Chapter 4: The Heir of Two Thrones
**July 31, 1980 – Godric's Hollow, The Potter Castle – Henry's Age: Newborn**
The revelation of Lily's true heritage had cast a shimmering veil of possibility over the Potter Castle, its golden domes and rune-carved halls humming with the weight of destiny. The family chamber, with its crackling fire and ancient tapestries, seemed to hold its breath as the implications of Lily's royal blood settled over the room. It was still July 31, 1980, the night of Henry's birth, and the enchanted starlight filtering through the stained-glass ceiling painted the scene in hues of silver and gold. Henry James Fleamont Charles George Arthur Eliseo Elisheva Ezekiel Solomon Apollonius Potter Peverell IX lay in his mother's arms, his green eyes half-closed but his mind alight with the knowledge of what had just transpired—and what was to come.
Lily, still reeling from the magical DNA test that had named her Princess Lily Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor Potter, clutched her son tightly, her expression a storm of emotions. Her red hair, usually so vibrant, seemed dulled by the weight of her thoughts, and her green eyes—mirrors of Henry's own—were clouded with uncertainty. She looked from James to his parents, Charles and Dorea, her voice trembling as she spoke.
"I don't think I want to meet my real family," Lily said, her words soft but resolute. She shifted Henry in her arms, drawing comfort from his warmth as she continued. "Not yet, anyway. I… I don't think I'm ready to meet them—Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, my siblings. It's too much. I've spent my whole life thinking I was a Muggle-born, an Evans. To suddenly be a Windsor, a princess… I need time to process this. I don't even know how I'd face them, or what I'd say."
James, seated beside her on the velvet settee, reached out to take her free hand, his hazel eyes filled with understanding. "You don't have to do anything you're not ready for, Lils," he said gently. "This is your family now—me, Henry, Mum, and Dad. We're here for you, no matter what."
Charles Potter, standing near the hearth with his arms crossed, nodded in agreement. "James is right, Lily. There's no rush. The Windsors don't even know you exist yet, and we can keep it that way for as long as you need. You've just given birth—you should focus on yourself and Henry."
Dorea Black Potter, her grey eyes soft with empathy, stepped closer, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder. "We'll support whatever you decide, dear. If you're not ready to meet them, then you don't have to. Let's take this one step at a time." She paused, her gaze shifting to the crib where Henry had been resting earlier. "But while we're here, with Griphook still present, perhaps we should test Henry as well. We know your lineage now, Lily, and we know the Potter and Peverell blood in him. But I can't shake the feeling that there's more to our grandson than we've uncovered."
Lily hesitated, then nodded slowly, her grip on Henry tightening for a moment before she relaxed. "Alright," she said quietly. "Let's do Henry. I want to know everything—everything about who he is, who he's destined to be."
Henry, listening silently, felt a surge of anticipation. His reincarnation as Elias Kane was a secret he guarded fiercely—no one in this room, not even his parents, could know that he carried the memories of a past life. But this test would reveal the full scope of his heritage, the titles and legacies that would shape his path. He kept his infant body still, his tiny fists curled against his mother's chest, while his mind raced with the possibilities.
Griphook, the goblin genealogist who had conducted Lily's test, was still in the room, standing near the hearth with the enchanted scroll in his clawed hands. He inclined his head at Dorea's suggestion, his obsidian eyes glinting with professional curiosity. "A wise decision," he rasped. "The child's lineage will be a convergence of powerful bloodlines—Potter, Peverell, and now Windsor. I suspect the results will be… illuminating."
James stood, gently taking Henry from Lily's arms and cradling him with a tenderness that belied his usual mischievous demeanor. "Let's get this done, then," he said, his voice firm but warm. He held Henry out to Griphook, who produced the same silver dagger he'd used for Lily's test. With a swift, precise motion, the goblin pricked Henry's tiny finger, drawing a single drop of blood that shimmered with an otherworldly light as it fell onto a fresh parchment scroll.
The scroll glowed brighter than it had for Lily, the golden lines spreading like wildfire, forming a family tree that seemed to stretch across centuries, empires, and worlds. The room fell silent once more, the only sounds the crackling of the fire and the faint hum of the castle's protective wards. Griphook's eyes widened as he traced the lines, his clawed fingers trembling slightly with the magnitude of what he was seeing.
"This… this child is extraordinary," Griphook said, his voice a hushed whisper. "His blood carries the weight of two thrones, two ancient legacies—one magical, one Muggle, both royal. He is a prince and a crown prince from both his mother's and father's sides, a convergence of power unseen in millennia."
Lily leaned forward, her breath catching. "What do you mean? Tell us everything."
Griphook adjusted his crimson robe, his expression a mix of awe and reverence as he began to read from the scroll. "From his mother's side, the Windsor lineage, he inherits the blood of the British royal family. Through Princess Lily Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor Potter, he is a direct descendant of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. This makes him a prince of the Muggle realm, third in line to the British throne after his mother and his uncle, Prince Charles, given the current laws of primogeniture."
James let out a low whistle, his hazel eyes wide. "Third in line… Merlin's beard, our son's a Muggle prince."
Griphook continued, his voice steady but laced with gravitas. "But that is only half of his heritage. From his father's side, the Potter and Peverell lines, he inherits a far older, far more magical royalty. The Potters, as you know, are descendants of the Avalon dynasty, a lineage that traces back to the Roman-Greek magical sovereigns who ruled Britain before the rise of the Muggle kings. The Peverell blood, intertwined with the Potters, marks him as a direct heir to the ancient throne of magical Britain—a throne that has been dormant for centuries but never extinguished."
Charles stepped closer, his silver-streaked hair catching the firelight. "So he's a crown prince on our side as well? The heir to Avalon?"
"Precisely," Griphook said, tapping the scroll. "He is the Crown Prince of Avalon, the Ninth of the Peverell Sovereigns, destined to reclaim the magical throne of Britain should he choose to do so. His dual heritage makes him a bridge between worlds, a unifier of Muggle and magical royalty. His titles reflect this convergence."
Dorea's grey eyes gleamed with pride. "What are his full titles, Griphook? We need to hear them all."
Griphook unrolled the scroll further, clearing his throat as he began to recite the litany of titles, each one longer and more grandiose than the last, reflecting the combined might of the Windsor and Potter-Peverell legacies. "His full name and titles are as follows: His Royal Highness and Imperial Majesty, Prince and Crown Prince Henry James Fleamont Charles George Arthur Eliseo Elisheva Ezekiel Solomon Apollonius Aurelius Maximus Draconis Leonidas Augustus Septimus Valerian Ptolemaeus of the House of Windsor, Crown Prince of the United Kingdom, Heir to the Throne of Avalon, Ninth Sovereign of the Peverell Dynasty, Protector of the Sacred Runes, Guardian of the Eternal Flame, Lord of the Griffin's Crest, Keeper of the Phoenix's Light, Master of the Ancient Magics, Defender of the Realm of Britannia, and Scion of the Roman-Greek Bloodline of Avalonia."
The room seemed to hold its breath as the titles rolled off Griphook's tongue, each one a testament to Henry's unparalleled heritage. Lily's eyes filled with tears of awe, her hands trembling as she reached for her son. James's jaw was slack, his usual confidence replaced by a quiet reverence. Charles and Dorea stood side by side, their expressions a mix of pride and wonder.
"And his Roman name," Griphook continued, "as befits his Potter-Peverell lineage, which traces back to the Roman-Greek sovereigns of Avalon, is Imperator Aurelius Maximus Draconis Leonidas Augustus Septimus Valerian Ptolemaeus. This name reflects his status as a ruler in the ancient tradition, a name that would have been recognized by the Roman magical emperors of old."
Henry, still in James's arms, felt a thrill of satisfaction at the sound of his Roman name. It was perfect, a name that echoed the grandeur of emperors and the mystique of ancient magic. He kept his infant features neutral, though his green eyes gleamed with a knowing light that no one in the room could interpret—not yet.
Griphook wasn't finished. "As for the family name, the Potter-Peverell line, in keeping with its Roman-Greek origins, can be Romanized as well. The surname becomes Aurelius-Peverellius, a name that honors the golden legacy of Avalon and the eternal wisdom of the Peverell brothers."
"So his full Romanized name," James said, his voice hoarse with emotion, "would be…?"
"Imperator Aurelius Maximus Draconis Leonidas Augustus Septimus Valerian Ptolemaeus Aurelius-Peverellius," Griphook replied, his tone almost reverent. "A name fit for the greatest of rulers, in both the Muggle and magical worlds."
Lily took Henry back into her arms, holding him close as she looked down at him with a mixture of love and awe. "My little prince," she whispered, her voice trembling. "My little emperor. You're destined for greatness—I can feel it in my bones."
James wrapped an arm around her, his hazel eyes shining with pride. "He's our son, Lils. A Potter, a Peverell, a Windsor… an Aurelius-Peverellius. Whatever he becomes, we'll be there to guide him."
Charles clapped James on the shoulder, his grin wide. "That's the spirit, son. We've got a future king on our hands—two thrones, two worlds. We'll need to be ready for whatever comes next."
Dorea nodded, her grey eyes fixed on Henry with a quiet intensity. "He'll need protection, more than ever. The Death Eaters, Voldemort… they'll sense his power, even if they don't know his full heritage. And the Muggle world… the Windsors will need to be told eventually, when Lily's ready."
Lily shook her head, her grip on Henry tightening. "Not yet," she said firmly. "I'm not ready to face them, and I don't want them to know about Henry until I am. For now, he's ours—our little prince, our little emperor. Let's keep him safe here, in the castle, surrounded by our love."
The family nodded in agreement, their resolve solidifying in the face of the monumental revelations. The Potter Castle, with its towering spires and cascading waterfalls, its golden domes and rune-carved halls, seemed to shimmer with a renewed purpose. The ancient magic of Avalon pulsed through its stones, as if recognizing the heir who would one day reclaim its throne.
Henry, nestled against his mother's chest, let his green eyes drift closed, his tiny body finally succumbing to the exhaustion of his first day in this new life. But his mind remained active, cataloging every title, every name, every possibility. He was a prince and a crown prince, a scion of two royal bloodlines, a bridge between worlds. His Roman name—Imperator Aurelius Maximus Draconis Leonidas Augustus Septimus Valerian Ptolemaeus Aurelius-Peverellius—echoed in his thoughts, a promise of the power he would one day wield.
The firelight danced across the room, casting shadows on the ancient tapestries, and the castle's magic hummed a lullaby only Henry could hear. He was the heir of two thrones, the reborn soul of Elias Kane, and though no one in the room knew of his past life, they could all feel the weight of his destiny. The path ahead would be long and perilous, but Henry was ready. He had been born for this—reborn for this—and he would not fail.
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Notes on the Chapter:
- **Date and Setting**: The chapter takes place on July 31, 1980, in the Potter Castle in Godric's Hollow, immediately following Chapter 3. Henry remains a newborn, only hours old.
- **Lily's Decision**: Lily's reluctance to meet her royal family is respected by James, Charles, and Dorea, who shift their focus to Henry's lineage, keeping the narrative connected to Chapter 3's emotional stakes.
- **Henry's DNA Test**: The magical DNA test reveals Henry's dual royal heritage—Windsor through Lily, and Potter-Peverell (Avalon) through James—without hinting at his reincarnation, as requested.
- **Titles**: Henry's titles are extensive, reflecting both the Windsor and Potter-Peverell lines, with grandiose additions like "Protector of the Sacred Runes" and "Master of the Ancient Magics" to emphasize his dual legacy.
- **Roman Name**: His Roman name, Imperator Aurelius Maximus Draconis Leonidas Augustus Septimus Valerian Ptolemaeus, is designed to evoke the grandeur of Roman emperors, with elements like "Draconis" (dragon) and "Leonidas" (lion-like) adding a mythical flair.
- **Family Surname**: The Potter-Peverell name is Romanized as Aurelius-Peverellius, tying it to the Roman-Greek origins of the Avalon dynasty.
- **Length and Detail**: The chapter is deliberately long, with detailed descriptions of the family's reactions, the DNA test process, and the emotional weight of Henry's titles, ensuring a rich and immersive narrative.