I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. I AM MERELY A FAN. I ONLY OWN DEVYN AND HER PARENTS.

Chapter 2

About four or five days later, Higgenbottom came into the room that she shared with some of the other girls, including, you guessed it, Tessa. Higgenbottom looked at her hatefully, a look which she returned full force, before saying, "You have a visitor, Murphy."

"Do I now?" Devyn said, her voice cool with indifference.

"Yes, you do, and don't you dare be impolite and make me look bad."

"Oh, please, you don't need my help for that. You do it perfectly all on your own."

"Why you little -!"

"Ms. Higgenbottom, would it be too much to ask to see Ms. Murphy now?" came a stern Scottish voice.

Higgenbottom instantly went from the monster from hell to the "polite" and "well-meaning" orphanage owner. "Of course, Professor."

Professor, eh? Professor of what, exactly? Devyn thought, putting aside the book she'd been reading. She'd already read it twenty times anyway.

"Murphy, this is Professor McGonagall. She's hear to talk to you about a schooling opportunity. Isn't that lovely?"

All the fake sweetness that Higgenbottom was speaking with made Devyn want to hurl. Instead, she simply nodded. A rather tall, stern looking woman came into the room. Her hair was drawn back tightly into a bun and she was wearing emerald green robes. Although she looked like she wasn't someone to be messed with, Devyn had a feeling that she was much nicer inside than she wanted people to know.

McGonagall nodded at Devyn and she returned it. McGonagall looked at Higgenbottom coolly and she said, "Well, I guess I'll leave you two to it."

"Thank you, Ms. Higgenbottom."

When Higgenbottom finally left the room, McGonagall immediately turned to Devyn and said, "Hello, Ms. Murphy. It's good to see you again. Of course, you won't remember me. It's been a long time."

Devyn blinked and stayed silent for a while. Then she said, "I'm sorry, but I don't remember you. How do you know me?"

"I knew your parents."

"My...my parents? You knew my parents? I thought you were here to talk to me about a schooling opportunity...?"

"I am, Ms. Murphy. Your parents, Victoria Sullivan and Michael Murphy, both attended the school that I am a professor at. You see, it's a special school for people with abilities."

"Like a school for the gifted?" Devyn asked, thinking of X-Men.

"Yes, something to that effect. You see, the school of my employment is called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Devyn was silent for a minute, quite shocked. "Witchcraft...and Wizardry? Magic?"

"Yes. I am aware that this will seem impossible to you. Perhaps, it will even seem like a joke, but it is very much the truth."

"And my parents - they attended this school. Which would have made them -"

"A witch and wizard, yes. And you are a witch, Ms. Murphy."

"Okay. I guess that sort of explains how that glass vanished from the snake's cage..."

"What?" McGonagall said sharply.

"Long story."

"I would very much like to hear it, Ms. Murphy."

"You can call me Devyn, Professor, if you want."

McGonagall seemed flustered for a second or two. "Well, Devyn. I would like to hear that story."

"Sure thing, Professor. Around five days ago, the orphanage took a trip to the Zoo. I went to the Reptile House and there was this Boa Constrictor. I wasn't the only one at the cage. There was this family there, too. The son got annoyed with the fact that the snake was sleeping and told his father to make it move. He told the snake to move, but that did nothing, so the boy yelled at it. Then the other boy, the son's cousin, told him that it was asleep. The son walked off and then the boy apologized to the snake. He said something funny and I laughed. We introduced ourselves to each other. His name was Harry and-"

"Hold on a moment. His name was Harry? Harry what?"

"Uh, Potter, I think, why?"

"Well, Devyn, there's many things that I should explain to you. Anyway, continue on with the story."

"Yes, Professor. The snake woke up and started moving around. Harry's cousin came back over to the snake enclosure and pushed us out of the way. Well, actually, he pushed us onto the floor. We were both glaring at him and then suddenly the glass just disappeared."

"You vanished the glass?"

"Well, I suppose. I sort of hoped it wasn't me; Harry's cousin fell into the tank and then the glass reappeared and he was trapped. I sort of hoped that it was Harry, but what are the odds that we both have magical abilities?"

McGonagall got this very odd look on her face and Devyn deduced what she was thinking immediately, "Harry's a wizard, isn't he?"

McGonagall looked surprised that Devyn figured it out so quickly but nevertheless, she nodded.

"Yes, he is."

"So there's a chance that it wasn't me that trapped his cousin in the snake tank?"

"Yes, there is, but it's impossible to tell for sure. However, like I said before, there are things that I should tell you."

"Like what, Professor?"

She smiled humorlessly and said, "I should tell you the truth about your parents' death."

"What do you mean? They died in a freak explosion, didn't they?"

McGonagall shook her head and a sad look became clear in her eyes. "No, Devyn, they didn't. That was the story that we, meaning myself and Professor Dumbledore, told Ms. Higgenbottom. We came up with that story to...to protect you."

"Protect me? From what, exactly?" Devyn was starting to agitated. First, this complete stranger comes here, claiming to have known her since she was born, telling her that she's a witch and then she tells her that her parents didn't die the way that she had always been told?

"From the people - the monsters who murdered your parents."

Devyn grew very silent, all agitation gone the second that McGonagall said they were murdered.

"Who?" Devyn finally said, her voice quiet.

McGonagall didn't seem to understand her question, so Devyn rephrased it.

"Who murdered my parents? Who are they?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. I can tell you, however, that they are in prison. They were caught for your parents' murders and put into the Wizard prison, Azkaban."

"I don't mean to be rude, Professor, but I have a right to know who is to blame for me being an orphan."

McGonagall seemed to sympathize with her and the look on her face told Devyn that she really wanted to tell her what their names were.

"Please, Professor. Please, I need to know. I don't even remember them. Nothing. I deserve to know who is responsible for this," Devyn pleaded with the older woman.

She hesitated but then said, "Their names were Antonin Dolohov and Bellatrix Lestrange. They worked for a very evil person. I can only imagine that they killed your parents on his orders."

"And what was his name?"

"We don't speak it. Many people fear his name, instead opting to call him You-Know-Who, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me, Professor. I understand a lot more than you'd think."

"I can't...I can't say it."

"Can't or won't?" Devyn challenged her. McGonagall glared at Devyn, who said, "I'm sorry to challenge your authority, Professor, but I can't go into this world - your world, my world - without knowing. If this person was as evil as you say, I would imagine that he left a rather large imprint on the world. I need to know."

"No, you can't go into our world without knowing. Alright, but I will not say it again, so please don't ask me to."

"Fair enough."

McGonagall nodded and said, "He went by the name Lord V-V-Voldemort." She stumbled a little on the name, shuddered, even, but managed to get it out.

"Voldemort?"

McGonagall glared at her for speaking the name but Devyn said, "I have no reason to fear this man, or his name. I will not ask you to say it again, but I will not allow myself to be bullied into fear by a man I have never met."

McGonagall looked a little proud of her when she said this. She nodded curtly and said, "I understand. You are most definitely your parents' daughter. They were exceptionally brave, too. And wise beyond their years...or at least your mother was."

"You knew them?"

"Quite well, yes."

"Could you...could you tell me anything about them?" Devyn asked, sounding hopeful for the first time.

McGonagall smiled, actually smiled, and said, "Certainly. I don't know much about your mother, aside from the fact that for her and your father , it was love at first sight. I do, however, know that she was very brave and very smart. Your father, Michael, was in my house at Hogwarts. I knew him very well, I like to think. There are four houses; I am the head of one of them, Gryffindor. The other three are called Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each house takes students of different qualities."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Gryffindor students are exceptionally brave, like your father. Ravenclaw students are usually quite clever. Ravenclaw was your mother's house. Hufflepuffs are likely to be the most loyal people you'll ever meet. And Slytherin...well Slytherin students are generally sly and cunning. I am sorry to say that Slytherin house turns out more Dark wizards than any other house. Students are sorted by the Sorting Hat; it judges which qualities are most prominent in you and places you accordingly."

"I see," was all Devyn said. "Voldemort was in Slytherin, wasn't he? When he was at school?"

"Yes. Many years ago, yes, he was. Now, your father was very brave...but he was also quite the troublemaker. He had a group of friends that he often pulled pranks with. Usually they were on the Slytherin students. Gryffindor and Slytherin have been rivals for centuries now."

"What were their names?" Devyn asked, desperate for any information regarding her parents.

McGonagall smiled and said, "Well, there were four of them, not including your father. The leader, James Potter, was a Quidditch player. He was extremely smart, but extremely lazy. He was also a bit egotistical, although that calmed down as he got older."

"Potter? Harry's dad, I'll take it."

"Very good. Yes, James was Harry's father. Harry greatly resembles his father, except for his eyes. He has his mother's eyes. Her name was Lily Evans."

Devyn smiled at being right and then asked, "What's Quidditch?"

"It's the Wizarding World's most popular sport. James was a very talented player of the game. You'll learn all about it at Hogwarts."

Devyn nodded and McGonagall continued, "James's best friend and basically his brother, was Sirius Black. He also played Quidditch. Now, Sirius was quite the ladies' man. I know for a fact that he flirted with your mother more than once, but she had eyes only for your father. Sirius was also very smart, brilliant in fact, but just as lazy as James. Sirius, once Harry was born, was named his godfather."

McGonagall had a look in her eyes that was a cross between anger and sadness when she spoke of Sirius, but Devyn didn't ask why. She had a feeling that she'd learn why in time.

"Then there was Remus Lupin. He was easily the most academically inclined of the group. He took learning very seriously. Still does, I'm sure. Remus was, and still is, a kind, gentle, and loyal person. He suffered many hardships throughout his life, but was never bitter about them. He often said that everything he'd gone through only made him stronger."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Devyn said. McGonagall nodded and said, "And then there was Peter Pettigrew. I never understood why your father and his friends let Peter into their little group. He wasn't especially bright, nor was he very talented at anything. A part of me thought, and still thinks, that they felt sorry for him."

"What happened to all of them? I mean, I know James died. Harry's an orphan, which means Lily died, too. And my parents are dead. But what about Sirius, Remus, and Peter?"

"Sirius is in prison for murder," McGonagall said, that angry/sad look back in her eyes. "For Peter's murder, actually."

"Sirius murdered Peter? But I thought they were friends!"

"They were. Sirius came from a very powerful, very...Dark family. His parents were supporters of You-Know-Who, and his younger brother, Regulus, ended up working for You-Know-Who. He was a Death Eater."

"A Death Eater? That's what Voldemort's followers were called?"

"Yes," McGonagall said, shivering when Devyn said the name.

"Ah. And Sirius was one of them?"

"Yes. I never thought that he would go over to their side. He was always claiming that he wasn't anything like his family. I don't know why he did. He was in my house, Sirius was. They all were. But Sirius went bad, and murdered Peter. Destroyed him."

Devyn said nothing and let McGonagall continue. "So, Sirius was caught and thrown into prison. Peter was murdered not long after James and Lily, and your parents were only months before James and Lily."

"That's horrible. And Remus was left all alone?"

"Yes. I don't know exactly where Remus is right now, but I know where he lives, if I ever need to contact him. You know, they all nicknames for one another. Michael, your father, was Hoot."

"Hoot?" Devyn giggled. McGonagall smiled and said, "Yes."

"He must have really like owls," Devyn said.

"I suppose. James was Prongs, Sirius was Padfoot, Peter was Wormtail, and Remus was Moony."

Did she just say Moony? Devyn thought.

"Wait, Moony?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I had a dream about this man. I didn't know his name, but one word came to my mind when he said my name. 'Moony'."

"Well, I don't wonder why Remus made an appearance."

"Why's that, then, Professor?"

"You were very close to him. As a baby, you adored Remus."

"I did?"

McGonagall nodded. "It frustrated Michael to no end because he had been trying to teach you to say 'Daddy' for weeks and when Remus walked in the room, you shouted, 'Moo'y!' You couldn't say Moony, but it was enough. Victoria found it hilarious, I recall. That, as far as I know, was your first word."

She smiled at the memory and Devyn wished she could remember it.

"I wonder why..." Devyn said.

"Well, I imagine because Remus is your godfather."

"Wait, if Remus is my godfather, why wouldn't I have gone with him after my parents were killed? Why was I brought here?"

"To protect you. Bellatrix and Antonin blew up your house. I saw your parents' bodies, so I know for a fact they never made it out. Luckily, you were with James and Lily that night."

"I was? Why?"

"You and Harry were practically inseparable. You might as well have been brother and sister."

"Well, that would explain why I felt so familiar around Harry, when we met at the Zoo."

McGonagall nodded, seemingly impressed that Devyn was able to deduce all of this by herself. "Yes. You were at James and Lily's that night. You are only 9 months older than him, so it is unsurprising that you were close. When we got word what had happened to your parents, Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and I retrieved you from the Potters' and brought you here. Believe me, I thought you would have been perfectly safe with Remus, but Professor Dumbledore told me to bring you here. So I did. We swore the Potters to secrecy, and no one else knew that you were there, besides myself and Dumbledore. It was one of the worst days of my life, having to leave you here. Michael and Victoria were murdered on May 22nd, 1981. Two days after you turned a year and half old. And then, a little over five months later, on Halloween night, James and Lily were murdered by You-Know-Who, leaving Harry an orphan. Luckily, and I don't know how he did it, but Harry somehow destroyed You-Know-Who when he tried to kill Harry, too."

Devyn was shocked that this Voldemort guy would stoop to murdering a child. But then, she really shouldn't be, she figured. If he was prone to killing people, why not a child, too?

"And he was brought to his aunt and uncle's house, to protect him, right?"

"Yes. Again, it was Dumbledore's idea. And again, I disagreed, but in the end, Dumbledore was right. It was where he needed to be."

"Yeah, well, his aunt and uncle aren't very nice to him."

"I feared that would happen. But I was powerless to stop Dumbledore. Once he has a plan in his head, no one is able to prove to him that he's wrong."

Devyn was slightly confused. "Wait, so if no one else besides the Potters, you, and Professor Dumbledore knew I wasn't killed in the attack, does that mean that -"

"That Remus doesn't know you're alive? Yes. He, along with the rest of the Wizarding World, thinks you're dead. They think that you've been dead for the last ten years."

DUN, DUN, DUN. Not really, that bit of info was in the description. Anyway, what did you think? Did you like that McGonagall was the one to tell her about her parents and Hogwarts and all that fun stuff? I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, but I don't know when it will be. In the meantime, please leave a review. I'd like to know what you guys think!