Explanation
�What?!� Harry said in disbelief. �How�s it possible? Why didn�t anyone tell me?�
�Calm down, Harry,� Professor McGonagall said. �You weren�t told because we wanted to save you from the pain. I guess I�ll have to start at the beginning.
�Few people know that Lily and James even had daughters. They weren�t famous before they died. Only they�re friends knew. Or so they thought. Dumbledore believes that You-Know-Who also knew. We believe he had an ability to sense magic.�
�I don�t understand,� Harry said. �Babies are born all the time. Why did he pay attention to them?�
�Well, Harry, I wouldn�t know if it wasn�t for Dumbledore. He can also sense magic. There was something different about them. They were very powerful and had a special power that no one had ever had before. A power not even the strongest potion could replicate. We believe that You-Know-Who saw this and felt threatened by it. He had to get rid of this new power before it destroyed him.�
�What was the power?� Harry asked excitedly.
�Dumbledore has decided not to say. He doesn�t want to put you in danger.
�Now where was I? Oh, yes, so he had to get rid of this power. He knew Dumbledore would protect the children, so he had to build up his power before he struck. He took a year building his strength and gathering followers.
�Then, something happened that he didn�t even expect. You were born, Harry. You were just as powerful as your sisters. It was then that Pettigrew was appointed as secret keeper. Yes, Harry, Dumbledore told me about the truth about Peter. Anyway, You-Know-Who saw weakness in Pettigrew. He lured Pettigrew in with promises of power.
�Finally, the night came. You were one year old, your sisters were two. No one knows exactly what happened that night, but you all survived.�
�But,� Harry said, �Hagrid found me. Why didn�t he find them?�
�Well, now. I guess I�ll have to explain why Dumbledore told me about Peter. It�s because, without that information, I could never understand this next piece of the puzzle. I can�t believe I ever doubted Sirius. He was at the house too. Hagrid found you, an Sirius found these two. Sirius tried to get Hagrid to give Harry to him. He didn�t tell Hagrid he had the girls for fear that Hagrid would take them too. Hagrid refused. Knowing that the Ministry was after him, he gave in. He gave Hagrid the motorbike because he knew he would soon be caught.
�Then, he faced his next task: saving the girls. He couldn�t keep them and he didn�t want them to be brought up with Muggles either. He only had one option left. He turned to a close friend. She agreed to adopt them. She also decided to move to America, so people wouldn�t get suspicious.�
�Why did no one tell me?� Harry asked impatiently.
�Now Harry, you have to understand. All most knew was that you survived. Only a few knew about the girls. Those who did know, believed they were dead. It was decided that no one would tell you. We wanted to minimize your pain. We knew if we didn�t tell you about your parents you would never know what you were famous for. We never could have guessed that the girls were still alive.�
�How did you find out that they were still alive?�
�Well, Dumbledore has known since Sirius came back. He was still reluctant to tell you. But after what happened last year, he felt he had to. You-Know-Who almost killed you last year. If he had succeeded, it wouldn�t have been long until he found out about your sisters too. We couldn�t risk it. Dumbledore send an owl to their adoptive mother, asking her to come immediately. She was given the Defense Against the Dark Arts job and Melissa and Sheila were brought here.
�We knew we would have to tell you. They look so much like Lily we, we know you would suspect something. Melissa and Sheila already knew the story. Elisabeth told them before she moved. They decided to change their names back from Wilson to Potter. Well, look at me, just talking on and on. You three must be starving. Let�s hurry down to the Great Hall before we miss the feast.�
She walked briskly out of the room. Harry, Melissa, and Sheila stood awkwardly for a second.
�Well come on, Harry,� Sheila said.
Harry walked down the stairs with his sisters, and new friends.
_____________________________________________________________
previous next
home