Relatives

It was late November when Harry was walking back to his dormitory. He met Professor McGonagall at the portrait of the fat lady. She was waiting for him.

"Mr. Potter will you please come with me?" McGonagall ushered Harry to follow her. He wondered where she was taking him and whether he was in trouble. About halfway down a corridor, she stopped and looked at Harry. "Continue on to the Gargoyle that leads to Professor Dumbledore's office; I take it you remember where it is?" she paused while Harry nodded. "The password is 'Pumpkin Pasties,' "she continued, "He is expecting you. Now if you don't mind, I have other business to attend to." She turned down the corridor and out of sight. Harry began walking in the direction of the entrance to Dumbledore's office. What did Dumbledore want with him? he wondered. He came around the corner to the Gargoyle and stopped in surprise. Sarah was standing outside the entrance apparently waiting. He was a bit shocked and couldn't seem to move. It had occurred to him that whatever this meeting was about, it must have something to do with her. He might just find out who she is. And since she knew something about his past, it would make perfect sense that she should get invited to meet with him and Dumbledore, assuming that that is what the meeting is about. "Oh, there you are; I've been waiting," she said with a bit of impatience.

"McGonagall didn't tell you the password?" he asked staying where he was.

"McGonagall? Snape just told me where to go, that's all," she replied. Harry walked up to the Gargoyle and said, "Pumpkin Pasties." The gargoyle moved aside, and as Harry and Sarah were stepping onto the staircase she made a comment more to herself but just loud enough so Harry could hear, "Looks a little like Goyle." He sniggered knowing she meant the gargoyle statue. Sarah seemed pleased with herself at the little joke. The staircase took them up a narrow tower. This amazed Sarah, as she had never been to Dumbledore's office.

The stairs stopped moving when they arrived at the entrance door. Harry waited for Sarah to knock, and when he saw Sarah was looking at him expectantly he stepped forward and knocked three times.

"Come in," said Dumbledore's quiet voice from inside. They opened the door and stepped in. Sarah seemed taken aback by the office; her eyes were wandering over all the portraits of the former headmasters and headmistresses. And then they fell upon all the trinkets, which she started examining. At Dumbledore's voice she looked up to listen.

"Harry Potter and Sarah Evans," he started, "Seeing you together again brings back many memories." Harry and Sarah exchanged confused looks. He waited a moment gathering himself. "Sit down, please. I will explain myself," said Dumbledore. He summoned some chairs, and they took their seats waiting for what was to be said next. There was a slight pause as he took a deep breath.

"You are actually brother and sister."

Shock ran across Harry's face, and a disbelieving grin spread on Sarah's.

"But that's impossible," she stated.

"How so?" questioned Dumbledore.

"Well, there are many things," she said uncomfortably. Dumbledore waited.

"Oh come on, he can't be my brother; his parents died, and I live far away in Texas." She said confidently, but she looked over to Harry for some back up. He knew Dumbledore was usually right about these things, but even he had to speak up.

"She's right; there is no way."

"Can you prove that you aren't siblings?" he asked.

"Can you prove that we are?" she demanded.

"And she's in Slytherin," Harry pointed out, wincing.

"Yes, Sarah, I can prove it. I saw you when you were born, and there are other witnesses not to mention the Ministry has ways to prove it."

"Yeah, well I don't exactly trust the Ministry," she replied with a nod from Harry.

There was a long pause; no one knew what to say.

"But how... how could she be my sister?" Harry asked.

Slowly and reluctantly he said, "You have different fathers."

"Still assuming James is his father, who's mine?" asked Sarah.

"I cannot yet reveal that, all in due time."

"My mother and another guy?" Harry said stunned and confused.

"It's a long story, too long for right now." Dumbledore then had that look in his eye Harry knew meant to leave. But he had so many questions to ask, but he decided it would have to wait. Harry stood up, and Sarah still confused followed his lead.

"Oh, Professor, who is older?" she asked.

He smiled and nodding at her replied, "You are." Harry could tell that brightened her day. "And," started Dumbledore, "Please do not tell anyone, not anyone, for your safety, and probably the fact that you are in different Houses might not go over well." He gave them a serious look as they exited his office.

On the way back to their dormitories, Harry stopped and looked at her in a "this is just not right" kind of way.

"You aren't going to tell anyone are you?" he asked her.

"Are you kidding, Snape would have me expelled just because you were my brother," she said. "I was more worried about you telling your friends," she continued.

He thought about this for a bit then said, "No, they'd probably panic or something." This was half true in Ron's case. "What if I need to talk to you though," Harry asked.

"Then send me an owl telling me where to be and when to be there, and we can meet secretly," she said with a sneaky look on her face. "And don't use your owl. She's too conspicuous." He nodded.

"Why didn't he tell me before?" asked Harry more to himself.

"Well, I certainly never knew either," she said.

"But he would have told me..."

"Maybe he forgot," she cut him off.

"Forgot? Dumbledore?"

"He must have had a reason, that's all," she said.

"Why'd it have to be you?"

"What's that suppose to mean?" she said facing him, offended.

"You are a nightmare! You're in Slytherin; if anybody should find out, it's over..."

"That's why they can't find out."

"Oh, c'mon, the secret'll get out."

"Eventually," she finished. "Look I'm not all that happy about this either."

"You're never happy."

"Am too!" she said looking scornfully at him.

"You don't show it much then," he muttered.

"You know it could be a fake attempt to unite Gryffindor and Slytherin."

"Won't work," he said, but she had a point. Harry knew that Dumbledore wanted the Houses to unite while Voldemort grew stronger.

"I've got to go this way, so I'll see ya later," she said quickly, and they then departed and went their separate ways.

All night Harry thought of possible ways this could happen, and not one of them worked. He just didn't get it; it could not be. And what was going on with his mother? Harry got up and went to the window. The stars seemed to be so bright. All this time he thought he had been alone, the only one left. How had she got past Voldemort on the night his parents had died, and how come no one knew about her? Who was her father? And the fact that she was in Slytherin didn't help much. He had never heard of siblings getting put in the two most opposite Houses. She also did not look like him at all. It simply made no since.

He wondered why Dumbledore had never told him about her; he had obviously known about it from the beginning. The thought that Dumbledore might even be wrong crossed his mind. Perhaps she wasn't his sister at all. Maybe Dumbledore was lying on purpose; maybe he had a reason to fake Harry's sister. He sighed and stared out over the grounds. And then he realized something; something that made him feel almost happy. He wasn't alone now. He thought his whole family had died, including Sirius. He had wondered how he was to get along without Sirius, but now, he had her, a sister, even if she was in Slytherin. He had somebody to talk to, somebody that would listen to him and hear his mind; somebody who'd always be there no matter the situation. He smiled a hopeful smile. But he knew that having her as a sister would create many problems, but feeling much more at peace he climbed back in bed, and with all these thoughts running through his mind, he eventually spun himself into sleep.

He saw he was in a forest, a very dark forest. He could feel the cold wind brush his face. Something was luring him over to the clearing. He felt a sense of foreboding. He turned his head to look towards a clearing. And, as if his feet were walking on there own, he moved slowly to the clearing. His ears pricked at every sound, and shivers were running up his spine. The trees thinned. He pushed away a branch and here he was in the clearing. He saw a few feet away somebody lying on the ground. She looked up at him; it was Sarah. He started walking toward her when a dark figure came out from behind the trees. He moved to her, his dark shape making everything stop. And without warning, pulled out his wand and in an all too familiar shrill, cold voice yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"

"No!" Harry yelled, "No." He dug in his robes and found his wand. He started to run after the dark figure. But he had already disappeared, and Sarah was left dead in front of him, her blank eyes staring widely reflecting the starry sky.

He awoke, too shocked to move. His blood felt like ice, and the adrenaline had paralyzed him. His eyes were wide open. She had died just like everyone else in his life. He immediately got out of bed and got dressed. He ran down to the Great Hall. Could his dream have been real like so many others he had had, or was it just a nightmare?

Finally reaching the Great Hall, he stared around at the Slytherin table; she was not there. "Hey, Harry, come have some breakfast," yelled Hermione from the Gryffindor table. But he didn't even hear her, for he had already run out onto the grounds. He looked towards the Forbidden Forest. He had only taken two steps when he ran right into somebody's side. He fell back and looked up.

"I'm sorry, Harry; I thought you saw me," came the voice of Sarah. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and stood up. "Did you want...?" she began, but Harry put up his hand. He looked over at her and then down to the ground and shook his head; he had worried for no reason. But before he could say anything Hermione and Ron came running up. Ron, after catching up to a worried Hermione, immediately cast a look of hatred towards Sarah. She returned the look, and Harry, feeling the tension rise, moved back towards the castle. "Come on," he said in a quiet voice urging them to follow him. Hermione looked to Ron who was still glaring. She reached for his arm. He turned quickly to follow Harry back to the Great Hall.

Now that Harry was reassured that his sister was fine he was able to eat a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs. Ron wasn't eating however; a look of hate still lingered on his face. Hermione was looking between them wearing an expression of dying curiosity.

"What?" Harry said without looking up. With a sudden deep breath she asked, "What was that all about?"

"What?" said Harry lamely.

"Well, you came in looking like you just saw someone die..." she broke off when Harry looked up at her rather suddenly. He looked back down and continued eating. She waited for him to answer; when he didn't she tried again, "And what was that out there? I saw her push you over."

"She didn't push me, it was an accident," he said.

"Oh yeah? I saw her; she did it on purpose," retorted Ron.

"And when has a Slytherin ever pushed somebody accidentally?" agreed Hermione. Harry looked up at her trying to think of something to say.

If he argued with them, they might suspect something, but he couldn't bring himself to agree.

"I guess I was too worried to even care," he said.

"But what were you worried about?" asked Hermione.

"I had a nightmare," he said. Seeing the horrified looks on their faces he continued, "But it wasn't a premonition."

"How do you know?" asked Ron.

"You must really have seen someone die," added Hermione.

"Don't worry, I've already seen the person, and they did not die."

He was afraid to say "her" in case they thought it was Sarah. Hermione and Ron did not look convinced, but at least they dropped the subject.

"So, what are you going to do for Christmas?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, I'll probably go back home," said Ron.

"Yeah, me, too. What about you Harry?" she asked turning her attention back to him.

"Yeah, I'm sure Mum would let you stay with me for Christmas," Ron urged.

"No, I... I think I'll go back to the Dursleys'," he said thoughtfully. He didn't notice, at first, the awestruck looks on his friends' faces.

"The Dursleys'?" they asked unbelievably.

"Yeah," he said.

"You know," started Ron, "you keep getting weirder and weirder." Hermione gave a faint agreeing nod. Harry chuckled and looked away.