Kathleen's Crisis

Prologue

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office, considering the situation of one of his students, Harry Potter, who had been lying unconscious in the hospital wing for two days now, following an encounter with Voldemort. Harry had won, although the effort nearly killed him.

When Harry awoke, he was going to want answers- answers Albus was not sure he wanted to give the eleven year old. Eleven was too young to be given the responsibilities the answers would give him.

As Albus was thinking things through, there was a blinding flash of white light and a note appeared on Albus' desk. He picked it up and read it, curious, then dropped it in shock. She was still alive! How could that be? He wrote a quick note and sent it off with Fawkes.

Precisely twelve minutes later, a woman wearing red and gold stole across the Hogwarts grounds, through the front doors, and through the halls to the Headmaster's office. Nobody saw her. Nobody ever did.

Twenty minutes after Albus had sent the note, the woman was sitting, sipping a cup of tea in the Headmaster's office.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Albus asked.

The woman nodded. "He is my cousin, and to me there is nothing more important than family. It is my own fault that he was stuck at Petunia's all those years. I will make up for it by spending as much time with him as I can this summer- and all the summers to come."

"You are aware of the wards surrounding the house?"

"Of course. However, he is not happy there and besides that, I have better wards. No one whom I do not give direct permission to can get in, or even find, my house."

"You are prepared, then, to make his protection your highest priority?"

The woman looked him directly in the eye and said, "It always has been."

Harry blinked and opened his eyes. He went to sit up, but a gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Take it easy, you're still very weak." He blinked again and turned his head to see the smiling and relieved face of the Headmaster, and a smiling, kind-faced woman. There was something in her eyes, however, that showed this woman could turn very nasty if angered, and something else that showed deep sadness. This woman had lost a lot, which was easy to see. It was the woman who had stopped him from sitting and who had spoken. She had waist-length black hair that was pulled into a low pony tail, hazel eyes containing flecks of green, and a kind face. She looked, Harry realised, a lot like him.

Then he remembered about the Philosopher's Stone. "Professor, did Quirrell get the Stone?" he was panicking now. The woman began rubbing his shoulder and it calmed him down.

"No he didn't. The Stone has been destroyed. But that doesn't matter right now. Harry, does this woman seem…familiar at all?"

Harry thought about it, straining his memory for an image of this woman. Eventually, he recalled seeing her, or a clever look-alike, lots of places: in the park, on the bus, in the grocery store. "I remember seeing you all over the place, and you sort of look like me. It's like you're related to me, but, other than Aunt Petunia, neither of my parents had any siblings."

"Actually," the woman said, "that's not completely true. James Potter had an older brother. Damien Potter was older by nine years but, because of some strange circumstances, he did not go to Hogwarts and nobody, other than Uncle James' closest friends and Aunt Lily, knew Uncle James had a brother." She sat up a little straighter and said, "My name is Kathleen Miriam Potter, daughter of Damien and Clyssandra Potter."

Harry just gaped at her. "So that means you're my…cousin?"

Kathleen nodded and continued, "My parents are still alive as well, but by the terms of your parents' will, are forbidden to care for you, as was I until now."

Harry looked elated. "Does this mean I can leave the Dursleys?"

Kathleen smiled. It lit up her whole face and almost made the sadness disappear. "After the term's over." At that moment a small frown creased her forehead. She reached into a pocket and pulled out a white Muggle smartphone. She glanced at the display and the frown deepened. "Sorry Harry, but I have to run in to work. I'll pick you up from Platform 9 ¾, 'kay?" Harry nodded. "Oh, and can you do me a favour and write to Petunia and tell her not to pick you up and that she never has to see you again?" Harry nodded again. "Do you have anything left at the Dursleys that you want? Don't worry about clothes, I', buying you a whole new Muggle wardrobe." Harry shook his head.

There was a commotion at the door and the three looked over to see Ron and Hermione running towards him. They stopped when they saw he had visitors. Kathleen turned back to Harry and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "I'll see you at the end of the term Harry," then she left.

Dumbledore left shortly after that as well saying, "careful not to overdo it."

Ron and Hermione turned to him immediately and Hermione asked, "What happened with the Stone?"

Harry quickly told them the story and then said, "But that doesn't matter. That woman who was here? Well, she's my cousin Kathleen, and she said I can live with her! I never have to see the Dursleys again!"

Hermione looked happy for him, but Ron looked a little disappointed. "I was gonna invite you to stay this summer."

"Don't worry; I can probably stay during the day while Kathleen is at work. That's why she left now, is because of work."

Hermione looked intrigued. "Do you know what she does?"

Harry shook his head, "No. It could be in either the wizard world or the Muggle world because she had a smartphone, but she was wearing robes."

"Well, next time you see her, you should ask her," Ron said like it was obvious.

"Yes," said Harry slowly, "yes I think I will."