Never Alone

Chapter 1

Revelation

It was a quiet, warm night in Little Whinging. Harry Potter was lying in his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He had received an owl a week ago telling him that he would be leaving for the Burrow on Tuesday night. Lupin was supposed to be there soon to take him. In the owl he did say he had something important to discuss with him before they left. Harry was a little anxious, to say the least.

Harry had all his things packed in his trunk and ready to go. Hedwig was fast asleep in her cage. Harry had told his aunt and uncle about Lupin's arrival, but he had no idea if they had actually heard him. Dudley was off at some fat camp, so that was one less thing to worry about. Harry's nerves finally got the better of him, so he got out of bed and stared through the window.

A few minutes later, a hooded figure appeared out of nowhere and started in the direction of Number 4 Privet Drive. Harry knew from the shabby cloak that it was Lupin. Harry ran to his bedroom door, wrenched it open, and ran down the stairs to the front door. He figured if he were to open the door, Uncle Vernon would be less aggressive towards Lupin. Heaven knows that Lupin does not need Uncle Vernon breathing down his neck.

The doorbell rang and Harry opened the door before his aunt and uncle were out of the kitchen. Lupin stood at the door looking as shabby as ever. Harry motioned for him to come inside.

'Good evening, Harry. Dursleys.' Lupin inclined his head.

Uncle Vernon merely grumbled, to Harry's satisfaction. Aunt Petunia looked positively horrified at having such a tattered looking man in her tidy house. She looked at him as if he were a rodent who was about to run amuck in her living room.

They all sat down in the living room, Harry and Lupin choosing to sit next to each other while Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia sat further away from them both.

'Well, Harry, I trust you've packed all your belongings?'

'Yes, I have.'

'And Dumbledore was here last week and told you about Sirius's will?'

'Yeah, he took me to professor Slughorn, too. Umm, Lupin you said you had an important matter to discuss with me, and frankly, the sooner we start the sooner we can leave.'

'My thoughts exactly,' growled Uncle Vernon.

Harry shot him a glare and returned his attention to Lupin, who seemed to be fidgeting with his cloak.

'Yes, so what is it?'

'Harry, this is going to be somewhat of a shock to you. I know it was for me and I'm not even linked to it directly. Professor Dumbledore approached me a little over a week ago with some news. I'm not sure if I should call it disturbing or exhilarating.'

Harry shot his uncle a look--Uncle Vernon was growling and rolling his eyes at Lupin--and leaned closer to Lupin.

'Whatever it is, just get to the point.'

Lupin smiled and said, 'Yes, I should. Much easier. Harry, this might be too blunt but...you know how everyone said that you're an only child?'

Harry really didn't know were this was going. 'Umm, yeah.'

'Well, you aren't.'

A squeak escaped Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon stood and scoffed, 'What are you blathering about? You came here to take him away, not spout out lies.'

For some reason Harry thought this was Lupin's idea of a joke. So he gave a soft laugh and turned to Lupin. 'You're joking, right?'

Lupin was looking as serious as Harry had ever seen him. Harry's eyes went wide and suddenly he was glad to be sitting down; the room started spinning. If he weren't already sitting he surely would have fallen to the floor. Aunt Petunia was calming Uncle Vernon down and pleading with him to stay quiet while they saw where this was going.

Harry had to grasp Lupin's arm to support himself. Then he took a deep breath and said, 'What are you talking about?'

Lupin hesitated at first, but a stern look from Harry finally prompted a reply, 'Alright, I'll just tell you. When your parents found out about Voldemort wanting to kill them they decided to send your sister someplace safe. So--'

Aunt Petunia cut him off with a squeal and said, 'Stop it. She's dead. There's nothing to say about her.'

Harry's head snapped and he stared at his aunt. 'You knew about this?' He was starting to shake and his breathing was shallow.

Uncle Vernon replied, 'Of course we knew. She died the day this Volmamort killed your retched parents.'

'DON'T TALK LIKE THAT ABOUT MY PARENTS! And it's Voldemort. And how the bloody hell could you have kept this from me?!'

'Harry, calm down and listen to me.' Lupin was pulling on his sleeve.

Harry took a deep, calming breath and sat down; he hadn't even noticed that he had stood up. He shifted in his seat and redirected his attention to Lupin, who had concern written all over his face. Harry inclined his head, silently asking Lupin to go on with the story.

Lupin went on. 'Well, what your aunt and uncle said was half right as far as I or Sirius knew. We were told that she died while being transferred to that so-called "safe" place.' Lupin's voice was strained as he recalled the story. 'She was taken to some family member's of yours in the United States. A cousin of your mother's lived there and she took your sister in on Dumbledore's request. Dumbledore told me that she died from a splinching accident.'

Harry cringed at the thought and Lupin continued. 'Apparently, that was Dumbledore's way of keeping her a secret. While I thought your sister was dead, she was in fact alive and well. She lived in the U.S. until recently, when her caretakers died in an accident.' Aunt Petunia screamed at that, but Harry ignored her.

'She is staying in a wizarding hospital now. She was present during the accident and is now recuperating. Professor Dumbledore has arranged for her to move here. She will be attending Hogwarts with you this year and-'

'What's her name?'

Lupin looked startled at the question. 'What?'

'My sis... my sister, what's her name?' Harry was finding it difficult to say the word "sister."

'Oh, her name is Anna. Harry, are you alright?'

Harry looked pale and seemed far away at the moment. 'Yeah, I'm fine.' He stood up and started walking away. 'So are we leaving or what?'

'Yes, we are. Gather your things and we'll be off.'

Harry ran upstairs to his room. He shut the door behind him and started picking up some last minute items. He stood in front of Hedwig's cage and looked at her thoughtfully. 'Can you believe this Hedwig? I've got a sister. This is so surreal. And oddly, I just realized something; I don't know who's older.'

He grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage and went back down. Lupin was standing awkwardly with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. As soon as they heard Harry's foot steps they busied themselves with their clothes. Lupin was fussing about his cloak and Aunt Petunia was fixing Uncle Vernon's collar.

When Harry stepped on the landing, Lupin took his trunk and turned for the door. He left and Harry looked at his aunt and uncle and said, 'Umm, bye.' And he closed the front door behind him. Lupin and Harry strapped the trunk to Lupin's broom while Hedwig's cage dangled from Harry's Firebolt.

Lupin stopped and looked at Harry. 'Well, we are flying to the Burrow and we will need a Disillusionment Charm.'

Harry grumbled, 'I figured.'

Lupin took out his wand and taped Harry painfully on the head. Harry felt the unusual sensation and tingling go down his spine like cold water, and it disappeared as fast as is began. Lupin did the same on himself. They both mounted their brooms and they were off. Harry felt the rush of being on a broom stick. For the first time in months he felt free and unburdened.

Although he was having fun, Harry had no idea where he was going. So he let Lupin guide the way. The night air was warm enough; it was still summer and it was evident. The city below looked so peaceful and bright that Harry almost forgot that somewhere in Britain, Voldemort was taking his time until his next attempt on Harry's life. A dark thought on such a beautiful night, he thought.

Lupin was making a turn and Harry was so out of it that he almost missed it. Heaven knows where he might have ended up. Hedwig was hooting indignantly at the sudden turn, but Harry preferred to ignore her rather than upset her any further. After a while Harry's eyes started watering with the wind blowing in his face. He shut his eyes for a moment and came frighteningly close to Lupin's broom. He backed up after opening his eyes again.

Much later, Lupin's voice drifted along to Harry. 'We're almost there Harry, so you better slow down.'

Harry slowed down and sure enough, the Burrow was right ahead of them. Harry was getting anxious to hear what his friends thought about this sister of his. Harry and Lupin were descending as they got closer to the Burrow. Finally, they stopped just outside the entrance to the garden.

Lupin untied Harry's trunk and laid it on the ground. Harry put Hedwig's cage on the trunk, shouldered his broom, and he and Lupin carried the trunk all the way to The Burrow's door. There was a warm light coming from the familiar, cramped kitchen window and Harry could hear the Weasleys talking.

Lupin dropped Harry's trunk and took Harry by the shoulders. 'Harry, I must leave now. I've got a million things to do before your sister gets here. She'll be at King's Cross on the first of September.'

'I wanted to ask you one more thing.'

'Well, go on then.'

'Who's older? Me or Anna?'

Lupin smiled kindly at Harry and said, 'You are. By ten minutes. Now I must leave. See you on the first.'

He gave Harry a brief squeeze to the shoulders before turning and walking away. As soon as he was out of the garden, he Disapparated. Harry turned to the door and gave it a soft knock. The place became silent and Harry distinctly heard a few magical locks click open. The door was opened by Mr. Weasley.

'Harry, I'm glad to see you're all right. Come in dear boy, come in.' He led Harry in and said, 'Fred, George, take Harry's things to Ron's room please.'

Fred and George got up from the table and walked towards the door. They both clapped Harry on the back.

'Hey Harry.'

'Not doing too badly, I hope.'

'Hey Fred, George. No, I'm fine.'

They got Harry's trunk and took off for the stairs. Mrs. Weasley came bustling into the kitchen. When she noticed Harry, she ran for him and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

'Oh, Harry, dear. You're safe. How are you doing?'

She let him go and gave him some room to breathe. 'I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. How are you?'

'Oh, I'm fine, dear. Hungry? Dinner will be ready soon. If you'd like, you could go and wait with Ron and Hermione.'

'I'll do that. Where exactly are they?'

Mrs. Weasley was already busy making dinner with the assistance of Mr. Weasley.

'They're in Ron's room, dear. I'll send Ginny over when dinner is ready.'

And just as she mentioned Ginny, Harry bumped into her while leaving the kitchen, 'Oogh. Sorry.'

'Harry, hi.' Ginny said brightly. 'Ron and Hermione are waiting for you. You'd better go and find them.'

'Yeah, I was about to when, well, you know.'

Ginny walked by and started helping her mother with dinner. Harry left the kitchen and walked up the narrow, crooked staircase to the fifth landing, where Ron's room was. Harry opened the door and as usual was covered in a mass of bushy brown hair. Hermione wrapped her arms so tightly around him he could barely breathe. She let go of him and he took a couple of deep breaths.

'I missed you too, Hermione.'

Hermione smiled and Ron clapped Harry on the back.

'Hey there, mate. Glad you made it.'

Harry grinned, 'Well, there wasn't much to worry about.'

They all walked over and sat on the bed. Harry looked around at the orange room. The walls and ceiling were covered in posters of Ron's favorite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons. The place was as messy as always. And the ghoul was making his usual noise in the attic.

Hermione took Harry's hand and looked at him thoughtfully. 'Harry, Lupin told us about your sister. Umm, how are you?'

Harry looked from her to Ron and back again. 'I'm fine. Why does everyone keep asking me that? Why won't you believe me?'

Ron looked concerned. 'Well mate, that was quite a bit of news, don't you think? We thought you'd be stunned or upset or something.'

Hermione released Harry's hand. 'I am stunned, but I reckon it hasn't hit me yet. I mean, I have a twin. Is that odd or what?'

'Harry, Fred and George are twins too you know.'

'Yeah, mate. And we know the Patil twins. So it's not all that odd.'

Hermione looked alarmed. 'Harry why do you think it's odd?'

He looked up at her and pursed his lips. 'I guess I never imagined having an actual sibling before, let alone a twin. I'm just startled, is all.'

'Well are you sure?'

'Of course I'm sure!' he snapped at her. 'Now, would you two lay off? I'm fine.'

'All right, Harry. We'll just forget about it.'

They talked about what happened while they were apart. Hermione's parents were in Paris for the summer. She preferred coming here, though. Ron told Harry about the twins' new business, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Ron said that even though his mother was against the idea of a joke shop at first, she came to see it as a profitable business for her sons.

Harry told them about Sirius's will and Dumbledore's visit. He told them about the fiasco with professor Slughorn, too. Ron and Hermione figured Dumbledore would be looking for a new DA professor. 'Looks like Snape lost the job again.' Ron snickered.

'So, are you as excited about your OWL results as I am, Harry?'

'Hermione, no one is as excited as you are. Plus I think Harry failed his History of Magic OWL'

Harry grumbled, 'Don't remind me. That went terribly.'

'Oh, it can't have been that bad, Harry. You must have written something, right?'

'No, Hermione, I was drawing a blank right then. And at the end, well, we all know what happened. When are the results due, anyway?'

'When Dumbledore was here he said it would be any day now. I'm so excited!'

'We know,' Harry and Ron said in union.

Fred and George popped in and started telling Harry about the business. Apparently they were doing quite well, considering the Wizarding world's circumstances. They were talking about all their new ideas when Ginny came to call them for dinner. They really hadn't noticed how hungry they were until then. If the staircase wasn't narrow and so crocked, they probably would have run down to the kitchen.

After a lot of scraping noise and clattering silverware, everyone was settled in a chair around the kitchen table. Mr. Weasley was at the head of the table as usual and Mrs. Weasley was still fussing over everyone. Mrs. Weasley had made chicken pot pie for dinner and for dessert, some treacle tarts. They had pumpkin juice, too.

'Harry, what do you reckon your sister is like?' Ron asked. Everyone fell silent and suddenly Harry felt extremely self-conscious. All eyes were on him, wanting to talk about a subject he would have liked to ignore for the time being.

Harry hadn't really thought about what Anna would be like. He just assumed she'd be like him, seeing as how much the Weasley twins were alike. He cocked his head thinking about Ron's question for a moment, and then opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He had nothing to say.

Hermione must have noticed the uncomfortable look on Harry's face because she changed the topic. 'I can't wait for our OWL results. Mr. Weasley, do you know when they will get here?'

'I'm not sure exactly, but they should be here by the end of the week.'

After dinner, they were all tired and decided to go to bed. Harry and Ron were lying in bed when Ron had a thought.

'Harry, I'm sure she's like you. I mean, Fred and George are so much alike it's hard to always tell them apart.'

'Yeah, well, the Patil twins are so different that it's hard to get them mixed up. I was thinking,' Harry turned and lied on his stomach and propped his head on his hands, 'what if all that I am is a result of all those years of abuse from the Dursleys? And all the times Voldemort tried to kill me?'

Ron cringed in the darkness at the sound of the name. 'Well, I doubt that she'll be so different that you two won't get along, mate. Plus, with your parents, she's bound to be a good person.'

Harry heard Ron yawn and move in his bed. 'Thanks, Ron.'

Ron didn't answer and Harry knew he had fallen asleep. It took Harry several minutes to fall asleep, too. He had an odd dream; it was about Anna. Ron was talking to her, but Harry couldn't see her face. Ron was laughing, which seemed to be a good sign. But then Harry spun her around by the shoulder and the form of his sister suddenly turned into Draco Malfoy. Draco had his usual sneer on his face and said maliciously, 'She'll never be yours, Potter!'

Harry woke up with a start. He was breathing hard and he was soaked with sweat. He looked out onto the field behind the garden through the small window; it was still night. He tried to go back to sleep, but that didn't happen for hours.

For the next few weeks before September the first, Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys busied themselves with chores all over the Burrow. The garden was proving to be especially difficult, as always because of all the gnomes.

Harry and the boys played a lot of Quidditch in the paddock nearby. Ron was determined to get all the practice he could before Quidditch season started. As for Ginny, she played Seeker a few times, saying that with Harry's track record of getting injured, she might have to fill in for him at least once. Hermione looked for any excuses to get out of playing with the others, mostly helping Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen or something.

A week before going back to Hogwarts, Ron, Harry, and Hermione got their OWL results. Hermione got all Os except for the Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL in which she got an E. Ron mocked her for being disappointed about it. Ron had no Os but he only failed Divination and History of Magic, but everyone knows he's rubbish at that stuff. As for Harry, he got a single O in Defense Against the Dark arts. He failed the same subjects as Ron.

'Oh well, I won't need divination anytime soon. And History of Magic, let's just say I've washed my hands of it,' Harry said.

'Well, if you two had paid more attention to Professor Binns, you wouldn't have failed,' Hermione retorted.

Mrs. Weasley took the kids to Diagon Alley to get all their things. Ron had grown a few more inches, so he needed new robes from Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Then they had to go to Flourish and Blotts to get a huge load of books. Of course, they also had to go to the Apothecary for potions ingredients.

The days passed by quickly, but not quickly enough for Harry. He was dying to meet his sister, and yet, at the same time, he was dreading it. Whatever the outcome, he would meet her soon. The morning of September first came and it was a beautiful morning. And Harry was nervous as hell.