"You cannot be serious."
"Krysta-,"
"After all this time, you're on his side too?!"
"You must understand-,"
"I understand! I understand perfectly well! I understand more than anyone could ever understand!"
"Krysta, please!"
"No – Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus, I know you're worried about what might happen, but you're living in false truth. You've seen him yourself! Harry is a wreak! And you're all doing this to him by keeping him in the dark!"
A hand landed on Harry's shoulder. With a sharp gasp, he wrenched himself away.
"It's us!" Ron hissed, pulling his friend back before he could crash into the crumbling door and make even more noise.
"Harry, it's the middle of the night," Hermione said, worriedly. "What're you doing?"
Harry shook his head. "I couldn't sleep, then I heard -,"
The sound of a chair being shoved to the floor sounded behind the closed door.
"Professor Dumbledore, I adore you so much, I really do, but I can't do this anymore. It's not fair on Harry. I stayed away from him for sixteen years to protect him, but when I saw him yesterday – I cried." The voice cracked in the most heart-breaking way. "You promised if I stayed away, if I left him in your care, he would be safe a looked after – when I saw him looked like a ghost! No…he looked like a Dementor."
Silence fell.
"Who is that, Harry?" Hermione whispered, her ear pressed to the wood of the door and her brown eyes wide as she stared at him.
Harry just stared back and shook his head. "I…I don't know."
"She sounds so cut up about you." Ron whispered. He shook his head too. "Who is she?"
In the room, there was the sound of rustling, like clothes gathering and pressing against each other…as if hugging.
"Krysta…" Lupin said gently. "We did what we had to do. when Voldemort reappeared and the Ministry started their smear campaign -,"
"You left him alone."
Another silence fell.
"Against all the promises you all made me, you left him alone with those Dursleys. You left him for that other boy to torture, for those blood relatives to turn into a slave, and you left him to deal with the death of that boy that he witnessed so cruelly murdered before his eyes." The girl's voice softened, as if she had taken a step away. "Harry is sixteen years old. He has suffered so much more than any other kid his age has ever done and instead of looking after him, you turned your back on him."
"Krysta, we were trying to protect him." Mr Weasley's voice said desperately. "We were doing what we thought was right."
"What's right?! He looks like death! He's so thin and pale and it's like there's a war going on inside his mind! Mr Weasley, thank you for making him feel so welcome, but you can't seriously think he is okay right now, can you?"
"Well…no…"
"Arthur." Sirius intervened.
"She's right, Sirius. I'm sorry…but I agree. We've dealt with this situation so badly and he is the one that's suffered. She's right – we've done him wrong and he's still suffering because of us."
"We needed to keep him in the dark. It was the only way to keep him away from the smear campaign against him. He's just a boy and he's already suffering, I couldn't let him feel anymore pain."
"This is the wrong thing to do and you know it, Uncle Sirius." The girl's voice stated. "He's a teenager now, not a boy and not a man, he needs to be protected, but coddling him is not the answer and it is not the way to deal with his trauma. I've been watching him for sixteen years and this past year has broken him – how can you all stand there and tell me he's fine? Look at him!"
"We had to do it, Krysta." Lupin said again. "It may not have been the best option, but we couldn't reveal you to him either – how would that make him feel?"
"A lot better!"
"Krysta!"
"I'm sorry, Uncles, but you're wrong about Harry. He is strong and resilient – but he will break if you do this to him anymore. I watched him grow up in that household that hated him, I watched him play Quidditch for the first time at Hogwarts, I sent the car for him when Aragog came for them, I sent the Weasley twins the Marauder's Map so Harry could protect himself and see who was around him – and I saw him break down after Cedric's death the end of the trials."
Silence fell.
"You promised you'd stay away, Krysta." Mr Weasley murmured. "You could have put him in more danger."
"I did stay away. I missed all his happy moments and only came for him when he needed me." The girl's voice answered. "No one ever said I couldn't visit."
"You were watching him all this time?" Sirius said quietly.
"Yes. With you in Azkaban and everyone believing you were the one that betrayed us, I had to bend the promise. Harry was in danger and the rest of you were ignoring him. He was and still is my responsibility."
A struggled quiet fell.
"Dumbledore, say something." Mr Weasley's voice implored.
"Yes, Dumbledore." Sirius and Lupin chorused.
There was another struggled quiet.
Outside the door, Harry struggled to control his breathing. It was ragged and fast, his blue eyes wide and heart racing out of control.
"God…" Ron whispered, mirroring his best friend. "Who is she?"
Hermione pressed a hand to her own pounding heart. "Who is she?"
Desperate to know, Harry pressed his ear to the wood.
"Professor…" The girl said gently. "For sixteen years, I've watched Harry grow up and he doesn't even know I exist. Each time I came for him, I did as you asked of me and it tore my heart out each time- but I still walked away from him. Now, he's in so much pain, I can't let him go again. Not this time. If you won't look after Harry, then I will."
"Harry!"
Harry gasped and whirled around. Automatically grasping his friends, the three of them crashed back against the wooden door and looked up at the furious face of Mrs Weasley dressed in her nightgown.
"Mum!" Ron said quickly, automatically holding his hands up in total surrender. "We can explain -,"
"Save it." Mrs Weasley said sharply, her green eyes blazing.
Pulling the teenagers away from the door, she pushed it open a crack. "You've got eavesdroppers here, Albus, so wrap it up already."
Harry surged forward, ignoring the others grasping at his arms and hauling him back. His heart was thudding out of control, his soul on fire and the millions of thoughts rocketing through his head were so loud, he could barely think over the din.
"Wait!" He called desperately. "Who are you?! I have to know!"
The door was pulled open wide, but before Harry could see inside, his face was clasped in strong hands.
"Harry," Sirius said, forcibly holding the teenager's gaze. "I need you to go upstairs. Please don't make this anymore difficult."
Harry stared at his godfather incredulously. "What?! No! That girl – she knows so much about me, who is she? How does she know all this? Let me see her!"
Lupin caught his arms and hauled him back into the corridor as Sirius continued to hold him still, stemming his struggles.
"Harry!"
Harry twisted around in the others' grip and focused on Ron – but those striking green eyes were trained behind him…on the doorway he was so desperate to walk through.
A hand grasped Sirius' shoulder.
"Sirius," Dumbledore's deep voice commanded. "Let the boy go."
Slowly, all hands left Harry.
The teenager stood still, for a moment completely lost as to what to do. all around him, Sirius, Lupin, Mr Weasley, Mrs Weasley and his two friends stared at him for a long moment.
Then something changed.
As if seeing him for the first time, Sirius stepped up to Harry and once more cupped his face in his hand.
"God…" he whispered, his hand trembling ever so slightly. "You're so pale, Harry."
"And thin." Lupin murmured.
"And still suffering." Mr Weasley whispered, tears stinging his eyes. He looked up at Dumbledore.
"Yes," Dumbledore said with a small smile. "She does know him so very well."
Harry stared at the venerable old man he had come so far to trust with his life in a second. "Professor, what's going on? Someone, please tell me. I can't live like this anymore." His heart pounding, he glanced past the professor to the room beyond. "Who is that girl who knows so much about me? Please, please tell me."
Dumbledore regarded Harry for a long moment, then finally looked at the other men.
"Let us take a drink in the study, gentlemen." He said deftly. "Please accompany us, Mrs Weasley."
Ron's mother looked at him sharply, her mouth dropping open. "You can't – no! She's too dangerous to be around! That girl is nothing but trouble! You cannot do this, Albus!"
"As I understand it, Mrs Weasley," Dumbledore replied. "She has stayed away foe sixteen years to protect him – yet she is the only one who can see the damage our protection has done to him."
Without another word, the old man walked away down the magically extended corridor. Quietly, almost shamefully, Sirius and Lupin followed, giving Harry an apologetic shoulder squeeze each on the way.
"Harry," Mr Weasley said quietly as he too moved away. "Be gentle with her – she will tell you everything. She has always wanted to tell you everything. It was us that stopped her."
Wordlessly, the teenager nodded and watched as he grasped his wife's arm, ignored her mumbled words and they too walked away.
Left alone, the three teenagers looked at the slightly ajar wooden door.
"Harry," Hermione said softly. "Are you sure about this?"
Harry stepped closer to the door and reached out a hand. "She's known me all my life."
"Apparently." Ron added. He swallowed thickly. "You're definitely sure?"
Somewhere deep in his soul, something eased; it felt right. Harry smiled for the first time what felt like years.
"I'm sure."
He pushed open the door.
The Black house was significantly neglected; despite Mrs Weasley's best efforts to give the place some TLC, the kitchen was still in severe disrepair – and now empty.
"What?" Ron said, startled. "Where'd she go?"
"Did she leave?" Hermione asked, glancing around the vast kitchen. "She was so adamant about meeting you, Harry."
Harry stood still. "She didn't leave."
Beside the open door, Krysta smiled.
Vivid amber eyes gazed at him, cast on the most beautiful face Harry had ever seen. Delicate and young, skin like the finest porcelain china, she denied the world true beauty. Her long dark wavy hair that framed her perfect face, gently rippled in the meagre light around her slender form and spilled over her shoulders. Though petite, she was perfectly sculpted, beautiful, delicate, yet striking even when dressed in bootleg jeans and a white sweater.
Behind Harry, both Ron and Hermione stared in stunned awe at the beautiful young woman.
"Hello, Harry." The girl said holding out a hand. "My name is Krysta."
Without even thinking, Harry reached out a hand to clasp hers – then he was enveloped in her arms.
Harry melted into her embrace. He could feel one of her arms around his body, her palm pressed to his back, holding him flush to her, her other arm was around his neck, her fingers running through his thick dark locks, her warm palm pressed to the back of his head as she held him against her shoulder.
The hug was loving and warm and kind…and so very familiar.
Opposite them, the others watched, awe-struck.
The way the girl held Harry was like someone who loved him; had always loved him and loved seeing him again so very much.
Ron glanced at Hermione – she had tears in her eyes too. Relieved, he smiled. The way harry was hugging the girl back was just as adoring, like he cherished her already. He nodded seeing Hermione's mirrored smile and the two of them unconsciously drew closer.
Harry had no idea how long the embrace had lasted, but it was like his shredded soul was being pulled back together, lovingly drawn back with ribbons so the tattered pieces could begin to heal. The hug was life-giving, renewing his faith and soothing his very essence back into the light.
Krysta felt the teenager pull her tighter, unwilling to let this moment go, but she had to and knew full well, this would not be the last time.
Harry looked at the young woman as she drew back, her delicate hands cupping his face the same way Sirius had done.
He watched, captured, as those incredible eyes seemed to shimmer with an inner light surrounded by millions of dark lashes as she focused on him, the vivid amber flickering as she took in every inch of his ashen face.
"Are you hurt, Harry?" she asked.
Her voice was gentle and sweet, enveloping every word like honey.
"No," Harry whispered, unable to take his eyes away from hers. "I feel so much better."
Krysta smiled. "People so often underestimate how healing a hug can be. You already look better then when you walked in here."
The teenager reached up and grasped her hand still at his cheek. "Who are you, Krysta?"
The girl just smiled and stepped out of his touch. "I think you should all sit down before I can answer that question."
Harry surged towards her. "No, I'm sick of waiting. I need to know, Krysta – who are you?"
"You almost fainted last time I told you, Harry. I really think you should sit down."
Harry stopped dead.
Hermione's jaw dropped open. "Last time?"
"When was the last time you told Harry who you were?" Ron repeated. He glanced at his friend. "Have you met her before and didn't tell us?"
Hermione stepped in before Harry could answer. "When did you tell Harry last time?"
Krysta took a seat at the table. "The last time was five months ago – when Cedric died."
Everything stopped.
Seeing their stunned faces, Krysta gestured to the empty chairs around her. "I promise I will tell you everything, please sit down first. I took a lot of energy getting through the protection spells and charms to get into this house in the first place, so I really need to sit down too."
Slowly, the teenagers followed suit.
"How did we meet five months ago?" Harry asked urgently. He leaned across the table, desperately needing to know. "I don't remember meeting you."
"Looking like that, no one would forget you, miss." Ron said.
Krysta smiled as Hermione elbowed him in the chest. "You won't remember me, Harry, don't rack your brains for me. You won't find me there." She closed her eyes and turned away. "After hearing about what happened with the Goblet of Fire, I couldn't just stand by. I saw your picture in the Prophet after the whole year of smearing your name and I couldn't just let you go – Dumbledore promised you were safe and cared for, but when I saw that picture in the paper…this was not keeping you safe or well at all. I had to come to see you." She opened her eyes. "I broke the spells surrounding you and went against the orders of the Order and I came to see you at the Dursleys."
Harry's eyes widened. "I don't remember that."
The other shook her head. "No, you wouldn't. You were such a mess, you weren't even aware of the days passing. Dumbledore forbade your friends to contact you along with everyone else that cared about you – and left you to deal with witnessing a horrific murder and the return of evil himself alone."
Harry glanced at his friends. Ron and Hermione looked away shamefully, knowing fully well it was all true.
"I froze the Dursleys when I came to see you, Harry." Krysta went on. "I had watched them for a week from afar, debating whether I could go against Dumbledore again – he always gets so mad when I do, the tellings off are reaching the hundreds now- but I needed to see if you were okay. You weren't."
An icy silence fell.
Harry closed his eyes remembering those first few weeks back at Privet Drive. It felt like such a haze. His aunt and uncle screaming at him constantly, Dudley's attacks, aching and hurting everywhere, but none more than in his heart.
"I watched the house for a week and you didn't leave your room much for the first few days, then Uncle Vernon locked you in when Dudley beat you up and he blamed you for it. They even forgot to feed you and you didn't make a sound about it. I had to see you." Krysta couldn't stop the tears slipping silently down her cheeks as she looked at the ashen boy she loved so much beside her. "I froze the family and came inside. I unlocked your door and you were on your bed. You were half-starved, Harry, thin and lifeless, fading away under the crushing burden of the trauma you'd suffered. You were awake, but not there."
A ghost of a memory asserted itself in Harry's mind, but it was nothing but mist he couldn't hold onto. "I don't remember."
"No, you were far gone. You wouldn't remember." Krysta smiled gently and wiped her eyes. "You didn't say anything and neither did I. I lay down on your bed with you and held you, the same way I did just now. Then you fell asleep and didn't dream. You just slept."
Hermione stared at the older girl as Harry slowly took this all in. "You just cuddled him and he fell asleep?"
Krysta nodded. "Harry was having terrible nightmares, he couldn't rest. His mind was so messed up with lack of sleep, he couldn't function anymore. Harry slept for almost a whole day. I kept the family frozen so he wasn't disturbed."
"I remember." Harry said softly. "I remember feeling better and waking up without nightmares, but…" he shook his head. "I don't remember you, Krysta."
Krysta sighed deeply. "I wish you could, Harry. We had such a nice time when you woke up, it was like we were a family again."
Gasps circled the table, but she didn't notice.
"When you woke up, I knew you'd be starving, so I cooked for you and baked some snacks to keep in your room in case Uncle Vernon felt like locking you in again. I had Hedwig hide them somewhere and bring them to you when you were hungry."
Harry gasped again. "God – is that why she kept bringing me snacks?!"
Krysta smiled and nodded. "Yes, you have a very smart bird there. She even kept the cookies I made for you fresh for when you needed them."
The teenager sat back in his chair, his eyes wide. "You cooked all that for me?"
"Yes. We had quite a few meals together – even I was surprised nobody noticed the Dursleys were missing for almost a week."
"You were with me for a week?!"
Krysta chuckled. "Yes, it was wonderful – well, except for when you pretty much collapsed when you found me cooking in your kitchen beside a frozen bunch of people."
"Why did I do that?"
"You do it every time I tell you who I am."
"Why?"
"It's a bit of a shock."
"Then who are you?"
Krysta regarded the teenager for a long moment, unable to keep the blissful smile from her lips as she saw those same vivid blue eyes she knew so well cast on a face she knew so well too.
Reaching across the table, she grasped Harry's hands in her own.
"My name is Krysta, Harry." She looked deep into those eyes she loved, letting the teenager see into her soul too. "Krysta Potter."
There were gasps beside Harry, but he didn't notice. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't speak. His heart had been beating out of control, but now was suddenly still alongside his lungs.
Opposite him, Krysta squeezed his hands. "I'm your big sister, Harry."
There were voices, but Harry couldn't make them out. The tide of emotions, thoughts, wonderings, memories, everything erupted all at once. It was like the unserved had exploded in his mind, throwing everything at him all at once, but had only given him one mitt to catch it all.
Then he felt himself being moved, but he couldn't quite comprehend it.
It was several moments later when the world came back into focus – and he found himself wrapped up in Krysta's arms again.
"Harry?" Krysta whispered, gently stroking his hair as she held him tightly. "Breathe, Harry."
The teenager forced his lungs to work, automatically kick-starting his heart too.
After a moment, Harry found his voice again. "Are you really my sister?"
"Yes, Harry. I'm twenty-five. I'm nine years older than you."
She pulled back and smiled seeing tears slipping down the boy's face too. She carefully wiped them away from his pale skins. "I remember when you were born, Harry. Dad didn't have a clue what to do at the hospital so kept getting worked up about nothing and just annoying Mum with a million questions, Mum was screaming and laughing in labour and I was holding her hand through it all – then there was you."
Harry's breathing stunted, his eyes wide and gazing at her in absolute awe.
Krysta chuckled softly. "I never get tired of that look, you know. So many times I've revealed myself to you and that look still makes my heart swell."
"So many times?"
The elder girl sat back in her chair. "We've had this conversation several dozen times, Harry. Each time it happens the same way – you zone out and almost collapse, then you ask me again if it's true, then you wonder if you're dreaming."
Harry turned to Ron and Hermione who were still frozen in shock beside him. "Am I dreaming? Is this really happening?"
The others glanced at each other, then at Krysta.
Hermione leaned forward suspiciously. "In the chamber of secrets, what did Lockhart confess to Harry and Ron? In Harry's first Quidditch match, how did he catch the Snitch? When we saved Sirius from the tower before the Dementors could administer the Kiss, how did we get up there?"
Ron stared at her, stunned. "Hermione?"
"Answer the questions." Hermione said, ignoring him. "If you are Harry's sister and you came to see him five months ago and spent a week with him, he would have shared these secrets with you because we can't tell anyone else."
Krysta nodded. "I understand." She thought for a moment. "Lockhart confessed he actually didn't know anything about Defence against the Dark Arts and had stolen most of his research, Harry almost swallowed the first snitch he caught – Harry didn't tell me that one, I saw him do it and almost died laughing – and you used Buckbeak to rescue Sirius – he's fine, by the way. Uncle Sirius lets me borrow him when I have to disappear. Hagrid is right; he is very sweet really."
The teenagers stared at her stunned.
"God, it's true." Hermione whispered.
Ron turned to his best friend. "You have a big sister, Harry. A super hot sister too."
That earned him another elbow in the chest.
Ridiculously exhilarated, Harry gazed over his sister. "I really have a sister?! Why didn't anyone ever tell me?"
"It's…complicated." Krysta said carefully. "But I've always been here for you Harry. I promised I would stay away after what happened to Mum and Dad, but I couldn't leave you with nothing. I wasn't very good at keeping this promise – I've been watching you all your life. I've seen you do so many incredible things, I swear, but you won't remember. You've also told me the stories over and over again, dozens of times, just like five months ago."
She reached forward and grasped Harry's hand again. "After what happened, I couldn't just let you deal on your own. When you woke up, we had the exact same conversation we had just now and dozens of times before. You rested and recuperated and healed from those scars. We told each other about our lives, we got to know each other again just like each time before and you were getting over the trauma you'd been left with. You were doing so well, you went back to that strong kid I've watched grown up over that week, then…" she looked away.
"Then what?" Ron asked before Harry could.
"Then Dumbledore realised I have broken my promise again and he was angry." Krysta covered her eyes, stopping the tears before they came. "The Order showed up at the door, Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus were so mad – and I was ordered to obliviate your memory again." She drew back her long hair from her shoulder and sighed sadly as she cast vivid amber eyes onto her little brother. "It's why you don't remember me, Harry. I had to wipe your memory every time I came to see you; I had promised and this was my punishment for breaking it."
"I've been watching him for sixteen years and this past year has broken him – how can you all stand there and tell me he's fine? Look at him!"
All this time, I thought I was alone…
Harry pressed a hand to his heart. It was still beating so hard, but it wasn't erratic anymore. It felt like the pulses were trying to get his attention; grabbing at his ribcage and rattling at his bones, trying to tell him that his heart remembered, even if his mind didn't.
"All my life, you were there." Harry said softly. "You said we've had this conversation dozens of times."
Krysta nodded. "Several more than that, really. But I could never outwit Dumbledore – he made me swear and even when I could evade him, it was only a matter of days for him to realise I'd broken the charms so I could see you or just be near you. It was so hard to stay away from you after Mum and Dad, so I kept breaking my promise – the first time I did it, I was eleven and just about to start Hogwarts."
"You went to Hogwarts too?!" Ron pretty much shouted.
Krysta nodded. "I finished my whole education before Harry even started, but when I realised I was going away to school, I also realised I wouldn't be able to see Harry whenever I wanted, so I had to speak to him." She ran a hand through her hair and leaned forward on the desk tiredly. "I wasn't far from you when Hagrid took you to the Dursleys'. I used to take the bus for forty miles so I could watch you through the window – Professor McGonagall was the first to clock onto what I was doing but she always let me stay for a few minutes to see you before zapping me back to Uncle Remus to tell me off ." She smiled. "McGonagall never really told me off, she was always pretty cool like that; even when I snuck off from Hogwarts. She knew I just wanted to see my baby brother."
Harry smiled seeing the shimmering light in her eyes. "You kept doing that to see me?"
"Of course. Mum had told me you were going to be born ages before she told Dad – she was sure Dad would pretty much collapse – and he did – you get that from him too, by the way."
Ron and Hermione stifled a giggle.
Krysta smiled as Harry blushed. "I was there for Mum during the pregnancy. She would grab my hand every now and them to feel you kicking her in her belly too – I knew you'd be a fighter." The other's blush deepened. "I had so many plans for us. We were gonna terrorise Mum and Dad, and play tricks on Uncle Sirius and steal Uncle Remus's chocolate – he always has the best chocolate. It was going to be great."
"It sounds so brilliant." Harry said in awe. He shook his head. "What happened to all the plans?"
The teenagers watched as he young woman looked away and stared hard at the now closed kitchen door.
"Everything changed the week after you were born, Harry. The prophecy was told and all the plans I'd made went up in smoke…so did our family. We were being hunted and we had to run."
Tears slipped down Krysta's cheeks again, but it was different this time. Harry could see the light in her eyes had vanished without a trace, the beautiful amber dulling and the tears seemed to be endless this time.
Suddenly worried, Harry grasped her arm. "Krysta? What is it?"
Krysta clasped his hand over her arm and cast distraught eyes onto his. "I want to you know that I love you, Harry." She told him, her voice cracking so painfully, they all felt it like a dagger to the soul. "I love you so much. Even if we are not blood-related, your Mum and Dad were mine too. Please don't hate me for leaving you alone for sixteen years. I love you so much, I kept defying Dumbledore and my godfathers for you."
"Krysta -," Harry said, scared now.
"It's okay." Krysta said softly. "It's just another trait the three of you inherited from your parents."
Hermione frowned. "What trait?"
The young woman looked at the closed door again. "Eavesdropping."
On cue, the door opened.
It took Harry a moment to realise what had happened. Suddenly his friends were standing behind him and his sister was standing before him – with a wand pressed to her throat.
"I'm not having it." Mrs Weasley said, pushing the tip of her wand into the girl's neck. "She can't stay here. It's too dangerous; especially with all the kids here under one roof."
"Mum! What're you doing?!" Ron cried, grabbing her arm.
"Get out of the way, Ron!"
"Ron's right, Molly!" Mr Weasley said desperately. "She had every right to see Harry! We can't keep them apart – there's no point anymore! Voldemort knows about her already!"
"He wouldn't know if she kept her promise and stayed away!" Mrs Weasley cried. "Now the children are all in danger because of her!"
"ENOUGH!"
Silence fell.
Harry blinked and found himself standing beside his sister, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, scared to death to let her go.
In the middle of the kitchen, Dumbledore lowered his hands and glared Mrs Weasley away from the young woman and into her husband's arms. On either side of him, Sirius and Lupin gazed in wonder at the siblings side by side.
"Krysta, you've broken you promise again." Dumbledore stated.
"That's not exactly news, professor." The young woman answered.
Either side of the venerable old wizard, Sirius and Lupin couldn't help but smile.
Dumbledore sighed deeply. "So…what are we going to do about this?" he glanced past the young woman to the teenager holding onto her for dear life. "Are you sure about your grip there, Harry?"
Harry looked back levelly. "Very sure, professor. She's my sister. And with all due respect, back off."
Again, Sirius and Lupin couldn't hold back their smiles.
Neither could Dumbledore. His watery blue eyes glistened for a moment as he looked over the siblings. "I see you have both made your choices." He focused on the young woman. "You do understand what this means, Krysta."
"I do." Krysta replied. "And Harry will understand too when I explain. I can't leave him again. too many times you elders have forgotten he has a heart and soul that needs to be cared for as well. Mum and Dad asked me to look after him if anything happened to them – I promised them first and I broke that pact when I agreed to stay away." She looked around at each of the adults in the room. "Look at Harry now compared to ten minutes ago – what do you see?"
Everything stopped. Just like the moment in the hallway, every gaze turned to Harry, and turned stunned.
The teenager was still pale and thin, tired and worn out beyond belief, but now his blue eyes were shining the way his mother's did, his cheeks were flushed with passion and life, and his protective streak inherited from his father was kicking in for all to see – trying so hard to protect and keep his long lost sister.
Opposite them, Sirius and Lupin exchanged smiles, then stepped forward –
- and cuddled their goddaughter close.
"I've missed you, sweetheart." Lupin said, kissing her on top of her head. "It's been far too long."
Sirius laughed as he cupped her face in his hands. "You still have all that fire, don't you Krysta? You definitely learned that from Lily."
Incredibly relieved. Krysta hugged her uncles back tightly, so very happy to see them both again despite the heated exchange of before.
"I've missed you too." she sighed, relishing their embrace. "It's been years."
Harry's heart leapt at the scene, but he couldn't help but wonder. "Years?"
Finally, Sirius and Lupin pulled back and glanced at Harry.
"Yes, Harry." Sirius told him. "Krysta has been nomadic for your whole life, she can't stay anywhere too long. With everything going on, we haven't seen her for, what? Two years?"
"Two years." Lupin said shaking his head. "Have you heard of an owl, my girl?"
Krysta smiled. "Have you heard of owl tracking, uncle?"
Harry laughed as both men blissfully cuddled her again. "You all know each other."
"Yes," Sirius said gasping the teenagers hand and drawing him into the little circle. "After what happened with James and Lily, you were sent to the Dursleys and Krysta was sent all over the country to be hidden from the Dark Lord. Unlike you, she doesn't have any blood relatives so there was no one who could form a protection seal with like the Dursleys could with you. That's why nothing ever happens to you when you're with them. They may be the most horrid people, but they were the strongest protection charm we could find."
Harry looked up at Krysta sharply – her words and his godfather's replaying through his mind again.
"Wait a minute – no blood relatives?"
"Do the maths, Harry." Hermione said, appearing beside him. "Krysta was nine when your parents were killed. They were only twenty-one. That would mean they were twelve when they had her." She looked up at the elder girl curiously. "Your sister's adopted."
Krysta grasped Harry's hands again. "Mum and Dad adopted me when I was seven and said I could call them Mum and Dad if I wanted and they gave me their name in return. My name was Krysta Rivera, then it became Krysta Potter."
"Let go of me, Arthur!"
The joy of the reunion abruptly broke.
Mrs Weasley glared at Krysta, then at Dumbledore. "Are you just going to allow this, Albus? She can't be here!"
Ron stared at her, shocked. "Mum! What is your problem?!"
"My problem, Ronald, is that girl is the reason for all the muggle reports of magic in their world. They want her so badly because of what she is, she attracts them like bees to honey! The whole idea of the Order was to keep Harry safe and not attract attention! She can't stay here!"
"I know that Mrs Weasley." Krysta said. "I don't intend to stay here and live – I just don't want to be a stranger to my little brother any more. Do you have any idea what it's like to have someone you love so much have no idea who you are? I was there the day Harry was born, I held him in my arms when he cried, I caught him when he fell trying to walk for the first time – Mum and Dad asked me to take care of him. I swore on their graves that I would and I have. I don't want to be nothing to him anymore!"
Mrs Weasley stepped backwards into her husband's arms, startled.
"I have always put his safety first. I couldn't do that for myself as a child, but I can for him. Each and every time I have come to see him nothing had followed me because I put every precaution into place. I may break my promise a hell of a lot, but I have always done it when it was necessary and certain no danger would follow me. Now, I've had enough. I want to protect my little brother. Even if I have to do it from the other side of the world, I want him to know who I am and I love him enough to break through the spells around this safe house to pull him away from the depression he's spiralling into that you've all been ignoring. He watched someone murdered in cold blood and he couldn't deal – he's just a kid! You can't let that fester or it eats you away inside! He's a shell of what he used to be thanks to all of you! Dad would go spare if he knew what you lot have done!"
Stunned silence descended.
Opposite the fired-up girl, Mrs Weasley lowered her wand and almost shamefully pushed it back into her pocket. All around them, the rest of the adults looked away too, suddenly filled with the same sense of shame and finding the floor extremely interesting.
Finally, Mr Weasley broke the quiet. "She's right. James would go spare if he knew how much we neglected Harry this year."
"Yes." Sirius agreed, nodding. "James would've gone spare."
"God." Lupin murmured. "James would be so mad."
Quiet fell again.
"Not as mad as Lily."
Everyone looked at Mrs Weasley. Ron's mother shook her head and turned away to the door. "Lily would be so disappointed in us too. I'm…I'm sorry."
Mr Weasley followed his wife out of the room.
"I believe the young lady's mind is made up this time." Dumbledore said gently. He opened his arms in a peace offering and as a stand down to the others. "Perhaps it is time to rethink these arrangements."
The tension broke.
And Krysta made a decision. She turned around to her brother, carefully taking his arms from her waist and squeezing his hands reassuringly. Reaching up, she swept his dark locks away from his eyes and understood the fatigue she saw there all too well.
"I think you should go back to bed, Harry." She said gently. "You really need to rest."
Harry shook his head vehemently, a horrible spark of fear staining his lovely blue eyes. "No, Krysta -,"
The other held her fingers to his lips. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere and no one is going to obliviate you either." She glanced at Ron and Hermione. "I think we've kept you kids up late enough tonight. Go to bed. I'll be here when you wake." She smiled warmly at her little brother. "I swear to you in the only fashion I don't break – cross my heart."
Harry smiled – and couldn't help himself.
Krysta cuddled her little brother close, holding him flush to her body the way she had done before, the other hand laid lovingly on the back of his head as she pulled him close.
"Rest, Harry," she whispered, kissing him on the cheek as she pulled back. "I'll see you in the morning."
Reluctantly, Harry backed away from her and felt Ron and Hermione grasping his arms in solidarity as they looked back at Krysta and the four men.
"Professor -," Hermione started.
Dumbledore held up a hand. "The young lady had given an unbreakable oath across her heart. I would not dare go against it, nor will anyone else. Now go to bed."
Harry look one last look at the occupants. His big sister, his godfather and his friend and mentor – and he knew he could trust them right now.
"Good night." He whispered.
Then they were back upstairs.
"Harry!"
Harry blinked and found Hermione shaking him roughly. "Hermione, this is the boys' bedroom."
The girl sighed. "I know that! I was talking to you and you were totally spacing out."
"Oh, sorry."
Lying on one of the beds, Ron looked up at Harry. "So…you okay?"
Harry looked from one friend to the other. "Am I dreaming?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, Harry."
The biggest smile he had ever had took over Harry's face. And Hermione couldn't help but cuddle him and fully join in the ecstatic jumping up and down.
"Now," Hermione said, calming herself down and manhandling Harry into his bed. "Go to bed, your sister was right, you look like death. Go to sleep."
"Charming." Ron said, still laughing at the ridiculous dancing from before.
Harry lay down, then sat up again. his heart and lungs felt out of control again, like they were on fire.
"How can I sleep when I have a sister?" Harry said breathlessly excited. "I have a sister downstairs."
"I know," Hermione said, perching on the edge of Ron's bed. "This all seems so unreal, so mad, so -,"
"Brilliant." Ron finished.
"Yes," Hermione said, grinning. "Exactly." She looked at Harry again. "God, Harry – you have a beautiful big sister!"
The three of them burst out laughing. For almost two minutes, they couldn't stop.
"Okay," Hermione said, dragging herself to her feet and drawing in a deep breath. "Seriously, go to sleep. We all need it. Sleep. Both of you."
Ron and Harry collapsed onto their beds as the girl flicked the lights off on her way out and closed the door.
"Harry?" Ron said through the darkness.
"Yeah."
"You've got a sister."
"Yeah."
Harry signed deeply, unable to wipe the gigantic smile from his lips. He hadn't felt this happy in years, maybe in forever. The warmth of it flooded over his chest like water, inundating his damaged soul with what felt like the elixir of life itself.
Family…I have family…and she's been watching me, caring about me all my life…
"Ron?"
"Hmmm?"
"What's it like having a sister?"
"Same as a brother, I suppose."
"What's that like?"
"…"
"Ron?"
"…"
Harry smiled hearing the familiar snore resonate around the room and pulled his glasses off.
"Goodnight, Ron." He whispered and closed his eyes.
