A Potter Secret

Return to Hogwarts

Neville leads them up a short flight of stone steps to a door, pauses. Looks back and whispers, "Let's have a bit of fun, shall we?" He opens the door and looks out on the crowd. "Hey! Listen up, you lot! I've brought you a surprise!"

"Not more of Aberforth's cooking, I hope. Be a surprise if we could digest it," Seamus groans. Neville looks back, jerks his head toward the open door. Harry, Ron and Hermione step forward, duck through and emerge into a large room that looks like a sumptuous tree house. Faces turn. Blink. Utter silence. "Blimey," Seamus mutters.

Voices explode. Madness ensues as the trio is swallowed up in a scrum of backslaps and handshakes. Many familiar faces are present. Luna. Dean Thomas. Cho Chang. Lavender Brown. Neville leans down, whispers to Nigel. "Get the word out to Remus and the others that Harry's back," Neville instructs.

Nigel nods, scrambles over to a battered wizard wireless. As it crackles to life he leans close, speaks. "River, DA calling. Do you read? We have a new weather report, Lightning has struck. I repeat, lightning has struck!" Nigel calls.

"Okay, okay! Stand down! Let's not kill them before You-Know-Who gets the chance! Right then. What's the plan, Harry?" Neville asks.

Harry gazes out over the expectant faces in the room, noting the hollow eyes and broken bodies and the desperate, almost palpable desire for hope. For a moment he seems lost, awed by the sacrifice his friends have made, much of it for him. Finally, he speaks, "Okay. There's something we need to find, something hidden here in the castle. It could help us defeat You-Know-Who."

"What is it?" Neville inquires.

"We don't know," Harry admits.

"Where is it?" Dean throws out.

"Don't know that either," Harry replies. A confused murmur fills the room. "I realize it's not much to go on."

"That's nothing to go on," Seamus interjects.

Harry falters, then his gaze happens upon the Ravenclaw banner hanging across the room, bearing the symbol of an eagle. He studies it, a notion forming. "I think it might have something to do with Ravenclaw. It would be small, easy to conceal, valuable. Any ideas?" Harry asks.

He looks up. For a moment, there's no response. "Well, there's Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem," Luna suggests.

"Oh, bloody hell. Here we go," Ron mutters under his breath.

"The lost diadem of Ravenclaw? Hasn't anyone ever heard of it? It's quite famous," Luna reminds.

"Yes, but Luna, it's lost. For centuries now. There's not a person alive today who's seen it," Cho explains. Her fellow Ravenclaws nod. Ron frowns.

"Excuse me. But would someone tell me, what's a bloody diadem?" Ron questions.

"It's a kind of crown. You know, like a tiara," Cho elaborates. As she says this, Harry frowns, trying to think if he's seen such a thing in the castle. "Ravenclaw's was rumored to have magical properties, to enhance the wisdom of the wearer."

Just then quick footsteps are heard and a girl appears atop the far staircase. She stops, staring at Harry. Ginny. "Harry," Ginny breaths.

"Hey there," Harry says back.

Ron smiles, about to speak, then notices Ginny's eyes have not left Harry. He frowns, speaks to Hermione. "Six months she hasn't seen me and it's like I'm Frankie First Year. I mean, I'm only her brother," Ron mutters.

"Got loads of those, though, doesn't she? There's only one Harry," Seamus smiles.

"Shut up, Seamus," Ron insists.

"What is it, Ginny?" Neville asks.

"Snape knows. He knows that Harry was spotted in Hogsmeade," Ginny replies.

Harry nods. "Perfect," Harry mumbles. "Alright. One last thing I should clarify. Isabella has been joining us on our travels and helping wherever she can. Despite her age, she is qualified to help and should be treated as any other fighter."

Isabella smiles slightly and steps forward. "Before I met most of you, I had taken and passed my N.E.W.T.'s with perfect scores on everything. I have mastery's in ever subject available. If you need anything from potions to spell help, I can probably help. Since I was a baby, I was raised by Professor Snape." Every gasps and looks at her, nervous of who's side she's on. "You can be assured that I will fight against Voldemort not only because his ideas are barbaric and with hurt the wizarding world but also because- because the night Professor Snape began to raise me was the night that my brother and I's parents were killed. I stand by my blood." Isabella looks over at Harry for a moment. "I stand by my brother as my true self; Isabella Angela Potter. Together, we can win the day and show Voldemort just how powerful half-bloods and muggleborns are. Together, we shall see tomorrow." Everyone stares at her before clapping a cheering.

"You're younger than Harry," Ginny calls. "By a lot."

Isabella smiles, knowing Ginny knows the full truth and is looking out. "There was a lot of dark magic the night our parents were killed. While Harry was older than a year, I was barely a month old," Isabella explains. "I was found that night and brought to Hogwarts where Madam Pomphrey placed me in magical stasis in order to help me survive. I almost didn't live through but I woke at the last possible moment and here I am. If anyone else has any questions, feel free to ask. I'll tell you anything."

"If you have every mastery available, does that include the dark arts, the very thing we're fighting against?" Seamus asks.

Everyone turns, realizing what he says is true. "Yes, but I did not earn this mastery in order to use it." The audience appears confused. "I learned the dark arts because, at the time, I had completed most of my other masteries and knew that Voldemort was going to attack my brother. I wanted to be able to help. I learned the dark arts in order to better predict and defend myself against others with the same abilities. I can think as they do and understand what spells they use."

"Is it true that you've resisted the urge to use the dark arts, despite it being able to save your friends and help you seek revenge on others?" Luna asks.

Isabella nods. "Like all of you, I have lost people. Although it was tempting to save those that I could using dark and demented ways, I also know that those same friends that have lost their lives would not want me to save them in a way that costs so much. So no, I have not used the dark arts in any way other than to predict other's attacks and their methods of war."

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Mist encircles the parapets of the castle itself, barely distinguishable from the dementors that drift like silent sentinels over the grounds. Lights glimmer in the castle.

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A stream of Hufflepuff students move toward the Great Hall. They walk grimly, their faces blank, as if accustomed to such exercises.

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The Ravenclaws walk in lockstep as well. One tiny girl, Maisy Reynolds stands out, walking alongside Luna, her bearing more defiant than defeated. The death eater chivvying them along eyes her cruelly. "Put a smile on, Miss Reynolds. Wouldn't want me to have to pay a visit to Daddy again, would you?" Alecto asks.

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Slytherin House walks in rigid synchronization, backs straight, in perfect rhythm. We catch sight of Blaise Zabini and Goyle.

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As the Grffindors walk, Harry moves in their midst, effectively shielded. Harry slips past a few people, reaches out and enfolds Ginny's hand in his own. She doesn't look back, knows it's him, knows his touch.

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