A/N: Here's the new chapter! I had to write this one carefully...that's why it took so long. There is so much revealed I had to make sure I didn't leave anything out! And well, I also had to be careful not to put too much in! Lol!
I hope you like this one!
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Hermione's Questions
"First of all, how does that necklace work anyway?" Hermione asked crossing her arms and looking intently at Liz.
"Inside resides a very rare gem." Liz said admiring the orb. "A magical stone that captures life as it is lived. I don't know what it's called, but every Potter generation has had one of these gems. There's some sort of secret stash somewhere. I'm quite sure it's the largest collection of this type of gem in the world." Liz explained. "My father's was in an old ring, he later put it in his wedding band and gave my mother a wedding ring with the same gem. I got this necklace, and Harry has a ring as well." Liz rummaged through her pockets once more and held up a handsome ring adorned with a fiery red stone.
"I've been holding on to it since my parents died. I have their wedding rings as well...locked away of course. I wanted Harry to finally have this when I tell him the truth. This ring contains the one year he got to spend with our parents." The ring was very tiny. After all, it had been made for Harry when he was an infant. "The size will need to be readjusted of course." Liz said pocketing the ring and then pulling the necklace up to her face and fastening it safely around her neck.
Hermione suddenly thought of something and looked at Liz with an anxious expression.. "How are you going to tell Harry? When, even?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know exactly." Liz said drearily. "I figured I'd cross that bridge when I get to it. It's not as if I can just waltz up to him and say `Hiya Harry...I'm the sister you never knew about. Sorry I never contacted you and made you live in that hell hole alone, and let you think that you didn't have any real family.' " Liz ended the rushed sentence with a heavy sigh of despair. "Oh, I wish it were that simple."
"Why did you never contact him? Why wasn't he ever told about you?" Hermione asked.
She was extremely frustrated with this whole situation that Harry had been placed in.
"Again, it was for safety reasons. For his and mine. Two years ago, Voldemort was able to reach into Harry's mind and pick out whatever he wanted. And as you know, he picked Sirius. And while it wasn't Harry's fault AT ALL that Sirius died...if Harry knew about me, his only living relative, undoubtedly Voldemort would have picked me as the target." Liz paused and looked away from Hermione. She appeared to be in tears again. "Sometimes I wish it was me. Then Sirius would still be here."
"But then you wouldn't be here." Hermione said consolingly. "Harry misses Sirius so, so much...we all do. But, knowing this, I mean knowing who you are...you're Harry's blood. You're his sister." A small smile crept over Liz's face as she looked out the window. "Yeah...sister." Liz said. Suddenly, it began to really sink in for Hermione. This was Harry's sister! This was the only living relative Harry had. Well, besides the Dursley's. But they didn't really count. "So...you knew Sirius?" Hermione asked.
"Of course I knew him. I remember, he was over at our house all of the time. Always joking with my parents, they were always laughing. He was more than just our godfather. He was more like a lovable uncle who hung around all of the time." Liz smiled affectionately as she remembered Sirius. "But er...it ended right before Harry was born. After we'd gone into hiding." Liz's smile faded.
"Okay," Hermione said. "Next question...If that necklace of yours records your life, why couldn't you just use that to clear Sirius' name and get him out of Azkaban?"
"You know of the Prophecy don't you? You know why we had to go into hiding?"
"Yes. Harry told us last year." Hermione said.
"Well, then you must know who our Secret Keeper was, right?"
"Pettigrew. We found that out in our third year."
"Right." Liz said shifting in her seat. "First of all, when I was brought here, I never heard nor saw any of the news about my parents' deaths. I had no idea that Sirius was being accused of killing Pettigrew and telling Voldemort where we were hiding. And no one knew about the necklace." she said fervently. "These gems were kept secret within the Potter family. Nobody knew about them. Not even Dumbledore." Liz's voice suddenly became quiet.
"It wasn't until I was older when I heard that Sirius had been blamed for everything. I couldn't do anything about it, I had no solid proof. I told Minerva and Dumbledore that Sirius would never have done anything to harm us. Even as a child I knew he'd never really liked Pettigrew, but I knew he would never harm him either. It seemed like they only half - believed me. I never looked in the orb of my necklace. I knew that I had nothing to help Sirius." Hermione was looking at her attentively, not wanting to miss a single detail.
"When Sirius finally fled from Azkaban, I wanted to contact him somehow. He had no idea that I was still alive. Actually," Liz said thoughtfully, "nobody knew I was alive...I'd been presumed dead...that's why my name was `changed' to Liz Halsey. Anyway," she said briskly, "so I owled Dumbledore and told him what I wanted to do. He told me not to go looking for him just yet and to wait a bit longer. I had the feeling that Dumbledore had believed me all along." Hermione was now sitting cross-armed facing Liz. She couldn't believe how much information she was getting in one sitting. This was more than she could have obtained from abook.
"So, I waited." Liz said. "I waited...and before I knew it, Sirius was `proven' innocent...only to the three of you though. Dumbledore trusted him and Sirius had already met Harry. Dumbledore thought that it would be wise for me to wait longer. I knew he was right. I mean, Sirius never would have understood why Harry was never told about me or why I never contacted him. Especially after he'd just made contact with him." Liz stood up and began to pace back and forth. "I waited another year before I finally met him. It was during the Triwizard Tournament, right before the First Task. Dumbledore had made the arrangements and came with me. He told me that Sirius had no idea who he was meeting, and I...well I was a nervous wreck!"
Hermione let out a little chuckle. "I'm sure you were." she said.
"Yes I was." said Liz as she stopped pacing and sat back down. "Dumbledore had arranged for us all to meet at a secret location. I still don't know where it was we went." Liz said laughing. "We'd taken a Portkey and ended up in a dark, old house. When Sirius arrived, he didn't see me right away. I was sitting in one of the dark corners while he talked to Dumbledore. He looked so aged...so sad."
FLASHBACK:
Sirius and Professor Dumbledore were talking in the small room filled with light, while Liz sat in a hidden corner in the darkness.
"Sir, what am I doing here? Who am I supposed to meet?" Sirius asked. Liz looked at the man she used to know from the far corner. He looked tired and torn. His face was not the one that Liz had remembered - handsome and plastered with a smile. He definitely did not look that of a man in his mid-thirties. Rather, he looked far beyond his years. Azkaban was the sort of place that could turn the cheeriest of people into th bleakest, and most saddened.
"Ah, Sirius. You will be meeting with her shortly." Dumbledore said.
"She?" Sirius aked. "She who? I don't know any other she that I would have known well...other than Lily of course and little - ." Just before he could say Liz's name, she stood up and emerged from the darkness. Stepping into the light, she startled Sirius. "WHO ARE YOU?" he exclaimed. Liz was now in tears.
"Sirius, please sit down." Dumbledore said conjuring up three large armchairs, then sitting himself comfortably in one. Sirius sat, never taking his eyes off of Liz. Liz sat down too, still gazing at Sirius' hollow eyes. "Who is this?" Sirius asked Dumbledore. "She looks a lot like...never mind"
"Sirius, this is someone I know you will remember. Dumbledore said quietly This young woman has been waiting to see you again for a very long time."
Liz was looking back and forth between Dumbledore and Sirius. Then her gaze landed back on Sirius. "You don't remember me...Uncle Sirruss?" she asked. Liz had never pronounced his name properly at the age of 5.
Instantly, Sirius' eyes filled with life again and became glossed with tears. "Liz?" he asked slowly and unsurely creeping closer to her. "James and Lily's little Liz?" he said looking at Dumbledore and back at Liz. Liz nodded and let loose her tears when Sirius pulled her from her chair and enveloped her in a hug. He clung to her and cried with joy, then finally pulled away to examine her "I can't believe you're here! You're alive! I thought you were dead...but you're here!"Sirius sobbed. "Look at you! You're all grown up." he said to her. "Y-you look so much like your mother." Liz smiled and hugged him once more. "I knew it wasn't you! I knew you'd never hurt us."
Dumbledore sat in his chair smiling.
The rest of that night was spent talking. Mainly about both Sirius' and Liz's past. Afterward, the topic of Harry carried them all the way into the early morning.
END FLASHBACK
"He had to, of course keep our meeting secret from Harry." Liz said. "Dumbledore explained everything to him, the safety precautions. So, after that he and I kept in touch. We didn't meet again though, until late June. After what had happened to Harry...we both felt so helpless."
Hermione was still listening closely. Her arms were now uncrossed and she was on the edge of her seat.
"Sirius had owled me and said that he'd found a perfect location for th Order of the Phoenix to meet safely. Number 12 Grimuald Place." said Liz.
"Wait a minute." Hermione said putting a hand in the air. "So, you're in the Order too? How have we never seen you before?"
"I've been sneaking around all my life Hermione. I'm very stealthy." Liz said to Hermione.
"Wait!" said Hermione, who was suddenly struck with an idea. "Are you - are you...Tonks?"
Liz laughed. "No." she said. "I knew you were going to ask me that. No, I am not Tonks. She is a good friend of mine though. She was in Charlie's year. She and I really got along because...well you know we're both Metamorphamagai. On occasion we would hang out after she'd knock over a line of suits of armor or somehow rearrange all of the furniture in the Gryffindor common room by turning it upside down."
Hermione was laughing. "Yes, that sounds like Tonks." she said.
"Yeah..." said Liz.
"So, then, where have you been hiding all of this time?" Hermione asked.
"Not hiding." Liz said shaking a finger at Hermione. "Living actually."
"Okay, where were you living?" Hermione said impatiently.
Liz looked at Hermione and gave her a one word answer: "Romania."
Hermione stared at her for a moment, pondering her response...Romania? Then, in an instant, it clicked. "Charlie!" Hermione shouted. "You and Charlie are..."
"Married." Liz said holding up her left hand to show Hermione a glistening diamond ring.
"Oh, I can't believe...wait...that means...Harry's related to the Weasley's!" Hermione squealed. "He and Ron are...like brother's - in - law. Who all knows about the two of you?" Hermione was nearly bouncing in her seat.
"Well, most of the Order know...Molly and Arthur, Bill, Dumbledore, Minerva...Hagrid, Moody, Lupin, and I was even so fortunate as to have Sirius walk me down the aisle." Liz said. "A very short aisle, mind you." she added quickly.
"We had to be married in secret, you know. Ron, Ginny and even Percy couldn't find out...not yet anyway. Oh, and of course Fred and George knew...they managed to find out, you know how sneaky they are. Anyway, they've both done a VERY good job keeping the secret. You know, with them being Fred and George and all." Hermione laughed. She was trying to picture Charlie and Liz walking down an aisle. And Fred and George keeping it quiet. Even Hagrid...he'd let things slip all of the time.
"Really?" Hermione asked incredulously. "Hagrid, Fred and George kept a secret?"
"Yeah, they did." Liz said chuckling. Hermione's expression was that of hysterical shock.
"So, how long have you two been married?"
"Nearly two years now...he's my best friend." Liz told Hermione with a smile.
Hermione looked down as if something interesting was sitting in her lap and smiled inwardly.
"So, you've been happy then? Marrying your best friend?"
"Yes. Very happy. He knows me so well...too well at times." Liz said affectionately. "Sometimes it's almost impossible for me to surprise him with anything. He knows me like a book." Hermione smiled, amused at the analogy. Hermione knew Harry like a book. She'd learned how to read his expressions and how to read between the lines of whatever he said. Hermione remembered it used to be so difficult to break the barrier and understand him. After Sirius died, he seemed to be more open. She and Harry had gotten closer after that. Hermione only wished that they could be closer. Hmm...maybe like this morning. That was nice. Hermione thought. Suddenly she felt that tingly feeling in her stomach that she had become accustomed to whenever she thought about Harry. Hermione sat, still staring blankly at her lap when Liz broke her from her reverie with fits of giggles.
"What?" Hermione asked bewildered.
"Nothing." Liz said still giggling.
"No," said Hermione. "What are you laughing about? You know come to think of it, you do that a lot. What's going on?"
Liz stopped her giggling long enough to give Hermione an odd look and then smiled.
"What?" Hermione asked again.
"You were thinking of Harry."
"What? I wasn't thinking of - "
"Yes you were. You got that squirmy feeling again."
"No, I...how do you know what I was feeling?"
Liz gave her another long stare and another smile. "I suppose it's time to let you in on another one of my little secrets."
"What other secret?" Hermione asked. How many more secrets would be? Hermione didn't know if she could take any more.
"Well, I'm not just a Metamorphamagus. I'm also, erm...an Empath." Liz confessed.
"You mean...you can feel other people's emotions?" Hermione asked anxiously.
"Mmm hmm."
Hermione was now in yet another state of shock. "So, you can feel...everything everyone else feels?" Hermione asked nervously.
"Right." said Liz. Hermione stood up from her seat and walked over to the window and looked out towards the lake.
"Hermione," Liz said from behind her. "How do you feel about Harry?"
Hermione did not answer, but merely continued to gaze out the window.
"Okay, I already know how you feel." said Liz in a comforting voice. "Not only figuratively speaking, but literally as well. Why don't you just tell him?"
"Just tell him?!" Hermione shouted, turning from the window to look at Liz. Her eyes were fiery and clearly tear filled. "JUST TELL HIM?" she repeated. "How can I just tell him? I mean, we've been friends for so long...and - and...he would never feel the same way anyway."
"You don't know that." Liz said quietly.
"And you do?" spat Hermione. "You can tell me what Harry feels? I mean...never mind." Liz turned back to the window. She did not want Liz...
"Intruding am I?" Liz asked. "Hermione, I can't read your mind, just your emotions. I know you're angry, but you're also got a large amount of hidden emotions running through you. Most of them deal with Harry. Don't they?"
"So what if they do?" Hermione said to the glass of the window.
"Tell him Hermione." Liz said putting a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
Hermione felt a shiver down her spine and everything went dark. Her eyes were open, but she couldn't see a thing. Then she saw...
"Hermione. Hermione. HERMIONE!" Liz was shouting at her and shaking her
"Wha - what happened?" asked Hermione looking around.
"You went into some sort of daydream or something. I've been trying to get you out of it for nearly a minute."
Hermione turned met Liz's eyes. "That was NOT a daydream." she said through clenched teeth. "You know what that was. Don't you? How? Was that - ?"
"More than likely, the future yes." Liz said to her sighing heavily.
"How did I see the future? I'm no good at Divination and things like that. I'm not a Seer!" Hermione exclaimed
"But I am." said Liz. "When I touched you, you must have received a vision that I was meant to see. It's happened before." Liz said casually. "Charlie get's them all of the time."
"WHAT?!" Hermione shouted. "Okay, how many more secrets do you have? How much more is there? What else are you? Why are you here? Why am I being told all of this?!!" Hermione was glaring at Liz and breathing deep and quick.
"Alright, alright." Liz said, trying to calm down Hermione. "First...that's the last of the surprise magical gifts. And as to why I am here...I had a Saw something. I had a Vision." Hermione's breathing began to steady as she looked glared at Liz.
"Of what?" Hermione asked. "What did you see?"
"The war. It's coming...soon. Voldemort is coming...soon."
A/N: Well, you've learned a lot about Liz...next...Hermione and Harry...hmm...what will happen?
I hope you all liked this chapter...Reviews would be GREATLY APPRECIATED. I love to read the reviews! They keep me goin'! ;)
Anyway, there are more chapters coming. Now that I've gotten all of the revelations and answers out, the next chapter should be easier to write! Thanks for reading!
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