Harry Potter - Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Green-Eyed Orphan ❯ Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

 

Christiana rolled over to sunlight coming through the curtains. She rolled so far, in fact, that she rolled into something…or someone. She pushed herself up on her elbow to see Charlie still slumbering peacefully with one arm up above his head and one arm across his chest. The sheet only came up to his waist and his finely toned chest rose and fell slowly with each deep breath. She just lay there watching him letting the memories of the night before flood her mind. She began thinking about her feelings for Charlie and decided finally that she definitely had feelings for him—passionate feelings, as a matter of fact—but she was not ready to say she loved him, even if it were true. She didn't want to jump headfirst into something so serious. A relationship though…

“Hi.” Charlie's voice broke through her reverie, and she reddened, realizing that not only had she been staring at him lost in thought, she had not even realized he had awakened and been staring back.

“Good morning,” she responded when she found her voice, unable to tear her eyes away from his. He put the arm that had been above his head around her waist and pulled her to him for a kiss.

“Would you like some coffee?” he asked after pulling back from her.

“That sounds great. I'm just going to get a shower first while you make it.” She was about to get out of the bed when she noticed she had not a spit of clothing on her body. She decided just to pull the sheet with her, only she pulled it right off of Charlie who also wasn't wearing anything. He just grinned and slid a pair of boxers on when she turned even redder than before. He walked around the bed and kissed her before exiting and heading to the kitchen. She wrapped up in the sheet, grabbed some clothes and walked past the kitchen and into the bathroom for a hot shower.

Charlie was making coffee and looked at the time. It was already nine, but he knew that they had not slept enough to constitute a good night's sleep. He was glad the shop didn't open up until noon. It would give him a little extra time with Christiana before she had to work. George and Percy would still be sleeping. No doubt they had partied the night away and only just gotten to bed two or three hours earlier. Charlie knew his brothers. Percy had really loosened up over the last year. He had really begun to enjoy life a lot more. Due to all the partying that Charlie was certain had befallen the night before, he was much surprised to find a groggy-looking George traipsing into the kitchen.

“Hey, George, what are you doing up so early?” Charlie raised his eyebrows in George's direction still getting things together for the coffee.

“I wanted to pee but seeing as the bathroom is occupied, I decided to see who was in the kitchen,” George retorted.

“Ah, so you're going back to bed after your visit to the loo?” Charlie asked, smirking at his brother's annoyance. He heard the shower stop. “Sounds like she's almost done, little brother.”

“Good. Hey, speaking of her, was she here last night?” George asked nonchalantly, running a hand through his already unruly hair which was sticking up in at least five different directions.

“Yeah, she was here.” Charlie turned to look at George.

“Well, if she was here, then where were you?” He rubbed his eyes against the bright sunlight.

“I was here, too.” Charlie went to the refrigerator which was a lovely Muggle invention that came in handy.

“Then where did you sleep? Percy and I came in around five and you weren't on the couch. Or were you just not back yet?” George seemed more alert now that there was something that peaked his interest. Charlie just smiled mischievously. “You didn't! You—”

“Keep your voice down! She can hear you, you know.” Charlie crossed his arms across his bare chest.

“You slept in her bed—with her?!” George asked in a more hushed tone. Charlie only raised one eyebrow at his wide-eyed brother. “Oh, just wait until Mum finds out!”

“Why? Are you going to go blabbing my personal business to the whole family?” Charlie asked looking a bit angry now.

“No, of course not!” George replied indignantly.

“Good. Don't tell Percy either. There are other things that have to be sorted out before any of this comes out at the family dinner table.” They both heard the bathroom door open and George turned to leave. He almost smacked into Christiana who was dressed and toweling her hair as she entered the kitchen. She smiled at Charlie, who indicated the table. “Have a seat.” He set up the mugs on the table and brought the coffee pot over with the freshly-brewed mix steaming. He poured them both a mug and then sat down. He put a generous amount of sugar and cream in his, stirred, and took a sip. He settled back with it as Christiana fixed hers. There was blissful silence for a moment or two.

“I need to ask you something.” Charlie broke the silence.

“Shoot,” Christiana replied, raising one eyebrow curiously.

“When are you going to tell Harry about your relation to him?” He sat forward.

“I don't know that I'm ready yet,” she answered honestly. She had gotten over the fact that he had read her diary even though she still felt a bit violated by the whole incident. She had decided to put it behind her because of her feelings toward Charlie.

“Look, I'm not trying to rush you into it or anything like that, but you'd better get ready, because Ginny isn't going to be able to keep a secret like that from her husband for very long. I think, knowing Harry, that he would much rather hear it from you than from her. It's bad enough that it's been kept from him this long, but that wasn't your doing. You came forward as soon as you could to let him know, but now you're still hiding it.” He sat back again after delivering this speech. It seemed to Christiana that he had been thinking it over the whole time she was in the shower, which in fact he had. He didn't want to see any more of his friends hurt.

“All right, I'll tell him. But when do you think the best time would be?” she asked, nervously twisting her hair around her fingers.

“Well, the sooner the better, really. It would be better if you told him alone, away from everyone. I could take you to his house before you work if you wanted. That way you don't have to go alone. And also, that way, he has the rest of the day to get over his anger at Snape and whoever else knew and never told him. Hey, what's wrong?” He saw the tears welling in her eyes.

“I'm really scared! I'm afraid he's going to hate me for not telling him his whole life!” She put her face into her hands, not bearing him being able to see her cry again after last night. He came around the table and pulled her up out of her seat and against him.

“He's not going to be angry with you! He might be angry with the others that could have told him and chose not to, but they ordered you not to tell. If you had, your life could have been at stake and I think he will understand that. But you're never going to know if you don't just tell him. Ginny loves him too much to keep it from him. I promise he will be more grateful to you for telling him rather than keeping it a secret until he finds out from her.” She nodded against him. “Let me get a quick shower and we'll go over there, all right?” He gave her a quick kiss, took a sip of his coffee, and went down the hallway.

She sank down in her chair and finished off her coffee. She couldn't believe that she was about to finally tell her biggest secret to the person who she feared most knowing it. Of course, Charlie was right. She had to tell him, because now Ginny knew and Ginny was the closest to Harry, closer than anyone else. She let her mind wander to different scenarios of what the scene would look like once it actually took place. What exactly was she going to do? She couldn't exactly just walk up to him and say, “Hiya, Harry, I'm your sister. Yeah, you know how Severus Snape always loved your mum? Well he's my dad and she's my mum too only she didn't remember due to a memory charm. Oh yeah, Dumbledore knew as well and chose not to divulge this particular bit of information to you.” She supposed that little speech would really get him going. He would be angry with everyone involved and she didn't want that. She certainly didn't want him to be angry with her for not coming forward. She had known all her life, hadn't she? She could have sent him an owl any old time she wanted to just so long as he had kept it secret. She sighed.

She rose from the table, still trying to plan a decent speech. She decided to take the box of photographs and news clippings about him with her. It might help if he could see those along with the letters her father had sent her. She was quite unsure about the whole thing. How did you tell your brother that you're his sister when he's never known about you? Maybe she would just hand him the box of letters and pictures and let him sort it out for himself. That way she wouldn't have to really tell him. She could just answer questions and tell the whole story from the beginning. Then again, maybe the beginning would be a helpful place to start. She leaned on the counter and put her head in her hands. This whole thing was starting to give her a bit of a headache.

An hour later, Charlie steered a very nervous Christiana up to the doorway of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It had been completely renovated when Ginny and Harry had married and it looked simply marvelous. Unfortunately, the portrait of Mrs. Black had yet to be removed since they still couldn't figure out how to get it down. This was what Charlie was warning Christiana about on their way up the steps.

“She makes quite a racket upon new people entering the house. Harry keeps the curtain over the picture, but honestly, she's rather annoying if it ever opens. She goes on and on about mudbloods disgracing the most noble house of Black. You'd think she'd hush up now that she's been told that You-Know-Who is dead, but she's still on about it.” He gave her a wry grin as he used the heavy knocker. Ginny opened the door.

“Please tell me you're going to tell him,” she said immediately upon seeing the two of them.

“Why do you ask?” Charlie replied.

“He knows something is bothering me and he keeps asking me what it is. I can't hold out much longer. I tell him everything.” Ginny sighed. “I've been holed up reading so he will stop asking me questions. But honestly, I can't keep doing that.” Her face showed tenseness, and her voice was etched with tiredness and she sounded a bit edgy.

“Yes, Ginny, I'm going to tell him. That's why I brought this box along. I thought it might help in the telling.” Christiana was so nervous that her voice shook, but she managed a small smile.

“Good,” Ginny replied with considerable relief showing on her face. “I'll take you to the kitchen and I'll just fetch Harry, then. I think he's a bit upset with me, but hopefully after you explain everything it will clear up.” She gave them her usual sunny smile and led them to the kitchen, after which she nipped up the stairs.

“Don't worry,” Charlie said, noticing the far-away look in Christiana's eyes. “I'm going to be right here. I'll even help you explain if you need me to. I don't really know that much about it, but I'll help, all the same. Just think—you and Harry are both going to have family in each other. That's something Harry has never had. I mean, he stayed with that aunt and uncle of his, but really you couldn't call them family. They disliked him very strongly. And you—you had your father but never got to stay with him. You never knew your mother. You two have so much in common. And your eyes…I'm quite surprised Harry hasn't seen the resemblance before now. They look just like Harry's and Harry always told me that folks said he had his mother's eyes.”

“What's that about my mother's eyes?” Harry asked good-naturedly as he entered the kitchen. “Please tell me you're not commenting how much mine look like hers again. You didn't even know her, Charlie!” Harry chuckled.

“No, no, not at all—actually, we came here to discuss something of great importance with you.” Harry sat across from them at the table. He eyed the box sitting there with its lid still on.

“Is there anything alive in there?” Harry asked suspiciously.

“No,” Charlie replied, a merry smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. Christiana reached over and removed the lid to the box. She looked in at everything. What should she begin with? She replaced the lid, thinking it best to explain some things first before bombarding him with the pictures and letters.

“Harry,” she began, faltering a bit. Charlie gave her a nod of encouragement. She took a deep breath. “We have a connection, you and I. Not just because we're both magical. No, it goes much deeper than that. But I suppose I should start at the beginning, or I'll confuse you. I was born to a wizard and a witch who were very much in love, but much too young to be parents at the time. I was given to a family of Muggles by the name of Dalton shortly after my birth. They knew the state of things but still agreed to raise me. They were given a pension…it was sort of like Muggle foster care. My father, as he got older, stayed in touch with me. However, my mother fell quite out of love with my father in their last year at school at which point she fell in love with another man and went on to marry him. Her memory had been wiped clean of me anyway. He knew, but she didn't anymore. She and the other man went on to have a little boy together, but unfortunately she and her husband were murdered and their son left orphaned. So, you see, I have a half-brother. Do you follow me so far?” Christiana was nervous, but Harry looked enraptured by what he had heard so far.

“Oh, yes. I do love a good wizard story,” Harry replied.

“I was sent to Beauxbatons for fear that my identity would be discovered and revealed at Hogwarts. I could not even participate in the Triwizard Tournament because of who I am. You see, my half-brother attended Hogwarts and had been in a considerable amount of life-endangerment already. He didn't need me to make it worse. However, I kept up with my half-brother through every scrap of news my father could send me about it. My father was a professor at Hogwarts. Dumbledore knew of my existence, having been the one to perform the memory charms.” Christiana stopped to take a breath.

“So I went to school with your half-brother? What's his name? I'll bet I know him.” Harry looked eager to hear more.

“There's more. Recently, my father gave his life for the cause of the downfall of the Dark Lord Voldemort.” She shuddered at uttering his name. “And then, Lord Voldemort was defeated and I could finally reveal my identity without worrying that I would further endanger my brother. You see, Harry, my brother defeated Voldemort. My father was none other than Severus Snape, the Potions master at Hogwarts. And my mother was Lily Evans, one and the same as your mother Lily Potter. So you see, Harry, you know my half-brother very, very well, because my half-brother is you.”