Chapter 4

We approached the castle… or Hogwarts.

"Holly, this way," Paul pulled me over into a boat.

I looked back at Chris. He looked so pitiful and sorrowful. He was hunched over, elbows on his knees, and forehead in his hands.

I got up carefully and sat next to him.

I slid over, put my arms around him and put my head on his shoulder.

"Okay, I'll stop and you're forgiven," he said, turning towards me and returning my hug.

Paul turned around, "but she didn't say anything."

He got no reply.

Chris slid his hand into mine and squeezed me hand gently. "Am I forgiven too?"

Our lips met. "What do you think?" I said with a smile as we parted.

"Um, yes?"

"Duh."

"Wait I'm confused. She didn't say anything but you still came out of a slump," Paul looked at me and Chris with a confusing face.

"It's just… I'm not sure what the right word is," I put on a thinking face.

Chris filled in the blank, "It's just that friends, when at their best, don't need words to get their feelings across," he said, putting his arm around my waist.

I shook him off, "I'm sorry but you better put your hand up higher!"

"Okay," he said putting his arm around my shoulder "is that better?"

"Uh-huh," I rested my head on his shoulder, watching Paul gag. "Oh deal with it."

"Whatever," he said turning away.

The rest of the trip was quiet and peacefully.

As we got off the boat, a giant walked towards us. "Hello, Hagrid," Chris waved.

"Hagrid?" I looked at Chris oddly.

"That would be me," the giant raised a hand.

"Oh, hello," I smiled and studied the giant carefully.

"You must be 'olly."

"Yes, I'm Holly Potter."

"Well, we don't want to keep Dumbledore waitin', so let's get into the castle," he hurried us in and through the halls. He stopped up in front of a statue of an eagle and whispered something that I couldn't understand. The eagle twisted upwards and revealed a stone stair case.

"Professor Dumbledore, we found her," Paul walked into the magical room and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Ah, yes, thank you Paul," the white-haired man said. "Hello, Holly. I am Professor Ablus Dumbledore. I will be your headmaster here at Hogwarts."

"Okay," I said nodding my head.

"If you will follow me to the Great Hall, we will have you sorted," he said leading the way. He led me through the doors and up to the front. "If you would please sit here," he pointed to a stool.

"Okay."

"My dear students," he called out, "if you would please give me your attention, we are about to sort our newest student."

Around one thousand pairs of eyes looked at me.

"Our new student is… Holly Potter," he said placing a black, pointy hat on my head.

"Ahhh, another Potter, I see. Hmm well, she is quite smart… but then she is a bit of devilish one… oh… what's that… oh she must be… yes she must be placed there… Holly Potter… Slyt—Gryffindor!" the hat shouted as a table of red and gold cheered.

Professor Dumbledore lifted the hat off my head and sat it down on the table. "This way, Ms. Potter," he led me towards the table and up to a boy with brown hair. "Harry?" the boy turned around. "This is your half sister, Holly." The boy's eyes grew wide and shocked.

"Half-sister?" he stumbled.

"Yes, Harry and she is a part of Gryffindor. I was hoping she could sit with you."

A red-haired boy scooted over and eyed me, "please sit down." Professor Dumbledore walked off.

"Okay," I said, sliding in between the two boys. "I'm Holly, Holly Potter."

"Wait, how are you my half-sister?" the brown-haired boy turned to me.

"Well, James Potter is my father and my mum, Priscilla Potter, is dead. She died when I was born; so I have been living with her best friend, Kaylee Rederbrook, in a library/bookstore in Paris. So what is the curriculum for third years?"

"Hold on, not so fast. So you're James' daughter?"

"Yes."

"And you're in third year?"

"Yes."

"Damn, Dad betrayed Mum!"

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm a test tube baby. James was a sperm donor. So my mum and our dad never actually got married but my mum has the last name Potter."

"Okay, well, welcome to the family, Holly. I'm Harry Potter," he said holding out his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Harry," I gave him a hug instead.

"So do you have any other siblings that I should know about?"

"Nope, just me."

"Well, then we're all we've got."

"Okay."

The red-haired boy turned to me, "Hello, I'm Ron Weasley."

"Hello."

A brown-haired girl sitting across from me spoke up, "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger."

"Hello."

"I'm Ginny Weasley, Ronald's sister."

"Nice to meet you."

I grabbed an apple out of a basket and bit into it. I looked over to see Ron staring at me. "Can I help you?"

"Sure… go out with me some time?"

"Hmmm," I moved closer to him, "sounds like fun," I moved a little closer, my lips almost touching his, "but go find some other bitch to fuck!" I yelled in his face.

"Go Holly!" Ginny and Hermione called out.

I gave him a smirk.

"Told you, Ron, you can't get a date with a person you just met," Harry said.

"So, there's a new Potter here at Hogwarts," a male voice said behind me.