Chapter Text
“A grandson? Really? How did we not know about this until now?” Sirius asked, his shock quickly turning into anger.
Albus Dumbledore stared at the book with the same sense of disbelief. Voldemort having a child was shocking in itself, but she was a squib, and squibs were useless against magic. But the squib had a child, a magical boy, and the feather that wrote down every magical child born in the Wizarding World trembled as it wrote in neat cursive one name:
Perseus Jackson ---Riddle descendant
“I’m not sure,” Dumbledore said, his tone thoughtful yet grave, “but someone very powerful went through great lengths to keep him a secret. This book was made with very ancient magic.”
“We need to devise a new course of action. This boy could tip the scales in the war,” Moody said with an angry thunk of his wooden leg, as if to put an extra emphasis on his words. The room fell silent, the Order of the Phoenix hesitant to acknowledge the significance of such a revelation. Dumbledore himself could not predict the future that would follow in the wake of this news.
How interesting.
“He’s a child ,” Mcgonagall said, “no matter what his heritage is, we cannot expect him to fight our battles for us. As teachers, it is our job to protect our students, not send them to the front lines. We are not using a boy in the war.” He knew they weren’t talking about Perseus, not truly.
“But will Voldemort see it the same way Minerva?” Dumbledore asked softly, “even now I regret involving Harry in this fight, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and Voldemort would not hesitate to use his own grandson, regardless of his age, against us.”
“If this information is being revealed to us now,” Moody said, “then there is without a doubt a birth certificate appearing in the Ministry of Magic, right where Voldemort’s lackeys can find it.”
Sirius looked to Dumbledore. “What do we do?”
“You can’t be serious Albus,” Mcgonagall pleaded, “For all we know he’s never even heard of magic.”
“We will bring him to Hogwarts,” Dumbledore said, his voice firm with finality, “mentor him, shape him here, so that if he ever met his grandfather, he wouldn’t hesitate to turn him away.”
When Mcgonagall looked away, Dumbledore simply reached out to her, “Please Minerva, what we are doing is the best course of action for everyone involved.”
“You are turning the boy into a weapon,” Mcgonagall said sharply, she couldn’t look him in the eye, “wouldn’t be the first time I suppose. I want no part in this.”
With that, the Gryffindor Head swept out of the office, loudly slamming the door shut behind her.
Dumbledore sighed, turning to the rest of the Order gathered in his office, “I need one person to accompany me to America,” he said, “according to the book, Perseus lives in New York, and the sooner we bring him to Hogwarts, the better.”
“I’ll go,” Sirius volunteered, “I need to meet the person my godson is going to be spending the school year with.”
“Excellent, we’ll leave tomorrow. Mad-Eye, do you and your team have the proper plan on extracting Harry from his muggle relatives?”
“Yes, my team is more than capable of this task.”
“Wonderful. Meeting adjourned,” Dumbledore said, “Severus, could you please stay a moment?”
“ Snivellus is in trouble ,” Sirius sang under his breath, disappearing into the fireplace, followed shortly by Mad Eye-Moody.
“You needed me for something?” Snape drawled.
Dumbledore gazed thoughtfully at the man before him. Severus Snape, a desperate man, hopelessly trying to atone for a mistake he made 15 years ago. He is Dumbledore’s most useful assent, but also the one he must use the most sparingly. It wouldn’t do for Tom to become suspicious after all.
“Moody is right,” Dumbledore said, linking his hands together, “The likelihood that Voldemort knows about the boy is very high, therefore you must be the one to tell him the news.”
Snape blinked, surprised, but Dumbledore continued, “Report back to me his reaction,” he instructed, “this information is vital for the next step.”
The Potions Master nodded curtly and left the office, his black robes billowing dramatically behind him.
Dumbledore turned his attention back to the newest reform the Ministry was pushing, thoughts swirling his mind. Fate has dealt him a hand he could no longer maneuver with certainty. A true wild card. In his many years, Dumbledore has made decisions that haunt him even now, Tom Riddle being at the near top of the list. But with the revelation of a boy, surely this was Fate giving him a chance to do over, to rectify his mistake.
Yes, it is imperative Perseus comes to Hogwarts right away. Dumbledore will right this wrong, mentor him, guide him in a way he was never able to do for Tom. And when the time is right, carefully point his newly crafted weapon towards his grandfather.
How poetic, how fitting, for Tom Riddle to be undone by his own blood.
All for the greater good, indeed.
“Severus, my my, I haven’t seen you in quite a while,” Voldemort said, his voice high and mocking, “having fun with your little Order?”
“They don’t suspect anything my lord,” Snape replied, his head bowed, “but, there is something important we discovered last meeting.”
“I wonder if your definition of important differs from mine,” Voldemort said, Nagini curled around his shoulders, “but please, enlighten me, what earth-shattering news have you brought from Dumbledore’s lips?”
“Dumbledore has discovered your child in America. She has a son, and he possesses magic. The Headmaster wishes to enroll him into Hogwarts this fall.”
Someone let out a little gasp. Murmurs swept through the table. It wasn’t public knowledge that Voldemort had a daughter, it was even less known that she was a squib.
The fact that she had a son, an heir, that could produce magic?
Inconceivable
“You dare mention her,” Voldemort hissed, “in front of me ?”
Snape shrunk back, prepared for the unending agony of the Cruciatus Curse, when instead, he heard Voldemort’s high pitched laughter.
“It’s all right Severus,” the monster said with a predatory grin, “in fact, this is good news! I assume Dumbledore’s already on his way to pick up my grandson?”
Snape nodded, “They are leaving for America as we speak.”
“America? How interesting… my dear follower, prove your loyalty to me, bring me my grandson. I’d like to have a little chat with him before he starts his education at our hallowed institution. Fail… well,” Voldemort lazily gestured towards his beloved pet, “Nagini will certainly eat well, isn’t that right my pet?”
Nagini flicked her tongue at Snape, tasting him.
The Potions Master shuddered.
“You have my word, my lord.”