Draco wasn't at breakfast the next morning, and Ginny... well, Ginny hadn't even touched the food her friends had piled in front of her. Her eyes were red and swollen. She didn't even blink.

Ron sat back in his chair, finished with his breakfast. "Gin, what's wrong?"

Hermione looked up at him from her book. "Ron, I think she might want to be alone... or something. If she wants to talk, she'll let us know..." Poor Ron had been trying to get her to talk for a half an hour, with out any sort of response at all.

Harry plopped himself down next to Hermione, wearing his sweaty Quidditch robes.
"'Morning. 'Sup?" he asked as he grabbed a piece of toast and stuffed it in his mouth.

Hermione stared. Harry froze and looked down at himself. Seeing nothing, he mumbled with his mouth half full. "What?"

Hermione pulled the corners of her mouth down, in something that wasn't a frown, but isn't named to the author's knowledge. "Nothing..." She went back to reading.

Ron was lost in concerned thoughts of his sister.

Ray sauntered over to where Ginny and Co. were sitting. "Morning guys. What's up?"

Ginny shrugged. Ron and Harry said together, "Nothing."

"Well jeez. Don't ya'll have coffee over here?" Ray lifted a brow and Hermione finally looked up from her book.

"Huh?"

Ray shook her head. "Noth..."The word ended in a shriek. Aidan had snuck up behind her and attempted to put her in a headlock but she managed to flip him.

Aidan landed flat on his back but flipped to his feet. "Morning Sis." He slipped to a boxer's stance.

"You pig! I was trying to have a conversation!" She glared and pulled up her jeans.

"Aw Sis, I was just going to introduce Fred..." She punched him in the stomach.

"I don't care if you were going to introduce the dudes who made the ton tongue toffees I slipped into your coffee last month!" Aidan went to grab her around her waist, but she dodged and pushed him... right into the lap of a small Slytherin girl. The glass of juice she'd been about to sip promptly spilled down the front of her school robes.

Her pale face paled even more and she looked down. Aidan winced. "Whoops? Sorry..."

The girl grimaced. A six foot four 17-year-old boy on the lap of a girl who was at least a foot shorter. "Ow."

Aidan realized he must be crushing her and stood quickly. When he looked down at her he saw how tiny she really was. "Are you okay?"

The girl smiled a bit. "Yeah... I'm okay."

Ray stepped over. "Sorry, That's just a thing of ours... it's just messing around. I'm Ray."

The girl stood extended her hand. "I'm Blaise." Her reddish blonde hair fell in gentle waves just past her shoulders.

Her eyes were a startling blue and Aidan found himself caught in them. "I'm Aidan..."

A tall red- headed boy with lanky muscles stepped up behind him. "Hey Blaise."

"Hey Fred?" She seemed unsure of his name.

"Yup. George is of with Katie somewhere." He made a vague motion with his hand and then turned to Ray. "Now what did you say about Ton Tongue Toffees?"

Ray grinned wickedly. "I ordered some from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes... the joke catalogue? And I slipped 'em into Aid's coffee. Quite funny..."

People around her started to laugh, and Fred was hugging his middle. "What?" She put her hands on her hips and glared down her nose at them, even though she was a good bit shorter.

Fred stuck out his hand. "Perhaps I should introduce myself. I'm Fred Weasley."

Ray's mouth dropped open. "No... NO FREAKIN' WAY!" She grabbed Fred's arm and started talking excitedly. "I have so many ideas... and you're going to listen..."

She looked up at him with puppy eyes. "Whether or not you want to."

Aidan laughed. "I warned you Fred!"

Blaise looked at him. "Is she always like that?"

Aidan laughed. "Nope. Normally, she's worse..."

Ray turned and glared at him over her shoulder before turning towards Blaise... "I'm perfectly sweet and innocent... don't listen to a word he says..."

Blaise rolled her eyes. "Real....ly..."

************************

Jamison stood outside the great hall, picking at the nail on her left thumb. Yeah. Life was certainly quite interesting. Brother back from the dead... yeah.

"Hey." Jamie whirled around and stared at Remus who smirked.

"Hey." She chewed her lips and furrowed her brow in deep thought.

He nodded at the door. "You do realize that if you take a step closer the doors will open automatically... you don't have to worry about the whole push-pull thing..."

Jamie glared. It wasn't her full angry glare, and Remus only smiled. "Real...ly..." She lifted a brow. "I don't suppose you've ever buried you brother and then gone to a foreign country only to find him alive and extremely PMS-y?"

Remus looked puzzled. "PMS-y?"

"Er... never mind. Cranky, pissy, rude?"

He tilted his head. "Nope, don't suppose I have. He's not all that bad. I promise."

Jamie gave him a disbelieving look. "Uh...huh. Sure. And I suppose he sleeps with a teddy...bear." She added as an after thought.

Remus laughed and took her elbow. "Come on. I'm hungry and I'm not going to leave you to try to stare a hole through the door."

****************************

Severus watched stoically from his seat as those who claimed to be his siblings mingled with the other students. Augusta had lied. His entire life. He could only begin to imagine what they must have gone through. If it was true. He cursed himself. He was starting to believe them. Damn it! He didn't want to believe it. His entire life could have been different. He wouldn't have stayed with Augusta as she pushed him to become something he hated. But shoulda coulda wouldas weren't going to help him now. He had family. And he had the strangest feeling that they would have welcomed him with open arms had he not acted like he had taught himself to. He'd learned it as a defense. It made people stay away. And when no one was close to him, The Dark Lord had no one to black mail him with. He couldn't get hurt.

He swirled his goblet of juice in front of him. That person was not him. He hoped. It had been so long. He'd forgotten himself.

Someone cleared their throat behind him and he turned to see the older one... Jamie? Was that her name? She opened her mouth, closed it, then swallowed. Hard.

Remus Lupin stood behind her, looking far too decent, civilized for what he was. Severus nonchalantly raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Fire lit her eyes and her hands clenched. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. However..."

He leaned towards her. "However what? Hm?" He looked like he was going to go on but she held up a hand. Severus winced. Maybe he could lay off wearing his normal sneer around her....

"I do not suggest antagonizing me. I may not be a trained witch but if you piss me off much more, brother-back-from-the-dead or not, I'll break my foot off in your ass." She practically hissed. "Got it? And if you say one thing wrong to Aidan or Ray I will put your balls in a blender."

The entire staff stared, along with the students within hearing distance. Remus winced and shifted. Ow... He wasn't sure what a blender was, but it sounded rather painful...

Severus appeared shocked. Blender? He wasn't going to ask. She turned to leave and he watched as his hand reached out of it's own accord and grabbed her wrist.

She turned but didn't speak. "I am sorry. We have much to talk of..." He glanced at Aidan and Ray who were making heir way towards them. "I want... need to know your side of this story..."

Instantly she looked contrite. "I am sorry. I haven't tried to think of your side in this properly at all. I'm afraid I'm acting like a..."She broke off. "Perhaps we could speak after supper? Aidan and Ray are..."

Severus nodded and released her wrist.

She looked up to see Harry Potter approaching the table followed by Sirius and Jacy Black. And they were heading straight at her. She swallowed. They couldn't be walking towards her. It had no purpose. They had no reason... oh. Yeah. The cousin bit.

They stopped in front of them and Sirius spoke. "Good morning. Would you follow us? There's a room just off the hall where we can have some privacy..."

Aidan and Ray appeared next to them. Ray poked Harry in the shoulder. "Hey."

Harry grinned. "Hey you. How are you?"

Ray ignored the frustrated look on Sirius' face. "Just peachy." She turned to face her sister. "You forget your Midol?"

Jamie blushed and made a shushing motion at her.

"Jamie, we don't have a lot of time to talk..." Jacy looked at the door leading off the Great Hall.

Jamie looked at Aidan and Ray. "They come too."

Sirius looked like he was going to protest, but then nodded.

************
Harry stepped into the small room, taking in the familiar atmosphere. His memory flashed Cedric. He felt someone's hand on his shoulder.

"Harry?" Sirius' voice.

Harry blinked and his god father's face came into focus. "Sorry."

The Snape's stood on the other side of the room, talking quietly. The memory Eased back and once again he was able to focus on the present.

"Harry, are you okay?" Jacy touched his face, looking him over as a concerned mother might.

"This... this was where they..." He swallowed. "Took us before the Triwizard tournament."

Sirius looked a mixture of emotions, sadness, guilt, and anger. "We can go somewhere else."

Ray stepped up. "Harry, I forgot to say this when I first met you..." she took a deep breath. "Thank you. I know you didn't get a choice in any of this and so much has been taken from you. Thank you."

Harry appeared shocked. He couldn't remember any one ever thanking him. Coming near to practically worship him, yes, but thanks? No. Never. "You're... welcome."

Jamie stepped u with Aidan behind her. "Harry if you're okay, I'd like to tell you something. I want you to know that I didn't know about it until I met..." She broke off and motioned towards Sirius and Jacy.

Harry nodded warily. "Yeah?"

Aidan and Ray looked at each other. Jamie had told them while Harry was fazed out.

"I think I might be your cousin." She said this slowly, then appeared shocked because she'd actually said it.

"What? How? Huh?" Harry looked extremely confused.

"My mother was Sara Evans. She had two cousins... Lily and Petunia Evans. I never met Lily, but Petunia went to USAWW, at least for a little while."

Harry interrupted. "She couldn't have! She's a muggle."

"Petunia tried to put me under the Imperius Curse. I told the Headmaster and her magic was stripped from her." She swallowed. "If it's the same Petunia Evans. Evans is a pretty........ But I'm pretty sure it is..." Jamie looked at Harry, worried about his reaction.

Harry hesitated, then hugged her. Jamie jumped in surprise but threw her arms around him just the same.

"Group hug!" Ray grabbed onto Harry and pulled everyone else in.

Harry started to laugh but stopped. H poked his head up threw the many limbs of the people hugging, looking a bit green.

"This means I'm related to Snape doesn't it?"

Jamie grinned. "You're related to 4 Snapes now."

Harry moaned.

*Fade to Black*

Ginny stared at Draco. She couldn't believe what the git Lucius had done. She'd box him up side his ears given half the chance. Disinheriting Draco because he was involved with her. He sat across from her in the library seemingly engrossed in his potions homework.

How could he be so calm about this? He acted like it didn't matter.

"Gin, the staring is starting to bug me."

Ginny jumped and stammered. "S...sorry."

"It's okay, I'm just trying to concentrate and you're rather distracting." Draco brushed a knuckle down her cheek and smiled a bit.

"Draco... I love you." She hadn't told him before. His mouth dropped open and he stared.

Oh great. She shouldn't have told him. Now he would hate her. He didn't feel the same.

She felt her eyes fill with tears and she stood to leave.

The next thing she knew, she was in Draco's arms, and being kissed so sweetly it brought even more tears to her eyes.

His lips molded hers, his hand tangling in her hair, pulling her further into him.

He pulled back gently after a while and a few tears escaped flowing down the creamy contours of her cheeks. He licked his thumbs and brushed them away. She could feel the calluses he got from Quidditch.

He looked into her eyes, the silver of his own looked a bit wet. His voice was husky and low, "No one's ever told me that..."

She reached up and held his hands to her face. "It's true... I do love you."

Draco smiled a little. "I know. And I love you too."

They kissed again, so sweetly, rather like Wesley and Buttercup.

*fade to Black*