The Other Potter

Recovering from the shock of just being told that she was adopted, Meghan had half a mind to just slam the door in her face and just not say another word about it for the rest of her life. Instead, she beckoned Lily into their home and motioned for her to sit down in one of her soft upholstered chairs. Green octaves fixed on Lily's kind face; Meghan listened intently to what she had to say. If all that she had said so far was true, then Meghan knew why she was so different from her parents. Even though it didn't make sense to her right now, it seemed like the truth.

"Please, tell me everything." Meghan said, more calmly then she actually felt. Without an explanation, she would never be able to understand. And if she couldn't understand, then there was nothing else to do or say.

Lily was joyous that her only daughter allowed her into her home, or at least what she had called home for the last sixteen years. She just couldn't believe how much Meghan looked like Harry, and also like James. Sitting down one of the normal chairs that resided in the home, Lily felt slightly awkward. She was the one who had just broken the news to this family who seemed to really care for Meghan as though she were their real daughter. Not knowing where to begin in her tale, Lily decided to call on someone who did know - Someone who was there from the very beginning. Chanting some words, Lily concentrated with great difficulty, until finally, an audible pop sounded. There, standing in the middle of the family room, was Sirius Black.

"Hallo Lily," he said cheerfully, observing his current surroundings. It flicked on a switch in the back of his head, almost like he recognized where he was, but it just didn't completely register.

Meghan couldn't believe the scene she just beheld ... Nothing like that could ever have been possible ... Could it? You couldn't just appear out of thin air; it was almost like ... magic or something. A small gasp escaped her lips as she realized what they were. They were magical ... Meghan could sense it from the both of them. Instantly she felt some recognition of his kind face, but couldn't remember who he was.

"Nice to see you again, Sirius old friend, " she said warmly, flicking her eyes over the astounded faces of Meghan and her sobbing parents.

"May I ask why you summoned me, or am I just going to stand here?" He said with a cheeky grin playing on his broad, good-natured face.

"Why, of course" she said softly, her face relaxed into a smile "I need you to tell Meghan the whole story, right from the beginning."

Sirius' face gaped with surprise. He remembered the house now; it was the one that he had taken Meghan to under Lily's orders. Looking at her with astonishment shining in his steel blue eyes, Sirius just couldn't believe that she was actually there before him - Still unharmed and grown up.

"Is that really ...?" He trailed off towards the end, wondering if this was just a joke. How could it be? He knew that Lily wouldn't joke about something so serious. Not to mention the girl was a splitting image of her father and brother, down to the last messy strand of hair.

Lily nodded with a small sigh, and Sirius suddenly rushed forward to give Meghan a hug. It had been so long since he had taken her here from the ruins of the Potter house in Godric's Hollow.

This was getting a little too weird for Meghan, receiving yet another hug from a perfect stranger, now known as Sirius. If they weren't going to tell her soon, she was going to kick them out of her house. Something inside her, however, told her that she would want to hear what they had to say.

"I can't believe it." Sirius said hoarsely, regaining his composition and starting to pace in a straight line. He wasn't quite sure how to tell Meghan, who had lived a lie for her whole life, the truth. "Well, it all started fifteen years ago," he started, thinking about all that had happened in that long period of time. "You were just one year old, the same age as Harry, your twin brother."

Meghan would learn about Harry soon enough - She needed to; they were brother and sister.

"One night, everything seeming apparently normal, the Dark Lord paid a visit to your home and murdered James, your father, and Lily. I, however, had heard rumors of this, and had warned them ahead of time. Precautionary, they took a One-Life potion, which allowed them to come back to life, even after he had killed them. Knowing that he might come back, Lily and James went into hiding, keeping so low a profile that even Harry doesn't know that they are alive. James is back at home, waiting for you to come so he can go to Hogwarts with you and tell Harry everything as well."

Meghan's head was spinning. It was so much information to take in, but yet she tried to keep the confusion on her face to a minimum. After Sirius was done, she would ask all the questions that were clouding her head.

Clearing his throat with a small cough, Sirius continued to tell the story, trying not to leave out any important details that would help for Meghan to understand. "I left you on the doorstep and you have lived here under the impression that this was your life and family. Meghan ... I..." Sirius paused thoughtfully, unsure of how she would react to the next part of the story. "Meghan, there's no easy way to say this ... But," He stalled again, almost looking apologetic and predominantly proud at the same time. "You are a witch."

It felt like another bomb had been dropped - Right on top of her.

"I'm a what?" She said breathlessly, her consciousness of mindful comprehension feeling as though it had just been wrenched from her body. "You're mistaken. You've got to be joking! I can believe that I was adopted. I mean, look at my parents - We are nothing alike ... But me, a witch ... That's ... That's ... Just impossible!" She was fuming now. There was so much that her parents hadn't told her, things that had been kept a secret for her whole life. Meghan was ready to run up to her room and never come out again, but she decided to hear out the rest of the story.

Sirius had prepared himself for her reaction, so as he had planned, he continued with his explanation. "Okay, here's your real past. James and Lily Potter are your parents. This year you will attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - A large wizarding school that your brother attends. He is your twin, born only minutes before you, and, if I may say so, the resemblance between you is striking." He gave her a small smile before continuing. "I know that this is hard on you, but you had to know." He sighed gently, his arms dropping to his sides as he shrugged encouragingly.

"Meghan, darling. We're so sorry." Her father said to the girl he had considered his daughter for so many years, while comforting her sobbing mother. He couldn't even comprehend what had just happened - It was like their family was being torn apart before his eyes.

"How could you?" She choked out, her eyes flaming with fierce disbelief. "How could you?" Staring at her parents with a look of disgust on her face, and getting up rather quickly from her seat, Meghan ran fleetingly upstairs; hearing the floorboards creak under her heavy footsteps. Pearly tears filled her eyes as she slammed the door as hard as she could manage - The house shaking with shock. Pouncing on her soft feather bed, the mattress caving in slightly under her weight, Meghan, large sobs erupting from her lips, her eyes red with tears, and her body shaking, tries to comprehend it all - Although she wasn't sure if she actually wanted to in the first place.

Lily was ready to go after her, but Sirius placed his large hand on her shoulder, silently instructing her not to go - It would just upset Meghan more. It was like a sensory overload, even for him.

Meghan's mother finally stopped crying, and looked up at the people that were in her household - Ruining the life that they had tried to give her. Slowly standing, Joanne walked upstairs; not taking a second look back at her husband. Knocking softly on the door, her knuckles white from the clenched state they had been in for the last fifteen minutes, she awaited Meghan's response.

'Sod off.' Meghan thought to herself, but didn't say for knowing that her 'mother' was already so upset already. "Come in." She finally said exasperatedly - Covering her face with the goose down pillow. She had exhausted her tears out, and was now acting calm and collected, but inside she felt like a raging volcano ready to explode.

Her mother calmly collected herself before turning the brass doorknob and entering the room. "I think we need to talk."

"Oh, whatever about, mother-dearest?" She said sarcastically, a small grimace on her face. "The fact that I'm adopted? Or the other part? Wait, what was it? Hold on, it's coming back to me ... Oh yes, I'm a witch." Her voice was loud now, probably because of the fact that she was in a state of complete disbelief, and her mother just walked right in like everything was remarkably normal. "Just get out." She commanded calmly, her voice lowering, but the tone still forceful. Her plaid pillow went over her distressed face once more, like she was trying to block everything out.

At that, Joanne turned on her heel and left - Not knowing what she could say or do to help her daughter. And finally, the truth hit her; Meghan wasn't her daughter at all ... She wasn't even a blood relative. She was in a state of shock now; even tears weren't able to express how she really felt ... But that was nothing compared to how Meghan must have felt.

After Meghan removed the pillow from her tear-streaked face, she realized the decision that she had to make. She could either stay here with her family that she had known all her life, forgetting that this event ever happened. Or she could go with Lily and Sirius, meet her brother and father, and live a happier life where she wasn't always considered a freak. Now at least she knew why that was so. She, Meghan, was a witch. It all seemed to make sense in a strange way. It definitely explained why she was always doing strange things, and was treated like an outcast. Meghan sulked over to her dresser and began to pull out all of her clothes, piling them into a neat pile on the end of her bed. Next, she got out her large suitcase, which she squished the clothes into. This was just something that she had to do, for herself...

Picking up the extremely large suitcase, now filled to the brim with clothes, Meghan let out a long sigh before heading back downstairs for the final time.

"I'm ready to go," she said loudly, breaking the heavy silence that filled the room. Giving a weak smile to Lily and Sirius, Meghan nodded her head and waited for them to take her wherever they were planning to. "I guess this is it," she said to her parents, her face going blank, and her voice monotone.

"I guess so," her father said softly, getting up and giving her one last hug. "I wish you the best with whatever life gives you. I just hope that you still consider us your family somewhat." Letting her go, Dave stared at his daughter, the one that he had raised as his own, and with one final smile and a friendly, encouraging wink, watched as she moved over to her real family.

"I'll write to you sometime," she said softly, flashing one more smile at him, feeling a sense of fear wash over her. How could she trust these people? How did she know that they weren't just lying?

Her mother remained seated; her face turned down to the ground, not saying a word. However that didn't matter to Meghan - She had never been very close with Joanne anyway.

"Lets go then!" Sirius said enthusiastically, helping Lily up from her seat and pulling out his wand. Quickly muttering some words that were only just indistinguishable, they all heard another pop, and the three were gone from sight ... Immediately reappearing in the middle of the Hogwarts Entrance Hall.

A wry smile lit Meghan's face as she stared around the warm stone hall, which quickly became a silent gasp. It was exactly like a picture that always inhabited her dreams at night ... A castle. It seemed like nobody was in there; it looked completely empty to her eyes.

Just then a man began to walk down the stairs, looking very old indeed, but a twinkle in his eye made him seem younger than he actually was. "Ah, I believe you are Meghan," he said softly, giving her a smile. Not saying another word, he beckoned them to follow, as he led them to his office. "Peppermint Imps." He stated calmly, watching as the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance jumped aside, allowing them inside.

It was like nothing she had ever seen before - Odds and ends zooming around the cluttered room. It felt like home though, not just storage closets that most would have at first thought. It most definitely had magical qualities. Then something else drew her attention. A man, sitting in a chair up the flight of stairs. He was instantly recognizable; he had to be her real father.

"Meghan! Oh, Meghan!" He cried out as he watched her approach. James would have run down to see her, but from the look on her face, she looked ready to break down any second. Instead he just looked at her, and how amazingly similar she looked to him, just as Harry did.

Hearing the voice coming from her father, Meghan just smiled, not opening her mouth for the fear of being sick all over the lovely room. When they came to the table, Dumbledore motioned for them all to sit down in chairs that he had just conjured up out of thin air.

"Now, we have much to do, and little time before you two are discovered." He said in a hurried tone, checking the door to make sure that no others were outside listening. "Sirius, I need you to go find Harry in your Animagi form. Please keep a low profile; we don't need you attracting any further suspicion that necessary."

Hearing those words Sirius transformed into a large, scruffy, black dog, and quickly exiting out of the door, loped in the direction of the one named Harry. It was just between classes, and it was apparent that he had to be very careful.

Meanwhile, back in Dumbledore's office, Meghan sat uncomfortably, feeling as though all eyes were on her, which they were.

Dumbledore surveyed her with great interest, remembering what he had to do. "Meghan, if you would be so kind as to just stay there while I get the Sorting Hat." He said, moving heavily out of his seat and climbing up a rusty ladder, and finally bringing a ragged, old, pointed hat back down with him. Moving forward, Dumbledore, smiling knowingly, places it on Meghan's apprehensive head, and then stands back to allow it to its work.

"Ah, another Potter I see ... How curious..." A voice from within the hat spoke. "Just as difficult as your brother, I see. Courageous, yes, and ambitious as well. You have many of the qualities that would enable you to do well in any house ... However, I think you would do best in.' "GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted aloud suddenly - The wrinkled brim of its mouth closing once more, and becoming immediately silent.

Lily and James were ecstatic with her, glad that she hadn't been sorted in the dreaded Slytherin ... Which may have been a possibility, particularly seeing as Harry had almost been placed there ... "Congratulations!" "Oh, well done, darling!" They both said in unison, hugging in turn again as Dumbledore watched on with an amused sparkle lit in his eyes.

Meghan would have been perfectly happy, but she didn't have a clue what it all meant. "Um ... Excuse me?" She said cautiously, her eyes turned to the floor. "Could someone possibly explain what just happened? I'm a little confused at the moment, and I know I must seem awfully stupid, but -" Before she said another word, Dumbledore gave her another kind smile and began to explain.

"There are four Houses at Hogwarts. These are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw," he said slowly, trying to assure that she understood everything. "You were just sorted into Gryffindor, of which Harry is part of as well. You will sleep in the dormitories provided for your House, and go to all the classes that your fellow housemates have." Then he remembered one more thing - Ollivander was waiting for her to arrive, so she could be given her wand. It wasn't regular for this to happen, but it was an exception. Other than that, he had organized all of her other school supplies - Right down to the last book.

"Thank you, I think I understand now." Meghan said, managing a small smile in Dumbledore's direction, grateful that he didn't expect too much from her. More than ever now, she just wanted to meet her brother, and to experience this new world.

"Ah yes, Mr. Ollivander," said Dumbledore, bowing slightly as the old man entered the office. His piercing blue eyes surveyed around, then, stopping on Meghan, he smiled. Pulling out the large selection of wands that he had brought, he handed them to Meghan, one by one.

Suddenly, Meghan found herself being paraded by wands. Gently and confusedly taking the one that he first held out for her, she waved it at his instruction, but nothing happened. She felt it removed from her grasp, and found it quickly replaced by another - Upon which she waved as well, however this time causing a small spinning top to explode on the high shelf.

"No, that's not the one ..." Ollivander mumbled almost frustratedly under his breath, pulling another one out of it's box. Taking the next one, Meghan felt what could be described as nothing other than an electric shock run through her fingers, and watched on mysteriously as a small amount of light blossomed from its point. "Excellent!" Ollivander exclaimed merrily, quickly pulling it out of her tight grasp and replacing it back into the box, before handing it back to her. "This is maple, eight inches, with a mermaid scale. Not a wand core I usually use, but I think, for this circumstance, that it would work out quite nicely. Very good. Very good." He finished, bowing at Dumbledore, Lily and James gentlemanly before he finally left the office to return to his shop.

Just then, a knock came from the door, and in stepped Sirius, now returned to his regular, human form, and a boy, who looked like the splitting mirror image of her. She knew at once who this was. Just as she had recognized James, this boy, of course, had to be none other than Harry ... Her brother ...