mum told me she wouldn't when I asked if Damien could come the first time. It's basically her way of saying she's mad at me. She still sends someone to pick me up though." Blaise nodded at the tall individual, that to wix was clearly a doll being animated by magic. "It will let her know if I arrive, though it won't detect anyone else." 

"Cool, let me know how everything goes. I'll come by at some point. You should probably invite the Weasel and mu- muggle born." Draco waved goodbye, correcting himself as he referenced Hermione. 

"I don't need you telling me how to look after my twin." Blaise turned his head away from Draco, though he still returned the wave. 

It was a little awkward to get Damien into the car without letting him get hit on the head, but Blaise managed it as Lily put their things in the boot. 

Damien started to stir as the car started moving, but Fawkes had barely started singing before he was back off to sleep. Blaise kept Damien's head on his shoulder, it being far softer and more padded than the window. 

Veelas aren't always this protective, but family and mates are the most important things for them, and Damien was the long lost family. 

"Blaise." His mother greeted him at the door, she may not have picked him up, but she was clearly worried about him. "I thought you said a new Slytherin was joining you." 

Hey eyes were lingering on Lily, who was unpacking the luggage. She was very clearly not a new Slytherin, she was an adult woman the whole world not only knew as dead, but as a Gryffindor. It was surprising she wasn't more suspicious. 

"I did, but, mum, he's not a first year." Blaise's heart was in his throat, pounding enough to make him shake. 

"You have a new Slytherin who isn't a first year? In this day and age?" His mother's arms were wrapped around herself as she held her cloak closed. 

Their father was not the only one made sickly by the loss of Damien, though she had managed to hold on for the sake of Blaise, she had never been truly healthy since. The cold, especially, affected her badly. Blaise didn't know her properly healthy,m though she had always tried not to burden him with it. 

Blaise didn't know for sure, but he doubted just having Damien back would fix everything. 

"Well he wasn't the one who asked for the resorting. Uh, maybe it would be easier if you just see him for yourself." Now Blaise couldn't find any words.  

He was excited to see his mother's reaction, but now it was the moment of truth he wished he had just told her in the letter. 

"Only if you explain. Everything." His mother rolled her eyes, stepping towards the car. 

"Trust me, you need it." Blaise muttered as he stepped aside. 

There was a loud moment of silence, Their mother looking at the sleeping Damien in the car. 

"Blaise," It was the first time in a long while that Blaise had heard his mother's voice shake. "This is not something you should be joking about." 

"I'm not joking mum. That's really him." Blaise was shaking more now, he felt like he was about to burst out crying. 

"My baby." Their mother's voice was barely audible as she awkwardly pulled Damien into her arms. 

----- 

Rather than the perch that was brought into the room for her, Hedwig sat on Damien's shoulder providing a comforting presence. Fawkes was in human form again, standing behind him, though they provided far less comfort than the familiar weight and warmth of Hedwig. 

"Mum, meet Damien, Damien, this is our mother." Blaise gestured between the two, Damien clearly still very tense. 

"It's nice to meet you." Damien's voice was a little forced as he tried to stop it shaking, the whirlwind in his mind on the train not helping him stay calm in the moment. 

"There's no need to be so formal chick, I'm your mother." She gave a warm, though sad smile as she looked at the terrified boy who should have been raised with happiness. 

Damien didn't know how to respond, and just nodded. Maybe he would eventually get used to it, but he had always been on the outside of every happy family he was accepted by. This was uncharted water. 

"You said you would explain." Their mother looked at Blaise, the hair on the back on Damien's neck prickling at the closeness of Fawkes. 

"Yes," Blaise took a seat next to Damien, who had gradually become used to his twin's presence during his stay in the Hospital Wing, though he had also felt a pull before then. "Damien used to be Harry Potter. Well, to be correct he was Harry Potter's replacement, but he didn't know that and he's the one who did all of the achievements people know about. Dumbledore had him moved to Slytherin and..." 

Blaise suddenly found himself lost for words as he saw Damien tense beside him. He had promised their mother an explanation, but this was all so recent and must be painfully fresh for Damien. Especially the situation with Sirius and Remus, that just reinforced his whole life was a lie. 

Blaise could just be glad that Ron and Hermione were really his friends. 

"Ron and Hermione, my best friends, stayed friends with me. They're still Gryffindor though. Umbridge was giving me detention for stupid reasons that Draco said were a Blood Quill-" 

"A Blood Quill!? Show me your hand. I swear-" Their mother cut Damien off, her eyes so angry it made him flinch. 

"Mum, it's fine. Let him finish." Blaise tried to calm her down, but she had already grabbed Damien's hand. 

Though the magic had been changed to protect him, the scar still stood out, so much paler than the rest of his skin, the same colour it was when he had been changed to look white. 

"Um- One time Draco took me to the Hospital Wing and then everyone looked for a way to get revenge. It was a spell in Parceltongue, and it summoned the Concepts. I fell asleep - Blaise can tell you what happened then - and then there was a trial. People were punished and, well, I got Fawkes who can become human now." Damien hadn't realised his hand was still aching until now, when their mother gently massaged around the scar. 

"I'm guessing you'll want your friends to visit during the holidays?" She didn't like people who weren't family to come to the house, but just the short story and the look of him told her Damien needed some support and stability.