Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, shape or form, own any part of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series, and the only thing I own in this fan fiction is the plotline, and whatever new characters I make up. Please enjoy, and remember: If you have nothing nice to say, then don't say anything at all. Thank you, one and all.
Summary: This story takes place after Book 5, as if Half-Blood Prince never existed. I'm warning you now, if you haven't read Book 5, then this story will make just about no sense to you whatsoever. I'm not going to tell you what's in this story, because I want you to find out for yourselves. Oh fine, it should suffice to say this: Harry gets a sibling, a girlfriend (guess who) and other stuff happens too. The main reason I can't say much is because I'm really just thinking up the story as I go along. Nice huh. This is my first ever story, so if it sucks, I apologize.
Harry Potter and the Two Dark Scars
Chapter One: The Urgent Meeting
It was a cold day, so cold in fact that even indoors people wore extra layers. Now, this might not be so strange if it wasn't mid-July. It also wouldn't be so strange if there was at least a reasonable (well, reasonable in the Muggle world anyway) explanation for it, but there was none. Nobody could explain why it was so cold that people couldn't swim at the beach, or get a tan, even though it was July. Well, almost nobody could explain it.
Some men and women in the Wizarding world had their own theory. It was pretty obvious that the weather was the work of magic, but not even most Wizards and Witches could even guess as to the cause. But there are always those who can see into things better than others.
And Albus Dumbledore is one of those men.
It was not like the old man to call an urgent meeting at the very last second, so abruptly as to interrupt Remus Lupin on the very day when he was expecting to transform into his lycanthrope form as all werewolves do on the night of the full moon, but Dumbledore had his reasons. And, somehow unsurprisingly, the weather was not his main reason, even though it was the main topic everywhere else.
He waited in the dining room of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, which was now temporarily devoid of an owner, as Sirius Black, last of the Blacks, vanished behind a dark veil just a few months ago in a desperate bid by the Dark Lord Voldemort to obtain a very important prophecy concerning himself and The Boy Who Lived. At least he didn't get it, since it was destroyed in the ensuing battle. But, also not surprising, the prophecy, the battle, and the Boy Who Lived were in fact Dumbledore's main reasons for calling for this very urgent meeting of the Order of the Phoenix.
In the dining room were a few things of notice: a large stone basin sat near Dumbledore's end of the table, the glowing silver portents of the basin shimmering, as all Pensieves do, a rather humble-looking book laying right in front of Dumbledore's seat at the front end of the table next to the Pensieve, and Fawkes, Dumbledore's pet Phoenix, who was, strangely enough, indulging itself in a bowl of lemon drops (apparently, Dumbledore's love of lemon drops carries on to his pet).
Dumbledore didn't have to wait long, as almost simultaneously, every available member of the Order arrived, using special Portkeys Dumbledore constructed. The members who arrived included Remus Lupin, shabby as always and looking a little unsettled as he always is on the night of the full moon, Nymphadora Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody with his magical eye swiveling about in its usual somewhat creepy way, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Arthur and Molly Weasley, and last but not least, Rubeus Hagrid, who, as a half-giant, was the biggest man of the assembled party.
They all greeted Albus, and took their seats (Hagrid needed his own special seat obviously). When everyone was seated, Albus cleared his throat to show that he was about to speak, and the room grew silent.
"This meeting of the Order of the Phoenix is now underway," Albus said.
"I am glad you all could make it on such short notice, for this is a matter of utmost importance. First of all, I would like to discuss the abnormally cold weather. I think we can all agree that this is connected to Voldemort, but I believe there is also another reason. It seems the Dementors of Azkaban have grown restless with their meager positions, as we all knew they would, and are starting to act on their own, or acting for Voldemort. I believe that this weather means that their magic is more active than usual, and that they are breeding even more than before."
Moody was the first to speak, "That ruddy damn Fudge should have known better than to trust those damn soul-suckers when You-Know-Who is up and about. I still think he's empty in the head, Fudge is." He spoke with resentment in his voice at the current Minister of Magic.
"I know Alastor, but there is nothing we can do about Cornelius. He knows of Voldemort's return now, but he seems incapable of acting accordingly. Hopefully he does not endanger lives with his ineptitude." Dumbledore said to the wizened Ex-Auror.
"Also, something I would quickly like to discuss," Dumbledore continued, "is the recent battle within the Department Of Mysteries. As we all know, Voldemort sent his Death Eaters there to retrieve the prophecy that we also know concerns Voldemort and Harry Potter. I have asked Harry, and he has allowed me to reveal to you all the prophecy that I myself heard. Please gather around this," Dumbledore said, moving the large Pensieve to the middle of the table.
Everyone gathered around it, and Dumbledore swirled the silvery contents with his wand. The ghostly shape of Professor Trelawney appeared and recited the prophecy, just as it had when Harry heard it after the battle at the Department of Mysteries.
When it was done, all gathered were still staring at the Pensieve.
Arthur broke the silence saying "So what exactly does this mean? Is Harry somehow destined to kill You-Know-Who?" Albus nodded to him
"Yes Arthur, but what we must realize is that Voldemort made the prophecy true when he attacked Harry when he was a baby. If Voldemort never heard the prophecy, or if he had heard the entire prophecy and understood it, he more than likely would never have marked Harry as his equal, as the prophecy so succinctly put it. That scar upon Harry's forehead is proof enough of this."
Tonks was next to speak, "But does this mean that nobody but Harry can kill him? I mean, if You-Know-Who gets hit with a Killing Curse by anybody besides Harry, would it do anything to him?"
Dumbledore puzzled this for literally a second, and then regarded her, "I do not know Nymphadora, nor does anyone else, especially since the only person to ever hit Voldemort with a Killing Curse was technically himself." Dumbledore chuckled lightly at his little joke, while Tonks looked both annoyed and unnerved at Dumbledore using both her first name and Voldemort's name, respectively.
She quickly regained her composure, and spoke again, "But that's just too much responsibility for poor Harry. He doesn't deserve to have that burden on him. For God's sake, he's not even in his final year at Hogwarts! He's had to see that Diggory boy and Sirius die, and its hurt him. Can't anyone else take You-Know-Who on, not even you Albus? You're the only one he's ever feared, and for good reason! Why does Harry have to do it, when there are others that are more equipped than him!"
All the other members, Snape excluded, voiced their agreement. Tonks wouldn't admit it to many, but ever since she met him, Tonks has deeply admired and cared for Harry. She has always been a good judge of character, and as far as she was concerned, there was no soul on earth purer than Harry Potter. Besides, she knows at least a little bit how Harry felt after Sirius' death; Tonks didn't get to know Sirius that well either, and when he died, she felt like she lost a true family member, and a true friend. Nobody has taken Sirius' death well, especially not Sirius' godson, Harry, or Remus, Sirius' fellow Marauder.
Dumbledore looked at Tonks with a mixture of warmth and sadness, "I know, Nymphadora, and I wish he did not have to go through this. But what we must realize is that even if Harry never heard the prophecy, after losing his parents and now his godfather, Harry will want to avenge those he cared for. Harry will go after Voldemort, regardless of the prophecy, and we must do all we can to help him in any way we can."
After letting the other Order members, especially Tonks, take this information in, Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued, this time with determination in his voice, "Now if there is nothing more to be said about the Dementors, the weather, the prophecy, or Fudge, then I shall finally get to the point as to why I had to drag you all here tonight, and do not worry Remus, we will finish in time for you to get somewhere safe for your transformation. I wish to inform you all of something I have kept the strictest secret since the attack on James and Lily Potter."
At these words, everyone's eyes bulged (making Moody's eyes look almost the same size) and they all listened closely to Albus' every word.
"As we all know, Harry's parents were killed that night, leaving him with no parents, and supposedly no family." At those final four words, mouths hung wide, hardly believing what Dumbledore was hinting at.
"What do you mean, 'supposedly,' Albus?" Minerva said, her voice quaking.
"What I mean is that James and Lily knew that no matter what, Harry would be in danger, so they wanted to keep him with them, but Harry was not their only child."
If one thought that their eyes were big before, one would think that someone used an Engorgement Charm on the entire Order's eyes, because now, at this startling revelation, all of them were in shock, and nobody was making even a sound, not even sure they were really hearing what the old man was telling them. Albus seemed to not notice this, and continued.
"Relatively few people knew of this second child, and those who did know were given Memory Charms to ensure that nobody would tell Voldemort of the second child. James and Lily allowed me to place the child in hiding, far away from Godric's Hollow, so as to ensure that, in case Voldemort somehow found them, at least one Potter would survive. I kept the child for a time, and then I gave her to a Wizarding family who I trusted very much. However, I lost contact with them after a time. I spent much time searching for her, and at last, only just yesterday, I found where she was. Apparently, the family I gave her to did not want her anymore, and gave her to an orphanage, which saddened me upon learning this. I do not know what happened to the family I entrusted her to, but they are either dead, or simply did not want the girl anymore."
Dumbledore took a sip of pumpkin juice before continuing, "She has been safe this whole time, I just wish she would have stayed with the foster parents I entrusted her to."
After a few moments of utter silence, Remus spoke, "So… J-James and Lily didn't tell anyone? I would have thought at least Sirius and I would have known. You didn't give us a Memory Charm, did you Albus?"
Dumbledore chuckled, and said "The only ones given Memory Charms were those who witnessed the birth, which were the nurses and the doctor in charge. Since you and Sirius were not there at the birth of the two children, of course you would not know."
Snape, possibly the cleverest, as well as the nastiest, of the lot, noticed what Albus said, his emotions unreadable, "What do you mean, the birth of the two? Are you saying that this girl is Potter's…?"
Albus once again chuckled, took another sip of pumpkin juice, and spoke "Yes Severus, this girl is Harry's twin sister."
As if it were custom during meetings, everyone's mouths once again hung wide open and eyes bulged at this news.
Remus looked as if he was just given a cure to lycanthropy, Moody's eyes were so wide they now looked exactly the same size, Tonks and Kingsley both exchanged glances of complete disbelief with each other, Arthur held Molly's shoulder, and Molly held back tears at the news that the boy she cared for so much like a son actually had a family left. Hagrid pulled out a handkerchief the size of a dinner napkin and blew his nose loudly. McGonagall was mixed between annoyance at Albus keeping this secret from her, and joy at the news. Snape did not have the same reaction as everyone else; obviously he was not taking the news of another offspring of his school enemy very well.
Before continuing, Albus took a lemon drop (with a little difficulty, as Fawkes rather enjoyed the candy), and savored it while twirling his long white beard. When he was done with the lemon drop, Dumbledore raised his hand to ensure everyone that he was a bout to speak, and continued.
"The girl is currently at the orphanage, and I wish for some protection for her, just in case. I highly doubt Voldemort knows of her, but one can never be too sure."
Tonks and Kingsley both volunteered to look after her. Dumbledore then grabbed the book in front of him, opened it, and placed it in the middle of the table for all to see.
Inside there were two photos: one was of a family of four, two parents and two baby children, both of them hardly more than a few months old. The father had very unruly, messy hair, and was holding what one would guess as the daughter (since she was dressed in pink). The mother had beautiful red hair, sparkling emerald eyes, and a smile on her face that not even a Dementor could take away. The baby boy in her arms was playing with a strand of her hair. And one could not ignore the fact that both babies looked identical in every conceivable way, including the shining green eyes they no doubt inherited from their mother. The only difference was the boy was wrapped in a blue blanket with Golden Snitches emblazoned on it, while the girl was lying in a pink blanket with Quaffles dotting the design.
The picture next to the Potter family photo, however, had only one person in it, a girl of about 15 years of age, with long black hair, dressed in Hogwarts school robes, and the one thing that stood out was her eyes; they were obviously Lily Potter's eyes. Her hair was James' color, but it obviously wasn't messy like his or Harry's, in fact her hair was straight, smooth, and beautiful, reaching her waist, shining in the sun. The entire Order stared at the picture of Harry's twin sister for quite some time, noticing how she definitely did seem like a female version of The Boy Who Lived, or a younger version of Lily Potter with black hair.
Dumbledore then retrieved the book since everyone there seemed to be staring at the two pictures as if they were Veela. Remus was the first to speak, "So, she goes to Hogwarts? How come you didn't notice her sooner?"
Albus looked at Minerva for only a moment, and then said "Well, since Professor McGonagall is in charge of sending all Hogwarts letters, I would not know where she was. And Minerva would not think to look for her, seeing as how I was the only one who knew of her existence."
Kingsley was the next to interrupt, "What about this foster family she was with? If they gave her to an orphanage, wouldn't they just as likely go to You-Know-Who and tell him about her?" The old man considered this, again for only a second.
"Well Kingsley that is why I believe they were killed or died in another fashion. They were very trustworthy, and I did not foresee them just dumping her in an orphanage. It is likely they died, and that is why she is not with them. If they did betray me, I have no doubt they would have gone to Voldemort, but seeing as how he seems not to know of her, I doubt that is the case. It saddens me to think they are dead, but the alternative is also unthinkable." Albus said, brought down by the thought of the family he gave Harry's twin sister to dead.
Hagrid could he be heard mumbling to himself, and this did not go unnoticed.
"Something wrong there, Hagrid?" Moody said.
Hagrid looked up, obviously a little embarrassed. After a moment, in which everyone was staring at him, Hagrid finally spoke.
"Well, its jus' that I know tha' girl very well. She's in me Care of Magical Creatures class, in the same class as Harry, one o' me bes' students as a matter o' fact. If I'd knew who she was, I would've told Harry in a split second." He said this with a tone of disbelief in his voice, as if he were still trying to accept the fact that he had both Potter twins in one class together and didn't know it.
On the other hand, Albus smiled. "Well Hagrid, if you did know, then that would have defeated my purpose of keeping her a secret. Not that I would think you to betray me, but there are always ways of achieving knowledge from unwilling subjects. That knowledge would have put you and the girl in considerable danger."
Hagrid nodded, still looking like he just saw his dead mother Fridwulfa.
Remus, who had been staying silent most of the time, finally spoke what was on his mind.
"Are you going to tell Harry?"
Everyone suddenly thought this very same question, and Albus took another sip of pumpkin juice before answering.
"I am not sure it would benefit Harry or his sister if either knew that they were related. Remember, Harry is still a very weak Occlumens, and Voldemort would not have much trouble extracting the information from his mind, thus learning of Harry's sister."
Remus went from looking like he was given the cure to lycanthropy to looking like he had the cure taken away from his hands.
"What do you mean, are you saying you're not going to tell him! You have got to be kidding me, if there was ever something Harry needed to know, it would be this!" Remus exclaimed, jumping out of his seat.
"For God's sake, he's lived his whole life devoid of family, and now we all find out he actually has a living family member, and you won't tell him!"
Lupin looked like he was about to throttle Albus alive, but was calmed down when Hagrid put his large hand on Lupin's shoulder. Hagrid wasn't going to hurt him, but he wanted Lupin to calm down.
Albus waited for Remus to take his seat, then spoke again. "I will tell him, just not at this very second. And if it so happens that Harry discovers his sister without me telling him, then I will be happy to tell him whatever he doesn't figure out by himself."
After a long silence, Albus checked his pocket watch.
"Well, I think that that is all that needs to be said, and Remus needs to be somewhere safe for the full moon, so I call this meeting adjourned. The next meeting will be on July 30th, the day before Harry's birthday. I am not sure yet, but there might be something else for us to discuss, if my contacts in the Department of Mysteries are indeed correct." Everyone looked at Albus, but did not say anything.
Albus said goodbye to all the members of the Order, then one by one, they left Number 12 Grimmauld Place. All in all, except for Snape, everyone had the same thought in their minds; Harry Potter, the boy they all cared about deeply, had, somewhere, something he had wanted from the moment he was robbed of his parents: a family.
A/N: This is, like I said, my first fanfic. I made up every word as I went along, and I had to go back and change and add lines constantly, but I think I did well for a first chapter. Now, we just have to see how things play out. This story is an M, and it will be proven that way next chapter. I plan to have a little intimate encounter and more cursing in the next chapter. Next chapter will show Harry living with the Dursleys, and chances are I will have his birthday next chapter (remember, its mid-July in this chapter, so his birthday is only a few days off). I also think that I'll have another startling discovery next chapter. I would've had it in this chapter, but I am a firm believer in the principle of one revelation per chapter. I also think that either the 3rd or 4th chapter will have the twin sister in it. Trust me; it'll be pretty obvious who she is when she comes. She'll probably be in the 4th chapter, since I want the 2nd chapter to deal with Harry's birthday and getting out of the Dursley's house, and the 3rd one will focus on his remaining summer and his future girlfriend will more than likely be in the 3rd chapter. I'm not saying they'll hook up in the 3rd chapter, nor will Harry's sister be revealed to Harry in the 4th, I'm just saying they'll be introduced in those chapters. I'll give one tiny hint: Harry's girlfriend is a character by J.K. Rowling, not one of mine, and his sister is quite obviously a new character of my design. See, I do think ahead, at least a little. I just can't plan the actual chapter beforehand, it just comes to me in the moment.