Did a search and nothing seemed to fit, but I'm still finding my way around here!

Perhaps you've heard wind of the Sibling Theory; I cannot take credit for its creation. That lies with Merlin455, dbtpoet, and a handful of others from one of the other forums I frequent. Merlin455 drew up a lengthy, in-depth article about the Sibling Theory, but for the interests of time, and, well, time, I'll abbreviate it. Many of the passages are taken directly from Merlin455’s article, so all the credit goes to him. I’m just a good summarizer ;-) The Theory is still well worth reading in its entirety.

If you don't want to take time to read the theory and comment constructively about it, please don't bother posting one-liners like "TOO STAR WARS." Consider it. JK Rowling has recycled numerous plot twists from other works of literature, and if she DID decide to make Harry and Hermione siblings, she would find a unique way to do it. Besides, it can't be all Star Wars, as JK Rowling has already confirmed that Lord Voldemort isn't Harry's father. *Phew!*

The basic idea of the Sibling Theory is that our favorite hero and heroine are in fact, related - that Hermione is James and Lily's secret daughter. Either at birth or shortly thereafter, Hermione was hidden away and her true identity remained a secret. She was raised by Mr. and Mrs. (or Dr. and Dr.) Granger, a pair of Muggle dentists. And…Hermione knows it!

To open his article, Merlin455 quoted a 2003 interview with JK Rowling. She says "there is one thing, it is kind of the heart of it all...I couldn't divert now, everything has been building up to it, and I've laid all my clues." This could be the Heart of it All, and it could also be Lily's huge secret.

This involves a great deal of speculation, but what truly “out-there” theory doesn’t? Bear with me …

INITIALS
In Harry Potter and Me (I believe, not 100% for sure), JKR revealed that Hermione’s original name was Hermione Puckle, but she dropped that surname for Granger, something less “frivolous.” If she had kept her as Hermione Jane Puckle, then she would have the same initials as Harry James Potter. HJP – HJP. Interesting, eh?

AN EARLIER DRAFT
One of the drafts of the tragic events of October 31, 1981 had the Potters living on an island and the Grangers living a short ways away on the mainland. After Voldemort destroyed James, Lily, and the house, Mr. Granger rowed out to see what he could do. She later scrapped this. In this original version, Mr. Granger would have been right there to adopt a baby girl from the rubble, wouldn’t he?

Strange lack of background information on Hermione.
We’ve never talked to her parents, though they accompanied her to Diagon Alley at least once.

PHYSICAL RESEMBLANCE
Alas, a shortfall. Hermione and Harry both have “wild hair” but different shades. But Hermione is never described as looking like Mr. and Mrs. Granger either. She does have Aunt Petunia’s large front teeth. Aunt Petunia would be Hermione’s Aunt if the Theory holds true.

Theory of Interruptions (Brilliant, I'll quote directly here)
“This theory is independent from the Sibling Theory, and - in fact - it has been mostly used by H/Hr shippers. It suggests there is a regular pattern in the books : when a character (often Hermione) suddenly stops speaking in the middle of a sentence (doesn’t apply if interrupted by someone else) then there is a clue for us to find. The interruption is materialized by a “-” in the text.
As a matter of fact, this “Theory of Interruptions” works pretty well with the Sibling Theory ! Here are a few examples :
PS, chapter 6 : I mean, it’s the very best school of witchcraft there is, I’ve heard –
(Yes ? Heard from whom ? )
PS, chapter 6 : I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading…
(Yes, Hermione ? How did you learn so much about Harry ? )
PS, chapter 16 : …friendship and bravery and – oh Harry…
(Friendship and bravery and what ? Family ? )”

WHO ELSE MIGHT KNOW
McGonagall might, she and Hermione have a very close relationship. Dumbledore most definetly does. Snape might, his hatred for Hermione rivals his hatred of Harry.

WHY DOESN'T HARRY KNOW?
Harry’s mind is connected to Voldemort. If Voldemort entered Harry’s brain and found out about his sibling, Hermione would be in terrible danger.

BOOK ONE
Hermione’s overall behavior with Harry is very sister-like – even before the two become friends. They guess at each other’s thoughts, something Fred and George are good at; Ron is often left in the dark. She speaks in Harry’s name – “Harry doesn’t want to kill anyone.” No one else does this. Generally, her behavior with Harry is quite excessive. She orders him around, and, in SS/PS, Harry “couldn’t believe anyone could be so interfering.”

Hermione is a know-it-all. Why? To keep up with a famous brother, perchance? To help ease his transition into the Wizarding World? To make herself indispensable to him – so he’ll NEED her as a friend? She knew an awful lot about Harry upon her arrival at Hogwarts. Yes, she read dozens of books to catch up with her classmates, but Ron’s right – “she knows more about you [Harry] than you do!”

She constantly puts Ron down. If Harry already has a friend, Ron, then he might not need Hermione. She seems to see Ron as a threat to her relationship with Harry.

Hermione is extra-sensitive to Ron’s criticism on Halloween, which just so happens to be the tenth anniversary of her *parents’* deaths.

The Mirror of Erised – Harry sees himself surrounded by his family. This could be a weak point of the theory, except for Dumbledore’s words of wisdom – the Mirror shows neither knowledge nor Truth. When Harry imagines his family, he may be missing someone…

The Chess Game – Hermione is the castle – castle = home/family?

Another direct quote, related to the Theory of Interruptions –
“The scene before Harry meets Quirrell…’Hermione’s lips trembled and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.’
This could have been one of the moments she desperately wanted to tell him the truth! And then she says,
‘Friendship, and bravery, and – oh, Harry -!”
What was she about to say? Was it FAMILY?”

BOOK TWO
She enters the boys’ dormitories on Christmas morning to pay Harry (and Ron) a visit, she doesn’t think anything of it. It’s her brother’s room?

Hermione may have been Petrified because she was WITH a Muggleborn, if she is James & Lily’s daughter, Hermione herself is a half-blood like Harry. And, when she is Petrified, McGonagall seeks Harry out (Ron comes along in a “perhaps you’d better come too” clause). Later, McGonagall, a strict disciplinarian, is shaken when Harry asks to visit Hermione in the hospital wing.

Hermione doesn’t care too much about being called a Mudblood, does she? It affects Ron and Harry much more to hear her referred to as that.

As a twelve-year-old, she is comfortable hugging Harry but not Ron.

BOOK THREE
Hermione doesn’t face the Boggart where we could watch. What would she see? Her secret being revealed? When she finally does face it at the end of the book, we only hear about it second-hand. She says McGonagall told her she “failed everything.” Hermione’s a stickler for good grades, but what if “failed everything” meant “failed with Harry” too?

She is extraordinarily affected when Harry mentions hearing his parents (their parents?) voices.

We never see Hermione appear on the Marauder’s Map. Would she show up as Hermione Granger, or, maybe, Hermione Potter? Remember, the Map never lies.

We know she can keep secrets after PoA. The Time Turner, anyone?

BOOK FOUR
Hermione was strangely unaffected by Rita Skeeter’s Witch Weekly article pairing Harry and Hermione. She was able to laugh it off, while Harry could not do so quite so easily. It would be laughable if Rita Skeeter unknowingly paired up a brother and sister for romance, not to mention illegal in many states and countries!

Hermione talked about Harry a lot to Krum, which made him jealous. I don’t think this was intentional on her part, but if Harry’s her brother, she doesn’t see any problem with talking about him even to her boyfriend.

Harry sees “two Neptunes” in Divination. Ron immediately cracks a joke about it, which distracts Harry and the reader. Two Neptunes…twins?

BOOK FIVE
(Oh I wished I’d spotted this!)
When Hermione gets her prefect badge, she enters the boy’s room and sees Harry holding Ron’s badge.
‘She spotted the badge in Harry’s hand and let out a shriek.
I knew it!” she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. “Me too, Harry, me too!”
“No,” said Harry quickly.”’
Moments later, Mrs. Weasley finds out Ron is prefect and gives a shriek “just like Hermione’s” and says “That’s everyone in the family.” James and Lily were Head Boy and Girl (though admittedly Lupin got the Prefects badge) add in Harry and Hermione, and that’s just about “everyone in the family!”

After George and Harry fight, McGonagall reprimands them saying – “Now you two had better listen closely. I do not care what provocation Malfoy offered you, I do not care if he insulted EVERY FAMILY MEMBER YOU POSSESS.”
But Harry’s parents are dead…if Hermione’s his sister however, we know how many times Draco has insulted her…A slip-up on McGonagall’s part?

Hermione nags Harry about Occlumency lessons. If he mastered Occlumency, maybe he could be told the truth about Hermione being his sister…because if he could block Voldemort from his mind, that information wouldn’t get to the Dark Side.

Another good find.
“Hagrid tells Harry they are very much alike :
“In the same boat, yeh an’ me, aren’ we, ‘Arry ?”
“Er –“ said Harry.
“Yeah… I’ve said it before… both outsiders, like”, said Hagrid, nodding wisely. “An’ both orphans. Yeah… both orphans”…
“Family,” said Hagrid gloomily. “Whatever yeh say, blood’s important…”
In chapter 30, we understand - at last - what Hagrid meant. His giant brother Grawp.
So, “ In the same boat, yeh an’ me, aren’ we, ‘Arry ?” could be a foreshadowing : in the end, Harry will find his lost sibling too !
But in OotP, all that happened is that he lost “the closest thing to a parent he had ever known”. Something should happen later to compensate this…
And note that the entire “Grawp” story is between Hagrid, Harry and Hermione. Ron takes no part in it… It’s all about lost relatives!
- Later (chapter 30), Hagrid tells them (Harry and Hermione) about Grawp :
“Hermione, I couldn’ leave him,” said Hagrid, tears now trickling down his bruised face into his beard. “See - he’s my brother !”
Hermione simply stared at him, her mouth open.
“Hagrid, when you say “brother”,” said Harry slowly, “do you mean - ?”
“Well - half-brother,” amended Hagrid.
The interesting thing here is that Harry is still able to think logically - Grawp can’t be Hagrid’s father’s son - while Hermione is stunned. This is quite unusual : normally, cold logic is rather Hermione’s thing.
But here, she is unable to say anything… Of course ! A lost brother… this means so much for her!”

Hermione’s patronus is an Otter. Patronus otter – P/otter. In that Chapter, Malfoy calls Harry Patronus Potter.

“I mistranslated ehwaz…it means partnership, not defense. I mixed it up with eihwaz.”
Quoting some research from Merlin455-
“Ehwaz is the rune associated with twin gods or heroes…associated with Frey and Freyja, twin bro and sis. Represents trust, loyalty, partnership, and faithfulness, such as that between siblings.”
“Eihwaz – shaped like a lightning bolt. Strength, endurance, Defense, Protection.”
“Supports the Protection Theory. Hermione has a key role in Harry’s protection, a bit like Petunia (as we know, Lily’s blood is Harry’s protection.)

She spends precious little time with her parents, even backing out of their Christmas ski trip to head to Grimmauld Place to be with Harry.

BOOK SIX
Hermione brings up the serious mistranslation again. Repetition often denotes that something is important with JKR.

Slughorn calls Harry “Parry Otter.”

Harry’s protection from living at Privet Drive will end at the beginning of his seventh year. Hermione’s protection could become even more important at this point.

No Harry/Hermione romance, nor any jealousy on Harry’s or Hermione’s part for each other’s romances.
JK Rowling describes them as “Very Platonic” friends. Isn’t just platonic good enough? How many truly 100% platonic opposite-sex friends have you had? With Harry and Hermione, they don’t feel any typical teenage boy-girl tension and they don’t even flirt. What’s the matter with these kids? Well, would you flirt with your brother/sister?

SHAKESPEARE
Hermione’s name comes from A Winter’s Tale, in which a woman is presumed dead/in hiding for 16 years. We could be due for a Hermione revelation in Year Seven, which will be 16 years since James and Lily died.

GESTATIONAL PERIODS
Harry’s birthday is July 31, 1980, Hermione’s is given as September 19, 1979. It’s physically possible to give birth to two children within that window of time. They could also be twins and Hermione’s birth could be a farce.

WHY?
A quote again…too good for me to attempt to summarize it.
“Why was Hermione hidden ?
Before OotP, the answer was quite simple : she was hidden for her own security, to protect her from Voldemort. The idea was that Voldemort was after the Potter bloodline. Now we know the reason why Voldemort wanted to kill baby Harry (the Prophecy), and it is a bit more difficult to answer this question.
One thing remains: she was hidden so that Voldemort wouldn’t know.
1- The reason why she was hidden initially is still mysterious. It could have something to do with the Potter bloodline… After all, why did Voldemort consider that James had to die, while Lily “needn’t have died”? If Voldemort was indeed after the Potter bloodline, Hermione’s existence was kept a secret for her own safety. On the other hand, Harry’s existence was not hidden because of the Prophecy: Dumbledore knew that before the prophecy could be fulfilled, Harry had to be “marked” by the Dark Lord.
Now, what could there be with the Potter bloodline? Maybe we’ll learn more in book 6… For instance, the Potters could be descendants of Gryffindor… There could be another Prophecy, made years or centuries before Trelawney’s, about the heirs of the Founders.
2- A completely different idea : maybe the reason why Hermione was hidden has something to do with the fact the Potters had “thrice defied” Voldemort. As for Harry, he wasn’t hidden because of the Prophecy (as above).
3- The reason why Hermione’s secret is still being kept now could very well be something else: Hermione is important for Harry’s protection. We know Harry is protected by “his mother’s blood”. It works with Petunia. So it should work with Hermione too! In that case, the fact Voldemort ignores the existence of this particular protection could be, in the end, the key to his downfall.
The Ehwaz/Eihwaz clue (see above) can support this idea.
Apart from the Protection Theory, there are a few alternative possibilities :
4- A slightly far-fetched idea : it has been suggested that Hermione could be “the one” in the Prophecy ! Using the Roman calendar (September = seventh month) and lunar cycles, she was born “as the seventh month dies”. And we don’t know precisely when the Prophecy was made. Though I don’t really think it could have been made before Hermione’s birth, some people have suggested this possibility (independently from the Sibling Theory).
This would imply Voldemort will “mark” her somehow, before the end of the story.
5- Or maybe it is something else, something we’ll learn later. Anyway, whatever it is, it must be something essential, the heart of the entire plot.
- How will the sibling relation be important in the plot ? How will it be “the heart of it all” ?
There are several possibilities. Note that the third one can work along with either of the first two.
1- Hermione could be “the one” in the prophecy (unlikely).
2- Hermione can give Harry a protection, much like Petunia does, that will be the key to the final outcome. (Protection Theory).
3- Maybe, in the end, Harry will feel a strong desire to go through the veil, to go the “other side”. He believes all his family is there : his father, his mother. Now his godfather is there too. JKR said Sirius had to die for a reason. That could be it. In the end, Harry will feel a very strong desire to be with them. At that time, having his sister, his closest relative, this side of the veil will make a difference!
Note that in OotP, when they first found the veiled archway, Harry felt a strong desire to go through it. And it is Hermione who held him back… Foreshadowing?
- If Hermione was hidden for her security, then why wasn’t Harry protected the same way?
First point, the two Potter children were both very well protected. Just protected in different ways. Hermione’s security was based on the Secret. No one would know who she really was. But her Muggle “parents” would be quite unable to protect her against a Death-Eater attack. Harry stayed to live with Lily and James, a powerful witch and wizard. And the Fidelius Charm should have been a good protection too…
Second point, Dumbledore knew the Prophecy. And knowing that “the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal”, he couldn’t accept to hide a boy who could be “the one” so well that Voldemort could never, ever find him. Voldemort had to find Harry and mark him, before the Prophecy could be fulfilled, one way or another… and Dumbledore knew that.”

HOW WILL HARRY FIND OUT?
He’ll uncover a memory of his own.
Voldemort/the Dark Side will find out, so Harry might as well be told

Phew. Yes, this was the greatly abbreviated version…the Theory itself is still worth a read. It has lots more to offer, in the way of “evidence” and defenses.
http://www.cosforums.com/showpost.php?p=2111289&postcount=51

Comments, queries, additions, detractions?

holy crap that was alot to read....but now that you mention all that.... i totally am running with the idea!! I mean, it looks so obvious!!! hmm... i thought hermione has a scar from the fight at the ministries...but i dont remember how she recieved it... anyways...

see i always wondered about how she was able to hug harry like he was the only one there then she was like...oh yeah, hi ron...*shakes hands*... like she really didn't care as much that he was alive... lmao... though in the HBP it is showing she just might be crushing on Ron... so that would explain the ackwardness between them...

I would say that Hermione probably looks more like lily and has james eyes just like harry looks like james and has lily's eyes...

i also support that theory of how snape hates her just as much as harry. she reminds him of perhaps lily...but her eyes remind him of james?

I'm just throwing things out there... feel free to tell me to hush up lol...

ok... after reading that huge essay

i think i would burn my book and throw it out the window if this happened...

you had be beiving it... until i saw some... things that i thought were taken way too much out of context..


Hermione was strangely unaffected by Rita Skeeter’s Witch Weekly article pairing Harry and Hermione. She was able to laugh it off, while Harry could not do so quite so easily. It would be laughable if Rita Skeeter unknowingly paired up a brother and sister for romance, not to mention illegal in many states and countries!

-actually alot of pureblood wizarding families married cousins to keep the blood in the family..


When Hermione gets her prefect badge, she enters the boy’s room and sees Harry holding Ron’s badge.
‘She spotted the badge in Harry’s hand and let out a shriek.
I knew it!” she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. “Me too, Harry, me too!”
“No,” said Harry quickly.”’

- I beleive hermione says "me too" because, who would have expected ron to get prefect... with all that harry did for the school, she thought he would be a prefect as well.... and i don't think she thought he would have been prefect just becasue they were secretly brother and sister

Moments later, Mrs. Weasley finds out Ron is prefect and gives a shriek “just like Hermione’s” and says “That’s everyone in the family.” James and Lily were Head Boy and Girl (though admittedly Lupin got the Prefects badge) add in Harry and Hermione, and that’s just about “everyone in the family!”

- i think mrs. weasly was refurring to ron and her family, and that is why fred and george said "what are we? the next door neighbors?"

After George and Harry fight, McGonagall reprimands them saying – “Now you two had better listen closely. I do not care what provocation Malfoy offered you, I do not care if he insulted EVERY FAMILY MEMBER YOU POSSESS.”
But Harry’s parents are dead…if Hermione’s his sister however, we know how many times Draco has insulted her…A slip-up on McGonagall’s part?
- the main cause of this fight was becasue if i recall corectly, draco was making fun of mr weasly and mrs weasly... not really hermoine.. harry loves the weasly's like his own family, so he was defending them

Hermione nags Harry about Occlumency lessons. If he mastered Occlumency, maybe he could be told the truth about Hermione being his sister…because if he could block Voldemort from his mind, that information wouldn’t get to the Dark Side.

- i think she was just nagging him to be a good freind, i would be worried for my friend to if he was reading an evil person's mind, and i would want them to do all that they can to get rid of it...






well.... that is my two cents.

This is a very good/well explained theory, that makes a lot of sense, and could explain a lot. BUT, wouldn't many people know about the first Potter child, and remember that they had one before Harry? On the contrary, this would explain why Hermione is always away from her "parents". It seems like she is always at the Burrow with Ron, and she never mentions anything about her parents, so this would explain her always being away from them. Who knows, JKR can do so many things with this story, and it would still be amazing.

oh i just thougt of someting... is hermione's birthday ever revealed? but... wait

if her birthday was the same as harry's wouldn't the phrophecy applied to her

Hermione Grangers birthdate is supposed to be september 19 1980 which by the date the book takes place in she'd be almost 18.But I have also found out she was supposed to have been born in 1979.Hmm this is a little confusing. But in the end the prophecy cant apply to her.

I dont think they are related--Harry and hermione-- because JKR has said before that she was an only child. But these fact may be wrong.

Hoover

A very intresting theory. I think it just might be true.

Just a thought that may support it...

Hermione seems to never have a problem with Harry being compared to James even when he is doing things that break the Hogwarts rules and are against his better judgement. However, when Harry beings using the HBP's old book and Slughorn is repeatidly comparing him to Lily, Hermione seems upset..almost jelouse. Could be she is upset because she is thinking something like 'Hey, I'm the one thats suppose to be like mom!..that's my territory!"

On the contrary, I think Sirius and Lupin would be a bit more intrested in Hermione and pay her a bit more attention if she really was the Potters' daughter. And I think it would be safe to assume they would know.

I like the theory - technically Hermione COULD be Harry's older sister, though James and Lily would have to have been busy

I'm not sure of it though - surely with James and Lily being as popular as they were, other people would have known of the first child and mentioned it? Anyone who knew of Harry's existence before their death would also know of Hermione.

I think the idea we are being drawn more to is that Harry and Hermione are LIKE brother and sister - both only children with exceptional abilities that neither understood for years, soul mates in a way. (I'm a Ron & Hermione 'shipper by the way)

As I say though, like the theory!

I applaude the work on this theory and admit that it is compelling, but I'm afraid I'm not buying. JKR is far less complex in her writing than people have always thought - HBP makes that pretty clear. So while it is a nice idea, I really don't think it's plausible. Sorry. And at the risk of being yelled at, it would be a bit Star Wars-ish, even though Voldemort isn't their dad...

Aside from anything else, JKR pretty much explained Harry's background in that interview she gave Mugglenet/Leaky and she stressed how important it is that Harry stands alone, which is why she's taken so many people from him. It would greatly reduce the impact of that plotline if it emerged that he had a sister all the way along.

I'm afraid I'm still stinging from the very painful blow of being called 'delusional' for looking too deeply into these books myself (just look at some of my more complex theories about the HBP... ) so maybe I am a lot more cynical than I used to be, but unfortunately, from the evidence thus far, it really doesn't seem that Jo is that complex. Sadly.

Sorry. It was a good read though.

Hehe, what if Hermione is Harrys half-sister and her parents are Lily and Snape...? *duckandrun*

I know that nobody will be with me on this theory *lol*, but I like it.

I think the theory you posted is awesome and it would explain a lot. So now I'm even more excited about book seven. Thanks...

Flutterflie

I am going to have to agree with Dana_Scrully. You really have a nice idea and everything, but I highly doubt it could be true.

I honestly would a little disappointed if JKR suddenly did a Star Wars. And Flutterflie, if Hermione does turn out to be related to Harry through Snape and Lily, that would be a really awkward twist and I believe to be unneccesary.

why don't go further... Hermione is Dumbledore's and McGonagall's daughter from their marriage (secret marriage, to be honest) that though didn't end up well. DD had to modify Minevra's memory so that she wouldn't have any recoletion of it... Just don't tell me you didn't know about it...

***

but let's get serious. It can't be true. Would be too mixed up

LOL - if we're doing the half-sibling route, she could be Lupin and Lily's daughter...she is a lot like Lupin; she discovered his secret first, he's very smart and sensitive, etc.

I'm not taking the theory route either.It does seem a little odd to make Harry and Hermione that closely related.I hope at least that it is kept to Friends and just Friends....in which she'll help out Harry and the Finding and destroying of the Horcruxes.


Hoover

Another for not buying the theory, although I agree it was compelling and a good read.

This theory is based on Hermione knowing all along that Harry is her brother, so you would think that when they first meet on the Hogwarts Express that she would be a bit more overcome with emotion. Instead, she's merely thrilled to meet "the boy who lived".

Also, the Ministry/Hogwarts would have had six years to accidently reveal this fact. They always seem to be completely in touch with any activities involved with underage wizards, and administrators ALWAYS screw something up in terms of names. At least one letter that would be seen around Ron or Harry would have "Ms. Potter", or "Ms. Evans" (or even "Ms. Snape!").

Do you know what sounds great? Hermione Otter

But I can't believe in all this... Rowling likes making us fools. I've read a theory somewhere that Ron's in fact somebody adult, I don't even remember who it was... many things suited... but I think it was overanalyzed.

I'm undecided on this one... I, too, like Dana_Scully have been burned by being so "into" a theory, with proof galore, and been burned in the end, so I am very skeptical. (It was actually the "Ron is Dumbledore" theory that bubotuber_pus mentioned. The amount of documentation was amazing on that one, and JKR came out and actually complimented us all for our imaginative work, but shot it down completely.)

This does, however, seem to explain Hermione's parents' total lack of interest in their daughter. She's away for months at Hogwarts, she spends holidays with other families, and even parts of her summers away as well. They are either awful parents, or not hers.

Other interesting points are the less "stretched out" ones...
*** Hermione's original name being Plucker, and therefore her having the same initials as Harry could have been caught by JKR as being too much of a hint.
*** Hermione's patronus being an "otter" and Slughorn calling Harry "Parry Otter."
*** The deletion of the story of the Potters being killed on the island with Mr. Granger going out to try to help... why would JKR even mention that unless it was a hint of some kind.
*** The comparison to Hagrid/Grawp and Harry/Hermione is also very interesting, however, even though it also came to my mind right away, I can't buy into the Snape is Hermione's father addition to the theory. (No need to *duckandrun*, Flutterflie, it was worth the mention and the laugh.) I could see, however the Hermione looks like Lily with James's eyes thread, as well as that being the explanation of why Snape hates her so much. I do think he loved Lily, but that nothing came of it, because she loved James.
*** I am also impressed with the literary and mythological references (which are very Rowlingesque) of Hermione's mix-up of terms on the test: “Ehwaz is the rune associated with twin gods or heroes…associated with Frey and Freyja, twin bro and sis. Represents trust, loyalty, partnership, and faithfulness, such as that between siblings.” “Eihwaz – shaped like a lightning bolt. Strength, endurance, Defense, Protection.” and the fact that Hermione in Shakespeare's A Winter’s Tale is presumed dead but was really in hiding for 16 years. (If Hermione is Harry's twin, and not older than him, even the time line of this holds up if the secret is revealed early in the next book.)

It seems to me that for this to be true, Hermione's birthdate has to be fake, and she is, in fact, Harry's twin. That way, only those closest to the family or present at the birth know of her existance at all, even the ministry has no idea. Had she indeed been born 10 months earlier than Harry, there is no way that she could have been able to be hidden so easily.

One last thought... in HBP, at the end when DD is talking with Draco and Harry is stunned, DD mentions how easy it is to hide someone... perhaps "Hermione Potter" is proof... where better to hide her, than right out in the open!

Oops, I must have missed something *blush*, I don't know anything about Mr Potter on an island, can you tell me where it is written? Or maybe it has been already written in this thread, I must reread this. It it was like you said, I'd be more convinced that there must be something between Hermione and Harry. Because I was wondering why Hermione's parents are so strange, too

Yeah I'm of the same mind as samsmom, and have no idea what to think. Parts of the theory seem a bit far-fetched, but others, particularly the bit about the runes and Shakespeare's play, are very very convincing.

If the theory were true, I'm still not convinced at all that Hermione knows about her relationship to Harry. In fact, if it is true, I think that virtually no one could know about it. If Sirius and Lupin had known, for example, Wormtail probably would have known too, and then LV would know, so there wouldn't be much point in keeping it a secret. And now with DD gone, the one person who could have kept the secret, who's going to tell Harry?

Of course that's all just hypothetical. My biggest doubts still stem from the fact that Star Wars had long lost twins. Sorry.


PS. Another thought I had - assuming that Sirius and DD were the only two who knew about Hermione besides Lily and James, that'd make a pretty convincing pattern - kill all the people who know the secret so that a more profound way of realization becomes possible for Harry and Hermione.

I'm sorry, but this theory just isn't very feasible, at all. All of the evidence is circumstancial; I could draw any amount of wild conclusions I wanted from the examples these people have cited. It's a nice concept, but it's a bit played out. And I'm afraid it is a bit too Star Wars. Lol.

As for Dana_Scully's comment, that JKR isn't complex - I disagree; I think she's complex, in subtle ways. She writes wonderful witty narrative, and the storylines, with all their clues, are complex. I think it's true though that she doesn't let her imagination run away with her unnecessarily, so I see what you're saying; she never goes so wide of left field that she leaves the realms of what's immediately plausible.

heh...well, I'm not going to get into the complexity issue because it would take us off topic, but I think we'll just agree to differ there. As I said, still reeling from the slap of being called 'delusional'. I don't intend to make the same mistake again.

Sorry, accidental double post... wish I knew how to delete this, it's embarrassing!

I also agree with Bubortubor_Pus, if this is true I don't think Hermione knows, but there is that unspoken connection thing like Fred and George have, that keeps Harry and Hermione acting like siblings instead of average teenagers.

Bubo, it was in an interview with JKR, that she said that she had the Potter's deaths written differently originally. They lived on an island, the Grangers lived on the mainland shore. Mr. Granger saw fire on the island, and rowed out to see if he could help, but he was too late.

I totally agree with Persimmon and PhoenixFeather that there were only one or two who knew other than Lily and James, which further proves that they had to be twins if this is true. I also like the idea that this makes for a more dramatic reveal.

how about only ONE other person who knew.....a secretkeeper. that would by-and-large explain why noone else knew. not even the other Marauders.

not that i personally agree with this theory, but i do find it fascinating and i was rather amazed that noone had thought about the potters using a secretkeeper for this...they've used one at least one other time that we know of...

Pixymajik: I agree, there is no reason that we yet know for Hermione to be kept a secret. I don't particularly subscribe to this theory, but was merely laying down a few conditions that must hold true, should the theory prove true, for it to be at all believable.

However, if some reason for keeping Hermione a secret is given in Book 7, the theory still technically works.

I, too, am unconvinced either way. I'll just play Devil's Advocate on this.

I think that the reason for hiding Hermione would not have been the prophecy, but that the Potters were the last heirs of Gryffindor.

Proof:
DD tells Harry "Only a true Gryffindor could pull that sword from the hat", a true Gryffindor could be someone who truely belonged in Gryffindor house, OR an heir of Godric Gryffindor.

The Potters lived in Godric's hollow... coincidence?

We know nothing at all of Harry's heritage, on his father's side.

That being said, this is the only way that it works with the sibling theory. Everyone probably knew that Lily was having a baby... only the Potters themselves and Dumbledore knew that it was twins (I'm with everyone else who said that it doesn't work unless their twins.) The Potters go into hiding, and Lily has the babies. Dumbledore takes Hermione and brings her to the Grangers for safe keeping. Lily keeps Harry, and she and DD protect him with ancient magic. This way, at least one of them will be safe and an heir of Gryffindor will grow up to face LV, the heir of Slytherin.

We saw how well a secretkeeper worked here, so I don't think a secretkeeper was involved in this, just a minimal number of people knowing, none of which could ever be forced to tell.

I think Black or Lupin would know about James and Lilly's first born was not Harry and was Hermy.

Thanks Samsmom

There ate TOO MANY questions for me, so I stand by the theory that this theory isn't true:
1. why the Potters would give Hermione to other people, and why they kept Harry, it could be better to hide Harry, I guess.
2. Why the Potters' best friends behave like they didn't know.
and many others.

Well i totally disagree lilly was pregnant and harry's dad must of told his friends serius lupin and wormtail as they all knew where they were hiding at the time so if they were having twins james would of told them and the dark lord would of known

so he would of rather went and killed two muggles to get the other twin than get wormtail to talk must of tortured him forst though and would he not say were the other twin was than give james away than

Well im rambelling on here but i totally think that harry and hermiony are so not brother and sister

Did you read the interview with JK and mugglenet/leaky cauldron?
JK said something about Harrys christianity, and that only very few people knew because... and then she kind of stopped as if she was giving away to much...

think...think..think...

So what if Harry and Hermy really are twins?

Hermy could be the one to vanquish the dark lord... no... she's not been marked as an equal, was she?

*ponder*

Okay, here's another Snape-theory (sorry, I just love that man). The thing Dumby knows and won't tell, the thing that Dumby trusts Sev on... how aout there really is a secret-keeper for Hermione and this is Snape? We never got to know if he ever changed. Sirius said James changed after OWLs, so why do we assume James and Sev were still enemies? After all there is evidence that Sev and Lil were _at least_ friends...

And I am sooo sad you mentioned that Shakespeare drama I didn't know yet because I used the hide-a-girl-for-15-years-thing in my fanfic and now it looks as if wasn't my idea... *sigh*

So, to get back to topic:
I believe it could be possible for Hermy and Harry to be twins. BUT I don't know if JK believes that they are twins... Now, there's a twist... *lol*

Flutterflie

Wow, so that's a really good theory. It is exxagerated, yeah, but so many things fit... Especially the Eihwaz and Ehwaz, and the inspiration in Shakespeare, it seems to me perfectly like something from JK Rowling' head

There's a HUGE hole in anything about Hermione's family. Whenever she isn't in Hogwarts, she is in the Burrow with Weasleys. She never said anything about them except they're dentists, and she went skiing for a few days in the book five. Not very good family, wouldn't it be? I definitely think she's not their real daugher. I find most acceptable the theory about Harry and Hermione being twins. And that there's some reason why nobody knows about her, because Sirius and Lupin couldn't know it... Maybe McGonnagal, Dumbledore... But i think if they would be really siblings and this thing would be true, so Mr. and Mrs. Granger must know at least something about Hermione's past.


But, ok, must admit this is a little much sci-fi thing

Flutterflie, you made me recall myself that James really changed during the end of his education in Hogwarts... maybe he stopped bullying Snape... maybe they were a bit more friends. Thanks for that But if they were friends, would Snape bully Harry and Hermy? *suspicious*

Dang, I knew there was a flaw.

I'll think about that... and if I ever find I solution, you'll be the first to know...

Cheers, Flutterflie

For you Snape lovers in the crowd, how about this...

Snape heard the prophecy while still a DE, and reported to LV. He was then snooping around for more, and somehow found out that Lily was carrying twins. Loving Lily, he kept his mouth shut about the babies, but could not take back the information about the prophecy (his greatest regret.) He may not have liked James, but he would never intentionally hurt Lily. He went to DD with the information, and came over to the side of the Order.

The reason that DD trusts Snape so much, is that he KNOWS about Hermione, and didn't tell. This explains so much! It explains why DD could never tell anyone WHY he trusts Snape so much, because only DD, Snape and the Potters knew about it.

He still treats Harry with contempt because Lily died for him, and hates Hermione because she looks at him through James's eyes.

Hee Hee! I like this one so much I may decide this theory is true!!!

It sounds nice... Lily's eyes, James's eyes... Really good theory. It could be like that Lily wanted to hide Harry too but she didn't have enough time, what do you think?

There's something strange with Hermione's parents, I know. And 1 thing which bothers me: I always thought that Hermione could be a better girl for Harry than Ginny. But they weren't a couple-never!

But if it was like this, Hermione's Harry's sister, I think she doesn't know.

Hehe, samsmom,

thanks for the PM, you were right. I love that theory (although it does not involve Snape being a father to anybody *lol*).

So if the sibling-theory is true, you might be right, too. I'd love it!
There are so many connections between Hermy and Harry and this is the only thing that makes sense for now. Cool.


Hm... to bad I'm already caught up in a huge fanfic with... .oO(no, don't spoil it, let them read it for themselves)
I'd love to write about Harry and Hermione being twins... *lol* Maybe I'll add it in the end, I'm only at the sixth chapter and the story hasn't really begun yet. So I'll give it a thought. *lol*

Flutterflie

It all sounds good, but I don't think you can use the lack of connection between Hermione and her parents to prove the theory.

Just because she was adopted doesn't mean they would just care little for her and her little for them. There are many parents who care more for there adopted children then some parents do for their real children.

I doubt the Grangers would treat Hermione any less just because shes adopted...they aren't the Dursleys!

Oh, no, I didn't mean that it was proof of the theory, I just thought it was odd. I just thought it was strange that the Grangers, whether this theory is correct or not, pay so little attention to Hermione, and allow a child (who was 11 when this all started) to be away from home so much. Face it, if she was home for one month a year that was a lot. She didn't even spend most of the holidays at home.

I have the utmost respect for anyone who adopts a child, and realize that
there are plenty of people who treat their adopted kids with more care and love than others treat their biological children!

I think the Sibling Theory is a very cool one, indeed. I like the idea of it- but as, with the Are-Dumbledore-and-Harry-Related Theory, I'm just going to have go with this: that even though they are very close, and care for each other as if they were family, they are not actually blood related.
Of course, it would be totally awesome if they did turn out to be brother and sister- I wouldn't be disappointed in the least. Guess we'll just have to see what happens in Book 7! Cheers!
-- Gin

i personaly dont think this is true. but it would be great if it was....
and im sure of one thing when McGonagall said "i dont care if he insults every family member u posses" she was talking about harrys mum. since malfoy compared her with miss weasly saying they were both fat or ugly or somthing.

Well, it's nice and perhaps it was in one of the first draft of JKR, but sincerly a lote of your arguments are not well founded or very speculative... for my part the only thing that staied from that devlopment is a brotherly relation between H/Hr, nothing more... if this was not the case then we would have a tresome situation! that would not play nicely in the personal relation of hour 3 heroes...

And Hermione knows it!
- This is a strong afirmation that cant be backup, if you do not accept the theory! This could be infered only if the relation is true.

"there is one thing, it is kind of the heart of it all...I couldn't divert now, everything has been building up to it, and I've laid all my clues."
- From this (JKR sitation) how do you imply something about Lily, in general she is berly mentioned compared to Snape, that is gathering a huge momentum, from simple teacher to DD killer.

INITIALS...Hermione Jane Puckle, then she would have the same initials as Harry James Potter. HJP...
- Well sorry lets keep to the facts, it's HJP and HJG.
JK Rowling replies -> My pleasure:) Middle names: Ginny is Molly, of course, Hermione 'Jane' and Ron, poor boy, is Bilius.

AN EARLIER DRAFT... the Potters living on an island and the Grangers living a short ways away on the mainland...
- Here again, false an false, not factual in the "new?" books. plus if you take that you must accept:
JK Rowling replies -> I always planned that Hermione would have a younger sister but she's never made an appearance and somehow it feels like it might be too late now.

Strange lack of background information on Hermione...
- Also from Snape, DD, Remus...? so what about it...

PHYSICAL RESEMBLANCE...Aunt Petunia would be Hermione...Aunt
- Well dental identification does not create famely bonds... can identify you, but not relate you to some one...

Theory of Interruptions...
PS, chapter 6 : I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard (Yes ? Heard from whom ? )
PS, chapter 6 : I know all about you, of course I got a few extra books for background reading (Yes, Hermione ? How did you learn so much about Harry ? )
PS, chapter 16 : friendship and bravery and oh Harry (Friendship and bravery and what ? Family?
- Well this is actuily nice but, but it also related to the desire of not been persive as:
1) Neerdy 2) Interested 3) yes a bond but family is not implied or necesary.

WHO ELSE MIGHT KNOW
- This is no proof... it's nothing.

WHY DOESN'T HARRY KNOW? ...connected to Voldemort
- This is a fact that was discovered in the book, so nobody was awere of this!

BOOK ONE
- Here again only speculation. All can be atributed to an intence friendship.

BOOK TWO...
She enters the boys\u2019 dormitories on Christmas morning to pay Harry (and Ron) a visit, she doesn\u2019t think anything of it. It\u2019s her brother\u2019s room?
- For this to be just, they must have lived together for a long time, this is not the case.
BOOK THREE
Hermione doesn't face the Boggart where we could watch....We never see Hermione appear on the Marauder's Map...
- She was not stop from the Boggart, it's HP that cause the interuption, well in the Marauder's Map did not read about 99% of the schools attendies.


BOOK FOUR...Hermione talked about Harry a lot to Krum, ...
- Well from experience, you dont speak to boy/girl friend of your cibeling, only from people that you admire or desier?

BOOK FIVE...(Oh I wished I\u2019d spotted this!)
When Hermione gets her prefect badge, she enters the boy's room and sees Harry holding Ron's badge.
- It's no hidden fact that she does admire the power of HP, and people Ron? is not top wizard material? and for the rest is highly speculative and is esaly explaine by the friendship bond.

BOOK SIX...How many truly 100% platonic opposite-sex friends have you had?
- A few, it depends on the interest that you express. Well if physical you will probably have 0 but like Hr she is more intelectual and you will have many...

With Harry and Hermione, they don\u2019t feel any typical teenage boy-girl tension and they don\u2019t even flirt. What\u2019s the matter with these kids? Well, would you flirt with your brother/sister?
- Well if you would be right, HP should flirt and he clearly does not, for he and Ron she is simply one more of the guy's (not so anymore for Ron).

GESTATIONAL PERIODS...
- To be in the same year, must you not be of age before the start of the term? should they be in the same year??
....
For the rest of your text, well does are point agains the theory... puting it more an more complex... it's after all a children book...

Wow, that's a long theory. It's really well put together and a lot of it makes sense, but I really just can't buy it. Can you honestly see this being thrown in in the last book? It's just too wierd.

Hmmm... Well, my absolute first response to this just upon seeing the subject of the thread was: "The-huh?!" But I must admit, upon reading of the theory, I do think that it is very well put-together and even somewhat convincing, despite the fact that it's very speculative. I can hardly say that we have any firm evidence to support it, and I'm not really inclined to believe it at this time, but I still think it's a very interesting possibility, and worth futher consideration. I'll have to read the full theory and give it a lot of thought before I can really comment further...

But just to address some of my biggest potential problems with the theory...

I get that you're saying that Hermione's existence will have been kept a secret, but would she not have been born and existed before the prophesy was actually made (we can infer based on certain information; and I'll see about getting into this more later that the Prophesy was made and Trelawny was hired during the winter break about seven months before Harry's first birthday the following July, I believe). Hermione being about the same age as Harry, we would have to assume that if they are siblings, that they are twins, and that Hermione's birthday is false (am I correct in that assumption as far as this theory goes?). Therefore, both Harry and Hermione would have been living for about half a year before the Prophesy was even made. Why should Hermione's existence be kept a secret from everyone up to that point? Why shouldn't the Dursley's know that Petunia's disgusting witch sister had a girl the same age as Dudley in addition to the boy she knew she had? Do you see what I'm saying? How do you explain so few people knowing anything about Hermione as a Potter?

As I said, I'll read the whole theory and consider it further (and discuss it with my crack team of Harry Potter theorists), and decide what I really think about it. But for now, I'm just interested in what you have to say to that one main point at least?

If Hermione was alomost 12 years old when she came to Hogwarts, should she not have been starting her second year? Unless Dumbledore/McGonagall wanted to hold her back for a year to be in the same year as Harry. And if she wasn't somehow related to Harry, it wouldn't really matter if they were in the same year or not, would it? And if Hermione's birthday is indeed the 19th of September, she would need to have been born the year before Harry, because she was able to take the apparation test in HBP, which was only avaliable to those who turned 17 before the end of april.

while reading this extensive theory the snape-lily idea kept popping into my head. its was a funny thought but i am not entirely sure if it is true. i like the theory and i think it would turn heaqds if it were true. maybe they really are twins and hermione was hidden from birth so that no one would know in case their minds were pryed into. it would be rather clever of dd and minerva to have hid hermione to keep the prophey alive and a part of the potter legacy alive in case harry did not survive.
another idea is that maybe hermione was james's daughter, but not lily's and that is why she gets upset with harry being compared to her. maybe she resents being a love child. she is always talking about james and she nevers mentions any knowledge of lily. it could be true.