Harry arrived at Platform 9 and ¾ minutes before the train would leave for Hogwarts. He just had to get on the train so he could start his fifth year. On his birthday he received a letter congratulating him on making Prefect for the Gryffindors, along with Hermione. On the back of that letter, he was told of the Prefects in the other houses as well as the sixth and seventh years in is his own. Under Gryffindor, there was an extra name under the sixth years, Christina Potter. This really made Harry wonder if they were of any relation at all, but he figured not since she was probably an exchange student who happened to have the same last name as him.
"Harry!" He heard someone exclaim from behind him as he walked down the narrow corridor of the train.
"Hermione!" He said back after he turned to face the person behind him. "You look absolutely stunning! It has been forever. How was Italy?"
"It was wonderful, Harry. I loved it so much. Congratulations on making Prefect." Hermione said as she began to lead Harry to the compartment with her trunk and other things she would need for Hogwarts.
"It was no surprise that you would be one. Did you see that we have an extra Prefect? It's under the sixth year." Harry said.
"No, I didn't notice. Really? You know, you sound so fascinated with him." She replied.
"It's a girl. I looked on the back and noticed that Malfoy was among them, but anyway that's not the point. It was her last name." They now stood in one of the train compartments.
"Who now?" asked a red-haired boy.
"It's no one Ron. It's not important." Harry said.
"Yes it is, Harry. Who is it?" Hermione asked.
"Her name is Christina. Christina Potter." He watched their faces as he said Potter.
"Oh, Harry? Do you think you're related? I don't think you could be. If so it would be so far back that no one really knows." Hermione said.
"We'll find out during the Prefect meeting, I suppose." Harry said.
"Oh no! Come on Harry. We need to hurry!" Hermione grabbed his hand before he could say another word and they were out the door, leaving Ron behind.
They made the meeting just before it started. They took a seat by their fellow Gryffindor Prefects. Katie Bell, a chaser for the Gryffindor team, was the Head Girl and she would start the meeting.
"Can I have everyone's attention?" She started out saying, "This would normally not happen, but due to recent events, there are two people here who have just transferred to Hogwarts. We will start this meeting with introductions and it will be civil, is that understood?" Everyone nodded their reply. "I will start. I'm Katie Bell, the Head Girl for the upcoming term and I'm from Gryffindor."
They went in order with the rest of Gryffindor introducing themselves. Hermione went after Katie and Harry after her. Harry stood for his introduction just like the two before him.
"Hello. I'm Harry Potter, a fifth year Gryffindor Prefect." He said identical to Hermione's except for the name part. Next it was the new girl, one of the sixth year Gryffindor Prefects. Harry starred at her, wondering who she was. Her hair was the same color as Harry's, yet her eyes were ice blue.
"I'm glad we are doing this because I'm a new addition. My name is Christina Potter. I was born here in England, but left with my aunt and her little girl due to the fact that my family was a target. I was a year old and my little brother would have gone with us, but my mother couldn't part with him, so he's gone with my parents, a year after my aunt, my cousin, and I left. My cousin is a fifth year Gryffindor, Clare Starlight. Thank you." She sat back down and the introductions continued.
Harry felt like he knew Christina already, both having no family and living with an aunt and cousin. There was something about her that seemed oddly familiar, but he couldn't place it. Maybe it was her voice, he didn't know, seeing as she left at the age of one.
The introduction fell onto the fifth year Ravenclaw Prefect after passing through everyone else.
"I'm also new here. My name is Alexandria Decimus, but everyone calls me Alex. I was excited when my best friend allowed me the opportunity to come to this fine school. I also want to thank her cousin as well. Thank you." She sat down and held her hands in her lap. She was really beautiful. Alex had shining purple eyes and long shiny brown hair, with blonde highlights. Stunning would be the right word to use.
"Harry? Are you listening to me? The meetings over, come on!" Hermione said, dragging Harry out the door.
The rest of the trip was uneventful, as it normally wasn't. Harry decided that this year would be the only normal year of his life. No more exciting mysteries to be solved. It would be just a boring school year, like any other, had Harry not been in attendance.
The sorting ceremony was interesting. The sorting hat had come up with a new song and the students were sorted. He cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors when there was a new addition. After the last student was sorted, Dumbledore rose to start off his start of the term speech.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. A reminder to everyone, the forest is strictly forbidden as it always is. On another note, other than welcoming the first years to begin their voyage through school, we have three new students in the upper years as well. Miss Christina Potter, a sixth year Gryffindor; Miss Claire Starlight, a fifth year Gryffindor; and Miss Alexandria Decimus, a fifth year Ravenclaw, I hope that everyone welcomes them as they, for the most part, are in charge of the younger years. That concludes the announcements, let the feast begin."
Harry and Ron dug into the food that had appeared before them. Never had he seen such variety in the foods at the sorting feast. He looked down the table, toward the professors, to find Christina and her cousin placing some odd food onto their plates. Harry looked before him and saw what seemed like a more American style of food. Of course, that's what was going on. There were three American witches joining the student body.
All too soon, the feast was over. Harry and Hermione got up to led the first years to their new home for the next seven years. Along with them was Christina, after all she was a sixth year Prefect. Hermione called the Gryffindor first years to gather round and to make sure that she was being followed by them. It took them only a few minutes to reach the portrait of the Fat Lady from the Great Hall. During the trip, the first years and Christina were wide eyed with awe.
"Cockroach Cluster," Harry told the Fat Lady. Hermione had decided to watch the reactions from the first years who had never known anything from the magical world.
"As this will be your home for the next seven years, it will be in style. The boys are on the left side and the girls are on the right up the stairs. You will be in dorms of up to five people. Get to know your roommates; they will become your friends." Hermione said as they gathered in the common room. Harry nodded in agreement. Hermione told the girls to follow her and Harry took the boys. Christina followed Hermione up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.
"Hermione, can I ask you a question?" Christina asked.
"Sure." They were currently standing outside Hermione's and the other fifth year girls' dorm.
"How strange do you find this situation? I mean, my being here?" She asked.
"Why would I find it strange? That you and my best friend have the same last name? That the two of you look so much alike? Did you know that you both have the same color hair; face is shaped the same, eyes so identical, except of color? If your eyes were the same, you would be twins." Hermione said. She looked into Christina's eyes and noticed that they reflected the same as Harry's did when he was curious. "Yes, I do find it strange."
"I also have a question about one of the professors. The one with long black hair, "Christina continued.
"Professor Snape?"
"He looks like he is never happy."
"He never is, except tonight, now that you mention that. I have never seen him smile. What color are your cousins' eyes?"
"Ice blue, why?"
"Never mind, I'll show you to your dorm, so you can get some rest."
Hermione led Christina up to her dorm and helped her settle in. While she helped Christina settle in, she asked about her aunt.
"My aunt's maiden name is Natalie Marie Potter. She goes by this and not her married name. She did tell me this summer that my cousin's last name was changed to protect her and her mother. I have no idea who my uncle is, but I want to know who he is, for my cousin's sake." Christina said. She told Hermione that she was done and Hermione left.
"What did you think of the new girls?" Ron asked Harry after he was done showing the first years their dorm.
"What about them?"
"That one, Christina Potter, reminds me a lot of you. You're practically identical." Dean Thomas said.
"Why does it matter? So what, she looks like me and has the same last name? She grew up in the states!"
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm slightly tired and would like to get some sleep. Who knows what classes we will have tomorrow?" Neville Longbottom said.
"Neville's right. I'm going to sleep too." Harry said. And at that, all the other boys in their dorm went to sleep one after the other.
Hermione dug through her trunk, looking for the slip of parchment that would find what she needed. She also pulled out a black hard-bound book that was blank. She took her quill and ink and wrote down everything she knew about Christina Potter and her family. She did this as fast as she could so she could get enough sleep for the next day, the start of the classes.
The next morning the sun shone brightly, for such an early time in the morning, through the gold fringed red curtains, covering the windows in the Gryffindor dormitories. Hermione was the first to wake on the first full day of the new school year. This year they would be taking their O.W.L.'s at the end of the year. Hermione had been preparing since the end of last year and felt very confident.
Harry rolled out of bed along with Ron first thing that morning. Harry planned on talking to Christina during breakfast or lunch or dinner. He just wanted to talk to her about her family, no matter what she said, he would find out if they could be related. His mind wandered to the meeting on the train and he thought about what she said, "My little brother would have gone with us... He's gone with my parents." Harry had no idea what she meant by that. Was it possible that another family of Potters' were a target as well?
Hermione gathered her book and the small piece of parchment before heading down. As she entered the common room, she noticed Harry was up as well. She called out his name and he stopped before the portrait. He looked up at her and thought about how beautiful she looked. Her hair was straight with a slight curl at the end of her hair. He couldn't tell because of the distance, but he bet her eyes were reflected the soft and bright color when she was happy. Hermione was now standing beside him and told him that they could go.
"Hermione, what's that you're holding?" He asked as they stepped out from behind the portrait.
"Just some notes. I want to look over them during breakfast."
"The year hasn't even truly started yet and you're studying already!" Harry said.
"It's not what you think. I was talking to Christina last night. I want to find out what she's hiding." She replied.
"What? Why do you say that?" Harry asked.
"Harry, aren't you curious to see if you have other family out there. Believe me, I want to know."
"Don't do this Hermione. What if it's a trap to get to me? Did you even think of that?"
"Yes, I did Harry. But wouldn't you want the chance to live with people other than the Dursleys'?" Hermione had tears coming down her face. "Don't you want to be happy during the summer?"
"Hermione..."
"No, Harry." She pulled away from him and continued down a separate staircase.
Harry started to follow, but decided that she wasn't worth chasing at the moment. He, instead, went down the staircase toward the library. He did not want to admit to Hermione that he wished he had other family. If Christina was true, he had an older sister by a year and a cousin. Harry continued down the hall toward the library and in turning the corner, ran into Snape, the potions professor.
"What are doing, wandering the corridors at this time, Potter?" Snape asked in his demeaning tone.
"I was heading to the library, Professor. That was all." Harry replied.
"Why at this time in the morning, shouldn't you be asleep still? See you in potions, Potter; it will not be kind this year." With that Snape continued on, robes billowing behind him. Harry shrugged off what Snape had said and entered the library.
Harry wandered the library a long time before finding anything of importance. He came across a hard bound, leather book labeled Potter. He seriously wondered what it was about, given that his surname was on it. He flipped through and towards the back, found his father. Just the book I'm looking for. He thought and took the book over to Madam Prince to check it out.
Harry entered the great hall with the book under his arm. He headed for the almost empty Gryffindor table among the other empty tables. How much he wanted to sit next to Hermione, who looked to be sitting there for a while. Before Harry got a chance to sit down, Hermione called to him.
"Harry..." Was all she could say before the tears started streaming down her face again.
"Hermione, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you the way I did. It was stupid and it was me. Look, I went on your advice and found this." Harry placed the book between them on the table.
"What?" Hermione's eyes questioned him.
"This book has every single person on my family tree in this book. Along the person comes with birth and death dates. I have no idea what else." He said.
Hermione opened the book at the back to find Harry's father James. He was with two older people and younger girl for the family portrait. The caption below read "James Henry Potter, son of Henry Matthew Potter and Marian Joy Potter, and Natalie Marie Potter, sister of James." Hermione looked at the names again and gasped.
"What is it?"
"Oh, the librarian said that you just checked out that book. Is there anything good in it?"
Harry and Hermione slammed the book shut at the sound of Christina's voice.
"No." They replied in unison.