Chapter 12

Truth

Approx. 1 hour after ending of the last chapter.

Dumbledore've been quiet for several minutes. Everyone waited for him to say something. Finally he thoughtfully observed Snape, Hermione, Malfoy, Harry, Ron and Victoria, one after another:

"So, if I got it right, everyone in that room, except for Miss Granger, knows the truth about Vicktoria"

"Yes, Albus, and I think that Potter..."

"Severus. Please, don't start it again. I've heard all that you had to say half and an hour ago. And I wonder how did it happen Miss Granger was the only one not to know the truth, though we decided that she would be the only one to know?!"

"Well, Albus, I was going to tell her today, after classes, then Potter...", - Snape meaningfully stared at Harry, and the boy shuddered a bit, - "... changed all our plans."

"There is nothing we can do about it, Severus", - Dumbledore looked sad and worried, and at the same time very confident.

"Yes, there IS something we can do", - cried out Snape, looking highly annoyed - "How about memory spell?!"

"Severus, you know perfectly well, that if Harry once managed to get free from memory spell, he'll do it again. And he has very strong reason to do so", - Dumbledore half smiled, half winked at Harry, - " besides too strong memory spell can affect his metal ability. Speaking of..."

Now all heads turned toward Malfoy, who sill was standing by the wall, just the way he was put there. Last 10 minutes he tried to move, making awkward gestures with his hands. He looked like he was seriously ill.

Vicktoria sighed.

"I assure you he'll be fine in next 20 minutes. As always."

Snape skeptically glanced at Malfoy for another time:

"I highly doubt it."

"And how do you think he was back to normal after all those times you used memory spell on him?! If he didn't know that counter spell he's got from his father's library, he'd became brainless idiot by now, much, much worse than Lockhart!"

"We'll talk about disobeying me this evening!"

"No, we won't! Otherwise I'd...", - but Vicky didn't manage to finish her sentence as Professor Dumbledore interrupted them.

"Enough! I think it's time for Miss Granger to know the truth. Severus, I presume you'd better explain it yourself."

Hermione, dumbfounded, looked at Snape with mixed feeling of curiosity and fear - she'd feel much better if it was Dumbledore who'd tell her what the hell was going on.

Snape groaned, and with acid look began this story:

"I'd tell you only some parts of this story, because the more you know, the more dangerous it'll be for you. First of all, Vicktoria is an orphan..."

Hermione nodded - at least there was something she knew.

"... And I am her stepfather."

Hermione gasped, while Harry whispered "I think so!".

Snape scowled:

"May I continue uninterrupted?!"

Harry was ready to say something, but then changed his mind.

"Vicktoria mother trusted me much more than her father..."

Harry coughed out "I bet!"

"Potter! Would you stop? Or I'd ask you to leave, even if it's Dumbledore's office!"

Harry looked up at Dumbledore and the old man nodded, as if confirming Snape's threat. That's quieted Harry.

"So when You-know-who came she gave Vicktoria to me. She was too afraid for her child. We didn't know for how long she'd stay with me. Vicktoria's mother didn't have other choice, because poor baby (To, as her mother used to call her) was a squib and she was as defenseless as a kitten. It was really tricky thing to do - I can't count how many memory spells we have to cast so noone would remember that Vicktoria existed. Originally Vicktoria was not the only one I was supposed to take care of...", - now Snape was talking as from other place, in a very low and almost undistinctive voice, and Hermione, sitting near him, could see that tears were forming in his eyes. It surprised her endlessly. Cruel and so cold-hearted person was... almost crying.

"... But then Vicktoria's parents died," - he paused, and when he finally spoke again, he did it very fast, as wanting to get over with those memories as quick as possible, -"...and there were too much stir about it, so it was impossible to come to their house and take another child. I couldn't perform so many spell to erase memory from almost every wizard and witch. That's why I'm raising up only Victoria. Vicktoria Potter to be more precise. Famous Harry Potter's twin sister."

Hermione let out very loud "What!"

Harry smiled at her knowingly:

"Yeah, Herm, and can you imagine how much I was shocked, huh?"

"So I took care of her for the last 15 years. With the help of Albus, who seemed to be the only one to trust in me, we kept Victoria's life in secret from anyone. We didn't know who might betray us. If you-know-who would ever know that Potter has a sister, who's also a squib, he'd use it against Potter immediately. Not that I care about you, Potter, but if because of you Vicktoria..."

"How dare you say such things! I'd die for her! And you know that! And still hate me and ready to accuse me of all deadly sins!"

"If not you, Vicktoria wouldn't be a squib! You, little arrogant celebrity, would be nothing without her! She gave you her power at the birth!"

"Don't say that! Noone knows the reasons of why person becomes a squib!"

Dumbledore gently said:

"In some cases we do know, Harry. But it's not your fault at all! So now, Severus, please, do continue. And don't talk to Harry this way no more. I won't tolerate it."

"Fine. So when she was 15 she met Malfoy. Which was almost equal to bumping into you-know-who himself. I had to stop their meetings. And as I can see, I didn't succeeded in it. I was actually glad to see that he was with Miss Granger after all. I think I would have been glad to see him with anyone, so he would be away from To. But those silly lovers decided to use love spell..."

It was time for Harry and Ron to look surprised.

"... but they were too stupid to underestimate the power of true feelings. Should I really tell about this triangle, Albus? May I skip to the part, concerning Miss Granger's assistance?"

As Dumbledore nodded, Snape continued, now looking very sharply into Hermione's eyes, making her feel impossibly uncomfortable.

"Professor Dumbledore and I decided that you'd be perfect girl to help us. You see, we can't keep Vicktoria in Hogwarts forever. She has to leave it, because, we're afraid, one day not only Malfoy junior would know about her... We can rely on you absolutely, you're one of the best students, well, the best, to be correct, and what's more important, you live with muggles."

Hermione still didn't get what he was trying to say to her. Did he wanted her to help Victoria with lessons? Do they want me to be her tutor? Maybe they wanted Victoria to find some muggle work, and Hermione would help her, telling her about real muggle life. Maybe...

"We want you to take Vicktoria to your home and pretend that she's your cousin from some other country, who came to visit you... for a very long time."

Snape expectedly looked at Hermione who was speechless for several seconds, the minutes. Her stare seemed to be blank. But she was thinking. Thinking a lot. About many things.

Finally she asked:

"What about my parents?"

Snape coughed uneasily, then looked at Dumbledore, searching for help. The old man replied:

"I'm afraid, Miss Granger, we'll have to perform small spell, to make them believe she's really your cousin. Nothing strong, I promise you."

Hermione looked at Harry, then at Victoria, then back at Harry and said:

"Well, I think I don't have much choice," - she smiled at Victoria, - "welcome to the family!"

~*~*~*~

At the same time. Hogwarts.

"He'd be happy to learn that Potter has a squib sister... And how little Potter was right. Even portraits have ears", - with those words Lucius Malfoy disappeared in dark halls of Hogwarts, unnoticed by anyone.

A/n. Phew! I finally told you who Victoria is :) I reccomend you to re-read chapters 9 and 11. But you may not :) REVIEWS PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!!!!!! To tell you the truth I check out if I've got any new review about every hour while I'm home. And when my mom or dad call me from China I proudly tell them how many reviews I've got ;) Please, write what do you think about whole Vicky thing :)

And she's a twin sister that doesn't look like Harry. You know there are two kind of twins (or I just use words in a wrong way). Some twins are alike (like my mother and her sister - I confused them once, and was really ashamed of that :) ) and there're twins that don't look alike at all (can remember only Brenda and Brendon from 90210 :) ).

Tomorrow I'll be answering to all reviews (now I'm too exhausted with writing "truth" chapter). I'm really happy that now you know as much as I do about character's backgrounds. Well, at least, almost as much as I do.

I wonder - if I can answer to your lovely and great reviews by reviewing too? You know, in reviews page? Because it'd be very convenient! :)

And they'll probably go to China pretty soon. Either at the end of the next chapter, or in the chapter 14. Not sure yet.

PS - I'm so happy Yagudin got gold medal and Plushenko - silver one :) Yeah!!!!!! :)