As the Sister of Harry Potter

OPHILIA

I woke up the next morning at sixty-thirty sharp. Katie was finishing up in the restroom, and Sophia was still asleep. Jennifer’s bed was empty, and I figured she was already down at breakfast. She had been doing that a lot lately. It was really, really odd.

Katie came out and I questioned her. “Morning Katie, is Jen already up?”

“I guess so, she wasn’t here when I woke up,” she replied, and I headed for the shower.

By the time I walked into the Great Hall, I was seriously weirded out. I couldn’t find the Twins or Jennifer anywhere. I sat across from Lee, scanning the Gryffindor table. “Sarlanda’s not here either,” he commented.

“Do you think Umbridge caught them?”

“Nah, we’d be hearing about it.”

Surprisingly, Hermione took her seat next to me. “You haven’t seen Harry or Ron, have you?”

“Hermione, I haven’t seen a Weasley or a Potter all morning,” I said, frowning myself. What the chocolate frogs was going on?

-

As I left Divination that morning, Neville Longbottom came up to me. “What’s up, Neville?”

“Professor McGonagall wants you in her office now. She said it was urgent.”

With that, I was left dangling, not knowing where the hell my best mates were. I walked down to the first floor and into McGonagall’s office.

Upon seeing Lee and Hermione there, I panicked and burst out, “I have it on good authority you’ve got no evidence!”

“Miss McLaggen, what are you talking about? Please sit down while we wait for everyone else.” Cheeks burning, I took a seat next to Lee. Apparently, this wasn’t about the Marauders. At least, I hoped it wasn’t.

Two minutes later, Hyden and Launa entered the room and McGonagall closed the door. “What’s this about Professor?” asked Hyden.

She sighed, and said, “Arthur Weasley was attacked last night.” We all gasped and she continued. “He’s stable and at St. Mungo’s. Harry Potter saw the attack somehow and he, Miss Potter, and the Weasley children are all at Headquarters. Miss Malfoy is with them, for obvious reasons.” We all just started at her in shock. Mr. Weasley, attacked? How, and by whom? And how did Harry “see” it? “Professor Dumbledore wished for me to tell you all this, and also requests you discuss it with no one else. Especially not Professor Umbridge.”

-

The night before holidays started, Lee and I did announcements. “Hello Hogwarts! This is Kumquat and Palm Tree speaking!” I started off. “We’re sorry we haven’t done announcements there past few days, some issues came up that we had to deal with.”

“Now then, we hope you all have a wonderful holiday,” said Lee, “and we have a very special Christmas greeting! The Dark Lord Voldemort has contacted us and wishes everyone at Hogwarts a very happy holiday! He wishes he could give this in person, but alas, he must stay under cover from the ever-ignorant Ministry of Magic.”

“And finally, we would like to send Professor Dumbledore out present! Here you are sir!” I tapped the brightly wrapped gift box with my wand and sent it to Dumbledore in the Great Hall. “Happy Christmas everyone!”

Later that night, we got another purple not. All this one said was, “Marauders – Thank you for the socks.”

SARLANDA

I left my brand new (in a sense), bare Muggle flat in the dead of night. I drew my forest green cloak tight around myself as I left the building and stepped onto the slippery London street. I glanced around myself as I made for the nearest alley, making sure I wasn’t followed by Muggles or Wizards alike. After making sure I was in a dark spot where no one could see me, I turned on the spot. The sensation of being sucked down a tight tube ended swiftly, and I was left standing in from of my previous home: the Malfoy Manor.

I pushed the gate open and proceeded inside the yard. The path to the house had been recently cleared of the foot of snow. The atmospheric charms kept the snow, but the air was warm so the peacocks could be out and about all year long. Several of the white birds approached me and pecked at my already tattered jeans expectantly. “Go away,” I hissed. “I haven’t any food for you.” They strutted away, annoyed. Rolling my eyes, I continued left around the house.

I trotted through the flower garden to bellow my balcony on the second floor. I pointed my wand to the railing and thought, ‘Carpe Retractum!’ The spell acted as a Muggle grappling device, hoisting me up to the balcony by my wand. I scrambled onto the balcony and tapped the lock of my French doors with my wand. Then I crept into my old room.

I pulled from my cloak a bag and began stuffing everything that would fit though the mouth of it in. Books, parchment, Muggle CD’s, a small photo album, and my Everlasting Moon Flower my mother had given me for my seventeenth birthday. I emptied my dresser and added my various Muggle and Wizard articles of clothing into the bag. Then it came time for the big furniture. I used a Shrinking Charm on my bed, desk and chair and packed those in my bag as well.

I stole out into the hallway to find some candles to knick. The first chandelier I came to I pointed my wand at and thought, ‘Accio candles!’ On my way back to my room however, my luck ran out. Just as I was turning the knob, Draco came around the corner and gave a start.

“What are you doing here? Dad kicked you out.”

“I’m leaving, go to bed Draco,” I grunted, entering my room. He followed me.

“Is it true you’re working for the Order of the Phoenix?”

“Fuck off, it’s not your business.”

He yelled before I could stop him. “DAD! SARLANDA’S IN THE HOUSE!”

“Draco, you little shit!” I hissed and hit him dead on with at Silencing Charm. I picked up my bag and ran to the balcony, jumping off without another thought.

By the time I got to the front of the house, the rest of the family was awake. Lance guarded the gate. Dad stood at the foot of the steps, enraged. Mum and Draco stood just inside the door, Draco smirking, Mum giving me a pleading look.

“I thought I told you to not come back to this house until you figured out your loyalties, young lady,” sneered my father.

“Oh, I’ve figured them out,” I replied coolly.

“And?” he asked, gripping his wand.

“I’m clearing out, because I’m Dumbledore’s woman, though and through,” I snarled, swishing my wand and conjuring fire. As I ran to the gate, I pointed my wand at Lance. “Glacius!” I yelled, and froze him in a block of ice.

“Traitor!” screamed my father—no, Lucius Malfoy—as I bolted through the gate. “TRAITOR!” But I had already Disapperated.

JENNIFER

KNOCK, KNOCK

“Harry, I know you’re in there.”

No reply.

I tried the doorknob.

Locked.

“I’m coming in,” I announced before tapping the doorknob with my wand and saying, “Alohomora!” Goodness it felt good to finally be seventeen. I entered the boy’s room at Grimauld Place and shut the door behind me. Harry was lying on his bed, pretending to be asleep. “I know you’re awake,” I said as I stood at the foot of hid bed. Annoyed, he sat up on the edge of the bed, hair sticking up all over the place. I sat down next to him and sighed. “If you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’ll get Sarlanda to use Legilimency on you. She’s really good at it.”

Harry sighed and put his head in his hands. “Jen, when I—when I saw Mr. Weasley get attacked, I didn’t just see it. I was the snake. I attacked him. And—” Harry was shaking now, “—when we were in Dumbledore’s office, I felt this moment, like… like I wanted to attack him.”

“Harry,” I began firmly, “you didn’t attack anyone. You never left the school, you couldn’t have. And I mean, you’ve had dreams like this before. Personally, I think we’re all very lucky you saw it, especially Mr. Weasley. And the thing with Dumbledore? It’s probably an after-affect of the dream.” Harry was still very unsure of himself, so I gingerly set a hand on his knee and went on. “Look Harry, there’s no way Voldemort could posses you, and even if he did, you could ask Ginny about it. I’m sure she’d know the symptoms.”

He looked up at me, worry and even some fright in his bright green eyes.

“Look Harry, you’re just a good person who attracts misfortune. And I know you didn’t do it, or ever will. Shutting yourself up like this won’t help either,” I added. I dragged him to standing and gave him a hug.

“Thanks Jen,” he mumbled. I let him go and studied him, frowning. “What’s wrong?” he asked. I simply punched him in the arm. “Ow! What was that for?”

“You’re taller than me, you git,” I said, walking to the door. “And wash your glasses, they’re filthy.”

-

During breakfast on Christmas Eve morning, Sarlanda paid us a visit. “Morning Sarlanda,” I said, stretching. She smiled slightly and went straight up to Mrs. Weasley.

“Mrs. Weasley, I was wondering if I could borrow Fred, George and Jennifer for the day.”

Mrs. Weasley raised her eyebrows. “Oh? And go where?”

“I bought a place here in London, couple miles from here. Just did the Fidelius Charm and everything.”

“What will you be doing?”

“Oh, just hanging out. It’s kind of crowded here.”

Mrs. Weasley frowned, thinking. “Have them back here before eight, and don’t leave the area,” she finally said.

“Thank you Mrs. Weasley!” said Sarlanda, beaming.

The Twins and I shoveled down the rest of our eggs and we dashed upstairs to get our wands and cloaks. On our way back down, we ran into Hyden. “Where’re you going?”

“Sar’s place.”

“Can I come?” he asked, brown eyes pleading. I glanced at Fred and George, who shrugged. They just wanted to go before their mum changed her mind.

“I guess if Sirius says it’s okay.” Grinning, he went inside his room and came out with his guitar slung over his back. We ran into Sirius at the front door.

“Dad, can I go with them?”

Sirius nodded. “’Course.” Thrilled, we walked out of Grimauld Place and set off for Sarlanda’s place.

We walked into Sarlanda’s dingy, three-room flat half an hour later.

“Fred!”

A purple blob threw itself at Fred, and in a moment, Ophilia and Fred were snogging fiercely.

“Honestly, get a room,” grumbled George, and they broke apart. Snorting, I inspected the room. There was a huge stack of papers and another of envelopes. By Lee, who was sitting on the floor, was a list of every Hogwarts student and where they were for the holidays. I honestly don’t know how Lee manages to knick that kind of stuff, but somehow, he does.

Ophilia was reporting to Sarlanda. “We’ve got enough to send out to everyone still at school, but we’re going to need more Owls.”

“Alright, we’ll go get—Jennifer, why is Hyden here?” Sarlanda asked a bit disapprovingly.

“He asked, why, are we doing something top secret?”

“You know we can’t risk any outsiders, Jen.”

“Wait!” said Hyden, anxious. “I er, wrote some songs I thought you lot might like, and I want to play them.”

Sarlanda exchanged glances with everyone. Her expression didn’t change until she saw Ophilia’s puppy eyes. Then she sighed. “Alright Hyden, play for us.”

When he was ready, Hyden played us the two songs he had written. They left us rolling around in laughter.

When we had gathered ourselves, I looked at Sarlanda. She had an amused smile on her face. “Come on Sarlanda, you have to admit those were pretty good.”

“We could use a musician,” added Ophilia in her best hopeful voice.

“And he’s not that suspicious,” said Fred.

Sarlanda sighed again. “I can’t win this, can I? I guess he could join up.”

Shocked, Hyden almost dropped his guitar. “You mean it?”

“Sure,” said Lee. “We could always use another hand.”

“But you’d have to swear to secrecy,” said George.

“You can’t tell anyone anything, not even Launa,” I added.

“I swear I won’t tell a soul,” Hyden said solemnly, raising his free hand.

Ophilia grinned. “Yes! So you’ll be… Mr. Rockstar.”

“Now that that’s settled,” said Sarlanda, a tad irritated, “we have work to do. George, I need you to go back to HQ and round up as many Owls as you can. Jen, you and I are going to downtown to get prank materials. The rest of you need to work on those letters.”

GEORGE

“No, I’m—ACHOO!—fine Sar!” Jennifer protested as she and Sarlanda finally came back from shopping. From the sound of it, Jen had already caught a cold.

“Success?” Ophilia asked, looking up from the envelope she was addressing.

“Success,” Sarlanda confirmed, dumping the contents of her bag out onto the floor. Out flew a mountain of Muggle books, a paintball gun and a sack of paintballs, a dozen cases of Firewhiskey, clothing dye, and half a dozen whoopee cushions. Hyden’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

“How’d you fit all that in there?”

“Expanding Charm. Jen, I have some Pepperup Potion in my bathroom, go take it.” Grumbling and sneezing, Jen stomped off to the bathroom.

“I can’t reach it!” she yelled moments later.

“I’ll get it,” I said, jumping to my feet. She was on her tiptoes, stretching for a red potion bottle just out of her reach. I snorted. “Honestly Jen, you’re seventeen.”

“Oh damn, I for—ACHOO!—forgot that,” she said, summoning the bottle. She downed it and was coughing in moments. “Nasty stuff,” she muttered as her face turned as red as her hair.

I started laughing. “You look like your head’s on fire.”

She raised her eyebrows and smirked. “Oh yeah?” she challenged, flicking her wand at me. “Well, your hair looks like Skittles.”

I looked in the mirror, and indeed, my hair was a brilliant rainbow. “Two can play that game…” I said, pulling out my own wand.

When we finally came out of the bathroom, we looked ridiculous. I now sported bunny ears and pink skin with lime green splotches that sparkled. Jen looked like a red-headed Medusa.

When Sarlanda saw us, she just shook her head and said, “I don’t even want to ask.”