Unraveling Situation!

{Potter Manor, Unplottable}

{10:27 A.M, 1 August 1991}

Unlike any other day, the Potters were slow to wake up. Harry was already in the dining room going through his letter for the 3rd time while Lily was working in the kitchen.

"Dad, can we go to the market later?" Harry asked anxiously, he had been waiting for this moment his entire life. Having grown up seeing adults using magic for every little thing while he had to slave like a house elf wasn't very fun.

'''The upsurge in the price of Abraxan hair is both a blessing and a curse. The Newest Potion invented by Lady Potter has not only made the market for the previous Exstimulo Potion obsolete but it also is hurting the production of...'''

James smiled as he looked up from today's copy of The Daily Prophet. He looked around at his family for a moment, everyone was busy doing their own thing. Rose was climbing on her chair looking at the sandwich on her plate with distaste, before she took a bite while pouting whenever Lily looked in her direction.

"Of course squirt," James grinned as Harry puffed at his nickname. He looked at the watch one more time and frowned, Sirius was late again, most likely lost after another wild night in the muggle world.

"Hun, your article was mentioned in The Daily Prophet, we might need to invite their director to the Yule ball-" James was cut off as the fireplace roared to life.

"Sirius, where the hell- Prof. Dumbledore!" James exclaimed as he stood up. Harry turned around from what he was doing to look at both Headmaster Dumbledore and Prof. McGonagall walking through their fireplace. 

He was about to wave his letter but when he saw the somber look on both their faces he quietly observed.

"What brings you here today Professor-" James greeted but was interrupted as Sirius stumbled through the fireplace. James suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as he scanned his best friend's visage.

'Like always, he stumbled home and didn't even take a shower...' James thought as he pulled out his wand and fired an overpowered cleaning charm at him.

"Scourgify~" James intoned as he flicked his want in Sirius's direction.

"Ow-" Sirius exclaimed as his skin was rubbed raw with the cleaning spell. His black hair was blown back as he stared with accusatory eyes in James' direction.

"What can I do professor," James perfectly switched his attention ignoring his friend. They had gone through this routine many times and even Prof. McGonagall would have rolled her eyes at their antics if not for the news they were carrying.

"Well..." Dumbledore was at a loss for words a little bit, though that was because his mind was still working through the possibilities of how what happened to Alex could have come about.

He simply extended the duplicate copy of Alex's envelope and extended it toward James.

Lily walked out of the kitchen and looked at her husband, he was just standing in front of the fireplace staring at a letter. 

'Something's wrong...' Lily thought as he stared at Sirius walk up behind James to take a peek in curiosity. The way his eyes widened and a dumbfounded look appeared in his eyes, combined with the way James eyes searched for her, panic hidden in them was all the confirmation she needed.

Lily walked forward into the dining room and spoke, "Prof. Dumbledore, Prof. McGonagall, why don't you take a seat."

She smiled politely as she walked up to James. "Lils..." James started but he stammered, words failed him for a moment so he simply extended the letter to his wife. He stumbled a little but he could feel Sirius's hand on his shoulder stabilizing him.

He nodded to no one in particular and then his eyes turned to look at Harry and Rose, both of them had gone quiet likely realizing that something was up with the way everyone was acting. 

James wanted them to tell them that everything was okay but words failed him again. He was a warrior, having fought on the front lines against you-know-who in the last war, and he had paid his price for his hardheadedness.

The reminder of his mistakes was rubbed raw when he stared at the name and the address once again.

'''To, Alex Potter

The Smallest Bedroom

1st Floor, 4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging, Surrey'''

Lily stared at the envelope for a brief moment, her eyes swimming with emotion that she had suppressed again last night. After taking a couple of shaking breaths she gripped the envelope and opened it.

~Snap~

Each sound seemed magnified as a parchment similar looking to the one that Harry had just been gushing about since early morning was visible. Lily gathered the courage to open the letter and read through it, her bright green eyes taking in every little character that was written on it.

The letter was a standard letter but the significance it had for the Potter family was a little too much. She smiled and wiped away the tears that had collected in her eyes as she hugged the letter lightly.

"Thank you, professor, for bringing this to me." Lily smiled a bright smile that hid all her pain as she looked at Albus and McGonagall. Although her smile wasn't sincere the thanks were as Albus realized that both James and Lily had misunderstood him.

"It seems like we have a small misunderstanding Lily," Dumbledore smiled, he hoped this news would bring joy to the family. Although all his plans with the prophecy were ruined, the Potters deserved a break.

"The Hogwarts registry is a magical artifact enchanted by Rowena Ravenclaw herself. It does not make mistakes, it is created with human nature in mind. It is created so that any wizard or witch is born within the British Isles. Everyone born with a considerably powerful magical core, his/her name is recorded in the Hogwarts Registry..." Dumbledore spoke. 

After a moment it clicked, Lily's eyes widened as she realized what Dumbledore was implying, although he wasn't trying to be ambiguous his next words made it crystal clear. 

"...and before creating these enrollment letters that are carried away by Hogwarts owls automatically. The Registry checks on the location and core of the Witch/Wizard once again. If someone leaves England and goes far enough away, or if someone sufferers and accident-" Lily twitched at that, "...then the letter won't be sent."

"You mean he's okay?" Lily asked, the words leaving her mouth as she took a step forward anxiously, the consequences of her actions were the farthest from her mind as her gaze was focused on the letter in front of her.

"Yes Lily, I think so, but I need to check on his core to make sure," Dumbledore replied. 

Lily vibrated in place as she reached back to James almost instinctively, her arms wrapped around his neck as she nuzzled into his neck for a moment. His arms wrapped her up in a comforting hug for a moment.

Harry has always been a patient kid, he knew who Alex was. Even though his parents tiptoed around his brother's name he had talked to the portraits of his grandfather and grandmother enough times to know that he was born with a twin.

An older brother who perished when Voldemort attacked their family all those years ago. His fist balled up remembering that name, but from the way mom's been acting, he realized that something was up.

From the way Dumbledore phrased that sentence and the way both Dad and Mom were huddled together, he was pretty sure that the letter in Mom's hand belonged to his twin.

'But didn't he die that night, why did his letter arrive...' Harry thought. The questions in his head kept popping up, his hand went up as he traced the 'N' shaped mark on his forehead. It had become a habit of his, the mark was his own coping mechanism. 

According to the Weasley twins, having a twin bond was special. He had lost something that they considered an integral part of each other, and all he was left with was a mark.

"What's going on?" Harry spoke, he finally was unable to keep his calm and asked. His voice broke the hug that Lily and James were sharing, Lily looked at his youngest son in dilemma for a moment at what to tell him.

According to the scans that Dumbledore had done on Alex a decade ago, his mana core was unsuitable for living in a mana-rich environment. Having grown up with a sister who couldn't use magic, she was aware of what jealousy could do to someone so she went to Petunia for advice.

Petunia had convinced her to leave Alex with them, since he couldn't use magic she believed that any knowledge about a better world existing would be harmful to Alex.

Alex Potter had died that day, on the fateful Halloween night, he was one of the last victims to be added to the tally of the lives taken with the Dark Lord's wand. 

"It's your brother, Harry, he's okay..."

...

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AN - A dysfunctional family but no abusive Potters or Dursleys! I'm not good at writing Angst so I won't try to.