Chapter 4: Chapter 4: [An Unexpected Reunion]
Harry was awaiting Professor McGonagall's arrival, his attire a plain white shirt and black pants, a testament to his indifference towards the more traditional wizard robes. He was not one to fuss over his clothes. A wave of nervousness washed over him; he had to pretend to be a stranger to Professor McGonagall. His eyes darted to the clock, noting the time was nearly 10.
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[3rd POV]
Professor McGonagall, having dealt with the last of the Acceptance letters and the remaining workload the previous evening, was now poised to guide the students on their shopping journey. She decided to fetch the twins first, followed by a trip to Peverell Manor for Hadrian Peverell. With her intentions set, she disappeared from the spot, having apparated.
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A soft 'pop' announces Professor McGonagall's arrival in front of a residence in Cokeworth. She rings the doorbell, and soon, a girl with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes appears. "Good Morning, Professor McGonagall, please come in," the girl, known as Miss Evans, invites with a polite nod.
"Good morning, Miss Evans," the professor responds and entering the house.
Professor McGonagall and the young lady, Miss Evans, proceed to the hall where four individuals are seated. There's a man with dark brown hair and emerald green eyes, a woman whose crimson red hair contrasts with her black eyes, a girl mirroring Miss Evans but with crimson red hair, and lastly, a boy with shoulder-length black hair and black eyes. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Evans, Miss Evans, and Mr. Snape," the professor greets them, her tone formal yet tinged with a softness that betrays her fondness for the students.
"Good morning, Professor," everyone greets Professor McGonagall.
"Would you like some tea or coffee?" Mrs. Evans asks.
"Sorry, Mrs. Evans, I need to pick up another student," the professor apologizes.
"No worries, Professor," Mrs. Evans assures her.
The boy who had been seated stands and says, "Professor, may I join you? My mother's health isn't good, and my father detests anything to do with magic."
"Of course, Mr. Snape," the professor agrees, feeling a pang of sadness for his situation.
They all stand outside the house, where the professor produces a portkey. The girl with red hair, curious, inquires, "Professor, what is this?"
"This is a portkey, a magical object that's been enchanted to help us reach a specific location. A house-elf gave it to me for Peverell Manor," the professor explains.
"Professor, is this the Peverell from 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'?" Snape asks.
"Yes, the Peverell of the 'Deathly Hallows', one of the oldest families in Magical Britain and the Wizarding World," she confirms. Snape is taken aback, and the others listen intently, yet no one speaks. Then, the professor activates the portkey, and they vanish from the spot.
With a soft 'pop', they all materialize on the Manor's grounds, where the Deathly Hallows symbol is prominently displayed. All but the professor seem to be affected by the teleportation. The girl with dark brown hair wraps her arms around her midsection, a prelude to nausea, and exclaims, "Professor, I don't think teleportation is for me." The others offer nods of agreement.
"The first time is always the hardest, but you'll adapt," the professor explains patiently. Their attention is then drawn to the symbol on the ground.
"We've arrived at Peverell Manor," she declares.
The boy with black hair gazes at the symbol, murmuring, "Deathly Hallows?".
The girl with red hair looks puzzled. "Is this the symbol of the Deathly Hallows? But it's just a triangle and a circle."
"I'll tell you what it means later," he says, and she nods, her curiosity piqued. The rest of the group is too captivated by the awe-inspiring beach and manor to notice the symbol.
"Let's not waste time," the professor instructs, and they all nod, proceeding towards the manor.
At the Peverell Manor's imposing gates, Whisk awaited their arrival, standing as a beacon of welcome.
"Welcome to the Peverell Manor, Professor McGonagall, and the rest of you," he announced, his small bow an epitome of grace.
"Thank you, Whisk," Professor McGonagall acknowledged with a gentle smile, "These companions of mine will be joining us for shopping today." The group cast curious glances at Whisk, their intrigue palpable yet unvoiced. With a courteous gesture, Whisk guided them towards the Drawing room.
Harry sat in the drawing room, waiting for Whisk and the professor. The echo of footsteps prompted him to stand, aware that the professor wouldn't be alone. His eyes scanned the group — two adults and three children his age. However, Harry's gaze was captivated by a girl with striking crimson red hair and emerald green eyes. 'It can't be, she can't be her,' he thought, a tumult of emotions and sensations taking hold of him, his heart pounding fiercely as he beheld her.
Harry was puzzled by her sudden appearance, only to remember she was with Professor McGonagall. He ached to hug her and let out the tears he held back, but he was painfully aware that to her, he was nothing more than a stranger. "Compose yourself, Harry," he thought, as he suppressed the overwhelming desire to embrace Lily and weep.
Harry, by sheer will, calms the storm within him and steps forward to offer his greetings. "Meeting you is an honor, Professor McGonagall. I'm known as 'Hadrian Ignotus Peverell', a name you're likely familiar with, but I prefer Harry," he states, his tone even but his gaze inexorably drawn to Lily. "Are these individuals also accompanying you and us for the shopping trip?" he inquires, his question laced with a subtle undercurrent of anticipation.
"Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, as you are aware, Harry," she states, her gaze meeting his with a mixture of sternness and understanding. "Indeed, these individuals will also accompany us on our shopping excursion," Professor McGonagall declares. Harry nods in response, a tumult of emotions concealed behind his stoic expression, his mind racing with the thought of being close to Lily during the outing.
Mr. Evans introduces everyone, "Hello, I'm Chris Evans, this is my wife Rose Evans, and here are our twin daughters Petunia and Lily Evans, and finally, a friend of our daughters, Severus Snape," he introduces.
"Hello, Harry, it's a pleasure to meet you," Mrs. Evans begins, her voice laced with a hint of astonishment. "I must admit, when I first saw you, I was taken aback, half-believing you might be my son whom I've never met. Your crimson red hair mirrors mine, and your emerald green eyes are a spitting image of Chris's. You bear such a resemblance to Lily," she remarks. The words hang in the air.
"That's not possible, Mrs. Evans, for I was born into the Wizarding World," Harry declares,
Hello, I'm Petunia Evans, just as Dad mentioned," Petunia greets Harry with a smile
"Hello, I'm Lily Evans, it's nice to meet you," Lily says to Harry, her voice quivering slightly, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she greets him with a shy smile.
Severus Snape introduces himself with a nod of acknowledgment. "I am Severus Snape. Meeting you was a pleasure, Lord Peverell," he states, his tone formal yet tinged with a hint of the complexity that always seems to surround him.
"Hello, it was a pleasure to meet everyone, you may all refer to me as Harry," he says, extending the warmth of friendship to those gathered, inviting them into his world with a simple introduction.
"Please, take a seat, everyone. Whisk, we need refreshments for our guests," Harry instructs, his voice echoing slightly in the grand room. At his command, Whisk nods once and disappears, the air shimmering briefly where he stood.
"Can I ask something, Harry?" Professor McGonagall asks, her voice echoing slightly in the vastness of the room. Harry nods, a sense of unease settling in his stomach as he braces for her question, the air around them charged with anticipation.
"Why don't you ask what you wish to inquire, Professor?" Harry says, his tone polite yet firm
"As far as I know, the last member of the House of Peverell was a woman who married into the House of Potter. So, where do you come from? I mean, there was no male to continue the lineage, so how do you exist?" Professor McGonagall asks, her voice laced with a blend of skepticism and curiosity.
"Professor, as you are aware, ancient families are shrouded in many secrets," Harry explains, his voice carrying the weight of unspoken histories. "The Peverells, too, are an ancient family with their own mysteries. This is one of our family's many secrets, and it is not mine to disclose further," he admits, a trace of solemn responsibility evident in his demeanor.
Then, Professor McGonagall doesn't say anything; she just gives a nod. A while later, Whisk brings some food and drinks.
After the meal, young Petunia approached Harry and inquired, "Harry, does Peverell Manor have a library as well?" Harry was momentarily stunned, pondering, 'Perhaps Petunia and Lily really are twins.' He recalled the Hogwarts professors praising his mother, Lily, for her scholarly achievements. Now, he was going to see the youthful likenesses of his aunt and mother. "Yes," Harry declared with evident pride, "the library is quite expansive. Reading through all its books might take months or years."
Professor McGonagall was taken aback, then remarked, "But it's unlikely to be bigger than Hogwarts' library." Harry replied, a slight edge to his voice, "I beg your pardon, Professor, but many of the books in the library at Hogwarts are, in fact, duplicates of those in the Peverell Manor library."
"That's not possible; the books in Hogwarts' library were collected by the Founders," Professor McGonagall asserts. Harry replies with a hint of pride, "Indeed, the Founders included their own books in the library, but they required additional volumes. They approached numerous Ancient Families, the Peverells among them. The Lord Peverell of that era permitted the Founders to make copies of thousands of books. And a little-known fact— the Founders were unaware of Peverell Manor's existence; the books were simply sent to them for copying."
"That's not possible; the books in Hogwarts' library were collected by the Founders," Professor McGonagall states. Harry responds with a note of correction, "Indeed, the Founders included their own books in the library, but they required more. They obtained books from various Ancient Families, one of which was the Peverells. The Lord Peverell at the time granted the Founders permission to copy thousands of books. And a little-known fact—the Founders didn't even know the location of Peverell Manor; the books were sent to them for copying. You are one of the select few who have seen 'Peverell Manor'. I can say with certainty that the Manor's library now contains more books than Hogwarts."
Harry thought to himself, 'It's fortunate that I studied a bit of history.' "Yes, that could be possible," Professor McGonagall agrees. Harry turns to Petunia and then says, "I'll give you a tour of the library after our shopping."
Professor McGonagall declares, "Yes, we should get going, it's nearly 11, and we have to stop by Gringotts for the money exchange." Harry acknowledges with a nod, aware of the time constraint.
Eventually, everyone congregates outside the Manor, and then, without further ado, they apparate away.
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[A/N: Donate Stone Please]
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