Milla

Hi Dad,

You were right, Hogwarts is amazing. I absolutely love being here. We got sorted into houses when we first arrived and we sleep in dorms in our houses. I'm in Gryffindor which is the house for those who are brave. I'm not really sure why I'm in this house but I'm happy.

I made a really good friend. Her name is Rose Granger-Weasley. We are both in Gryffindor so we get to share a dorm. I also made some other friends but they are in a different house, Slytherin I think it's called.

One of them, Carter Smythe, helped me when I first got on the train. He said his sister, Gwen, told him about Hogwarts before he came. She's in third year and in Gryffindor. I met her, she's rather nice although she's always yelling at this boy called James Potter.

My other friends from Slytherin are Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter. I met them both on the train as well. Yes, Albus is the brother of the annoying boy James who irritates Carter's sister Gwen but they are really nothing alike. Rose and Albus are cousins. She was telling me all about her cousins. She said she has ten cousins. I couldn't imagine be a part of such a big family. It would crazy.

Scorpius was really worried because his dad did some bad stuff during the wizarding war but it doesn't really matter. Rose told me his dad hated muggleborns and any one in Gryffindor but he doesn't seem to about any of that.

Anyway, I should go. It's getting quite late and we want to explore the castle tomorrow before classes start on Monday. I really miss you, mum and Katie.

Love from,
Milla

Dear Milla,

It's lovely to hear that you are enjoying yourself. I only ever told you what my cousin mentioned but even then we were never told much as we were never really nice to him, something that I dearly regret all these years later.

Are you certain your friend's name is Potter? I think it is time I tell you about my cousin. His name was Harry Potter. I believe that your friend is his son. He lived with us for many years but my parents were never nice to him. He wasn't so bad though. He was just dealt a rotten hand. Bloody kid nearly got me killed a couple of times.

I'm pretty sure his friends were Granger and Weasley though so it would make sense that they would still be close now. Those Weasleys always were a strange bunch though. Always trying to use our muggle technology and failing.

If my suspicions are correct you have a much larger family than you have ever realised and now that our family is connected to the wizarding world through you maybe we might be able to see more of my cousin Harry and his family.

Enjoy the beginning of the term and tell me about your classes when they start.

Love from,
Dad

"Hey, Albus." I called out seeing his dark hair further down the hallway.

He turned around and looked at me a smile appearing on his face when he realised who had called him.

"Hey Milla." He said. "I was wanting to speak to you actually."

"Really?" I asked. "I wanted to talk to you as well."

We decided to head outside to sit out on the grounds. It was such a nice day and we really should take advantage of the weather while it's still nice. It isn't going to be like this for much longer. Winter was growing closer and it would start getting colder meaning we wouldn't be able to sit outside anymore.

"So, I sent a letter to my dad." I began to explain. "I told him that I got sorted into Gryffindor and what the house is. I told about my friends, so you, Rose, Carter and Scorpius. I also told him about how much James annoys Gwen. Then he wrote me back and told me that he thinks your dad is his cousin."

"That's the same thing I wanted to talk about." Albus said with a laugh. "I wrote to my dad and told him about all my friends and he told me about his cousin, Dudley."

"That would be my dad." I said. "Should we go get James? I can grab him from the common room, if he's there of course. He might want to know about this. After all we are family. It's going to be so cool having a bigger family. Although from what Rose has told me your family is rather crazy."

"Milla." He said. "Let's go find James."

I felt myself flush bright pink. I was rambling again. This happens far too much. I really need to get it under control.

We walked through the hallway heading towards Gryffindor Tower. I was really hoping James was in the common room. If he wasn't I'd have to ask one of his friends. I'd be okay with asking Gwen, she's nice enough. But if Gwen was there surely James wouldn't be too far behind.

I could always ask Gwen's friend. I think she's a Weasley. She has the right colour hair for it. Although Rose said the two boys who hang out with James are Weasleys and one of them is blonde and the other has dark hair and is a lot more tanned than all the other Weasleys.

Perhaps one of them will be hanging around in the common room and I'll be able to ask where James is. But what if they don't want to talk to me. Then I'll just seem stupid. I don't want them to think I'm stupid. Especially because I might be seeing a lot more of them. What with me being related to the Potters.

When we reached the portrait I said the password and entered the common room. Albus decided to wait outside not wanting anyone to hate me before classes even started for bringing a Slytherin into the common room.

Thankfully when I got into the common room I saw James sitting on one of the couches. No nightmare trying to track him down. I didn't have to speak to anyone else. Yay.

"James, could you come with me?" I asked him.

He just looked at me confused as to why I was asking him that.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Albus is waiting outside." I tried. "We need to show you something."

James just rolled his eyes before getting up and following me out of the common room to where Albus was waiting for us.

"This better be good." He said once the portrait has closed.

"Our dads are cousins." I said not knowing how else to say anything.

"You sure about that?" James asked. "Dad said his cousin is a muggle."

"I'm a muggleborn." I said rolling my eyes.

James just stared at me. I think he must have been in shock. After all it isn't everyday you find out you have a second cousin you'd never met before. I mean, I read through the letter from Dad loads of times trying to wrap my head around the fact that I might be related to James and Albus.

"Great." James said. "Are we done here?"

Albus just stared at his brother. I think he was a little annoyed at James. It certainly seemed like he was.

"Go annoy Gwen some more." Albus told James.

James smiled at us before heading back into the common room.

"Sorry about him." Albus told me.

"No problem." I said.

We decided to find the others. They should know about this. Especially Rose.

Hi Dad,

I spoke to James and Albus. Albus told me that he'd sent a letter to his dad saying the same sort of thing, about his house and his friends, then his dad wrote back and told him about you.

So will we really spend more time with their family? Will I get to see them more? Oh please say yes. I've always wanted to be part of a big family.

Rose has also told me about all their other friends who are really close with the family. I met a couple of them. Some of them are at Hogwarts, others are a lot younger. They are all really lovely. Maybe we can join some of their big family things. It would be so much fun.

Albus and Rose said it would be great if I could join them. We would get to see all the other kids in the family. Albus mentioned that Katie could talk to some of the older cousins as well. If she wanted to of course. You'd also get a chance to get to know your cousin again.

Oh please let us go see the Potters and Weasleys. Please.

Love from,
Milla

Dear Milla,

If you would allow me the extended use of your owl I will attempt to send a letter to Harry asking if he would consider coming over for dinner one night when you come home for the holidays. However I'm not sure how he would react to that as I haven't spoken to him since we went into hiding.

I'm still trying to figure out how to tell Mum and Dad about you being a witch. I haven't mentioned this to you before but they always hated Harry for being different. Mum hated her sister for the same reason when they were growing up.

My biggest fear, sweetheart, is that they start calling you a freak like they did to Harry and Harry's parents. I promise that although I may have thought that growing up due to Mum and Dad placing their views on to me, I have grown out of it, even Harry could tell you that. I didn't mention to you that he saved my life once.

If Mum and Dad decide that they will also call you a freak then I shall see it right to distance ourselves from them until they can learn to accept you.

I want you to understand that you are special Milla. We would never be mad at you for who you are because it's not something you can control.

Love from,
Dad

We were all sitting out on the grass. I loved being outside. It was always so much nicer. The air, the smell, the sounds. I just loved it.

"Milla, are you alright?" Scorpius asked.

I must have been staring distantly at the grounds. I do that far too much. It must make all my friends think I'm crazy. Oh well. Guess they'll either put up with it or get rid of me.

"Sorry, I was just thinking." I told them. "I got another letter from my dad today."

I pulled the letter out of my pocket. I liked carrying Dad's most recent letter on me. It made me feel like I wasn't that far from home. It connected me to him.

"What did he say?" Albus asked.

"He wants to borrow my owl to send a letter to your dad." I explained. "He said he'll try to figure out how to do that properly. I laughed when I read that. Dad isn't the sort of person who you'd except to be sending owl post."

"Why does he want to owl Albus' dad?" Carter asked.

I looked at him shocked. I thought Albus had told the guys. I had certainly told Rose. She was over the moon. She was planning all the things we were going to do if I joined them at their family gatherings.

"You didn't tell them?" I whined hitting Albus with the book I had on me.

"I forgot?" Albus said like a question.

"Albus Severus Potter, how dare you forget something as important as family." Rose yelled at him taking my book and continuing to hit him with it.

"Merlin Rose, ow, calm down." Albus told her grabbing the book from her hand and giving it back to me. "One might think I forgot you were my cousin."

I placed the book on the other side of me so Rose could hopefully not reach it again. Rose just glared at Albus. I could see the other guys trying not to laugh. I could tell I certainly wasn't helping. I was nearly crying with laughter.

"Albus' dad and mine are cousins." I told the boys.

They looked at me, then at Albus. While their gazes flicked between the two of us no one said anything.

"So how come you didn't know each other then?" Carter asked.

"My grandparents hated the Wizarding World and Harry." I told them.

"After they all went into hiding during the war due to being related to Dad they stopped speaking to him." Albus explained. "Then once the war was over neither side made any contact with the other."

"So you're like what, cousins?" Scorpius asked.

"Second cousins." Both Albus and I said at the same time.

We smiled at one another before turning back to our friends.

"Dad is trying to see if your family wanted to come over to our place for dinner one night once we're on holidays." I told Albus having realised I never explained why Dad was trying to contact his dad.

"That's months away though." Albus said.

"It might take months for our dad's to sort out whatever residual hatred they have towards one another." I joked.

We all laughed. Clearly it was amusing to hear about grown ups fighting among one another. I'm sure there were many stories about when they were younger and arguing but those didn't seem as amusing as the possibility of them doing it as adults.

"A couple months will be nothing compared to how long it will take if we ever want Scorpius to join us at anything." Albus said to the group. "What was it your dad said again Rose?"

"So that's little Scorpius." Rose recited having remembered her dad's words due to the amusement they had caused her. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited you mother's brains."

The entire group burst into laughter again.

"You dad seems like a piece of work." Carter said.

"He's just a bit stubborn." Rose defended.

"A bit?" Albus asked. "Rose, don't try to soften it. Scorpius, he's probably going to hate your great-grandkids because of what happened with him and your dad."

Scorpius paled. It seemed whatever hatred was between Dad and Harry wasn't going to be nearly as bad as whatever hatred was between Rose and Scorpius' dads.

"We can just all go to your place Scorpius." I suggested. "Rose can say she's coming to see me. I'm sure Dad will go with it if I explain it to him. It would be weird at my place with Katie. She still seems a little funny with this whole 'being a witch' thing. It might be too much to bring my magical friends home."

"No, you can't do that." Scorpius told me. "My grandmother won't be happy with that. I'm pretty sure she still holds some of the old pureblood beliefs."

I just looked confused at Scorpius. I had no idea what he was talking about. It didn't make any sense.

"Some of the old pureblood families don't like people who aren't of magical descent." Rose explained.

"Look, she doesn't even really like Mum anymore." Scorpius said. "Thinks I've been polluted by being led to believe that everyone is equal. She was worse when Grandpa was still alive though."

We all kinda look defeated.

"Wait, Milla, if your sister isn't totally on board with you being a witch what's going to happen when your magical relatives just show up?" Albus asked me.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." I said only just realising the problem.