Witch

Willow Insert-Last-Name

As soon as Moody dismissed us, I rushed out of the classroom. Hermione hurried after me.

"Willow!" she called. "What's wrong?"

I turned and whispered frantically to her.

"He called me Willow Ava Belle. But I never told him my first middle name was Ava! I only told him my second middle name was Belle! And," I hesitated. I supposed the twins and I were closer than I was with Hermione, but I knew I could trust her the most. "Well, the Sorting Hat called me "Willow Ava Belle Potter".

Hermione gasped. "But it's not possible - you were born in America -"

I shook my head. "I wasn't born in America, Hermione. I was found when I was a baby, in front of Platform 9 ¾, and sent to the Ministry. They sent me to America to a Muggle family."

Hermione rubbed her forehead and said, "We need to go to see Dumbledore!"

I shook my head. "I can't bother him. We'll go to the library first, and then if we can't figure it out we'll see Professor Dumbledore."

Hermione hesitated, but she nodded and we walked, fast-paced, to the library.

I stopped at the doorway, unsure where to find the information I needed, but Hermione immediately walked to the tallest bookshelf in the library and muttered, "Inflatus!", pointing her wand at a small, thin rack leaning against the shelf. As it grew, I realized it was a small ladder.

"My own invention," she whispered in my ear. "McGonagall gave me permission because the other ladders took up too much space. And this way, you can customize the size."

Hermione flicked her wand and the ladder stopped growing. She began to climb towards the top of the shelf. "These are public Ministry records. They keep track of all the cases the Auror and Magical Law cases covered."

Intrigued, I slid a file off of the shelf. It was a case of a man falling off of his winged horse after fighting a Chimaera, some seventy years ago.

"We're too far up," Hermione said. She had been reading the case over my shoulder. "Yours is much more recent, the Ministry hasn't had many cases for years now."

I inched down the ladder to the very bottom and yanked out a stiff-looking, shiny box. It was very thick, and scrawled on it in messy handwriting was "Potter".

Hermione smiled. "That must be Harry's file - we must be getting closer!"

But for some weird reason, I flipped open the box and grabbed the first file.

Hermione climbed down the ladder.

"What-"

She realized what I was doing and sat down at the table with me.

I opened the first file, about Harry's defeating of the Sorcerer's Stone (interesting). The rest of the files continued, all the way to him being associated with "Sirius Black".

"That's that," Hermione said, smiling fondly. "C'mon Will, let's -"

"There's one more file," I interrupted.

Hermione frowned and sat back down. "Nothing big has happened since third year, what could -"

I gasped. The file contained two things. A single piece of parchment, and a photograph of a single, redheaded baby. A photograph I recognized from my home in America; the supposed only baby picture taken before I was found.

"Hermione, this - this is me!"

"What?!" she said incredulously. "Are you sure? You're not the only baby with a photo in a bunny blanket."

"I know it's me!" I said. "My parents said it was found with me. I always wondered why the photograph in our house never looked old, well it's because this is the original! And I'm moving in this one!"

Hermione, clearly doubtful, said, "Well, do you have any birthmarks, or scars? I might be convinced if you can show me that."

"Yeah, this one." I pulled down my socks to reveal a lightning-shaped scar on my ankle.

Hermione flinched (huh), but looked closely at the photo, where I was waving my fists and feet.

"You're right, I can see the scar! But it looks more new on here."

I shook my head, shaking my loose red curls out of my face. "But why is my file in the Potter box? I can't be a Potter..."

Hermione sighed. "I don't know. You have read the parchment yet, have you?"

"No," I said. "But I will." I pulled out the old parchment.

"It's a letter," Hermione said in a hushed voice. "Go on, read it!"

I swallowed, "Okay."

October 29th, 1981

Dear Sev,

I know it's been a while, and I hope this reaches you.

You-Know-Who is after us and you know it. He'll find us, James switched the Secret Keeper to Pettigrew, and there's something about Peter lately, I can't say just what...

I've sealed this letter with a charm, only you, James, and I (and the twins if they become older and see this) can read it. I can't imagine the nosy Ministry butting in.

Harry, he's got Sirius, and maybe Dumbledore if something happens to Sirius. I know you despise him, but he's changed, and Harry will be safe, me and James have taken every measure to ensure it.

I've made Remus Willow's godfather, but I must ask you a favor too large.

You know of Remus's condition. He is kind and wonderful, but no one else will see him like that. Sirius and Jennie say they will care for both, but I know something about Willow, too risky to tell. As soon as You-Know-Who finds us, Willow will be at the platform. Please care for her, I will explain soon.

Love from Lily.

I gasped. Hermione clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Will.. I..."

I stood up. "This can't be the only file, it doesn't include any Ministry papers. Help me find the record!"

Hermione opened her mouth, then closed it before nodding. We searched a good thirty minutes before we found the official record of "a red-haired blue-eyed female witch approximately one year old found on Platform to Hogwarts Express; presumably a Weasley".

Hermione bit her lip. "That makes sense they thought you were a Weasley; they couldn't read the letter."

I frowned. "But then why was my photo and the letter in the Potter box?"

~~~

Author's Note

Hey guys, so what do you think? Why is Willow's photo in the Potter box? Wink wink

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and chapter 7 is coming soon!

I'm trying to get the next chapter of Jocelynn Lupin, so be ready for that!

xoxo

Claire Luci