Here we go, the second chappie in this story! There will be more, containing the adventures of these siblings, but for now this is what I've got for you! Enjoy!
Chapter Two: Call Me Steph
"Excuse me," Harry said, "but I'm an only child." What he really want to say was 'What are you on?!' but that seemed rude.
Stephenie shook her head. "It's late now, but if you meet me in the Room of Requirement tomorrow after your classes end, I'll explain."
Harry looked around at his friends, but their faces didn't give any hint as to what he should do. "Okay," he relented. "I'll be there." What could be the harm in hearing what she had to say? She seemed eager enough.
Stephenie grinned and said, "Great!" Then she shook her head, saying, "I can't believe I actually found you! Good bye, Harry. I'll see you tomorrow!" She then turned and walked away swiftly, gracefully.
Once she was out of earshot, Ron exclaimed, "Harry, you believe her? She's obviously just looking to get a sum of that money you've got locked away in Gringotts. Or maybe she's a spy sent by Umbridge, or even You-Know-Who himself!"
"Honestly, Ron, I think that's taking it a bit too far," Hermione interjected. "What's wrong with just listening to her? Perhaps she has real proof that she is Harry's long-lost sister, although it's hard to believe. It's worth a try, isn't it?"
"I think she's telling the truth," Luna put in airily. Her gazed was unfocused, but her words were in place. When everyone turned to look at her, she kept talking. "Who's to say Harry was the only Potter child? Maybe there was a reason no one told Harry about her. Maybe Lily and James only had time to find protection for Stephenie. We'll never know unless we trust her. Plus, she just seems like a trustworthy person." It was probably one of the longest speeches Luna had ever given.
Neville turned to Harry and asked, "What do you think?"
Harry sighed. "I don't know what I think. I'll talk to her, try to figure this out."
The next day, Harry slipped away from his last class as soon as he could to get to the Room of Requirement before Umbridge or any of her goons had a chance to catch him. He walked up, down, and back up the hall, thinking all the while that he needed to find Stephenie.
Before his eyes, the wall peeled away to reveal a grand door that Harry entered instantly. He was shocked at what he found. The small cozy room was so familiar that he blurted out, "I know this place!" to no one in particular.
Stephenie, suddenly appearing out of the corner, said, "Of course you do. It's our old room." Harry whirled around, startled. He hadn't noticed her when he first came in.
"Old room?" Harry asked. "You mean. . ." His voice trailed off as he looked around. Everything came back to him. The yellow walls gleamed in the feigned sunlight from the window that was not really attached to the castle wall. The old wooden rocking chair in the corner still had the same baby blue blanket draped across it as cushioning. The crib was a bit larger than an average one would be, with one small pillow on the far end of it and two more on the other end. There was a tub of baby toys, many of which seemed familiar to Harry. There was a changing table and a small coffee table with padded edges presumably to protect an infant. In the corner, a lamp with ducks painted on its shade stood erect but dim.
"Okay," Harry admitted, "that's amazing, but it doesn't prove you're my sister."
"I understand," Stephenie said. "Sit down, and I'll explain."
Harry walked over to the worn rocking chair while he said, "Okay, but make it quick. I've got Quittich practice."
"You know as well as I do that Umbridge locked your broom away," Stephenie pointed out, smiling smugly.
"How did you know about that?" Harry asked suspiciously, sitting in the old chair and suddenly feeling relaxed.
"What, you don't think I can hear? That rumor's been floating around for ages, and you haven't been playing at games. It's kind of obvious," she said frankly as she sat on the coffee table across from Harry.
Harry shook his head. "It was almost worth it to get at the little creep." There was a pause. "Get on with it, then," he insisted.
"As you wish," Stephenie complied. Harry noticed that she had been grinning this whole time. "Well, where to start? I guess at birth, huh? I was born a few minutes after you and a few minutes before Natasha--"
"Hold the phone!" Harry interrupted. "Who's Natasha?"
"We were triplets," Stephenie said. "Did I not say that?"
Harry shook his head. "You said twins. There's a big difference."
"Oh. Well, I meant triplets," Stephenie clarified. "At first, they thought we were all going to be girls, but apparently they were wrong."
"What happened to Natasha?" Harry asked.
"I was getting to that!" Stephenie said. "Let me tell my story! We were a sickly bunch. The doctors didn't think any of us would make it, but we all did. It was a miracle! You recovered fully, and there were no side effects of our illness in you. For me, it was worse, and for Natasha just horrible! I've sort of. . . outgrown it over time, but Natasha is a different story." Stephenie looked at the ground and sighed slowly.
"But I digress. Our parents knew they couldn't take care of us all. Their lives in the Order of the Phoenix were too dangerous. They just wanted us to be safe, so they found a place for us to stay; sort of like a temporary home, they thought. Unfortunately, the ones they found didn't want a boy, so it was just me and Natasha. They couldn't find a home for you. The Dursleys didn't really like our parents, as you know, and wouldn't take you until they found you on their doorstep the night Mum and Dad were killed.
"Anyway, I definitely understand if you don't remember me. We were apart so long, almost fifteen years now, that I wouldn't blame you."
"You didn't answer my question. What happened to Natasha?" Harry repeated.
"Oh, that," Stephenie said. "Well, um, she's in St. Mungo's Hospital now. Like I said, she's in terrible shape. I really am shocked that she is still alive." Stephenie sniffed and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I suppose I should be thankful for that."
Then the tears really started to flow. Her dainty hands covered her face as her shoulders shook violently with no intention of stopping soon. Harry instinctively reached for his sister, wrapping his compassionate arms around her heaving figure. "There, there," he said awkwardly. "Don't cry."
Stephenie returned her brother's embrace. "Oh, Harry!" she sobbed into his shoulder. "You just don't know! My sweet Tasha could die! She should have died long ago, with us! She shouldn't be forced to live in such a terrible world where pain is the only thing she knows! Where is the justice in that?" Her cries continued for quite some time as Harry tried to comfort her unsuccessfully.
When eventually she managed to pull herself together, Stephenie sat up on the coffee table, still wiping her eyes. "Sorry," she said. "I guess I just needed to talk to someone, and you were the only one here. I've never said any of that out loud before."
Harry looked her up and down. Now he knew where he had thought he'd seen her before: in the mirror! Minus her exceptionally long hair, she looked almost exactly like him. "Stephenie--" Harry began, but was cut off.
"Oh, call me Steph; I like that better," she insisted.
"Steph," Harry started again. "I believe you're my sister."
"You do?" she asked, looking up, her piercing green eyes meeting his.
"Yes," he said. "But I still have a few questions."
"Of course," she said brightly. She was smiling again, which was a contrast on her tear-stained face. "Anything!"
"First off, why didn't Sirius tell me about you?" Harry asked.
"No one knew," she said. "If anyone knew, rumors would spread and eventually word would get back to You-Know-Who that you weren't the only Potter child. They simply couldn't risk telling anyone, not even Sirius. In fact, he doesn't even know yet. I'm heading to Grimauld Place soon to tell him."
"How did you find me?" Harry asked.
"I knew you were at Hogwarts," she said. "I've been attending Beauxbatons ever since I was old enough, trying to get away from it most of the time. All I wanted was to was find my brother, but I lived so far away and it was unbelievably hard! I swear, the universe was working overtime to keep us apart! But I was able to sneak away finally, and here I am!"
"What about the Triwizard Tournament?" Harry inquired. "Weren't you here for that, then?"
"Well, yes," Steph answered, "but I fell terribly ill soon after we arrived. I was stuck in a bed most of the time. I mustered up the strength to go to the initial feast, and to the revelation of the champions, but I missed the first task. I did attend the Yule Ball when I thought I was feeling better, but I nearly fainted. I just made it worse, really, and I didn't get to see the second task either. I was at the third task, anxious because I didn't know what in the world was happening in that maze. I was almost relieved when the sparks flew from the maze because I knew that someone was still alive in there. I comforted Gabrielle when Fleur was dragged out of the maze, but she was so forlorn! I couldn't help feeling the same way for you. When you finally came back with Cedric's body, I. . . couldn't bring myself to talk to you. It just didn't seem like the right time. With You-Know-Who coming back, I figured you'd have enough on your mind as it was."
"You believed me?" Harry asked. "About Voldemort?"
"Of course I did!" Steph said defensively. "You wouldn't have killed Cedric, and neither would the other champions, I was sure. There was no one else there. Of course, Krum was possessed, but still, I trusted you. Who would know better than the person who was actually there, right?"
"I wish Fudge would see it that way," Harry said. "How will you convince Sirius you are my sister? I don't think he'll be as easily persuaded as I was."
"Ah!" Steph said. "Look at this." She pulled from her pocket a folded and faded piece of paper with one word written on the outside of it: Sirius. Harry recognized it as his father's scrawl. "Inside, it explains that he has a godson plus two goddaughters: me and Natasha. I'm supposed to show it to him to convince him that I am your sister. Dad wrote it before he died, and if that doesn't convince him, I don't know what will."
Harry turned the note over in his hand, thinking. "If it doesn't, I'll talk to him."
"Would you?" she asked. "I appreciate it."
"One more question," Harry said. "How did you know that I existed, but I never knew you existed?"
"Good question," she said. "They entrusted our temporary parents with a note that they were supposed to give us when they felt we were old enough and we hadn't returned home yet or if something happened. Since you never left home, I guess they didn't think you needed a note of your own. Plus, you're famous, Harry, and there's no hiding from it." Steph grinned. "Everyone knows who Harry Potter is."
Harry thought about all this, trying to take it all in. "Now that I think about, I have more questions," Harry stated.
"I've got time," Steph said, shrugging.
"Why are there three pillows in the crib?" Harry inquired.
"Well, it's not like our parents were eager to get rid of us," Steph explained. "They held onto us as long as they could, and all three of us were together." She sighed. "It'll be like that again. Someday, we'll go and visit Tasha together. We'll be united again! Oh, that would be great." Steph was staring into space, deep in thought while Harry sat immersed in his own thoughts.
"How did you know about the Room of Requirement?" Harry asked.
Steph laughed, breaking out of her daydream. "That little house elf, Dobby, was all too eager to help me when I told him I was your sister," she answered. "He's a funny little guy!"
"Yeah," Harry agreed. There was no arguing there. "He's an unusual one."
"I think he's cute," Steph admitted. Harry gave her a look that suggested she was mad. "You know what I mean!" she defended herself. "And he did save your life!"
Harry sighed. "That he did," he agreed. "Then I saved him from the Malfoys," Harry pointed out.
"Yes, I know," Steph said pointedly. "You have no idea how many times he told me that." There was a long silence, which was broken by the combined laughter of the two young Potters.
And thus, a beautiful and everlasting friendship was born.
Whoo! That was a long one! Hope you liked it; let me know if you still have questions for Steph, and I'll have it come up later in the story. I don't think I overlooked anything, but knowing myself I probably did! :o)