Little Phoenix (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

3. The Keeper of the Keys

"Where's the cannon?" Dudley asked stupidly as Nic got to her feet. She stepped in front of Harry, shielding him from whatever was coming before the door was knocked upon again with a loud crash.

Vernon came out, gun in hand as he shouted, "Who's there? I'm warning you, I'm armed!" Next moment, the door was hit so hard, it flung off the hinges.

Before them stood a giant man as tall as three before he fitted the door back into place and asked, "Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..." Nic watched in mild amusement as the man scared Dudley half to death. Taking over the sofa, the man took notice of Harry hidden behind Nicole. "An' here's Harry!" the man cried. "Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby. And here's Nicole, o course. Harry, yeh look a lot like yer dad, but yeh' got yer mum's eyes."

"I demand you leave at once, sir," Vernon ordered angrily. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," the man retorted, bending the gun as if it was no harder than bending a pipe cleaner. "Anyway, Harry, a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summation fer yeh here - I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right. And Happy Birthday to you too, Nicole." Nic's eyes furrowed as he handed Harry a slightly squashed box with a chocolate cake inside that said 'Happy Birthday Harry and Nicole.'

"Who are you?" Harry asked, looking from the cake to his cousin and finally to the large man in front of them.

"True," the giant chuckled, "I haven't introduced myself. Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of the keys and grounds at Hogwarts."

"Where?" Nic asked, never having heard the name. He didn't seem to hear her and began to work at fixing some tea and sausages.

"I'm sorry," Harry broke in after he had finished a sausage, "but I still don't really know who you are."

"Call me Hagrid," he replied, "everyone does. An' like I told you, I'm the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, of course."

"Er - no," Harry admitted after sharing a confused look with Nic. At Hagrid's shocked expression, he added, "Sorry." As the giant began roaring, Nic moved over to her bag and finally grabbed the long awaited letters.

As she stood back up, Hagrid stated, "Harry, yer a wizard." Turning to Nicole, he added, "And yer a witch, Nicole."

"Please, just Nic," she interrupted before handing Harry his letter.

"How'd you-"

"Magic," she joked, causing Harry to laugh. After opening hers, she read...

Dear Ms. Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress

"They're not going!" Vernon shouted.

"I'd like to see a great muggle like you stop them," Hagrid retorted.

"A what?" Harry asked.

"A muggle," Hagrid repeated. "It's what we call non-magic folk like them. An' it's both your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest muggles I ever laid eyes on."

"We swore when we took them in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," Vernon snapped. "Swore we'd stamp it out of them! Wizard indeed!"

"You said them," Nic said quietly, her head reeling. "Why?" When no one answered her, she snapped, "Why?!"

"Because you're not our daughter!" Petunia snapped angrily.

"What?" Nic breathed, taking a step back and accidentally backing into Harry. Harry and Hagrid shared a worried and confused look.

"You mean to tell me..." Hagrid began.

"My sister came to me," Petunia explained, "a few months before she went and got herself blown up with you in her arms. She begged me to look after you. I refused. She took you back to that dratted house and you should have died along with your brother!"

"So...Harry's my twin and not Dudley?" Nic clarified, suddenly feeling a wave of such relief she couldn't even comprehend it.

"Your name is Nicole Lily Potter," Vernon sneered. Nic's head was still reeling as Petunia did more yelling and Hagrid too until it was suddenly much quieter, but she couldn't pay attention. She merely stared intently into the fire. She had always felt more of a connection to Harry than to Dudley from the beginning. They both had black hair and light eyes, but while his were green, hers were bright blue.

"So she never knew," Hagrid remarked quietly, looking at Nicole, the fire reflecting in her big sad eyes.

"No," Harry sighed. "Although...I almost feel like I always knew. I mean...she never had a connection with Dudley like twins are said to have, but she always protected me. Nic's just built that way, I guess. She protects those that need it."

"Sounds like a good sister," Hagrid replied. "Well we best be gettin some sleep for we go tomorrow. You can nip under this." Once Harry and Hagrid were asleep, Nic glanced back over at them. Shaking her head, she drew out her letter again. Ms. N. Potter. Was it really a surprise? Hadn't she always felt that connection to him? It didn't mean it wasn't a shock, I suppose. When at last the fire died, Nic curled up under some blankets and tried to sleep.