He was finally at the door from his dreams. The familiar bluish light came from under the door. He could feel his body tingling with anticipation.
Slowly he pushed the door open and found himself staring into a room huge as a cathedral. There were dozens upon dozens of shelves and all of them so high he couldn't even see the top of them. And on each shelf were hundreds of small, dusty, glass orbs. Some bigger, some smaller, but all of them looking otherwise the same. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves, like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. It was a mesmerizing sight, making a shiver run down his spine.
Slowly he stepped inside the room, his friends following closely behind him.
"This is it. This is the room!" He told them. He could see his breath as he spoke, the room was very cold.
"What are those things?" Neville pointed at the orbs on the shelves.
"I don't know, but it's something important. Something Voldemort wants very much." Harry explained. "Come, quickly!" He hurried down the rows of shelves.
"Where exactly are we going?" Ginny asked.
"Row number ninety-seven, he holds Sirius there!" He felt annoyed having to explain himself just now.
Together they hurried between the shelves. They passed row seventy. Then eighty. They counted, 'Ninety-one….Ninety-two….Ninety-three….Ninety-four….They prepared themselves for a fight with the Dark Lord….Ninety-five….They should see something already….Ninety-six….They braced themselves….And ninety-seven.'
There was nothing there. No Sirius, nor a Dark Lord. There was nothing at all. Confused they walked around to the end of row ninety-seven, then around the next one, still finding nothing.
Harry wanted to scream. What was going on?! Sirius should have been here, or a trace of him, or just anything at all. Yet there wasn't.
He would search the whole place if he had to. He would find Sirius if it was the last thing he ever did! Feeling hopeless he wanted to call out to his friends and commence a search when he heard Ron's voice. "Guys? You need to see this!"
Hurrying over he found Ron and the others standing about a third of the way down row ninety-seven, looking at one of the glassy orbs. "What is it, Ron?"
The red-headed boy pointed at one of the orbs, not taking his eyes off of it. "It's got your name on it."
Walking over he looked at the little, dusty plaque. It read:
S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter
Slowly reaching out he took it. The orb glowed and he could hear a horse whisper he heard two years earlier in his third year when he came to return a crystal ball to his Divination professor Sybill Trelawney. He could hear the voice clearly:
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.…'
It was a prophecy. Just like the one she made in his third year about Peter Pettigrew. It was about him and Voldemort. A chill run down his spine. How come Dumbledore never told him about this?! He felt such anger swell inside him. It made him want to scream and smash the disgusting orb. Smash it into a thousand pieces and let no one ever hear those words. When he wanted to start cussing Dumbledore out he heard Hermione, "Harry!"
Harry whirled around in time to see a cloaked figure clad in black and a mask step out of the shadows. Looking around he could see that figure wasn't alone. There were many more. They were surrounded.
The first figure took its mask off and Harry could see the face of Lucius Malfoy looking amused.
"Where is he!" Harry screamed. "Where is Sirius!"
Lucius sneered and somebody behind him laughed. Slowly a woman walked up behind Malfoy. Harry recognized her immediately. Her flowing ebony hair and insane eyes. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. Azkaban had changed her. She was emaciated, her face nothing more than a skull with a thin sheet of pale white skin over it.
"What is it, Potty?" She asked in a childish voice. "Feeling scared without little Siri?" She laughed.
"Bellatrix Lestrange." Neville more stated than asked.
"You must be Longbottom." Bellatrix sneered. "How are mum and dad?"
Neville's hand shot up pointing his wand at the older woman's heart. "Better now that I avenge them!" Neville sneered.
Lucius quickly calmed the situation by stepping between the two. "Now, now, there's no need for this."
"Where is he!" Harry screamed again.
Malfoy sneered. "Can't you tell the difference between reality and dreams?" He asked lightly. "You saw what the Dark Lord wanted you to see. To make you come here."
Harry wanted to kick himself. How could he have been so stupid? He ran straight up into a trap. Even worse, he dragged his friends into it.
"Yes, Potter, you walked in into a trap." Lucius told the teen. "And I must say it was easy to lure you here."
"Why did Volemort want me here?" He asked tearing his thoughts from his stupidity.
"You said his name." Bellatrix whispered. "You filthy half-breed!" She creamed.
Lucius put up a hand to calm her down. "It's alright, he's a curious lad." Then he addressed Harry. "Now, Potter, if you want your friends to leave here alive I advise you to give me the prophecy."
Harry looked down at the orb in his hand. "Why does he want it? Why didn't he come for it himself?"
He could hear the Malfoy chuckle, it enraged him. He wanted to hurt the older man. "Surely you can't expect the Dark Lord to waltz into the Ministry of Magic itself. Too much risk at discovery." Lucius explained.
"So he's a coward?" Harry shot back, earning himself hisses from his friends.
"You filthy worm!" Bellatrix screamed, the other Death Eaters also moving closer, pointing their wands at the children.
Once again Lucius tried to calm the situation. "If I were you I wouldn't insult the Dark Lord. Not while being surrounded by his faithful followers."
He needed to play for time, he thought quickly. "If he wants this so much why didn't you take it yourself?" He asked the Death Eater.
"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Lucius wondered, honestly perplexed. The teen was slower than he expected. "The prophecies are magically protected. Only people who can lift them off their stand are the Keeper of the Hall of Prophecy and the subject or subjects of the individual prophecy. Anyone else who attempts to inspect the orb with their hands will be afflicted with instant madness."
Harry could hear Hermione gasp behind him. "Broderic Bode!" She breathed.
"Indeed." The older Malfoy confirmed. "Your mudblood friend is sharper than you, Potter." He sneered. "Indeed! We put Bode under the Imperius Curse and sent him here. Sadly he couldn't lift it." the man mused lightly. "He must have known because he fought against our curse heavily." He barked out a cold laugh.
Hermione whimpered.
"And then you killed him." Harry finished for them man.
"Well of course," Malfoy said as if talking to a slow student. "We couldn't risk him getting better and spilling our secret. He was a threat to us."
Harry couldn't believe his ears. "You're speaking about him as if you were getting rid of a thing! He was a living human being!" He said desperately.
The Death Eaters gave him incredulous looks as if asking, 'How can you be so stupid to even ask this?' "Of course he was a thing. A tool to further our goals." Malfoy said out loud. "A tool to dispose of once it outlived its usefulness!"
The teens shuddered at his words. They knew the Death Eaters were cruel, but to snuff out a life as if it was a thing?
"Now, the prophecy, Potter." Lucius pointed out.
"Why does he want it?" Harry asked.
"The Dark Lord must know the answers to your survival and connection." Malfoy pointed at the prophecy in Harry's hand.
Harry looked at him surprised. "Answers…." Was the only things he could say.
"Yes," Lucius whispered, "All of those answers to those questions are right there in your hand, Potter."
"All of them?" Harry asked weakly. "Why I survived the attack? Our connection? Why we seem to be drawn together?"
Harry could feel his friends look at him questioningly. What was he doing?
"Yes, Potter," Lucius looked at him what looked like sympathy. "The answers to all of your questions. You can have them all. All you have to do is to give me the prophecy." He extended his hand towards Harry.
Harry was stunned. He wanted to know all of those, but to give them the prophecy? What consequences could that have?
"What if I smash it?" He asked them.
Bellatrix cackled. "You wouldn't dare! It's the only way for you and your friends to get out of here alive."
Harry snorted. "Like you would let us actually just go. No, I don't think so."
"Well, believe us that it is so. We are honest when we say we will let you go. The prophecy in exchange for your lives." Lucius tried calmly.
"And having Him have all the answers?" Neville called out, surprising Harry who was trying to come up with a strategy. "Don't you think you underestimate us?"
The Death Eaters laughed. But a single voice made Harry and his friends snap their heads around. "No, I don't think they are."
Harry's heart was beating hard and fast. A bit more and it would come out of his chest.
"Hazel." He managed.
The girl looked at him with cold eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Ron asked. "How did you get here?"
"I followed you, of course." The girl said not taking her eyes off of Harry. "You were so hell-bent on your 'mission' you didn't even notice me trailing right behind you."
"But why?" Ginny asked. "I don't understand. Why did you stay behind then once you helped us escape from Umbridge's office? Why didn't you come with us?"
The girl rolled her eyes. "Isn't it obvious? I didn't want to be noticed."
"Well," Ron began, "if you wanted to sneak around why didn't you sneak upon them?!" He pointed at the Death Eaters. "Sneak upon them, surprise them and give us a chance?"
"Why would I do that?" She asked sounding almost bored.
"No," Harry breathed, getting his voice back, "please, no!"
"I'm afraid so." She answered.
"What?" Hermione asked. "What is it?" Looking from the girl to Harry.
"She isn't here to help us. She crossed over." Ron said with disgust obvious in his voice.
"No!" Hermione protested. "No, Hazel wouldn't! She wouldn't go against her own brother!"
They could hear Bellatrix cackle. Turning to her they waited. "Unless it turned out he wasn't her brother." She cackled some more. The teens looked at her lost, then to Hazel.
"What does that mean?" Hermine asked.
"Hazel, please!" Harry begged.
"Don't call me that!" The girl screamed. "It's not my name!"
They looked at her with confusion. Harry thought his heart would break. What was going on?
She looked at him with hatred. "My names is Seraphina Lestange!"
Harry gaped at her.
"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked desperately. "You're Hazel Potter, Harry's twin sister!"
The girl snorted. "Do you really believe that?" She asked Hermione. "Do we look like twins?"
"Well," the muggle-born started uncertainly, "not all twins look alike."
The girl laughed a hollow laugh. "Right, but at least they are siblings. We are not!"
"What do you mean?" Harry found his voice. ""We've been together since forever!"
"That doesn't make us siblings." She gave him a hard look. "Get it through your head, we are not siblings! Got it? We've been tricked!" She screamed angrily. "I've been tricked!"
"Tricked by whom?" Hermione asked.
"Dumbledore!" She spat.
It was during their third year. Harry lay once again in the Hospital Wing after his encounter with the dementors during Gryffindor's first Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. Thankfully he wasn't seriously hurt. He was now asleep and everyone had left. Hazel had stayed behind longer, just sitting by his side, looking down at the raven-haired boy who was supposed to be her twin brother.
Long since had she suspected they weren't twins, or actual siblings. His hair was messy and raven black, hers was more like dark ebony and wavy. And it never was so messy. His yes were a bright emerald green, like Lily's. Hers on the other hand were violet. He resembled James as everybody had told him so. Hazel resembled no one. She had absolutely nothing from James and Lily. Nor had she any sort of resemblance to her 'brother.' Not in looks, nor in personality. Everything anyone could think of was different about them.
Her suspicions were confirmed one day in biology class before the two of them started Hogwarts, before they even knew they were wizard and witch. They were learning about genetics and the teacher told them there are signs by which you can tell if you are truly related or not. Harry of course wasn't paying attention, he didn't care about this sort of thing, but Hazel did. She already suspected something was off. At only nine years old.
One of the signs was the chin. If you had a dimple and neither of your parents did. The second were the eyes. You could tell by the shape of the pupils and by the irises. Hazel had thoroughlyinspected hers and realized she had something called Coloboma, also known 'keyhole' shapediris of her left eye. Harry never had that and later on when Harry got a photo album with pictures of his parents Hazel could see they didn't either. Which meant neither of those people were her actually family. Everything she was told about her family and life was a lie.
Yes, it was a lie, but back then they were a family, if not by blood. They used to be really close when it was only them and the Dursleys. However, everything changed when Hagrid came for them and told them they are a witch and wizard.
She sighed deeply, looking up at her 'brother' sleeping peacefully. She packed her things and left. Halfway to her dormitory though she realized she had forgotten her book at Harry's bedside table. Sighing again she turned around and walked back.
When she arrived at the Hospital wing she realized the door was slightly open. Quietly walking up to it she peeked inside through the crack and saw the headmaster standing by Harry's bed and Madame Pomfrey right beside him.
"How is he, Poppy?" The headmaster asked the medi-witch.
"Don't worry Albus, he will be fine by morning." She answered, looking at Harry. The headmaster nodded.
"Was Hazel here?" He asked suddenly, making Hazel look up in surprise when she was about to enter.
"Yes, she left several minutes ago." The headmaster only nodded again at the information. "Albus, are they really siblings? I mean, they are so different! And her eyes, Albus!" She whispered urging the headmaster for an answer.
The ancient wizard sighed. "Don't tell anyone, Poppy, but no, they are not." A troubled expression crossing his face.
What was it about her that made him so uncomfortable, she wondered. Was she to finally learn who her real parents are and what happened to them that she was put away as Harry's sister?
The healer looked at the headmaster with surprise and interest. "And so who is she? Who are her parents?" She whispered.
Hazel leaned closer to her to the door, straining her ears to hear them better. She didn't want to miss anything.
Dumbledore sighed again. "Her parents are Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange." He said heavily. "And her real name is Seraphina Lestange."
Hazel froze. Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange? She heard about them, they were Death Eaters, fanatically loyal to the Dark Lord, and apparently insane.
"The Lestranges?!" The healer gulped, shock apparent on her face.
"Shhh!" The headmaster silenced her, giving her a stern look. "Yes, those Lestranges."
"But how?" The healer asked desperately.
"She was born only a week after Harry," Dumbledore began the story, "to the both Lestranges. Though of course no one knew of her existence back then. They kept her a secret." The old man explained. "She was cared for well," he answered the look in the healer's eyes, "that is until that faithful night."
"You mean the night when Harry somehow defeated the Dark Lord?" The matron cut the headmaster off.
The ancient wizard nodded. "As you know the Lestranges with one another captured the aurors Alice and Frank Longbottom, torturing them just to get any lead on their master. The Longbottoms never recovered and are to this day at St. Mungo's." The matron nodded. "They were all immediately arrested and the girl became an orphan." He sighed again. "All alone with no one to care for her."
Madame Pomfrey's eyes widened. "So how did you find her?"
"Because of Bellatrix herself." He explained. "When she was lead to trial she screamed for her daughter. We knew there were Death Eater spies at the Ministry and they must have heard. Surely she wanted them to take her and raise her as their own. I knew that if the child existed, as I believed she did, since Bellatrix made such a scene, she'd be taught pure-blood supremacy by them and would become like her parents."
The matron was silent for a while. "So she is a pure-blood. A pure-blood Lestrange in Slytheirn."
The ancient wizard nodded. "Things didn't go as well I hoped they would."
"So you found her and gave her to Harry?" Madame Pomfrey asked.
"Yes, I masked her as his sister, even persuading the Dursleys to believe it and treat her as such. I hoped that growing up with Harry she'd be different. She wouldn't be alone and nor would Harry. It'd do them both good. And she would be able to form her own beliefs and opinions about the wizarding world, far away from the poor-blood mania. They both would." He paused. "And so I made them all believe they were twins. They'd be their each family, if not in blood."
The healer nodded. "But she is a good one."
"That she is. She may be a Slytherin, but I'm proud of how she turned out." He said with a small smile. "I could see she judged others by their character, not their birthright."
"Yes," the matron nodded, "she isn't like the others. She is something her house needs."
Hazel couldn't believe her ears. She was the daughter of murders and her real name was Seraphina. She didn't know what to do, she was frozen in place. What should she do?
"Albus, what if she finds out?" Poppy asked worried.
"She will one day and that is why she will have to be told sooner or later, though I hope I still have time for that." He explained. "I don't want to hurt her with the information, nor alienate her from us."
Hurt her? That old git didn't want to hurt her with the information?! That's exactly what he was doing by withholding it! She clenched her hands into fists with anger. How could he? Making her life one big lie and trying to manipulate her into what he saw fit for her.
The matron sighed and shook her head sadly. "That will shock her."
The old wizard nodded. "Yes and that is why I want to wait a little longer. I don't want her to lose her to the other side."
Hazel was now burning with hatred. Was that it? Was he really afraid that she might become a snobbish Death Eater just by telling her? Did he fear her to be a threat? Even as a small child?!
"You despicable old gargoyle!" She whispered to herself, furious.
"And what about Harry?" The matron asked suddenly. "How will he react?"
"Oh I don't think we have to worry about him." The headmaster said matter of factly. "I don't believe he would ever hold it against her or anything. He loves her."
'Oh, is that it?! Little perfect Harry would never do something bad! How could he he's the golden boy!' She thought to herself, shaking with anger, tears in her eyes, 'But obviously I'm a threat and always was, even as a small child!' She'd give anything now for the opportunity to curse the headmaster.
But decided against it and rather stormed off wanting to yell at somebody.
That was two years ago and now she stood here facing her so called 'brother.' "I'm not your sister and never was. It was all one big lie by Dumbledore!"
Harry looked at her dumbfounded. He never knew this, nor did her ever suspect she wasn't his sister. Nor did he ever think that of Dumbledore.
Hermione stepped forward. "But even if that is true that doesn't have to change a thing." She pleaded with the girl. "You are still a family, if not by blood, and you always were."
"Wrong!" She spat at Harry's friend. "Or are you too so blind?"
Hermione too looked at her dumbfounded.
"We were a family only when it suited my dear 'brother.'" She sneered at Harry. "As long as we were with the Dursleys it was all fine. However, once we arrived in the wizarding world things started to change. Especially after we arrived at Hogwarts."
"What are you talking about you snake?" Ron jumped in.
She sneered at him as well. "That's all I am, isn't it? A snake. You narrow-minded, judgemental idiot!"
Hermione too shot Ron a dirty look. "Of course not!" She tried to calm the girl down. "Not everyone thinks this way!" She shot the red-head another look. "We just don't understand why you're so worked up."
"Why I'm so worked up because of this? Well, let's think," she pretended to be deep in thought, "ever since we came here my so called 'brother' basically ignored me. Not telling me anything, nor including me in any of his plans. I was good to him only when he needed something."
"But that's not true!" Hermione pleaded. "He loves you!"
"Well, he sure has strange way to show it then." Hazel shot back. "Ever since first year he distanced himself from me more and more and found himself a new 'family.'" She motioned to them.
"Hazel, please!" Harry finding his voice again pleaded as well.
"Don't call me that!" She yelled at him. "How many times, my name is Seraphina!"
Harry raised his hands in defeat. "Alright, Seraphina." He tried. "But it's not true, I love you! You're still my sister!"
Seraphina snorted again. "As I said, you have a strange way of showing it." She told him. "Already in first year you excluded me from your exploits already, not telling me anything. Only taking your 'friends' here and letting me worry about you. And each year it got only worse. Even when we came back to the abusive Dursleys you never told me anything. Just ignored me!" She looked at him for the first time betraying how much hurt she was by that.
It made Harry wince seeing the pain in her eyes. Was he really so egoistic? He never noticed any of this! "Why didn't you say anything?" His voice cracking.
"You think I didn't try?! You never took the hint!" She threw her arms into the air. "What am I to do? Spell it out for you to actually make you understand what a miserable, selfish brat you were?"
He winced again. "How I literally told you I'd wished to be by your side against Quirrell or in the Chamber? What more do you want?!" He really never did notice. Nor did anyone tell him anything. And she was right, he should have taken the hint and noticed himself. What a terrible brother would not notice and do this to his sister? He felt tears welling up in his eyes. Was he to lose the only family he ever had? "Seraphina, please!" He whispered, falling down on his knees, unable to stand any more.
She hook her head. "It's too late, Harry. You forced me to find my own family." She told him, her face straight. "Both you and Dumbledore, who thought I was a threat even as a small child. I can't go back to that."
Harry could feel his heart breaking. How could this have happened? How could he and Dumbledore have done this?
Seraphina looked at Bellatrix who smiled at her and she slowly walked over to her. Looking the older woman in the eyes she could see what she noticed when she saw her wanted poster….
It was morning and Seraphina came into the Great Hall and immediately noticed the commotion going around the place. She wondered what it was about as she sat down at her house table.
Her questions were answered a moment later when an own bearing the Daily Prophet landed in front of her.
Putting the money for the paper into the owl's pouch fastened to her foot she took the paper. And right there on the front page she saw the woman she read about. The woman who was supposed to be her mother. Bellatrix Lestrange.
It was her wanted poster. She was chained and sneering at the camera. Although the photograph was in black and white she could see it was true. This was her mother. She had the same hair as her and her left eye had the same 'keyhole' shapediris, just like her own.
She found herself staring at the photo of her mother for a very long time. Apparently she escaped from Azkaban. A feat managed only once previously by Sirius Black. Oh how she wished she could have know the woman. She felt very lonely.
Looking at the woman now she could see her hair was the same colour as hers as were her eyes. Very few people had such eyes and even fewer had the exact same defect like Seraphina. This was her mother.
"Yes, child, come to your mother," Lucius told her, "family is, after all, everything. Something these blood-traitors don't understand." He addressed Harry and his friends.
Seraphina walked closer. The woman smiled at her and extended her hand to her, which she took. Suddenly she found herself in a tight embrace from the older woman. "My child! My beautiful child!" Bellatrix repeated.
Suddenly there was a second figure hugging them both. Opening her eyes she saw a short man with very dark hair. She knew that man. She found his photograph in the same paper as she had her mother's. It was Rodolphus Lestrange. Her father. His usually blank stare now filled with emotions. Emotions for his daughter.
Seraphina hugged them both tightly, tears in her eyes. She had a family. A loving family who were interested in her and wanted her.
"Please no, Seraphina." She heard Harry whisper.
All three of them turned to him. "What do you want from my daughter?" Bellatrix sneered.
"I want my sister back." He whispered with tears flowing down his cheeks.
Seraphina looked at him. "You should have thought of that earlier."
"I have made mistakes, I admit, but is that a reason to go over to their side?" He pleaded with her.
"It's not merely you. It's your imbecile of a friend as well. And Dumbledore. I refused to be on the same side as that bastard!" She felt her anger raise again. "That old gargoyle lied to me and manipulated me!"
"Wait, what do you have against me?" Ron asked throwing his arms into the air.
The girl snorted. "Do you really have to ask? It's idiots like you and Dumbledore what is wrong with the world!" She said heatedly. "People who are narrow-minded, judgemental and hate for hate's sake, believe in rumours and manipulate others!"
"Hate for hate's sake? What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?!" The red-head fired back.
"You hate on all the Slytherins, me included, just because we are in that house. You hate because you want to hate. You never give anyone the benefit of the doubt. You refuse to give a single chance!" She gave him a look that made him want to retreat. "Oh no, that'd be too much for ickle Ronnie!" She said in a childish voice so alike her mother's.
Harry noticed his friend go deep red in the face. Then he turned to the girl who was like a sister to him. "What do you mean he hated on you too?"
"Are you really that blind?" She asked her quasi brother. "He slandered me behind your back for years now! Sometimes with other Gryffindors, sometimes with others." She then proceeded to imitate Ron, "She might be Harry's sister, but she's still a snake." She made her voice dull to show how stupid she thought Ron was. "None of them lot can be trusted, I tell you. It doesn't matter who she is she's just like the rest of them, vial and dangerous, she'll go dark, you'll see." "Have you seen her today? Arrogant brat, I tell you. But then what do you expect from a snake?"
Harry stared at her not believing his ears. Turning to Ron he could see the red-head was a deeper red than any before. Suddenly he felt so angry. "How could you?!" He spat at the teen.
"What?" The teen defended himself, taking a step back. "It was true, look at her now!"
Seraphina took a step forwards. "Me and anyone else who takes the same way is your fault. Yours and people's like you! Your hateful, narrow-minded and self-centred ways of this disgusting society do this! The wizarding world needs a wake-up call!" She told them, shaking her head. "How do you think things will go if you continue your ways as you had so far? You'll end up with more and more enemies. People who want to wage war on you and change these disgusting ways."
"So what are you saying, that you're my fault?!" The red-head fired back.
"You really are as stupid as you look like, Ronald Weasley." She sighed and shook her head again. "It's the narrow-minded ways of the wizarding community. Never bending. Never caring what it does to others, just as long as you are in your comfort zone. No, why would you get your heads out of your dream worlds." She pointed at the teen. "And you're just as blind."
"I still don't get you." Ron said shaking his head.
Seraphina wanted to laugh. "You turn away from all the injustices and cause your own. You think you're so much better than us," she waved her hand to indicate herself and the Death Eaters, "but seeing what you are doing you're no better at all. You're just as bad if maybe in different ways. Why else do you think all the giants, werewolfs, vampires and others hate you?"
"Oh, right, I'm just as bad as a Death Eater! Sure, that makes sense!" Ron mocked her.
"Yes, you are!" Seraphina fired back. "How many times did you hurt Harry and Hermione just because you were too arrogant, greedy and narrow-minded? I can tell you!" Shooting him a dirty look. "In third year you hurt both of them with your selfishness, narrow-mindedness and unwillingness to bend. And for what? Because there was a small chance you lost your rat? In fourth year you were too blind to see the truth about Harry and the Tournament. Too jealous and greedy for attention and fame to trust your friend's word. As well as too proud and spineless to admit to Hermione that you were wrong. And so you rather acted like a fool, hurting them both deeply than to simply apologise." Ron turn a bright red. "Shall I continue?"
"That's in the past, Seraphina." Harry tried to divert the conversation, though he knew she was right.
"Don't protect him!" She scolded Harry. Then turned back to the red-head, "And now convert this on magical folk and others. You're being like that all the time. Even towards us Slytherins, just for being Slytheirns, you have no better reason!" She paused for a moment. "And then there is Dumbledore, the oh so called protector of the weak. What has he done? Manipulated others and used them for his own selfish ways!" Harry made another move to cover for the headmaster, but was cut off. "Harry, how many times has that old git manipulated you for his own goals? Only treating you as a thing to use? And then dumped you back at the Dursley's place, even though you told him not to. He knew about the abuse you suffered, but never cared because it steered you towards the way he wanted! Same with me!"
Harry didn't know what to say, she was right, of course, that is exactly what the headmaster has done. He never trusted Harry, treating him only as a child. All those secrets have hurt countless people. Everything would have been easier if Dumbledore trusted Harry, but no he wouldn't. And now Harry has lost the only real family he ever had. Hazel has been there for him whenever he needed, supported him, kept his secrets, was a good person in general, but he betrayed her. Thanks to his manipulations Harry had dragged his friends into a trap!
"You know I'm right, Harry." She told the confused teen. "And the wizarding community? You're a thing to them too. A means to an end when it fits them. One moment you're their hero the next you're the heir of Slytherin and the bad guy. Then you're a hero again that needs protecting from his own godfather. Fourth year you're an attention seeking nutter. And this year you're an attention seeking liar. They don't care about you one bit, only what you can do for them, if they don't think you're a threat at the moment, that is."
Harry was speechless. That's exactly what the wizarding community did to him. Their opinions of him changed more frequently than the weather. As did their support. First they celebrate him and the next moment stab him in the back.
"Harry, no!" Hermione's vice brought him back from his thoughts. "You can't listen to it. She's trying to manipulate you!"
Seraphina shrugged. "Am I really? Or do you not like the truth as well?" She looked at the muggle-born witch. "You should know better. Wasn't it you who tried to fight for house-elf rights? Or was it all a lie?"
Hermione looked insulted. "Of course it wasn't! I know what the wizarding society does and I'm honest with the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare." She shot a sideways glance at Ron.
"Oh really? Then why are you saying I'm manipulating him, when all I'm saying is the truth, or do you deny it as well?" She asked the young witch with interest. "Deny that doesn't appeal to you and keep only what you like."
"I'm not denying anything." Hermione composed herself. "But you're trying to lure Harry over. Do you really think what you did is the right move?"
"Am I now? Or am I simply trying to make him understand what those people truly did?" Seraphina answered calmly. "You just said it yourself that you know what the wizarding society does, so how is this manipulation when I'm being honest about things." She spread her arms slightly, "It's the truth and you know it. Let him make up his own mind."
Hermione turned to Harry appealing to him, "Yes, the wizarding society made mistakes, everybody does, but they can change. Don't let this taint your ideals you fight for."
"Change?" Seraphina barked out a laugh. "Wizardkind continues on in centuries old tracks, they haven't properly changed in all this time. They are content with their narrow-minded ways."
Hermione sighed sadly. "So you'd cross over to those who want to exterminate muggle-borns and subjugate muggles?"
Seraphina cocked her head to the side. "As a matter of fact, yes. I don't believe in this kind of government." She told them. "It supports the weak and corrupt, like Fudge. As for the muggles, they are going to destroy this world if something doesn't happen, so I'm in favour of ruling them. I'd do it too if I had the power." She shocked them all. "The stuff with muggle-borns is a little harsh, but on the other hand how many of them go back into the muggle world, taking our secrets with them, never to return? When I last looked quite a few."
Hermione was silent, not having an answer, her lips a thin line.
Seraphina shrugged. "Well, there you go." She concluded. "You know I'm right about them, don't you, Harry?"
The teenager nodded silently. Then said, "What about my parents?"
He saw his 'sister' give him a curious look. "You heard the prophecy, what would you do in his stead?"
Such question caught him off guard. What would he do if he were the dark lord? He never thought about it. How could you think about such a thing? But then, he knew he could have been one thanks to the treatment he got from the wizarding society. At times he was so angry he wanted to hurt those people. Hurt them a lot. He could see how a dark lord could be made by such a toxic environment. The people literally begged for it with their ignorant ways. And he'd never get the full truth out of Dumbledore, only pieces that suited the old man.
He couldn't speak, so he merely nodded again. Shocking his friends.
His adoptive sister too nodded.
Bellatrix then stepped forward, not willing to only stand by and let them chat. "I think that's enough chatter, we have a mission to complete." She looked at her daughter. "You with us?"
"Of course I am, mother." She hugged her again.
Bellatrix smiled, happy to be with her daughter again and even more having her on their side. She then looked at Potter. "What about you?"
Harry stared at the ground, clutching the prophecy tightly in his hand.
Seraphina took her wand out and pointed it at them.
Disclaimer: No, the name Seraphina is out of my own mind, not Fantastic Beasts. I actually had it before I watched the film, which isn't that long.
Another things about this is that I see three possible scenarios where the story could go. Well, four, one is nowhere, it stays the way it is. Two, is I will write a continuation of the story, however, where will go? One, Harry will join his sister. Two, Harry won't join her as Bellatrix offered and in the end will have to fight against his won sister. And three, Seraphina will trick the others and help her brother, this whole exchange all an act and a way to tell Harry the truth while at the same time growing her own cover in that moment.
However, this wouldn't be written for a long time I suspect, as I have a lot to work on, but would anybody be interested in any of these scenarios or not at all? And if so, which one? Or all?