A/N: Many thanks as always to my beta Jonelle! She keeps me motivated. Thanks to all those who have been reviewing! Getting reviews in my inbox is so much fun. I'm still utterly shocked that I have over 500 revies now. Enjoy and just know that I know I'm evil...

Chapter 48-Discovery

July 24, 1991—Harper Place

"Ginny Weasley?"

Mena looked at the stern-faced woman, who sat in the playroom. She had been puzzled as to why Miss Stephens had asked Harry to join her in the playroom. So Mena had decided to follow along behind them. Now the woman was calling out weird names. Looking around and seeing no females, other than Miss Stephens, the young girl wondered who it was the woman was referring to.

"No, Aunt Minnie, this is Mena Frayne, the one I told you about, Harry's best friend," Miss Stephens stated.

"While you might know her as Mena, I can assure you that girl is a Weasley." Mena mouthed the name Weasley to herself. It didn't exactly roll off her tongue. The woman continued, "I taught her father, her mother and five of her brothers so far. Even had all of them in my house." House? What is this woman talking about? Wait, Miss Stephens seems to understand her, Mena thought. "There's no doubt in my mind that she's a Weasley, not with that particular shade of red. As there's only been one girl Weasley in the last few generations, she must be Ginny," the older woman declared.

Mena's mind got stuck on the words: father, mother and five brothers.

"Excuse me, did you say five brothers? You knew my parents?" Mena asked. She vaguely was aware of Miss Stephens getting up to investigate the noise coming from the other rooms on the floor.

"Not knew, child. Know, I know your parents. And yes, I said five brothers. Your youngest brother, Ron starts this year so I will have taught all six of your brothers."

"Six brothers? I have a family? Then why am I in here?" Mena asked, very unsure and bewildered, sounding a lot younger than she really was.

"That I do not know," Minerva said calmly. "But I know who does and I'll take you to her once I'm done with Harry."

Mena startled. She had forgotten all about her best friend. Turning around, she saw Harry in the corner of the room, eyes glazed over. Her breath caught in her throat. She knew that look. She knew what was happening. Shaking her head, she crossed to stand in front of Harry. Eyes blazing, she let out a sharp whistle exactly like her adopted mum had taught her. The whistle normally drew him out of whatever it was that had captured him in its grasp. This time, though, Harry didn't move a single muscle. Mena didn't know why, but she had always avoided touching Harry whenever he was like this. Still, nothing else was working.

She grabbed his hand in hers.

HPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGWHPGW

After Aunt Minnie explained that Mena had to be Ginny Weasley, Janet heard a commotion out in the hallway. She immediately went to check it out, even though she wanted to know more about what would happen with both Harry and Mena. The echoing sounds of weeping were coming from Ivie and Fiona's room. Edward and Carter were in the hallway, arguing over something.

"What is going on here?" she demanded from her charges.

"He cheated, Miss Stephens!" Carter replied almost spitting at Edward.

"Boys! Is this necessary? Over what? A card game? Really?" she stated.

"I didn't cheat. I won, fair and square. He just can't accept that he lost," Edward said, glaring at Carter.

"All right, Edward, to your room. Carter, go to Harry's room and wait for me there. I need to check on Fiona and Ivie." When the two boys failed to start moving toward their destinations, Janet stepped behind the two boys and gave them a light slap to the back of their heads. "NOW!"

The two boys scattered, headed toward where Miss Stephens had directed them. Janet crossed to Fiona and Ivie's room and gently knocked on the door.

"Girls?" She stuck her head in the door and spied the two girls lying face down on their beds. "What's wrong?" she asked them. Ivie turned her face to look at her.

"It's just so sad," Ivie cried, tears streaming unchecked down her face.

"What is?" Janet questioned as she ran her hand over Fiona's back. Fiona was crying even more than Ivie at this point. She was just puzzled over why they would be crying like this unless something had happened at swim lessons. "Was it something at swim lessons?"

"No, that was fine. I don't know what it is, Miss Stephens, but it's just so sad." Janet so did not look forward to these girls reaching puberty and learning about boys if this was how they were going to react. Heading out of the room, she knew that as much as she longed to go to her room and ponder what she learned that afternoon, she needed to return to Harry and Mena, Ginny, Mena. She would have to work on what to call the girl.

The smell of smoke penetrated her thoughts, causing Janet to startle. When she realized it was coming from the playroom, Janet flew down the hall, skidding to a stop just inside the doorway.

Aunt Minnie was slipping her wand back into her pocket while Harry and Mena were staring google-eyed at her from the corner of the room. Janet was speechless for a moment.

"What happened? Why was there smoke?" Janet demanded. The two children looked terrified at the thought of answering that. Aunt Minnie returned to her seat and delicately crossed her hands in her lap.

"Well, Calliope, it seems that you were right about the accidental magic taking place here. The rubbish bin caught fire suddenly. No matter. I put the fire out," Minerva said matter-of-factly.

"Can you do something to dissipate the smoke, Aunt Minnie? We don't need the alarms going off," Janet requested.

"Oh, right," the witch replied, pulling out her wand once more. With a quick wave, all of the smoke disappeared instantly. As she was replacing her wand, Janet caught sight of both Harry and Mena's wide eyes.

"Wow! How did you do that?" Harry exclaimed, bursting with curiosity. Mena simply nodded, obviously in total agreement with her best friend.

"Wait," Mena said, her eyes narrowing. "What did you mean accidental magic?" Before Janet could try to explain, Aunt Minnie started speaking.

"Mr. Potter, perhaps it's best if I introduce myself. My name is Minerva McGonagall. I'm the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm actually here to deliver this invitation to our school." She held out a letter to Harry in a yellowish envelope. Harry crossed to take it from her before stepping back to open it. Janet watched him scan the contents as Mena came forward to look over his shoulder.

"Magic? Like for real magic and not just the illusions that magicians create?" Harry asked.

"Have either one of you ever made things happen that you couldn't explain?" the witch asked.

Both of them looked blankly at the two women.

"Harry, Mena, what about what happened at Brighton? Chase and his cronies were closing in on you and you just disappeared? What do you think that was? That was your magic reacting to the threat it sensed coming." Noticing the startled looks the two were giving her, Janet smiled. "Did you think I didn't know?"

"But, please, Miss Stephens, magic? I mean, sure, you've read us the stories: the King Arthur legends, Lord of the Rings, the Narnia series, but you expect us to believe that magic really exists?" Mena said, puzzled.

"It does," Janet answered.

"But where would I get all of this? How would I get all of this? I don't have any money," Harry asked, waving the parchment in his hand. Gently taking it from him, Janet looked over at the list of things required for first years.

"Mr. Potter, may I call you Harry?" At his nod, Minerva continued, "You most certainly do have money for Hogwarts. Your parents, I'm sure, left you everything. Besides, you may not know it, but there are two people who have been scouring the countryside looking for you. They are more than willing to provide for your education."

"Who? Who has been looking for me? I don't understand. My aunt left me here. So why would she be looking for me?" Harry inquired, taking a seat on the floor. Mena sat next to him, taking his hand in hers.

"Your aunt... I can't say anything nice about that woman, so I'm not going to say anything more. No, I'm referring to your godparents, Harry. Sirius Black," At the mention of his name, Janet let out a huge gasp. "and Alice Longbottom have been searching for you ever since your aunt died, maybe even longer."

Visions and thoughts of Sirius threatened to take over Janet's mind, but she forced them to the side in order to follow the rest of the conversation.

"So that's why she broke her promise and never came back for me," Harry muttered just loud enough for Janet to hear. A little louder he said very morosely, "So that's it then. I have no more family."

"Actually, Harry, that's not exactly true," Aunt Minnie stated, looking between Harry on the floor and Janet, who was standing by the door.

"I'm not counting Dudley as family, not anymore," Harry said flatly.

"No, I wasn't talking about Dudley. Your grandfather's father had a sister, Chelsea. That sister had a daughter, Ellen, who grew up and had a little girl of her own. When that little girl grew up, she went on to have three daughters, one of whom you've been living with for how long, Calliope?" Minerva said, turning to Janet.

Harry was speechless while Janet spluttered out, "Wait, are you telling me that Harry and I are related?"

"Indeed. Now, Mr. Potter, do you have any burning questions about Hogwarts before we figure out how to get you to one of your godparents as they are actually your guardians now?" Minerva asked.

"Um... I don't think so. I mean, I can keep the letter, right? Wait, do my godparents know about Hogwarts?" Harry questioned, forehead slightly furrowed.

"Absolutely, they're both graduates, same class as your parents. Any other questions?" she inquired.

"No, not about Hogwarts. Who are you going to take me to, my godfather or godmother?" Harry asked.

"Well, normally, I would say that I would take you to your godfather as your godmother has her hands full at the moment, getting your godbrother Neville's things ready for Hogwarts while keeping up with her other two children. After all, her youngest is only six months old. I doubt you would be able to get much sleep, but alas, I can't find where your godfather lives," Minerva exclaimed with a shrug.

"Oh, but I know where Sirius lives, Aunt Minnie. I could take Harry," Janet offered.

"He lives under a Fidelius Charm, Calliope. How is it that you know where it is?" Minerva asked, clearly mystified at Janet's revelation.

"He lives on the same square as my parents. I knew him growing up," she said with a shrug. "I guess the Fidelius doesn't work in the same way against Squibs."

"What's a Squib, Miss Stephens?" Mena's small melodic voice asked.

"Well, Mena, when someone is born to a family of wizards, but doesn't have magic themselves, they are called Squibs. I'm a Squib because everyone else in my family can do magic, but me," Janet stated plainly. She worked extra hard to make sure that none of her melancholy of the situation bled out into her voice. Janet thought it worked until Mena reached her hand out and laid it on Janet's arm.

"I'm sorry I asked, Miss Stephens," Mena said quietly.

"It's okay, Mena," Janet said, patting her hand. That hand felt ice cold now. She looked over at her Aunt Minnie. "Would you like me to take Harry to Sirius?

"Actually that would work out well. Then I could take Ginny to her parents," Minerva answered.

"Wait, parents? Her parents are alive? Then why is she here?" Janet queried.

"I don't know all the details, but I know that her parents have been looking for her about as long as Harry's godparents have been looking for him. I'm sure that I can get the full story if I take her to their place."

"I'll let the matron know that I've found relatives for Harry and Mena and that I'll return to fill out all the paperwork. You go ahead with Mena. Harry and I will go to Sirius as soon as I'm done with the matron. I'll return to get all of their things together and I'm sure that Sirius will help me deliver Mena's things to her."

With that, Janet scurried out of the room to see the matron. The two friends sitting on the floor looking at one another wondered when they would see each other again. Minerva stood up and gestured to Ginny to stand as well.

"I think it might be best if we Apparate from here. Come here, please, Ginny," the professor beckoned.

The small redhead crossed to the woman and looked back at Harry. His face was full of heartbreak as he watched his best friend ready herself to leave him. Mena threw herself into Harry on the floor and whispered, "I'll always be your best friend, Harry. No matter how far apart. I'll find some way to contact you, I promise."

"I don't know what I'll do without you, Mena," Harry replied in a whisper.

"You'll be fine. Just be yourself," she replied, standing up and stepping back, eyes welling with tears. "I won't say goodbye, because this isn't. So see you soon."

"See you soon, Mena," Harry answered. With that, she laid a hand on Professor McGonagall's arm and they disappeared.

Harry bit his lip, hoping to chase the tears away. Taking several deep breaths, he wondered why this was worse than when his aunt had dropped him off here at Harper Place. Miss Stephens rejoined him in the playroom.

"Harry, let's go find your godfather. I know you're going to love him," Janet said, ushering him out of the building. Harry stopped for a second to look back at Harper Place, wondering if he would ever see the place again. But when Miss Stephens called for him, he hurried to catch up with her.

A couple of tube stops later, Janet was knocking on the door of Grimmauld Place with Harry standing behind her. When the door opened, nothing could have prepared Janet for the sight that met her eyes.