Hi everyone, a quick little introduction to the story and background info.
I first read Harry Potter when I was 9 and after reading them a few times, I started to come up with this story. Well, at least the idea of Harry having sisters. I wrote down their names, birthdays, and friends' names and birthdays. Now that I'm in quarantine, I was rereading Harry Potter and remembered coming up with this, then found the notes on it and decided why not make it? So I hope you all enjoy the story and have fun reading it!
The toddler stirred in her sleep as she was set down on the porch, and her big, hazel eyes opened to see the woman setting her down.
McGonagall gasped. "She's awake," she whispered, pulling her hands away.
The little girl rubbed her eyes, slowly blinking. "Mm," she sighed, fighting to keep her eyes open and drawing the blanket closer to her body.
"Ah, I thought this might happen," said Dumbledore, pulling two separate letters out of his robes. "Samantha," he hands her one note.
She looks up, staring straight into his eyes with patience above her years.
"Keep this for yourself. Don't give it to your Aunt or Uncle. Don't let anyone know you have it," said Dumbledore softly.
Samantha nodded, and though she was only two, she seemed to understand that she should honor the man's wishes.
"We can' leave 'em ou' here, now tha' she's awake," said the tall, wild-looking man.
"No we can't, Hagrid, and we won't," Dumbledore said, staring at the door a minute before turning to face the other two.
"I'm afraid you two should leave. Their aunt knows me, I have talked to her before. Only having me there will make a little bit more... bearable... for them," said Dumbledore.
McGonagall nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. We will see you soon, I presume?"
"Of course," Dumbledore nodded, turning back to face the house.
He heard Hagrid climb onto the motorcycle and take off, and the slight pop! as McGonagall disappeared.
Once he knew they were gone, he knelt to the ground to talk once more to Samantha.
"I want you to take good care of your siblings. They'll need you in the years to come. Do you understand, Samantha?" asked Dumbledore.
"Mm-hm," Samantha nodded.
Dumbledore stood back up and adjusted himself before knocking on the door.
He heard commotion from upstairs, and saw a light turn on in the window. Then the door opened.
Petunia gasped when she saw him. "It's you," she whispered, barely making any noise.
"And I've brought guests," Dumbledore said, gesturing to the three small children at his feet.
Nine years later
Deciding where to put the three new kids was a mess for the Dursleys. In the end, Vernon had to give up his office to be used as a room for the girls (which he still resented them for) and they had put Harry in the closet under the stairs, deciding to use the other spare bedroom as a playroom for Dudley. They had put up a curtain in the middle of Samantha and Lauren's room, giving the girls at least a little privacy and making their personal space only slightly bigger than Harry's.
Samantha was awaiting a very special letter. A letter she had been waiting to get since she had first been able to read, which was relatively early.
Samantha had always been early and advanced in everything. She had begun to read very simple words at three, and read fluently by the time she was almost five. She had easily breezed through math her whole life. She could memorize dates in the blink of an eye, and was even able to pass with the highest marks of the class in the most boring subjects. It was something her aunt and uncle had always resented her for, the fact that she was much more gifted than her cousin, but there wasn't much they could do about it.
Samantha sat quietly on her bed, looking out the window and holding a worn piece of paper in her hands. Every now and then she would reread it, making sure it said what she thought it said.
It was Dudley's birthday today, and Samantha recalled the morning. Lauren had burnt herself on the pan while making bacon. The Dursley's couldn't have cared less if they tried.
Now, though, she sat alone, the curtain pulled shut, not interrupted by either sibling per her request.
She glanced down at the note again, deciding to read it once more.
"Samantha, I presume you have many questions," the note read in the familiar thin writing she had grown so accustomed to, "and I hope this note will help settle some of those. Your parents told me you are very advanced, and I can only presume you have the faintest memory of your life before Privet Drive. So, to help you settle those memories, I have decided to tell you about yourself, and your family. Starting with something you will probably figure out as you grow up. It's why you're different, why strange, inexplicable things happen around you. You are a witch. Your father, James, was part of a long line of wizards, while your mother is something we call a Muggle-born, a witch born to parents who aren't magical. They were killed by a terrible, terrible wizard, who your brother Harry inexplicably defeated right after your parents were killed. He's sort of famous in our world. Your parents were brave, noble people. They helped lead the fight against perhaps the darkest wizard we will ever see. Now, I have given you this note because you woke up when my colleagues and I were dropping you off. Your parents always said you were advanced, and I have no doubt that included your memory, so I have given you this letter to help clear up some of the bigger memories you have. On the fourth week of summer when you're eleven, you will be getting a note from the Wizarding school. We look forward to seeing you there. One last thing, do not inform your siblings of this. The two of them will find out in their own time. Goodbye, Samantha, and I look forward to meeting you again in nine years
-Albus Dumbledore
It had been hard for her to believe at first, believing it was some sort of elaborate prank set up by the Dursleys to make Dudley laugh. She had realized, though, that the Dursleys would never give her something that talked about her parents or Harry in a positive way.
And then, the dream. She had this faint recollection of being set on the Dursley's front porch, with her siblings next to her and a few adults crowded around them. She remembered a kind-looking man with long, white hair and a white beard talking to her, telling her to protect her siblings as much as possible, and she had always done just that. Watching over Lauren and Harry was her top priority, something that had fallen on her the second her parents and been killed. Legally, it was the Dursley's responsibility, but all they had ever done to protect the two was feed them, and barely at that. She had been the one to protect them from bullies, although it was hard seeing as she was usually in a class when it happened.
She had also witnessed their many extraordinary abilities, such as Harry growing his hair back or Lauren making Dudley's food appear on her plate when the Dursleys had forgotten to feed her. She had seen her own as well, like the time she had made the teacher lose the stack of pop-quizzes or when she had gotten the lizard to bite Dudley at his birthday party when he wouldn't let her hold it.
Samantha heard the familiar ramble as the mailman rode up the street, and jumped off her bed, running through the hall and down the stairs at lightning speed, not listening as Aunt Petunia yelled at her to be more careful.
Petunia and Vernon already knew of Samantha's knowledge of the Wizarding world; she had made it obvious. The two knew there was no stopping her from going to the school, but were still hoping they could squash the magic out of Harry and Lauren if neither knew about it their whole lives.
Samantha sped out the door, almost forgetting to shut it behind her. She ran down to the mailbox, waiting with bated breath for the mail-carrier to get to their house.
"Hi,'' said Samantha breathlessly to the mailman, taking the stack of papers from his hands.
"Have a nice afternoon," he smiled at her, and continued down the street.
Samantha eagerly flipped through the various notes, stopping at one. She knew it was her school acceptance letter, it was the same paper her note from Albus Dumbledore had come on. She separated it from the rest, stuffing it in her jacket pocket and returning casually to the house as if nothing happened, setting the mail on the table and keeping her face as neutral as possible.
Uncle Vernon smirked at her. "Didn't come, eh?" he asked, obviously pleased.
Silently, Samantha held up the letter just enough for Uncle Vernon to see before scampering back up the stairs to read it.
The first thing she noticed was a key. It had a tag with some numbers attached to it. Samantha looked at it curiously before setting it aside and taking out the first letter.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September . We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Samantha held it in her shaking hands, rereading it over and over before deciding she had better read the list of supplies.
First-year students will require:
Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)
One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear
One Pair of Protective Gloves (Dragon Hide or similar)
One Winter Coat (Black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times.
Books
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them by Newt Scamander
The dark Forces: A Guide To Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Other Equipment
1 Wand
1 Cauldron (Pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.
Samantha then pulled out the third and final letter in the envelope.
"Samantha, you are a very unique case. With Muggle-borns, there is a teacher sent to inform them of all of this. There is no need to send a teacher to you since you are already well-aware of our world, however, you have no one to tell you where to get your supplies, or where the train will be, which is why I am sending you this additional letter. Your school books and supplies are to be purchased at Diagon Alley in London. Find The Leaky Cauldron on Charing Cross Road. It's between a bookshop and a record shop. Once you are there, ask Tom, the innkeeper, if he can open the pathway to Diagon Alley for you. There, you will find everything you need for Hogwarts. Secondly, to get to the train that will take you to Hogwarts, you will go to King's Cross station on 1 September. Walk to the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Lean on it, and it will take you to Platform 9 and 3/4, where you will be able to board the Hogwarts Express. Finally, do not tell your siblings about this. Thank you for your understanding.''
-Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster
It all seemed too crazy to believe. Suddenly, someone burst into her room.
Samantha threw the letter behind her, quickly covering it with some blankets.
"So," Aunt Petunia said strictly, beginning to search through Samantha's drawers. "You got your letter to that damned school, did you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Samantha, carefully arranging the blankets so Petunia wouldn't be suspicious.
"Don't play dumb with me, I saw you run out of the house as if your life depended on it and Vernon said you showed him the letter," Petunia said, getting through the final drawer only to not find the letter.
"What letter?" questioned Samantha innocently.
"Get up," Aunt Petunia instructed.
"Okay fine, I got the letter! Why do you have to see it?" cried Samantha, pushing the letter further under the blankets.
"Because you can't go to that school. It's bad. It turns you into a demon. Now stand up," Aunt Petunia repeated.
Samantha ignored her. "I'm going to that school. It's my destiny. I'm meant to go there, or else they wouldn't have sent me a letter," she said.
Petunia looked sour, however, she stopped looking for the letter and left the room without any more words.
Samantha knew she wouldn't be getting a ride to London to get magic spell books from the Dursleys, so she would have to figure something else out.
She spent the next few days forming a plan. She would save up her money, and the day before September 1st, she would run away and take the bus to London. She could buy her books that day, and she was sure she could find a place to sleep that night. The next morning, she would take the bus again to King's Cross station and then she wouldn't be back until the next summer.
The next few weeks were some of the hardest of her life. She was bursting to tell someone, anyone, about all of this, but had no one to tell.
Her siblings both knew something was up. Samantha had been shutting herself in her room all day, something strange for someone so usually social, and so they had taken to spending more time with her, trying to go on walks or play games or even do the chores together whenever they could. Samantha was grateful for this, as it helped distract her, especially as August 31st loomed ever closer.
"What's been going on with you lately, Sam? You've been acting so strange for weeks now, shutting yourself in your side of the room all the time. Harry and I are worried about you," Lauren confessed to her one night, looking sideways to Harry as she said it.
Samantha smiled weakly at the two of them. "I'm sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind recently. It's nothing to worry about," she informed them.
"Are you sure? You just seem so distant lately" Harry pointed out.
"I'm fine," said Samantha. She then realized that as this was August 30, it might be the last time she saw her siblings for a while. "I love you guys so much," she told them, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Love you too," Harry and Lauren said together, and they hugged back when Samantha pulled them in.
"Now go to bed. It's late, you need sleep," Samantha grinned at them.
"Fine," Harry said, leaving their room, and Lauren crawled under her covers.
"Night, Sammy," said Lauren
"Night, Laur," Samantha replied, shutting the curtain between the two.
Samantha didn't sleep that night. Instead, she packed, and watched the clock. She had to leave the house at 4:45 to make it to the bus stop on time and avoid being seen by anyone.
It hit 4:40, and she anxiously listened, making sure Uncle Vernon and Dudley were still snoring. She watched the clock tick down the minutes, and the exact second it hit 4:45, she quietly slipped past the curtain and out her bedroom door, holding only a bag of clothes and some money.
She took the bus to London, and then sat outside until The Leaky Cauldron opened. She asked Tom to take her to Diagon Alley, and Tom, who had been told about her by Dumbledore, obliged and led her to the back, where he tapped on the brick and she was let into Diagon Alley. From there, however, she had no idea where to go.
She had enough sense in her that she knew Wizards couldn't possibly use the same currency as Muggles, but she didn't know where to go to get said currency. She also didn't know if she'd have enough money to buy all of her books and other supplies.
So, she did all she could do-ask someone.
She looked around for someone her age, finally spotting a girl who looked around her age there with her mom.
"Excuse me?" she politely said from behind them. Both women turned around to look at her.
"What can we help you with, dear?" the mother asked her Kindly.
"Um, this may be a bit odd, but I was raised by Muggles, and wasn't told where to go to get wizard currency, and I was wondering if you could point me in the right direction?" said Samantha, putting it as best she could.
"Oh of course, we were just heading to the bank, it would be no problem at all to take you along with us," The mother agreed. "It's just this way," she pointed at a large building a little ways away, and the three began walking there.
"I presume you're a first year?" the mother asked her after a minute of silence.
"Yeah. I'm very excited," Samantha smiled. Just the thought of Hogwarts made her jittery with excitement and nerves.
"My daughter is beginning her first year as well. Why don't you introduce yourself, honey?" the woman asked her daughter.
"I'm Leslie Carter," Leslie smiled shyly.
"Hi, Leslie. I'm Samantha. Samantha Potter," Samantha smiled at the girl.
Both Ms. Carter and Leslie gasped. "Potter? Like Harry Potter?" Ms. Carter asked, bewildered.
"Yeah. He's my brother," replied Samantha.
"We're forever grateful to him. He conquered the Dark Lord," Ms. Carter said.
"I know," Samantha smiled. "And he doesn't even know it."
"Huh?'' questioned Leslie.
"You see, we live with our aunt and uncle. They're very against magic, and neither Harry or our little sister know they're capable of magic. They've done it before, though, I've seen it. I only know because I was given a letter from Albus Dumbledore explaining everything," Samantha explained.
"So he saved the world and didn't even know it..." Ms. Carter trailed off. "Ah, we're here."
The tree of them walked into the bank, which Samantha now realized was called Gringotts.
"Do you have your key?" Ms. Carter asked her.
For a second, Samantha panicked, but then she remembered the key in her Hogwarts letter.
"Actually, I do," said Samantha, pulling it out of her bag. She handed it to the goblin behind the counter right after Ms. Carter, and the goblin led the three of them down to a cart, where they first went to the Carter's vault to get money. Samantha saw a sea of gold, silver, and bronze coins from the cart, and then they continued on to her vault.
The goblin opened it, and Samantha froze for a second, surprised to see so much money in there. "Woah... is this all mine?" she questioned the goblin.
"You and your siblings'," said the goblin, handing her a sack to put the money in.
Unaware of how much to grab, she just filled the bag to where she could still comfortably hold it before joining the Carters in the cart again.
"Samantha, if you need help getting anything, you're welcome to come along with us to shop," Ms. Carter offered.
"Really? Thank you, that would be amazing," Samantha smiled.
The three of them set out for a day of shopping, buying everything on the girls' lists and stopping for lunch in between. Leslie and Samantha bonded immediately, talking the whole time about their lives.
Samantha learned that Leslie had an older half brother who was a fifth year named Jack, and that her parents were divorced. Samantha told her all about her life, and once they had gone over the basics to that, the two talked about Hogwarts.
Leslie told Samantha all about the four houses, and about Quidditch and all of the classes.
The last thing they did was buy a wand. Samantha's was Cedar wood with a Phoenix feather inside. She loved it. It fit perfectly in her hand, and she felt as if she could do anything while holding it.
"I'm looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, Sam," Leslie said when she had to leave.
"Can't wait," Samantha smiled excitedly at Leslie, and watched as she and her mom left.
She then made her way back to The Leaky Cauldron, which she had thankfully found out was an inn, and she got a room for the night.
She woke up early the next morning, and got dressed and had some breakfast, then caught the bus to King's Cross station.
She saw Leslie right in front of the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10, and yelled to get her attention.
"Samantha!" Leslie cried, running over to greet her. The two had only known each other for a day, but it felt like years.
"Okay, dears, you have to cross the barrier sometime!" Ms. Carter laughed, and Samantha and Leslie leaned against the barrier and fell through onto another platform, being joined a minute later by Ms. Carter.
"Bye mom," said Leslie, hugging her mother.
"Bye, Ms. Carter," Samantha smiled.
"Bye, girls. Have a good term!" Ms. Carter called, and then Samantha and Leslie hurried towards the train, ready to start the newest chapter of their lives.