Searching for the Truth

Part Three

Connie sorted through her mail. At the bottom of the pile was a large parchment envelope. She immediately threw the rest of the mail onto the table then slowly opened her letter. But it wasn't a letter. It was an invitation.

So they're finally getting married, she thought. I've been waiting for this since I left Hogwarts. Three years is a long time between meetings. Connie was now almost seventeen and living on her own, in a large mansion. Her music career had taken off after she had left Willowbranch two years ago. Luckily for her, she had been able to graduate early. After her mother, Isabelle Longsworth, passed away in a car accident, Connie was emancipated. She read further down the invitation, smiling. Then she reached the date.

"God damn it!" Lily's and James's wedding was to take place the same day she was to kick off a world tour. She picked up the phone and called her manager. "Hey, how much do we lose if we postpone the tour? I could buy a house with that! No, don't. I have a better idea." She dialed another number. "It's Connie. I need you to go to England, and pick out a few houses. Mail me pictures of them. There's a bonus in it for you." She hung up the phone. She strode into her living room, threw herself into the seat behind her desk, and hastily wrote a note, biting her lip as she scribbled away.

'Dear Lil and Jay,

Funny thing life is. You wait three years for something, and when it finally comes, you're kicking off a world tour the same day. I'd postpone it, but I had a better idea for the money I would have lost. I won't say more here! Watch your post, though, you'll find out soon enough. I wish I could see you, though, so send me pictures! Best of luck to you both. Give my best to everyone.

Lots of Love,

Connie'

"Hey Bucky, come here." She tied the note to his leg. "Take this to Lil and Jay. Don't look at me like that. I know it's a long way, but you should be used to it by now." Connie had sent him over to England at least once a month for the past three years. She had kept her word to stay in touch. During the summers Lily, James, Remus, Frank, and Peter sent her individual letters. Sirius never wrote anything to her. She was never sure whether or not to be upset by this. She returned to her mail.

A week or two later, Connie opened her mailbox to find a large yellow envelope with the words 'do not bend' stamped on it with red ink. It had come from England. Connie eagerly ripped it open. The pictures she had sent for had arrived.

"No... No...No... What was she thinking...No...Not in a million years...No...Perfect!" She grabbed her phone. "It's Connie. You found the perfect one. Which? The big one in...just a minute...Godric's Hollow. Yes I'm sure. No I don't care how much it costs. Nothing's too much for my friends. It's their wedding present. Well, I can't go to their wedding; the tour starts that day. I'd rather spend the money on a house for Lily and James than lose it postponing the tour. And it's really none of your business. You'll get your bonus in the mail." Connie hung up the phone and squealed in delight. She hadn't been so happy in a long time. Not even Sirius Black could kill her mood.

It was nearly a year later before Connie heard anything from Lily and James, and it was quite unexpected. Connie was sitting in her dressing room after a show in London. There were a lot of groupies and reporters.

"I think the show went really well, I just wish people would leave their clothing on, it's really..."

"Get out of the way," a reporter snarled, "I'm with the press." Connie looked up in outrage. She saw a young pregnant woman looking highly affronted, and she flipped out.

"What the hell is wrong with you? If you hurt that baby, my ass will get sued. That's it, party's over. Everyone out except those with the pregnant chick. Out, now!" The room cleared quickly. Connie slammed the door behind them. "Sorry about that. Those damn reporters don't have any respect for anybody. You're not hurt are..." she slowly trailed off as she had a close look. Her face brightened. "Lil! Oh, Lil, why didn't you tell me?" She gave Lily a big hug.

"She's been busy," said a man's voice.

"Jay! You haven't changed a bit. Hair's still uncontrollable, I see."

"You've changed a lot," came another voice. "Your hair's straight ."

"You're here too, Ray? Oh, it's wonderful to see you all again. It's a new look for me. It's been too long. Four years is too long. Where's Petey?"

"We don't know. He's been acting strange lately, disappears for days at a time."

"Well, have we thought of any names?"

"No, we're waiting to see what it is."

"You don't know yet? I can fix that. Sit down, Lil. You guys can too."

"Since when do you have psychic powers?" asked Remus.

"I've had visions all my life," she said as she knelt beside Lily. "I'm not guaranteeing anything, I just want to see if I get something." She laid her hand on Lily's abdomen and closed her eyes. After a minute or so, a smile crossed her face. "Oh Jay, he looks just like you."

"I'm having a son?" he breathed.

"Yes. Like I said he looks exactly like you. It's uncanny, the resemblance. He has the same build, same hair..."

"Oh, so it does run in the family."

"Shut up Ray, or I'll lose the vision. As I was saying, same hair, same face structure, same eyes...no wait... I was wrong. He has your eyes, Lil. I'm getting something else. He'll be a Quidditch player, a Seeker, I think. Now that's funny."

"What's funny, is something wrong with the baby?" asked Lily anxiously.

"No, the baby's fine. I'm seeing him older, about fourteen years old. He's got a scar on his forehead, but it's in the shape of a lightning bolt. I don't know what it means. It could merely be a birthmark, or it could be something else. That's all I'm getting though." She opened her eyes. "Don't worry about it. He's healthy, though a bit on the skinny side. Be sure to feed him regularly," she teased.

"Now that we know all this, I think we should come up with a name."

"I was thinking the same thing," replied James. He whispered in his wife's ear. She nodded.

"Connie," she said, "We've decided to name the baby after you."

"I'm honored. But I wouldn't give my worst enemy's son a masculization of my name. I hate them. Conrad and Conroy won't suit him anyway."

"Well, do you have a middle name?" Connie made a face, but nodded.

"It can't be that bad," said Remus. "Out with it." Connie mumbled something, but no one understood. "Missed that, sorry."

"It's Harriette. And don't tell anyone." Remus looked absolutely delighted.

"Constance Harriette Longsworth? What was your mother thinking when she named you?"

"I think it was the epidural. I know it's horrible."

"Well, it's perfect for our son. Harry James Potter. I like it."

"It does have a nice ring to it," said Connie. She strode to the door. "Kathy, we're having a celebration. Bring a round of...milk. The mother to be needs calcium."

"So Connie, are you involved with anyone right now?"

"With this schedule? Please. I'm lucky if I have time to bathe. Why, Jay?"

"No reason in particular."

"This doesn't have anything to do with Sirius, does it?"

"No," he answered in a tone that clearly said he was lying.

"Well, Jay, I'll tell you this. There's a good reason his initials are S. B. It's because he's a son of a bitch."

"Aren't you being a little harsh?"

"Well, Lil, if Jay had led you on, hooked up with a girl you couldn't stand, and then beat the hell out of you, you would feel the same way, wouldn't you?"

"But you don't understand...."

"I can't forgive him, not now anyway. I don't know if I'll ever be able to. You know, he hasn't written to me once in the past four years. It shows he's not exactly begging me to take him back." They were silent for a few minutes.

"You know, Connie, there is another reason we came to see you. About the house..."

"What, is it the wrong color or something? I thought it was the perfect one. You hate it, don't you?"

"No, we love it, the color and everything. It is perfect. We just feel it was too generous a gift for a thank-you card."

"No, really, it was nothing. I felt bad about not being able to come to the wedding; so I spent the money I would have lost canceling the concert on your gift. It was the least I could do."

"It was the most you could have done. Just promise us one thing. If you can't make it to Harry's first Birthday party, don't buy him a car," joked James. Everyone laughed

"All right, I won't. I'll wait until he turns seventeen." After Lily, James, and Remus left, Connie felt a feeling of contentment she hadn't felt in a long time.

Indeed, Connie couldn't make it to Harry's birthday party, but it was of her own free choice. Always true to her word, Connie hadn't bought Harry a car. However, she did send him a music box, which played a song that Connie had put together especially for him. It was very pretty, made of white porcelain, with blue accents. When Lily and James sent over a picture of Harry, they included a note stating that the only way they could get Harry to sleep was by playing the box. Connie grinned, then picked up the photo.

He's a cutie, she thought. I was right about the eyes and hair, but I don't see the scar. I'm feeling anxious about that, but I'm not sure why. Oh well, I'm sure it'll come to me sooner or later.

Three months later, it hit Connie full in the face. "Voldemort," she said out loud, "Voldemort is after Jay and Harry. Why didn't I realize it before? Oh no, I hope I'm not too late!" She Disapparated immediately to Godric's Hollow. Peering from behind the tree, Connie saw that she was indeed too late to stop Voldemort. The house was completely destroyed, and she didn't need a closer look to know that it meant death. Hagrid was kneeling, digging through the ruins. She leaned back against the tree, breathing heavily, too shocked to cry. A few minutes later, she heard a loud rumbling. When it stopped, Connie peered back around the tree and let out a slight gasp. Sirius was climbing off a giant motorcycle. All she could do was stare at him as he went slowly over to Hagrid.

"They're both gone?" he asked. Hagrid nodded sadly. "Give Harry to me, Hagrid. I'm his godfather. I'll take care of him." Connie couldn't believe her ears. How could Harry be alive, and worse, how could Lily and James have thought of placing Harry in the care of that lout?

"I can't, Sirius. I'm under Dumbledore's orders. He wants Harry to go to Lily's sister and her husband. I can't imagine why he wants Harry to live with Muggles; you know I'd rather have him with you than anyone." He put a comforting arm around Sirius's shoulders. "I know, I know."

"If Harry has to go live with those, those people, I want you to take him there on my bike. I won't need it anymore." Hagrid gave Sirius a last pat on the shoulder, then mounted the motorcycle. As it flew into the air, Sirius watched it for a long time. He looked helpless, as though he were thinking 'what have I done?' but his expression quickly turned to rage.

"PETER!" he bellowed into the night. After glaring at the ruins once more, he Disapparated. Connie came out from behind the tree and climbed onto the rubble. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a glint of white. Kneeling down and brushing away some of the debris, she discovered the music box she had given Harry. It was chipped here and there, but still amazingly intact. She held it to her breast. After a while, she Disapparated back home.

Back in her attic, Connie opened a box to put the music box in. Inside were her mother's old letters. She removed them and shut the music box inside. She took the letters back to her room and left them on the nightstand in her bedroom. She went down to the kitchen and sat at the table. Out of nowhere, she let out a huge sob. She wasn't sure how long she'd been crying when she felt an arm around her. She looked up with a start. "Howie? Is it really you?" She could barely recognize him.

"Yes it's me. You heard about the Potters?"

"I saw. I got this feeling, and I knew it was Voldemort. I went right away, but I was too late," she sobbed. "Howie, I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too. Dumbledore sent me to tell you, and bring you to Britain. He has to explain something to us. And of course, the umm, funeral is the day after tomorrow."

"So I'll be forced into seeing Sirius again," she replied grimly.

"Honestly, Connie, it's been almost five years. You can't lay aside your resentment for one day? He loved Lily and James too. We all did."

"Fine, then. I won't promise I'll like it though. Let's go." They Disapparated to Dumbledore's office.

"Thank God, Frank, you found her." He went and embraced Connie. "It's good to see you my dear, however unfortunate the circumstances are." Connie managed to work a smile across her red, tear-stained face.

"It's good to see you too, Professor." Dumbledore stood in front of his desk and fixed Connie and Frank with the familiar piercing stare.

"As hard as this is, I have even more bad news for you both. You might not have known this, but the Potters knew Voldemort was after them. I suggested they go into hiding, under the Fidelius charm."

"Who was their Secret-Keeper?" demanded Connie, "Who betrayed them?"

"That is the bad news. Unfortunately, Lily and James did not go with me as Secret-Keeper. James insisted on Sirius. I had a feeling that someone close to them was keeping Voldemort informed of their movements. I should have known something like this would happen," Dumbledore explained, a pained look of guilt upon his visage. Connie stared into space with anger flooding from her pores.

"Have you sent the Ministry after him?"

"Yes, Frank. I was just getting to that. Peter knew about the charm. He went after Sirius."

"What happened?"

"Sirius was too quick for him. He blew the street apart, right down to the sewer."

"Don't tell me Petey's gone, too." Dumbledore nodded.

"He and twelve Muggles were killed. I never would have believed it of Sirius. He was taken to Azkaban." Connie felt dizzy all of a sudden and swayed on her feet. Her head was swimming and her vision blurred. To her everything looked like a bad oil painting.

"Connie, are you all right?" said an echoing voice. "Connie?" She felt her knees give and knew no more. When she woke up, she was in a completely different spot than she remembered being in.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"You're at my house," answered Frank. "You collapsed, remember?"

"Yes, yes. What now?" Frank had pierced her with a look that said quite plainly that he thought she knew something.

"You know something about Sirius. Tell me, and don't try to lie, I know you too well for it."

"Fine. You know how I was at the Potter's last night? I saw Sirius there. After Hagrid left with Harry, he just stood there, looking after him. Then, he shouts 'Peter' at the top of his lungs. Then he Disapparated. That's all."

"What are you trying to say, Connie?"

"I don't know. Maybe he went insane and killed Peter and the Muggles, maybe he didn't. Who knows besides him and Lily and James? And let's face it, we can't ask any of them, so why bother worrying about it? As far as I'm concerned, the subject's closed." There was nothing Frank could do to convince her otherwise. "You know, Howie, I never did get to dance with you," she asked after a long silence. Frank looked stern.

"I'm sorry, but you just picked the worst possible time. Maybe next time we get together, under more pleasant conditions."

"Sure, Howie, whatever you want," she replied tiredly.

"Could I ask you a question in relation to something else?"

"Knock your socks, off Howie."

"Why do you call me Howie? It bears no resemblance to Frank."

"My grandfather's name was Howie, but sometimes he went by his middle name, which was Frank. You kind of remind me of him. Not that you resemble each other or anything, quite the contrary. You remind me of the closeness I had with him. I never told you the whole truth about my family. But I'll leave that for another day."

~

Connie returned home after the funeral. She was very depressed, and felt really alone for the first time in her life. She had lost three of her seven closest friends within a matter of hours. She also knew more than what she had told Frank. She figured that they had used Peter instead of Sirius for Secret-Keeper. But she guessed like the others that Sirius had killed Peter and the Muggles. She knew she should have told Dumbledore, but she didn't care. She'd let Sirius handle himself at his trial. He'd certainly never given that much of a damn about her.

During the next few months, Connie exchanged many letters with Remus. She felt a slight pang of guilt when he mentioned that Sirius hadn't gotten a trial, but she still withheld the information. One night, as she was searching for a book, she found her mother's old letters that Connie had brought down from the attic that night. Following her intuition, she opened one of the letters and read it. The letter was signed Jack Potter. Connie thought intensely. She quickly reached for a pen and parchment and scribbled her shortest letter ever to Remus.

'Ray- What was James's father's name? -Connie'. She sent it the next morning with a highly affronted Bucky. She spent a few anxious days watching for Bucky's return. When he finally returned the following week, she ripped open the letter from Remus. His letter was also short, and it bared the answer Connie had been dreading.

'Connie- It was Jack Potter. Why? -Remus'. Now that she knew, it all seemed so obvious. McGonagall had always said that she and James looked so much alike. And the letters said he had a two year old son, exactly the age difference between Connie and James. And that meant that Harry, her poor nephew, had been taken to Lily's sister. Connie had heard too many stories to think that the Dursleys were treating him right. She grabbed her mother's letters and Disapparated immediately to Hogwarts.

"Professor Dumbledore, I've something to tell you."

"What is it?" She handed the letters to Dumbledore. He peered at them through his half-moon spectacles.

"Those letters were sent to my mother by my father. I finally looked at the name last week. As you see, his name was Jack Potter. I had a hunch, and sent a letter to Remus asking for James's father's name. I just got his answer today, and as it turns out, James was my half-brother." Dumbledore didn't look fazed by this information, indeed, he looked slightly amused.

"I thought there was a family resemblance. I know there is more to what you are saying, continue, please."

"Well, Professor, I've heard many stories about Lily's sister and her husband. I know they are treating him cruelly. If it's possible...." Dumbledore held up his right hand.

"Connie, I know what you are trying to say. And I'm going to have to say no. I cannot remove Harry from their care."

"But Professor," she protested, but Dumbledore held up a hand to silence her.

"My dear child, what on earth does an eighteen year old girl want with a baby? You have so much ahead of you, and you can't take advantage of life when you are burdened with a baby."

"Will I be able to at least see him?" Dumbledore shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Connie. But if you've heard as many stories about the Dursleys as you say you have, then you would know that they wouldn't stand for it. Even if you told them about you and James, I doubt they would even inform Harry about you when he's older." Connie nodded and fought back the tears, biting her lip.

"Did you get the package I sent you?"

"Yes. I might add that it was a lovely tribute to the Potters. You sent them to everyone?" She nodded again. She had recorded a song to the memory of Lily and James and sent copies to all their closest friends. Connie turned to leave. As she reached the door, she paused.

"Professor, if I can't be in contact with Harry, then he's not to know about me. Nobody is to make the slightest mention of me in his presence, nor let him hear my tribute. It's all or nothing." Connie exited Dumbledore's office in a more somber mood than she'd been in for months. It was the toughest decision she'd ever made. Then she made another hard choice. That song to Lily and James is the last one I'll ever sing she thought, and that's final. And Connie Longsworth always kept her word