The Approaching Storm

Chapter 4: Welcome Home

Her head was spinning. She felt like she was going to vomit.

Where am I? Hermione thought.

Hermione looked around her new surroundings.

"Where the bloody hell are we?" a voice said, coming from behind Hermione.

"Well, we're not in Kansas, Toto," Hermione replied back, looking towards Malfoy.

"What are you talking about, Granger? What does Kansas have to do with this and who the hell is Toto?" a very grumpy Draco Malfoy said.

"Geez, it's just a line from a Muggle movie called the Wizard Of Oz. I forgot you know nothing of Muggles. I was just trying to lift the mood a little," Hermione said, looking away from Malfoy.

"Well don't try and lift the mood, you're not helping! This is your fault to begin with. First it's being stuck in detention with you. Now we're stuck who knows where. You and that stupid locket!" he said back nastily, giving her a menacing stare. "Oh, its not cursed, I checked," he said, in a high pitch voice, mimicking Hermione. "Idiot! Why would you put on a locket you found to begin with? Didn't it strike you as a little odd that a beautiful locket would be just lying around? Being friends with Potter, I would have thought you would be a little more careful of these things!" Malfoy continued getting very irate.

"Stop yelling at me! You're not helping the situation either! You're just making me feel worse!" Hermione said, getting very upset.

"Well it's making me feel better! You stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid Mudblood!" Draco said very angrily.

Hermione had tears in her eyes. She was so upset. She was alone with Malfoy. They had no idea where they were. No idea how to get back to Hogwarts. To top it off all Malfoy could do is yell at her and call her awful names. She couldn't stop the tears from spilling out of her eyes. She sniffled and turned away from him as the tears ran freely down her face.

Hermione sucked in her breath and said, "Are you finished? I hope that it has made you feel better, at my expense," she said, in a very light and sad voice. "Putting on the locket was stupid, I admit that. I'm sorry about the locket, I'm sorry we're stuck together, I'm sorry we don't know where we are, I'm sorry I don't know what happened!" Hermione said, her voice rising with each statement. "Most of all Draco Malfoy, I am sorry that I EVER had any sympathy for you. You cold hearted, uncaring, spoilt BRAT!" Hermione screamed at him, with a tear stained face.

Draco stood there with his mouth open, making a face that made him look like a fish out of water. He knew his last outburst was uncalled for. What can he say? He didn't deal well with unknown situations. He was stuck, who knows where, with Granger. They had no idea how to get back or even how they got there in the first place. He knew he was being harsh on her, but she deserved it, right? This was her fault. She should receive some verbal lashings, shouldn't she? But he was rapidly questioning his actions, when he saw her teary eyes and splotchy face. She was crying. He should enjoy that he could make her cry, but now he wasn't so sure. He had this unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. What was that annoying feeling? It couldn't actually be guilt, could it? Maloy's felt no guilt or remorse. So why the bloody hell, did he feel so crappy now!

"Look fighting isn't going to get us out of here. I didn't," he stopped in mid sentence, grabbing some of his hair in frustration.

I can't apologize to her! I never apologize, and defiantly not to someone like her! What was I thinking?' Draco thought.

Hermione listened to Malfoy. She heard him say 'I didn't' and then stop. Was he actually going to apologize to her? She turned to face him. She noticed him grabbing fists full of hair and making a painful expression, like he was battling some sort of inner demon.

He was going to apologize! He's just too stubborn to admit it. Stupid git,' Hermione thought.

She came to a conclusion on what to do.

"Look, I'm sorry about getting us into this situation. I hope you will forgive me and try to work together to get out of here. I will forgive you for the nasty comments, if you forgive me," she finalized. She knew Maloy's pride wouldn't let him apologize. If she admitted she was wrong and apologized first, he would be easier to deal with.

Draco looked at her with questioning eyes.

She just apologized and asked forgiveness. Is this some sort of trick? She never lets me off the hook like that. What is she playing at? I do want to get out of here. Working together would be the best way. I could try to be somewhat decent, just until we get back to Hogwarts, Draco thought.

He came to a decision.

"Alright," was Draco's only reply.

With that said, Draco and Hermione began to discuss the locket. They knew the locket was not a Portkey. They came up with ideas of what it could have possibly been. They decided it must be some sort of pensive, a memory locket. Now the other question was where were they? Right now they we're standing in the middle of a road. It was dark outside, and no houses could be seen. They had no idea where they were and decided to walk along the road. They picked a direction to walk, and began their trip to whatever was awaiting.

Harry and Ron had been walking down the road for at least an hour. They finally saw lights up ahead from a house. They began to pick up their speed towards the house.

"Look Harry, I can defiantly tell it's a house. I hope whoever is in there is friendly," Ron said with slight skepticism in his voice.

"I hope so Ron. I hope Hermione has noticed we are missing back at Hogwarts. Maybe they're trying to come get us. Maybe whoever is in this house knows how to get back to Hogwarts." Harry said, jogging along the road.

"I don't get it Harry. I don't understand that locket. For one thing, if the locket was a Portkey, it should have appeared where we did. Yet, it wasn't there. Also Portkeys don't chase you like that locket did," Ron said.

"I told you, I think my mother was holding the locket. She must be trying to tell us or show us something. There has to be a reason we are here. Come on we're almost there," Harry said.

Ron and Harry started jogging at a faster pace towards the house. There was a fork in the road. Harry made a quick stop movement with his hand. Ron stopped.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked, coming to a halt.

"Shhh, do you see that?" Harry asked, as he looked down the road.

"What?" Ron said, as he looked down the fork in the road. "Hey somebody is walking down the road. Do you think they are good guys? Should we hide?" Ron asked, looking at the bushes on the side of the road.

"We're not fugitives Ron. Lets wait here and see who they are. Maybe they can help us," Harry said, giving his friend a slightly annoyed look.

Draco and Hermione walked along the road. Neither of them really saying anything.

This is weird. He is never this quiet. He hasn't insulted me since we started walking, Hermione thought.

Draco was thinking to himself.

I'm not saying a word. If I say something it's probably going to be nasty. Then we will fight. Then it will take longer to get home. I'm not saying a word. This is so boring! This is driving me crazy! I hate being quit! I hate being nice! Draco concluded his thought, with a grumpy face.

Both we're so absorbed in thought, that they did not see the two people standing by the fork in the road. Well, that was until Draco looked up and nearly fell on his bum from shock.

"Pothead, Weasel, what are you two idiots doing here?" Draco said, giving Harry and Ron a curious look.

Hermione heard Draco and looked up. She let out an excited squeak as she rushed up to Harry and Ron.

"Hermione!" both Harry and Ron said at the same time, as she gave each a hug.

"I'm so glad to see you two! How did you get here?" she questioned, releasing a red-eared Ron from his hug.

"We just appeared down the road and started walking. I guess the locket got you too, huh?" Ron said, still blushing slightly.

"So to speak," she replied, giving him a smile.

"Ahh let me wipe the tears from my eyes. What a joyous occasion. The wonder trio reunited." Malfoy said sarcastically, rolling his eyes at them.

"Malfoy, why are you here?" Ron said icily, glaring at Malfoy.

"Lets think genius, probably the same reason you're here, the locket," he said back. Then he mumbled under his breath, "idiot".

"Why would you need to be here?" Harry asked, giving Malfoy a questioning look.

"I don't know Potter, but I would really like to go home. I'm starting to feel tainted from all your goody-goody goodness." Draco said, brushing his shoulders as if something dirty was on them.

"Shut up, you git. We need to figure out what that locket is. Harry and I thought that it could be a Portkey, but the key didn't travel with us," Ron said, tapping his chin.

"So basically, you have no idea. I wouldn't expect anything different from you." Draco said, giving Ron a smirk. "Good thing Granger and I are here then," he added superiorly.

"What's that suppose to mean, ferret," Ron said back, his temper flaring.

"Calm down, Ron. What Malfoy is saying, is we don't think that it's a Portkey. We think it is a memory locket. A sort of pensive made into a locket. Someone wanted us to see this memory. The question is who?" Hermione stated, looking toward her friends.

"I think I know the answer to that," Harry said.

Harry explained to them how he saw his mother holding the locket. Hermione explained how she found the locket. They also realized that the initials LEP were Lily Evans Potter. The locket was Harry's mothers. Hermione also told Harry that Draco had the same dream as he had. Neither boy liked the fact they had the same dream. This, in their minds, meant that they had something in common, which neither of them would ever admit. With all that said and done, the four tried to figure out why Harry's mother wanted them here, and where here was. Harry, Hermione, and Draco we're in a discussion of certain possibilities. Draco's possibilities were being insults about Harry of course, when Ron interrupted.

"Guys, I think I can answer the question of where we are," Ron said, looking towards some bushes.

"You can!" they all asked surprised.

Ron walked up to a sign that was in the fork of the road. He removed some of the growth of plants on the sign.

Harry starred in shock at what the sign said.

"Godric's Hollow," he said.

"Huh, I guess we should say Welcome Home Potter," Draco added, looking at the sign.

The group looked up from the sign to the house just in the distance. They all wondered what awaited them inside Harry's old home.

"This is a past memory, right Hermione?" Harry questioned, as he walked with the group towards the house.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Hermione replied, walking beside him.

"So that means whom or whatever we see, can not see us. We have no effect or ability to change any of the events occurring," Harry stated more than asked.

"That is true," Hermione replied. She looked toward Harry for a moment with a mix of worry and pity. "Harry, I know you think your mother is the one who wants you to see this, but," she stopped, trying to compose her sentence tactfully. "What if this is a bad memory. Harry, are you sure that this is from your mother. I know all the clues show that it is. What you might see though," she stopped again looking for better wording. "I just don't want you to be hurt by whatever event this is Harry, I don't want you upset," she said barely in a whisper, looking towards the ground.

Harry looked at his friend. He knew she was trying to protect him from harm. He knew that this could be a very painful memory.

"It's ok Hermione. I can't erase the past. This might be a bad memory, but it must be something I should know. I know my mother and father are gone. In that sense my family is gone. I don't think of it that way though. You and Ron, you are my family. I know that no matter what, you guys will see me through anything." Harry said, looking at both Hermione and Ron. Hermione had tears in her eyes as well as Ron, slightly.

"Good God, are you people really born this pathetic?" Malfoy said. "You'll see me through anything," he mimicked. "Shall we hold hands and start singing songs now?" he proceeded. "Why me, of all the people to be stuck with, whiney sappy, pathetic, Gryffindors? Hurry up and see your stupid memory so I can get back to a nice normal reality, Flower-Pot. One without this sick loving atmosphere, you're making me break out in hives!" Malfoy concluded, rubbing his arms.

"Shut up you great prat! No one would want to be stuck with you anywhere. How about you just wander on your merry way and leave us alone, you good for nothing ferret!" Ron yelled, with a red face, at Malfoy.

"Like I would really wander off in Potterland. You have got to be kidding. Pink fluffy bunnies might come out and try to molest me. No thanks, I'll pass," Malfoy said, snidely back.

"Why you!!" Ron retorted, ready to pounce on Malfoy.

"Alright stop it, both of you!" Hermione said to Ron and Malfoy. "I swear you two are like two fighting fish, alphas. When you set them next to each other, they will keep attacking at the glass, until they're dead. Really, I should make a sport out of you two. People would pay to watch. I'll call it WWB, Wizards Without Brains," Hermione concluded, giving both of them disapproving looks.

"Oh your such a clever clogs," Draco said mockingly. "Don't try to be witty with puns Granger, you're not very good at it. Besides I have a brain. A very good one, I might add. As for Weasley, I'm sorry to say, he is definitely lacking in that category," Malfoy said, as he flashed Ron his famous smirk.

"Knock it off Malfoy. I would rather not have you following around in my mother's memory, but I don't have much of a choice. So just quit with the blabbering and come on, if you're coming." Harry said irritably to Malfoy, as he walked ahead of the group.

"Thanks for your concern Potter, you know how overly enthused I am to be here. So lets go and find out what your welcome home surprise is," Malfoy said, as he walked past the remaining group.

"Do we really have to let that git come with us? Can't we just throw him in a bag and toss him in the river?" Ron said, with an evil gleam in his eye.

"No Ron, now stop complaining and lets go," Hermione said, almost snappishly to Ron.

"What is your deal Hermione? You're almost sticking up for that idiot. You're not fraternizing with a Malfoy are you?" Ron said, with an angry face.

"No! How could you even think that? I thought you knew me better than that. I thought this was cleared up after the Yule Ball last year!" Hermione said back, while her cheeks were getting flushed.

"Well we must not have cleared things up to much. I see you still went to Bulgaria! You had to see your precious Vicky, didn't you?" Ron yelled back at her.

"You have no idea what I did this summer. After your little out burst now, I'm not going to tell you! You know what Ron, I'm not telling you anything!" Hermione said, now red faced, as she pushed pass Ron and walked passed Harry and Malfoy.

"Oh yeah! Well, well, well that's just great!" Ron yelled back, not sure what to say in retort to her last outburst.

"Are they always like this? I heard of love hate relationships, but that's just scary. I'm glad I'm not you and have to put up with that all the time." Malfoy said, watching Hermione storm past them.

"You have no idea," Harry replied in a very tired voice.

The four walked down the road getting closer to the house.

The house itself was an older English home, made of aged gray stone. It was two stories tall with wooden burgundy window shudders. Ivy grew along parts of the house, reaching to the roof in some parts. There were chimneys on either side of the house. The house looked more like an old Inn than a Manor house. A cobble stone walkway stretched from the road to the front entranceway. Larger bushes made a fence blocking the house from the road. The only entrance was the walkway. Being quite charming at night, Harry could only imagine how lovely it was during the day. He felt familiar with the house. Not quite remembering it, but having a feeling of nostalgia.

The four of them walked up the walkway to the front door. Harry was the first to reach it. He took in a deep breath and stood at the doorway, looking towards Hermione. She just shrugged her shoulders. Draco gave an annoyed sigh and turned the doorknob and he pushed open the door. Harry walked through the open door and walked into the house, his house. The group stood in the entranceway. Harry smiled at his surroundings. This was exactly how he imagined it would look like. Wizard devices lay all over, with some muggle things too he noticed. 'Must be some of mums things', Harry thought. Their was a quilt being quilted by itself, a broom sweeping unassisted in the hallway, and a duster that was dusting everything in sight. There was also a wizard clock, like what the one Weasleys have in the Burrow, but more elegant. Harry approached it to see the people on the clock, but was stopped by a voice that called from the sitting room.

"Lily, I'm going to send the papers to Albus, I'll be back in a bit," the male voice said.

"All right dear, I'll be upstairs if you need me," another voice replied, this one being feminine.

A man walked past the group, completely oblivious to them. Harry knew immediately who it was. "Father," he said aloud, as he watched the man walk by.

The group stood there for a while in slight shock and awe. After all, how many people actually have a chance to relive a memory.

Hermione was first to speak. "Harry do you want to go upstairs?" she questioned, looking at Harry. Harry nodded his head.

They walked up the staircase and down the hallway. Humming could be heard from a door up ahead. Harry braced himself for what he knew would be on the other side. They approached the door. They stood by the doorway and watched the scene inside.

A woman with red hair was holding a baby, a boy, close to her and humming a lullaby. The baby starred at his mother with big green eyes. The baby smiled and giggled, as she twirled around.

"Oh Harry, do you know how much mommy loves you?" the woman said giving a radiant smile to the child. "I love you more than the sands of time," she continued as she twirled around again. "Soon you will have a playmate. It has been a while since you last have seen each other. I'm so happy they found her," she said the last part with relief. She was lost in thought for a moment, looking at an open locket she held in her hand. She looked back to the baby. "Right now though, I want to her my baby boy laugh. Can you laugh for mommy again?" she asked, as she spun around again, the child giggled.

"Harry, that's you. That's you and your mum," Ron stated to Harry, with a shocked expression.

"Always stating the obvious, aren't you Sherlock?" Malfoy said, as he rolled his eyes at Ron.

"Shhh, knock it off you two and listen," Hermione said, trying to watch the mother and child.

A door shutting from down stairs made the group jump. "I'm back dear, I'll be in the study if you need me," the male voice said.

"Alright sweetheart," the woman replied, then focusing back on the child, humming once again.

Harry had a sudden sick feeling in his stomach. He really wanted to get out of the house and get out now. He felt as if something bad was about to happen. He looked over to his baby self and noticed the sad look on the baby's face. The baby started crying and wailing. Dear God, he knew. He knew, even as a baby, what was about to occur.

The wind started to pick up outside as the branches started scratching against the windowpane. The woman tried to calm the baby the best she could. You could tell she was starting to get worried.

"What's wrong sweet-ums, what is the matter? Shhh, its ok, mommy is here," she said, trying to comfort the child.

Harry stared at the scene. "I really want to leave now. Something bad is about to happen. I know it is. I have an awful feeling about this part," Harry said in an anxious voice.

"What are you going on about Potter? This is just a memory. Remember? We can't be hurt or seen," Malfoy replied, focusing back on the mother and child.

Hermione started to look nervous. She scouted closer to the wall, unknowingly closer to Malfoy.

"Scared Granger? Come to me to protect you. Seeing the other two wankers here, I guess I would be the only logical one to come to for protection, " Malfoy said, with a devilish smirk on his face.

Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "You could protect me," she looked up at Malfoy, "just as good as a python protects a mouse," she stated, looking away.

He just smirked at Hermione, but was interrupted by the loud crashing that came from downstairs.

"NO!!!!! Lily Run!!" was screamed from below. The dreaded killing curse was yelled by an unknown voice, a bright green light, accompanied by a huge gust of wind, flooded the downstairs and the hallway.

Harry cringed and sunk to the floor. He knew what had just happened. He knew who the unknown voice was. He knew his father was dead.

"James!" the woman shouted. The group was extremely frightened, even if it was just a memory, and rushed into the baby's room. The woman rushed to the door and slammed it shut. She turned from the door, with her back facing it, cradling baby Harry close to her chest. The door burst open, a cloaked figure stood in the doorway. He was pure evil itself. Everything about him reeked of it. The woman placed baby Harry in his bed, and turned to face the intruder.

"Voldemort," she spat, with hatred. "I don't know how you found us, but I won't let you hurt him," she said in a protective voice.

"You should be weary of your Secret Keeper Lily. Not very good at keeping them is he. After all, he did lead me to you," he said in a sinister voice.

"No! He would never betray us, I won't believe you!" she yelled at him.

"Ah, my dear, you should know how thirsty people are for power. Being always the fourth wheel, the last at everything, sort of the handicap of the group. He was easy to corrupt. Very little effort was needed to get him to see things my way," he replied in the same haunting voice as before.

"I don't care what you say! You brainwashed him! You corrupted him! You evil bastard!" she yelled at him.

"Maybe so, but I found out what I needed. I found the Potters," he said, laughing cruelly at his comment.

"Now move aside wench, you need not die. The boy on the other hand must die, with the rest of his line," he said, raising his wand towards baby Harry.

The woman said some kind of spell under her breath, one that could not be heard. She had determination in her eyes. She spared one last glance to baby Harry and mouthed, "I love you."

Voldemort studied the child. Then he backed away from the baby, raising his wand to directly point it at him. "This is the only way boy, the only way for me to achieve my goal. You stand in the way of that goal, you and the rest of the Potter line. Now to eliminate you," he said, as his look hardened.

"Avada Kedavra!" he screamed, holding his wand at baby Harry.

The green light shot out of his wand. He had a smile on his face, ready for his spell to hit his victim. It hit the wrong victim.

The woman shouted, "NO!" and threw herself in the way of the spell just as Voldemort had spoken it. The spell hit her dead on the chest. A hollowing wind surrounded her, as her screams pierced the air. Her life force was painfully ejected from her body. She fell limply forward, as her lifeless body made a cruel thud, upon impact with the ground.

"Stupid woman, your death was not needed," Voldemort said, as he gave a disgusted look at the woman's lifeless body. "Nothing can be done about it now. Worthless act though. Still I will kill the boy," he said, approaching baby Harry. He reached for the baby and moved some of the baby's hair with his wand. Baby Harry just looked up at him, with tears in his eyes. "Who will protect you now boy?" he asked the child. He huffed and backed away, pointing his wand at the child again.

"Avada Kedavra!" he shouted, for the second time.

The spell hit the child on his head. A light surrounded the baby. It was not green, but white. The baby's face was in pain, and he was crying. All of the light suddenly bounced off of him and hit Voldemort right in his heart. Voldemort screamed in pain. The white light encompassed his body. The light shot out of his chest in every direction. It spread through his whole body, engulfing him. His whole body turned into a pure white light and a massive explosion shook the whole house. After that he just vanished. There was no sign of him anywhere. The only sound that was heard was baby Harry, still crying and sniffling. The house started to rumble, making creaking noises and parts of the ceiling started to fall in.

The group of four stood there in complete shock, all but Draco had tears in their eyes. Draco had a sort of upset look on his face, very unlike his typical Malfoy looks. They all just stood there without saying a word, until they realized the house was falling apart. They heard people come in from downstairs, rushing up the staircase, down the hall. The group of four watched the new scene occurring. Albus Dumbledore was first to enter. He walked up to baby Harry.

"The boy is still alive? Where is Voldemort?" a person asked, breathing heavily, ducking from part of the falling debris.

Dumbledore picked up baby Harry and moved his hair slightly on the baby's forehead.

"He is gone for now. I'm not sure if it is permanent or not, that we will have to see. Young Harry, seems to have vanquished him for the time being." Dumbledore replied, holding a now quite baby Harry and ignoring the falling house

"Amazing. Albus, what about the other one," the person asked, kicking some debris away.

"She is safe and so is her identity. She will be protected until we know for sure he's gone. Or unless it is absolutely necessary for her to find out, who she really is." Dumbledore said to the person, as he held the baby.

"Is she still even in the wizarding world anymore?" the person asked, looking weary of the falling house around him.

"No, she is safest with muggles, just as her brother is now safest with them also," Dumbledore said, as he gazed down at Harry. "I'll have Hagrid come fetch the baby. I must apparate directly back to Hogwarts," he concluded.

"Lets go before this bloody house buries us alive," the person told Albus, rushing out the door.

Albus Dumbledore nodded and the two of them left the room, at a fast pace.

The room went into a white light. The four Hogwarts students where swept away into a spiraling vortex. They were dropped from the portal onto the ground of the corridor they had previously been cleaning. Landing in a heap piled with legs and arms spread all over the place.

"Weasley stop grabbing my arse! You bloody idiot!" Malfoy yelled at Ron, trying to push away him away.

"Well get off me so I can move you daft bastard!" Ron yelled back, pushing against Malfoy.

They all untangled themselves and just sat in the corridor, contemplating what they had just witnessed. Harry was still highly upset by the whole event. Hermione had a comforting arm around him, consoling him. Ron looked weary.

"Well I'm back, and glad of it too. Remind me to avoid your memories at all cost Potter. I thought my life was screwed up at times," Malfoy said to Harry, as he stood up.

Malfoy's comment snapped Harry out of his shock. He looked up at Malfoy. "I'll make sure to put anti-Malfoy devices on the next memory locket we stumble upon," he said, with an annoyed look.

"You do that," Malfoy said, as he started to walk off. He stopped and turned back around. "You never know Potter, she could still be out there," he said in an almost nice way.

This of course, was a very unlikely Malfoy retort. The trio all had their mouths dropped to the floor.

"Argghhhh! See what happens when I hang around pathetic, sappy, dolts. I start saying nice things. Now I really need to go back to the Slytherin dorm. I need some cold-hearted bastards to revert me back to normal," Malfoy said, as he began to walk away again. "See you later my three little idiots," he said, as he walked off.

The trio had picked their mouths up, after his ending comment. They all thought they same thing.

Jerk!

Harry sat and pondered over what Draco had said.

Could she still be alive? Harry thought. He smiled as realization finally set in. He had a sister.

"I have a sister," he said aloud.

Ron and Hermione looked towards Harry. They were both happy and worried. Questions clamored inside their minds, each one carrying a twinge of excitement and fear. Harry had found his sister, but would he ever find her? Would it endanger her if they discovered who his sister was? Why had her identity been kept secret, and why had she been hidden before the Potters were killed?

Ron then quickly remembered they we're still in detention. He looked around the corridor.

"That slimy little arse," Ron said, through gritted teeth.

"What?" Hermione questioned, giving him a quizzical look.

"Malfoy, he left. Now we have to finish cleaning the corridor ourselves," Ron said, still glaring at the door Malfoy had exited from.

The group all sighed in annoyance. The stood up and started to finish their detention. Harry finished cleaning, but the whole time was thinking,

I have a sister.