Disclaimer: See previous chapter.
This chapter is dedicated to my one and only reviewer so far, thanks for the support.
Laila and Bobby had apparated into the village two days prior to Christmas Eve. They had come early so she could have time to explore the village where she was born, then spend some small part of Christmas Eve at her parent▓s graves, then disparate home to her adopted parents for Christmas day. Bobby had come, firstly because she was only 15 and some months, and there for unable to apparate herself, or do any magic, but mostly because her parents didn▓t want her anywhere near England and had only consented as long as she only stayed for the time they told her and had to stay within arm▓s length of Bobby the entire time.
⌠Well, at least they let you come.■ Bobby said, looking around the village square.
⌠They had to, once I learned that my parents weren▓t really my parents, I had to see where my real parents were buried. I just can▓t believe it, they▓re┘ you know, my parents.■ Laila said heaving a small sigh.
⌠They▓ll always be your parents. From what your dad told my dad, what happened here was horrible. He could barely speak about it. I mean, they saved your life you know, and raised you just like they would have raised their own.■ Bobby said, rubbing Laila▓s shoulder.
⌠I know, it▓s just┘ weird, it makes me feel like I don▓t even know who I am anymore. I used to be Laila Fisher, daughter of Bill and Belle Fisher, smart girl, loves horses, youngest witch in one of the oldest wizarding families in America.■
⌠ You▓re still all those things, just instead of being blood related to your parents, you▓re related in a more special way. Anyways lets head to the grave yard, it▓s cold out here.■ Bobby said, gently taking her hand and tugging her towards the grave yard beside the church. A soft sweet carol floated on the icy winter air. Behind them a middle aged couple seemed to be heading to the grave yard as well.
Laila and Bobby wandered around for a few moments looking at the various headstones, and the couple behind them seemed to be doing the same thing.
⌠Laila what were their name▓s again?■ Bobby asked his voice carrying through the night air.
⌠ Well I don▓t know their first names, because my parents didn▓t know them. All my parent▓s could tell me was their last name was Potter and they died on Halloween night 1981.■ Laila called back. Behind her the older couple froze and were staring intently at her.
⌠Ah here it is, Lilly and James Potter. They were kinda young, only 21 the pair of them.■ Bobby said, as Laila hastened to join him. She looked down at the graves of her parents and felt an odd pang of regret. Unbeknownst to her the older couple had come very close to them and were listening to every word they said. Laila drew her wand covertly, and was about to charm some flowers onto the grave when Bobby gave her a look of warning. He nodded pointedly in the direction of the now obviously staring couple. ⌠ You▓re under age Laila.■
⌠I don▓t care I want to put flowers on my parent▓s graves Bobby, they were my parents, murdered by some lunatic, when I was a month old. I need to make my mark here, I need to feel some how close to them.■ Laila said tears coming to her beautiful green eyes.
At that moment, the older gentleman seemed to be fighting with his wife to get at Laila and Bobby, Bobby moved to stand between Laila and the stranger.
⌠Is there a problem here?■ He asked, his voice and demeanor oozing hostility.
⌠Yeah I got a problem.■ The man said. ⌠ I don▓t know who the bloody hell you people are, but you▓ve got the wrong graves. Those people are not your parents.■ The man was practically yelling.
⌠I don▓t know who you are mister but you better back right the hell off, and leave us alone. If my girl wants to put flowers on her parent▓s graves, and they are her parents, then she will.■ Bobby was now matching the man▓s tone and volume.
⌠They can▓t be her parent▓s you idiot because they▓re my parents.■ The woman with the man now looked thoroughly frightened, and started trying to tug the man away. Bobby and Laila gave the man a pair of strange looks.
⌠Look mister, now I know you▓re completely bonkers, these people can▓t be your parent▓s. You▓re near as old as they would be now if they hadn▓t died.■ Bobby said, pushing Laila farther away, as if to shield her from the man▓s obvious insanity. The man swore under his breath.
⌠Look this isn▓t how I normally look.■ The man said, indicating his lower body. ⌠I had to take a potion to change my appearance, because right now it▓s dangerous to be me.■
⌠That▓s a likely story, how could we possibly know that you▓re not having us on?■ Laila said, growing angry at every passing moment. ⌠ These people were my parents, they died here on Halloween some 16 years ago, my adoptive parents found me in the ruins of our home, there was no other kid there.■
⌠That just can▓t be true.■ The woman said finally speaking up. Laila searched in her pockets for a moment and then pulled out two items, one a framed photograph, the other a baby▓s blanket.
⌠Look this was the blanket I was wrapped in when they found me, it has the Potter name and family crest on it.■ She said handing over the blanket to the woman. ⌠This is a picture of my parents and me, my adoptive parents took it off the wall of the cottage when they took me, so that I would know what my parent▓s looked like.■ She handed over the picture as well. The woman looked at both. She was reading the names embroidered on the blanket. ⌠My mom says that that blanket has the names of all the members of my family written on it. Mine▓s there too, right after somebody named Harry, I think he was an uncle.■ The man grabbed the blanket and looked at it. Right after the name James, there stitched into the ancient blanket were the names Harry and Laila. He took the picture from the woman. It was a picture of his parents, and a baby. He wasn▓t sure if the baby was him or not. He opened the back of the frame to read the caption there.
Lilly, James, and Laila Potter. In his mother▓s handwriting, under that an untidy scrawl had been added, by who he felt was his father. Harry sick in bed. The man stood staring at the back of the photo then handed the picture back to Laila. When she read it she looked up sharply at him.
⌠Are you Harry Potter?■ She asked, knowing the answer already in her heart.
⌠I am. I▓m under poly-juice potion.■ Harry said. ⌠Like I said, it▓s dangerous to be me.■ Laila moved toward him, and as she did Harry finally got a good look at her. ⌠You look just like our mother.■
⌠Well, I▓m happy to say you don▓t look anything like her.■ Laila said with a grin.
⌠Normally I look like our father, but I have mum▓s eyes just like you.■ Laila was suddenly feeling all sorts of emotions. She had come to this place to see the graves of her family, and yet she had found a brother, by all the greatest improbabilities. ⌠Uh look can we move someplace else, I really don▓t think it▓s a good idea for me to be out in the open now that I▓ve declared myself to the world.■
⌠Sure just a second.■ Bobby said then raised his wand, a bouquet of fresh Lilies of the Valley appeared on the graves. The woman with Harry also raised her wand and a wreath of Christmas roses appeared next to the lilies. As a group they moved out of the grave yard.
⌠We▓re staying at that inn over there, we can go there and catch up.■ Laila said, taking Bobby▓s hand and leading the group to the small inn. They moved quietly through lobby area and up the stairs. They came to a door half way down the hall on the right side, and Bobby unlocked it, letting them into a beautifully decorated room with a pair of twin beds. Everyone took a seat and the catching up began.
Two hours later, it seemed to Laila like she had known her brother for their entire lives. Apparently Harry felt the same way. He and his friend Hermione had changed back to their usual forms, and Laila had been delighted to discover that Harry in fact looked just like their father, except for Lily▓s eyes.
⌠How about something to eat? I▓m starving.■ Bobby said, patting his stomach.
⌠You▓re always hungry.■ Laila said in a half exasperated way.
⌠Well we really can▓t go out to a restaurant looking like ourselves. We▓ll be sure to be spotted.■ Hermione said.
⌠Bobby can go get us something, since he▓s so hungry.■ Laila said smiling. Bobby rose and left quickly.
⌠So Harry, have you been to the cottage yet?■
⌠No, we went to the graves first. You?■
⌠No I▓ve been kinda putting it off, you know. I don▓t know if I▓m ready to go to there, it▓s weird, my parents have told me all about it down to the smallest details like where the cat bed was.■ Laila said kind of wistfully.
⌠I wonder what ever happened to the cat.■ Harry said. ⌠I hope someone took it in and fed it. Laila gave him a half odd look.
⌠The cat▓s fine Harry, spoiled rotten even.■
⌠What?■
⌠My parents rescued the cat when they took me, they couldn▓t bear to leave her there in that house.■ Laila said. ⌠She▓s really old now, but she still gets into all kinds of mischief.■
There was a loud thudding at the door. Someone called out in an oddly muffled voice. Laila went to the door and opened it cautiously. Bobby came in with an arm load of food, plus two bags in his mouth. He put the food down on the coffee table and everyone began to sort out what they wanted.
After they ate the four of them sat down to decide what to do next.
⌠Well I haven▓t seen the cottage yet, and I▓d really like to.■ Laila said massaging her full belly.
⌠Yeah I▓d really like to go, it just feels weird going to the place where this whole thing started with you-know-who.■ Harry said.
⌠Well we should go now, before we apparate back to Belle Manor.■ Bobby said, pointing his wand at the dresser, where the drawers opened and clothes began folding themselves neatly into the suitcases by the beds.
⌠What do you mean before we apparate to Belle Manor?■ Hermione asked.
⌠Well, obviously it▓s not safe for you guys here right now, come with us to Belle Manor, get a few days of good rest, let my parents stock us up on all kinds of goodies that will make the rest of this journey a little easier.■
⌠Your parents are just going to help me no questions asked? I mean there▓s a ten thousand galleon price on my head. It▓s dangerous to help me.■ Harry said, getting a stubborn look on his face.
⌠My parents will help you because you are my brother, they▓ll help you because if you▓re fighting his modlyness it means there▓s still hope here. They▓ve always opposed he-who-must-not-be-named. There are a lot of witches and wizards in America who want to help. Almost all the old wizarding families are trying to find ways to help out the muggleborns here.■
⌠Why would old pure blood families want to help muggleborns, aren▓t they all about the bloodlines and who▓s married to who?■ Hermione asked.
⌠America is different from England. Most of the old families that came to America came to get away from the pure blood mania. We have pure bloods, both my parents are, but in American wizarding society you marry someone because you love them, not because of their ancestry.■ Laila said. ⌠So let▓s go to the cottage, then we▓ll go to Belle Manor.■
The other three nodded in agreement. They finished packing, and set off to see the place where Harry and Laila had lived.
