Harry finished penning his letter to Ron and he called Hedwig down from the top of the wardrobe. His beautiful snowy owl had just returned from delivering a letter to Hermione. He handed Ron's letter to Hedwig and watched her swoop out the window before he picked up his quill and began writing a letter to Mag- er, Samantha.
Samantha was at breakfast with the Weasley family when the morning post arrived. The post bird dropped the paper on the table, waited as Mr. Weasley dropped a knut in the pouch on its leg, then took off again. Immediately after it had gone, a snowy owl flew into the kitchen and landed in front of Ron.
"Hello, Hedwig," Ron said, removing the rolled parchment from the owl before handing her a piece of bacon. "Wait a moment, Hedwig, I have a letter for Harry."
Samantha watched Ron leave the room and return a moment later with a rolled up piece of parchment. She was jealous that Ron was able to write to Harry. She was also saddened that Harry hadn't written to her yet.
"There you go, girl," Ron said, as the bird hooted before lifting off and flying out the window.
Finishing her breakfast, Samantha excused herself and returned to her room and her studies.
The tapping at the window indicated that Hedwig had returned. Harry opened the window and watched his owl drop a parchment on his desk before flying to her perch for a drink of water.
"I'm sorry, Hedwig, but I have one more letter I need delivered."
She hooted at him, but didn't hesitate before flying down to the desk.
"I know the name on the outside says Samantha, but it goes to Maggie Stonesmith-Snape. I'm sorry, but I don't know where she is…" he said, seeing the bird giving him what appeared to be a reproachful look. She angrily nipped at his fingers before taking to the air and departing.
'That was weird,' he thought as he picked up the letter from Ron. Unfurling it and reading it, he suddenly dropped it and headed to the window but it was too late – Hedwig was out of sight. 'Oh, damn,' he thought, picking Ron's letter up again and re-reading it.
Dear Harry
You will never believe the summer we're having, mate. We're playing host to a girl from, of all houses, Slytherin. Her name is Samantha and she's a transfer student. She spends all of her days studying and I think she's worse than Hermione. She also has tutors coming everyday – Snape is here twice a week! Ugh!
She's pretty, though, with auburn hair and black eyes. Pity she's in Slytherin.
I hope your summer isn't too bad. If you need the twins to break you out, just drop them a line. I'm sure they'd be glad to help!
Ron
Samantha was in the middle of a chapter on the uses of mandrake root in potions when a commotion downstairs grabbed her attention. She could just make out Ron yelling at someone or something, so she rose and opened her door. A white blur sailed over her head and landed with a soft thump behind her.
"Daft bird! Hedwig I'm right here," Ron yelled as he ran up the stairs.
Samantha turned away from the door to see Hedwig staring at her expectantly. She approached the bird and heard Ron entering the room behind her.
"Hedwig! What's gotten into you, girl?" Ron asked, obviously thinking the bird was confused. He reached the owl before Samantha did and he reached for the scroll she carried. He earned himself a bite to the hand. "Damn bird!"
Samantha approached and Hedwig proffered the leg with the scroll attached, "Thank you, Hedwig." She removed the scroll and the owl lifted off and flew out of the room and, presumably, back downstairs.
"What the hell is going on!" Ron raged. "Why would Harry be writing to you?"
'How the hell am I supposed to answer that?' Samantha wondered. "Do you think you're the only person who has met Harry Potter?"
"Harry would never associate with a Slytherin," Ron asserted.
She sniffed haughtily, "Harry met me before I was sorted."
"That's impossible! Harry is at Hogwarts all school year, and then he's stuck in his relatives' house. There's no way he could have ever met you."
Samantha sighed; she really didn't want to keep arguing this with Ron. She also realized that Ron was one of the few people who could possibly help her and Harry meet during the school year. She mentally measured the potential danger of Ron knowing, against the possible uses she could have for an informed Ron. She decided the benefits could potentially outweigh the risks. "Ok, close the door and I will tell you everything."
Ron hesitated and he seemed to be weighing his curiosity against closing himself in a room with a Slytherin. Finally deciding, he closed the door and stood with his back to it – his wand drawn. "Ok, explain."
"Fine," she replied, turning the desk chair to face the door and sitting down. "You and I have met before, Ron, but it was at my mother's home. Of course, at that time I was a squib and my name and appearance were both rather different."
His eyes widened, but it was clear he didn't quite believe her. "Maggie? Prove it."
She nodded and shrugged, "I'm not sure how I can. I could describe my mother's house, but so could any other student who had that class. I could describe Harry, but so could most of the wizarding world. I could tell you I sent a letter to Harry through Dobby the house-elf, but I don't know if Harry told you about it or not."
That last thing seemed to take the wind out of Ron's sails. His wand no longer pointed at her. "How…?"
"My magic, my physical appearance, my being here? Which of those are you asking about? The first one, I can't really tell you as I'm not quite clear on it myself. As for my appearance, that was arranged by Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. The reason I'm here… well, let me just say it wasn't safe for me to stay with my parents. Your parents both know who I am and why I'm here. I can't tell you anymore than that, so please don't ask."
"Bloody hell, does Harry know you're here?"
"I don't see how he could," she replied. "He knew about the change of my appearance and name, but I couldn't tell him where I was going."
Ron swallowed, "Harry knows, then…"
She carelessly shrugged, "Doesn't much matter. It's not like I can go visit him or anything." She gave Ron an appraising glance, "So, you still going to be a pain in my ass, or can we call a truce?"
He shrugged, "You're still in Slytherin."
"And you're still in Gryffindor. You can't tell your sister any of this."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he responded with a smile. "After all, tormenting you is breaking up the boredom of the summer." His expression grew serious, "I'll see if we can't give you a little more peace, but no promises."
She smirked in response, "I'll try not to respond with anymore hexes, but no promises."
He moved to leave the room but he stopped with his hand on the door. Turning to glance at her over his shoulder, he said, "I don't write to Harry too often, but I'll tell you when I do so you can include a note of your own, if you'd like."
"Thanks, Ron."
Hermione Granger arrived at the Burrow ten minutes before Professor Vector did. It was July 8th and they were buried under a cover of thick clouds that threatened thunderstorms. Apparently, the girl's family had been moved to a safe house and she had elected to spend the rest of her summer with the Weasley family.
The minute Hermione heard that Samantha was getting special tutoring, she became determined to elbow her way into the lessons. Professor Vector seemed hesitant, but finally said it was Samantha's decision.
Shrugging, Samantha had assured her that she didn't mind sharing her tutoring – at least in this subject. As far as Potions and DADA went, she silently thought she would prefer to keep that time for her and her father.
So, that day, the morning lesson was attended by Samantha, Hermione, and Ron (who had surprised everyone by asking if he too could join). Professor Vector focused the majority of her time on Samantha, assigning reading to the other two. She spent the last ten minutes testing Ron and Hermione on what they had read and correcting them where they needed it.
After their professor left the Burrow, Hermione went to unpack her things in Ginny's room. Samantha managed to get Ron alone for a moment and she asked him not to say anything to Hermione just yet. She assured him that Hermione would be told before the school year began.
Ron smiled, nodded, and left – probably to visit the girls – and Samantha settled into her afternoon's reading and essays.
Two hours into an essay on the properties of wormwood, there was a knock at the door of her study. She rose and opened the door and found Mrs. Weasley standing there.
"Hello, Mrs. Weasley." She was puzzled because Mrs. Weasley had never disturbed her studies before.
"Hello, Samantha dear. You have visitors."
"Visitors?" she asked as the woman stepped aside, making way for her father and mother to enter the study.
"I'll close this door and keep the others downstairs for a bit," Mrs. Weasley said, disappearing behind the closing door.
Samantha threw herself at her mother and was enveloped in a hug. "I missed you, mum!"
"I missed you too, sweetie," her mum murmured into her hair.
She pulled away from her mum and glanced at her somber-faced dad, "Hello father."
He gave her a silent nod in response and she glanced back at her mother. Immediately noticing her mother was fidgeting with her fingernails – a habit her mum only exhibited when she was really nervous, she glanced at her father who was brushing imaginary lint from his robes. "Ok, what's going on?" She watched them exchange glances, "Come on, something's going on. Why else would you both be here in the middle of the afternoon?"
Her mum took a deep breath, exhaled, and quickly said, "I'm pregnant."
Staggered, Samantha cocked her head, "I'm sorry, but that sounded like you said you're pregnant."
It was her father who nodded and added, "With twins."
"Bloody hell," she exhaled.
"Language, young lady," her father snapped but she suspected it was an automatic reflex because he followed it up with, "Bloody hell is right," muttered under his breath.
"Wow… Uh, was it… that night…" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. No one wanted to think of their parents having sex, and no one should have to think about what her parents went through.
Her mum fidgeted with her nails some more, "There was a fertility potion…"
Samantha did some quick mental math, "So they're due… in March?"
"Thereabouts, yeah," Katrina replied.
"Oh," Samantha said, not sure what to say next. She wanted to ask where that left them, as a family, but she was almost afraid of the answer.
"If you have questions, Samantha, you can ask them," Severus said gently.
"Uhm, you're going to keep them, right? I mean… Are you both going to raise them?"
Her father nodded, his hand finding Katrina's shoulder, "Yes, we're going to do our best to raise them."
'Where does that leave me?' Samantha wondered but she was afraid to give voice to the question.
As if he'd read her mind – and maybe he did, who knows – her father quietly said, "Samantha, you may still have to hide under the glamour, but you are still our daughter. I still want to get to know you."
She nodded silently and suddenly found herself engulfed in two pairs of arms. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around both of her parents. In that moment, she realized that everything would work out for the best.
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A/N: I would just like to thank everyone who takes the time to write a review. I read every one of them and I try to answer any questions you ask. Your feedback is always welcome.