Little Miss Marauder

Chapter 25 - Confrontation

Chapter 25 - Confrontation

Fred and George were standing around the corner from where McGonagall was speaking to the new teacher. They were originally planning on going to steal back their fireworks Filch had confiscated at the end of the previous year, but once they heard Harry's name they had to listen, curiosity was in their nature. The twins were not paying attention to the conversation prior to hearing the name, so they did not hear Cassadee mention family, but they heard the entirety of what happened after. Forgetting entirely about the fireworks, the two hurried back to their common room to grab the third year.

Harry had returned from seeing McGonagall, his mind still reeling with possibilities, What if she really was related to him? Why hadn't they met? Why didn't he ever hear of her before? But the one question that scared him more was What if it was just a coincidence? What if he was reading too much into everything? What if his last chance to have family that loved him was just hopeless dreaming? He knew he would have to talk to her soon, as soon as he could. All of this overthinking had clouded his mind so much that he didn't notice his two best friends in-front of him until Ron placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, Mate... What's gotten into you today?" The concern shone on the boys face, "You haven't been the same since Defence? What happened?" Hermione chimed in. Of course, the two had already concluded that Harry was shaken up from the new Professor sharing his last name, they both saw the similarities on the train so it came as less of a shock, however, they both knew Harry and knew that he would only talk when he was ready, they couldn't force the boy. "...I... I just... spoke to McGonagall. She um... she told me to speak to both of the new Professors...I don't.... I can't..." his stuttering was cut of when the door to the common room was thrown open and the two fifth year Weasleys bouldered in joking about as usual.
"Ah Harry!"

"Our favourite little brother" The two joked, George ruffling his hair as Ron protested against Fred's comment, "Hey!"

"We heard two certain Professors talking about you just now" This piqued the speckled boy's interest, but he didn't want to seem too eager, knowing the teasing it would receive. Sounding as disinterested as he could in this situation Harry tried to reply casually "oh yeah? Which ones?" The twins just smirked.

"Should we tell him Fred?"

"I don't know George, he doesn't seem too keen to know to me."

"WHO?!" Harry was impatient, his outburst didn't even make any of the other Gryffindors glance their way as they were used to shouting happening, especially when the twins were nearby. "Merlin Harry! No need to shout,if you wanted to know you could just ask nicely." The twins smirks just grew as Harry's glare darkened. "But since you asked, McGonagall, and that new one, whats her name?" George responded. "Lupin?" Fred asked, the two had their first class with the two professors the next day so were not entirely certain on the names just yet. "No Lupin's the man, this was the woman you idiot."

"I'm not the idiot you snail"

"How dare y-" They argument was cut off by Hermione, "Potter. Her Names Professor Potter. Now if you two baboons would get back on topic" she let them continue. "McGonagall was saying how she had just spoken to you outside of Dumbledore's office, the new Professor seemed very interested in finding out about you Harry... Wait.... Potter? As in Potter, Potter?" Why didn't you tell us someone from your family was a Professor this year?" The twins were almost offended. They thought of Harry as their younger brother so him keeping information on Professors secret was almost like treason. "I didn't know... I don't know who she is..." Harry's distraught was growing, but he couldn't help the spark of hope that ignited when he heard that she was asking about him. Did that mean she cared about him?

The twins could sense that the three friends needed to talk so the went off to annoy their quidditch captain.

Hermione dragged the two boys into the seats in the back corner of the room. "So this woman. She has to be related to you somehow, doesn't she?" Hermione queried. "I think so"

"It has to be from his dad's side, to have the same name. Maybe she's some cousin? If it was any closer relation we would have known about her by now surely?" Ron expressed the thoughts he had since first seeing her on the train. "But to ask about me, she had to have known who I was before this? Which means she knew my parents." Harry was certain of this. The woman looked roughly the same age as what his parents should have been now, she had to have at least been at Hogwarts with them, and with the same last name, his parents knew her. "Well you've spoken to McGonagall already, if she's not giving you any answers maybe we should go see Hagrid? He would tell us something, surely?" Hermione had a point. Hagrid was fond of the three third years, they always made time to visit the gamekeeper, and they had wanted to see him again after the summer anyway. "We do have another hour and a half before dinner, why don't we head down there now?" Ron, always knowing the time until the next meal, chimed in. "Yeah, yeah! Let's go ask Hagrid." Harry knew he should go talk to the woman in question herself, but he didn't have the courage to, not yet at least. He needed some answers first.

So the three headed down towards Hagrid's hut, passing by many first years that stared at the spectacled boy in wonder before hurrying out the way of older students. Once they reached the wooden building Fang plodded out of the door and and straight over to Ron, who he had particularly taken to since the students had begun visiting Hagrid. Not expecting anyone to be there, Harry shouted out to Hagrid as they walked in, "Hey Hagrid! It's just us..." His voice dropped off when he saw who was sitting at the table with the half giant. "Harry, lovely to see you again" Professor Lupin smiled, side eyeing his colleague and friend who stared at the young boy. "Professor's, we weren't.... We weren't expecting anyone to be here..." Hermione could sense Harry's panic as he stumbled over the words, "We'll just be leaving" she cut in, pulling Harry back to the door were Ron was still playing with Fang. "Nonsense" Hagrid's voice boomed as he walked over from the other end of the room. "I haven't seen you three since before the summer! I'm not letting you go back until you've had a drink."

Remus smiled seeing the similarities between the boy in-front of him and his memories of one of his best friends. He couldn't believe the boy standing there was the baby he had held all those years ago. It felt so surreal. The feeling was magnified for Cassadee. She stared at the child of her brother, her nephew, her last remaining relative, unable to breathe. She thought that she had gotten over this during the lesson earlier, but seeing the boy again only made her realise, he was here, he was okay. This made her smile at the three students in-front of her, snapping out of her panic. This was her chance to have a piece of her brother again, to have a family. She had to make this count. But she couldn't gain enough courage to speak, not yet.

The three students sat down in the remaining chairs at the table, no more words exchanged, the only sounds were the occasional sip of tea. Harry was about to burst. He had to know. "Are you family?" The three adults choked on their tea at this, "my family. Are you my family?" The desperation in the teens voice was evident. Yet he still wasn't sure what answer he was hoping for. This was the moment he had hoped for for so long, but now that he was here, now that he may have had family in-front of him, he couldn't comprehend the situation. "I... yes..." were the only sounds to come from the woman. WIth that, Harry stood up, knocking over his chair and storming out. He couldn't do this. Not now. So the thirteen year old just walked away.