Evidence of Absence

Endings and Beginnings

“What does this mean for you being part of the Potter family?”

Angela’s eyes were huge and solemn. Harry wrapped his arms around her and gave her a short hug. They were sitting by the lakeshore, and the water sparkling in the sunlight reminded Harry of his own mood. He hadn’t even realized how much the issue of his parents hating Parseltongue was weighing on him until he managed to emerge from it. It was like walking in constant, private sunshine.

“I’ll always be your brother,” he said. “And Brian’s brother. If you want to come and live with me….”

“I think I have to.”

“What do you mean?” Harry turned fully to face her. Angela had reasons to be upset right now, no matter how Harry felt. Of course Harry should have thought about the consequences to her more fully.

Angela swallowed and looked up at him. “Ever since I wrote to Mum and Dad about my Dark Arts affinity, I haven’t got a letter from Mum. Dad was the one who wrote back to me, and he told me it wasn’t a problem and he would make sure it wasn’t a problem. But I didn’t realize that meant that you would be exiled.”

“I exiled myself, Angela,” Harry said quietly. “And you can live with me. You think they’d kick you out?”

“I think they’d try to correct me. And I don’t know for sure what that would mean and I’m afraid…” Angela took a breath so hard that she choked.

Harry rubbed her back. “We don’t need to give them a chance to find out. I’m not a Potter anymore, and you’re in need of a place to live. I’m of age. If something had happened to-James and Lily, I would be the natural choice to take care of you and Brian.”

“Not Sirius and Remus?”

“I hope they’ll help, but honestly, Sirius is going to have problems with Dad because they both own that prank shop together, and Remus doesn’t trust himself around children.” Harry shook his head. He’d trust Remus with children before he’d trust some of the people he’d met among other “responsible adults,” but Remus felt that way because of his lycanthropy, and it wasn’t going to change anytime soon. “Will you want to come live with me?”

Angela flung herself into his arms. “Yes,” Harry made out whispered next to his shoulder, through her sobs. “Please.” And she hugged him harder. Harry rubbed her back again.

He glanced up when someone moved near him. Tom was standing a short distance away. From his stance, he’d heard the whole conversation.

Harry narrowed his eyes a little. He needed Tom because of the Parselmouth thing, of course, but he wasn’t about to give up on his siblings. (Assuming that Brian expressed a desire to come live with them at all). That meant they would have to find some way to coexist.

Tom tilted his head down a moment later, with a smile of private amusement that Harry didn’t fully understand on his face. Then he turned and vanished with a waver of motion in the air. Harry recognized the spell Tom had created based on the one Harry had created to sneak out of Hogwarts, and smiled.

“What?” Angela asked, wiping at her eyes as she sat up.

“Nothing,” Harry said. They could explain it later. “Now, do you want to explore your Dark Arts affinity? Or just learn what kinds of spells are Dark Arts and which aren’t?”

*

“I hope you aren’t upset about Angela coming to live with us.”

Tom quirked a smile at Harry, who was leaning against the doorframe of Tom’s office and didn’t look as though he knew whether to be defiant or not. “I know that you’re close, Harry. Closer than I would have expected, given…everything. And while she’s not a Parselmouth, I can appreciate someone who wants to learn about Dark Arts.”