"The Girl who Lived" read Dumbledore.

"Hmm now who could that be" asked Hope jokingly with a grin. The Hall was filled with laughter.

"Hem Hem"

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,

"Who are they? I've never heard of them" Asked a Slytherin first year.

"Oh they're my relatives that I live with saddly." Answered Hope with a sigh geting old looks from everyone but Ron and Hermione.

of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

"Your welcome."

"Yes no need to thanks us." spoke Fred with a laugh.

They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't old with such nonsense.

"How on earth then can they be related to ourHope?"

"I agree with you there Gred, The world may never know.'

"Nope Fred spoke first you're George."

"Right you are as always." Most people in the hall were surpised that Hope can easily tell them apart.

Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.

"Whats a Drill?" Asked Mr. Weasly

"It's tool that make a hole in the ground to gather mitrals use for building thing usually." Answered Hermione earning a thanks from other people wondering.

He was a big beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache.

"Sound lovely doesn't he?" Said Lavender with a disgusted look on her face.

Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde ad had nearly twice the usual amount of neck,

"They'll just made for eachother aren't they?" Asked Parvati looking at Lavender, who nodded.

which came in very as spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.

"He become ok as he get older but is a spoiled bart as a kid." Said Hope get surprised looks from everyone and a glare from Snape.

"As if, you're the one who's spoiled if anything Potter." Thought Snape with a frown.

The Dursley had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it.

"What is it? The Secret of immortality? If not I don't care." Draco spoke with bored drawl to his voice. Pansy laughed with high pitched screech.

They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.

"What's wrong with the Potter they are an all right bunch, will Hope is any way." Asked Hannah with confused look. The Gryffindors and all the students believed Hope shout out agreements, Remus, the Weasleys, the Staff mius Umbridge and Snape but surprisingly Flitch joined in with Sirius Barking.

Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they haven't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister,

"I would never pretend I didn't have my sisters, I'll get hexed by Ginny and making Hope sad is like kicking a puppy." Ron said with a glare at the book.

Hope looked surprised "You really mean that I'm your sister?" She asked

"Of course, in all but blood and maybe legally in a few years." He looked at the Twins with a pointed look.

"You apart of this family no matter what Hope. Besides I've always wanted a non ginger one" Mrs. Weasley said with a kind smile with Mr. Wesley nodding his head.

Ginny spoke up "I've always wanted an older sister." Hope couldn't help but smile largely.

because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband

" James was a wonderful Husband to Lilly and a great father. He worked as little as he could as an Aurora so Lilly can Do her dream job as an Unspeakable and Spends time with Hope." Yelled Remus with Sirius nodding his head.

were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.

"I don't believe that's a word." Spoke Luna with a dreamly look on her face.

The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small daughter, too, but they never seen her. This girl was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.

"Hope is someone you would want your children to be friends with, I know Papa happy I am. She great Replitant from Wrackspurt." Said Luna as she gave Hope smile.

"They make your brain go fuzzy but are repulsed by positive thoughts right?" Asked Hope who looked interstanding getting surprised looks from most of Ravenclaw.

"Who cares what they are, they not real." Said a 6th year Ravenclaw.

"Will I do, saw Luna come set next to me and tell me about them, I'm sure Hermione would like to know more."

"Will they do sound interesting." Comment Hermione as Luna sat between her and Hope.

When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up to the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work,

"That's sound bloody terrible, who would do that." Hollered Fred.

"Will apparently my uncle would Fred." Hope said with a grin, earning some laughs.

Mrs. Dursley gossiped happily away as she wrestled Dudley into his high chair.

"Whats a terrible child, thank goodness Hope nothing like him." Mcgonagall whispered to Professor Flitwick who nodded his head.

None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.

"Potter are your uncle and auntie blind or something?" Yelled Draco from the other side of the Hall.

"I gave up trying to figure them out ages ago Malfroy, so give up you'll just get a headache." Hope shouted back getting surprised look from Malfoy for not defending her family.

At half past eight, Mr Dursley picked up his briefcase and pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls."Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley

"You're not supposed to encourage that kind of behavior. Do they want him to be bad?" Asked Mrs. Weasley.

as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.

It was at the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign something peculiar a cat reading a map.

"That's you isn't it Mcgonagall?" Asked Hope with a smile, Mcgonagall didn't answered but gave her a rare smile.

For a second Mr. Dursley didn't realized what he had seen then he jerked his head to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he been thinking of? It just have been a trick of the light.

"Of course it is." George said sarcastically

"There no way the Minne right Hope?" asked Fred who erned a glare from a certain teacher.

"Nope not a chance." Hope answered as people around them laughed.

Mr. Dursley blinked and started at the cat. It started back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road watch the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive. No looking at the sign; cat's couldn't read map or signs

"I dare say this one can." Spoke Mcgonagle, the hall broke out with laughter

Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove towards town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that say.

But on the edge of town, drills were driven out f his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help but notices that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.

"But everyone wears cloaks all the time, it's not strange at all." Said Justin Finch- Fletchley.

"Maybe for Wizards but Muggles don't wear that type of clothing at all.

Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothings, the get up you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing close by. They were whispering excitedly together.

"Honestly can't they be more obvious around the muggle?" Sighed Mcgonagall

"They just excited is all Professor." Spoke Dumbledore with a twinkle in his eye,

Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt. These people were obviously colating for something… yes, that would be it. The traffic mvd on and a few minute later Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.

"He's got a one track mind doesn't he Hope?"asked Ron

"You got that right." Mumbled Hope.

Mr. Dursley always sat with his back facing the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the streets did; They pointed and gazed open mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them haven't seen owl even at nighttime.

"How is that possible? How would they get mail?" asked a second year Ravenclaw.

"They are delivered by people." Answered Hermione.

"Oh, thanks."

Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.

"Your uncle is really rude." Said Nevila

"Yeah kinda a prat." answered Hope.

"Hope!" Yelled Mrs. Weasly

"But he is!" Hope exclaimed

He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'll stretch his legs

"Oh NO! The world is ending! Women and children first." Yelled Hope placing her hand on her head acting like she going to faint.

and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.

"Nevermind we're fine." Stated Hope earning some laughs and high five from George and Fred.

He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angry he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collation tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.

"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"

"- Yes their daughter Hope-"

Mr. Dursley stopped dead.

"Don't go getting our hopes up." Hope said with a grin, with Sirius barking as laughter. The Staff looked at each with confusion at why Hope want that.

Fear flooded him. He looked backed at the whispers as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it.

He dashed back across the rod, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone,

"Whats a Telephone?" asked a first year hufflepuff.

"It's used for talk long distance, kinda like floo calling but they don't see each other faces." Remus explained.

"Thanks Mr. Lupin."

and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking… no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name.

"Is it really?" asked Hope

"It is in the Wizarding world, you're the only one left." Remus said.

He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a daughter named Hope. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his niece was called Hope.

"They don't even know your name? I may not know all of them but I know most of my family names." Ron said with a glare.

"They never really care." Hope said with shrug.

"They do know your name now right?" asked Hermione.

"Maybe? Dudley know it at least." Hope answered with people exation surprised looks.

He's never seen the girl. It might have been Holly. Or Heather.

"Hmm Holly Potter, the girl who lived"

"Our girlfriend? Nah doesn't have the same ring to it huh Forg?"

"Have to agree with you there Greg."

There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; She alway got upset of the mention of her sister. He didn't blame her, if he'd had a sister like that…

"There is not a thing wrong with my Mother!? Shouted Hope angrily.

but all the same, those people in cloaks.

He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside.

"Sorry,"

"He knows that word?" Hope said with genuine surprise. The staff look at each other nervously.

he grunted, as the tiny old man stumble and almost fell. It was a few second before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing violet cloak.

"Are you alright Professor?" Asked Luna

"Not a scratch on me Ms Lovegood." Flitwick answered.

He didn't seem all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the country, his face split in a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!

"Professor Flitwick!" shouted the Ravenclaw with grins. Thought the adult had sad looks on their face as does Hope after figuring out what the days was.

And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.

"You must have need magic for that professor or he was thinner back then." Hope said with surprise.

Mr. Dursley stood rooted on the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a muggle, whatever that was.

"You're a Muggle stupid." said Malfoy boredly, causing several Slytherin to laugh.

He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.

"Say it isn't so Hope!" Asked Lee look faint.

"I'm sad to say it is Lee." Hope answered

Everyone laughed when Lee pretend to Faint.

As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw- and it didn't improve his mood- was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one' it had the same marking around its eyes.

"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly.

The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.

"I hate when she gaves me that look." Mumbled Remus.

"Same it always make you feel bad doesn't it."

"Here here." Said Fred.

Several people laughed at their antics.

Was this normal cat behavior? Mr Dursley woudered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.

"You should keep secret from your wife." Spoke Mrs. Weasley with Mr. Weasley looking nervous.

Now Mrs. Dursley had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about ho Mrs. Next Door's problem with her daughter and how Dudley had learned new word ("Won't!").

"You shouldn't be proud of him." Yelled Mrs. Weasley with several people nodding in agreement.

Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:

"And finally, bird-watcher everywhere have reaportd that the nation owl's have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise.

"Isn't anyone being careful? We could be discovered" Sighed Mcgonagall.

Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping patterns." The newscaster allowed himself a grn. "Most mysterious. And now over to jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?

"Terrible joke just terrible." Said Remus with Hope nodding in areement.

"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that. But it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting star! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early, It's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."

Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters . . .

"Oh Merlin look a Potter." Ron said point at Hope in fake Shock.

"Oh yes I"m here to steal away your left shoes." Hope said rolling her eyes at Ron causing everyone to laugh.

Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously.

"He fit right in with gryffindor won't he Hope?" Ron asked as Hope chocked on her apple juice.

"Er — Petunia, dear — you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"

As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.

"There nothing wrong with Lily, she should be the one pretend not have a sister." Growled Remus with servile people agreeing. Snape glared at the book in rage.

"No," she said sharply. "Why?"

"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls . . . shooting stars . . . and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today . . ."

"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.

"She not at all like Hope." Colin said to his younger brother Dennis .

"Well, I just thought . . . maybe . . . it was something to do with . . . you know . . . her crowd."

Everyone looked offended at that.

"I didn't realize we were a crowd." spoke Hermione angrily.

"How dare that filthy muggle say such thing about us." Pansy screeched.

The Slytherins sneered at the book

Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, " their Daughter — she'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"

"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.

"What's Her name again? Holly, isn't it?"

"Hope. Nasty, strange name, if you ask me."

"Back then it wasn't as common as today." Spoke Mcgonnal," But after You-know-who it became quite popular."

"Really? How strange. What?" Hope said confused by the look people gave her.

"Honestly Hope you just defeated the Dark lord, of course people would want to name their children after you." Hermione said shaking her head at Hope.

"Really?"

"YES!" shouted everyone.

"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."

He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there.

"How long did you sit there Professor Mcgonagall?" Asked Nellia surprised she sat there so long.

"Will I did occasionally walk around the house but a few hours at a time." Several people look horrified at sitingt so long doing nothing.

It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.

"What were you waiting for Professor?" Asked Cho Chang.

"I'm sure you'll find out."

Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do the boy who lived with the Potters? If it did . . . if it got out that they were related to a pair of — well, he didn't think he could bear it.

"There is nothing wrong with having magic." Dumbledore said calmly but with out his usual twinkle.

The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind. . . . He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on — he yawned and turned over — it couldn't affect them. . . .

How very wrong he was.

"I wish he wasn't." Hope muttered

Only Hermione and Ron heard causing them to glare at the book

Mr. Dursley might have been falling into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside showed no signs of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinking on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.

"You have a lot of paction huh Professor." Said Hope.

"When you've been teaching as long as I have you'll need a lot of it."

A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.

Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and twinkle behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice.

"Professor Dumbledore!" Shouted the Students.

This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.

"I realized I just choose to ignore it." He said calmly.

Many people laughed or snorted.

"I'd pay to see my Aunt and Uncle reaction if our neighbors saw them." Hope whisper causing Hermione and Ron to laugh.

He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."

He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.

"Hey Professor, where you get it?" Asked Ron

"I made it myself." He said with a smile.

"Wicked." Chimed the Trio

He clicked it again — the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer,

"Oh so that's it name Sir?" Asked Hermione.

"No, it's called Deluminator.," replied Dumbledore

until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dum ble dore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

"I called it," shouted Hope.

"We didn't doubt you for a second Hope." Hermione said as she rolled her eyes.

He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.

"That's not surprising," Mcgonagall thought sadly as she looked at Hope," They should have lived to see their daughter grow up."

"How did you know it was me?" she asked.

"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."

The hall was filled with laughed, even the Slytherins laughed. But Umbrige and Fudge didn't seem to get the joke.

"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.

"No one asked you sit there all day long." Muttered Draco.

"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."

Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily

"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no — even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls . . . shooting stars. . . . Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent — I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."

"You can't blame them," said Sprout.

"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."

"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."

She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dum ble dore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"

"Nah" The trio said together

"Lies," hissed Umbitch, " He-who-must-not-be-named is gone for good."

The trio just rolled their eyes.

"It certainly seems so," said Dum ble dore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"

"A what?" Asked Ron

"A what?"

"Oh ickle Ronnie thinks like Mcgonagall." Joked the twins earning a glare from Mrs. Weasley.

"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of."

"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone —"

"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense — for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort."

Most of the student flinched minus DA along with Remus, Sirius and Dumbledore for Adults.

"Really? After all this time you still fear hi name? How can you be afraid of a name that sounds like Moldywarts seem stupid to me." Hope exclaimed.

Ron and Hermione laughed a Hope cause many people to look at them like their crazy.

Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."

Hope ground when more people flinched and cowered away though less this time.

"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."

"You flatter me," said Dum ble dore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."

"That's because you are a better person than him, profersure." Said Hope.

"Thanks but I think you should include yourself as will Ms. Potter." Said Dumbledore with a gentle smile.

"Only because you're too — well — noble to use them."

"Will guess I think like Mcgonagall as will Ron. Up top." Said Hope as she high fived him earning a small smile from said witch.

"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."

"Os gross." Excallmend the student tho Hope was laughing at the twins.

Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, " The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"

Hope looked down at her empty plate. Ron and Hermione wrapped their arms and around her. Luna handed her a chocolate cookie.

It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.

"I wish it wasn't true." Whispered Hope but everyone heard

"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters.

The was silent, it never been to quit as it was now. Tears were running drown Hopes cheeks, dripping on to Sirius's head that laid in her lap.The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead."

Remus made his way over and held Hope as she cried not making a single sound. Others were crying as will. Mcgonagall dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. Hagrid was crying the loudest.

Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.

"Lily and James . . . I can't believe it . . . I didn't want to believe it . . . Oh, Albus . . ."

"They were two of my favorite students." Mcgonagall said weakly.

Snape kept a blank look as he thought about Lily

Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know . . . I know . . ." he said with voice filled with sorrow.

Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. " That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potters' daughter, Hope. But — he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little girl. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Hope Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke — and that's why he's gone."

Everyone looked at Hope with different expressions, such as awe or pity

"It's — it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done . . . all the people he's killed . . . he couldn't kill a little girl? It's just astounding . . . of all the things to stop him . . . but how in the name of heaven did Hope survive?"

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."

"Dangit, I really wanted to know." Several people muttered.

Ron and Hermione looked at Hope as she told them after first year.

Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"

"I've come to bring Hope to her aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."

"What!" People yelled along with a few swears.

"You the one you left Hope with them!" Yelled Hermione with such rage that everyone went silent.

"They are Hope only living blood relatives. There was no other choice." Dumbledore spoke as if that was the end to it, but Hermione and Ron continued to openly glare at him.

"They find out and I'll no longer stay there." Hope whisper to them but Remus and Sirius heard and exage worried looks.

"You don't mean — you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore — you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son — I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Hope Potter come and live here!"

"I'm sorry but I take Mcgonagall on this one Profuser." Growled Remus and Sirius barked in agreement.

"It's the best place for her," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to her when she's older. I've written them a letter."

"Are you for real! You wrote them a damn letter! As if that could explaine everything!" Yelled Ron but Mrs Weasley didn't call him ot on his swearing.

"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! She'll be famous — a legend — I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Hope Potter Day in the future — there will be books written about Hope — every child in our world will know her name!"

"Unfortunately true." Sighed Hope.

Snape raised an eyebrow in surprise. "No She just as arrogant as her father."

"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any girl's head. Famous before she can walk and talk! Famous for something she won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off she'll be, growing up away from all that until she's ready to take it? I understand your worries, but it's for the best."

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes — yes, you're right, of course. But how is the girl getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding hope underneath it.

Mrs. Weasley looked unamused and ready to yell if it was true.

"Hagrid's bringing her."

"You think it — wise — to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?

We trust Hagrid with our lives." Spoke the Trio at the same time before grinning at each other.

Hagrid beamed at the trio.

"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.

"Who would have thought"

"Yes Fred, our baby brother thinks like Dumbledore." Joked the twins trying to ease tension.

A few people laughed.

"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to — what was that?"

A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky — and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them

Most of male student cheered along with some females but none as loud as Hope.

"Once your freed you have to teach me how to ride it." Hope whisper to Sirius who barked and wagged his tail.

If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild — long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.

"You were a very cute baby Hope." State Mcgonagall

Many people cooed much to Hope embarrassment.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

Sirius barked cause everyone in the Order to laugh but Snape causing some confused looks.

"No problems, were there?"

"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got her out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. She fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."

More cooing cause Hope to go red in the face and hair.

Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby girl, fast asleep. Under a messy tuft of black hair over her forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

Hope rubbed at her forehead.

"Is that where — ?" whispered Professor McGonagall.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "She'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.

"We didn't need to know that." Stated Malfoy loudly with loads of people nodding in agreement and a bark of laughter.

Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with." Dumbledore took Hope in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house

"Could I — could I say good-bye to her, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Hope and gave her what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.

"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"

"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it — Lily an' James dead — an' poor little Hope off ter live with Muggles —"

"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Hope gently on the doorstep,

"You left her outside!" Shouted all the females and glares from the men.

Hope's closes friends glared at the book as if it casted an unforgivable.

"You left a baby on the a doorstep in November! How could you! It was supposed to rain! There were Death Eater still about!" Yelled Mrs. Weasley in rage.

"Mrs. Weasley I can promise you she was protected." Dumbledore state

"You left my sister in a blanket! She was barely a year old at the least! She could have froze to death!" Yelled Ron with Hermione nodding along. Hope tryied to calm them down but didn't work.

"I may not like Potter but You can't leave a baby alone, they can easily die or be taken." Yelled Malfoy with a good portion of Slytherin yelling in agreement.

This went on for several minutes.

"Enough!" Sheriked Umbridge," be quiet so we can continue reading."

took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Hope's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.

"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall — Professor Dumbledore, sir."

Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply

Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the Bundle of blankets on the step of number four.

"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

"She going to need it." Mumbled Ron causing people to look consuredent at Hope.

Unknown to him the tabby cat turned as if forgotten something important.

"Professor what are you doing?" Asked Hope with a confused look matching several people including Dumbledore.

She turned human as she neared the baby and looked lovingly at the infant, as if she was her grandmother.

"Professor, you know I really do consider you be my grandmother." Hope said with a gentle smile at Mcgonagall.

"I would be proud to have a granddaughter like you." Spoke Mcgonagall with a happy smile.

She cast a silent spell to keep her warm and for protection from the rain,

"Count on Mcgonagall to have any sence of any kind." Neville said loudly earning some laughs

leaned and kissed over the lightning scar. The little girl had a small smile on her face.

Everyone cooed again as Hope just sighed.

"I hope your be safe, till I see you once again."She whisper as she stood up and changed back into a cat and slowly walk away at she was about to turn the corner she had once last look before leaving, not to see her again for many years to come.

Everyone grew sad to hear she didn't see her again.

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Hope Potter rolled over inside her blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside her and she slept on, not knowing she was special,

"I'm not that special honestly." Said Hoope getting Glares from Ron and Hermione.

"You're just being modest, your very special." Hermione said shaking her head.

"Yeah, Saint Hope, make us all look like sinner in comparison to her kindness." Agreed Ron with a grin.

not knowing she was famous, not knowing she would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles

"She better not have dropped them on you," Said Luna dreamily.

nor that she would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by her cousin Dudley. . . . She couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Hope Potter — the girl who lived!"

"Will that's the end of the chapter who would like to read next?" Asked Dumbledore.

"I will Albus." Answered Mcgonagall as she took the book from him.

Everyone stared in silence wait for her to begin.

Hope petted Sirius, "Will they find out next chapter? Maybe I can Live with Sirius now." Hope wondered

Umbridge was fuming. "We've learned nothing to discredit her. We need something to prove she the liar she really is."