A/N: Alright, this chapter took a little while longer than the others did. Sorry. This one has a lot of dialogue in it. And, as you can see by the title, a lot of secrets will be uncovered. I hope you like it!!!
Revelations
"Charlie?" Hermione asked very perplexed. Almost at a snail's pace, Hermione walked into the room. Charlie Weasley's head turned slowly towards her and he spoke.
"Oh...er...hello Hermione." he said in a startled voice and looked back at Liz who was staring blank faced at Hermione. Hermione's face was screwed up in confusion. "What's going on? Who are you?" she asked now glaring at Liz and then looked back at Charlie. "Who is she? What's - how do you know Charlie and Fred and George?!' she asked looking back at Liz. "You don't know anyone! How- " Hermione was fuming.
"Hermione, please calm down and let me explain - " Liz began pleadingly.
"Yes, you'd better! And, where's Professor Bright?" Hermione asked.
"Professor Bright? She's er...er..." Liz stuttered eyeing Charlie, silently pleading for help.
"She's er..." Charlie mirrored turning away from Liz and back to Hermione. "Professor Dumbledore." he said suddenly. Hermione whipped around to see Professor Dumbledore standing in the doorway of the office. "Professor." she said startled.
"Good morning Miss Granger." he said nodding to Hermione. "Good morning Elizabeth, and oh, hello Charlie."
"Good morning Professor." Liz and Charlie replied. Hermione couldn't take this. Dumbledore didn't seem perplexed by this at all. "What is going?" Hermione asked again, looking from Liz to Charlie and back at Dumbledore.
"Professor - ", Liz began before Dumbledore held up a hand to silence her. "Elizabeth," he said softly. "Do not worry. I think now is as good a time as any to reveal the truth to Miss Granger."
"You do?" Liz asked incredulously.
"What truth?" asked Hermione.
"Yes I do." Dumbledore said to Liz, ignoring Hermione. Charlie was starting to look uneasy and Hermione heard a noise coming from the other side of the fire. "Er...I have to go now...Liz, you know..." he said to her with secretive eyes, then he looked back up a Dumbledore. "Professor...I need to - "
"I understand Charlie." Dumbledore simply said. Charlie smiled gratefully and looked back up at Liz. Hermione saw Charlie mouth words to her. `I love you' is what he said. If it were possible, Hermione was now even more confused. Then with a tiny `pop', Charlie's head disappeared. Hermione glared at Liz, then looked back over at Dumbledore, waiting for answer.
"Now, will someone please tell me what's going on?" Hermione asked in a tone she had only used with Ron when she was annoyed. She noticed this and quickly looked away from Dumbledore, suddenly aware of who she was speaking to.
"Yes Miss Granger," Dumbledore said. "You will be given answers. But not here. I do not wish us to be overheard." Hermione looked suspiciously at him. Overhear what? Hermione thought. This must be a big secret.
" If you will Miss Granger...Elizabeth. Please follow me to my office." Dumbledore said. Hermione looked over at Liz, she looked extremely perturbed by the whole situation. Liz walked with Dumbledore, and Hermione followed them out of the office and through the classroom and to Dumbledore's office. They reached the statue that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Hermione had never been in there before. She could just picture the number of times Harry had told her he'd gone to see Dumbledore. She wondered what he was doing at this moment. She let her mind wander to the events that had only happened not but an hour ago. She was in bed with Harry, lying in his arms. Just as the last thought had struck her mind. Liz began to laugh to herself. Hermione looked at her as if she were about to jinx her. Why was she laughing? Then she heard Professor Dumbledore mutter the password: "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes." Hermione let on a slight smile, then catching Liz's eye returned to her frown.
The three of them rode the revolving staircase up to Professor Dumbledore's office in silence. They finally reached the top and stepped out into the office. It was enormous. Hermione was nearly ready to start asking questions about it until she remembered why she was there. Dumbledore stood in the middle of the office, looking out the window, then at Hermione. "Miss Granger," he began very seriously. "What Elizabeth is about to tell you will be difficult to believe. But know that it is ALL truth. Also, whatever Elizabeth tells you, must not leave this room. Anything and everything she says must be kept secret." Hermione looked extremely anxious. What the hell was going on? What had Hermione walked in on?
"I am going to leave the two of you in here. I will return in one hours time." Dumbledore said. "Do you feel that is enough time?" he asked Liz.
"An hour? Well," she said letting out a breath. "Yes that should be enough. You're sure Professor?"
"Yes." Dumbledore said firmly.
"Alright." Liz replied as Dumbledore turned and left the office, back down the revolving staircase back down. Hermione watched him until he disappeared, then turned around to see Liz sitting in Dumbledore's chair. "Please, have a seat." she said and pointed to one of the seats in front of Professor Dumbledore's desk. Hermione hesitated for a moment then sat down. "So what's going on?" she asked Liz hurriedly. "Who are you? How do you know the Weasley's? How - ".
"Hermione, please just wait a moment and listen to me." Liz said with a patient air.
"But - "
Just then, Hermione was cut off. Liz raised her wand out of nowhere and shouted "SILENCIO!" Hermione fell silent and glared at Liz.
"Now listen to me," Liz said. " I am going to explain everything to you. It will be very confusing for you in the beginning...but, you're a smart girl, you might figure it out before I finish. I'm going to lift the Silencing Charm now, but you must stay quiet. Please, all I ask is that you wait to ask me questions. Alright?" Hermione nodded in agreement. With a wave of her wand, Liz lifted the Silencing Charm.
"Alright," Liz said. "I'm going to start from the beginning." Liz took a deep breath and looked seriously at Hermione. "Seventeen years ago, I was orphaned. My parents had been killed by Lord Voldemort. I was five. He just walked right into our house. My father was holding me in his arms, shielding me from harm. My mother, she ran with my little brother upstairs...I remember the horror in her face." Liz paused in between each sentence, seeming to try an compose herself. "I remember, I couldn't help but feel that it was the last time I was ever going to see her. Voldemort raised his wand at my father and I. All I saw was a flash of bright green light, and in an instant, Voldemort had killed my father with the Avada Curse. I wasn't hit by it. I was thrown from my father's arms onto the floor. His lifeless body hit the floor just after I had. I remember lying there, staring at my fathers open, soulless eyes." Liz took a deep breath as if to prevent herself from crying. Hermione's eyes were wide with horror as Liz recalled the night of her parents' deaths. " Just before I passed out," Liz continued "I heard my mother screaming, and I saw the same bright flash of green light. I knew she was dead too."
"When I finally woke up, Voldemort had come and gone. My father, he - he was just lying next to me, motionless. I couldn't take it. I'd wished I had died as well." Liz paused and looked intently at Hermione. As Liz spoke, her words were filled with such sadness. "Can you imagine? Can you imagine wanting to die at the age of 5, nearly six?" Hermione shook her head slowly. She had tears streaming down her face. "I got up, and I ran." Liz said. "I ran out of that house as fast as I could and just kept going. I nearly got two blocks away when I thought felt something grab me from behind and I ran even faster. I looked over my shoulder and saw nothing. When I turned back in front of me, I tripped over...something, I dunno and hit my head on the ground and knocked myself unconscious." Liz let out a breath. "I woke up in a muggle hospital one week later. I thought I had dreamt the whole thing, that it was just a horrible nightmare. As I opened my eyes, I saw two figures hovering over me. One, was Professor Dumbledore and the other, Professor McGonagall. They told me that they knew my parents; and at the mention of them it all came back to me. It was real." Liz's face was filled with such emotion. Hermione couldn't imagine how difficult it must be for her to relive it all.
"Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall then brought me here." Liz continued. "Madame Pompfrey took care of me for awhile...tending to my injuries. Mended them in a heartbeat, I might add." Liz stopped and stared at Hermione.
"Does the beginning of this story sound...familiar to you?" she asked. Hermione's face was white with shock and her eyes were filled with tears.
"Y-you, you mean...y-you're...you're...Harry's - ". Hermione couldn't say it. It was simply to unbelievable to be true.
"Sister." Liz finished quietly.
"Sister." Hermione repeated incredulously.
"Yes." Liz said quietly. Hermione's expression was too mixed to decipher a particular emotion. She was now breathing shallow breaths. "So, where have you been all this time?" Hermione managed. "Why didn't you ever...Harry...he...he's been living with his Aunt and Uncle and cousin...while...you've - "
"Ah," Liz said. "Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Listen, let me finish this story." Hermione looked extremely angry, but fell back into her seat and waited for an explanation as to why Harry had to suffer by himself all these years.
"After I was fully healed, I was sent to live with Minerva McGonagall for my safety. You know why Harry was safe with Petunia?"
"Yes." Hermione said. "He told us Dumbledore had said it was with his mother's blood where he was safest."
"That's right." Liz replied. "And while our mother gave her life to save Harry's, our father did the same for me. Only, he had no living relatives. I couldn't live with the Dursley's. I wasn't safe there. And they wouldn't have taken me anyway...both me and my brother...who were destined to be magical...HA! No way! They hated just having Harry there. It wouldn't matter, I'd have run away from there anyway."
"SO HARRY HAD TO SUFFER?" Hermione roared.
"Hermione calm down." Liz said patiently. "You know why he had to stay with the Dursley's. It was for his protection."
"I know, it's just that...he hated it there!"
"I know. And I hated him being there. But there was nothing I could do." There was a moment in which Liz detected a flicker of understanding in Hermione's expression. "Anyway," she continued. "I lived with Minerva while school was out. When the terms began, I stayed in my own dormitory, away from the students. I was only allowed to attend Quidditch matches and go to Hogsmeade with Minerva. When the students were in bed, I have to say, I was a bit reckless. I would sneak out of my dormitory and wander around the castle, making it my own little playground. When I was finally old enough to be a student, I was ecstatic. I just couldn't wait to learn new things. I had already roamed the library, which I had memorized by the age of eight. I'd also read a lot of the books Minerva had on Transfiguration. It was during my second year when I discovered I was a Metamorphmagus. I had a lot of fun when I made that discovery." Liz added happily.
"Wait a minute." said Hermione bewildered. "You can change your appearance at will?"
"Yes." Liz said. Hermione seemed to be pondering something for a moment, scrunching up her face in concentration. Then she looked up a Liz.
"You're...Professor Bright?"
"Yes." Liz said again.
"So...what? Why? And...and Snape's class! Does he know? I mean..."
"Hermione, calm down. Let me finish, alright? I'll go through the rest of my history and then I will tell you what I'm doing here." said Liz. Hermione nodded in agreement once more and Liz went on to finish her story.
"So, in my second year I discovered that little power...my grandfather was said to be a Metamorphmagus. Anyway, during my second year, I was trying out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, when my broom went crazy. It just wouldn't fly properly. It seemed like I had no control over it. After nearly five minutes of trying to control it, I was thrown from nearly eighty feet high. I was free falling for what seemed like forever. And then...he saved me."
"Who?" Hermione asked.
"Charlie. Charlie Weasley. He had been flying around chasing that snitch and...he flew right at me and caught me mid - air. We were best friends from then on. When December rolled around, Charlie turned and then Christmas followed. Charlie invited me to come and visit him over the holidays. Of course I said `yes', but I had to ask Minerva first. She knew the Weasley's and agreed. Not right off, mind you, but I got to go." Liz was grinning now thinking about her past.
"So, I arrived at the Burrow and met Arthur and Molly, Percy - well I had already met him at Hogwarts, but him at Christmas - that was a treat." she said sarcastically. "He was always trying to impress people. Then I met Fred and George. I loved them! They were the most unique set of people I had ever met. And of course...little Ron and little Ginny." Liz was now chuckling to herself. Hermione couldn't help but smile.
"Ron must have been around seven or eight." Liz said. "And Ginny was six. I wasn't really worried about Ginny recognizing me. In fact she's seems rather distant when I'm around. I don't know what that's about. Anyway, when Ron had mentioned that I looked familiar, I was really nervous. And, Harry..." Liz paused and looked at her hands for a moment.
It was the first time Hermione had heard Liz say Harry's name, knowing now who she was. It was an odd feeling Hermione had. She was sitting here, talking to Harry's sister. The sister Harry didn't even know he had.
"...I thought Harry had recognized me somehow." Liz said. "But I knew that was impossible...Anyway," she said briskly. "Back to the Weasleys. I spent Christmas with them and had a wonderful time. Charlie and I remained best friends through the years. I continued to study at Hogwarts through my fifth year. Charlie was graduating. He was nearly finished with Hogwarts. Suddenly, I began to get these strange feelings everywhere I went. Anywhere in the castle and I would start to clench up and nearly stop breathing. I felt cold all of the time and I could feel darkness all around me." Liz stopped to stare at the Dumbledore's desk that was in front of her. "I told Dumbledore about it. He had the castle searched thoroughly, but nothing was found. I couldn't finish my remaining two years without feeling ill. I was then confined to my private dormitory, where I would receive private lessons from other teachers and of course, Minerva and Professor Dumbledore taught me A LOT of magic. I was also privately tutored by witches and wizards from Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Dumbledore actually paid a lot of money for those lessons." Liz said thoughtfully.
"He's done so much for me over the years." She was now gazing out the window of the office. She could see the Black Lake glistening under the sun. "Dumbledore informed me later when Harry started his first year that he had been having similar, but more mild feelings. Though neither of us knew at the time that it was Professor Quirrells doing. It became apparent after Harry's fight with Quirrell, that the dark feelings I was having during my early years at Hogwarts were because of Professor Quirrell. Because Voldemort had leeched onto the back of his head, I felt a dark presence all around me. I suppose it was strong because I'd grown up hating him and could sort of sense him."
"Charlie was always curious as to why it happened never had any idea who I actually was. All he knew was that I was orphaned and I lived with Minerva. I've always told people that my name is Elizabeth Halsey. Now, I can finally say aloud to you, that my name is...Elizabeth Lily Potter. Our parents seemed to be fond of their first names, seeing as how they ended up being Harry and mine's second names." she said chuckling. "I told Charlie who I was just before he left Hogwarts. Naturally, he thought I was crazy until I shared two things with him." Liz began to fumble with her robes and pulled out something from her pocket. Then she tugged at the collar of her shirt and removed the necklace she was wearing. It was the small orb. She first held up a folded piece of paper she had pulled out of her pocket. "First, I showed him this." she said handing Hermione the paper. Hermione took it and opened it to see that it was a photograph. She recognized this picture. It was almost identical to the one that Hagrid had given him. Only in this one, there was a little girl sitting on the lap of Harry's mother. Hermione looked up in shock at Liz.
"This - this is you? You and...and Harry and...your parents?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, that's the last photograph we took before..." said Liz, trailing off in tears.
"But, this is the same photograph that Harry has. Only, you're not in that one." Hermione said looking back down at the photograph.
"Well I wouldn't be would I? Surely you don't think Dumbledore or Hagrid would give Harry something that had anything to do with me. They are the same picture. There is simply an unbreakable charm on his photograph...I'm not visible."
"You and Harry...now that I know...the two of you look so much alike. Your green eyes, and your hair." Hermione said handing the photo back to Liz.
"Yes we do." Liz said taking the picture back from Hermione. "Well, when you see my real hair, you'll know I'm my mother's daughter." Liz shook her head and a new color swept over her hair. "More red than raven." Liz said pointing to her hair. Hermione laughed. "You do look like her. Like...like your mum. She was really beautiful." Hermione said. She felt rather odd discussing Harry's parents with someone else other than him. But then again, Lily and James Potter were Liz's parents too.
Liz smiled at her. "Thanks. She was beautiful." The two women sat staring at each other for a moment until Hermione broke the uncomfortable silence.
"So," she said. "What's the other thing that you showed Charlie to make him believe you?"
Liz smiled. "This." she said holding up the necklace with the small orb. "Like I told you, this is a family necklace. What I didn't tell you was that this small orb contains my entire life. Every moment, every second since the day I was born is recorded into this orb. Any time of my life can be seen by simply touching it. It sort of works like a Pensieve." she told Hermione.
Hermione's eyes widened as she gazed at the glassy orb dangling from a silver chain. "So, how did you show him anything? Charlie?" she asked. "I thought you said if anyone besides a family member touched it, that persons hand would...well `be in a lot of pain'."
"That's true, I did say that. However, I did not tell you that you can touch it, when you have my permission. Would you like to see what I showed Charlie?"
"You'd show me?" Hermione asked. Liz nodded and wrapped the necklace around her wrist and held it out to Hermione. "Touch the orb."
Hermione held out her hand and touched the glassy orb with her fingers. She was instantly whisped into what seemed to be a living room. Liz was standing right next to her looking at something on the sofa. Hermione turned to see what she was staring at. Looking at the sofa, she soon saw the figure of a little girl. The little girl was holding something. It was...a baby. A baby boy. To the right of the sofa stood James and Lily Potter smiling at the two children. Hermione turned to Liz in tears. "That's you and Harry?"
Liz nodded, still staring at her past self and past Harry. She was smiling and crying at the same time. Then she looked over at her parents and began to take shallow breaths. Hermione put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry. For Harry and you." Liz peeled her eyes away from her parents and turned to Hermione with a smile. "Thanks." she said holding out the orb for Hermione to touch. Hermione placed a finger on it and within seconds she was standing back in Dumbledore's office.
"So," Liz said sitting down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "I'm sure you have questions. You can ask them now." Hermione sat down in the chair opposite her. "Yes, I do." she said.
"Go ahead." Liz said. Hermione took a deep breath and asked her first question...
A/N: Well, there you have it. There are the Revelations. Hermione will have all of her questions answered in the next chapter...which should be up soon. I'm writing it right now! I hope you enjoyed reading this one. I know it was rather long. PLEASE REVIEW and let me know what you think!!!
-->