Chapter 114: "The Potter Encounter"

In the bustling lobby of Gringotts, Harry was almost out the door when he was spotted by the Potter family. The atmosphere shifted suddenly, charged with tension.

Harry had hoped to slip away unnoticed, but Lily Potter's voice, full of urgency, stopped him in his tracks.

"Harry? Is that you, Harry? Please wait. Don't leave," she called out across the quiet hall.

Her plea caught the attention of those around them. Onlookers, recognizing Charles, quickly deduced they were looking at the family of the Boy Who Lived. Whispers began to fill the air, and curious eyes turned toward Lily and Harry.

Harry stopped for a moment, considering his next move. He could have just walked away, continued on his path, and ignored the call. However, he realized it might be time to face what he had been avoiding. Avoiding this confrontation wasn't going to change anything and it was better to face them sooner than later.

Turning around, Harry faced his estranged parents.

Now, standing before them, Harry could really see how little they had changed since that night. Lily and James Potter looked similar to how they always had, except now they were dressed in more fashionable clothes compared to the battle-ready attire they wore during the war days.

Ignoring his parents for a moment, Harry observed his brother, Charles Potter, for the first time since many years ago. If one were to imagine the Harry from the books but a bit chubbier and well-fed, that would be Charles. Charles and James wore identical spectacles. Behind those spectacles he had his mother's green eyes and the characteristic Potter messy hair which Harry was all too glad to have left behind. There was also the famous wand scar on his forehead from that night which made him so well-known. Charles looked confused, not understanding why his mother was calling out to a stranger.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Harry greeted them formally, keeping his tone neutral.

James Potter frowned slightly. "Mr. and Mrs. Potter? Is that how you're going to address us? I know we've made mistakes, but holding a grudge for so long isn't right. You turned out fine, right? No lasting damage."

Harry's expression hardened. "No lasting damage? Is that really what you think? I'm here today because of luck and the help from some very kind people, not because you made sure I was okay." He paused, taking a deep breath to steady his voice. "Do you think this crowded place is the right spot to discuss our family issues? I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want our conversation to become tomorrow's front-page news."

James opened his mouth to respond, possibly to argue, but he stopped himself as he took in the surrounding crowd of onlookers. Realizing the privacy of their conversation was compromised, he gestured towards a private meeting room that Gringotts provided for confidential matters.

Understanding the need for discretion, they all moved towards the room, away from the curious eyes of the public.

Inside the quiet room, Lily made an attempt to mend their relationship. "Harry, we're really sorry. Can you forgive us and come back home with us?"

Harry firmly shook his head, his decision clear. "No, and no. Is that all? Can I go now?"

"Please, Harry," Lily implored, her eyes welling up with tears. "I regret what we did every single day. Give me a chance to make it right."

Harry's voice was cold as he responded, "I don't need you in my life anymore. I have a family now that's complete and makes me happy. When I needed you the most, you weren't there for me. Now, I simply don't need you anymore."

"But I need you, Harry. I want us to be a family again," Lily continued, her voice full of desperation.

Harry looked at her steadily, his expression firm. "You should put down those unrealistic expectations. You chose to abandon me then and now I'm choosing not to come back. I don't need parents anymore. Because of what you did—or didn't do—I've had to grow up quickly and take care of myself."

Seeing the desperate look on Lily's face, Harry sighed and continued, "But I really don't want you bothering me like this again. I'm too busy for your weak excuses. However, I'll give you one chance. I understand that the decision you made back then was under difficult circumstances, and maybe Dumbledore's influence pushed you too. That's somewhat understandable. But if you want me to even consider forgiving you, you'll need to show me that you cared about me after you sent me away. Show me any proof that you didn't just move on and forget about me. Prove that you tried to contact me, that you tried to convince Dumbledore or anyone else to let you bring me back. If you can show me that, then maybe I'll think about reconnecting."

Harry paused, letting his words sink in. He watched their faces fall as they realized the implications of what he was asking for. It was clear from their expressions that they hadn't done anything of the sort.

Seeing this, Harry added, "If you can't provide that proof, I'll give you another chance. I find it hard to believe that any parent could just give up on their child. Maybe you were manipulated into forgetting me or not caring, like having your memories erased or your emotions suppressed. If you can show me proof of something like that, I'll forgive you right away, because it would mean it wasn't really your fault. But if you can't, it just shows that you never really needed me in your life, and you'd probably just abandon me again for the 'greater good.' It's better if we just forget about fixing our family."

Lily began to cry, and James tried to comfort her, but their faces were filled with shame. They had no evidence to offer, nothing to say that could change the harsh truth Harry had laid out.

As Harry prepared to leave the room, the sound of his parents crying caught the attention of Charles, who had been quiet until now. Seeing his mother in tears made Charles visibly upset.

Just as Harry was about to exit, Charles's young voice broke through the heavy silence. "Who are you? Why are you making Mom cry?" he demanded, his tone filled with confusion and anger.

Harry turned to address him. "You heard them call me Harry. Do you know who I am?"

Charles looked puzzled. "Should I know you? I've never heard of any Harry."

"My name is Harry Potter," Harry stated plainly.

"Potter?" Charles turned to his father, bewildered. "Dad, didn't you say we don't have any relatives? Who is this guy?"

Harry asked softly, "Have they ever mentioned that you have an older brother?"

Charles's eyes widened in shock. "What? I have an older brother?"

Seeing the surprise and confusion on Charles's face, Harry looked back at his parents, his expression one of deep disappointment. "It seems I expected too much from you, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. You can forget about fixing things with me. He doesn't even know he has an older brother? You've hidden my existence from him to protect your image? Even after I returned to the wizarding world, you've kept this secret for over two years. This just shows that you don't really regret your actions. You're just trying to cover up your mistakes and ease your own guilt."

Lily tried to explain through her tears. "No, Harry, it's not like that. We care about you, but we didn't know how to tell Charles about you."

Harry responded coldly, "Just more excuses. You didn't want Charles to see you in a bad light, so you kept me a secret from him."

Lily protested weakly, "No, that's not it."

Lily's tears began to flow again, and James tried to soothe her. Harry watched them without feeling anything. At this moment, Charles, now visibly upset and wanting to protect his mother, pulled out his wand and pointed it at Harry.

"Leave, or I'll make you leave," Charles said, his voice firm.

Harry responded calmly, "You're a brave boy. You'll fit right in at Gryffindor with that kind of foolish bravery. But I don't have time for games right now. Goodbye, Potters. I've made my feelings clear. Please leave me alone from now on. Either show me proof, or don't contact me again."

With those final words, Harry left the room, casting one last glance at Charles's wand. He noticed that Charles had a very different wand, not the phoenix-feather wand that the Boy Who Lived was supposed to have, the one that was Voldemort's twin. Harry reasoned that it made sense; after all, Charles was not the child of prophecy, so there was no mystical reason for that wand to choose him. Besides, the life experiences and character of Tom Riddle and Charles Potter were so different that the phoenix wand wouldn't choose Charles based on those criteria alone.

Harry thought that the only possible way for Charles to have ended up with the phoenix wand would have been if Dumbledore had interfered in some way, but Harry doubted Dumbledore considered the twin wand important enough at this stage to manipulate its choice.

With that thought, Harry quickly returned to the main hall of Gringotts, not giving the Potters another look. He hoped this confrontation was the final closure. Harry was sure they didn't truly care about him, and he felt no need to give them another opportunity to seek his forgiveness.