Chapter 2: Letters

Later that night, after finishing the abundant amount of food that Winky the house-elf had brought her, Jamie could be found curled up in the big comfy chair in front of the fireplace, with parchment, ink and quill in hand. She was writing a letter to Blaise. She needed to know if he would still be there for her after finding out the truth.

Dear Blaise,

I've spelled this letter so only you can read it. I have something very important to tell you. I had to clear it with Dumbledore first to make sure it was okay. if I told you. I mean if this information were to get into the wrong hands, my life would be in serious jeopardy. Sweet Merlin! When the Death Eaters find out, I'm gonna be their #1 target. You have to promise that you will guard this secret with your life.

Oh Merlin, I'm babbling, aren't I? Okay. Here's the big news. I'm not Ginevra Weasley. I'm actually Jamie Potter. Yep. That's right. Harry Potter's sister. But not just his sister, I'm his twin. Can you believe it? Apparently, James Potter went to Dumbledore before they went into hiding, and insisted that he find a way to protect me beyond the Fidelius Charm. So Dumbledore placed a very powerful Glamour Charm on me, and switched me with the real Ginevra Weasley. It was never supposed to be a permanent switch, but as you and everyone else knows, only Harry survived the night Voldemort attacked Godric's Hollow.

I've had a very eventful day. I'm now living at Hogwarts for the rest of the summer. My parents, well, the people I've believed were my parents for the past 15 years, threw me out of the house this morning, after they disowned me. My aunt and uncle, who Harry lives with, don't even want me. Blaise, you're the only person I have left. Please don't abandon me too.

Dumbledore had the professors here do up a summer study schedule for me. I get to spend most of tomorrow with Professor Snape. Oh Joy! I know he's your Head of House, but I've always gotten the impression that he hates me. He's going to be teaching me Potions and Defence against the Dark Arts, as well as Ancient Runes. What's strange is that my Potions class is 2 hours in the morning, after my Transfiguration lesson with McGonagall, and then I have DADA for 4 hours in the afternoon. It's going to be a really busy month for me. I'm doing my O.W.L.s just before school starts that way I can be in sixth year with you. Also because I really should be a sixth year, being Harry's twin and therefore the same age.

I had to get all new supplies, since the Weasley's wouldn't let me take anything with me. I even got a brand new wand, not a hand me down. It has an experimental core - a tail hair from a unicorn, an Abraxan and a Thestral. The owl that delivered this letter is mine as well. She was a gift from McGonagall for my birthday (which is today) and her name is Athena. She will wait for you to write a reply.

I can't wait to hear back from you. I hope it's soon.

Your friend,

Jamie (formerly known as Ginny)

Jamie folded her letter up, placed a charm on the parchment to ensure that only Blaise could read it, and attached it to Athena's leg.

"Athena, take this letter to Blaise Zabini and wait for his reply," Jamie instructed her owl, as she carried it over to the window.

Jamie opened the window to allow Athena to take her letter to Blaise and decided to leave the window open, since it was a beautiful summer evening. As Jamie headed back to her chair, she decided she might as well get a head start on her studies, and picked up her Transfiguration, Potions and DADA books.

Jamie had only just seated herself in her chair and opened her Transfiguration book when a large brown barn owl came swooping in through the open window. The owl landed on the armrest of her chair, and gently nipped at her arm, while sticking its leg out towards her.

"Hello there," Jamie said as she gently stroked the owl's head. "What's that you've got there?" Jamie carefully removed the envelope attached to the owl's leg. She examined the envelope carefully for any sign of who could have sent it to her. The only thing written on the envelope was 'Jamie'.

"I wonder who sent this. Hardly anybody knows I'm here, let alone who I really am. The only people who know are the Weasley's and Athena just left with my letter to Blaise," Jamie mused out loud. "Only one way to find out, I guess."

Jamie carefully broke the seal on the back of the envelope and pulled out the parchment inside. What she found was something she would have never expected. She began reading…

Dear Jamie,

God that sounds strange. I'm so used to calling you Gin, but I think I can get used to Jamie.

I hope you're doing alright, especially after everything that happened at the Burrow this morning. I just wanted to let you know that I don't blame you at all for what happened. How could you have known that you weren't Ginevra Weasley? The way everyone reacted, Mum, Dad and Ron in particular, was way out of line and uncalled for. You can't be held responsible for something that your father and Dumbledore did. You're as much a victim in this situation, if not more so, than anyone else.

You can't help the fact that you're Jamie Potter and not Ginevra Weasley. I just wanted to let you know that you are still my sister, no matter what your name is. You have been my sister for 15 years, and you will continue to remain my sister until the very end. Just know that you have a brother who loves you, and will always be there for you whenever you need him.

Love, your brother

Bill

P.S. I'm working on Charlie. It shouldn't be too hard to get him to agree with me.

Jamie held the letter tightly to her chest and tried to wipe away the tears that persisted in streaming down her face. She couldn't believe it. Bill still considered her family, and didn't care that she was a Potter, not a Weasley. Someone loved her, no matter what. It gave Jamie a small glimmer of hope that maybe one day, the rest of the Weasleys would accept her again, but even if they didn't, she knew that no matter where in the world he was, Bill would always be there for here.

Jamie put Bill's letter down, along with her textbooks, and pulled out a fresh piece of parchment so she could write a reply to Bill.

Dear Bill,

Thank you so much for the letter. You have no idea how much it means to me. I don't know how to put into words how receiving your letter made me feel.

It's so nice to know that there is someone out there who cares about me. After I left this morning, Professor Dumbledore took me to my aunt and uncle's house, you know, where Harry lives. Well, they took one look at me and promptly threw me out. They didn't even let Dumbledore explain anything so now I'm spending the summer at Hogwarts. I'm going to study for and take my O.W.L.s at the end of the summer. I don't know what's going to happen after that though. I have nowhere to go next summer. I hope Dumbledore comes up with a solution, which I'm sure he will.

I really hope I hear from you again

Love, your sister

Jamie

Jamie folded her letter up and tied it to the barn owl's leg. The owl then took off out the open window to take her letter to Bill. Jamie closed the window after the owl left, and turned back towards the fireplace and her studies.

After re-reading the same page for the tenth time in thirty minutes, Jamie decided it might be a better idea to get some rest before she had to spend the majority of her day tomorrow in the presence of Professor Snape. Closing her Transfiguration textbook and placing it with the others she would need for classes the next day, Jamie then stood up and headed into her new bedroom. After changing into her new pyjamas, courtesy of Professor McGonagall, Jamie collapsed onto her bed.

"Happy Birthday to me," Jamie murmured to herself. It was the last thought she had before she fell into a fitful night's sleep.

Jamie woke from her fitful night's sleep feeling anything but rested. She had been plagued by dreams of rejection by everyone she had ever and would ever meet. /-/I think I prefer the ones where my parents get killed, or even the ones of the Chamber of Secrets instead,/-/ Jamie thought as she dragged her tired body out of bed to get ready for her first class of the day. She pulled the bell pull next to her bed and Winky the house-elf appeared within seconds, wearing what appeared to be a baby doll's dress.

"What is Winky getting for Miss Potter, Miss?"

"Can you get me a small plate of pastries please, Winky? Oh, and a glass of pumpkin juice as well."

"Of course, Miss. Winky will get it right away Miss."

Winky was barely gone thirty seconds when she reappeared with a tray full of croissants and Danish pastries, as well as a jug full of pumpkin juice for Jamie.

After finishing her breakfast, Jamie got dressed in a set of pale blue summer robes and headed off to her first class of the day, Transfiguration.

"Good morning Miss Potter," greeted Professor McGonagall as Jamie entered her classroom.

"Good morning Professor."

"Please take a seat Miss Potter, and open your book to Chapter 1. We're going to start with learning how to change small inanimate objects into small animate objects. Once you have read the chapter, please try and turn this pebble into a ladybird. If, after an hour you have mastered that, we will begin your Animagus training," instructed Professor McGonagall.

After taking thirty minutes to read the chapter, Jamie attempted to turn her pebble into a ladybird.

/-/Wow, that's never happened before./-/ "Um, Professor, I think something went wrong..."

"What do you mean, Miss Potter? What went wrong?" queried McGonagall.

"Well, you know how you said to turn the pebble into a ladybird…"

"I am well aware of my instructions, Miss Potter. What is the problem?"

"Well, I don't exactly have a ladybird."

"Well, what do you have then?"

"Three."

"Three what, Miss Potter?"

"Three ladybirds, I seem to have turned my one pebble into three ladybirds."

"That's impossible Miss Pot…" McGonagall stopped short upon reaching Jamie's desk. "Oh my! It appears your magic is stronger than before. Let's see if you can reverse it and make the three ladybirds back into one pebble."

Jamie looked up the counter spell in her textbook and cast it. She was successful in turning her three ladybirds back into the single pebble she had started with.

"Now then, for your homework Miss Potter, I want you to practice this lesson, but I want only one ladybird. I suggest you work on focusing on the number of ladybirds as well as the spell. I think I will speak with Professor Flitwick about working with you on focusing your magic, as your magic seems to have grown stronger than it was a month ago. Now then, pull out your book on the animagus transformation. I want you to spend the rest of your time with me today reading and making notes on the first two chapters. We are going to spend time learning the theory. I want to make sure you have a firm grasp on everything involved before you try the transformation for yourself. If you have any questions after you've read the chapters, I am here to answer them for you."

"Thank you Professor," replied Jamie as she pulled out her textbook, some parchment, ink and her quill. Jamie sat quietly reading and making notes until a small timer rang on McGonagall's desk, signalling the end of her Transfiguration lesson.

"You may go now, Miss Potter. You don't want to be late for your Potions session. I want to see you turn your pebble into a single ladybird next session. Good day, Miss Potter."

"Yes Professor. Good day," replied Jamie, as she collected up her belongings and exited the classroom.

Jamie skidded into a seat in the Potions dungeon with five seconds to spare.

"Do try to be on time Miss Potter. You have a very limited time to learn the entire fifth year syllabus if you have any hopes of ever passing your O.W.L.s at the end of summer," sneered Professor Snape from the blackboard, where he was busy writing down the instructions for a very complex looking potion for Jamie to make.

"Now then Miss Potter," Snape said as he turned to face Jamie. /-/Sweet Merlin, she looks like Lily,/-/ "Please set about making the potion listed on the blackboard. If you are lucky enough to brew it correctly, you will place the entire contents of your cauldron in the bottles on the adjoining worktable. Madame Pomfrey is in need of more fever reducing potion for the hospital wing."

"Yes Professor."

"Well, don't just sit there. Get to work!" Snape snapped.

While Jamie set about making the fever-reducing potion, Severus picked up a book entitled 'The Art and Science of Potion Making' and seated himself at his desk. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop his eyes from wandering back to rest on Jamie.

Jamie was working silently on her potion. She was quite pleased to see that it was turning out exactly as Snape said it should. She kept getting this odd feeling though. It was as if she was being watched. But the only other person in the room was Professor Snape. /-/Why would he be staring at me,/-/ wondered Jamie. Every time she looked to see if Snape was indeed looking at her, he appeared to be deeply engrossed in his book.

"Professor Snape? I believe my potion is done. Do you want to check it before I bottle it?"

"Did you follow the directions exactly as written, Miss Potter?"

"Yes sir."

"Is it the correct colour and consistency?"

"Yes sir."

"Then start bottling the potion, Miss Potter. Once you have completed that, you may go. Be sure to meet me in front of Hagrid's hut at precisely 1:00pm for your afternoon class."

"Yes Professor Snape," Jamie replied as she bottled her potion. She collected her books, cauldron and supplies and headed towards the door. Professor Snape however, stopped her before she could leave.

"Oh, Miss Potter, one more thing…"

"Yes Professor?"

"Bring only your wand. No books of any sort and do not be late. Understood?"

"Yes Professor," Jamie replied before opening the door and exiting the Potions Dungeon.

At ten minutes to one, Jamie left her rooms and headed out to meet Professor Snape in front of Hagrid's hut. She arrived with two minutes to spare, only to find Professor Snape already waiting for her.

"It's nice to see that at least one Potter has a sense of time," sneered Professor Snape. "Follow me, Miss Potter. Do try and keep up and don't ask any questions. I will explain when we reach our destination," Snape said as he started leading Jamie into the Forbidden Forest behind the hut.

After walking for almost ten minutes they reached a clearing where Professor Snape stopped and motioned for Jamie to take a seat on a tree stump.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, in his infinite wisdom," Snape sneered sarcastically once more, "has decided that you need to be trained not just in the ability to defend yourself against Dark Magic, but to be able to wield it as well. The only people who know this are you, Dumbledore and me. It is to remain as such, is that understood?"

"Yes sir. Um, Professor Snape?"

"What is it, Miss Potter?" Snape answered tiredly.

"Why you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why did Dumbledore choose you to teach me to use and defend myself against Dark Magic?"

"Your brother never told you?"

"Told me what, sir?"

"I figured your brother and his side kicks would have told you all they think they know about me."

"Which brother are you referring to sir? Harry or Ron? Not that it matters anyway, since they never told me anything. I was always too young to know anything and I was always thought of as Ron's annoying little sister," Jamie finished rather bitterly.

Snape smirked inwardly /-/I think I could get to like this girl, even if she is Potter's offspring,/-/ "First, I need you to understand one thing, and that is that anything that is said or done here, in this clearing, will not, under any circumstance, leave this clearing. Understood?"

"Yes sir. I understand."

"Well then, to answer your question Miss Potter, the reason Dumbledore chose me is because I'm a Death Eater."

"Oh. Okay. What's first?"

While Snape's outer mask never wavered, inwardly he was stunned. He couldn't believe that this girl had just willingly accepted that he was a Death Eater and hadn't run off screaming to Dumbledore.

"Professor Snape? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Miss Potter. But do tell me something. Why didn't you run off screaming to Dumbledore just now, when I said I was a Death Eater?"

"I figured you must be spying on Voldemort and the Death Eaters for Dumbledore. Why else would he trust and employ a Death Eater? Besides, you haven't tried to kill me or harm me in any way yet. And you've never lied to me, Sir. You're one of the few people who haven't, and because of that I trust you."

/-/Interesting,/-/ thought Snape. "Now then Miss Potter, on with the lesson. The most powerful Dark Magic, like the Unforgivables, works on the same principals as the strongest Light Magic. It requires intense emotion. In order to conjure a Patronus, the witch or wizard needs to concentrate on a happy memory, the happier the better. Whereas a curse like Imperius or Cruciatus requires the witch or wizard to focus on unhappy memories. We'll begin with trying to conjure a Patronus. The spell required to conjure it is 'Expecto Patronum'. Remember, you must focus on a happy memory."

Snape drew his wand and cast the spell. "EXPECTO PATRONUM" he cried, and out of his wand shot a thick mist that took on the form of a panther, but with no Dementor around to chase off, it just wandered around the clearing for a few minutes before fading away.

"Now then Miss Potter, can you tell me from your limited knowledge, what exactly does a Patronus do?"

"You use a Patronus to defend yourself from Dementors. It drives them off because it is created from a happy memory."

"Adequate answer, Miss Potter, now, try to conjure a Patronus."

"Okay Professor, but I don't think this will work though..."

"And why would that be? It wouldn't have anything to do with your attitude would it, Miss Potter?"

"No sir. I just don't have very many happy memories to draw on, that's all."

"Just try, Miss Potter."

"Yes Sir, here goes," Jamie sighed as she concentrated as hard as she could on the feeling she had when she received Bill's letter and cast the spell.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A grey mist shot out of Jamie's wand and started to form a very indistinct shape. While it wasn't a very clear shape it did appear to be some kind of horse type animal since Jamie could make out what appeared to be four legs, hooves and a tail.

"Good try Miss Potter. It still needs work, though. I expect you to practice it before next lesson. Any Light Magic you learn for defensive purposes can, and should be practiced away from lessons and this clearing, understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Now then, let's see how you can handle a little Dark Magic," Snape commented as he proceeded to transfigure a stone he found in the clearing into a small hare. "I want you to cast the Cruciatus curse on this hare, Miss Potter. The correct spell for the curse is 'Crucio'."

"Okay, sir," Jamie answered, drawing her wand from her pocket.

"Remember, Miss Potter, you need strong negative emotion to cast any form of Dark Magic, but most especially for the Unforgivables," Snape reminded Jamie. /-/I'll be very surprised if she makes the hare twitch a single muscle./-/

Jamie concentrated very hard on everything that had gone wrong in her life but most especially on the memory of how the Weasleys had treated her the day before. Snape was taken aback by the look of utter pain in Jamie's eyes and the look of total concentration on her face as she aimed her wand at the hare.

"CRUCIO!" cried Jamie. Her aim was true, and she hit the hare square on. The hare started writhing in pain

Snape was shocked. How was it possible for a young lady, no more than sixteen, to cast the Cruciatus with as much strength and accuracy on her first try when it took most Death Eaters months to master? Snape shook himself out of his thoughts, "That's enough, Miss Potter." Jamie didn't even flinch; she was too wrapped up in her pain. "Miss Potter?" Snape tried again with no success.

"Jamie, that's enough," Snape said as he put his hand on Jamie's shoulder and forced her to lower he wand arm. He had finally succeeded in breaking her concentration but was unprepared for her reaction. Jamie turned away from him so he wouldn't see her crying. Snape took a hold of Jamie by the arms and turned her around, not letting go.

"Jamie, would you like to tell me what just happened here? There is no way you should have been able to cast that curse so strongly, if at all, on your first try."

"I-I tried to te-tell you. I d-don't have many hap-happy memories," Jamie managed to say through her sobs.

"What memory could be horrible enough to allow a sixteen year old girl to cast that powerful a curse?" inquired Snape.

"Rejection," was the only answer he received.

"Rejection?"

"Yes Sir, rejection," Jamie said as she tried to wipe away her tears. "You told me to focus on strong negative emotion so that's what I did. I focused on how I felt yesterday when the people I thought of as family, totally and utterly rejected me because biologically I wasn't a Weasley. The minute I left the Burrow yesterday I built a wall around that pain, and everything associated with my life as Ginevra Weasley and started a new life as Jamie Potter. Before I cast the curse, I tore that wall down and let all the pain and hurt flow forth."

By the time Jamie was finished explaining her tears had started flowing again and as she went to wipe them away, Snape stopped her by doing it himself. "I'm sorry Jamie. I never should have asked you to perform that curse. I should have had you start smaller. I had no idea it would have caused you that much pain. Everything that has happened is not your fault. You are not to blame for their bad judgement, understand?"

Jamie nodded at this and wiped the last remaining tears on the sleeve of her robes.

"Listen Jamie, I realize we still have two hours left in this session but why don't we call it a day?"

"Alright. Thank you Professor," sniffed Jamie.

Snape transfigured the hare back into a stone and started leading Jamie back through the forest to the castle. When they were about half way back Jamie interrupted Severus' thoughts.

"Professor Snape, can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything you want Miss Potter, whether or not I choose to answer is another story altogether. What was it you wanted ask me?"

"Well, I know I was probably just imagining it but earlier during my potions session, I kept getting the strange sensation that you were watching me and I was just curious as to why."

This comment brought Snape stumbling to a stop. He stopped so quickly that had Jamie not been looking at his back she would have walked right into him. "Professor is everything alright? You don't have to answer; I realize I was probably just being paranoid…"

"You weren't being paranoid," Snape interrupted. "I was watching you," he said as he resumed walking.

"Oh. Why?" Jamie questioned timidly, not wanting to push her luck and not expecting him to answer either.

"Miss Potter, you said earlier that you trusted me and that I have never lied to you. Well I'm not about to start. I was watching you so intently because you remind me of your mother."

"My mother?"

"Yes. You look remarkably like Lily."

"Oh, I do? I don't even know what my parents looked like."

"Yes Miss Pot … Jamie you do. You're about the same height as she was at your age and you have her slender build. You have her high cheekbones and her small nose. You have the same long straight hair but yours is darker than hers was. I think that is being influenced by James. Yours is more of a mahogany red. The most startlingly contrast between you and your mother is your eyes. Your brother got Lily's emerald green eyes, while you got James' sapphire blue eyes."

Severus said all this while continuing to lead Jamie from the forest. As they made their way up the lawn towards the front doors of the castle, Jamie asked one last question

"Did you care about my mother, Professor?"

"Yes," was the only response she received and she figured Snape wasn't about to elaborate so she let the matter drop. She would have loved to have learned more about her mother but didn't want to push her professor for information, since he had been so kind to her in the forest. He had been kinder to her in the last thirty minutes than she ever thought was possible.

"Now then, Miss Potter," Snape said, back in Professor mode, when they reached the Entrance Hall. "Remember what I said in the clearing. What goes on there stays there. Understood?"

"Yes Professor."

"Good. Also remember to work on your Patronus before next class."

"Yes sir."

"Good day Miss Potter."

"Good day, Professor Snape." Jamie turned to go up the stairs in the Entrance Hall while Snape turned towards the dungeons. /-/I now have something else to focus on for my Patronus... the fact that I truly look like my mother, and that Professor Snape was nicer to me than he has been to anyone else I know,/-/ Jamie thought to herself as she headed into her rooms to begin her homework and preparing for her sessions the next day before it was time for dinner.

As Snape entered his Dungeon office he made a silent vow. /-/ I swear Lily, that I will do anything and everything I can to protect your daughter. I swear it on the love we once shared /-/ resolved Severus as he entered his office to begin preparing for Jamie's next sessions.

Dear Jamie,

I can't believe the Weasleys treated you like that. Everyone is always talking about what great people they are; about how much they love each of their children and how they consider Harry one of their own. This just goes to show you, you can't judge someone by their appearance. Don't worry Jamie; I'm not that shallow. I've been your friend for almost a year now and that's not about to change. I don't care what your name is or who your parents are or were.

So tell me, has your appearance changed? Do you look more like your real mother now? I bet you're even more beautiful than before.

That's great news about you studying for and taking your O.W.L.s at the end of summer. Good Luck! But my guess is that you won't need any luck. I'm betting you pass with flying colours. It also means you'll be in the same year as Draco and me. I know how you feel about Draco but he really is a good guy and I think the two of you could really hit it off, if you just give each other a chance.

So how are your classes going? Has Professor Snape eaten you yet? What's it like having private sessions with the professors?

Your wand sounds pretty powerful. Have you had any problems with it? Has anything happened that shouldn't have when you've tried to use it?

Not much new is going on here. My parents are all 'Dark Lord' this and 'Dark Lord' that. I go along with it for appearances sake only. I'm going to have to talk to Dumbledore though when school starts. My parents are starting to pressure me into becoming a Death Eater. I don't want to. That's the last thing I want but I may have no choice. I hope you don't hold that against me.

I should go. I need to get back to my summer homework. I hope to hear back from you soon.

Love Blaise

Dear Blaise,

I'm so happy that you're still my friend. And I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be loyal. I don't even know if I really should be a Gryffindor. I was sorted as Ginevra Weasley and I went in assuming it was a given that I would be Gryffindor. I even argued with the sorting hat. It didn't want to put me in Gryffindor. I don't know where it wanted to put me but I pleaded with it to put me in Gryffindor. I mean, I was the youngest of seven children, where all six of my 'brothers' and my 'parents' were all Gryffindors. Look at how they've treated me recently, can you picture how they would have reacted if I had been sorted into anything but Gryffindor. Dumbledore hasn't said if I'm to be resorted or not. I think he wants to wait and see how things go. I'm thinking I might ask to be resorted. It's not like I have any friends in Gryffindor.

Blaise, you were right about Professor Snape. He doesn't hate me like I thought he did. It was really weird at first. I've never seen him act the way he did the first day of summer classes. When was the last time you saw him stumble over his own words? He also spent the entire potions session staring at me. I finally got up the courage to ask him in my DADA class why he spent the lesson staring at me. He told me it was because I reminded him of my mother. He then went about describing how much I look like her, except that I have my father's sapphire blue eyes. Some things have happened during my DADA class (I'm not allowed to talk about them though, sorry) that have changed our relationship. I know that I can trust him with my life and that he will always be there for me if I need him. He's turning into the father I never really had.

As for my other classes, they're going good. McGonagall is teaching me to be an animagus. I managed the full transformation yesterday but could only maintain it for a few seconds. Dumbledore thought that if I could become an animagus it would be another way for me to defend myself. My classes are very intense since it's only the professor and me. Other than that, I'm surviving.

As for my wand, well that's another story altogether. It's taken me a while to get the hang of it. Apparently the charm Dumbledore used to turn me into Ginevra Weasley also dulled my magic. I've had to learn how to refocus my magic. Having a wand with an experimental core hasn't helped matters any either. Not only is my magic stronger but also my wand seems to amplify it to a certain extent.

I'm sorry to hear about how your parents are pressuring you into becoming a Death Eater. I mentioned it to Dumbledore when I ran into him in the hall yesterday. I told him you would like to talk to him about it when you get back. He said you could talk to him after the Welcoming Feast on September 1st. I hope you don't mind my doing this. You're my friend and I worry about you.

I should get back to studying. I have my O.W.L.s in a couple of weeks. Hope to hear back soon.

Love Jamie

P.S. I think I would like to get to know the real Draco. I think the three of us could have some fun together.

Dear Jamie,

I know it's been a couple of weeks since the incident at the Burrow and I'm sorry it's taken me this long to write but I've had a lot to think about.

I tried writing earlier but found I wasn't quite ready yet. I was still mourning the loss of my sister Ginevra. I have come to realize that while I may have lost sister I never knew I already have a sister that I love. Jamie, while you may not be my sister biologically, you are my sister in every other way that counts. You are and always will be my sister.

Love Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Thank you so much for the letter. It means so much. You and Bill are the only family I have left. Don't worry about how long it has taken to write me. I'm just happy that you did and that you still consider me your sister.

I'm sorry this letter is so short but I'm preparing to take my O.W.L.s in just over a week's time and I'm completely swamped with work. I'll write more as soon as my O.W.L.s are done.

Love Jamie

Dear Jamie,

How are things going at Hogwarts? Are you studying hard? When do you take your O.W.L.s?

Well, I'm back in Egypt and buried in work (no pun intended). I'm working on a complex locking charm the Ancient Egyptians used to protect Seti I tomb, for Gringotts.

I better get back to work. You know what goblins are like. I just wanted to see how you were doing.

Love Bill.

P.S. I heard from Charlie. I'm glad you two are talking again.

Dear Bill,

Things at Hogwarts are going pretty fast right now. I take my O.W.L.s in just under a week. I'm getting kind of nervous about them.

Working on Seti's tomb sounds pretty interesting. But please be careful. I don't want to lose you again. Well I should get back to studying. I'll write more once my tests are done.

Love Jamie

Dear Jamie,

See, I told you Professor Snape wasn't as bad as you thought he was. I'm glad you found an adult you can rely on and to give you 'parental' advice.

It sounds like you've been having a fun time where your magic and wand are concerned. I hope everything works smoothly for your O.W.L.s. The last thing you need is to have your wand not co-operate in the middle of your tests.

Thank you for going to Dumbledore on my behalf. I really appreciate it. I wanted to owl him for advice but I was afraid of it being intercepted by my parents or another Death Eater. That's the last thing I need. I've managed to convince my parents to put off my getting the Dark Mark until at least next summer. So I've bought Dumbledore and myself some time to come up with a game plan.

I better get going, I think I just heard my parents come home and I don't want them to see this letter or Athena. If I don't hear from you before September 1st then I will see you at the feast.

Love Blaise.

P.S. You'll have to tell me what you have planned for Draco.

Dear Blaise,

I don't know how you survived taking your O.W.L.s. I just finished mine and I feel like I've been run over by a rampaging hippogriff. I am so tired. I don't think I did very well. Dumbledore is going to mark my tests over the next day or so. He said that he should have the results to me before the feast.

I'm glad you're not upset about me going to Dumbledore. Let's hope he comes up with a way to prevent you having to get the Dark Mark. But even if he can't, you'll still be my best friend, Dark Mark or not. It's not going to change who you are on the inside or how I feel about you.

As far as Draco is concerned, I have some ideas but they all hinge on whether Draco accepts me as a friend.

Professor Snape has been wonderful. He has shown me a side of himself he keeps hidden from everyone else. Don't say anything but he was involved with my mother when they attended Hogwarts together. Apparently Lily left him when she found out about him being a Death Eater. She never let him explain how and why it happened and she turned to James. He never stopped loving her. He told me yesterday that he thinks of me as his daughter. The daughter that he always wanted, the one he had hoped to have with Lily.

I should probably go and get some sleep. I'm exhausted. If you don't have time to respond, just send Athena back and I will see you when you get here September 1st.

Love Jamie

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,

I know you probably don't care and will most likely tear this letter up but I just wanted to let you know that I'm doing okay. I've just taken my O.W.L.s and am awaiting the results. If I pass I will be attending sixth year classes with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

I just wanted to let you know that you have every right to be upset over the loss of your daughter. Just know that if the time ever comes when you want to start up a friendship, I would be more than happy to do so as you are the only parent's and family I have know for 15 years.

Sincerely,

Jamie Potter.