The Other Potter

Chapter one

Dorea knew that having James so late in life would cause problems but she would never regret having her little bundle of joy, her once in a lifetime baby. She and Charlus had tried for decades; potions, spells and rituals but nothing had worked until finally she had admitted, only to herself, that an heir to the Potter family may have to come from somebody else. The very thought broke her, she loved her husband, a marriage which everybody thought would fail had blossomed from teenage romance to something truly magical. It had been just when she was giving up hope, one last fertility ritual she told herself, that she had found herself expecting. The pregnancy had been hard, her magic drained and body weakened, but when she held her son, her husband's heir, it was worth it. Recovering from his birth had been difficult, she felt weak, her magic strained even without sustaining the baby which led her to her current placement.

She had lied to Charlus, telling him to watch James while she was going out to get a few bits for his first birthday that was quickly approaching. She didn't want him fretting over her any more than usual, the man was the love of her life, but he was sometimes too much, for weeks he had been hovering over her, his worry smothering but she knew it came from a good place. So instead of shopping, she found herself sitting alone in St. Mungos, waiting to be told what was wrong with her.

"Lady Potter," the healer said, drawing her from her thoughts.

"Healer Abbot," she greeted, the man had been her primary healer throughout her rough pregnancy.

"I've been over your results and had them checked over by another healer," he started, the words causing a fissure of dread to build inside her, a number of magical diseases conjuring up in her mind; Dragon Pox, Morgana's Fever, Troll Foot.

"And the results?" she asked, thankful for her pureblood decorum making it so she could mask her growing fear.

"You're pregnant."

The words didn't register for a moment, out of all of the possibilities she hadn't expected that.

"Pregnant?" she clarified.

"Just under 4 months."

"How?" she asked, allowing a slip in her mask to show.

The healer laughed good naturedly, "Surely my lady, I don't need to explain the mechanics?"

The question made her smirk; she had always liked Abbot, a Ravenclaw a few years ahead of her in Hogwarts. He had been one of the few who had supported her and Charlus when they had gotten together. Although she couldn't call him a close friend she was friendly with him and both Potters preferred him over any healer.

"Quite. I clarify, how? As you're more than aware of the difficulty I had conceiving James. It took decades and a multitude of potions and rituals and the pregnancy was from day one difficult, yet I've not noticed this one beyond my magical and physical weakness."

The statement made the healer pause and Dorea noted his pensive look before it was masked; such obvious show of emotions would have had him skinned had he been a Slytherin.

"Lady Potter... Dorea," the use of her given name made her start and the dread that had slowly vanished reappear, "as a healer, as your friend, I must inform you that this pregnancy will be risky if you choose to carry it out."

"If I choose?" she questioned, abortion was forbidden in magical Britain unless circumstances where dire; Yes they happened under the table in places such as Knockturn alley and nearly every pureblood was taught home remedies to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but to be offered an abortion at St. Mungos was nearly unheard of.

"Due to circumstance you have the option to abort the pregnancy now as the chances of both you and the foetus surviving until birth is less than 20%, which is a generous guess," He said with grave sincerity.

Dorea stilled and placed her hand on her still flat stomach, she had lost the baby weight she had gained from James because of her poor health. Her appetite none existent in the last few months, a fact made worse as realised she was supposed to be eating for two. However even without being able to feel the life inside of her, she couldn't imagine doing anything to hurt them; they would be her child, a true miracle baby.

"My child will be born," she said without hesitation, she had given up hope of having a child before James; to be told she was pregnant again was a miracle she couldn't give up. Even with such odds she refused to consider the offer given to her; she had been a Black before she was a Potter and Blacks didn't go down without a fight.

Abbot sighed, having expected the proud woman in front of him to say something along those lines; he had hope that if anybody could defeat such odds it would be this witch.

"Your pregnancy with your heir was hard on you. Both your body and magic weakened and given how such a small amount of time has passed you have yet to recover fully. Even if you were healthy this would be risky because of your age, given your weakened state I recommend immediate bed rest and absolutely no magic usage beyond what is absolutely necessary in only the direst of circumstances."

Dorea nodded, she knew Charlus wouldn't be happy as he had just been promoted to head auror and didn't have time to take care of James but she refused to do anything that would potentially hard her unborn child. If she had to be on bed rest she would be on bed rest, She could always just hire somebody to watch over James for the next few months if need be as she didn't want house elves raising her baby boy.

"I will start you on prenatal potions now, as well as nutrient and strengthening ones. I will not lie to you; this pregnancy will be hard. It is imperative for your safety and that of the child that you try to remain stress free and relaxed until it is time to deliver. Either myself or a college will come by to check on you every week to check on your progress and to see if the potions need to be adjusted."

Dorea agreed and after receiving her potions and signing the forms to have more delivered weekly, she bid the healer goodbye. Her mind was a daze as she used the public floo to return home.

/

"Ma, Ma, Ma!" she was pulled from her daze by the over excited squeals of her baby boy.

Seeing her son and husband together made her smile. James was a Potter through and through, the only this that could be attributed to her was the black colour of his hair and the slight curl it got when it grew too long, everything else was his father. She couldn't help but wonder about the baby she carried and if they would be all Potter as well, of if some of her black family characteristics would pull through.

"My baby, have you been good for your father?" she asked walking over and giving him a kiss on the cheek and making his squeal even more as he wriggled in his father's arms to get down.

Charlus however was looking at her with concerned eyes and she knew what he saw; she was pale even for a Black, her eyes shrunk and features drawn yet since she had heard the news she had felt better, she would and could have this baby.

"Dory," he said making her grimace, she loathed that nickname.

"Charlie," she said just to see him scowl, laughing when James mimicked his father. Stepping over, she took their son from him and kissed him once more.

"We have things to discuss," she said with a small smile, even after decades of marriage to such an expressive and emotional man she didn't like to express emotion so plainly, her upbringing shining through.

"Missy," she called out for the nanny elf.

"My lady called," the elf squeaked, appearing with a pop.

"Take James to the nursery and watch over him," she ordered with soft firmness.

"Yes mistress," the elf said, taking the baby and holding him his close before disappearing with a pop.

"What is going on Dorea?" Charlus asked with a slight frown, worry marring his features.

"Come sit with me," she said, drawing away and towards the fire.

Once they were seated, Dorea curled up resting her head against Charlus' chest she spoke.

"I lied to you today," she admitted, "I didn't go to Diagon Alley, I went to St. Mungos."

Hearing this Charlus stiffened but didn't speak.

"I'm pregnant."

Charlus didn't know what to say, he had resigned himself to passing his title onto one of his distant cousins before James was born, so when they found out Dorea was pregnant he had been ecstatic, and hearing he was to be a father again was just a wondrous. But he couldn't help but worry; Dorea had been so weak during her pregnancy and he knew she was frail now.

"What have the healers said?" he asked.

"I'm on potions to keep me and our little one strong and healthy. I'm to go onto bed rest, no magic and the healers will be visiting weekly to keep an eye on our progress" she said, unsure if she wanted to tell him about the mortality rate, she knew her husband would already love this baby even having just heard about it but she also knew that if it came down to it he would pick her over their unborn child. "I was offered the chance to abort," She admitted after a few moments of silence, knowing he would have found out from their healers eventually.

Hearing this Charlus closed his eyes, he could lose his wife. He needed her, James needed her. "You will take it," he demanded.

Dorea pulled away, and looked at her husband with hurt eyes, "I will not. Our child will be born."

"I can't lose you Dory, James can't lose you. I know we always said we wanted as many children as possible but we don't need them, we have an heir," He explained.

"I want this baby Charlus; I know everything will be fine. I will be fine," she said with determination.

Charlus knew he wouldn't win when he saw that look in her eyes, silver turned to steel. "If it comes down to it, I will pick you."

Dorea controlled the flinch that those words made her want to release. "It won't."

To say her second pregnancy was a nightmare would be putting it mildly, it was as if finding out about the pregnancy had made her symptoms 10 times worse and by the time Dorea was set to give birth she was ready for it to be over. Yet even through her suffering she couldn't help but smile, looking down at her swollen stomach she felt proud, against the odds her baby girl was healthy.

The healers had been worried at first but her princess was a fighter and in a few hours she would be here. Caesareans were not common in their society anymore, but Dorea had opted for one when told the likelihood of a successful natural birth was low, she was simply not strong enough and the strain could cause the baby harm. They had already beaten the odds and she refused to fall at the last hurdle. Charlus had been against it, a product of his upbringing, as it was light families that had seen caesareans fall out of fashion, their view that a baby had to be 'born' for magic to bless them was ridiculous, but with Britain's pro-light regime it had taken off. However Dorea didn't care, her daughter and she would survive and flourish.

It was at 17:04 on Saturday July 31st 1961 that Harriet Lyra Potter was born. A small but healthy 5 pounds 2 ounces, with black curls and blue eyes flecked with emerald green.

/

Harry held in a sigh as she pulled at the dress mommy had forced her into, it was pretty but wearing a pretty dress didn't make up for the fact she was bored. Today was supposed to be fun, it was her 5th birthday. That was an important day, mommy and daddy had said so, but she didn't really understand why it was important, other than getting presents and cake but then you got them on all birthdays. This year it was family only, all of them were here; all of mommas family and daddy's, usually it was just mommy and daddies friends and their children that came to parties, sometimes their cousins would come but not always and never uncle Arcturus. James had had his important birthday party last year when he turned 5 as well but she didn't get to go, her and cousin Regulus had instead had a tea party with the elves as momma said they were too young. James wouldn't even tell her about it, he said she was a baby and wouldn't understand because she was stupid. Ever since James had met cousin Sirius he had started to be a meanie, Regulus agreed with her.

"There you are my darling."

Looking up Harry saw her mother gracefully walking towards her. Harry knew her mother was the prettiest woman in the world, she had seen a lot of adults, over 20 of them easily, and none were as pretty as her momma. Cousin Cissa said Harry was lucky because she looked like her mommy and not like her daddy or James, so she would be pretty when she grew up but Harry knew that her momma would always be the prettiest. Cousin Andy just said she had strange eyes.

"You've kept us all waiting my love," her momma scolded softly, brushing the curls that had fallen into her daughters face away.

"I don't want to come out," Harry admitted, wrapping her arms her mother and breathing in her comforting scent.

"And why is that?" Dorea asked

"James and Sirius are always mean to me and everybody is here and I don't know why. I don't like it."

Dorea laughed lightly at her daughter's disgruntled face, knowing her daughter was upset about being in the dark. Her little star was always so inquisitive, a little raven in the making. "It's your birthday my love, our family is here to celebrate with you."

"But why is it different this year?"

Looking at her daughters pleading look Dorea couldn't help but smile, where James was all potter Harriet was a Black, from her delicate features to her long black curls, the only oddity where her eyes, a bright emerald green that neither her or Charlus could claim with certainty. Even her mannerisms were more Black tan Potter; she was quiet, an observer and from what Dorea had seen her darling daughter was sneaky.

"We're going to call on our ancestral family magic to bless you," Dorea said, watching as Harriet's eyes widened at that.

"But you said I wasn't allowed to do magic until Hogwarts."

Dorea laughed; usually it was after a child's 5th birthday when their families got together to hold a ritual and call on their ancestral magic that a child would begin to show their own magic, but Harriet was already having bursts of accidental magic that were strong, a good sign for her future power. It was because of these bursts of accidental magic; that Dorea was convinced weren't all accidental, that she had told her daughter no magic until Hogwarts. It had helped but she still noted that her little star always managed to get into whatever and wherever she liked.

/

Harriet watched in fascination as her daddy and her great uncle Arcturus set about casting different up runes on the floor. She didn't know what they all meant or why they went together but was proud she recognised some of the ones they were using. She liked runes, they were like pictures that were magic, so she had snuck some books on runes out from their family library to look at and learn from. Her reading was already good, better than James even according to their tutors, so she hadn't struggled to read the names of the runes from the book.

"Look at the little baby," came a high pitched but snarky voice behind her.

Turning Harriet thought the urge to stick her tongue out, momma said that ladies didn't do that, but James was so mean.

"I'm not a baby."

"What's that? I can't understand baby talk."

"Stop it or I'll tell mommy you being mean again and she'll be angry at you."

James flushed slightly at that, their mother had grounded him for a week after the last time he had been caught taunting his sister.

"Waaaa, waaaa. That's all we can hear baby," came an equally high and snarky voice from behind her brother just before Sirius Black appeared. A mean smirk on his face as he and James greeted each other with a smirk before turned on her together that suddenly died on their faces.

"Leave her alone you brats."

Turning away Harriet saw that cousin Bella had come up behind her, smiling Harry skipped towards her oldest cousin. Bellatrix Black was Harry's favourite cousin with Regulus and Narcissa coming joint second place. Andy was okay, she tended to be nice to her most of the time but she was boring, still boring was better than mean like Sirius.

"Bella," Harriet greeted, smiling brightly when the 11 year old lent down to level. She liked when people did that.

"How are you my littlest star?" Bellatrix asked, kissing her forehead before continuing, "Have these two been bothering you for long?" her dark eyes gleaming with something Harriet didn't recognise as she glared at the two, now pale, six year olds. Pulling out her recently acquired wand and giving it a twirl with a smile, Bella was happy to see them both step back
further.

"No, they're just being troll faces." Harriet said, happy that Bella was defending her. Mommy always tired but she didn't like punishing James and daddy usually just laughed it off as boys being boys and told Harry to stop complaining. Harriet didn't think she liked boys very much if this was what they were like, apart from cousin Reggie, he was different because he wasn't mean. He also liked books and quiet. Harriet liked both of those things.

"I see, well then you pair listen up. I'm 11 now, I have a wand and I'm not afraid to use it. If I see you being mean to my little Lyra I won't hesitate to hex you both and give you a real reason to cry." Both boys nodded and jumped back from the wand wielding witch. Harriet giggled as they ran off, but stopped when she heard Sirius call Bella crazy. She wasn't crazy she was nice to Harriet.

/

Standing in the middle of the rune circle Harriet smiled as she heard her daddy chanting, her tutor miss Bones had started them on Latin over Christmas but Harriet didn't understand many of the words... feeling something tugging at her Harriet frowned, daddy's magic was nice but it didn't feel like hers it wasn't bright and colourful or loud, his magic was contained... like a bowl of water compared to hers which was like the stream that ran in the back garden behind their manor. Feeling the tug she let some of her magic run down towards her daddy, and giggled again when the runes started to glow slightly.

Charlus slowly started the ritual, as the head of Harriet's family it was his magic that should call to hers the most, yet he could tell his daughters magic wasn't compelled by his. As his ritual ended Charlus was unsure about his daughter's future; he knew she had magic, and a fair amount from the feel of it, but if it couldn't be brought out then she would be classed as a squib; something the healers warned was possible during Dorea's problematic pregnancy. Still the runes had reacted slightly so she must have some ability to use her magic, hopefully enough for Hogwarts. He could admit he didn't have much of a relationship with his youngest, he had refused to bond when she was born out of fear she wouldn't survive and by the time she proved to be a fighter he had been too busy with his new position as head auror and making sure James, as his heir, wasn't feeling pushed out or jealous of the new baby. He loved his daughter without doubt, but he could admit that his wife was the one who had done most of the child raising when it came to her.

As Charlus finished Arcturus started his chanting without missing a beat, as the head of the Black family, the family of the child's mother, he was obliged to finish the ritual and draw on the remainder of Harriet's magic. Having seen the poor amount brought fourth previously he didn't have much hope, it was rare for a child to inherit magic from the line they weren't named after. Harriet was a Potter, for all that her mother was a Black by birth, it was Potter magic she was most likely to inherit. Continuing the ritual, Arcturus almost gasped when the child's magic latched onto his, it flowed through him like a geyser, he had never felt such connection to their families ancestral magic; It was pure and free.

Harriet stilled when uncle Arcturus's magic latched onto hers, it felt right like coming home. Allowing her magic to flow Harriet didn't notice her eyes closing until gasps filled the ritual room, drawing her attention. Looking around in wonder Harriet saw the room was glowing with magic as the runes light up brightly, in took her a moment though to realise it wasn't the runes they were staring at but her.

Dorea knew her baby girl was special, knew from the moment she survived against all the odds and this proved it. Last year when they had called to James magic, he had a good reaction to Charlus and hardly reacted to her families, now her daughter was doing the opposite. Never had she been present at an magical awakening of such power or purity, the runes that called to their magic were all glowing brighter than any she had ever witnessed. Looking around she couldn't help but feel pride. Turning to her daughter her breath caught on a gasp; even with her eyes closed there was light coming from between the closed lids. Magical sight was a gift that very few possessed, passed down predominantly through the Black, Prewitt and Prince families, it didn't manifest often but it was a bloodline gift to envy.

Charlus didn't know what to think as he watched the runes he had placed explode into colour. He was glad his daughter wasn't a squib, but a part of him couldn't help but feel slighted. His daughter was just that his, the fact her magic resonated with the Blacks didn't sit right with him. The Potters where a light family, he knew marrying Dorea was a risk as she had a neutral-dark inclination, a rarity in the Black family, but still to have a child so firmly dark inclined wasn't something he had prepared for, and for her to manifest one of their bloodline gifts? No, he didn't know how to feel. He was proud yes, but he knew the price of darkness and power, he had grown up learning about such things.

/

Harriet looked around the garden with wonder, eyes tracing patterns that were invisible to most, but to her as clear as day. The wards that surrounded the grounds of castle black were extensive and beautiful; Harriet could trace then for hours and still find beauty in them. Since her birthday 5 years ago, uncle Arcturus had taken a much stronger interest in her and by default her family, though he made it clear he didn't think much of father and therefore James, who was his miniature in all ways.

"Got your head in the clouds little star?" came a teasing voice that Harriet loved.

Turning Harriet blinked and focused on her cousin, blocking out her sight. "Bella," Harry greeted, having not seen her favourite cousin in almost a year.

The sixteen year old witch smiled and greeted Harry with her customary head kiss. "Have you missed me Lyra?" the older witch giggled, spinning with her arms out to give her a show just in case Harry had forgotten when she looked like from all angles.

"Yes, James and Sirius have be even worse since they got their letters and wands," she said, her tone dry as she allowed her energetic cousin to drag her back towards the gathering and away from the wards.

"Little blood traitors, I'll make sure they learn to leave you alone once they come to school." Bella hissed, her face transforming immediately from innocent joy into something darker.

"Mother said not to call them that."

Bella pulled a face at that, they were little blood traitors. Twirling once more, she settled on saying, "your mother is a good wife," not wanting to upset her favourite little cousin, or cause an argument which would no doubt draw uncle Arcturus attention, the old man was shockingly protective of their littlest star.

Harriet pulled a face at the non-answer, she hadn't even known what a blood traitor really was when Bella had first started called Sirius one followed quickly by James and her father, she had asked her mother once and gotten a pensive look and a non-answer, followed by a promised to tell her when she was older. Not happy with that she had next gone to her father, which was a mistake as he had shouted at her and threatened to ground her if she ever called anybody such a foul thing. She hadn't wanted to ask Bella or Cissa after that so she had cornered Reggie and forced him to explain the term to her.

Blood traitors where just that, people who betrayed their blood, their family, but more importantly people who betray magic. Magic is all. All witches and wizards have family magic, alignments to certain fields and classifications which are hard to ignore, being either dark or light inclined doesn't come into effect. Harriet had first assumed that it was light magic inclined people who were blood traitors and was happy to be wrong. Blood traitors are those who know that magic is all, that it is sentient and a gift, but choose to ignore it, they take it for granted and would see certain magic and therefore family magic's denied and wiped out. They ignore the solstices where magic is worshiped and would cut out entire branches of magic they deem dark or forbidden. They would kill the very thing that they are.

"Speaking of wives, I overheard uncle talking about a contract with the Lestranges."

"You're a little sneak really aren't you little star."

Harriet laughed and allowed her cousin some privacy, she knew Bella had liked the Lestrange heir for a few years and was happy for her to let the subject go, especially as Bella's accusation of her being a sneak was true to a certain extent; she often overheard things because people often overlooked her. She was naturally quiet and unobtrusive.

It was how she knew that something was building up in the shadows and her family was going to be in the middle of it. Her father had been very angry lately. He hadn't been home much and when we was around he had seemed stressed, he was quick to anger and even their mother was feeling the brunt of it. He'd even been bringing his work home, having meeting with people in his office; she had even seen Albus Dumbledore in there a few times. The first few times she hadn't meant to overhear much but the words 'Death Eaters', 'Dark Lord' and 'Murder' were attention grabbing. So yes, she often happened to find herself near her father when he had meetings and forgot to place silencing wards up. Not that they did much against her when he remembered, uncle Arcturus had taught her to take down and manipulate most basic wards last year. With her magical sight doing so was like unwinding a ball of yarn, difficult but not impossible.

It wasn't just the increased anger that Harriet had noted on her father, it was his new attitude towards magic and family. Her father had been trying to pull them away from the Black family for the last few years. He said he didn't like what they stood for, that their dark magic was evil. He was fine with Sirius and allowed him over to torment her with James, as he said Sirius was a good boy in a bad situation. Yet he had slowly started to pull away from family events, declining dinner and party invites. If it wasn't for the fact her mother had insisted she be allowed to come and see her family on her birthday, Harriet doubted she would be here today. Her father had rejected the last 4 offers outright and hadn't allowed James to come today, instead taking him to Diagon alley to get the last of his school supplies. It had gotten to the point that Harriet often ended up sneaking out in order to visit her family, with her mother covering for her.

"I see you found my reclusive birthday girl."

Smiling with her eyes, Harriet masked her joy at seeing her mother. They were in public now and she knew better than to flaunt her emotions for all to see, although she doubted she hid them that well. "Mother," she greeted.

"Aunt Dorea," Bella greeted, spinning again with a giggle before skipping away, which Harriet found both appalling and fascinating. Only Bella could act so carefree and not be judged by the people around them, then again, Bellatrix Black was one of the deadliest duellers in a decade and everybody here knew not to cross her or any member of the Black family.

"Are you having a good time my darling?" Dorea asked.

"Yes mother, it is nice to be with family."

The words caused a crack within Dorea and she was grateful for her pureblood mask so that her emotions didn't show on her face. She knew what was coming; she had been watching the signs and could no longer deny it. Although it had been subtle, lines were being drawn in the sand and she feared for her youngest when it all came to head. Harriet was truly her daughter. Dorea was a Black, she believed in tradition, in magic and maintaining their way of life, in keeping magic strong. Harriet was like her in this way, she knew her daughter was devout, how could she be anything but when she could see magic in the very air. Yet even with her traditional beliefs, Dorea had fallen in love and married Charlus who didn't care, he didn't believe in the sentience of magic, it simply was to him. He followed most traditions for her sake but that was all.

She knew the Dark Lord was getting ready to make his move. She might not be entrusted with the details but her family couldn't hide that from her and neither could her husband, who she knew was going to oppose him alongside Dumbledore and many other light families. Why he couldn't stand back and be neutral she didn't know, as fighting was going to tear their family apart.

/

Harriet new her fear was irrational; Her Hogwarts letter would come. Yet like all children who know its due she couldn't help her eyes lingering between the clock and the window as she sat and waited for the owl to appear.

"Perhaps they realised what a loser you are and didn't send one?" James taunted, from where he was sitting opposite her at the table.

"If the basis for entering Hogwarts was as such you would have never gotten in brother dear," she said back, happy to see her formal speech had him confused for a moment before he realised he had been insulted.

"You're such a prissy little brat. You think you're so much better than me just because some old racist who is related to mum thinks you're special."

"No, I know I'm better than you because I have a brain and know how to use it, unlike you dragon breath!" she hissed back, adding the childish insult in her anger.

Face growing red in anger and hazel eyes narrowing Harriet knew her brother was about to explode but before he could a delicate cough came from the door.

"And here I thought my children were grown up and mature enough to be away from me for months on end, yet simply leaving you alone for breakfast together results in petty fights."

Both of them immediately stopped and flushed in shame. Harriet feeling it more than James as her mother was her closest confidant and friend. James was a daddy's boy through and through. Harriet however was a mommy's girl, something she would admit without shame. Seeing her mother standing in the doorway Harriet allowed another fear to surface. An apprehension she wouldn't acknowledge for fear it would come true. She wanted to go to school, to get her letter, to learn, to see her family every day and make friends. Yet going meant leaving her mother, who with each passing day seemed to be getting weaker. She had never noticed growing up how weak her mother's health was; to her their mother was a giant, invincible and perfect. She hadn't seen the shakiness and frailty but now they were impossible to ignore. Dorea was still beautiful, graceful and magical but she had a fragile air about her, like one strong gust of wind would blow her away.

"Sorry mother," Harry said, James quickly following her lead.

"It's not me you should be apologising to."

Masking her frown Harriet turned to her brother and thought to stop her eyes from rolling, he wasn't masking his distaste at the idea of apologising at all.

"I'm sorry brother, I was being childish and taking my fears out on you," She said, happy to see her formal speech once again made his face scrunch.

"Yeah, I'm sorry to," he grumbled, before standing up and leaving the kitchen.

Dorea sighed as her son left, she loved her baby boy dearly but he was so much like his father sometimes. Harriet watched him go with a concealed smirk, she had won that round. Her smirk however soon morphed into confusion as her mother sent a stinging hex at her head. Yelping as it hit Harriet turned and pouted.

"Don't think I don't know what you did," Dorea said to her daughter, silver eyes glittering with humour.

Allowing her mask to drop, Harriet giggled, "It's so easy to wind him up though mother."

Smirking Dorea sat down and waited a moment for one of the elves to appear with her breakfast, "easy yes, but he is your brother. You should try to get along with him."

Harriet nodded, "I know but he's always such a troll to me."

Dorea sighed, "one day you will both realise how blessed you are to have each other. I hope I get to see it."

Harriet stilled at the words, "you're not going anywhere mother."

Dorea smiled softly at her youngest child, "I'll try not to," she promised, smiling when she saw a Hogwarts barn owl sitting on the windowsill, it must have just arrived.

"I think you've got some mail little star,"

Turning Harriet jumped up when she saw the brown bird and practically ran toward the owl. Taking the letter she gave the bird a few treats she had on hand for this very reason and stepped back, slowly walking back towards her mother.

"it's not going to open itself silly," Dorea said, after her daughter made no move to crack the seal of the letter.

Harriet flushed, she knew that butt still this was her Hogwarts letter.

"Should I wait for father?" she asked, she hadn't seen him yet so he was probably due down soon for breakfast before he left for work.

Dorea withheld her wince, "I'm sorry my darling, your father had to go into work early today because of an emergency. He would be here if he could."

Harriet nodded, she understood, she truly did. Her father was an important man, the head of the auror force, yet still she felt disappointed. She remembered last year the fuss he made of James getting his letter, they had all gone out to celebrate and taken James to get his wand as a family.

"So they actually let you in then," James's voice cut through her thoughts

"Of course they did dear; your baby sister will one day be a great witch just like I know you will one day be a great wizard."

James flushed at the praise, "maybe you're not such a loser after all then," he said, the smirk he sent not holding the usual bite.

"Or they lowered the standards with you," Harriett shot back but smiled this time at her brother, a rare thing as she usually masked her emotions around James to annoy him.

James laughed as came back into the room and did something that shocked Harriet; he pulled her into a hug.

"Congratulations brat," he whispered.

Harriet was thoroughly shocked, and only just remembered to put her arms around him in return. Looking on Dorea smiled and felt hope, perhaps thins wouldn't be as bad as she feared.