All characters and locations in this story (except Rosemary Brooks and Kathy Weasley) are the property of JK Rowling.
Ron,
Can I come to the Burrow? I've just found something out... Is Harry with you already? Please send your answer
back quickly, it's very important!
Hermione
Hermione,
What's going on? Of course you can come and stay, and obviously Harry's here. Mum waited two weeks into the
holidays before she demanded that he stayed with us. Honestly, you'd think he was her son, not me. And this "important"
thing isn't a crusade for any sort of magical creatures, is it? You only just gave up on the house elves.
Tell me when you want to come, and Dad'll come and get you by Floo powder.
from Ron
Ron,
Can your dad come on Thursday evening? I know that's only tomorrow, but it's important that you know this
before we get to school. Both of you, especially Harry.
Hermione
"She's over-reacting. You know Hermione," said Ron, showing Harry the letters in his amazingly orange room in
the Burrow.
"I'm not so sure," Harry replied doubtfully. "I know she's said this sort of thing before, but you never know."
"Maybe," said Ron, obviously thinking that Hermione's idea of very important was Transfiguration homework. His
dad had already gone to get Hermione, and Ron felt slightly nervous about her immanent arrival.
"Boys! Hermione's here!" came Mrs Weasley's shout from downstairs. They made their way down the stairs to see
Hermione, standing by the fireplace with her trunk, looking slightly embarrassed. Ron realized with a start that she was
wearing a trace of make up. Mrs Weasley was smiling at her kindly, and said, "Go on, Hermione, go outside and let
Crookshanks out of his cage."
"Thanks, Mrs Weasley," said Hermione, picking up Crookshanks' cat basket and carrying it outside. Harry and Ron
followed close behind.
When the three of them were outside, Ron shut the door carefully behind him so that no one else would hear, and
said, "So what's all this about, then?"
Hermione, leaning down to let Crookshanks out, said, "All what?"
"Don't feign innocence, Hermione. You wrote to Ron in a right state. What's going on?" said Harry.
"Oh, that," she said, suddenly looking more serious. "Well, it's complicated. And, Harry, you've got to understand
that it's not my fault I didn't find out sooner. If I'd know, I would have told you, really I would!"
"Calm down. What is it?" Harry asked, but Hermione hesitated, so Harry went on, "It'll be much easier if you just
tell us now, you know."
"Yes. I know. But please, don't blame me for what's happened. I just..." and to the boys' complete bewilderment,
Hermione burst into tears. "I didn't know, did I? How was I to know? And now she'll be at Hogwarts, and no one ever told
you!"
Ron surprised himself by putting an arm around her and leading her to the garden bench. "Who'll be at Hogwarts,
Hermione? What are you talking about?"
She sat down, and tried to pull herself together. "I'm sorry, I just can't believe they never told you, Harry. And now you
have to find out like this..."
"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry, trying to sound reassuring. "Just tell me. I won't get angry, I promise."
"Okay," said Hermione, and she took a deep breath. "Harry, your dad had a sister."
"What?" shouted Harry and Ron at the same moment.
"No he didn't!" Harry yelled.
"Harry, be quiet! Do you want the others to hear?" Hermione looked as if she was about to cry again. "I told you, if
I'd found out sooner, I would have told you. You see, they've already told her, and her friend told me, we're pen-pals you
see, and -"
"Slow down! Who's this you're talking about? Start at the beginning would you!" said Ron, recovering his
composure slightly. Harry looked too shocked to speak.
"Sorry," said Hermione, and she gave a weak smile. "Well, I know I never told you this, but I have a pen-pal in
Salem." Ron looked blank, so she said, "Salem in Massachusetts, Ron! In America! Anyway, I've been writing to her since
third year. When you two weren't talking to me, I applied for a pen-pal abroad. And anyway, Sarah, that's my pen-pal, has
very little to do with this except that her best friend is Rosemary Brooks." She paused, as if she didn't know quite how to
word what she was going to say. "You see, Harry, your dad had an older sister, about five years older, I think, and she got
married to an American and moved out there. And they were killed by You-Know-Who just like your parents. In the same
year and everything."
"Well, thank you for informing me, Hermione," said Harry in an odd, tight voice. "So I had some family in America.
Now what on earth does this have to do with Hogwarts or your bloody pen-friend?"
"Harry! I'm telling you this isn't my fault!" She looked really upset at Harry's anger. "Look, there's more, and they've
already told her, so you have to know this before we start school."
"Who's her, Hermione?" asked Ron, still looking completely baffled.
"I'm getting to that, Ron, be patient. The thing is..." She stopped. "The thing is, they had a daughter. About six
months older than you. And she's still alive."
There was a long silence.
"What?" gasped Harry at last. "You've got to be joking!"
"I'm not!" cried Hermione, sounding slightly hysterical. "Her name is Rosemary Brooks, and her best friend is my
pen-friend! She's fifteen in January, and she'll be at Hogwarts with us in September!"
"What are you talking about? How can Harry suddenly have a cousin that he didn't know about?" said Ron in
confusion.
"Well, the attack on her parents was the only one that ever happened in America, and they wanted to hush it up.
You-Know-Who was mostly based in Europe because it's difficult to Apparate over long distances like that. She went into
foster care and no one ever told her that she was related to you. Until now." Hermione took another deep breath and
carried on. "The Salem Witches Institute has their own school. That's where my friend and Rosemary go. The building
suffered some damages last year, no one really knows how, so they're all coming to school with us for the year. We're the
nearest magical school that speaks English, you see."
Ron groaned. "Oh no! Kathy goes there! I can't bear her following me around all year!"
"What?" said Harry, and he had to smile at Ron's distressed face.
"Kathy. My cousin. She's American, Ginny's age, and she follows me everywhere when we see her."
Hermione giggled, and Ron glared at her. "It's not funny! She is seriously irritating! Now please, Hermione, go back
to this Rosemary person again."
"Sorry," said Hermione, getting her giggles under control. "Well, as I said, Sarah's her best friend, and she wrote to
tell me that the teachers at the Salem Institute told Rosemary about her family at the end of last year. They said she'd better
know before she met you. Sarah sent me an owl and said that Rosemary went absolutely ballistic!"
"Don't blame her. Why didn't they tell Rosemary and Harry before?" said Ron. "Come to that, why didn't they tell
Harry at all? Why didn't you tell him?"
"Well, the end of last year was a bit...stressful. And I wanted to make sure I knew all the facts before I told you. It
seemed only fair."
"Okay," said Harry quietly. "What else do you know about her? And what have you told her about me?"
"Umm...she plays Chaser on her house Quidditch team. Her birthday is January 16th. I don't know what she looks
like or anything."
"And what does she know about me?"
"I don't know. I've probably told Sarah...things about you over the years. And she probably told Rosemary. And of
course Rosemary has heard of you anyway."
"So we'll meet her at school or what? Or are they taking the train with us?" asked Ron, looking terrified at the
thought of having to put up with Kathy all the way to Hogwarts.
"No, they're meeting us at school. Don't worry, we'll have the train to ourselves." said Hermione, smiling at Ron's
face.
Harry smiled too, but he didn't feel like it. He had a cousin? And her parents had been killed just as his had? Why
had no one told him? Why had - oh god - why had Sirius never told him? He must have known, after all. All those people
keeping such a big thing from him for so long. He had a family...
"Harry? You all right?" Ron's voice interrupted Harry's thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just...you know, thinking."
"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier," said Hermione quietly.
"That's okay. At least I know now." But Harry looked so troubled that Hermione and Ron exchanged anxious
looks. And then -
"Ron! Dinner's ready! Ron!"
"Come on. We better go down," said Ron, still in a quieter voice than usual.
"Okay," said Harry, and he grinned at his friends. They grinned back, glad to see that he wasn't too worried about
the news that Hermione had brought. All three of them suddenly realized how hungry they were as they made their way
down the stairs to eat one of Mrs Weasley's wonderful dinners. All three wondered if their summer would get much more
eventful, and hoped fervently that it wouldn't.
Author's note: Thanks so much for reading this far! This is my first fanfic, so any comments/criticisms/praise would be
welcome. I guarantee that in the coming chapters, there will be H/R and H/G! Also, perhaps Kathy and Rosemary will end
up with people... I'm not even sure yet. And you'll meet them soon too!
Ron,
Can I come to the Burrow? I've just found something out... Is Harry with you already? Please send your answer
back quickly, it's very important!
Hermione
Hermione,
What's going on? Of course you can come and stay, and obviously Harry's here. Mum waited two weeks into the
holidays before she demanded that he stayed with us. Honestly, you'd think he was her son, not me. And this "important"
thing isn't a crusade for any sort of magical creatures, is it? You only just gave up on the house elves.
Tell me when you want to come, and Dad'll come and get you by Floo powder.
from Ron
Ron,
Can your dad come on Thursday evening? I know that's only tomorrow, but it's important that you know this
before we get to school. Both of you, especially Harry.
Hermione
"She's over-reacting. You know Hermione," said Ron, showing Harry the letters in his amazingly orange room in
the Burrow.
"I'm not so sure," Harry replied doubtfully. "I know she's said this sort of thing before, but you never know."
"Maybe," said Ron, obviously thinking that Hermione's idea of very important was Transfiguration homework. His
dad had already gone to get Hermione, and Ron felt slightly nervous about her immanent arrival.
"Boys! Hermione's here!" came Mrs Weasley's shout from downstairs. They made their way down the stairs to see
Hermione, standing by the fireplace with her trunk, looking slightly embarrassed. Ron realized with a start that she was
wearing a trace of make up. Mrs Weasley was smiling at her kindly, and said, "Go on, Hermione, go outside and let
Crookshanks out of his cage."
"Thanks, Mrs Weasley," said Hermione, picking up Crookshanks' cat basket and carrying it outside. Harry and Ron
followed close behind.
When the three of them were outside, Ron shut the door carefully behind him so that no one else would hear, and
said, "So what's all this about, then?"
Hermione, leaning down to let Crookshanks out, said, "All what?"
"Don't feign innocence, Hermione. You wrote to Ron in a right state. What's going on?" said Harry.
"Oh, that," she said, suddenly looking more serious. "Well, it's complicated. And, Harry, you've got to understand
that it's not my fault I didn't find out sooner. If I'd know, I would have told you, really I would!"
"Calm down. What is it?" Harry asked, but Hermione hesitated, so Harry went on, "It'll be much easier if you just
tell us now, you know."
"Yes. I know. But please, don't blame me for what's happened. I just..." and to the boys' complete bewilderment,
Hermione burst into tears. "I didn't know, did I? How was I to know? And now she'll be at Hogwarts, and no one ever told
you!"
Ron surprised himself by putting an arm around her and leading her to the garden bench. "Who'll be at Hogwarts,
Hermione? What are you talking about?"
She sat down, and tried to pull herself together. "I'm sorry, I just can't believe they never told you, Harry. And now you
have to find out like this..."
"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry, trying to sound reassuring. "Just tell me. I won't get angry, I promise."
"Okay," said Hermione, and she took a deep breath. "Harry, your dad had a sister."
"What?" shouted Harry and Ron at the same moment.
"No he didn't!" Harry yelled.
"Harry, be quiet! Do you want the others to hear?" Hermione looked as if she was about to cry again. "I told you, if
I'd found out sooner, I would have told you. You see, they've already told her, and her friend told me, we're pen-pals you
see, and -"
"Slow down! Who's this you're talking about? Start at the beginning would you!" said Ron, recovering his
composure slightly. Harry looked too shocked to speak.
"Sorry," said Hermione, and she gave a weak smile. "Well, I know I never told you this, but I have a pen-pal in
Salem." Ron looked blank, so she said, "Salem in Massachusetts, Ron! In America! Anyway, I've been writing to her since
third year. When you two weren't talking to me, I applied for a pen-pal abroad. And anyway, Sarah, that's my pen-pal, has
very little to do with this except that her best friend is Rosemary Brooks." She paused, as if she didn't know quite how to
word what she was going to say. "You see, Harry, your dad had an older sister, about five years older, I think, and she got
married to an American and moved out there. And they were killed by You-Know-Who just like your parents. In the same
year and everything."
"Well, thank you for informing me, Hermione," said Harry in an odd, tight voice. "So I had some family in America.
Now what on earth does this have to do with Hogwarts or your bloody pen-friend?"
"Harry! I'm telling you this isn't my fault!" She looked really upset at Harry's anger. "Look, there's more, and they've
already told her, so you have to know this before we start school."
"Who's her, Hermione?" asked Ron, still looking completely baffled.
"I'm getting to that, Ron, be patient. The thing is..." She stopped. "The thing is, they had a daughter. About six
months older than you. And she's still alive."
There was a long silence.
"What?" gasped Harry at last. "You've got to be joking!"
"I'm not!" cried Hermione, sounding slightly hysterical. "Her name is Rosemary Brooks, and her best friend is my
pen-friend! She's fifteen in January, and she'll be at Hogwarts with us in September!"
"What are you talking about? How can Harry suddenly have a cousin that he didn't know about?" said Ron in
confusion.
"Well, the attack on her parents was the only one that ever happened in America, and they wanted to hush it up.
You-Know-Who was mostly based in Europe because it's difficult to Apparate over long distances like that. She went into
foster care and no one ever told her that she was related to you. Until now." Hermione took another deep breath and
carried on. "The Salem Witches Institute has their own school. That's where my friend and Rosemary go. The building
suffered some damages last year, no one really knows how, so they're all coming to school with us for the year. We're the
nearest magical school that speaks English, you see."
Ron groaned. "Oh no! Kathy goes there! I can't bear her following me around all year!"
"What?" said Harry, and he had to smile at Ron's distressed face.
"Kathy. My cousin. She's American, Ginny's age, and she follows me everywhere when we see her."
Hermione giggled, and Ron glared at her. "It's not funny! She is seriously irritating! Now please, Hermione, go back
to this Rosemary person again."
"Sorry," said Hermione, getting her giggles under control. "Well, as I said, Sarah's her best friend, and she wrote to
tell me that the teachers at the Salem Institute told Rosemary about her family at the end of last year. They said she'd better
know before she met you. Sarah sent me an owl and said that Rosemary went absolutely ballistic!"
"Don't blame her. Why didn't they tell Rosemary and Harry before?" said Ron. "Come to that, why didn't they tell
Harry at all? Why didn't you tell him?"
"Well, the end of last year was a bit...stressful. And I wanted to make sure I knew all the facts before I told you. It
seemed only fair."
"Okay," said Harry quietly. "What else do you know about her? And what have you told her about me?"
"Umm...she plays Chaser on her house Quidditch team. Her birthday is January 16th. I don't know what she looks
like or anything."
"And what does she know about me?"
"I don't know. I've probably told Sarah...things about you over the years. And she probably told Rosemary. And of
course Rosemary has heard of you anyway."
"So we'll meet her at school or what? Or are they taking the train with us?" asked Ron, looking terrified at the
thought of having to put up with Kathy all the way to Hogwarts.
"No, they're meeting us at school. Don't worry, we'll have the train to ourselves." said Hermione, smiling at Ron's
face.
Harry smiled too, but he didn't feel like it. He had a cousin? And her parents had been killed just as his had? Why
had no one told him? Why had - oh god - why had Sirius never told him? He must have known, after all. All those people
keeping such a big thing from him for so long. He had a family...
"Harry? You all right?" Ron's voice interrupted Harry's thoughts.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just...you know, thinking."
"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier," said Hermione quietly.
"That's okay. At least I know now." But Harry looked so troubled that Hermione and Ron exchanged anxious
looks. And then -
"Ron! Dinner's ready! Ron!"
"Come on. We better go down," said Ron, still in a quieter voice than usual.
"Okay," said Harry, and he grinned at his friends. They grinned back, glad to see that he wasn't too worried about
the news that Hermione had brought. All three of them suddenly realized how hungry they were as they made their way
down the stairs to eat one of Mrs Weasley's wonderful dinners. All three wondered if their summer would get much more
eventful, and hoped fervently that it wouldn't.
Author's note: Thanks so much for reading this far! This is my first fanfic, so any comments/criticisms/praise would be
welcome. I guarantee that in the coming chapters, there will be H/R and H/G! Also, perhaps Kathy and Rosemary will end
up with people... I'm not even sure yet. And you'll meet them soon too!
