Chapter Three

Revelations and Arrival

The beginning of the drive was spent in relative silence, there was faint music coming from the front of the car, but I wasn't focused enough to pinpoint who or what was playing. Part of me was still in shock. I could hardly believe what happened, and that was really driving away from my past. I could feel her gaze on me, studying me, perhaps waiting for a mental or physical break down.

"Ms. Evans, is that all you wanted to pack or is that all you have?" She asked softly after a few moments.

I bit my lip hesitating, but I knew better than to lie.

"Both," I said.

A sad look passed over her face and looked very regretful and sorrow loomed over her.

"Firstly Ms. Evans I need to apologize. If I had known the conditions of your upbringing were so deplorable we would have NEVER left you or brother in his care."

I perked up at the mention of my elder brother, Felix.

"Does Felix go to Hogwarts?"

Professor McGonagall shook her head and my excitement faded.

"Unfortunately no, we were aware he left the home, but we have been attempting to locate where he left to. We've have very little success."

I had hope that Felix was there, to hear that they were unable to locate him was disheartening. Silence loomed in the car again.

"I was friends with your mother,"

I looked up at the older woman, she wore a soft faraway look on her face, reminiscing.

"What was she like? Albert…he never talked about her…"

She smiled at the memories.

"She was probably the kindest person you would ever meet, a heart of gold. And a fire in her soul, she was ever so feisty, much like her sister Lily."

I blinked up in surprise, I had never known that my mother had siblings.

"What else hadn't that man told you?"

I looked sheepish and she gave me a reassuring smile.

"I am not upset at you Ms. Evans, but your father will be hearing from us again. Your mother has two sisters. Lily has since passed on, but Petunia is alive and living in London with her family. Lily and Magnolia were close, she eventually married and had a son. Petunia never had any magical abilities and grew distant from her sisters. She eventually married and settled down in London, giving birth to a son."

My mind whirled, I had a whole other part of my family that I never even knew of.

"Lily's son, Harry, your cousin, will be starting Hogwarts this school year as well."

That made me happy, especially since until a few moments ago I had no idea he existed.

"Originally you would have stayed with Albert until term began, however the situation has changed. For now we will travel to Hogwarts and I will speak with the headmaster. No doubt you'll remain on the school premises until term starts and we find a proper guardian for you."

I nodded and was quite uncertain on what to say. The remaining of the car ride was in silence. We arrived at a hotel where Professor McGonagall told me we would stay the night before traveling to Hogwarts in the morning. It was a very nice hotel, certainly nicer in anywhere I have been. Double queen beds, squishy and comfortable. I decided to take a shower and washed my hair and body with the hotel provided shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. I honestly could have stayed in there forever, but I washed quickly and changed into the ratty pajamas I owned and nearly dived into the squishy bed.

Professor McGonagall had ordered room services and as we ate I felt her curious gaze on me.

"You seem to be burning with questions," She stated with a laugh.

I flushed pink.

"Just one really, but I am uncertain if I want to know the answer,"

Almost immediately her face grew serious and forlorn.

"What happen to my mother?"

She looked both torn and dismayed.

"Bad things happen to wonderful people Ms. Evans, but, you have the right to know."

She took a steadying breath.

"Many years ago, there was an aspiring young wizard attending Hogwarts school by the name of Tom Riddle. He was quite magically adept and very powerful, he lacked, however, in emotional attachments. After his time at Hogwarts came to an end, he began to do foul soul-tearing murders and gathered followers to his cause. At the time he began calling himself Lord Voldemort."

"He became very proficient in torturing and obtaining information before killing his victims. Overtime, he sought out dangerous magical creatures, werewolves, giants, and persecuted witches or wizards to his join his cause. The only one he truly feared was his former tutor and mentor: Albus Dumbledore."

"The Hogwarts Headmaster," I murmured.

She nodded at my deduction.

"Ten years into the First Wizarding War he heard of a prophecy. A prophecy that depicted his downfall. A baby born in the month of July will defy him and strike him down. The baby born of those had defied him three times. He searched everywhere before he finally find Godric's Hollow."

Her eyes grew misty, I handed her a tissue and she smiled in thanks.

"Your mother lived in Godric's Hollow with the two of you. Near Lily and her family. On the night of Halloween, Voldemort arrived in Godric's Hollow, he murdered your mother in her own home before traveling to Lily and James's home and taking their lives as well. He tried to kill your cousin, Harry, but was unable to do so. The spell rebounded and severely weakened him, and he disappeared. Some say he died that night, other's say he's still out there biding his time."

I sighed.

"Why didn't he go after my brother and I?"

"No one knows for certain, some say he didn't know the two of you existed. Others believed he was too blinded by his initial mission to bother."

I swallowed hard at that.

"When we found you, Felix had discovered the body. And as your father as your living relative, law dictated you were to live with him. At first, he refused. It wasn't until we gave him a stipulation and a contract was set in place. Which he has since violated the terms of the said contract on multiple accounts. Of which I will be relaying to Professor Dumbledore."

My mind was in a whirl of information, and I was burning with so many questions. However suddenly I was too tired and mentally exhausted to grasp one before it disappeared.

"Try and get some rest, we have a long trip ahead of us."

Nodding I ate the remainder of my dinner. Belly full and exhausted I curled into my comforter and dozed off. That night sleep didn't come easy for me and as we boarded the plan at the airport I found myself falling asleep on the plane. Luckily it was only the one plane, and we didn't have any connecting flights, the flight itself was nearly thirteen hours. We arrived in London around ten in the evening. I was thoroughly jet-lagged and the ride to our final destination before arriving at Hogwarts itself, was spent in silence. I tried to look out the window of the cab on our way but I was too dark to see much, just streetlights. We arrived and stayed at an inn called the Leaky Cauldron. Professor McGonagall said it was a famous inn in the Wizarding World. The rooms weren't as nice as the hotel in the US but the food was good and hot and the beds were comfortable.

The following morning, Professor McGonagall introduced me to the Knight Bus. It was….interesting to say the least. We made it to the small village of Hogsmede in no time at all. From there we took a horseless carriage, up to the castle. I saw hoof-prints in the snow so I was quite curious as to what was pulling the carriage. I very much wanted to stay and browse the shops in Hogsmede but I was also quite eager to get a glimpse of Hogwarts as well. We were in the carriage only a few minutes when I caught my first sight of Hogwarts. It was a castle, there was no other word for it. The bricks were grey with towers all around the school. The grounds were enormous, I swallowed nervously as the thought of getting lost crossed my mind. I made a mental note to obtain a map or make a mental map of where everything was.

The carriage arrived beneath the school, I gathered my things once the carriage stopped and followed after Professor McGonagall. We walked into a small door just to the left where the carriage parked. It was a large hallway on either side of me was an empty space lined with candles where another door in front of us.

"This is where we store the luggage of the students as well as their animals while the Sorting Ceremony is occurring. Once sorted their luggage and animals are brought to their dormitories," Professor McGonagall responded to my curious stare.

We lingered there a moment longer before I followed her through another large wooden door, the floors were all uniform grey stone with the occasion rug beneath our feet. I wasn't able to stop and dally as I would've liked, but I could have sworn the paintings were moving. She kept a brisk pace as we traveled down the halls and climbing several flights of stairs. One thing was for certain, I would stay in shape while I was attending Hogwarts.

"Keep an eye on the staircases, they like to change." Professor McGonagall advised.

I could see above us as several staircases above us move to various floors. We eventually arrived on a second floor corridor and arrived in front of a gargoyle that was larger than I was tall.

"Sherbet Lemon."

The gargoyle trembled and then slowly went upwards, revealing a spiral staircase as it rose. Climbing the ascending staircase, there was a large oaken double door, upon getting closer it opened to reveal a large circular room and I could faintly hear funny noises. There were several silver instruments on spindle-legged tables, some spinning others were blowing puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of older headmasters and headmistresses all of whom were sleeping. In the middle of the room was an enormous, claw-foot desk behind it was a large oaken door and shelves rested on either side of it.

Sitting behind the desk was a tall thin man. He had long silver-hair and a matching beard that could be tucked into his belt if he so wished. He had a long crooked nose that looked as though it may had been broken at least twice. He wore half-moon spectacles, behind them lay twinkling blue eyes. He was currently wearing robes of deep purple and long skillful fingers went through a stack of paperwork that lay upon his desk.

"Good evening Minerva, I see you've brought a guest." His voice was soft and serene.

Professor McGonagall nodded in greeting and pulled me forward gently.

"Professor Dumbledore may I introduce Ms. Harper Evans. Ms. Evans, this is Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts."

"Hello," I said softly.

He gave me a kind smile.

"You remind me so much of your mother, nearly a spitting image if I do say so myself,"

I flushed at the compliment. I couldn't be sure I did look like my mother, I had never seen so much as a picture of her. Albert didn't keep any around growing up.

"Professor Dumbledore, we have a situation with MS. Evan's current living arrangements." McGonagall said pointedly.

Although his face betrayed nothing, his eyes held a curious light.

"Ms. Evans, may I ask that you step outside for a moment?"

I nodded and found a stone bench just outside the door to his office. The double doors closed behind me, I waited about ten minutes before they reopened and Professor McGonagall beckoned me inside. Dumbledore's face was calm and collected but his eyes revealed a different expression.

"Firstly, I want to convey my sympathies to you. Had we known the living situation had deteriorated so rapidly, we would have never had you remain there."

Not knowing how to respond, I nodded.

"That leads us to your present situation. Until a proper guardian is found, you will remain on Hogwarts grounds."

I nodded.

"Professor McGonagall will take you to your room, tomorrow you will travel to Diagon Alley to get your school supplies."

"Will I remain in my room even after I'm sorted?"

"That we will leave the decision to you when the time comes. For now go get some rest, you've had a long journey to get here."

Nodding, the weight of everything seem to come crashing on me at once. The information overload, traveling, and I was exhausted.

"Come Ms. Evans, let's get you to bed."

I bid Professor Dumbledore goodnight and McGonagall led me out of his office on the second floor, up five more flights of stairs to the seventh floor. She led me to a oaken door, she turned and handed me an old fashioned brass key with a red ribbon attached to the handle.

"This is the physical key to your room, if you forget it or lose it you can use a verbal password of your choosing. Preferably something others cannot easily pick up or acquire. I'll be in around ten tomorrow to give you a bit of a lie in,"

I nodded and she bid me goodnight. I inserted the key into the door, mumbling a password. There was a soft click and the door opened. The room was dimly lit, mentally I was too tire to take inventory of the room. Instead, I toed off my shoes and changed into a large t-shirt I had and some cloth shorts, and in my zombie-like haze, collapsed into the four poster bed, falling asleep almost instantly.