Disclaimer: The more reviews the author receives the more she writes... Seriously, last chapter I had twelve reviews and I wrote two chapters which are currently with my beta. Thanks for all the reviews, without further ado... I don't own Harry Potter, JK Rowling does!
Chapter 3: The Letter and the Plan
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were very proud of their son Dudley. He had recently turned eleven years old and had been accepted to the same secondary school that Mr. Dursley had attended in his youth, Smeltings School. Dudley was very popular in school, with a core group of four friends that he did most things with. All and all everything seemed to be going perfectly with the Dursley family where Dudley was concerned.
The only area of disgrace in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were their nephew and niece, the Potter brats. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley always knew the Potter brats were different and were a source of trouble in their household. The Dursleys were well aware that those two brats would follow in their parents' footsteps. With the unnatural things that tended to happen when the brats were younger, how could they not be freaks?
Now with the older freak's eleventh birthday rapidly approaching the moment of truth was upon them. That letter from that school should be arriving at anytime now. All Mr. and Mrs. Dursley could do was keep a watch on things to see if their fears would be proven true.
~*~
Harry Potter awoke with a start. His sister Lexi was standing directly over him, waiting for him to wake up. After adjusting to her presence, Harry decided it might be best to figure out exactly what his sister wanted.
"Lexi, what are you up to?" Harry asked opening one eye to look at her.
"Where did you get it?" Lexi asked in an accusing tone.
"Get what?" Harry asked, truly confused at what she was referring to.
"This," Lexi hissed as she thrust a hand full of money in his face.
Harry's face drained at the sight of the money. "Where did you-"
"I found it while changing this morning." Lexi cut him off.
"I can explain," Harry said while Lexi gave him a look of disbelief before allowing him to continue. "I've been saving up pocket change that I've found."
"Why?" Lexi asked, clearly upset Harry was keeping something from her.
"You're going to be alone at school for the first time." Harry tried to explain, "You can get that dress you've always wanted so you will look more like a girl and those other children will finally stop picking on you. I thought I'd get it for you before school started and you could have an early birthday present."
Lexi tackled Harry in a bone crushing hug; muffled words of thanks could barely be heard. After holding one another for a few moments, Lexi finally broke away.
"I'm sorry that I've been a little testy Harry," Lexi said with down cast eyes.
"Lexi, it's no problem," Harry said while wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
"No Harry it is," Lexi protested. "You always get me such great presents. I always feel like mine to you, don't add up."
"Lexi," Harry began in a tried voice. "I love all your gifts to me. Don't sell yourself short."
"But your birthday is coming up and-" Lexi began before she was cut off.
"And I'd love any gift you gave me, simply because it came from you." Harry said in a stern tone. Hoping that this time she would understand that monetary values meant nothing on whether or not he liked a gift from her.
If the mollified look on Lexi's face was any indication, then she may have finally understood he loved her gifts because she was the one who gave it to him.
~*~
For Lexi it was a typical morning in the Dursley household. They were all congregated in the kitchen. Harry was cooking the Dursleys' fry-up. Dudley was proclaiming some nonsense about how wonderful his Smeltings whacking stick was. Uncle Vernon was reading the newspaper while sipping his coffee, while Aunt Petunia was plotting some way to make the Potter children's lives miserable.
Today Aunt Petunia was dying some of Dudley's old clothing for Harry to use when he attended Stonewall High in a little over a month. According to Aunt Petunia by dying the clothing grey, the school's uniform color, it is just as good as buying Harry the required new uniform.
Lexi couldn't help but roll her eyes at extremes her aunt would go to in order to make Harry and her lives miserable. Even though Harry and Dudley were finally going to different schools, it appeared that the Dursleys were determined to make sure Harry didn't have any friends.
Not that Lexi had any friends. Dudley had scared all the other children away from being around her. It was well known that Alex Potter was a freaky girl who really wanted to be a boy. Dudley spread that rumor around when Lexi's hair was cut short like a boy's. It didn't help that Aunt Petunia never bought her any new clothing, except when they went to see Mr. Donaldson, and then Aunt Petunia usually returned the new dress to the store the next day.
So Lexi was the girl who was always wearing boy clothing and who looked like a boy as well. Even when she wore the pretty hair barrette Harry got her for Christmas two years ago at school, the other kids still called her a boy. But now that Dudley was gone, things would be different. Lexi and Harry for that matter could start fresh and deal with whatever handicaps Aunt Petunia threw their way.
Lexi was broken out of her musings when the mail slipped through the mail slot. The action of the mail being delivered was never that loud, but the actions surrounding the delivering of the mail, were what caught her attention.
"Dudley, go get the mail," Uncle Vernon said from behind his newspaper.
Dudley, who was eyeing Harry, replied, "Daddy, make the freak do it!"
Lexi noticed exactly what Dudley was doing immediately. With how far along Harry was, if he left the fry-up unattended for a moment, it would most surely burn, and Harry would be punished for doing so. If Harry refused to do it he would be punished. Basically Dudley was trying to get Harry punished this morning.
"Boy, go get the mail," Uncle Vernon announced.
"I'll get it!" Lexi said as she jumped up from the table, and walked from the room. Harry shot her a grateful look as she walked by; he too knew what Dudley was up to.
Once reaching the front door, Lexi picked up the items of mail. Bill, bill, post card from Aunt Marge, letter for Harry-
Letter for Harry? Lexi stopped in her tracks and read the full address on the letter.
Mr. H Potter
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Harry never received a letter before, this was definitely unusual, especially the specific address. No one outside the Dursley family knew they slept in the cupboard under the stairs. Something inside of her was screaming at her, telling her not to let the letter be seen by the Dursleys. Making an impromptu decision Lexi stuffed the letter to Harry under the door of their cupboard, before returning to the kitchen.
Now all Lexi had to do was wait until she and Harry could be alone, to share the existence of his letter with him. Something told her it was going to be a very long day.
~*~
It was nearly midnight when the Potter siblings were finally alone in a relatively private place for Lexi to share the letter with her brother. All day long she had attempted to manipulate things so the two of them would be alone, yet it was as if fate itself was against them. But now in the safety of their cupboard Lexi could finally share with Harry, his letter.
"Harry, this came in the mail for you," Lexi said, the excitement evident in her tone.
"For me? Are you sure, Lexi?" Harry asked as he gingerly took the letter from his sister.
"Well, it has your name on it!" Lexi laughed.
"The Cupboard under the Stairs," Harry muttered. "Who knows we sleep in the cupboard?"
"I don't know," Lexi cried. "Please Harry! Just open the letter, we'll find out then." The suspense really was killing her.
Harry chuckled as he turned over the letter to expose a unique seal closing the envelope. It had the letter 'H' predominantly in the middle with a badger, a loin, an eagle and a snake on it. With some words that were definitely not English scrolled across the bottom.
After both children were able to take in the seal, Harry ripped open the envelope. And out fell the weirdest paper Lexi had ever seen. It was ticker and heavier than normal paper and the ink that adorned the pages was an emerald green.
The cupboard was too dark for Lexi to read the words over Harry's shoulder, instead she asked him to read the letter out loud.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Harry began, "Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore."
Lexi did a double take. "Harry, did you just say-"
"Yeah, Lex," Harry said while rereading the top of the letter. "It's a school of witchcraft and wizardry."
"Keep reading," Lexi pestered. "Let's hear the rest."
"Dear, Mr. Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Harry paused for a few moments as if taking it in for a minute. "Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and supplies. Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."
Both children sat in silence for several minutes. Neither able to comprehend what was just read. A magical boarding school, to Lexi it was like a dream come true. They would be far away from the Dursleys for most of the year, safe from the Dursleys interference on their lives.
"Harry, you're a wizard," Lexi exclaimed, after a short while, breaking the silence that encompassed them.
"This has to be a joke." Harry countered, unable to accept what he was reading. "You know Dudley tried to force me to get the mail this morning. This has to be something he schemed up."
"I think you're giving Dudley too much credit. There is no way he could have planned out something as elaborate as this." Lexi replied, not about to let this be considered a joke.
"Come on Lexi, magic isn't real." Harry answered, "You know what Uncle Vernon always says."
"He's wrong Harry." Lexi argued. "My hair changed color over night like magic. This is the answer to all the weird thing that happens around us. Why the Dursleys call us freaks. This is it! We're magic!"
Lexi's excitement seemed to spread to Harry. His doubtful expression changed to one of hope, as he continued to read the additional pages of the letter to himself.
"Magic," Harry began, "you really think magic is real."
"Yes," was Lexi's simple response.
"But Lexi only I got a letter," Harry said. "You didn't."
The thought had crossed Lexi. Why hadn't she received a letter as well? There was only one reason that Harry got a letter and she didn't that she could think of.
"I believe I'm too young to go to that school Harry." Lexi explained. "You didn't get one until just before you go off to secondary school."
The look of joy drained from Harry's face, so fast Lexi didn't even see it happen.
"I'm not going." Harry said in a determined voice. "I'm not leaving you here all one with them."
The level of venom and hatred in Harry's voice took Lexi by surprise. She knew he detested the Dursleys as much as she did, but he rarely expressed it to her.
"But Harry," Lexi began but Harry cut her off.
"No Lexi," Harry said firmly. "It's time to go to sleep."
Lexi knew when Harry got in one of these moods there was no arguing with him. Lexi silently climbed onto their mattress followed closely by Harry. Perhaps tomorrow Harry would be a bit more reasonable.
~*~
The next morning Harry silently climbed out of bed and escaped the cupboard without waking Lexi. He knew she wouldn't drop the issue. The letter from the night before had plagued his sleep all night long, and he just couldn't face a discussion about it with her again. Harry wasn't completely convinced that this letter wasn't just a joke. But if it were real, well then Lexi was right, it would explain a lot about the odd things that tended to go on around them.
Since it was Sunday, Harry collected the newspaper before he began cooking the Dursleys' breakfast. But when he reached down to grab the paper; Harry had the shock of his life. Two more letters were sitting on the Sunday paper. Not only that, but an owl was sitting on the lamp post watching Harry.
Didn't the letter say something about an owl?
Without hesitating Harry opened one of the letters on the front step. Sure enough we await your owl by no later than July 31st. Was that why the owl was staring at him? What was he supposed to do with the owl?
"I told you it was real," Lexi's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"I can see that," Harry dryly replied. "But it doesn't matter. I'm not going. You hear that, bird? Get lost."
Harry turned around to reenter the house but was stopped by Lexi. She stood directly in his path and made no move to get out of the way.
"If I got one of those letters, would you want me to go to Hogwarts, even if it meant leaving you here alone?" Lexi asked in a soft voice.
"Of course I would," Harry quickly responded. "It would be your chance to escape, to get away from them." Harry spat the last word like it was an insult.
"Harry," Lexi began. "That's the way I feel. You need to go."
Harry looked into her green eyes and saw her sincerity in them. But he was her older brother; he was supposed to protect her. How could he do that from a boarding school?
"Lexi, I can't do it," Harry said in a defeated voice.
"Do you want to?" Lexi asked. "Be honest with me. I know when you're hiding something from me."
"If it's real," Lexi rolled her eyes as Harry continued, "then yes, I'd like to learn magic."
"Good, then we need to send that owl, saying you'll go," Lexi responded moving into the house.
"But Lexi, I can't," Harry said in barely more than a whisper.
"No, Harry," Lexi hissed back in a whisper of her own. "You're going, because if you don't then I won't be able to accept mine when I'm in your position."
Harry's jaw dropped. "You would have to go if you got one," he replied.
Lexi looked him over, before answering. "If you don't go to Hogwarts now, then I won't be able to go later."
"You're assuming you'll get a letter," Harry countered.
"Of course I will." Lexi said with a laugh in her voice. "I've done a lot more magical things then you have."
"What if I really did it?" Harry asked her in a serious tone. "What if you're not a wizard and all the magic around us was caused by me?"
Lexi looked at Harry with a strange look in her eye. It was at that moment that Harry realized she never considered that she was not magical. If Harry was, Lexi must have assumed she was as well.
"Then you better learn how to turn Dudley into a newt. I'll expect nothing less from you."
With that Lexi pulled out one of her school assignments from the last term. She ripped off a clean piece of the paper and handed it to Harry.
"Write to Hogwarts," Lexi commanded. "Tell them you're going. We'll figure out the rest of it later."
Harry looked at the paper, and then looked back at Lexi. He really wanted to go. He wanted to do this. Lexi wanted him to do this as well, Harry reminded himself. Harry realized his mind was made up.
Grabbing a pen, Harry wrote a simple response.
Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,
I will be attending Hogwarts this term.
Harry Potter
Looking at Lexi's radiant smile, Harry knew he made the right decision, even though it was difficult for him to make.
"Now, how are we supposed to have the owl return this to Hogwarts?" Harry asked Lexi.
Lexi looked at him with a quizzical expression on her face. Harry bit back a laugh, knowing they would figure it out together. They were Potters after all.
~*~
Ever since the first letter arrived, Lexi was insistent either she or Harry gather the mail. That way, in case another letter came the Dursleys would be unaware of the correspondence. Harry had to admit he never considered the possibility of a follow up letter, but Lexi asked him how was he supposed to get to Hogwarts, and Harry too realized he needed more information.
Two days after Harry sent his reply to Hogwarts a second letter arrived. This time Harry was the one who got the mail. Coping Lexi's movements from days before, Harry slid the letter under the cupboard door, and carried on with his daily routine.
Later that evening Lexi and Harry once again converged in their cupboard safe from the Dursleys over hearing them. Harry gingerly opened the envelope, which was once again addressed to Mr. H. Potter.
Lexi waited in baited breath as Harry took longer than necessary time to open his letter. He knew it was cruel to keep his sister waiting in suspense, but the look of concentration on her face was simply hilarious. When Lexi finally looked at Harry as if to ask him to hurry it up, Harry finished ripping open the envelope and pulled out the letter.
"Dear Mr. Potter," Harry began to read, skipping over the heading. "Let me be the first to officially welcome you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Hogwarts Express will be leaving Kings Cross Platform 9 and ¾ at precisely 11am on September 1st. Your ticket is enclosed. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall."
"Oh, Harry," Lexi exclaimed. "This is really happening." Lexi grabbed Harry in a bone crushing hug with such force they both fell over onto the mattress they shared.
"It is," Harry responded.
"You won't forget me once you go to Hogwarts will you?" Lexi asked.
"Forget you?" Harry replied, "How in the world would I be able to forget you?" Harry said as he rolled over to better look at Lexi. "You're my sister; I'll never be able to forget you."
The only reply Harry got was Lexi hugging him tighter. After a few moments of silence, an important question popped into Harry's mind.
"Lexi, how am I going to find the supplies on the Hogwarts list?" Harry asked before continuing, "Let alone find the supplies, how am I going to pay for them?"
Lexi lifted her head to look at Harry in the eyes. "I think you should just go there. There has to be a school-assisted fund or perhaps you could use library books and such." Lexi bit her lip as she continued, "Also, Aunt Petunia will have to buy you school supplies for Stonewall, you can take them with you to use at Hogwarts."
Harry stared at Lexi in shock.
"You've really thought this through haven't you?"
"Well someone had to," Lexi said with a smug smile on her face. "I've been trying to think of the logistics for a while, and I think it's best if you just go there. They won't send you away; I'm sure of that. You'll make do."
"You seem so confident about it," Harry replied, his unease evident in his voice. "I wish I had your confidence."
Lexi shot him a brilliant smile, "It's alright Harry. I'll be confident for the both of us. You just go to Hogwarts and be the best wizard you can be."
Harry held on to his sister as he continued to lay there. It was really happening; it was just a matter of whether or not Harry was ready for it. Since Lexi thought he could do it, there was no doubt in his mind he would be able to follow her plan.
~*~
Harry's eleventh birthday came and went without any fanfare from the Dursleys. The only person who acknowledged Harry's birthday was Lexi, which was exactly as Harry anticipated, would happen. For his eleventh birthday Lexi had given Harry a grey tee-shirt a bit shyly. Apparently Harry wasn't the only Potter saving spare change for presents.
Lexi told Harry she had purchased the shirt prior to the Hogwarts letter arriving. She had bought it so Harry would have at least on nice shirt to wear at Stonewall High. Harry thanked her immensely, pleased that his sister would put so much effort in a gift for him. Harry promised her he would wear the shirt on his first day to Hogwarts instead.
Starting the day of Harry's birthday, one thing did change. Aunt Petunia insisted on collecting the mail every day. Every time she picked up the mail, she would carefully scan each item before breathing a sigh of relief. Aunt Petunia's strange behavior was confusing for Dudley, yet Lexi and Harry knew exactly what was going on.
Aunt Petunia knew all about the magical world. She also knew Harry would receive his Hogwarts letter now that he was eleven years old. Most of all, Aunt Petunia's behavior made it perfectly clear that she was attempting to prevent Harry from receiving his Hogwarts letter.
"It's almost comical," Lexi whispered to Harry one morning after Petunia collected the mail. "The way Aunt Petunia waits anxiously for the mail only to be completely let down, day after day. I wonder what she will do when she learns you have had your letter all this time."
Harry couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips. Lexi was right; Aunt Petunia was acting completely mental when it came to the mail. But the month of August was coming to a close faster than Harry expected and before he knew it was time to go to Hogwarts.
~*~
August 31st, was an extremely stressful day for Harry Potter. It was the day; he was going to tell the Dursleys he was going to Hogwarts. Now all he had to do was follow Lexi's plan. Harry's aunt and uncle were enjoying a relaxing evening in the living room. Uncle Vernon wanted a telly program, while Aunt Petunia blabbed on about the latest gossip going around the neighborhood.
Harry boldly walked into the living room and stood in front of the television. It was the only sure way Harry knew to get the Dursleys' attention.
"Boy! What on earth do you think you are doing?" Uncle Vernon bellowed.
"I need to speak with the both of you," Harry replied.
"Well, get talking, do you need more chores to do?" Vernon spat.
"Please turn off the television," Harry countered, staring at his Uncle Vernon. After a few moments, without Vernon turning off the telly, Harry continued, "I'll keep standing here until you turn off the telly."
"Fine!" Vernon finally shouted as he turned off the television set. "This better be good, boy!"
Harry cleared his throat before he began. "As of tomorrow I will be a Hogwarts student, and I will need a ride to Kings Cross tomorrow morning to catch the train to school."
A loud hiss came from the direction where Aunt Petunia sat the moment the word 'Hogwarts' escaped his lips. Harry whirled his head around in his aunt's direction, only to find her with a horrified expression on her face. Her mouth was moving but no words were coming out of her mouth. On any other occasion Harry would have found her reaction comical.
"PETUNIA!" Uncle Vernon bellowed the anger evident in his tone. "I thought I told you to put a stop to all this. You were supposed to stop the boy from getting his letter."
"I, I tried Vernon," Aunt Petunia responded in a shaky voice, completely ignoring Harry's presence. "I got the mail every day from his eleventh birthday on. There is no way he should have received that letter!" Aunt Petunia's voice had grown more confident with each passing word.
"It came a few days before my birthday," Harry supplied once again placing the Dursleys attention on him.
"And what gave you the right to tell those freaks you'd attend their school?" Uncle Vernon asked his voice laced with barely suppressed rage.
Harry took a deep breath, they had anticipated this question. "The letter was addressed to 'Mr. H. Potter,' not to 'The Guardians of Mr. H. Potter.' Since the letter was addressed to me, I was well within my rights to respond to it, and accept a position as a student at Hogwarts."
"How dare you speak to me that way?" Uncle Vernon screamed, jumping out of his chair reaching his arms out to grab Harry.
However, Vernon never exactly reached Harry, for he was stopped suddenly by the sound of his wife's voice, uttering one simple sentence.
"Good riddance."
Harry and Vernon both turned and looked at Petunia with matching looks of shock on their faces. Uncle Vernon simply collapsed back down into his chair.
"Oh honestly Vernon," Petunia continued, once again ignoring Harry's presence. "It's better this way. The freaks will be out of this home sooner and we can concentrate on getting our lives back to where they were before they came to live with us." Petunia tipped her head to the side, as if to consider a thought before continuing. "The only real pity is that we can't send the girl at the same time as the boy. We'll have to wait two more years before we can be rid of her as well."
"But Pet," Vernon protested. "We were going to stop that magic nonsense."
"It's better this way," Petunia argued. "Maybe it will get them killed just like my sister and that husband of hers."
"What?" Harry choked out, unable to believe what he was hearing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lexi standing in the door way to the kitchen. At least she was hearing this as well, if they were possibly to learn something new about their family.
"You heard me," Petunia continued acknowledging Harry's presence once more. "Magic got your mummy and daddy killed. Still want to be a wizard? Do you still want your sister to be a witch?"
"But, but…" Harry stammered, trying to wrap his mind around what he had learned. "You said my parents died in a car crash!"
"Stupid boy," Aunt Petunia barked out a cruel laugh. "We had to tell the neighbors something when we were suddenly landed with you freaks in the middle of the night. We couldn't tell them that your parents got themselves blown up."
"Blown up?" Harry repeated, as if trying to determine that was really what he heard.
"Yes, blown up." Aunt Petunia said with narrowing eyes. "Magic got them killed. They got what they deserved for being something unnatural. As I'm sure you will as well."
"You've always known about magic?" Harry asked trying to determine exactly how much his aunt knew about magic, and if there was anything more he could learn from her tonight.
"Of course not," Aunt Petunia hissed, apparently offended by Harry's question. "I only learned about it when perfect Lily got her ruddy letter on her eleventh birthday. We were a normal family, until that day when Lily found out she was a witch." Petunia stopped and looked at Harry as if determining how much more to tell him before she continued.
"You see, I was the only one who saw her for what she was, a freak. My mum and dad were so proud to have a witch in the family. It was as if they were blind to her freakish nature. I knew it was unnatural to turn tea cups in to hamsters. Even if they never realized it, I did."
"I did everything in my power to stop you and that sister of yours from being as unnatural as your parents," Aunt Petunia continued. "Obviously I failed. From this point forth, I wash my hands of you. If you want to go to that school, then so be it. It's your funeral."
Uncle Vernon was gob-smacked. Harry could clearly see that. No one uttered a word for several long moments. After what seemed like an eternity, Uncle Vernon finally recovered enough to speak once again.
"Petunia, we are the adults," Uncle Vernon began. "We are the freaks guardians. We ultimately decide whether or not they attend that place."
"No Vernon," Aunt Petunia firmly responded. "It's too late for that. He answered that letter; the freaks know he wants to join them. If we try to refuse him admission to the poor excuse for a school, then they will use their hocus pocus on us and force us to let him go. If we try to hide him, they would just follow us until they got him. It's just better this way," Aunt Petunia said before letting out a small sigh.
Harry could tell that his uncle wanted to continue to argue about this, but he seemed almost reluctant to do so.
"You know best Pet." Uncle Vernon finally responded, the defeat evident in his tone. "You are the one with the most experience with those freaks. The boy will go to that freaky school, but I'll be dammed if I pay one penny to help him get there."
Uncle Vernon's last sentence put a chill in Harry's heart.
"Uncle Vernon, about getting a ride to Kings Cross tomorrow-" Harry began before he was cut off by his uncle's deep laughter.
"Were you listening, or are you just dim?" Uncle Vernon questioned. "I'm not paying a penny to help you go to freak school. I won't be giving you a ride tomorrow. You want to go to freak school; you find your own way to get there."
Harry just continued to stand there, staring at his aunt and uncle but they both completely ignored his presence. Harry knew that was their way of dismissing him. Not knowing what else to do, Harry went into his cupboard and laid down on the mattress deep in thought.
Harry was able to go to Hogwarts in the morning. The only problem was he had no way to get there.
~*~
Several hours later Lexi entered the cupboard. Harry was attempting to fake being sleep. She knew there was just no way he would want to reexamine his conversation with their aunt and uncle with her. But unfortunately for Harry, Lexi knew him too well, and knew when he was faking it.
"Harry," Lexi hissed as she poked him in the shoulder. "Open your eyes you big faker."
"Lexi, please just leave me alone." Harry said in a dreary voice.
"No, not until we figure out how you're going to Kings Cross tomorrow," Lexi tempted him.
Sure enough Harry cracked open an eye to look at her. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you can go to Hogwarts, the Dursleys practically gave you their blessing!" Lexi decided the more outlandish she was the more receptive Harry would be to her next idea. "All we have to do is figure out the bus schedule in the morning to get you to London, then from there to Kings Cross."
"Lexi, I've already thought of that." Harry responded. "I don't have any money, therefore the bus is out."
Lexi let out a reluctant sigh, it pained her to say what she was about to say, but it was the right thing to do. "You do have money Harry."
Harry scoffed at her last statement. "No, I don't."
"Yes you do." Lexi said, while grabbing on to Harry's hands, not able to meet his eyes. "You have the money you saved up to buy me a dress from my birthday. I want you to use it to get to Kings Cross."
"Lexi, I can't." Harry said, sorrow lacing his voice.
"It's the only way." Lexi said resound in her decision, even though tears were welling up in her eyes. "Take the money, I want you to use it Harry. That's all I want for my birthday. Go to Kings Cross, go to Hogwarts." She would not let him see she was about to cry.
"Thank you," came the whispered response from Harry. With that all the fight left Lexi and she collapsed on the mattress next to him.
"I'm going to have to get up early to figure out this bus schedule thing." Harry said after a few minutes of silence.
"I know," was Lexi's simple response.
"This is our last night together for a long time." Harry said softly.
"I know," Lexi choked out.
"I'm going to miss you." Harry said in a very quiet whisper.
"Me too," She replied, as she hugged Harry as hard as she could.
After a second period of silence Harry spoke once more. "Aunt Petunia said magic killed our parents." The worry was evident in his voice.
"Aunt Petunia says a lot of things. That doesn't make them true." Lexi stubbornly replied.
"But what if it is true?" Harry asked.
"I don't know Harry." Lexi sleepily responded. "But we're Potters; we'll figure it together."
~*~
A/N: Alright, so hopefully this chapter answered some questions in regards to whether or not Lexi would be going to Hogwarts with Harry. I'm sorry, I would have loved to send her sooner, but she is just too young. However, I must note year three will be quite exciting since she will be there.
Also, a side note (for reviewers such as Picky) if you sign your review I will answer any questions in it as soon as possible. As for who Lexi will end up with... I think I'll keep that info under my hat for a little bit. Once she gets to Hogwarts it may be obvious who she was meant to be with. And thanks Picky for the long review!
A huge 'Thank you' to everyone who reviewed. Like I said in the disclaimer, the reviews made me write a lot of this story the past week as my wonderful friend and beta zephy-mama will confirm. A lot of interesting twists are in store for the future. And perhaps I'll be updating this later this week. ;)
Till next time! Foria
Next Chapter: Just Harry