CHAPTER 5
A loud tapping noise jolted Harry out of his land of dreams. He groaned inwardly as he thought about the dream that he was having. His parents had been alive again as had Sirius and he had a sister as well. Filled with anger at the Dursleys for breaking him out of this land of reverie which he now sorely missed, he dragged himself out of the bed his eyes still half closed and therefore unable to observe the present situation.
It was the sound of merry laughter and the smell of fresh waffles that caused his closed eyelids to spring open with curiosity. The laugh didn't belong to any of the Dursleys, He thought and began to back away from it as if afraid of the sight that would befall him if he continued further. It was then that he realized that he was no longer in Privet Drive and in a different place. It seemed strangely familiar although he couldn't quite place it.
Looking around the place a picture caught his eye. It was magical with the people in it waving around madly. At the center of the picture was a girl who Harry recognized to have a strange resemblance to him. On either side of her stood a man and a woman and the sight of them caused Harry's breath to get stuck in his throat. His mouth felt strangely dry and he stared fixatedly at the picture unable to tear his eyes from it. He was broken out of his fascination by a piercing scream that seemed to shatter his eardrums. Clasping his hands onto his ears he turned around , his movements tinged with fear.
His fear was justified as he found himself with a wand to his face, right at the center of his eyes to be precise and looking up slowly he met steely green eyes almost identical to his. It took him a moment to realize that the girl before him was the one in the picture. Her wavy reddish hair fell about her in curls and she had a look on her face that showed she meant business.
"Mum, Dad!!!" The girl yelled " Come here quick" and then followed with a fierce glare towards Harry which clearly said 'don't move'.
It was her words and the approaching footsteps that sparked a sense of recognition within Harry. He began to recall the events that had transpired the previous the day, the events he had so casually termed as pure imagination and dreaming on his part. Now he began to remember having entered an alternate universe where Voldemort ruled and having met his parents and Sirius. He also remembered being told he had a sister, and then with a surge of excitement wondered if the girl before him holding the wand fit that title.
"Melissa Joan Potter, release that boy at once!" came the scolding yet loving tone of Lily Potter.
Harry's suspicions were confirmed.
Already his emotions were threatening to overflow into his actions yesterday and now they simply took complete control. He charged towards the girl who had just lowered her wand and was staring at him suspiciously and grabbed her firmly locking her in a tight brotherly embrace. This action seemed to shock the girl and after the initial bewilderment she pushed him away as disgust mingled in with surprise on her youthful face.
"What the hell do you think your doing!!??" Her tone was harsh and angry, emotions she held a complete right to having being hugged so fiercely by a complete stranger. "Mom, who the HELL is this guy?" She looked to her mother expectant for her answer.
What she got in return she never expected, as her mother looked towards her with a gaze that was dominantly sorrowful and weary as it always had but also now held a trace of happiness on it, something Melissa had noticed had always been absent from her mother's features. She seemed unable to reply though and began hesitantly and unsurely.
"Melissa darling, I don't know how to tell you this , but…." She paused trailing off as if unable to complete the sentence. Lily Potter had never been at such a loss for words before. She had always known what to say and was well aware of the right time to say it. Taking a deep breath she prepared to continue and felt a warm and comforting hand clasped around hers in encouragement. She looked up to see the face of her loving husband. He beckoned her to continue and giving his hand a squeeze looked back towards her children. One was blissfully unaware of the impact that the news would have on her and had an expression of rage plastered on her face. The other seemed terrified as if he knew what his mother was going to say and dreaded his sister's response to it. She muttered a silent prayer to God for help and then in a shaky voice continued.
"Melissa, you remember how once when you were going through our pictures and you found one of a little baby with eyes like yours, and when you asked me who he was I told you it was your Uncle Connor who had died at a young age…" She paused to wait for her daughter's confirmation of the statement.
"Yes, but I don't see what this has to do with my question." Melissa said impatiently.
It was James who now took over from Lily as he decided to share the burden of revealing a long hidden fact to his daughter.
"It has everything to do with it. Honey, I don't know how to tell you this but we lied , the boy in the picture was not your uncle but your brother who was killed before you were born by a werewolf." James upper lip curled in disgust as he literally spat the last word out taking his son aback who though delighted to be with his parents and godfather now pined for a man he had come to accept as a father figure over the previous years and was in this world considered a traitor.
Melissa seemed taken aback by this sudden revelation that she had lost a brother that she never got the opportunity to know.
" But still…" She said uncertainly now her previous confidence having evaporated.
Both her parents were now finding it extremely difficult to proceed any further with the story so it was their son who decided to take over on his parents behalf.
He spoke in an unnaturally steady voice though his expression betrayed the true emotions he was feeling at this instant.
" My name is Harry James Potter." He said as if stating a matter of fact ignoring the astonishment that graced his sister's face." I was born to Lily and James Potter and at the age of one , they were killed by Lord Voldemort," All those present in the room flinched at the name but he continued unperturbed.
"I was sent to live with my mother's sister Petunia Dursley and was shunned untill the age of 11 when I was finally accepted into Hogwarts. I continued my Hogwarts education untill the end of my fifth year where a week after returning to my relatives I was transported into an alternate Universe."
He looked as if he was intending on saying more but was halted by a pale hand that whipped against his cheek. He felt the now reddening skin as he quailed under the gaze of fury that came from the girl in front of him.
"Don't you dare claim to be my brother." She hissed and then turning back to her parents she faltered as she saw the looks on their faces.
"Mum, Dad do you mean to tell me that you believe this bullshit story. That you take for granted the word of a stranger on a matter of such great importance." She paused and waited expectantly for her parents to admit that she was right.
" Darling," Lily spoke in a soothing tone "believe me we were as suspicious and disbelieving as you are now but we tested him with the Veritaserum that Albus provided us with. It is true honey he was transported here as he is saying though none of us have been able to understand how and why."
"DON'T LIE TO ME!!" She was screaming now refusing to accept the outrageous truth.
"They aren't," came a strong voice from her left and she noticed that the man claiming to be her brother had gathered his confidence again. For the first time she saw his features clearly and begin to understand the situation. As she stared into those melting pools of green emerald she believed the words its owner spoke. It was the only confirmation she needed and emotions taking the reins of her mind she jumped on him in an emotional hug which was happily returned. Her parents joined in as well and once again as if making it a part of their routine the Potter family sank into a many armed hug.
