Someone to Watch Over You
October 31, 1981-Godric's Hallow, 3:30 A.M.
Sirens flashed through the night as a crowd gathered at a house. Its upper rooms were completely shredded, and the rafters were visible from the street. Bobbies from the Godric's Hallow Constable's Office and nearby contingents from Bristol had arrived and surrounded the house with vehicles and tape. Police detectives swept the den, kitchen, living room, and upstairs bedrooms, documenting every inch of shattered wood and material that coated the floors. Vehicles left the scene, carrying bodies away.
In an unsearched cupboard in the upstairs bedroom, two blue eyes watched the chaos unfold around her. She whimpered, wishing for the calming arms of her mother and father. She had gazed upon their listless forms for hours, trying to wake them. Tears tracked her cheeks, turning them blotchy red. She circled her arms about her and rocked back and forth on her feet as large footsteps swept around her.
Outside, Inspector Brian Cook of Bristol Police, took occasional notes on a clipboard as crime scene detectives and came to him with what they had found. He turned to one another officer.
"Victoria, please takes these notes back to the office and have my assistant file them away," Brian said, handing the clipboard to a young woman.
"Yes sir," Victoria said sweetly, winking at him as she departed.
Brian smiled as she departed. He walked inside, surveying the crime scene and seeing what the notes had indicated for himself. He sadly walked past the den, where white marks indicated where a body had lain. James Potter, age 21 was written on the placard.
He ascended the shattered stairs, with the railing busted out and pushed over the side.
It's as if a large man has pushed them out in going upstairs, Inspector Brian thought.
Smiling at his own ridiculous thought, he dismissed the silly notion as he reached the landing. His eyes alighted on a door that hadn't been mentioned in the reports he had been given. Brian held out his arm and stopped an officer as he came out of the nursery where Lily Potter had been found.
"Has anyone searched that room?" he asked, confused, not recalling any information he had received on it.
"Yes sir," the officer replied. "We did a sweep of it but found no evidence."
The Inspector went into the room as his trained eyes noticed a cupboard, hidden behind a couch near the back. A whimper from that direction attracted him to it as it opened and shut. His jaw dropped as two small eyes of a child peered out at him as he dropped to his knees and moved the couch of the way. The girl whimpered and retreated into the dark recesses as he approached.
"There, there," he said, softening his voice. "It's going to be alright."
The cupboard door opened a little bit. Brian opened it all the way to reveal a girl of no more than two. She had red hair that framed her face, piercing blue eyes, her pink polka-dot pajamas were spotted with blood and dust, and he saw tear tracks down her cheeks. She didn't say anything, just looked at him with pure terror in her eyes. Brian was unsure how to respond to this. He held out his arms. "I'm not your dad. But I'm not going to hurt you, can you walk to me?"
The girl continued staring at him.
"What is your name? Can you tell me your name?"
No answer. Brian saw a little name embroidered on the front of her jumper.
"Sunflower. I'm here to help you."
The snapped up at the mention the name. Getting to her feet, she staggered across the cabinet and into his waiting arms. Her wobbly knees gave out as Brian moved forward and caught the small girl. He felt her bury her face in his uniform as he walked out of the room. Several police officers stared at the detective carrying the small girl.
"You missed her," he chastised. "We'll discuss this back at the station."
Sunflower, or whatever her real name was, was came first. As he walked towards his squad car a sudden thought came into his mind. Maybe I should adopt her.
As he got into his car, he motioned to another officer to get into the driver's seat. As it drove away an old man wearing the strangest of all outfits appeared behind a nearby tree. He watched the sirens drive away as people wearing multicolored cloaks appeared behind him.
"Let's get to work," he said.
"Yes Dumbledore," the others said behind them as they walked towards the squad cars.
11 years later...
Harry stared at the Mirror of Erised. There, waving back at him for the second time was his family. As he sat on the floor his eyes were drawn to another character standing before Lily. Harry startled at the new figure. She shorter than him but at first glance looked to be a clone of Lily. Red hair fell down her shoulders and she was tall and thin, but she lacked the green eyes of Harry. Hers were bright blue, the color of the sky. She smiled at Harry.
Harry sat down on the floor. Nothing...nothing would separate him from his family. Except...
"So back again Harry," Professor Dumbledore said, coming to sit next to him.
"I, I didn't see you sir," Harry said.
"Strange how being nearsighted can make you invisible," Dumbledore said and Harry was relieved to see him smiling. "You, like hundreds before you have discovered the delights of the Mirror of Erised."
"I didn't know it was called that sir," Harry said.
"Let me explain..."
Dumbledore's explanation was more than enough to persuade Harry to not seek after the Mirror again. He glanced back, his eyes alighting on the girl who could be no older than twelve. Hi brother. I know we've never met. But I love you and will watch over you, her smile seemed to say.
"Who's the girl that stands before Lily? Is she..."
Dumbledore sighed. "Alas Harry, one of my greatest failings."
Harry stared at him as he took a deep breath. "When your parents were murdered, I sent Hagrid to pick you up. I myself and some Ministry workers returned to sweep over the building. Your sister...?"
"I have a sister? I do," Harry said, on the verge of getting angry with the professor or whoever had separated them, but he quieted when Dumbledore held up a hand.
"Lily and James felt it the best to keep your births quiet. Not even I was told of her existence. When the Ministry took you from the house, your sister was nowhere to be seen. I myself found out a year or two after Voldemort fell."
"How?"
Dumbledore smiled again. "I saw her name on the rolls of the school. I sought to find her. From what I was able to find out, she was found by a Godric Hollow bobby and put up for adoption."
"Adoption? Who adopted her? Is she at Hogwarts?" Harry asked, eager to meet a member of his family.
"I don't know," Dumbledore said. Harry's heart sank through his stomach to the floor. "Those I did question said she went through a private agency. The records that detailed her adoption burned down in a fire last year and the official who handled her adoption died before I could visit her. What I was told was that she went abroad."
"Then where..."
"An English-speaking country. Australia, New Zealand, or perhaps even America."
Harry's heart sank. He looked at what was perhaps the only real person who could help, perhaps understand him. "Do you think we will ever see each other again? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I did Harry. In your school letter I left a message. My guess is you missed it or it got lost. I apologize for not following up. Call it an old man's folly."
Harry stared at the professor. Dumbledore apologizing? This seemed unprecedented. The Headmaster drew another deep sigh of guilt but now something of a twinkle came from his eye.
"Fate is a quirky thing, Harry. It has a way of binding families together, taking us apart and pulling us together again. I'm sure you will see your sister again. It may not be this moment, or tomorrow, it could be years, best keep your ears and eyes open. Now why don't you put on that admirable cloak and get on off to bed.
"Professor Dumbledore. Can I ask you something?" Harry asked.
"Obviously you've just done so, but you can ask me one more thing," came the gentle response.
"What do you see when you look into the mirror?"
"I? I see myself holding a pair of thick woolen socks."
Harry stared.
"One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
Harry put on the cloak and Dumbledore heard the patter of footsteps go away. He looked in the mirror again and saw what he could never obtain. "Perhaps Ariana, Harry may have what I failed to do. To have someone to watch over you."