Chapter One: Finding Lost Souls
Meredith had started Hogwarts the very same year Harry Potter had. They were even in the same house. Yet every morning he passed her he still did not see the resemblance of someone on her face.
Now it was their sixth year and things were going to change. She was going to tell Harry Potter who her father was no matter what Dumbledore had told her last year after he died. She wanted someone to grieve with.
As she walked onto the barrier the clouds darkened and then came the downpour. Good she thought, 'A dark and gloomy day to go with my dark and gloomy state of mind.'
As she boarded the Hogwarts Express someone stepped on the back of her robes and made her trip and bust her lip on the steps.
Swearing in about three different languages, she turned to see Draco Malfoy laughing. "Go jump off a bridge you freak," Meredith said with an American accent.
"Why don't you go back to American you filthy little Mudblood," Draco said spitting at her feet.
"Now, now Draco. Meredith here is not a Muggle. She comes from one of the purest Wizarding families, even if the last generation had a black sheep. You are a Black correct?" Lucius smirked.
"Yes, I am. And personally the black sheep was the best. Now if you will excuse me, the train is about to leave," with that Meredith boarded the train and went straight to a half-filled compartment.
Hermione looked up from her book, to see it was that really quiet girl in their year. "Hi. I feel really bad for asking this, but what is your name?"
"It's Meredith Black. Your Hermione, he's Harry, and the redhead is Ron, right?" Meredith asked watching Harry's face.
Before Hermione could say anything, Harry spoke up, "You said your last name was Black? Who is your father?"
"Look at my face and my hair. Who do you think my father was?" Meredith said kind of snappy.
Just as Harry was about to answer, a breathless Ron bound in and said, "Harry," breath, "Sirius," breath, "has a," breath, "daughter!"
"Now really Ron? Did you have to tell the whole world? Malfoy might have been in here. Anyway we know. This is Meredith, his daughter," Hermione said patting Meredith on the back.
Harry, coming out of his stupor, asked, "Why didn't he tell me about you?"
"He thought I was dead. Voldemort came after my mom before he came after your parents. Luckily I was with my Mom's parents. They took me with them to America, where I was raised. Dumbledore told me last year after he died that I shouldn't tell you because you had enough on your mind but I'm tired of not having anyone to talk to," Meredith sighed.
Hermione looked at Ron and Harry who both nodded in agreement. They were no longer a trio they were now a quartet.
Harry spoke up, "The Marauder's ride again to reign mischief and mayhem over Hogwarts."
Hermione giggled, "May you three will cause trouble but I'll still be trying to stop you!"
After they all finished laughing they looked up and seen the last person they expected, "Professor Lupin," Harry, Hermione, and Ron said in surprise.
"Is there room enough in here for your old professor?" Remus Lupin asked walking in.
Looking around he noticed that there were four teenagers instead of three. "By the gods, Meredith is that you?" Remus asked hoping and praying.
"Who are you?" Meredith asked.
"Remus Lupin, one of your father's best friends," Remus choked out sitting down next to her.
"You knew my father?" Meredith asked fighting back tears.
"Yes. We went to school together and spent almost every summer together. I remember the day you were born. Sirius was so happy. I might still have that picture. Hold on a moment," Remus said rummaging through his briefcase. "Ah, here it is. This was taken the night you were born," Remus said showing her a picture of her entire family together smiling, "and this is the Marauder's and their families."
Harry and Meredith stared at the pictures. Tears welling up in her eyes she thought, 'Everyone looks so happy.'
Pointing to the one of her and her father, she asked Remus, "Can I have that? I don't have any pictures of him."
"Yes. You can have both. Harry has a copy of the other one," Remus said handing Meredith the pictures.
"So are you teaching here again, Professor Lupin," Ron asked.
"Yes, I actually am. Dumbledore decided that with Voldemort back that you should know how to defend yourself. If it's okay with you Harry I would like to continue what you started last year?" Remus asked eyeing Harry.
"That's fine. I think I'm going to be swamped this year with classes and Quidditch. I think I'm Captain, so that means tryouts and practices and we are going to beat the Slytherins again this year. I'm so sick of Draco already," Harry said looking out the window.
Meredith hearing Draco's name, said, "Earlier before I got on the train he tripped me and caused me to bust my lip, but he called me a Mudblood and his father got onto to him and told him who I really was. Do you think I should tell Dumbledore?"
Hermione and Professor Lupin both replied at the same time in the same tone, "Yes!"
"Okay hold your horses," Meredith said grinning.
"Hold your horses?" Ron asked raising an eyebrow, "what's that supposed to mean?"
Hermione sighed, "Oh, Ron. I told you should have taken Muggle Studies with me. It's an expression that Muggles from America use."
"But she isn't a Muggle, Hermione."
Meredith rolling her eyes said, "No but I grew up around Muggles. My grandparents are Muggles. Maybe this summer you all can go to America with me?"
Hermione's eyes lit up, Ron shrugged, and Harry didn't do anything. "That would be quite an experience for you three. Get out there and see America. Not many wizards have been there yet," Remus said.
The rest of the trip to Hogwarts was in silence. Harry looked out the window, Hermione read a book, Professor Lupin slept, and Ron went to find his brothers. Meredith sat there and watched Harry, wondering what he was thinking and if there was someway for her to help him.
Meredith had started Hogwarts the very same year Harry Potter had. They were even in the same house. Yet every morning he passed her he still did not see the resemblance of someone on her face.
Now it was their sixth year and things were going to change. She was going to tell Harry Potter who her father was no matter what Dumbledore had told her last year after he died. She wanted someone to grieve with.
As she walked onto the barrier the clouds darkened and then came the downpour. Good she thought, 'A dark and gloomy day to go with my dark and gloomy state of mind.'
As she boarded the Hogwarts Express someone stepped on the back of her robes and made her trip and bust her lip on the steps.
Swearing in about three different languages, she turned to see Draco Malfoy laughing. "Go jump off a bridge you freak," Meredith said with an American accent.
"Why don't you go back to American you filthy little Mudblood," Draco said spitting at her feet.
"Now, now Draco. Meredith here is not a Muggle. She comes from one of the purest Wizarding families, even if the last generation had a black sheep. You are a Black correct?" Lucius smirked.
"Yes, I am. And personally the black sheep was the best. Now if you will excuse me, the train is about to leave," with that Meredith boarded the train and went straight to a half-filled compartment.
Hermione looked up from her book, to see it was that really quiet girl in their year. "Hi. I feel really bad for asking this, but what is your name?"
"It's Meredith Black. Your Hermione, he's Harry, and the redhead is Ron, right?" Meredith asked watching Harry's face.
Before Hermione could say anything, Harry spoke up, "You said your last name was Black? Who is your father?"
"Look at my face and my hair. Who do you think my father was?" Meredith said kind of snappy.
Just as Harry was about to answer, a breathless Ron bound in and said, "Harry," breath, "Sirius," breath, "has a," breath, "daughter!"
"Now really Ron? Did you have to tell the whole world? Malfoy might have been in here. Anyway we know. This is Meredith, his daughter," Hermione said patting Meredith on the back.
Harry, coming out of his stupor, asked, "Why didn't he tell me about you?"
"He thought I was dead. Voldemort came after my mom before he came after your parents. Luckily I was with my Mom's parents. They took me with them to America, where I was raised. Dumbledore told me last year after he died that I shouldn't tell you because you had enough on your mind but I'm tired of not having anyone to talk to," Meredith sighed.
Hermione looked at Ron and Harry who both nodded in agreement. They were no longer a trio they were now a quartet.
Harry spoke up, "The Marauder's ride again to reign mischief and mayhem over Hogwarts."
Hermione giggled, "May you three will cause trouble but I'll still be trying to stop you!"
After they all finished laughing they looked up and seen the last person they expected, "Professor Lupin," Harry, Hermione, and Ron said in surprise.
"Is there room enough in here for your old professor?" Remus Lupin asked walking in.
Looking around he noticed that there were four teenagers instead of three. "By the gods, Meredith is that you?" Remus asked hoping and praying.
"Who are you?" Meredith asked.
"Remus Lupin, one of your father's best friends," Remus choked out sitting down next to her.
"You knew my father?" Meredith asked fighting back tears.
"Yes. We went to school together and spent almost every summer together. I remember the day you were born. Sirius was so happy. I might still have that picture. Hold on a moment," Remus said rummaging through his briefcase. "Ah, here it is. This was taken the night you were born," Remus said showing her a picture of her entire family together smiling, "and this is the Marauder's and their families."
Harry and Meredith stared at the pictures. Tears welling up in her eyes she thought, 'Everyone looks so happy.'
Pointing to the one of her and her father, she asked Remus, "Can I have that? I don't have any pictures of him."
"Yes. You can have both. Harry has a copy of the other one," Remus said handing Meredith the pictures.
"So are you teaching here again, Professor Lupin," Ron asked.
"Yes, I actually am. Dumbledore decided that with Voldemort back that you should know how to defend yourself. If it's okay with you Harry I would like to continue what you started last year?" Remus asked eyeing Harry.
"That's fine. I think I'm going to be swamped this year with classes and Quidditch. I think I'm Captain, so that means tryouts and practices and we are going to beat the Slytherins again this year. I'm so sick of Draco already," Harry said looking out the window.
Meredith hearing Draco's name, said, "Earlier before I got on the train he tripped me and caused me to bust my lip, but he called me a Mudblood and his father got onto to him and told him who I really was. Do you think I should tell Dumbledore?"
Hermione and Professor Lupin both replied at the same time in the same tone, "Yes!"
"Okay hold your horses," Meredith said grinning.
"Hold your horses?" Ron asked raising an eyebrow, "what's that supposed to mean?"
Hermione sighed, "Oh, Ron. I told you should have taken Muggle Studies with me. It's an expression that Muggles from America use."
"But she isn't a Muggle, Hermione."
Meredith rolling her eyes said, "No but I grew up around Muggles. My grandparents are Muggles. Maybe this summer you all can go to America with me?"
Hermione's eyes lit up, Ron shrugged, and Harry didn't do anything. "That would be quite an experience for you three. Get out there and see America. Not many wizards have been there yet," Remus said.
The rest of the trip to Hogwarts was in silence. Harry looked out the window, Hermione read a book, Professor Lupin slept, and Ron went to find his brothers. Meredith sat there and watched Harry, wondering what he was thinking and if there was someway for her to help him.