4 A Desperate Plan

He brought Harry in front of a large portrait of a young couple. It looked like it was their wedding day. The man wore very stiff black robes, and the woman wore a white dress and carried a bouquet of flowers. The man looked very much like Harry, sharing his messy black hair and glasses. The woman had red hair and Harry's green eyes.

'Are these my parents?' Harry asked in awe.

'This is their wedding portrait,' Uncle Marius said. He addressed the portrait. 'James, Lily, I want you to meet your son, Harry James Potter.'

'Harry? You're so big!' James exclaimed. 'How old are you now? Four?'

'I'm six!' Harry said proudly.

'Six already? Practically a man,' his father beamed. 'And quite a good-looking one too.'

Harry smiled.

'How are you, Harry? Have you been well taken care of?' his mother asked, concern shining in her brilliant eyes.

Harry hesitated, and Uncle Marius spoke up for him. 'That's what we're here to talk about,' he said. 'Up until now, Harry has been living with some unpleasant Muggles known as the Dursleys.'

'Petunia?' Lily turned white. 'What did she do?'

'They kept him locked in a cupboard and generally mistreated him,' Uncle Marius said coldly. 'I discovered him quite by accident, and took him away.'

'Thanks, Uncle Mar,' James said, breathing a sigh of relief. 'We owe you one.' He looked at Uncle Marius questioningly. 'Why didn't Sirius take Harry in? He's his godfather.'

Uncle Marius took a deep breath. 'Sirius is in Azkaban.'

'WHAT?' Harry's parents shouted in unison. 'Why?' his mother added.

'For betraying you to the Dark Lord, and for the murder of Peter Pettigrew,' Uncle Marius explained.

Harry was horrified at that news, and so was shocked when his father burst out laughing.

'Sirius, betray us to Voldemort?' he snorted. Uncle Marius winced. 'That's ridiculous. Sirius is the last person on earth who would betray us.'

Uncle Marius sighed. 'I agree with you, but the evidence seems to point in the other direction.'

James shook his head. 'There must be some other explanation. Imperius, perhaps?'

'Perhaps,' Uncle Marius said, 'but that is not actually the most pressing issue at the moment. Our concern is for Harry. If anyone learns that we removed him from the Muggles, he will be sent back to them, and Clytemnestra and I shall likely join Sirius in prison.'

'Why don't you disguise Harry?' Lily suggested.

'That is my intention, but I want you two and Harry to give your imprimatur. I intend to tell the world that Harry is the only son of Sirius Black and Regina Malfoy, Clytemnestra's niece. We shall say he was born when Regina was in hiding in France. Regina died in a tragic accident a month ago, and Sirius is in Azkaban, so neither can object.'

'How are you going to explain that they didn't tell anyone about Harry?' James asked.

'We'll say that Sirius and Regina married secretly because of the political differences between Sirius and her brother Lucius. Regina actually did spend the past several years in France precisely because she disagreed with her brother's positions, so that, at least, is credible. Regina also stayed in close contact with Clytemnestra, so it will be simple enough for us to say that she entrusted us with the boy in her will.'

'You'll have to forge a lot of documents,' James pointed out.

Uncle Marius nodded. 'Already in process.'

'What about Harry's appearance?' Lily asked. 'He looks just like James.'

'You'll have to change his name, too, and not just for show,' James added. 'You can call always him something different, but unless you do something official, the Hogwarts letter will still come addressed to Harry Potter. Dumbledore will figure it out.' He paused. 'There's also paternity tests, and so on.'

Uncle Marius hesitated, and looked back and forth between the portrait and Harry. 'This is why I wanted your blessing, James and Lily. There is a potion I can have brewed—I have an excellent potioneer who asks no questions—which will change Harry's name and appearance effortlessly.

Paternity spells and lineage tests will all agree with the new identity.' He swallowed hard. 'But the potion is highly illegal, and may not be reversible.'

James and Lily frowned and looked at each other before speaking in unison. 'Do it,' they said.

Uncle Marius looked surprised. 'Are you certain?'

Lily nodded. 'We want Harry to grow up in a family that loves him, and to be safe.' She smiled. 'We'll always be Harry's parents, no matter what he looks like.'

'Sirius would want this too.' James grinned mischievously. 'Since he got himself tossed in Azkaban it's the least he can do.'

Uncle Marius turned to Harry. 'What do you think?'

Harry gritted his teeth and nodded. 'I won't go back to the Muggles,' he mumbled.

'I do have one request,' James piped up. 'Let us pick his new name.'