Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Power of Secrets

The garden snake coiled around itself, flicking its tongue as it regarded Harry. Bob had been surprisingly insightful for a snake, and what he had just revealed made Harry's mind race. 

"So, you only remember things when I acknowledge you?" Harry asked in Parseltongue, the words slipping from his mouth with unnatural ease. 

"Yesss," Bob responded. "When you sspeak to me, I remember everything. When you do not, I am... normal again. Until you call upon me." 

Harry narrowed his eyes. That wasn't how memory was supposed to work. But if Bob was right, it meant that his Parseltongue ability did more than just let him talk to snakes—it altered how they *thought*. That made it something far more dangerous than he had originally assumed. 

"And if I tell you to do something?"

"Then I do it," Bob said simply. "And if I tell otherss, they do it too." 

The implications sent a shiver down Harry's spine. Was Parseltongue more than just a language? Could it be a form of command magic? He had tested a few things over the past weeks, but this discovery made him cautious. He needed to learn more before he revealed anything. 

He wouldn't write it down. Some secrets were too dangerous to put on paper. 

---

The morning of September 1st arrived, bringing with it the moment Harry had been waiting for—his departure from Privet Drive. 

The Potters arrived in a sleek, black limousine with tinted windows, the kind of car that screamed wealth and status. James Potter stepped out first, looking as confident as ever, while Lily followed, her expression tense. Jim, their golden child, stood between them, grinning. 

For Harry, it was like looking into a distorted mirror. Jim was taller, better fed, and brimming with the confidence of someone who had been adored his entire life. Harry, by contrast, had learned to survive in the shadows, to carve out his own space where no one would dictate his worth. 

Lily was the first to break the silence. "Harry," she said softly. "It's good to see you." 

Harry forced a polite smile. "Likewise." 

James stepped forward, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "We thought we'd take you to the station together," he said. 

Harry glanced at the limousine. Expensive. Showy. A statement of power. 

"I see," he said simply. 

They moved toward the car, and James took his trunk while Harry carried Hedwig's empty cage—he had sent her ahead to Hogwarts. Inside the car, the seats were plush, and there was an unmistakable charm in the air that made everything smell faintly of cedar and parchment. 

Lily turned to him almost immediately. "Harry, about last time… I know you were upset." 

Harry gave her a blank look. "Was I?" 

She hesitated. "Well, I just wanted to say—I know we made mistakes, but we're trying now." 

He nodded, but inwardly, he wasn't convinced. Trying now, after eleven years? Too little, too late. 

Jim, oblivious to the tension, punched him playfully on the arm. "You'll love Hogwarts, Har! And don't worry, I'll make sure everyone knows you're with me. The brother of the Boy-Who-Lived will fit in just fine." 

Harry's fingers curled slightly. He forced himself to relax. 

"How generous of you," he said lightly. 

Jim didn't catch the sarcasm, but Lily gave him a sharp look, as if sensing something underneath his words. 

James laughed, ignoring the moment. "It'll be great having both of you at Hogwarts! Two Potter boys in Gryffindor—Filch won't know what hit him!" 

Harry met his gaze with calm indifference. "And if I'm not sorted into Gryffindor?" 

The laughter died down. Jim looked surprised, while Lily seemed thoughtful. James, however, frowned slightly. "Well… all the Potters have been Gryffindors." 

"So have most of the Blacks," Harry countered. "But Sirius wasn't." 

James flinched slightly at the mention of his old friend. 

Lily stepped in quickly. "Of course, Harry. No matter what house you're in, we'll support you." 

Harry inclined his head in acknowledgment, but he noticed the way James' jaw tightened. Support him? Maybe. But James Potter had expectations, and Harry wasn't going to fit neatly into them. 

---

The conversation shifted to Hogwarts and classes, but Harry was only half-listening. Instead, he watched them, studying their reactions, their small tells. He had learned to do this in the Dursley house—anticipate moods, predict outcomes. It was a survival skill. 

Then, almost casually, he decided to test something. 

"Well," he said, stretching slightly. "I'll do my best to keep up. It wouldn't be good if the Heir of House Potter couldn't meet expectations." 

Jim blinked. "Sorry, what?" 

Harry tilted his head innocently. "I mean, I am the Heir Presumptive, aren't I? Since I was born first?" 

Lily looked surprised, as if the thought had never occurred to her. Jim looked confused. But James… James looked like he had just swallowed something bitter. 

"Yes, technically," James admitted, his voice forced into neutrality. "But we hadn't really given it much thought." 

Harry smiled slightly. "Oh, I see. I thought I had misunderstood." 

He hadn't. He knew exactly what it meant. He had read the laws, studied the history. Unless James went through an official, nearly impossible process, Harry *could not* be removed as the Heir of House Potter. His father must have tried, and failed. 

Jim, still oblivious, laughed. "That's fine by me! You handle all the boring Wizengamot stuff, and I'll go fight the Dark Lords." 

Harry smiled back. "Deal." 

Lily gave James a sharp look, as if realizing something. But Harry had already turned back to the window, watching the streets of London fly by. 

The first move had been made. 

---

When they arrived at the station, the Potters were immediately swarmed by well-wishers and reporters. James shook hands, Jim beamed, and Lily smiled for the cameras. 

Harry? He was ignored. 

He preferred it that way. 

Instead of lingering, he quietly made his way toward the train. No one noticed him slip away except for an older woman with a vulture-like hat—Neville Longbottom's grandmother. She gave him a knowing look but said nothing. 

Inside the train, he found a compartment at the back and settled in with a book. It wasn't long before the door slid open. 

A bushy-haired girl peered in. "Excuse me, have you seen a toad?" 

Harry closed his book and gave her an assessing look. "No, but if you ask a prefect, they might know a summoning spell." 

She blinked, then grinned. "That's a brilliant idea! Thanks!" 

She hesitated before sitting across from him. "I'm Hermione Granger." 

"Harry Potter." 

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't immediately gush about his name like others had. Instead, she said, "I read about you, but none of the books mentioned you had a twin." 

Harry smiled faintly. "There's a lot the books don't say." 

She nodded thoughtfully. 

Maybe Hogwarts wouldn't be so bad after all. 

---

As the train rumbled forward, Harry leaned back in his seat. 

This was it. A new world, a new start. 

And if there was one thing he had learned from the past eleven years, it was that knowledge was power. 

And Harry planned to know everything.

******

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