Chapter 21: Now I know...

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A loud gasp escaped my lips and 3 pairs of curious eyes looked at me. "What Is it?" Hermione asked. "Did you see more of Flamel?"

I tried to say something but barely a sound came out. "Angel you look a bit pale..." Ron commented worried. I looked up to them; each had a worried look upon their faces. Especially Harry. "I----"I started. I can feel a huge lump forming in my throat preventing me from speaking.

"I need to go..." I said slowly. Hermione curiously peeked at the book I was holding and I slammed it shut. "I forgot that I need to meet up with Katrina and Laurence." I reasoned out. "Sure...but is something wrong?" Hermione said slowly.

I stood up form my seat and grabbed the book form the table. "I'm fine. Hungry I guess"

I turned to run but someone caught my hand. I turned to look at the person who did that and it was Harry. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked concerned. I tried to smile at his thoughtfulness. "I am. Don't worry" I reassured him.

As he dropped my hand and walked out of the library and the moment I'm out of the library I started sprinting towards our Transfiguration room. I know who I need to turn to. I know that she knows. I ran faster my footsteps echoing around the corridor. When I got there, Professor McGonagall was sitting in her desk writing something in a piece of parchment. "Professor McGonagall..." I called but she didn't look up. "Professor McGonagall!" I said louder as I walked towards her.

She looked at me through her spectacle. "Yes dear?" she said. I got to her desk; I placed the book in front of her and opened it to the page where I read the article. "Is this true??!" I asked. "Am I Harry Potter's sister???!"

She picked up the book and read the article. As she read it her eyes widened and looked at me with her mouth hanging open as if she's trying to say something but she can't. She looked like the day she feared has finally came. "Well???" I demanded.

She sighed deeply and stood up from her desk. "We need to see Professor Dumbledore..."

"But Professor-----"

"He will explain everything."

I shut my mouth and followed her to Dumbledore office. We got to a hall I've never been to. At the end of the hall was an ugly gargoyle. "Lemon Drop" Professor McGonagall said and the gargoyle stepped aside revealing a circular staircase. I followed McGonagall up the stairs. When we reached the top of this we got into double oak doors. She knocked on the door and it opened, we entered.

"Professor Dumbledore." McGonagall called. Dumbledore looked up and gave us a warm smile. "Yes?"

"Miss Potter would like to ask you something." I walked up slowly to Dumbledore and asked directly. "Is Harry Potter my brother?"

Dumbledore looked at me carefully at first and nodded. "Ah yes, I was afraid this day will come soon when you will find out the truth." I waited for him to continue but what he said was: "Please, sit down."

"Professor please, just explain to me all this please." I begged. Dumbledore nodded, I sat on a chair on the side of his desk. "Professor McGonagall, thank you for escorting Angelica, you may go." And Professor McGonagall left, I stared intently at Dumbledore waiting for him to explain. "Alright then, I suppose Professor McGonagall has told you about the incident of your parents when she picked you up from the orphanage?" he asked and I nodded.

"Well I asked her to leave out, one information and of course that is about your brother. I wanted you to find out by yourself and I wanted you to be ready when you do but well, everything came up as an accident but I know by now you are ready to find out everything.

As you read here, on Halloween of 1981 the Dark Lord Voldemort came to the Potter house to kill you and your brother. Your mother and your father and tried to stop him but Voldemort ended up killing them. They sacrificed their lives to protect you both. When Voldemort was finally able to meet you two face to face he didn't waste any second and went on to kill you but something happened and the curse rebounded killing him instead. But a mark was left from that terrible day and thus your scar.

The house was in ruins when Hagrid came he only saw Harry and we decided to leave him on his aunt's. Professor McGonagall decided to go back to the Potter house and she saw you. She asked me if I should leave you with Harry but I told her to leave you to the orphanage.

I wanted to separate you both because if both of you stayed in one place... either in the orphanage and the Dursley's you will have a hard time. Imagine Mrs. Petunia Dursley or Miss Audrey having to deal with two wizard children for 11 years? Imagine Professor McGonagall or Hagrid having to escort you both to Diagon Alley. That would be quite hard wouldn't it? (I nodded).

I have noticed that you and Mr. Potter have been very close friends during your stay in the castle. I wanted you both to get along before you find out the truth."

"We have," I muttered and he nodded. "So when you looked into the Mirror of Erised, you were right when it was Harry that you saw and you are correct when you assumed that he was your brother."

Now I know...

NOW I KNOW.

I try to process everything that I just heard. I knew it. I always knew it. The boy I met in the zoo, Harry, the mirror of erised, from those three I knew that it was Harry. That's why I felt that heart thumping, breath taking feeling when I saw him at the zoo and when I saw Harry during the sorting ceremony... I really felt something. That explains why I was so bloody concerned about him.

But why am I feeling this? I'm supposed to be happy, that I finally found him, that I finally found my brother, that I found someone who I could consider as my family. But I'm not. I'm so nervous and worried at the same time. WHY?

I turned to Dumbledore, "Should we call Harry to talk about this?"

"Ah, I'm afraid we don't have to." He answered and I got confused. "What, but why??"

Dumbledore stood up from his desk and went to pat my head, "He will know at the right time, Angelica. When he's ready, he'll find out. In the meantime, please don't tell him. He needs to find it out himself, like you did."

"B-but... but why do we have to keep it as a secret?" I asked. "Because Harry's under pressure right now," Dumbledore said "With his Quidditch work and your final exams" I sighed and just nodded. "But we are going to tell him soon Angelica, I guarantee you that." He reassured me.

I just sat there my full attention on my hands. "Off you go, you have exams to worry about." Dumbledore told me. I stood up from my seat and walked out of the room.

Isn't life grand?

I find out who my brother is and it turned out to be the best friend I ever had. My dream brother but the problem is I can't tell him.

Isn't life just grand?



++++



The match is coming; it's going to be next Wednesday. Harry's been pretty preoccupied with his Quidditch training and I was quite relieved that I could get away from him a bit. Because, I'm feeling really uncomfortable keeping a huge secret from him. I've been concentrating on my studies instead.

Every Transfiguration class things get really awkward. Professor McGonagall keeps shooting me and Harry glances and I just tried my best not to give away anything.

"So are you done studying for the exams?" he would ask.

"Uhm, n-n-no not r-really." I'm caught off guard.

"Angelica, you've been acting really strange since we found out about Flamel. Are you really sure you're okay?" he looked really worried, like a real brother.

"I'm fine... don't worry." I reassured him.

I looked up to Professor McGonagall still staring at us. She was aware that we are talking in her class, but this time she didn't stop us from our chatter.



++++



Wednesday came in a swish and like before everyone in the Great Hall that morning was busy chattering. Like before, everyone was excited. Like before, everyone was cheering. But unlike before, I didn't have the guts to tell Harry good luck.



My head hung low as Katrina, Laurence and Luigi and I went to the Quidditch pitch. We took our seats far from Hermione and Ron, I told them.

But even when they're far away I could still see their worried faces and I must admit I'm worried myself. "Well I'm hoping the Hufflepuffs will win." Laurence said. "I'm betting on Gryffindor this time!" Luigi told her sticking his tongue out and the two siblings got into a minor argument. Meanwhile I scanned the crowds and I noticed a familiar silvery beard. "Guess what? Dumbledore's watching!" I announced catching the attention of the brother and sister. "Really???" Laurence asked and I pointed to Dumbledore.

"Well that's a good sign" Luigi pointed out and we all nodded. Then I looked down out on the field and I saw Snape frowning deeply.

"Wow, Snape's pissed." I muttered.

"I have never seen him look so mean" Katrina commented.

Probably bitter because Dumbledore watching and he couldn't hurt Harry. Yeah that must be it.

And they we're off. I wasn't at all excited for this match, I'm too busy worrying and thinking of Harry.

The reason I've been trying to avoid him is because if I ever got too close to him my conscience will burst out and I will just spill out the truth. I'm that kind of person. I really hate keeping secrets, especially important secrets. I looked up at him scanning the field, looking for the Golden snitch. I want to tell him, I really want to.

All I want right now is to tell him that he's really my brother and I felt it right from the very start I just want to hug him so tight and call him 'my big brother'. I just want to tell him: "I finally found you now never leave me and stay beside me and be my family."

My thoughts were interrupted with loud cheers from the audience. "What happened?" I asked Katrina. "HARRY JUST SAW THE SNITCH HE DID A SPECTACULAR DIVE!" Katrina squealed. I looked out and saw Harry dash towards the ground so fast. Wait, what on earth is he doing?! WHY IS HE SPEEDING TOWARDS SNAPE??!

"HARRY!" I screamed without thinking but he obviously couldn't hear me as the cheers and screamed overpowered my voice.

I crossed my fingers and just prayed nothing will happen to him. Then Snape turned his broomstick just in time as Harry shot past him, missing him by INCHES. Before I knew it Harry pulled out of the dive, raised his arm with the Snitch clasped in his hand. GRYFFINDOR WINS AGAIN!

We all screamed, including me. AT that moment, I forgot everything that I've been worried about. I forgot about my anxiety. All I could think about is my big brother did it again. I'm so proud of him. He jumped off from his broom; everyone went down to the field to congratulate the winners.

I saw Dumbledore approach Harry. He whispered something to him and Harry smiled at him. I ran up to Harry, hugged him and he was surprise by my sudden appearance. I was laughing. As if I wasn't keeping anything. As if he already knew. As if we were never separated. As if we knew from the beginning that we are siblings.

"You did it again!" I said smiling as I pulled away from him. He smiled at me, "Why didn't you greet me good luck this morning?" he pretended to be disappointed. "You obviously didn't need luck!" I said ruffling his already very messy hair. I pulled him into a tight hug again. Then I caught Dumbledore's eye. He gave me a look that I couldn't understand but I can see from the corners of his mouth that he was hiding a precious smile for us.

++++



"Where's Harry?" Hermione came dashing toward me with Ron behind her. "He went to the locker rooms" I said. "Ron you look horrible! What on earth happened?!" I commented taking his appearance. His hair is a mess and his has blood dripping from his nose, his face is reddish and his knuckles were bleeding. "It's Malfoy!" he exclaimed. He was grinning.

"I gave him a black eye! And guess what? Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed!"

"Wow? Really?!"

"Yeah Neville's out cold but Madam Pomfrey says' he'll be all right"

"RON YOU'RE AWESOME! YOU GAVE MALFOY A BLACK EYE??!"

He smiled proudly at me. "I would've given everything to see it" I said with a grin. "Oh hey Angelica we're having a party in the common room do you want to come?" he invited.

"Is that okay?" "Of course!" Hermione exclaimed grinning herself. Then Harry came sprinting toward us. "Where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.

"We won! You won! We won!" Ron thumped Harry on the back. "I gave Malfoy a black eye!!!" and he went on about that and the party in the common room but Harry's attention was somewhere else. "Never mind that now!" he panted. "Let's find an empty room; you wait 'til you hear this..."

We just got into a room, Harry cautiously locked the door. He turned to us and exclaimed, "I saw Snape with Quirrell. Quirrell was stuttering worse than ever! I heard Snape mention the Sorcerer's Stone; he was asking Quirrell how to get past Fluffy. Quirrell tried to answer but Snape cut him off and he threatened Quirrell saying: "You don't want me as your enemy" then I nearly fell of where I was because an owl hotted nearby but anyway, in the end Snape said he said: 'We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie'." He said all this in one breath. He didn't even bother to breathe through the entire speech so when he was over he was gasping for breath. But the three of us were all stunned.

Our worst fears are confirmed; yep Snape's trying to steal the stone. It's crystal clear obvious.

"So we were right, it is the Sorcerer's Stone" I said. "And obviously Snape trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy...."

"...And he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus-pocus'..." Harry continued. "I reckon there are other thngs guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape need to break through---"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape? Hermione pointed out her eyes wide. "It'll be gone by next Tuesday," Ron confirmed.

"Oh no..."

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