Daphne: Just to let all of the reviewers and readers know, there is a
*VERY* important message at the end of this chapter. Please read it!
Thank you very much! Now on with the story!
~*~*~*~
The Phoenix's Prophecy
by Daphne Li
Chapter 22.
~*~*~*~
"HARRY!"
"Rose, we were so worried!"
"Dumbledore wouldn't tell us anything!"
"Why are you so pale?"
"You look like you two have gone through a war."
This last thing was said by Shane, as he nonchalantly dropped into a chair next to Harry's bed. The two siblings were now surrounded by not only the 'family', but also Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Gregory Goyle, Cassia Malfoy, and Luna Lovegood.
"Actually, we were, of sorts." Rose muttered, plucking at a place on her blanket as she shot Harry a look out of the corner of her eye. He sighed.
"First of all, you'd better all sit down." Harry commented. Looking confused, they did as they were told. Soon, Cassia was seated on Shane's lap, while Ginny took a seat next to Harry on the bed and Ron and Hermione situated themselves on the end of his bed. Neville sat next to Rose, holding her hand, while Jackson and Luna reclined on the bed behind Rose. Shirah and Raya sat on the end of Rose's bed, while Goyle took the seat in- between the two beds.
"You remember that afternoon where I had to leave and Harry followed me?" Rose finally asked after several minutes of silence. Everyone nodded.
"Well, it started when....." Rose went on to tell them about her vision (in the meantime admitting her Seeing abilities), and then Harry took over and told them about his dreams.
"The only problem was, they weren't just dreams. I was really doing them." He whispered. Horrified gasps rang out and Ginny gave a small sob next to him as she buried her face in his arm. He clutched at her hand and continued.
"Voldemort had taken over my body....." He went on to tell them about what had happened while he was in his 'trance', and what had been said after he awoke. Because of a mutual agreement, he and Rose had decided to leave out Sirius's part in the whole drama, mostly for Jackson's sake. By the end of the story, everyone but Harry and Rose were slack-jawed and speechless.
"Well.....anything else you want to tell us?" Jackson asked in a shaking voice, as he attempted to be humorous. Harry and Rose shared a look.
"Two or three others. But for these, you really have to be open minded." He informed them, while reaching over to the beside table. Dumbledore had brought up his photo album when Harry had requested it, to show how much Rose looked like her mother. With this in mind, Harry opened the book again and pointed out the picture that he had shown Ginny at the start of the year.
"Ginny, will you tell me again, who these people are?" He asked, looking down at the smiling pair in the picture.
"Jackson and Rose." She murmured, obviously wondering where this was going.
"Now look at this picture. Who are they?" Harry asked, turning to a page with a picture of his mother surrounded by the Marauders.
"Your mom, your dad, and their friends."
"Exactly. But at first, you thought that Jackson and Rose were Sirius and Lily, because they look identical to them, right?" Harry asked.
"What's your point, mate?" Ron asked in an annoyed voice. Harry sighed.
"Jackson, I think it's time that you told them." He said, looking over at the other boy. Jackson was fidgeting in his seat, looking like he would rather be anywhere but there.
"IlooklikeSiriuscuz'he'smydad."
"What?" The group chorused, unable to hear the boy's mumble. Jackson looked up, aggravated.
"I look like Sirius Black because he's my dad, ok?!" He shouted, a stunned look coming to his face as he realized what he had just admitted. Harry, Ginny, and Rose were not surprised, but the others gaped at Jackson.
"Oh.....Jackson.....I'm sorry. We had no idea....." Raya trailed off as he held up a hand, pain filling his eyes.
"It's alright. He's gone now. There's nothing anyone can do." He muttered. Then he looked up.
"You said two or three. What are the other two?" He questioned, ducking his head. Harry saw that he was blinking back mist from his eyes.
"Well, there's an obvious reason why Jackson looks like Sirius. But there's also a reason Rose looks like my mum." Harry stated in a low voice, glancing sidelong at the said girl. She had stiffened, but took the cue.
"And that reason is because.....I am her daughter." Rose said quietly. There was a stunned silence where the faces of their friends shifted emotions by the second. Jackson's eyes had filled with anger now, and he glared at Harry.
"That's not funny. Quit joking around. My mom adopted Rose in America." He snapped. Harry nodded.
"She did. But Rose was born right here in London, under the name of Rose Marie Potter. Mum and dad gave her to May so she could have a chance at a normal life. And that's why I never new about her until last summer." He admitted. He saw that Hermione and Ron's faces were mixtures of shock and hurt that he had not told them, and he felt his chest clench.
"You kept this a secret all school year?" Hermione finally asked, as she was the only one able to speak.
"I had to. Voldemort would have killed her if he had known before this. So Rose and I agreed not to tell anyone. We would care for each other at a distance, but refrain from telling anyone, including Dumbledore, who she truly was."
"We can understand if you're mad at us. But there are some secrets that are best left alone until the proper time to reveal them. I was actually surprised that Hermione didn't call this on us before hand, when we told you about the blood-bonding." Rose commented. Hermione's cheeks reddened a bit, but she said nothing.
"So.....Harry is not the only Potter. Now there's two of you. This is too weird." Ron groaned, burying his head in his hands. Harry turned to grin at Rose, but found that Neville's intense gaze was on him.
"Harry.....you knew that I loved Rose. I told you myself. You even helped me though that time where she rejected me. And all this time, you knew. You knew I was falling in love with your sister and you didn't try to stop me. Why?" He asked, his amber eyes growing dark. Harry's grin turned into a lesser smile.
"I did it because I knew that it was the best for Rose. You are the only person I would allow to get near to her in that way. I trust you, Neville, and I know you will love Rose like she needs to be loved. I had no fears that you would hurt her, therefore, I saw no reason to keep you from dating her." Harry said, sounding even older than he felt at the moment. By the end of his speech, the two in question were bright red and Neville was grinning widely.
"I'll do my best to keep that trust, Prongs Jr." He muttered, slipping an arm around Rose's waist. They were all silent for a moment, thinking this over. Ginny cuddled closer to Harry, her smile showing him that she was not angry at him for keeping such secrets away from her.
"What's the third thing? It had better be good, because I don't think anything could beat what we've just found out." Shirah said sarcastically. Rose and Harry both burst into smiles and Harry shot her a wink.
"Actually, this'll beat them all." He informed them, chuckling slightly. During their story about what had happened, Harry had noticed a mound of fur sneaking into the Hospital wing, and hiding under a nearby bed. He had no doubts about who it was, and he knew that they were just as ready as he to reveal the third and final surprise.
"You know, Rose and I came back from near-death. But.....have you ever known anyone who's come back from what is thought to be full death?" He asked slowly. Everyone shot him disbelieving stares.
"Come on, Harry. That is impossible." Hermione chided, raising an eyebrow. Harry smirked.
"Is it? I think our third surprise can be revealed now." He said this last part in a louder-than-necessary voice, and watched as the huge dog slipped from under the other bed. With one swift change, Sirius Black was standing behind his oblivious audience.
"Hey, Mr. Black-from-the-dead." Rose chirped jokingly. Ginny looked away from Harry's face to see what she was talking about and let out a scream. The others turned or looked up, startled.
"Gosh. Tough crowd." Sirius stated, looking from one overcome face to the next. His gaze finally rested on his own son's pale face, and he grinned.
"Don't go fainting on me. I had enough of that with your mother." He warned. His face lost all humor, however, when he saw his son's reaction.
Jackson McBride-Black stared at his father, motionless. Then, without prior warning, his face crumpled. Huge sobs wracked his body as he raced for the man he had come to call 'father'. Sirius willingly took his son in his arms, holding him tightly as Jackson clung to him, unable to speak. Harry saw tears rising into his godfather's eyes, and knew that the man had finally found the peace it would take to help him recover from Azkaban.
"I'm sorry, Dad. If I had been there, you wouldn't have gone. You wouldn't have died! It was all my fault and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Jackson choked out. Sirius swallowed.
"No. I would have gone anyway. I would have died despite you being there. It wasn't your fault, nor will it ever be." He comforted. Jackson's sobs quieted, and he stilled.
"Um.....this might be a stupid question.....but are you really alive?" He finally asked, pulling away. This caused everyone to burst out laughing, releasing all the pent-up emotions and tension that had been left in the room.
"Yes. Don't ask. It's a long story."
"Trust me, dad. We have plenty of time." Jackson informed him Sirius sighed and looked at Harry.
"Between you and him, I'll never get a spare minute's rest. I'll be as grey as Remus." He groaned, causing them to laugh again. Oh, it was so good to laugh!
They finally all calmed down, and Sirius began to tell them his part of the story.
~*~*~*~
//*HARRY POTTER'S SISTER SITUATION*
by Yarrow Yewbean
***
Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. The only child of Lily and James Potter. Or is he?
Though many wild rumors and stories have emerged over the past few years about the famous, 'Boy Who Lived', none are stranger than the allegation that was brought to the attention of this newspaper.
Harry Potter, thought to be the only child of James and Lily Potter, does, in fact, have a SISTER!
It was discovered soon after Sunday's alarming incident when two students, Hogwarts own Harry Potter and Salem Academy's Rose McBride, were allegedly found half dead on the floor of the hospital wing in Hogwarts (details of how they came to be in that condition are still unknown, though some suspect foul play).
After the two students were revived, they supposedly admitted to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore that they were siblings, and that they had known it for quite some time. It is unknown whether Miss McBride's adopted mother, May McBride, knew of the fact that her daughter was actually a Potter.
Though Albus Dumbledore has, in the past, denied any and all reporters from the Hogwarts premises, news-crews from all over the world are lodged up in Hogsmede, a nearby town, hoping for more information about this shocking new revelation.
The two young people in question, Miss McBride and Mr. Potter, are believed to still be recovering from their mystifying injuries in the Hogwarts Hospital wing, and their conditions are not known at present. We must simply watch and wait, hoping that more information will be available to explain these shocking occurrences.....//
~*~*~*~
//*SIRIUS BLACK.....ALIVE AND FREE?*
by Quiten Morrow
***
Private sources have revealed to the Daily Profit, that escaped convict Sirius Black, the convicted murderer of thirteen muggles and the late Mr. Peter Pettigrew, is in fact, alive!
It came as a shock to the Wizarding World last year, when Harry Potter came forward and admitted to journalist Rita Skeeter that Mr. Black was an innocent man, and that it was truly Peter Pettigrew (the man thought to have been murdered by Black), who killed those muggles. Mr. Potter openly showed his support for Sirius Black as did many of his friends and supporters.
Sources from the Ministry of Magic announced later that same year that Sirius Black had died in a battle with You-Know-Who, fighting for, not You- Know-Who's side, but right alongside Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter.
It was revealed, however, that Sirius Black is very much alive and well, when he walked confidently into the Ministry of Magic Wednesday, alongside his old-time girlfriend, May McBride, who also happens to be the mother of his son, Jackson McBride, and the adopted mother of Rose McBride-Potter. They were accompanied by a brigade of aurors, who protected them as they made their way through the building. Both of the aforesaid walked calmly into the Minister of Magic's office, and came out half an hour later looking, as one observer told us, "blissfully happy".
It was later privately revealed to many of the Ministry of Magic workers, that Sirius Black had been freed from all charges of murder, and allowed to go off scotch free! The reasons for this sudden pardon are still unknown, but ever since last Wednesday, neither Mr. Black, nor Mrs. McBride have been seen in public.
Our only hope is that our questions about this strange occurrence are answered soon.//
~*~*~*~
Harry sat up in a rage, his eyes flashing as he read this.
"How did they know? Who told them?!" He hissed, fists clenching around the paper, crumpling it dangerously. Dumbledore sighed.
"Cornelius Fudge was informed of the goings on here, for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, he saw fit to tell the whole world as well." He said, his face looking like a thundercloud. Rose, who was next to them, tore the paper out of Harry's hands and read it to herself. When she was finished reading the two articles that Harry pointed out, she let out a shriek of anger and pounded her fists on the mattress on either side of her legs.
"HOW COULD HE?! THAT HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE.....MONSTROSITY OF A WIZARD!" She screamed, turning over and burying her face into her pillow, allowing sobs to overtake her. Everyone who had learned their secret had agreed to tell no one but the Minister what had truly happened. Unfortunately, it seemed as if the Minister did not wish to stay quiet with the information.
"I am going to have a long talk with that man. Right now." Dumbledore murmured, as he stood up and stalked from the room. It had been the first time he had seen the paper, but Harry had the feeling that Dumbledore knew this was going to happen.
"Great. Now everyone knows. Just what I need. More publicity." Harry groaned. Rose smiled weakly as she turned a tear-stained face towards him and clutched at her pillow.
"I don't think I've ever hated anyone. But I hate him. I do."
"You're not alone." Harry said, leaning back against his pillows and looking at the ceiling. Madam Pomfrey was on the far side of the room, slamming bottles of potion down on the shelves. She had been informed of the going's on, and she was no more pleased with the articles than they were. And these were just two out of hundreds that were most likely being published at this very moment!
"No, you're not alone." Growled a voice from behind them. Both turned to see a livid Professor Snape, holding a clenched copy of the paper. His dark eyes flashed with anger, and his lips were pressed tighter than Harry had ever seen them before.
"I suppose everyone in school knows?" Rose asked quietly. Harry looked at his sister in surprise, wondering how she could be so casual with Snape.
"Absolutely, as was Fudge's goal in the first place." Snape spat, throwing down the paper onto the table at the foot of her bed. Harry stared at him in shock. For the first time since he had known him, Snape was acting half- way civil. And it seemed as if Snape was more angry at Fudge, then he was at Harry or Rose.
"He did it so people would question their loyalty to Harry, didn't he?"
"Yes. But it's not working. Now people are even more loyal to him. And the students are in an uproar, right now, wondering the truth of the matter. Your friends have stayed mysteriously silent, thank Merlin." Snape muttered, as Pomfrey came over to give her patients a look over. She had reluctantly agreed to let them leave today, but she had insisted on them coming in for a daily once-over for the rest of the year, just in case.
"I think it is safe for you to go now. But I suggest you both take it easy for a few days, and don't allow that cut to open up again, Miss Potter." The nurse commanded, pointing at Rose's wrist. At the "Miss Potter", Rose's cheeks had reddened, but she looked quite pleased.
"I will."
"Severus, will you escort them to their tower? I don't want one of them collapsing on the way and not being able to go for help." Pomfrey said sharply. Snape nodded silently, and with a sigh of relief, Harry walked out of the place where he had spent the last few weeks.
~*~*~*~
"Can I ask you a question?"
Harry sat on his sister's bed as she reclined on the pillows, looking at a magazine. Her emerald eyes flickered up for a moment in assent, then went right back down. Harry smiled.
"What is it with you and Snape?" This seemed to catch her attention. Her hands tightened on the magazine and her eyes found his.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, why is he being so descent to me all of the sudden? Why is he so.....there's no other way to put it.....kind to you? What did you do to him?" Harry demanded. She sighed and allowed the magazine to fall onto her lap.
"The correct question would be, what did I say to him. Do you remember the first day of school, when you boys caught me down in the kitchens?"
"Yes."
"I had gotten up early because I couldn't sleep. I decided to walk around the castle for a while, and try to find my classes for the day. The dungeon door was open when I went by, so I peeked in. I'm afraid I gave Severus a nasty little shock, looking so much like mum." She trailed off here, grinning. Harry frowned slightly in confusion.
"So, you talked to him then?"
"After I called him down. You see, Harry, I used to see flashes of the past when I was little.....the lives of mum and dad while they were here at school. I saw Severus in quite a few of those."
"And?"
"And so I confronted him about it. I was nervous, and I accidentally let it slip who I was."
"WAIT! SNAPE KNEW THAT YOU WERE MY SISTER?!" Harry shouted, standing up. Rose looked annoyed.
"I just said that. And I didn't have to tell him, he was smart enough to figure it out on his own."
"So he's known this entire time?" Harry asked in a quiet whisper. Rose nodded slightly.
"Yes. He has. That's what our conversation was about.....among other things. You see, I reminded him of mother, and it was a little unsettling for him." At her words, Harry snorted.
"I'll bet. He probably wanted to hex you for being the spawn of a 'mudblood'." Harry winced as he said this, and Rose hit his arm gently.
"No. He wanted to protect me."
"What?!" Harry asked, incredulous. Rose looked down at her hands, before looking up again.
"Harry.....Severus had another reason to hate daddy, other than what the Marauders did to him during school, and how daddy saved him from Remus."
"Oh?"
"He was in love with mum."
This statement sent a shockwave of disbelief and astonishment through his body, as he collapsed helplessly back onto the bed. Rose stroked his hair as he slowly began to shake his head, unable to bear the idea of Snape loving his mother.
"Are you sure?" He finally choked out. Rose nodded.
"Yes. I've had lots of talks with Severus since then, and have come to that conclusion. And when he saw me, he felt the urge to protect the one thing that made Lily's death seem reasonable, besides you. And since I look so much like mum, it made him even more determined to watch out for me. He really isn't a bad person, Harry. Just misunderstood." She said thoughtfully, as she gazed out the window. Harry lay still, processing what she had just said.
"And you trust him?"
"With my life."
Harry sighed in resignation. There was no way he would be able to persuade his sister otherwise, and now that he thought about it, Snape's daily reactions to him did seem to prove that theory. He was the image of his father, but with his mother's eyes; therefore, he was a daily reminder of what Snape had desired, but had been forced to give up to another man, who was in all cases his rival. Rose, however, was the spitting image of her mother. Snape must have gained an affection for her out of his love for Lily. If he could not have Lily, at least he could care for her daughter and love her as a father might. It all made sense to Harry, now.
"Fine. I can't say I'm entirely happy about it, but I'll let it go. I can see why he wants to protect you." He murmured. Rose smiled.
"I knew you would."
~*~*~*~
The school-year was near it's end. All the exams had been taken, the stress- level had drastically reduced because of this, and the school had finally begun to settle down from it's shock about the miraculous tale of Harry Potter and his long-lost sister.
The rumors that had been flying around the school since Voldemort's attack on Harry, quieted the night that Harry and Rose were released from the Hospital wing. There had been the expected stares and whispers as the two had entered the Great Hall, but that was to be expected. It had taken several days for everyone to get over the fact that there was a new Potter in the school, but because of Rose's natural friendliness and openness, she had quickly been accepted by most of the other students.
After talking with their friends, Harry and Rose had come to a conclusion about his dreams. The phoenix that Harry was sure he saw saving Professor Dumbledore must have been the image that Harry's unconscious mind had formed of Rose. It stood to reason, seeing that her patron animal was the Phoenix in the first place.
But this was all over now, and life had returned as much to normal as was possible under the circumstances. Sirius and May were living at Hogwarts for Sirius's safety, and Remus had also sought refuge there after reporters continuously accosted him for information about Harry, Rose, and Sirius. Jackson had no qualms about his father being there, and had taken to sleeping in their living-quarters so he could be closer to them.
"You know, I still can't get over the fact that this has passed over so casually, without a peep from Voldemort." Hermione murmured the night before the students were to be let out for the summer.
"I think it's because he's afraid of attacking so soon after his failure with Harry." Neville commented thoughtfully, taking a bite out of a roll he had in his free hand; his other arm was around Rose's waist.
"I think he's just a coward." Ron said loudly, looking pointedly over at the Slytherin table as he said this. Harry noticed that most of the Slytherins either didn't hear, or ignored him. But Draco Malfoy happened to look up at that moment, and caught his eyes. Harry nearly fell out of his seat when he saw the shielded look in Malfoy's eyes, something he had never seen there before. It was almost as if Malfoy was trying to keep something bottled up inside of himself. Harry quickly looked away, afraid to wonder what that was about.
"Well, you have to admit. It's a relief that he hasn't done anything lately. Even though it is a bad thing that he's still out there, at least we have a little more time to prepare for his next attack." Raya said quietly.
They all had to agree with that one.
~*~*~*~
"Bye, Harry! See you later!" Ron shouted, as he was led away by his family. The entire Weasley clan had showed up at the station to pick up Ron and Ginny, and also to meet Rose. They had immediately accepted her, and Mrs. Weasley was already planning a way to convince Dumbledore to allow Rose and Harry to come over during the summer. Rose was going to stay at Number 12 Grimmauld Place with Sirius, May, Jackson, Remus and (surprisingly enough), Professor Sheryl Hendreckson over the summer.
"Goodbye, Harry." Ginny whispered, reaching up to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. Harry smiled and held her close, ignoring the fact that not only was her entire family watching, but also the Dursleys who were standing nearby.
"I love you, Gin. Don't you ever forget that." He murmured against her lips, pulling back reluctantly. There was no sound from anyone around them as they looked around at the faces of their loved ones—and not so loved ones (in the Dursley's case).
"I won't." She answered, grinning up at him. He smiled back and then turned around to allow his sister to embrace him.
"I love you, Harry. I'll see you soon." She murmured, looking over his shoulder at the stunned Dursleys who were looking at her like she was a ghost. She shot them a sweet smile, then released her brother with a kiss on the cheek.
"Remember to write, Prongs Jr.!" Jackson added from his place between his parents. Harry grinned and waved as he moved to join the Dursleys.
"What on earth was Rose doing here?" Petunia was the first to speak as Harry reached them. He looked at her calmly.
"She went to my school over the year, Aunt Petunia. And boy, do I have a story to tell you!" With this, along with a disarming laugh, Harry led his so-called 'family' from the station.
~*~*~*~
****WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!****
The next chapter skips ahead one year in Harry's life! Do not be surprised, and please, refrain from sending me reviews that are filled with comments about how confused you are. IT SKIPS AHEAD ONE YEAR! Please remember that, and enjoy the rest of the story!
~Daphne Li
~*~*~*~
Thank you very much! Now on with the story!
~*~*~*~
The Phoenix's Prophecy
by Daphne Li
Chapter 22.
~*~*~*~
"HARRY!"
"Rose, we were so worried!"
"Dumbledore wouldn't tell us anything!"
"Why are you so pale?"
"You look like you two have gone through a war."
This last thing was said by Shane, as he nonchalantly dropped into a chair next to Harry's bed. The two siblings were now surrounded by not only the 'family', but also Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Gregory Goyle, Cassia Malfoy, and Luna Lovegood.
"Actually, we were, of sorts." Rose muttered, plucking at a place on her blanket as she shot Harry a look out of the corner of her eye. He sighed.
"First of all, you'd better all sit down." Harry commented. Looking confused, they did as they were told. Soon, Cassia was seated on Shane's lap, while Ginny took a seat next to Harry on the bed and Ron and Hermione situated themselves on the end of his bed. Neville sat next to Rose, holding her hand, while Jackson and Luna reclined on the bed behind Rose. Shirah and Raya sat on the end of Rose's bed, while Goyle took the seat in- between the two beds.
"You remember that afternoon where I had to leave and Harry followed me?" Rose finally asked after several minutes of silence. Everyone nodded.
"Well, it started when....." Rose went on to tell them about her vision (in the meantime admitting her Seeing abilities), and then Harry took over and told them about his dreams.
"The only problem was, they weren't just dreams. I was really doing them." He whispered. Horrified gasps rang out and Ginny gave a small sob next to him as she buried her face in his arm. He clutched at her hand and continued.
"Voldemort had taken over my body....." He went on to tell them about what had happened while he was in his 'trance', and what had been said after he awoke. Because of a mutual agreement, he and Rose had decided to leave out Sirius's part in the whole drama, mostly for Jackson's sake. By the end of the story, everyone but Harry and Rose were slack-jawed and speechless.
"Well.....anything else you want to tell us?" Jackson asked in a shaking voice, as he attempted to be humorous. Harry and Rose shared a look.
"Two or three others. But for these, you really have to be open minded." He informed them, while reaching over to the beside table. Dumbledore had brought up his photo album when Harry had requested it, to show how much Rose looked like her mother. With this in mind, Harry opened the book again and pointed out the picture that he had shown Ginny at the start of the year.
"Ginny, will you tell me again, who these people are?" He asked, looking down at the smiling pair in the picture.
"Jackson and Rose." She murmured, obviously wondering where this was going.
"Now look at this picture. Who are they?" Harry asked, turning to a page with a picture of his mother surrounded by the Marauders.
"Your mom, your dad, and their friends."
"Exactly. But at first, you thought that Jackson and Rose were Sirius and Lily, because they look identical to them, right?" Harry asked.
"What's your point, mate?" Ron asked in an annoyed voice. Harry sighed.
"Jackson, I think it's time that you told them." He said, looking over at the other boy. Jackson was fidgeting in his seat, looking like he would rather be anywhere but there.
"IlooklikeSiriuscuz'he'smydad."
"What?" The group chorused, unable to hear the boy's mumble. Jackson looked up, aggravated.
"I look like Sirius Black because he's my dad, ok?!" He shouted, a stunned look coming to his face as he realized what he had just admitted. Harry, Ginny, and Rose were not surprised, but the others gaped at Jackson.
"Oh.....Jackson.....I'm sorry. We had no idea....." Raya trailed off as he held up a hand, pain filling his eyes.
"It's alright. He's gone now. There's nothing anyone can do." He muttered. Then he looked up.
"You said two or three. What are the other two?" He questioned, ducking his head. Harry saw that he was blinking back mist from his eyes.
"Well, there's an obvious reason why Jackson looks like Sirius. But there's also a reason Rose looks like my mum." Harry stated in a low voice, glancing sidelong at the said girl. She had stiffened, but took the cue.
"And that reason is because.....I am her daughter." Rose said quietly. There was a stunned silence where the faces of their friends shifted emotions by the second. Jackson's eyes had filled with anger now, and he glared at Harry.
"That's not funny. Quit joking around. My mom adopted Rose in America." He snapped. Harry nodded.
"She did. But Rose was born right here in London, under the name of Rose Marie Potter. Mum and dad gave her to May so she could have a chance at a normal life. And that's why I never new about her until last summer." He admitted. He saw that Hermione and Ron's faces were mixtures of shock and hurt that he had not told them, and he felt his chest clench.
"You kept this a secret all school year?" Hermione finally asked, as she was the only one able to speak.
"I had to. Voldemort would have killed her if he had known before this. So Rose and I agreed not to tell anyone. We would care for each other at a distance, but refrain from telling anyone, including Dumbledore, who she truly was."
"We can understand if you're mad at us. But there are some secrets that are best left alone until the proper time to reveal them. I was actually surprised that Hermione didn't call this on us before hand, when we told you about the blood-bonding." Rose commented. Hermione's cheeks reddened a bit, but she said nothing.
"So.....Harry is not the only Potter. Now there's two of you. This is too weird." Ron groaned, burying his head in his hands. Harry turned to grin at Rose, but found that Neville's intense gaze was on him.
"Harry.....you knew that I loved Rose. I told you myself. You even helped me though that time where she rejected me. And all this time, you knew. You knew I was falling in love with your sister and you didn't try to stop me. Why?" He asked, his amber eyes growing dark. Harry's grin turned into a lesser smile.
"I did it because I knew that it was the best for Rose. You are the only person I would allow to get near to her in that way. I trust you, Neville, and I know you will love Rose like she needs to be loved. I had no fears that you would hurt her, therefore, I saw no reason to keep you from dating her." Harry said, sounding even older than he felt at the moment. By the end of his speech, the two in question were bright red and Neville was grinning widely.
"I'll do my best to keep that trust, Prongs Jr." He muttered, slipping an arm around Rose's waist. They were all silent for a moment, thinking this over. Ginny cuddled closer to Harry, her smile showing him that she was not angry at him for keeping such secrets away from her.
"What's the third thing? It had better be good, because I don't think anything could beat what we've just found out." Shirah said sarcastically. Rose and Harry both burst into smiles and Harry shot her a wink.
"Actually, this'll beat them all." He informed them, chuckling slightly. During their story about what had happened, Harry had noticed a mound of fur sneaking into the Hospital wing, and hiding under a nearby bed. He had no doubts about who it was, and he knew that they were just as ready as he to reveal the third and final surprise.
"You know, Rose and I came back from near-death. But.....have you ever known anyone who's come back from what is thought to be full death?" He asked slowly. Everyone shot him disbelieving stares.
"Come on, Harry. That is impossible." Hermione chided, raising an eyebrow. Harry smirked.
"Is it? I think our third surprise can be revealed now." He said this last part in a louder-than-necessary voice, and watched as the huge dog slipped from under the other bed. With one swift change, Sirius Black was standing behind his oblivious audience.
"Hey, Mr. Black-from-the-dead." Rose chirped jokingly. Ginny looked away from Harry's face to see what she was talking about and let out a scream. The others turned or looked up, startled.
"Gosh. Tough crowd." Sirius stated, looking from one overcome face to the next. His gaze finally rested on his own son's pale face, and he grinned.
"Don't go fainting on me. I had enough of that with your mother." He warned. His face lost all humor, however, when he saw his son's reaction.
Jackson McBride-Black stared at his father, motionless. Then, without prior warning, his face crumpled. Huge sobs wracked his body as he raced for the man he had come to call 'father'. Sirius willingly took his son in his arms, holding him tightly as Jackson clung to him, unable to speak. Harry saw tears rising into his godfather's eyes, and knew that the man had finally found the peace it would take to help him recover from Azkaban.
"I'm sorry, Dad. If I had been there, you wouldn't have gone. You wouldn't have died! It was all my fault and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Jackson choked out. Sirius swallowed.
"No. I would have gone anyway. I would have died despite you being there. It wasn't your fault, nor will it ever be." He comforted. Jackson's sobs quieted, and he stilled.
"Um.....this might be a stupid question.....but are you really alive?" He finally asked, pulling away. This caused everyone to burst out laughing, releasing all the pent-up emotions and tension that had been left in the room.
"Yes. Don't ask. It's a long story."
"Trust me, dad. We have plenty of time." Jackson informed him Sirius sighed and looked at Harry.
"Between you and him, I'll never get a spare minute's rest. I'll be as grey as Remus." He groaned, causing them to laugh again. Oh, it was so good to laugh!
They finally all calmed down, and Sirius began to tell them his part of the story.
~*~*~*~
//*HARRY POTTER'S SISTER SITUATION*
by Yarrow Yewbean
***
Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived. The only child of Lily and James Potter. Or is he?
Though many wild rumors and stories have emerged over the past few years about the famous, 'Boy Who Lived', none are stranger than the allegation that was brought to the attention of this newspaper.
Harry Potter, thought to be the only child of James and Lily Potter, does, in fact, have a SISTER!
It was discovered soon after Sunday's alarming incident when two students, Hogwarts own Harry Potter and Salem Academy's Rose McBride, were allegedly found half dead on the floor of the hospital wing in Hogwarts (details of how they came to be in that condition are still unknown, though some suspect foul play).
After the two students were revived, they supposedly admitted to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore that they were siblings, and that they had known it for quite some time. It is unknown whether Miss McBride's adopted mother, May McBride, knew of the fact that her daughter was actually a Potter.
Though Albus Dumbledore has, in the past, denied any and all reporters from the Hogwarts premises, news-crews from all over the world are lodged up in Hogsmede, a nearby town, hoping for more information about this shocking new revelation.
The two young people in question, Miss McBride and Mr. Potter, are believed to still be recovering from their mystifying injuries in the Hogwarts Hospital wing, and their conditions are not known at present. We must simply watch and wait, hoping that more information will be available to explain these shocking occurrences.....//
~*~*~*~
//*SIRIUS BLACK.....ALIVE AND FREE?*
by Quiten Morrow
***
Private sources have revealed to the Daily Profit, that escaped convict Sirius Black, the convicted murderer of thirteen muggles and the late Mr. Peter Pettigrew, is in fact, alive!
It came as a shock to the Wizarding World last year, when Harry Potter came forward and admitted to journalist Rita Skeeter that Mr. Black was an innocent man, and that it was truly Peter Pettigrew (the man thought to have been murdered by Black), who killed those muggles. Mr. Potter openly showed his support for Sirius Black as did many of his friends and supporters.
Sources from the Ministry of Magic announced later that same year that Sirius Black had died in a battle with You-Know-Who, fighting for, not You- Know-Who's side, but right alongside Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter.
It was revealed, however, that Sirius Black is very much alive and well, when he walked confidently into the Ministry of Magic Wednesday, alongside his old-time girlfriend, May McBride, who also happens to be the mother of his son, Jackson McBride, and the adopted mother of Rose McBride-Potter. They were accompanied by a brigade of aurors, who protected them as they made their way through the building. Both of the aforesaid walked calmly into the Minister of Magic's office, and came out half an hour later looking, as one observer told us, "blissfully happy".
It was later privately revealed to many of the Ministry of Magic workers, that Sirius Black had been freed from all charges of murder, and allowed to go off scotch free! The reasons for this sudden pardon are still unknown, but ever since last Wednesday, neither Mr. Black, nor Mrs. McBride have been seen in public.
Our only hope is that our questions about this strange occurrence are answered soon.//
~*~*~*~
Harry sat up in a rage, his eyes flashing as he read this.
"How did they know? Who told them?!" He hissed, fists clenching around the paper, crumpling it dangerously. Dumbledore sighed.
"Cornelius Fudge was informed of the goings on here, for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, he saw fit to tell the whole world as well." He said, his face looking like a thundercloud. Rose, who was next to them, tore the paper out of Harry's hands and read it to herself. When she was finished reading the two articles that Harry pointed out, she let out a shriek of anger and pounded her fists on the mattress on either side of her legs.
"HOW COULD HE?! THAT HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE.....MONSTROSITY OF A WIZARD!" She screamed, turning over and burying her face into her pillow, allowing sobs to overtake her. Everyone who had learned their secret had agreed to tell no one but the Minister what had truly happened. Unfortunately, it seemed as if the Minister did not wish to stay quiet with the information.
"I am going to have a long talk with that man. Right now." Dumbledore murmured, as he stood up and stalked from the room. It had been the first time he had seen the paper, but Harry had the feeling that Dumbledore knew this was going to happen.
"Great. Now everyone knows. Just what I need. More publicity." Harry groaned. Rose smiled weakly as she turned a tear-stained face towards him and clutched at her pillow.
"I don't think I've ever hated anyone. But I hate him. I do."
"You're not alone." Harry said, leaning back against his pillows and looking at the ceiling. Madam Pomfrey was on the far side of the room, slamming bottles of potion down on the shelves. She had been informed of the going's on, and she was no more pleased with the articles than they were. And these were just two out of hundreds that were most likely being published at this very moment!
"No, you're not alone." Growled a voice from behind them. Both turned to see a livid Professor Snape, holding a clenched copy of the paper. His dark eyes flashed with anger, and his lips were pressed tighter than Harry had ever seen them before.
"I suppose everyone in school knows?" Rose asked quietly. Harry looked at his sister in surprise, wondering how she could be so casual with Snape.
"Absolutely, as was Fudge's goal in the first place." Snape spat, throwing down the paper onto the table at the foot of her bed. Harry stared at him in shock. For the first time since he had known him, Snape was acting half- way civil. And it seemed as if Snape was more angry at Fudge, then he was at Harry or Rose.
"He did it so people would question their loyalty to Harry, didn't he?"
"Yes. But it's not working. Now people are even more loyal to him. And the students are in an uproar, right now, wondering the truth of the matter. Your friends have stayed mysteriously silent, thank Merlin." Snape muttered, as Pomfrey came over to give her patients a look over. She had reluctantly agreed to let them leave today, but she had insisted on them coming in for a daily once-over for the rest of the year, just in case.
"I think it is safe for you to go now. But I suggest you both take it easy for a few days, and don't allow that cut to open up again, Miss Potter." The nurse commanded, pointing at Rose's wrist. At the "Miss Potter", Rose's cheeks had reddened, but she looked quite pleased.
"I will."
"Severus, will you escort them to their tower? I don't want one of them collapsing on the way and not being able to go for help." Pomfrey said sharply. Snape nodded silently, and with a sigh of relief, Harry walked out of the place where he had spent the last few weeks.
~*~*~*~
"Can I ask you a question?"
Harry sat on his sister's bed as she reclined on the pillows, looking at a magazine. Her emerald eyes flickered up for a moment in assent, then went right back down. Harry smiled.
"What is it with you and Snape?" This seemed to catch her attention. Her hands tightened on the magazine and her eyes found his.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, why is he being so descent to me all of the sudden? Why is he so.....there's no other way to put it.....kind to you? What did you do to him?" Harry demanded. She sighed and allowed the magazine to fall onto her lap.
"The correct question would be, what did I say to him. Do you remember the first day of school, when you boys caught me down in the kitchens?"
"Yes."
"I had gotten up early because I couldn't sleep. I decided to walk around the castle for a while, and try to find my classes for the day. The dungeon door was open when I went by, so I peeked in. I'm afraid I gave Severus a nasty little shock, looking so much like mum." She trailed off here, grinning. Harry frowned slightly in confusion.
"So, you talked to him then?"
"After I called him down. You see, Harry, I used to see flashes of the past when I was little.....the lives of mum and dad while they were here at school. I saw Severus in quite a few of those."
"And?"
"And so I confronted him about it. I was nervous, and I accidentally let it slip who I was."
"WAIT! SNAPE KNEW THAT YOU WERE MY SISTER?!" Harry shouted, standing up. Rose looked annoyed.
"I just said that. And I didn't have to tell him, he was smart enough to figure it out on his own."
"So he's known this entire time?" Harry asked in a quiet whisper. Rose nodded slightly.
"Yes. He has. That's what our conversation was about.....among other things. You see, I reminded him of mother, and it was a little unsettling for him." At her words, Harry snorted.
"I'll bet. He probably wanted to hex you for being the spawn of a 'mudblood'." Harry winced as he said this, and Rose hit his arm gently.
"No. He wanted to protect me."
"What?!" Harry asked, incredulous. Rose looked down at her hands, before looking up again.
"Harry.....Severus had another reason to hate daddy, other than what the Marauders did to him during school, and how daddy saved him from Remus."
"Oh?"
"He was in love with mum."
This statement sent a shockwave of disbelief and astonishment through his body, as he collapsed helplessly back onto the bed. Rose stroked his hair as he slowly began to shake his head, unable to bear the idea of Snape loving his mother.
"Are you sure?" He finally choked out. Rose nodded.
"Yes. I've had lots of talks with Severus since then, and have come to that conclusion. And when he saw me, he felt the urge to protect the one thing that made Lily's death seem reasonable, besides you. And since I look so much like mum, it made him even more determined to watch out for me. He really isn't a bad person, Harry. Just misunderstood." She said thoughtfully, as she gazed out the window. Harry lay still, processing what she had just said.
"And you trust him?"
"With my life."
Harry sighed in resignation. There was no way he would be able to persuade his sister otherwise, and now that he thought about it, Snape's daily reactions to him did seem to prove that theory. He was the image of his father, but with his mother's eyes; therefore, he was a daily reminder of what Snape had desired, but had been forced to give up to another man, who was in all cases his rival. Rose, however, was the spitting image of her mother. Snape must have gained an affection for her out of his love for Lily. If he could not have Lily, at least he could care for her daughter and love her as a father might. It all made sense to Harry, now.
"Fine. I can't say I'm entirely happy about it, but I'll let it go. I can see why he wants to protect you." He murmured. Rose smiled.
"I knew you would."
~*~*~*~
The school-year was near it's end. All the exams had been taken, the stress- level had drastically reduced because of this, and the school had finally begun to settle down from it's shock about the miraculous tale of Harry Potter and his long-lost sister.
The rumors that had been flying around the school since Voldemort's attack on Harry, quieted the night that Harry and Rose were released from the Hospital wing. There had been the expected stares and whispers as the two had entered the Great Hall, but that was to be expected. It had taken several days for everyone to get over the fact that there was a new Potter in the school, but because of Rose's natural friendliness and openness, she had quickly been accepted by most of the other students.
After talking with their friends, Harry and Rose had come to a conclusion about his dreams. The phoenix that Harry was sure he saw saving Professor Dumbledore must have been the image that Harry's unconscious mind had formed of Rose. It stood to reason, seeing that her patron animal was the Phoenix in the first place.
But this was all over now, and life had returned as much to normal as was possible under the circumstances. Sirius and May were living at Hogwarts for Sirius's safety, and Remus had also sought refuge there after reporters continuously accosted him for information about Harry, Rose, and Sirius. Jackson had no qualms about his father being there, and had taken to sleeping in their living-quarters so he could be closer to them.
"You know, I still can't get over the fact that this has passed over so casually, without a peep from Voldemort." Hermione murmured the night before the students were to be let out for the summer.
"I think it's because he's afraid of attacking so soon after his failure with Harry." Neville commented thoughtfully, taking a bite out of a roll he had in his free hand; his other arm was around Rose's waist.
"I think he's just a coward." Ron said loudly, looking pointedly over at the Slytherin table as he said this. Harry noticed that most of the Slytherins either didn't hear, or ignored him. But Draco Malfoy happened to look up at that moment, and caught his eyes. Harry nearly fell out of his seat when he saw the shielded look in Malfoy's eyes, something he had never seen there before. It was almost as if Malfoy was trying to keep something bottled up inside of himself. Harry quickly looked away, afraid to wonder what that was about.
"Well, you have to admit. It's a relief that he hasn't done anything lately. Even though it is a bad thing that he's still out there, at least we have a little more time to prepare for his next attack." Raya said quietly.
They all had to agree with that one.
~*~*~*~
"Bye, Harry! See you later!" Ron shouted, as he was led away by his family. The entire Weasley clan had showed up at the station to pick up Ron and Ginny, and also to meet Rose. They had immediately accepted her, and Mrs. Weasley was already planning a way to convince Dumbledore to allow Rose and Harry to come over during the summer. Rose was going to stay at Number 12 Grimmauld Place with Sirius, May, Jackson, Remus and (surprisingly enough), Professor Sheryl Hendreckson over the summer.
"Goodbye, Harry." Ginny whispered, reaching up to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. Harry smiled and held her close, ignoring the fact that not only was her entire family watching, but also the Dursleys who were standing nearby.
"I love you, Gin. Don't you ever forget that." He murmured against her lips, pulling back reluctantly. There was no sound from anyone around them as they looked around at the faces of their loved ones—and not so loved ones (in the Dursley's case).
"I won't." She answered, grinning up at him. He smiled back and then turned around to allow his sister to embrace him.
"I love you, Harry. I'll see you soon." She murmured, looking over his shoulder at the stunned Dursleys who were looking at her like she was a ghost. She shot them a sweet smile, then released her brother with a kiss on the cheek.
"Remember to write, Prongs Jr.!" Jackson added from his place between his parents. Harry grinned and waved as he moved to join the Dursleys.
"What on earth was Rose doing here?" Petunia was the first to speak as Harry reached them. He looked at her calmly.
"She went to my school over the year, Aunt Petunia. And boy, do I have a story to tell you!" With this, along with a disarming laugh, Harry led his so-called 'family' from the station.
~*~*~*~
****WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!****
The next chapter skips ahead one year in Harry's life! Do not be surprised, and please, refrain from sending me reviews that are filled with comments about how confused you are. IT SKIPS AHEAD ONE YEAR! Please remember that, and enjoy the rest of the story!
~Daphne Li
~*~*~*~