Harry Potter and his sister Alison

Chapter 28

"What'd you say to her this time?" Hermione sighed as she and Ron got up and followed Harry out.

"I didn't say anything." Harry said defensively. "Ever since she got back she's been... different. She's been much more distant and seems to always be in a bad mood."

Hermione shrugged. "She's been through something that was probably very traumatic, it's bound to leave some scars."

Ron nodded. "And... to be honest mate... you have been a little... clingy lately." He said hesitantly, putting his hands in his pockets.

Harry frowned. "Clingy?"

His best friend nodded. "Don't get me wrong, I'd probably keep a closer eye on Ginny if something were to happen to her but I mean... you can't go more than an hour without asking her if she's alright and you're trying to keep her glued to your side at all times. She's a teenager now, you can't keep treating her like she's still six."

Hermione nodded too. "Ron's right Harry. What happened to her was absolutely terrible but she's safe here at school. She's got all of us and Dumbledore and the Aurors. Nothings going to happen to her."

Harry sighed and shook his head. "You guys don't get it. My parents died when I was three and she was barely older than a newborn. The Dursley's didn't care about us, they stuck us in a broom closet under the stairs for years. It wasn't until Dumbledore sent a Howler when he found out that they at least gave us a room and stopped hitting us. She'd cry at night wanting our mother but all she had was me. I'm the only one who loved and protected her all our lives. It's always been my job to keep her safe." He leaned against the wall just outside the common room and closed his eyes. "And I couldn't even do that."

"Harry." He opened his eyes and saw Alison staring back at him chewing on her bottom lip.

She pulled him into a tight hug and shook her head. "That wasn't your fault." She whispered. "Tonks told me to follow her to the others but I tried to go back for you. I should've listened to her." She whispered as she pulled back and looked at him.

Harry stared at his sister and frowned a little. She had hit another growth spurt while she had been missing, the top of her head reaching to the end of his nose. She looked so much older which made him a little sad that his baby sister was now a teenager and growing more and more independent each day.

He pressed a small kiss to her forehead, something she didn't allow him to do quite as much in public as she used to, then smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Doesn't matter who's fault it was. I'm just really glad to have you back sis."

She smiled back. "It's good to be back. But don't even think about ditching class to check up on me alright? I'll be fine and if there is a problem I'll come tell you right away. Deal?" She held out her hand and raised an eyebrow.

Harry chuckled and shook her hand. "Alright, deal."

———

Alison quietly shut the portrait door to the Gryffindor Common Room  and walked up the stairs to the seventh floor of the castle. The first day of classes hadn't been all that bad if she was honest, though Professor Slughorn had been a bit overwhelming.

"You must be Miss Alison Potter!" He cried when the third year Gryffindors walked into his classroom. He practically ran up to her and shook her hand so hard she felt her shoulder pop. "You look just like your mother you know! Except instead of red hair you've got brown from your father!"

Alison glanced helplessly at her friend Sarah who just watched the pair, giggling behind her potions book. She looked back up at the Professor and smiled politely. "Yes sir, I get that quite a bit. Harry told me you taught both of them?"