Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (1/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: 7th year fic in the good old traditional style. Voldemort has a daughter (only he lost her), Harry has a dream, Dumbledore has a past and Hermione has a problem. Major revelations about the Potters, and the beginning of a possible romance...

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 1- The Invisibility Cloak

She walked swiftly down the street. The night was hot- sultry. A cool breeze, however, blew inland from the nearby sea. A few street lamps illuminated the road, that was all. The sounds of midnight revellers could be from the main streets. She looked down at the cool summer dress she was wearing. Bother, I just didn't think of the clothes! I must show up very well in white on a dark street. Typical, isn't it, she muttered to herself as she walked on, you think of everything, the rope; you even tested it for weight! And you don't notice that you'll be seen in white. I plan it to perfection, and I don't think of that! At least I always wear flat shoes, high heels would have been dreadful!

Suddenly, out of an alleyway reeled a drunkard. "Kalimera! Hic- you're a- hic- pretty thing- hic- aren't you? Kalinihta!" He reeled away. She took a few steadying breaths and leant against the peeling paint of a wall. She'd survived! Pull yourself together! He's not Voldemort in disguise! she told herself severely. All he did was gibber in Greek! It's nothing to worry about.

All the same, she did look round more often than before, what if she was caught? What if he was already there, if she was too late? Perhaps he already knew. She had thought she had been the only one to know, what if she was wrong? What if she was all wrong? If it had all been a mistake? Then common sense returned. Of course she was right! She was always right. How could she be wrong? She had researched it so well! She almost laughed. She was going to save the world!

She ran down the street and across the little square to the other side where the Palace was. She could hear the fountain playing in the centre of the square, she could smell food. Someone was cooking kebabs in a house nearby. She looked at her watch, ten minutes past two o'clock in the morning. She should be safe. The grand house was surrounded by a garden and high railings. From under the maroon dress coat she pulled a length of strong rope with a bar of wood at one end. She stuck her foot through the railings to see what the ground was like. Grass, that was fine. Checking nobody was watching, she threw the rope up so that the stick caught between the tops of the rails. Checking that it was firm, she gripped the rope in both hands and started to climb up. I'm going to save the world, she reminded herself as she pulled herself up. At the top she remembered not to look down, and holding onto the stick, so that the rope would follow, so she could use it to get out, she took a deep breath, muttered, "This is for the benefit of all mankind!" and jumped.

She landed with bent knees, on the grass safe and sound. Breathing deeply, she stood up and rolled up the rope and put it into her pocket. She looked around her, she was definitely inside the gardens, not a thing was stirring, not even a bird. There were so many shadows though. They looked so human. What if they were? What if she was being watched? Her fingers closed on that vital piece of wood, her wand, in her pocket. She couldn't do magic in the holidays, but it reassured her, even so.

Surely those leaves crackled? Oh, that I had an invisibility cloak like Harry! If only! I'd be all right then.

But Harry was safe asleep at Privet Drive or at The Burrow with Ron. Oh for his cloak! She was sure there was someone there. She spun round. No-one! Her heart beating faster than normal, she moved noiselessly around the house to look for a side entrance that wasn't locked. Oh for some company! For a minute she saw a shadow- heard a footstep. What if it was- Her imagination took hold of her.

"I say, what are you doing here?"

"Ron! Thank goodness someone's come! I'm going to save the world and you can help me!"

"Save the world, er, Hermione, that's impossible!"

"Come on anyway!"

Then the shadow was someone else- Hermione's head span.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" it inquired in a different tone from Ron.

"None of your business, Malfoy."

"Oh no! We'll see about that, Mudblood!" he laughed, and then the laugh turned high and cold, and his face become the one she had only seen in her nightmares; a chalk white face, slit red eyes, and a flat nose.

"Noooooooooooo!" She sank down by a tree, terrified.

"Never cross the Dark Lord's path. I don't like meddlers, girl." He laughed again.

"You haven't saved the world yet, have you?" he raised his wand.

"Help! Harry! Ron!"

The laugh was crueller than ever, "Avada Kadavra!"

She fainted.

"Wake up! Wake up! Please wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Hermione dragged herself back to consciousness. The voice cried, "Thank goodness you woke up." Hermione spun round, no-one was there. Who had spoken? It seemed to come from her head. That was impossible, however, she knew that of course. "Look out, the guards!" yelled the voice, and this she could footsteps and voices for real.

There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to go. She was trapped, no use to run; they would hear her. It was like her worst dreams.

Oh for the invisibility cloak! Harry! HARRY! Please, the cloak! I need the cloak! I wish I had the cloak! Oh, Harry, save me! She crept behind a tree and closed her eyes while she waited for the guards to come and arrest her. She couldn't think of anything to do. She couldn't even apparate or do anything that might be of use.

She could see Harry's cloak swim before her shut eyes. Oh how much she wished she had it. She felt a soft weight in her hands. She opened her eyes, (how close the guards were!) and there, in her hands was a piece of shimmering material, the invisibility cloak! Without stopping to wonder, she threw it over herself and held her breath to wait for the guards. Two thickset men walked past, revolvers in their hip pockets. Hermione understood enough Greek to realise that they had heard a noise round here and had come to investigate. They poked around a bit, then one said, "Must've been a bird or something," The other one agreed, "Come on, we've wasted enough time around here."

They walked away. Hermione let out a long breath. Fate seemed to favour her tonight! Checking that the guards really had gone, she gently took off the cloak. It really was Harry's for it said, 'J. Potter.' at one side. She didn't understand, how did she have it? Surely wishing for something didn't bring over seas to her? Was this a copy then? Was the real cloak at 4 Privet Drive as usual?

Frowning, she put it back on, she couldn't risk another close encounter like the one she had just had. She carried on walking, trying not to think of the cloak, but she couldn't. 'Well, I'm honoured to have possession of James Potter's invisibility cloak. I'll keep it very safe for Harry,' she promised.

There was the side entrance, and it wasn't locked. Heart leaping for joy at not having to break in, she slowly pushed it open. It creaked. Hermione waited a minute, no sound, and shut it behind her. I hope the guards haven't heard it, she thought.

The door led through into a long, paved corridor. Like all Mediterranean houses, it was cool and dry. The flags on the floor were broken and worn in places; she almost tripped up at one point.

She had reckoned that the room where the writing was kept would be on the ground floor, so she ignored the great, dusty, sweeping stairs. The first door she came to was the kitchen, and therefore unsuitable.

The next room looked like a sitting room. Gingerly she switched on the light, fortunately it was very feeble. She looked past the ornamental brocade chairs and the dusty grand piano. What a state of neglect this house is in, she thought sorrowfully, but saw nothing that could be called what she was looking for. She switched off the light and walked across to the next room.

She switched the light on in this room- it was the dining room. She scanned it, and her heart gave a beat of excitement. Next to the fireplace was a large glass case with a piece of paryrus in it. She approached it quickly, taking the red notebook out of her pocket as she did so. She compared the writing in the book to that on the paryrus. It was the same! She had found her goal! Now all she had to do was copy the bits she didn't have in her book. She took out her pencil and started to copy it.

Harry Potter woke up suddenly. He had had a funny dream. He had had others like it and he tried to remember this one. There had been the girl, of course. There always was the girl. And whenever he had looked into her face, to see who she was, he had woken up, before he could identify her.

This dream had been the strangest yet, however. He had seen the girl go through museums and great houses, in search of something, but in this dream, she had been in the grounds of a great house at night. It had been hot, he remembered and there been the shadows, not shadows, more like Priori Incantatem prowling around the grounds with him. There had been Ron and Draco Malfoy. Then suddenly the girl had collapsed. Harry had been just about to help her, when he had seen the two people, with guns. The girl was in danger from them, he didn't know how or why, but he knew she had to wake up. "Wake up! Wake up!" he remembered screaming to her and eventually she had woken. He told her about the guards and she had panicked. Then she had cried for his cloak, for him and for Ron. I'm sure I know her! he thought angrily. He furrowed his brows, but he couldn't remember what she looked like at all. And, he had given her the cloak; put it in her hands, and as he had looked up at her, he had woken up. As he always had. He desperately wanted to see her, instead of just helping her, he wanted to get to know her properly and whenever that could have happened, he woke up. It was so annoying!

He had given her the cloak though, he thought with sudden inspiration. He climbed stealthily out of bed, listened to the Dursleys to check they were asleep, then opened his trunk and put his hand into the pocket where he always kept his invisibility cloak. He almost had a heart attack.

The cloak wasn't there.

This chapter has ended.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (2/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: 7th year fic in the good old traditional style. Voldemort has a daughter (only he lost her), Harry has a dream, Dumbledore has a past and Hermione has a problem. Major revelations about the Potters, and the beginning of a possible romance...

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 2- The Lady

Harry was stunned. His invisibility cloak! Gone! Where? Was it possible that the lady in the dream... but that really was impossible! Invisibility cloaks did not suddenly disappear.

Harry did not know what to do. In the end he wrote to Sirius explaining exactly what had happened in his dream and afterwards. However he later wished that he had waited another day to send the letter, then he could have told Sirius about the second dream...

The room was dark and wet and damp. The circle of Death Eaters stood round Lord Voldemort in a circle. Voldemort looked healthy and at the height of his powers. He prowled round, staring carefully at all the hooded faces.

"So," he said eventually, "we still do not know who the Potters' secret keeper is? Are we sure? Is someone keeping something back, perhaps? Severus Snape, surely you have an idea?"

A hooded figure replied in Snape's voice, "Indeed, Master, I do not know."

"I do not believe you! You must guess. Surely you are aware that the Potters have a secret keeper?" His voice started to take on a hint of menace.

Snape paused a moment then said carefully, "The Potters trust Dumbledore more than anyone, I believe."

"Professor Dumbledore? Ha! That muggle loving fool! Now I can concoct my plans for their defeat properly. The meeting is over now. Crabbe, I wish to see her ladyship as soon as possible. Now."

The wizards started to apparate away and soon only Voldemort was left in the room. He paced up and down looking tense. "I cannot hope to defeat Professor Dumbledore. Not yet anyway." He laughed.

"What is so amusing, my Lord?" Voldemort span round.

The speaker was a lady. She was very small and dressed in black robes with a hood pushed back over her forehead. She was carrying a bundle in her arms. Her hair was coal black and scraped into a tight bun. Her face was pale and sharp and she had shrewd dark eyes. Her mouth curved into a clever, sly smile.

"Nothing, Estella. Nothing. Nothing you care about."

"Oh, Tom, how cruel of you. You must know that anything that interests you must interest me as well."

"Stupid girl. Why have you brought the child, fool?"

"What else am I meant to do with it? When are you going to give me something else to do than simply nurse a crying baby like any common muggle?"

"Well said, my Lady, well said." He laughed cruelly. "That is exactly what you are going to do: give it to a muggle to nurse for you."

"Are you mad?"

"No, of course not." He paused, waiting for her to react in some way then when she didn't, continued, "Estella, I cannot hope to defeat Dumbledore, you know that."

"I know it."

"This child is the same age of the Potters' son. If I cannot reach the Potters, then this child will grow up with him and then, through little Harry, I will kill the Potters."

"Oh yes, my Lord. I can see it all. Here, listen. At the sorting- Potter, Harry. Gryffindor, of course. Bla, Bla, Bla. Voldemort, Elvira. Sure. That's going to work. Dumbledore will blow his top."

"Don't be so silly, Estella, I'm not going to do it like that and I shall make sure that you, since you wish to do something, shall be in charge of your daughter's upbringing."

"What an honour! You get to do the dirty work and I look after the children. Great! Just what I always wanted to do."

"This is not any child, Estella!" he hissed. "This is my child and your child! Think of its parentage! The daughter of the most powerful and clever wizard-"

"Think a lot of yourself, don't you?"

"-and the cleverest witch ever, I'll give you that."

"Thank you, Tom, but I still don't know exactly what you have in mind."

"This. You have heard of the prophecy, that Professor Trelawney made to me in my last year of school?"

Estella looked pitifully at him, "Really, who'd have thought it, Tom Riddle, alias Lord Voldemort, believes the pathetic Trelawney's fake predictions! Well, honestly!"

"I'm getting very fed up with you. I'll give the job to someone else if you don't stand still."

"What job? I'm listening."

"The prophecy said that our child would defeat the light."

"I seem to remember it saying the light, or the dark, eh, Tom?"

"ESTELLA! I do not remember anything of the sort."

Estella looked contemptuously away and pursed her lips. Voldemort continued. "You are an expert in Transmorphation. You will change my daughter's appearance so that she looks like the normal, unintelligent muggle she will be taken for. You will then deliver her into the care of a nice, not too bright muggle family where she will be brought up."

"What is the point of this, my lord?"

He laughed. "Not quite so clever as normal, Estella. She shall then be sent to Hogwarts believing herself to be Jane Bloggs, or whatever. There she will discover her true side as a Slytherin- my daughter, and through her cultivation of Harry Potter's friendship I shall get at the boy and through him, his parents! It is a perfect scheme."

Estella was silent for a long time, then she said, in a low voice, "Do you really expect this to work? Your schemes are always stupid. Without me to guide you through everything you would be rotting away in Azkaban by now. You've always known that, that's why you picked up insignificant Estella Green of the first year, friendless and with only her diary to talk to! Where would you be without me?!"

"You can talk! Where would you be without me then? Still plain, insignificant Stella Green, earning her living writing adventure stories starring wonder-witch, Elvira! Now you're the mistress of the most powerful wizard in the whole world!"

"I could have become the most powerful witch in the whole world in my own right, without your help, as you well know!"

"I would have killed you then."

"I know. And I didn't want to die, so I joined you."

"How do I know you are faithful to me?"

"You don't."

Voldemort didn't reply. A few seconds later, his lady said ironically, "We really have the perfect relationship, Tom. I cannot betray you to the ministry or Dumbledore because you would kill me, and you cannot hurt me because I would kill you."

"Would you really kill me, Estella, after all these years?"

"Waxing sentimental now, Tom, are you?"

"Do you want to know what to do with the child, or not?"

"You're going to tell me whether I want to know or not."

"You will take the child away tomorrow and deliver her to the muggles. After that you can leave everything to me, and I never want to see you again afterwards, Estella. You may leave."

Estella stood still a minute then, putting her daughter on a chair in the room, she approached Voldemort. She looked him in the eye and then she slapped him hard across the face. Her cheeks had red spots on them and her lips were the thinnest lines. "You'll regret saying that, Tom Riddle." She hissed then she turned on her heels, picked up the baby and swept proudly out of the room, before he could curse her.

Outside, she took a deep breath and nodded to herself. "You're making a big mistake, my Lord," she said out loud.

This chapter has ended.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (3/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: Harry loses his invisibilty cloak in a mysterious manner before his seventh year starts. Dumbledore has a past, Hermione has a dangerous secret and Voldemort is looking for someone (not Harry). Slight H/H. Rated PG. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 3- The Train journey

Hermione had been ill. Very ill. She had caught a cold the night she gone to the palace in Greece and it had developed into some sort of nervous disorder. Now thankfully, on September the first, she was perfectly recovered.

The platform was very crowded. Hermione made her way onto the train and searched for Harry and Ron.

"Hermione! Over here!" came Ron's voice from somewhere along the carriage. "Is that Hermione? Hermione!" yelled Harry's in return. She rushed to the sound of their voices.

They were both sitting in an empty compartment, books and robes strewn around the floor. Hermione looked around happily. Finally she was back where she belonged.

Ron hadn't changed at all but Harry had grown quite a bit. He was taller than her now. She sat down next to Ron and Crookshanks crawled onto his lap.

After conversation about the holidays and other trivial topics, a constrained silence set in between the trio. Harry stared out of the window, Ron stared at Hermione and Hermione stared at Harry. She was wondering how she was going to tell Harry that she had his invisibility cloak. She did not want to tell Ron just yet. It was clear that some magic, whether good or bad she didn't know, had taken place that fateful evening, and Hermione wanted to discuss it with Harry first. Besides, her relationship with Ron had been rather taut for the last few months.

She had just opened her mouth, but Harry opened his first. He said, "I need to tell you lot what happened in the holidays."

Hermione's courage rose. "Erm, Harry, I need to talk to you."

"Fire away then."

Idiot! thought Hermione, couldn't he tell I meant alone. "Um... I meant alone actually."

"OK," replied Harry. "Beat it, Ron."

Ron, however did not beat it. He stared at Hermione, and whispered something in her ear. Harry watched her, and her face was a picture. She went very red and shouted, "RON! HOW DARE YOU? You're worse than- You! Off all people! Not that I'm offended or anything, it's just, that's so, so, like a boy," she finished lamely.

Ron had gone red too, "er, are you though?"

"NO!" cried Hermione. "You prat, now move it!" She practically pushed him out of the door.

Harry was very puzzled but said nothing. Hermione however sat down in a business-like fashion and said, "Never mind Ron. I know what you were going to say earlier. You've lost your invisibility cloak."

"How did you know? You're perfectly right and everything, but how-"

"I've got it," said Hermione reaching down and taking it out of her trunk.

Harry looked flabbergasted. "Where-what-why-when-how?"

Hermione almost laughed. "I found it, suddenly, in my hands one night, somewhere," she said evasively. She did not want to tell anyone why she had been breaking into Greek palaces just yet.

Harry looked serious. "Where exactly were you?"

She told him, missing out the motive.

"I had a dream, and it took place in those grounds that you were talking about," said Harry when she finished.

"And me, was I in it?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, that is, I don't know, there was a girl like always, but I never saw her face."

"Oh. You saw me, that girl I mean, more than once?"

"Yes, in all these different dreams. It was horrible. She'd be going round all these museums and things, and she was looking for something, and I always really wanted to talk to her, but when I approached to see who she was, she just disappeared. It was awful."

"I did go around plenty of museums in Greece, and I was looking for something specific. Actually I found it on the night I got your cloak."

"I know you found whatever it was."

"You know? How?"

Harry hesitated. How had he known that that journey in the old palace had been the last trip the girl would need to make? "I, er, sort of felt it," he said at last, knowing how stupid it would sound.

Hermione frowned and said sceptically, "Felt it?"

"Um... yeah."

Both frowned and looked out of the window.

Then, "so," they said at the same time.

"Go on!"

"No, you go on," replied Harry going red.

Hermione licked her lips, "What do we do about it?"

"I vote we go to see Dumbledore," said Harry with certainty.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't want to tell Dumbledore. It's probably nothing."

Harry frowned.

"Let's look in the library first. There might be something there," she continued.

Harry grinned at her. "Typical! If in doubt, read a book."

"Well," she said defensively, "that's the best way, so I've found."

Harry agreed reluctantly. There was another silence.

"Shall we tell Ron?" Hermione asked.

"No, not yet," said Harry. "I don't really want to talk about it with anyone, and Ron would be just really worried."

"OK." Hermione looked unsure of whether she agreed with Harry or not, but she didn't disagree. "Shall we get him back in then?"

"Yes- no! I've just remembered!"

"Yes, what?" inquired Hermione, leaning forward eagerly.

Harry had just remembered how, in his dream he had called out to the girl, who he now knew was Hermione, how he had told her to watch out for the guards, and how he had saved her from getting thrown into Greek prison."

As he finished speaking, Hermione went very white, her eyes went round, and she clutched at Harry's hand, as if for protection.

"What is it?" asked Harry, panicky.

"Oh Heavens, Harry," she breathed. "I think I've just realised what it was."

"What what was?"

"What happened- I think I know."

"What was it?" Harry said urgently. It must have been serious to make her go so white. Hermione was usually very calm.

She suddenly went very red and said in an unnaturally loud voice, "Oh, nothing. I was wrong. Never mind what I thought. It couldn't possibly have worked. Ignore me, please."

She put her head in her hands and muttered, "Oh dear!"

Harry leaned over, "What do you mean? What's wrong?"

Hermione jumped up, nearly knocking him over. She said in a tightish voice, "I'm going to get changed."

Harry nodded. He wished he knew what she knew and wouldn't tell him. It wasn't fair. He was just as involved. He got changed himself and stared out of the window. Crookshanks crawled onto his lap, purring. He stroked him absentmindedly. The cat sank his claws gently into Harry's leg.

Hermione returned and got out a book without saying anything. It was a paperback novel with a moving picture on the front of a tree swaying in the wind, a very beautiful witch holding her wand out of which sparks were flying, and a tall young man riding a dragon. Flashes of lightening illuminated the sky.

"Is it good?" Harry asked cautiously.

"So so. It's very improbable."

"What's it about?"

"Here, read the blurb." She handed it over.

Harry read, ' Another fictional masterpiece from Miss Green's repertoire. Falling in Love with Danger has the same fanciful imagination that all her books convey. This one stars Diana Walker, a romantic young witch who, on the eve of her wedding to stuffy Lord Johnson, falls in love with Andrew Lovelorn, the unorthodox mystery man who rides a dragon. However, Lovelorn is not the simplest person she could have fallen in love and Diana finds that she must exercise powers she never knew she had to save him, especially when her own parents decide to have him killed. Can Lovelorn defeat The Evil Powers, including Diana's own closest relations, and can Diana save Lovelorn from a fate worse than death? A tremendously gripping book, The Daily Prophet; a well crafted plot and a magical romance, A Magical Read; thrilling- I was unable to put it down, Witch Weekly.' Well, could you put it down?" Harry asked with a grin.

Hermione sighed. "Yes. I find it extremely boring. The textbooks are more interesting. She makes up all the spells, which is simply lazy. Her style of writing is very bad too."

Harry looked over the page she had reached and skimmed over the words. 'Diana stared at her father...Lovelorn's handsome face swan before her gleaming eyes...she shouted the final spell and as she did so another voice was heard...' "Looks like you've reached the climax, Hermione," he said tossing it back to her.

"Thanks," she said and continued reading.

Harry stared out of the window. Just at that moment Ron came in, looking hot and bothered.

"What's up?" asked Harry.

"Oh, just a brush in with Malfoy and co. Nothing to speak of."

"Did he say anything in particular?" asked Hermione sharply.

Ron shrugged, "Just wanted to know where Potty and Mudblood were, made a few snide comments, that sort of thing. Seemed in a good mood. Apparently Pansy Parkinson's going out with him now, not that I can see how that would make anyone happy, still..." Ron sat down with a philosophical shrug.

This chapter has now ended.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (4/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: Harry loses his invisibilty cloak in a mysterious manner before his seventh year starts. Dumbledore has a past, Hermione has a dangerous secret and Voldemort is looking for someone (not Harry). Slight H/H. Rated PG. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 4- Return to Hogwarts

Ron sniffed appreciatively as he walked into the Great Hall with Harry and Hermione. "I wish we didn't have to watch the sorting before the feast. I'm starving," he complained.

"That is original of you, Ron." laughed Harry, "you only say that every single year."

Hermione cast them a stuffy look as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.

Soon Professor McGonagall entered the room carrying the sorting hat and the three-legged stool. She was followed by a ragged line of nervous first years.

After the hat had finished its song, Professor McGonagall read out the names of first years from, 'Ackerly, Susannah' to 'Vane, Kay'. Professor Dumbledore then stood up to make his speech, "Welcome to Hogwarts. Before we start the feast (groan from Ron), I have a few things to say to you. As usual the forest is out of bounds to all students and the village of Hogsmeade to any students under third year." Here he peered rather closely at a group of Ravenclaw second years who completely gave themselves away by giggling.

"We must also welcome a new member of staff. Professor Harding, Minerva's sister, will be joining us as Defence against the Dark Arts teacher until Christmas."

Professor Harding was a slightly younger version of Professor McGonagall, with a weaker chin. Hermione frowned, "why is she only staying till Christmas?" she whispered to Harry.

Before he had time to answer, Dumbledore continued, "Quidditch trials will start next week. If you wish to play for your house please contact Madame Hooch or your house captain, Harry Potter for Gryffindor; Mandy Brocklehurst for Ravenclaw; Martin Roberts for Hufflepuff and Draco Malfoy for Slytherin."

"WHAT?!" hissed Ron, livid, "Draco Malfoy, captain?!"

"Of course; Malcolm Baddock left last year," replied Harry gloomily, glancing over at the Slytherin table, where Malfoy was looking particularly smug (though he might have looked even happier if his girlfriend Pansy wasn't hanging onto his arm).

Dumbledore finished, "Our head boy is Terry Boot, and our head girl, Hermione Granger. Contact them if you have any queries. I don't think I have anything more to say. Enjoy the feast and the year."

"About time too!" said Ron.

Hermione slept badly. In fact she slept so badly that she woke up twice. The second time was at roughly 11 o'clock. She sat up in bed and looked up at the alarm clock on her bedside table. It showed the date as well as the time. How could she have been so forgetful? Hermione realised with a jolt that the next day would be her birthday.

She went back to sleep.

But not to a dreamless sleep. Pictures of what seemed to be her life flashed through her brain, like a video on fast forward. She saw a dark room and hooded figures, then it changed and a single hooded person, who was quite small, was standing facing her. That person raised its wand and shouted unfamiliar words at her. A jet of red light shot out from the wand and the scene changed again. This time the 'video' seemed to have fast-forwarded quite a long way because this time she recognised the scene. She was telling her ordinary muggle parents that she was a witch, seven years ago. How excited she had been! And now she saw the painfully familiar house in Greece, and she saw the guards approaching, and Harry's voice in her mind telling her to watch out, then- nothing.

And suddenly a voice boomed in her head, "THE OLD MAGIC IS AWAKENED. PREPARE YOURSELF." A flash of red light like the one in her dream illuminated her mind. She woke up immediately feeling her skin was melting wax.

She screamed, but no sound came out. Switching on the light she grabbed her mirror, not really knowing what to expect to see. A strange face stared back- a pale face with thin, almost invisible lips and dark shrewd eyes and smooth, straight, oily black hair. The next second it was gone and Hermione Granger, pale faced and frightened stared back at her.

Hermione drank some water and, shuddering slightly, looked around the dormitory at the dark, humps and listened to the regular breathing of Lavender and Parvati. It was clear that they had heard nothing.

If she had been more awake she would have tried to understand what she had seen and heard, as it was, she was terrified and her brain was bemused. Her eyes wondered back to the clock. She had been eighteen for approximately two minutes. She was now, the first one in her class, technically an adult. She was no longer an under-age witch.

When Hermione awoke the next morning, she had no recollection of the previous night at all. She only felt happy that it was her birthday and the first day of school.

Her eyes opened on the familiar scene of the girls' dormitory in September. A ray of autumn sun filtered through the curtains and enabled her to see Parvati sitting bouncing on her four-poster platting her hair, and Lavender applying lip gloss at her dressing table. When they saw that she was awake, they turned around and pulling out parcels cried, "Happy Birthday, Hermione!"

They sat on the edge of her bed and insisted that she opened her presents, which she did. From Parvati she received some pink hairclips and some perfume, which she felt obliged to wear. From Lavender she had a book called, A 100 Magical Tips for Improving your Appearance.

"I thought you'd like a book best," added Lavender.

Hermione felt like laughing and crying at the same time. She felt a sudden affection for her two room-mates who she always pretty much ignored and had even scorned in the past. She gave them a sudden hug before descending into the common room where Harry and Ron were waiting.

It seemed that they had got her a joint gift. It looked very like a very thick book.

"We think you'll like it," said Ron, almost jumping up and down with excitement as she opened it.

"It's the very latest edition," added Harry.

It was a shiny, hardback edition of, A Concise History of the Teachers of Hogwarts, Past and Present.

"It's a companion to your favourite book," Harry said, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Which is?"

"Hogwarts, A History!" chorused Harry and Ron at the same time.

Hermione seemed to see the last six years of her life flash by and she was suddenly acutely aware that she had only one year left at Hogwarts.

"You don't know what this means to me," she said in a low voice.

"So you like it?" asked Harry, anxiously.

"Idiot! Of course!"

Ron seemed to be thinking deeply, then said nervously, "Er, Hermione, I want to say something to you."

Hermione's eyes narrowed visibly but she replied, "All right then."

Harry coughed and muttered, "I'll just, er, go then, shall I?"

"No!" cried Ron grabbing his arm, "I want you to be a witness."

"A witness?" asked Hermione.

"Yes. Hermione, I forgive you."

"Forgive me?"

"Yes, for slapping me last year at the ball. You had provocation. I apologise."

"Apologise? I'm the one who should do that; I was hot and irritable. Anyway, I forgive you for kissing me, though you mustn't do it again."

"I won't," sighed Ron.

There was a pause. Then Hermione burst into tears and gave Ron a massive hug.

Here the author must fill in spaces in the reader's knowledge. To bring the reader up to date we must now acknowledge that in the summer before her sixth year, Hermione had broken up with Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian seeker. When asked why, she was evasive. Not even Harry or Ron knew the reason. She had visited him twice in Bulgaria and after the second visit she had merely said that they had had, 'a difference of opinion and had broken up by mutual consent.'

Meanwhile Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw in the year above, had been devastated when her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, who she had truly loved, had died at the end of the year before. Harry had had a bit of a crush on her, but had never had the nerve to ask her out.

Eventually it was Cho herself who came to his rescue. She was stuck for a partner for the Seniors' Ball since she did not want a boyfriend after Cedric. However, she liked Harry and asked him to accompany her. Harry had been the only fifth year going, but he had enjoyed it and after a while he began to grow out of his crush for her and to love her in a much more fraternal way. It was the beginning of a life long friendship.

Harry found Cho sensible and intelligent, though bitter about Cedric's death. She was determined to become an Auror and to avenge his death, as well as never marry. He found himself telling her things he had never told anyone else before, including Ron and Hermione; like how the Dursleys' really treated him and how he had blamed himself for Cedric's death. Cho reminded Harry of Hermione a bit.

As Harry spent more time with Cho, he also noticed how little he knew of the lives of Ron and Hermione. When he was playing Quidditch or fighting Voldemort, what were they doing? The more he thought about this, the more he noticed that Ron liked Hermione. He didn't know about Hermione's feelings, but Ron's were very obvious. It occurred to him that they might already be going out behind his back as it were, and Hermione was just better at hiding it. The idea hurt him, but he had to consider it.

He wasn't to know just how wrong he had been until the Seniors' Ball in their sixth year. Ron went with Hermione, and Harry had gone with Cho. At the end of a very romantic, slow dance, Cho had drawn Harry's attention to Ron and Hermione. Suddenly Ron had kissed Hermione, not on the cheek, but firmly on the lips! The whole ball had watched as Hermione had drawn back, red in the face, and slapped Ron hard across the face. She had only ever slapped someone before once, and that had been Malfoy. She then left the hall and wasn't seen by anybody until the next day when she wasn't speaking to Ron. Ron seemed happy with this arrangement; they were both furious with each other.

It was their worst fall out yet. They did not speak to each other for the whole Spring term, the Easter holidays and half of the Summer term. In the end, they had called a truce and started speaking again, probably for Harry's sake who was acting as a go-between. Still it seemed that they had not forgiven each other.

Now fortunately, it seemed that they had and life could continue normally for Harry, Ron and Hermione's seventh year. They hoped.

This chapter has now ended.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (5/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: Harry loses his invisibilty cloak in a mysterious manner before his seventh year starts. Dumbledore has a past, Hermione has a dangerous secret and Voldemort is looking for someone (not Harry). Slight H/H. Rated PG. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 5- The Search Begins

Hermione was eager to get to the library and after lessons had finished for the morning, she set off for the above place.

She knew roughly what type of book she wanted, and she only had to find the right chapter in it. Eventually she found it in a thick volume called, Magical Bonds in Detail.

She did not read the chapters entitled 'Wand Twinning' and 'The Power of Love', but stopped at a chapter called, 'The Unbreakable Link.' She closed her eyes a second, then muttered, "All or nothing, I suppose. Oh, well. Here I go."

She read on,

'The Unbreakable Link is some of the oldest magic that exists. In fact, it is sometimes called, 'The Old Magic'. It is very uncommon and is only found once or twice a century.

'The Unbreakable Link has sometimes been called telepathy, but this is incorrect. It goes much deeper than telepathy. It is the ability for two people, who 'have the Link' to communicate in their minds at any distance and in any condition. It is called unbreakable because once the two people have mastered their art, nothing less than death can destroy it.

'It is usual for people who have the Link to be of different gender, but cases have been known where they have not. There have been no examples, however, of any non-pureblood witches or wizards having the Link, but it is probably possible. (See end of chapter for list of all those with the Link).

'In a few cases so far, only three in fact, is was possible for the couple to be able to pass objects between them. This is very rare though.

'The Link does not properly appear until the couple are both of age, though it may show up a little just before this and the communication lines could be very unclear.

'In some cases people with the link have fallen in love and in only one known case, have had a child. This child was Godric Gryffindor.

'If a child is born to a couple with the Link then, while the wand power of their parents is increased if the spell is said at the same time, then the child can do magic without a wand at all, as well as being able to read anybody's mind and resist death. Godric Gryffindor was 'killed' no less than six times, mainly by his cousin Salazaar Slytherin, who hated him.'

Hermione stopped reading, "Slytherin was Gryffindor's cousin? That means that Gryffindor must have had both good and bad blood in his veins. Good and evil combined. How strange!"

Next she came upon a list of all the people in history who had had the Link. There were only about twenty pairs. As she skimmed down the list, her eye caught the following entry, right at the bottom:-

Hermione stopped abruptly, "Dumbledore!! No wonder he was the only person Voldemort was scared of. After all, if the linked couple say the same spell at the same moment then the power of the curse is, say, tripled. For all his efforts at immortality, Voldemort would be instantly killed by Dumbledore and this Professor Thompson. She sounds like a teacher. But- oh! She's dead. She was only thirty. Poor thing. Poor Dumbledore. But with a name like A�da...!"

Here, her reflections were interrupted by the bell.

Meanwhile in the Great Hall Harry and Ron were finishing lunch. They had been joined by Ginny Weasley and her friend Pippa.

Harry was just eating his sausage roll, when he suddenly remembered something. His dream! Voldemort had a daughter and she was here at Hogwarts.

He jumped up, almost knocking his chair over, "Hey, Ron, come on!"

"Where?" said Ron.

"Somewhere!" said Harry, grabbing Ron's arm. He didn't want to talk about his dream with Ginny and Pippa. He tried to drag Ron away from the table.

"Where the hell are you going, Harry?" he hissed, in a bad mood.

"Dumbledore, it's urgent!" Harry hissed back.

"Oh." Ron allowed himself to be dragged reluctantly away from his sausage roll, chips and baked beans and two astonished girls.

They raced up to Dumbledore's office, Ron still in a state of shock. When they reached the stone gargoyle, however, he asked, "Whatever is going on here?"

"A dream I had, about Voldemort. I forgot it before."

Ron stared at him. Harry, however, said the password to the gargoyle, 'Chocolate Frogs'. Hermione, who was head-girl, had told him.

They climbed onto the moving staircase, Ron opening and shutting his mouth like a fish, his brain obviously still with his lunch. As they reached the top, they heard a voice, a raised voice which belonged to Harry's godfather, Sirius. Having been aquitted of his previous charges when Peter Pettigrew was proved to be alive, he had replaced Hagrid as their Care of Magical Creatures teacher when Hagrid and Madame Maxime had left to go in pursuit of the giants.

Harry and Ron hesitated outside Dumbledore's door.

"I can't understand it, Professor! Why won't you tell me her name! She'll be a fellow teacher, for goodness sake! Minerva knows! Why not me?"

Dumbledore did not reply, but merely opened the door disclosing two guilty eavesdroppers.

"We didn't mean to listen," Harry interposed, before greeting Sirius.

"You wanted to tell me something, Harry?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes, it's about a dream I had."

"Oh, yes, I've been thinking-" Dumbledore replied, but Harry interrupted, "Not that one. I had another one."

"Indeed?" Dumbledore and Sirius looked interested and Ron confused.

"It was about Voldemort." Dumbledore looked more alert.

"It was like a flashback. My parents were alive and I was about one year old. Voldemort thought you were their secret keeper and couldn't attack them because he was afraid of you. Then he said he would have to resort to plan B, or something. He then summoned someone he called 'My Lady'. She was a Death Eater and was carrying a baby."

Sirius muttered something, but Harry continued, "The baby was Voldemort and this woman's daughter."

Dumbledore suddenly stood up and said, "What was the woman's name?"

"Estella Green, I think," Harry said, trying to remember.

Dumbledore sat down again, looking thoughtful, "So, Estella Green. Interesting."

The other three looked at him curiously.

"Estella Green was a pupil here many years ago. She was in Slytherin, a few years below Tom Riddle, or Voldemort. Whereas Riddle always paraded his brilliance, she never did. Hardly anyone remembers Estella, I imagine. She was very intelligent. One of the most clever female students ever to come to Hogwarts. She hardly ever got less than 100% in anything. But she didn't have many friends. She kept to herself a lot and never told anyone about her good grades. I have always wondered what happened to her. Of course she would have been a rival for Voldemort, if she hadn't joined his side. Well, Harry, what part in this plan of Voldemort's does his daughter play?"

Harry explained, "Voldemort was going to change her appearance. I can't remember the spell-"

"Transmorphio," said Dumbledore quietly, "Estella excelled in that."

"Yeah, that one. Anyway, she was going to be adopted and brought up by muggles. Then, because she's about my age, she'll be sent to Hogwarts and no-one would know that she was Voldemort's daughter. Through her Voldemort could get to me, and through me, my parents."

"I see. But even though we wouldn't recognise her, she wouldn't know she was his daughter either."

"That was what Estella thought. He replied that she would still have the brain and character of his daughter."

"Indeed."

"So who is she?" asked Sirius, speaking for the first time.

"I don't know," replied Dumbledore, "but we must find out. So far we know that she is roughly Harry's age and she doesn't look like Voldemort. She thinks she is muggle-born. For less concrete facts, I think I can safely say that she will be very intelligent indeed."

Harry suddenly remembered something, "Voldemort mentioned a prophecy, that the son of light and the daughter of dark would together defeat the light, but Estella remembered it differently. She said they would defeat either the light or the dark."

Dumbledore's eyes lit up, "Trelawney's first real prediction. Estella was the one who remembered it right, though. This may throw us some luck. Do you understand, Harry?"

Harry shook his head.

"Well, look at this prediction carefully. What it's saying is that the daughter of dark, who Voldemort, I agree with him here, is his daughter- Does she have a name Voldemort gave her, by the way?"

"Elvira, I think."

"Right. -That Elvira and the son of light, who is you, Harry-"

"Me!?" Harry cried, astonished.

"You, Harry. You're a descendent of Godric Gryffindor. I'm not going into details now, but you are. The prophecy reads that Elvira and Harry will join forces, and will join Voldemort, or defeat him for the last time."

"I'm not joining Voldemort!" cried Harry.

"Excellent, I didn't think you would. That means that Elvira will in all probability join and help us. Either, you see, she's a very good actress and is now communicating with Voldemort as a spy and I haven't noticed, or she has no idea who she is. This could be very lucky. We could have a very intelligent, powerful, cunning and ruthless young witch on our side! Still, first we must find her, and that's not going to be easy..."

"What do you mean you don't know who she is?"

Wormtail cowered silently.

"You've been looking for her since I came to power again and you tell me you still don't know her name. Wormtail, how many mudbloods are there in the sixth and seventh years at Hogwarts? How many? Do you even know that?"

"Yes, my Lord," he took a piece of parchment out of his pocket, "there are five muggle born girls in the seventh year and three-"

"I don't want to know the figers, idiot!" interrupted Voldemort.

"But surely, my Lord, you know who she is? She is your daughter!" continued Pettigrew.

"Use your brain, Wormtail. If I knew who she was, I wouldn't be wasting my time doing this, would I?"

"No my Lord."

"The only person who knows who the dratted girl is, is Estella Green, but I haven't seen either her, or my daughter since I told Estella to take the child and take her to be brought up with muggles. In fact, once you have found Elvira, you can find her mother. The girl is the most pressing thing at the moment. We have only until July to get Harry Potter, then he leaves school and is separated from my daughter."

"What shall I do, my Lord?"

"Go and interview the parents of those twenty-two girls."

"In-interview them?"

"What did I just say? Go and see them. I don't care how you get them to talk, just make them tell you about their daughter. What she looks like, what her character is, her date of birth, where she was born, her name, what her parents remember of the birth... that sort of thing. Bring me the results back here in two weeks time."

"Yes, my Lord," Wormtail replied and turned to leave, "What do I do if they don't want to talk?"

"Make them talk," Voldemort replied ominously as Wormtail left the room.

The search was well and truly on.

This chapter has now ended.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (6/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: Harry loses his invisibilty cloak in a mysterious manner before his seventh year starts. Dumbledore has a past, Hermione has a dangerous secret and Voldemort is looking for someone (not Harry). Slight H/H. Rated PG. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 6- A�da Thompson

The next few weeks were very busy for Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry was having Quidditch tryouts most of the time. He needed a new chaser and a new keeper. Eventually he got Ron to try out for keeper, which he did successfully. All he needed now was a faster broom. He tried to get Hermione to become the chaser, but she put her foot down, "Do you really think you'll win the cup with a chaser who can't even get off the ground without help?"

Hermione's interests lay far away from Quidditch. She concentrated on working and researching and, when she had the time, reading for relaxation. One such book she liked to read was her birthday present from Harry and Ron, A Concise History of the Teachers of Hogwarts, Past and Present.

She learned, for instance, that Circe Malediction, who had taught Astronomy in the 19th Century, had regularly turned pupils into pigs for apparently no reason. (She had later been discovered to be mad.) She found that their current Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Harding was McGonagall's sister and that she was separated from her third marriage. Her daughter, Marisa Goldfinger (1st marriage) was Fudge's deputy.

Another thing Hermione unearthed was that Hogwarts had had it's own mystery when A�da Thompson had disappeared. Hermione had heard of Professor Thompson before. She had been in Magical Bonds in Detail. She had had the Unbreakable Link with Dumbledore. It was for this reason that Hermione read A�da's panel extremely carefully and with great interest.

There was a picture of A�da Thompson. She was a small lady with a heart shaped face. She had delicate features and looked fine boned. Her eyes were dark, emerald green and her hair was light gold and tied into a bun. Her expression was serene and peaceful. She looked grave without being miserable. Her eyes contradicted all this, however. There was an intensity and energy about them that frightened Hermione slightly. They hardly ever blinked. Underneath was written the following biography:-

'A�da Thompson was best known for her disappearance and subsequent murder. However there was far more to Miss Thompson than what The Daily Prophet says.

She was born A�da Maria Thompson to an English father and an Italian mother in 1935 in Cambridge. Her mother was a strict Roman Catholic and A�da was brought up in that faith which she remained true to until her death. She was sent to Hogwarts when she was eleven in 1946, where she met the hero Albus Dumbledore who was then in his sixth year having just defeated dark wizard Grindelwald the year before. It wasn't until her seventh year that she began to suspect that she had any bond with the young Transfiguration teacher. What she had at first only suspected she soon discovered to be true. She had the Unbreakable Link with Professor Dumbledore.

'She became a teacher in 1956 of Defence against the Dark Arts. It was then that she really got to know Albus Dumbledore. In the latter years of her life they were inseparable.

'In 1961 the dark wizard Voldemort began to collect supporters. However, he could not hope to take control while Dumbledore and Miss Thompson were together, and as they were hardly ever out of each other's sight, to get A�da on her own would have been impossible. Miss Thompson's powers were nowhere as great as Dumbledore's and on her own she could easily have been killed, but together they would be truly formidable.

'However, on the 2cd of September 1964, Professor Thompson disappeared from Hogwarts, never to return. No teacher or pupil knew where she had gone; if she'd been abducted, or whether she'd left of her own free will. Professor Dumbledore tried contacting her through her mind, but she refused to answer. Search parties failed to find her, and on the 17th of May 1965, almost nine months later, Professor Dumbledore announced that she was dead. He could 'feel' it, he said. Sure enough, the next day the Ministry had been notified by the muggle police force that a woman answering Professor Thompson's description had been found washed up on a beach in Cornwall, as far away from Hogwarts as possible. She had been dead about twenty-four hours. Medi-wizards discovered that she had been killed by the illegal curse, Avada Kedavra. It is believed that the rumour of the jinxed job of Defence against the Dark Arts originated when Professor Thompson disappeared. She was sadly missed.

'A�da Thompson was mostly remembered for her very idealistic look at life. She was very religious and encouraged religion in her pupils. She was truly a good person. She had ideals and she actually tried to make them come true. She influenced many people. She was a very fair teacher. She was a good listener and she never punished anyone without hearing that person's story first.

'She was not resentful if someone had been wrong. She was determined to be a good Christian and wouldn't let this reputation go.

'She worked without tire with the poor and it was this energy which marked the deeper part of her character which you only saw if you knew her well. She was very passionate about what she believed right. She was extremely impulsive. Her lessons were made up on the spot, and once she had decided upon a certain course of action, she couldn't be put off.

'She was always loved and respected by those who knew her and it is for those who didn't that I am writing this; so all may know of A�da's excellence.

'By Sarah Brunswick, an ex-pupil of Professor Thompson.'

Hermione was silent after she finished reading it. Eventually she sighed and said softly, "Poor Professor Thompson. She sounds very perfect. Lucky Dumbledore! She sounds a wonderful mother figure. What a pity she did not have any children. If there was such a man alive for me, I would marry him instantly!"

She turned back a page to look at the photo of A�da. It looked oddly familiar. She frowned a bit- she felt sure she recognised the face, but she was likewise sure that she had never seen the original. What beautiful eyes! Like Harry's!! She was determined to find her likeness of A�da. She would simply have to look carefully at anyone who looked remotely like her. Starting with Harry...

She returned to the Common Room where Harry was losing splendidly at chess.

"Can I please have a look at the photograph album of your parents please, Harry?" she asked looking into his eyes. They really were very like A�da's, she thought. She had never really looked before. Harry frowned, and Hermione felt herself blush. Why?

"What do you want to look at my album for?" he asked.

"Just... want to make a... comparison."

"Oh!" said Ron, "You want to see how much you look like Lily Potter!"

"Do I look like your mum, Harry?" Hermione asked in surprise.

It took Harry less than a second to decide upon an answer, "You couldn't look less like my mum if you were trying. I don't what Ron meant. Why would you compare yourself to my mum?"

Why indeed? So why was she turning red?

"I know!" cried Ron suddenly, "let's watch Hermione make a prat of herself by trying to make her look even less like Lily Potter. What spells do you know?"

"Well, there is one, actually. Called Transmorphio-"

"That's what Estella Green did on her daughter!" interrupted Ron.

"Estella Green?" Hermione had never heard the name before.

"Yes of course," Harry said, "Voldemort's mistress."

"Voldemort has a mistress?!"

Harry and Ron looked at each other. Hermione didn't know!

But before either of them could say anything, however, Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, I see. Well, who is she?"

"Who is who?" asked Harry.

Hermione gave him a look, "It doesn't take a genius to work out what's biting you. You say Estella Green was Voldemort's mistress. You say she had a daughter. I'm not stupid, you know. Spit it out."

They spat it out. They repeated everything that was in Harry's dream and everything Dumbledore had said afterwards.

Hermione listened attentively, almost like in a lesson. Harry imagined that she would suddenly start taking notes.

At the end of the recital she stayed silent. Harry and Ron looked at each other nervously, "Well?" said Ron.

Hermione looked up from her hands and said quietly, "Well what?"

Harry sighed. Typical Hermione, "What are going to do?"

"Nothing," shrugged Hermione, "we wait for something to happen. Besides, you interrupted my chain of thought."

The boys rolled their eyes and waited ten minutes for her to finish thinking. At last she said, "Dumbledore said you were related to Godric Gryffindor, didn't he?"

Harry nodded. This did not seem to have any bearing on who Voldemort's daughter.

"But not his heir?" Hermione persisted.

"Dumbledore didn't say I was," replied Harry.

"Ah." She thought a minute then said, "I say, did you know Slytherin and Gryffindor were cousins?"

"Cousins!" cried Harry, "No! How come?"

"I know- it is strange! Slytherin's aunt married Gryffindor's father. How else?"

"I don't know, but isn't it weird that someone like Gryffindor's father would marry someone as evil as a Slytherin?"

Hermione sighed, "How do we know she was evil?"

"Well, it stands to reason doesn't it?" blustered Harry.

Hermione shrugged and replied cryptically, "To your reason perhaps."

Then she leaned forward a bit and said, looking straight at Harry, "Someday perhaps someone will fall in love with Elvira?"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Harry.

Hermione seemed embarrassed and didn't look him in the eye, "I was just...warning you." And with that she went up to her dormitory.

Hermione was pleased Lavender and Parvati weren't in the dormitory. Digging in her trunk she retrieved a small red muggle notebook. Holding it tight in her hand she retreated to the window, which had little corners of water vapour in the corners because of a light frost. Leaning against the cold pane she looked out. On the quidditch pitch the canary yellow robes of the Hufflepuff quidditch team were visible in the dusk. In the paddock by Hagrid's old hut, Buckbeak was snoozing, his head tucked under a massive wing. Sirius and Professor Sprout were discussing some new landscaping plans on the lawn. Hermione felt rather disattached from her real self. Had she really just said all those things? And why had she blushed at Harry's eyes? Why? Could she possibly be right? What she had worked out was possible, if you had a good imagination but it was still hardly credible. Yet it was the only solution that could fit or even exist. It even made sense in a sort of mathematical way. But perhaps she had been wrong. But what could she do if she was right? Tell Dumbledore? She answered in her own words, "Nothing!" Let Voldemort make the first move, and then they would know how to respond.

In the mean time, she opened the notebook filled with Greek script. She hadn't opened it since she had copied it down in the mansion in Greece. That's when it all started, she thought bitterly. If only the guards hadn't come along and she'd needed the invisibility cloak. Then I would have never known. Her conscience told her she would have found out anyway, if she was right. Heaving a sigh, she began to read the Greek under her breath. There was nothing she could to do to stop it now: she was involved. First she had to familiarise herself with the words, then she could learn it off by heart. Then she could learn to recite it properly, then she could try it with her wand. It was the longest charm she had ever seen. She started to read and slowly began to learn the charm.

This chapter has now ended.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (7/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: Harry loses his invisibilty cloak in a mysterious manner before his seventh year starts. Dumbledore has a past, Hermione has a dangerous secret and Voldemort is looking for someone (not Harry). Slight H/H. Rated PG. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 7- Crisis at the Ministery

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, and before you could say, 'The boy who lived' the term had slipped away. The only thing of interest or importance that happened was an owl from Mrs. Granger saying that a rather rude man fitting Wormtail's description had called from the Ministry and wanted all sorts of details about Hermione. It was clear now that Voldemort had no more idea of who his daughter was than Dumbledore had.

The term ended and the holidays started. Hermione used the time to revise for her NEWTs which were fast approaching at Easter. Harry practised quidditch and Ron played chess.

One thing that Hermione had kept up from her fourth year was reading The Daily Prophet, and indeed, only one day after the holidays had started there was some real news to see...

Marisa Goldfinger was the clever, responsible and trusted deputy to Cornelius Fudge. She was Professor McGonagall's niece and was probably one of the most respected members of the Ministry. She influenced Fudge in most matters and was liked by everyone who wasn't a dark wizard. However, arguments were common.

"Fudge?" asked Marisa coming into Fudge's office.

"What is it?"

"Another death."

"What? You-Know-Who?"

"No. It seems she was killed by Pettigrew."

"Same thing. Who was it?" Fudge asked, looking up.

"A witch called Mrs. Chang."

"Never heard of her."

"She lives in Sheffield. Witnesses say that Pettigrew was asking questions about her daughter that she didn't want to answer."

"What sort of questions?" Fudge looked interested.

"Wanted to see her birth certificate and other things like that. But this isn't the first," Marisa continued before Fudge could interrupt, "A muggle called Mr. Granger wrote to me last week about a person answering Pettigrew's description who had asked him and his wife questions about his daughter, a witch at Hogwarts, which he thought were offensive. Pettigrew said he came from the Ministry, but the Grangers were suspicious and wrote to me. There are other examples as well."

"Marisa," said Fudge, taking off his glasses, "I don't understand why you think so much of this. Mrs. Chang's death was coincidental, and so what if You-Know-Who wants the birth certificates of some girls?"

"You-Know-Who isn't mad. He must have a reason."

"Of course he's mad, Marisa! He can't be held responsible for his actions. He probably doesn't have a clue himself. Madmen are like this, you know. Monomania, I think it's called." Fudge added importantly.

"I think you're the mad one here, Cornelius Fudge." Breathed Marisa angrily.

Fudge stood up, his face going purple. He pointed a trembling finger at her, "You've gone one step too far this time, Goldfinger. I've put up with you for three years- with your attempted bullying and your cutting insults, and you'll go no further. You're discharged, Goldfinger. I never want to see you here again."

Marisa pursed her lips and turned towards the door.

"Goodbye, Fudge. I hope you find a good replacement- perhaps Pettigrew would be an excellent choice in your opinion." And with this comment she swept from the room.

After this things started to happen rather quickly. The next day, Wednesday, The Daily Prophet published an article announcing the dismissal of Marisa Goldfinger.

Thursday's Daily Prophet mentioned in passing that a member of the Department of International Magical Co-operation and ten members of the twelve governing cabinet members had all resigned in protest.

By Friday morning, three departments had nearly all been lost due to voluntary resignation. A special edition Daily Prophet announced Friday evening that Gringotts had gone on strike until Fudge put Marisa back in office.

On Saturday Death Eaters were seen patrolling unchecked the streets of muggle London and Professor Dumbledore left for the Ministry leaving Hogwarts in McGonagall's hands.

On Sunday the number of officials who had left the Ministry was over half and the Prime Minister had got involved.

On Monday Teen Witch started following the news in between make-up advertisements, and three muggles were killed in a Death Eater riot in Bond Street.

On Monday evening a special edition Daily Prophet announced on the front page that Fudge had offered Marisa her job back.

That week more people read the newspaper than ever before. Even at Hogwarts you could always here Marisa's name mentioned in the corridors.

On Tuesday morning the Bond Street riot hit the headlines of The Sun and The Times. There were no wizards in the Department of Muggle Deception left, so other less well-trained wizards had to be sent to modify everyone's memory.

On Tuesday evening the Ministry hit the headlines of the Daily Prophet again. Backed by three-quarters of the Ministry, Marisa Goldfinger had refused to take her job back unless Fudge himself resigned!

At Hogwarts everyone watched the papers with bated breath. Would Fudge resign?

"I hope he does," said Harry, "then we might get someone who can actually do something about Voldemort."

"Just what I think," said Ron and Hermione.

"It's a pity Dumbledore is determined not to be Minister. I can't think who else would be good enough," Hermione added thoughtfully.

Professor Albus Dumbledore sat in the Leaky Cauldron talking to his muggle friend, Lord Eldir. Dumbledore had first met Lord Eldir when that man had inherited his title about three years ago. Eldir was a friend of the Prime Minister and Dumbledore knew the Prime Minister. Dumbledore had just told Eldir all the troubles of the wizarding world at the moment. He found it very useful talking to Eldir. He could get a reaction from someone impersonal. Eldir could advise without being too involved- being a muggle. It reminded Dumbledore of talking to- but that was all dead and buried. Literally.

They had just finished talking about Voldemort's daughter.

"Should I make it known to the Ministry, then?" asked Dumbledore.

Eldir frowned, "I should think not, Albus. It seems to me to be a lot of rumour if you ask me. I don't know how important dreams are in the wizarding world, but it does seem a little strange to me to be relying on this Harry Potter's dreams only, with no real evidence."

"I believe Harry, Tim. He often dreams about Voldemort, because of the connection with him through his scar. All of his dreams have been true so far."

Eldir shrugged, "I really cannot help you here, you know."

Dumbledore continued, "And we have all the evidence that Voldemort has been trying to find who his daughter really is as well."

"You mean he doesn't know who she is? There are things you haven't told me, Albus," he said, with a smile.

"True, true," replied Dumbledore, in the same way. "I think Estella Green is the only one who knows definitely."

"This Estella Green was really Voldemort's mistress, then? What a lot of wizards and witches there are who seem to be quite remarkable! I should really like to meet some more wizards apart from you, Albus. I'm very curious to see an ordinary wizard."

"I'm sure it could be arranged for you to meet someone. They'll be very eager to meet a muggle like you. No offence meant."

"I don't take offence, Albus. You could say that you lot is my new hobby," laughed Eldir.

They were silent a minute, and then Eldir took out a bag of pills, and, put one in his drink. He laughed ruefully, saying, "For my rheumatism. Us muggles don't have magical cures for such maladies, unfortunately."

Dumbledore smiled. After having drained his glass, pill and all, Eldir said thoughtfully, "You know your famous Harry Potter has his exams this year? The equivalent of Advanced Level."

"Ye-es," replied Dumbledore, unsure of where this conversation was going.

"Well, I wondered, I would have thought that after his exams he might like a holiday."

"The Easter holidays are straight after the NEWTs."

"Indeed? I was merely thinking that it would give me very great pleasure to receive Harry Potter at my castle in the Easter holidays, for a week perhaps. He could show me and my household some magic, if you gave him permission. I would find it fascinating."

Dumbledore hesitated. He was sure that Lord Eldir would take good care of Harry in the holidays. But surely if he left Hogwarts he would be very vulnerable to Voldemort? However, if Voldemort was involved in searching for his daughter then perhaps he wouldn't try to get at Harry. And then there were Ron and Hermione.

"What about his two friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger? He would find it lonely without them."

"Ron and Hermione are very welcome as well of course. I wouldn't dream of separating Harry from his friends. The more the merrier! But, Albus, surely you have told me all about the Weasleys? How loyal they are to you?"

"Indeed I must have done, if you remember the name so well," replied Dumbledore, smiling.

"And is Harry's friend really a Weasley?"

Dumbledore nodded.

"I do not remember the girl's name, however, and you have mentioned many wizarding names to me."

"Ah! Miss Granger's parents are muggles. That's why you haven't heard the name before."

"They are muggles? Are you sure?" asked Eldir with raised eyebrows

"I know what you are thinking, Tim."

There was a pause. Eventually Eldir asked, almost hesitantly, "You must have some idea who she is?"

Dumbledore looked at the Lord then said, "I do have suspicions, and I'll only be too glad to tell you what they are. This is a wizarding bar, however, and I wouldn't want to be overheard. They are only suspicions after all. Come, I'll get the bill and I'll tell you on the way to Westminster."

On a hot balcony somewhere foreign, a lady was sitting reading, La Nuova Strega. Suddenly with a leap she jumped up from her wickerwork chair and looked wildly around. She poked her head round the full length shutters that separated her hotel room from the balcony and shouted, "Susanna!"

There was no reply, and the lady repeated the call, adding on, "Vieni qui, subito!" (Come here, immediately!)

There was a scurrying of footsteps and presently a neatly dressed middle-aged woman appeared on the balcony. "Si, signora? Avete chiamato?" (Yes, Madam? Did you call?)

The lady rolled her eyes up to the blue sky. "Si, ho chiamato almeno mille volte, Susanna." (Yes, I called at least a thousand times.)

Susanna curtsied, "Mi scusi, signora." (I'm sorry, Madam.)

The lady threw the newspaper at Susanna, "Leggi questo. Cosa ne pensi?" (Read this. What do you think?)

Susanna read the article then said slowly, "Non capisco, signora. Mi dispiace, signora. Perch� � importante?" (I don't understand, Madam. I'm sorry, Madam. Why is it important?)

The lady gestured to let Susanna sit down. "Ti spiego in inglese. So che capisci l'inglese benissimmo. Allora... This article is about what is happening now in England." (I'll explain in English. I know that you understand English perfectly. So...)

"Si signora, quello gi� lo so. The Minister of Magic has been forced to resign." (Yes, Madam, I already know that.)

"Brava! Well, you took something in. Now listen, Susannah. If you had just been forced to abandon your position-"

"La mia signora non farebbe mai una cosa cosi!" replied Susanna, sounding shocked. (My mistress would never do a thing of the kind!)

The lady pursed her lips, "Vediamo... Now listen and don't interrupt. If you had been forced to abandon your position, you would not like the people who had made you, would you?"

"No, signora."

"Exactly. And if someone offered revenge against them, would you join them?"

"Forse." (Perhaps.)

"Of course you would. You know my dear friend, Tom Riddle? I believe he will have thought of this as well as I have. He will try to get Fudge on his side. We must get there first. Fudge will be an invaluable spy. Tom will not win. Capisci adesso?" (Do you understand now?)

Susanna nodded, her mouth hanging open. The two women sat there for a second. Then the lady spoke again to herself, her mouth twisted into a smile, "Tom may have the support of half of England, but I have the support of half Europe. You'll never win, my Lord."

Susanna did not reply and presently her ladyship spoke again with more energy, "Allora, Susanna, vai e comprami un Daily Prophet. Devo leggere tutti i dettagli." (Well, Susanna, go and buy me a Daily Prophet. I must read all the details.)

Susanna bowed her head, "Vado, vado. Lei vuole qualcos' altro?" (I'm going, I'm going. Do you want anything else?)

"No, grazie. Adesso vai!" (No thanks. Now go!)

Susanna left the room quickly. The lady leaned over the balcony rails, and presently saw her hurry down the cobbled street. She stood there a minute soaking up the winter sun and gazing into space when she saw an owl flying towards her. It was a magnificent owl, golden and gleaming, but she saw none of it.

Who knows where I am? she thought, then remembered that owls could find anyone anywhere, even without an address.

As the owl swooped down onto La Nuova Strega she grabbed the parchment from the its feet. It preened a little and then sat looking important.

The letter was addressed in a neat hand to 'Miss Estella Green, wherever she may be'. Estella opened in eagerly. She had a good idea who it was from.

'My dear Estella,

Long time no see? I hope you miss me as much as I miss you.'

Estella raised her eyebrows.

'We parted in quite bad humour, I remember. I hope you forgive me now, my dear, for I am sure it must have been my fault.'

"Laying it on a bit, aren't you?" muttered Estella.

'I seem to remember that soon after we parted I was actually defeated by young Harry Potter. Your caution was right. How can I ever forgive myself for not being guided by you?'

"How indeed?"

'We were quarrelling over our daughter, I remember. How like other parents we then were! I always thought it was a shame that we parted as we did. I was never told the name of my own daughter after she was transformed. Now she is eighteen and alone in the world, not knowing her own past or future. You must know how much I wish to see my dear Elvira again, but how can I have that pleasure if I do not know the name she passes under?'

"I thought we'd get there eventually," thought Estella, a wide grin on her lips.

'I am writing to you, dear Estella, to ask for your collaboration in this business. If I only knew who Elvira thought she was, then my plans would be complete. Harry Potter is already in the palm of my hand, I think.'

"You only think?"

'I long to see you again, dearest Stella. Maybe, if you return to me, we could have a family reunion!?

All my love, your Lord Voldemort'

When she had read the letter, Estella stared at it in surprise, before collapsing on her chair in a laughing fit. When she had sufficiently recovered she coughed and fixed the owl with a sharp stare, reminiscent of Professor McGonagall. She sat up straighter her eyes dancing merrily.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, I suppose? Poor Tom, he must really think me very stupid, if I am to be taken in by that! I see what he's up to. He must be really desperate."

She narrowed her eyes, and pulling out her wand muttered, "Accio Quill!"

Her quill flew towards her out of the room. She caught it deftly and turning the letter over, tapped her quill against the parchment. "Two can play this game."

She sucked her quill a bit, then wrote,

'Dear Tom,

How nice of you to remember me! I too am very sorry we parted on such bad terms. I really was very angry with you then, but all that has now evaporated. 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' and all that. I understand, I really do. Your idea of a family reunion sounds splendid. I can't wait to see you and Elvira again. How she must have grown! I'm so proud of my little daughter! As you say, she must be eighteen now. I really am a proud parent. Who wouldn't be, with you as the father? I hope you see her soon. I was really sorry to hear of Harry Potter's victory over you. Still, you're back in power now. What do you mean, he's in the palm of your hand? It seems that you've thought out a nice little plan without my help! I daresay I'll see you soon.

All my love,

E.G.'

She folded up the parchment and put it in the envelope, erased the address to herself with her wand, and wrote, 'Lord Voldemort, wherever he may be', sealed it and tied it to the owl's foot. Then she took up her wand and said, "Concelio Indrum!" and let the owl fly off towards the sun as she waved her hand after it.

She watched it disappear then threw back her head and laughed merrily.

"You bluff, and I double bluff."

This chapter has now ended.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (8/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Aphrados

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: Harry loses his invisibilty cloak in a mysterious manner before his seventh year starts. Dumbledore has a past, Hermione has a dangerous secret and Voldemort is looking for someone (not Harry). Slight H/H. Rated PG. I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Chapter 8- Christmas!

What Estella had read in La Nuova Strega was in fact correct. Cornelius Fudge had resigned and Marisa Goldfinger was now Minister of Magic. However she claimed in an interview on the Christmas Day supplement, that she was only in position temporarily, and that she really did not want to be Minister permanently. The article ran as follows,

By Special Correspondent, Valerie Confident

This morning Miss Marisa Goldfinger, Minister of Magic, told a Daily Prophet reporter that she did not want to remain in her present political position. On being asked why she caused such chaos she replied that the other officials resigned of their own choice. I had no intention, she claims, of causing any confusion at all. �However, I think that Fudge is not the right man to lead the country in this time of crisis,� admits Miss Goldfinger, �When I knew that I had him in my power, I couldn�t resist getting rid of him. I did not do it for my own greed. I am not sure I am the right person to take control here, either. I sincerely hope my name may not be put down in records as a Minister of Magic, especially as the first female minister; I want that title to go to someone else sometime. At the moment, the Governors and I are searching for a possible candidate for the post of Minister. Anyone is welcome to apply, I can guarantee that all applications will be considered.�

If you know someone who might be suitable for the post write to Marisa Goldfinger, Ministry of Magic Headquarters, Diagon Alley, London. Please remember, that all applications will be taken seriously. If you write in, the Minister may consider you as a possible candidate.

�Well,� said Hermione after she had finished reading the article, �we are in a mess here.�

�Why?� asked Ron.

�I would have thought it was obvious. With the Ministry in confusion it would be very easy for it to be attacked. Also, Fudge won�t be too pleased about being forced to leave the Ministry and may join the Dark side.�

Ron�s jaw dropped, �I hadn�t thought of that.�

�Rest assured Voldemort will have thought of it.�

�Don�t say his name!� said Ron through gritted teeth, �you�re as bad as Harry."

�Is that a compliment or the reverse?� asked Hermione smiling, as Harry walked into the Common Room.

�Look at this, Harry!� cried Hermione jumping up and thrusting the newspaper into his hands.

�Merry Christmas to you too, Hermione!� grumbled Harry good-humourdly, �is this my present?�

�Of course not, silly! It�s a newspaper.�

�Wow, you don�t say!� said Harry sitting down to read the article. When he had finished he said, �Looks like the Ministry�s going to have fun.�

�Harry!�

�OK, OK, Hermione, keep cool. Seriously though, I really don�t want to discuss it now, on Christmas day.�

Hermione made no reply and looked at her hands. After a bit she said calmly, but a little constrained, �I think we should look for Voldemort�s daughter. After all, it is the holidays, so if we snoop around a little, no-one will notice.�

�That�s a point!� said Ron, eagerly. �Let�s get going. Right, she won�t be anyone in Gryffindor-�

�Steady on, Ron,� replied Hermione, �we can�t totally rule out Gryffindors.�

Harry frowned, �But Hermione, I don�t see how Elvira could possibly be a Gryffindor. She- she�s the daughter of the most evil wizard ever!�

�Harry, she doesn�t know who she is. Remember, she could actually be good. Anyway, if she�s meant to be muggle born then she can�t be in Slytherin. All Slytherins are pure blood, and if there was a Slytherin who supposedly wasn�t, then we would have known before now.�

�She�s got a point there,� mused Ron. Harry however, stood up and said angrily to Hermione, �OK, so who is she? Hermione Granger, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, Ginny Weasley, Phillippa Spinnet, Carly Atkinson or Michelle Lorry? Take your pick. I personally go for Granger.�

�Don�t get yourself so worked up,� snapped Hermione without sounding really angry, �you are paying me a great compliment by saying I am the daughter of the greatest sorcerer ever.�

�Thanks.�

�You know, she could be in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, not just Gryffindor?� said Ron, �By the way, stop fighting, you two. It�s annoying.�

Harry grinned, �So you know what it feels like?�

Ron looked innocently at Harry while Hermione tried not to laugh, �I�m never going to fight with Hermione again. Ever.�

Harry stared at them happily. Hermione looked at the floor and said unhappily, �Ron, I don�t like you in that way. I wish I did. But really,� she added more spiritedly, �We are eighteen. You don�t fall in love at eighteen, unless you�re Romeo and Juliet.�

Harry frowned, �My parents ran away from Hogwarts to get married when they were eighteen.�

Hermione gave him a look that made Harry almost think she had said, "That doesn�t help me prove my point, Harry.�

�I think it could happen again. Would you run away with anyone from Hogwarts, Hermione?� asked Ron, hopefully.

�Certainly not. This conversation isn�t going anywhere. Falling in love with your friends is ridiculous. If you really want to know, I don�t want to get married at all. I want a profession.�

Harry grinned, he could just picture Hermione a few years hence, a younger type of Professor McGonagall, wringing her hands at someone saying, �But, darling, I want a profession!� �I bet you�ll have changed your mind in a few years,� he said.

Hermione looked suddenly looked very sad, �I know I will. I can�t help it. I think.�

�How come you know?� Harry asked in surprise, this wasn�t the answer he had expected.

�You�re the not the one who knows their future, but not their past or present!� And with this she ran up the stairs to her dormitories. Harry and Ron stared at where she had gone, �What�s biting her? Was it my fault?� asked Ron anxiously.

Harry shook his head, �Really good Christmas Hermione is having.�

Another girl who wasn�t having a good Christmas was sitting on her four poster in a draughty bedroom. She had no presents. No parents to care for her at �The Season of Goodwill�. Because she was a� She bit back the words angrily. They were of no use.

Where had it started? With her parents of course. Why were they my parents? Why couldn�t they hadn�t they been more reasonable? Not so concerned with image? And me? I�m the only sane member, and I�m stupid. Dumb. Thick. Braindead. If I wasn�t I wouldn�t be here now.

When had it started? When the letter had not come. When she had been thirteen. That fateful day� He promised me everything�

�Look at the books. Hold your wand out. Say Accio Books! Hurry up! I haven�t got all day.�

She looked up at her father, �If I could do it, I would be in Hogwarts now with my cousin,� she answered coldly, pointing her wand at the book.

�Accio Books!� she screamed in frustration. This was the fifth time she had tried that day. And no going out until the books came to her�

The books stayed rebelliously in their place. She did not say anything. She did not show emotion. None of them did. There was a silence. Then father clutched his arm, and muttered an unrepeatable four-lettered word. He grabbed some black robes from a peg and dashed to the door, forgetting about his daughter.

�Where are you going?� she cried.

�The Master. He is calling me.�

�The master whose judgement has ruled the household for almost six months? Who you are helping to rid the world of the wrong people?�

He smiled thinly at her and pointed his wand at himself to apparate. A gripping curiosity had hold of her thirteen-year-old mind. Who was this master? Why did they refer to him in this cryptic way? She ran forward, and grabbed hold of her father�s free hand as he finished the spell. He looked at her with horror as they both apparated away.

They arrived at a grassy field miles away from anywhere. There were many other wizards in hooded cloaks standing silently around in a circle. She watched, silently as well. Her father was standing there, trying to hide his anger. He looked for a way to get her away.

�Have you brought your daughter, Nefarius?� asked an ice cold voice from behind them. Nefaruis and his daughter wheeled around to confront a figure in black like the rest. He was taller than them, however and had a peculiar face- red eyes, a slit nose. This must be the Master. For some reason, she did not feel terrified, like her father seemed to be. In awe, yes; but frightened, no. Nefarius was now grovelling at his master�s feet, apologising more than Mr. Collins�

�Get up, Nefarius. I have use of your daughter.� The silence was deafening. He led her into the centre of the circle.

She felt apprehensive, but not frightened. She was not used to being scared. She would not have survived at home if she had been a timid person. Oh, she had been spoilt well enough before the letter had not come from Hogwarts. Then all had changed.

She looked up at the red eyes of the Master. He smiled at her. �Why have you come, child?� he asked softly.

�I was curious to know about you,� She answered.

�Curious in what sense?� asked Voldemort, still smiling.

�I wanted to see what the fuss was about. My parents do not tell me anything, yet I know that your guild rules the household.�

There was a silence. Eventually he asked, �Is your curiosity satisfied now?�

�No.� There was a very noticeable silence now. She elaborated, �Who are you, and what do you do?�

Voldemort paced up and down, her eyes following his every move. At last he said, �What I do is very complicated, child. Do you still want to know?�

�Yes.�

Voldemort paced some more, �There have always been fights between us and the other side. They call themselves the �good� side, and they think we are �evil�. They are wrong. There is no real difference, we are both the same, except for which side we belong to. The �good� side is not good. It is ruthless and unforgiving. They put all our side in prison with soul sucking Dementors for nothing at all. That is where all there leaders should be. The other side has had power for many years under Professor Dumbledore-�

�The headmaster of Hogwarts?� interrupted the girl.

�Yes. We meet in private in this manner because otherwise we would end up in Azkaban like the others who foolishly got themselves caught. You, child, are lucky that you do not go to Hogwarts and are not exposed to the brutality of Dumbledore�s side. Do you see now? Do you understand what we are doing?�

�You are going to get enough supporters to eventually throw over the other side. You are the leader. What do you want me to do?�

Voldemort paced some more. He�s making me dizzy, she thought.

�I believe you are not happy in your house at the moment?�

She was caught. If she said she was unhappy she would be in serious trouble with her father, yet it would be a lie to say she was happy. She stayed silent.

He laughed, �You are not happy. Would you like to leave them?�

Nefarius made a strange gagging sound, at which Voldemort frowned. The girl did not notice. To leave her family! To be hand selected by the Master to help fight the other side! Her eyes must have shone with an unusual emotion.

He smiled thinly, �I take it you agree. I will tell you what to do then. You will come with me and live in my castle as its mistress. To all muggles who see might see you, you are a servant. You will live in luxury and when the time comes you will be able to help me overthrow one of the strongest wizards of the other side.�

�Who?�

�Harry Potter...� replied Voldemort, almost lovingly. �Have you heard of this... prodigy?�

�My cousin knows him at school.�

�Lucius� son?� inquired Voldemort with what almost looked like a grin.

�Yes. He says he is a bigheaded favourite of Dumbledore.�

�Do you agree?�

�I have no evidence to prove the contrary,� answered the girl carefully. The answer seemed to satisfy Voldemort however, for he smiled at her, �Good, I am happy you are the girl I am looking for. Your disability with performing magic is unfortunate, but I will overlook it considering who your family is.�

The girl almost laughed, �You sounded like Lady Bracknell then.�

Voldemort was speaking again, �Now you must prove your loyalty to this side. Hold out your arm...�

She rolled back her sleeve and looked at the ugly dark mark on her skin. It had always hurt. The time had now apparently come for her to help her master capture Harry Potter. After all the wait, it should be something good. She was almost looking forward to it. She had not seen anyone apart from the most important Death Eaters for about two years. She hoped she'd get to talk to Harry Potter when he arrived. She wondered if he was really that bad.

The holidays had ended. The rest of the school had joined Harry, Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts. Lavender and Parvati came back giggling about their hunky new boyfriends. (�How many can they have in a year?� asked Hermione after having heard a minute description of the charms of Richard (the Lionheart), Lavender�s beloved.)

Dean was full of the latest victories of Westham against Liverpool. Saemus had been on holiday in Ireland and had gone to the home of the Irish national quidditch team, causing Ron and Harry to drool over the photos he had brought back of the training grounds, and even the lavatories. (�Honestly, they�re obsessed,� sighed Hermione after having asked Harry three times about his Potions homework one evening.)

Neville had stayed at home and had caught �flu so all were all avoiding him, and Draco Malfoy was bragging about his trip to Ibiza.

Dumbledore had returned to Howgarts, not in time to let the Seniors Ball take place however; it had been cancelled due to the problems at the Ministry. (�What shall we do?� wailed Parvati and Lavender.)

Harry, Ron and Hermione were pleased that the ball was not taking place. None of them enjoyed the school balls, though Harry hadn�t minded them when he had gone with Cho. She hadn�t minded he couldn�t dance. Ron of course couldn�t go with Hermione, not now, which created problems for all three. They hadn�t mentioned the Ball yet, but there was a kind of unspoken relief when they had heard it had been cancelled. �Time to get down to more important things,� Hermione said briskly, upon hearing the news, �like revision, for example.�

This chapter has now ended.

Disclaimer: All belongs to JKR. I own nothing. See the earlier chapters for summary, etc.

Chapter 9- Quidditch and All That

If Harry had thought that the teachers had been working the seventh years hard before Christmas, it was nothing to how they were teaching them now. Even Hermione thought that they could loosen up a bit.

"Look at this!� cried Ron angrily one night, brandishing his homework diary, �We have a Potions essay- five rolls of parchment; three exercises for Professor McGonagall; duelling practise for a test in Defence against the Dark Arts and an essay on �The Rise of Grindelwald and his involvement in the Second World War� for Binns. It�s not fair. They�re all due in tomorrow as well.�

Hermione slammed her potions textbook down hard on the table, �You�re not exactly helping us work by complaining, you know. Just do it, will you, Ron? Please?� She sounded close to tears.

Ron glared at her but did not seem able to think of a comeback. He returned to his Transfiguration.

Harry stared at his Defence against the Dark Arts notes before getting up slowly and turning to Hermione, �Hermione, can I borrow Crookshanks a minute?�

Hermione yawned, �Yes, OK. Why?�

�Duelling practise.� Hermione�s eyes narrowed but she did not reply. Harry aimed his wand at Crookshanks, who was asleep and shouted, �Stupefy!� The cat became motionless. Harry muttered, �Enervate!� and he started moving again. He returned to the place he had been before Harry had stunned him, as if he knew what Harry was doing. That�s impossible. Cats aren�t that clever, Harry thought frowning.

Ron muttered, �What are you doing, Harry? What is the point in your practising duelling? We�ve gone over the curses millions of times when we were practising for the Triwizard Tournament. Anyway, you�ve duelled You-Know-Who hundreds of times. I would of thought that was enough to give you full marks.�

�Would have, Ron,� sighed Hermione absently as she flicked through her textbook.

�I won�t get full marks from Professor Figg just because I�ve fought Voldemort twice.�

Professor Arabella Figg was indeed very thorough. She had arrived after Christmas from the Ministry where she had worked as an Auror. She had not been able to start teaching before then because her contract at the Ministry didn�t run out until the beginning of the New Year (2003).

Harry had often wondered why Dumbledore had not told Sirius that the new teacher was Professor Figg. He had found out as soon as she had entered the Great Hall: Sirius liked her. They seemed to already know each other, and by the way Sirius always went red if she spoke to him it was pretty obvious that he was infatuated. It was also pretty obvious what he liked about her. Arabella was a good looking, bouncy woman with a good sense of humour. There was also a very honest look about her- no nonsense- yes, but upfront. If a student had a problem, she attacked it face on, and usually solved it. When Harry had heard she was an Auror he had imagined a female version of Mad-Eye Moody, but Arabella seemed to prove that you could be an Auror without being covered in scars and muttering �CONSTANT VIGILENCE!�

Not that Arabella wasn�t strict. She took the imminent exams very seriously indeed and had tests every other week. She loaded on homework every day of the week apart from the weekend, when she gave them extra. She thought that Professor Harding had taught them badly, which she had, surprisingly enough since she was McGonagall�s sister, and the mother of the Minister of Magic.

Harry had enough things to worry about without homework and duelling tests. He had a quidditch match against Slytherin on Saturday and as both Gryffindor and Slytherin were equal in points at the moment, then whoever won this match would probably win the cup as well. He had training every night, as well as having to plan tactics out with Ron beforehand and homework afterwards. Ron wasn�t much better off, now being on the team as Keeper.

Harry and Ron both thought that Hermione would be having a light time because she was not on the quidditch team. They were wrong. Hermione had more than the boys did to worry about. She was trying to learn her spell from Greece off by heart, she was trying to research A�da Thompson�s disappearance and she needed to find out as much as she could about the Unbreakable Link and Voldemort�s daughter.

It was going to be a long term.

�Come in Girls and Boys!� trilled Professor Figg happily from the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom. The Gryffindors trooped in dejectedly. Hermione was muttering under her breath and waving her wand occasionally. Harry, Ron and Neville were all trying to share and read a textbook as they walked in. (This created a problem when they reached the door as there was not room for three at one go to walk through it.) Dean and Seamus were having a mock duel and Lavender and Parvati were trying to predict how they would do in the test.

The classroom had been arranged to look like a professional duelling ring with chairs in a circle round it. Professor Figg stood in the middle of it, twirling her wand between her fingers. She was a short, slightly plump woman in her late thirties. She had wide apart blue eyes and a short blond bob. She wore very dangly earrings. �What? I�m very surprised that you�re not all rushing to have the test. I know how much you love Defence against the Dark Arts.� Catching Harry�s eye, she winked.

When the class was seated, she told them to put their books away. Then she sat on the desk and surveyed the nervous Gryffindors with amusement.

�Welcome to your first proper duelling competition. You will be marked as you would be in a professional competition. You will have marks out of ten for the following features: Skill, Knowledge, Presentation-�

�Presentation!?� howled Seamus.

�Mmm, for how well you bow, salute, dodge and how you hold your wand etc, and a mark out of ten for whether you win or not. If you win you get ten, if you lose, zilch.� She beamed at them. �That makes a total out of forty. If you succeed in disarming or stupefying your opponent then you win. You can use any curses you know apart the Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus Curse and the Avada Kedavra Curse. Also,� here she held up a box of chocolate frogs, �these go to the person who can duel as well or better than my old best friend. If no-one does then I keep them. Only joking,� she added hastily, �I�ll share them round the class.�

�Who was your best friend? Was she a champion? Have I met her?� asked Lavender eagerly.

Arabella looked at her closely a moment then replied shortly, �She�s dead.�

Lavender looked aghast, �I�m sorry...If I�d known...�

�Never mind, Miss Brown. It was a long time ago.�

�What was her name? Was she really good?� asked Parvati curiously.

Arabella looked at the floor, �You won�t have heard of her. Her name was Lily Evans. But yes, she was a good dueller. It was as if she knew what her opponent was going to say before he�d even opened his mouth. She countered the curse before he'd said the curse. It was weird. She never a lost a tournament.�

Harry was staring at her, open mouthed, �My mum?�

Professor Figg looked at him blankly a minute then said, �Yes. She married James Potter. Anyway, no use dwelling on the past. When I call out your name, enter the ring. When Neville rings the bell, you will bow and start the duel. The fight will end when one of you has either lost their wand, or if you are knocked out due to a stunning curse.� She smiled brightly at them, �Lavender Brown and Seamus Finnigan, please start!�

Lavender and Seamus moved into the ring. Neville rang the bell and they bowed.

Harry wasn�t watching however. His mother had been a duelling champion and he had never known! He hadn�t even known that his mother had been friends with Arabella. That explains when she met Sirius, he thought. It occurred to Harry how little he knew about his mother. He knew plenty about his father, but nothing about Lily. Petunia had not exactly been eager to talk about her sister. Harry came out of his reverie to feel Ron nudging him in the ribs. Seamus had succeeded in stunning Lavender and everyone (minus Parvati) were clapping. Lavender walked rather dazedly out of the ring back to her seat by Parvati. Professor Figg wrote something on her clipboard and then read out the marks; Lavender had got 22 out of 40 and Seamus had 35.

She called out the next pair, �Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom, please start. Finnigan, please take over on the bell.�

�Good luck, Hermione!� cried Harry as she entered the ring.

�Good luck, Neville!� cried Ron, earning himself a dirty look from Hermione.

When Hermione and Neville were ready, Seamus rang the bell and they bowed. Hermione opened the attack with the jelly legs charm which Neville managed to block. He came back with a tickling spell, but Hermione was ready and she blocked it easily. Hermione then tried the Impedimenta spell, but Neville jumped aside and yelled �Stupefy!� Hermione blocked it quickly, and before Neville could retaliate, she cried, �Expelliarmus!� The duel was over. Hermione hurried to her seat and tried to look modest, and failed.

�Neville, you have 29 points," announced Professor Figg, "Well done.� She flashed Neville a smile and he looked very pleased. �Miss Granger, you have 38 points.�

Hermione looked disappointed and asked in a peevish manner where she had lost the two points.

Arabella grinned, �One point off because you forgot to salute your opponent at the end. The winner should always salute the loser. The other point off is because you used the disarming spell when I know you are capable of using the stunning spell. In a real life duel for life or death then if you merely rob your opponent of their wand then there is the minute chance that they might be able to do magic without their wand. That is very rare, I have never encountered anyone who can. You-Know-Who can.� She added as an afterthought.

�I don�t understand,� Hermione said frowning. �Is Voldemort the child of someone with the Unbreakable Link?�

No-one seemed to understand her apart from the teacher. She frowned, �I wonder why you know about that. It isn�t on the NEWTs syllabus. You-Know-Who has a muggle father, Hermione. He can�t be. There is a rare potion that gives you the powers of one who is the child of the Link. That is why he is said to be on the path to immortality. He isn�t immortal yet, I don�t think. He can resist death by force though. The potion is very rare and extremely difficult to brew however. By the by, I wouldn�t say his name out loud in public. Some people don�t like it.�

Hermione nodded, seemingly content with Professor Figg�s answer. Arabella smiled at her before returning to the register, which Harry realised she was going down alphabetically, �Parvati Patil and Harry Potter, please start.�

Harry entered the ring to the calls of "Good Luck, Harry!" from Ron and Hermione, and "Good Luck, Parvati!" from Lavender. Seamus rang the bell very loudly and Harry and Parvati bowed.

�How can people duel like this for a jest when they could duel Voldemort?� Harry wondered as he sent the tickling curse at Parvati which she blocked. A few minutes later Harry realised that though Parvati didn�t seem able to send out any curses of her own, she was very good at blocking Harry�s. No-one seemed to be winning, until Harry had an idea. �Rictusempra!� he shouted, and as Parvati blocked it, he called straight after, �Stupefy!� Parvati did not have time to block it and Harry had won. He remembered to salute Parvati as he left the ring. He went back to his seat where Ron and Hermione were having a silent fight.

�I hope you were all watching that duel very carefully.� Here Professor Figg glared at Ron and Hermione. (Ron was now trying to force Hermione off her chair.)

�An excellent match. Well done, Potter. Well done, Patil. Very good tactics I must say, Parvati; that use of the blocking spell is very widely used in professional duelling and is very hard to beat. If you�d only came in with an attacking spell when Harry was confused then you would have won. Excellent use of the two spells almost simultaneously, Harry. That�s very complicated but is the only way of getting past Parvati. Anyway, your marks, Parvati; 28 out of 40. Very good. Potter you have, erm, 38.�

Harry collapsed in a chair next to Ron. Arabella looked over at that side of the room and sighed, �Would you kindly care to explain your difference of opinion to the class.�

Harry grinned as Ron and Hermione looked up, embarrassed. �Either that or you explain to me in private afterwards.�

Ron hissed to Hermione, �This is all your fault.�

Hermione said in an innocent voice, �Ron is teasing me because I wouldn�t be his girlfriend and I think I was quite right not to go with him if I don�t like him.�

�Don�t listen to her!� cried Ron angrily, �She was going on at me because I said �Good luck, Harry!� and not �Good luck, Hermione!� I was saying good luck to Neville because no-one else was-�

�That�s still no reason to give-�

�SILENCE!� roared Professor Figg, �10 points from Gryffindor for behaving like first years and please sort out your love lives out of my class. Dean Thomas and Ron Weasley, please start.�

Seamus rang the bell and they bowed as Hermione cried out, �Good luck, Dean!�

Ron won his duel easily, even though he had to perform the disarming charm while dancing the tap dance, which was quite an amusing sight. Ron had 34 points and Dean had 25.

�OK, let�s see who won. You all did marvellously. Much better than Slytherin.� Professor Figg grinned at them, �Now, let�s see. Oh! We have a draw!�

�What now?� asked Dean.

�Well, in a professional competition the two winners would duel each other until there was a winner. Off you go, Potter and Granger, please start. Parvati, take over the bell.�

Parvati rang the bell and Harry bowed to Hermione. She did the same. He noticed that she looked very confident. A smile played on her lips and she held her head proudly in the air. She looked very different from when she duelled Neville. She had done that almost lazily. �What�s so different about duelling me and duelling Neville?� Harry asked himself. The answer came at once, �You are Harry Potter, the boy who lived, the boy who has duelled the most notorious wizard ever, and won. And now you are duelling Hermione Granger, your friend, a muggle born.� That was the difference. The way it was put then made it look like Hermione would be a walkover. So why was he feeling nervous? He could duel Voldemort, but not Hermione!? Nothing made sense anymore. He would wait for her to make the first move.

Hermione stared at Harry. He looked very fierce. This duel isn�t for fun, I know. It means everything. If Harry wins that�s only to be expected. If I win? What then? How can I, Hermione Granger, beat Harry Potter? She saw how he was looking at her and a stab of cold fear gripped her heart. He knows. I know he knows. He�s realised. What can I do? I�ll let him start.

They stared at each other for a minute, then they said the same spells at the same time. The two jets of light met in the middle and ricoch�d off each other causing Seamus and Professor Figg to double up laughing. (Ron ended the spell on Arabella, so she could keep a check on the duellers.)

The rest of the duel continued like this. They said the spells at the same time or if they didn�t then each of them managed to block the other. However Harry was starting to lose concentration. His scar was hurting. Not badly- just like a small headache. It was like the ghost of what he normally felt when he was near Voldemort. But Voldemort wasn�t here, was he? What�s going on? Harry thought as he aimed the stunning curse at Hermione, which she blocked easily. The school bell went, and the rest of the class left very hurriedly, nearly all of them had been hit by a spell that had bounced out of the ring. The two duellers continued like this for another five minutes when Arabella cried, �Stop! Stop! Enough, enough! I�m exhausted just watching you.�

Harry and Hermione lowered their wands sheepishly and saluted each other. Professor Figg smiled at them. �Well, I wouldn�t like to meet either of you in an alley at night. I wish I had recorded that duel,� she added wistfully. �You�re good enough to be professional duellers you know. That was very... interesting. Here, take these. You deserve them.� She handed them the box of chocolate frogs with a smile, �Not before lunch, however. You�ll ruin your appetite.�

�And our teeth,� muttered Hermione. Harry grinned; it seemed Hermione had picked up some off her parents� habits. Arabella swept out of the room.

�Wait!� cried Harry after her, struck with an idea.

She stopped.

�Does that mean we are better than my mum?�

Arabella ran her fingers distractedly through her hair, �As good, I should say. Not better.�

�Then... then, if she was such a good dueller, why didn�t she duel Voldemort?�

�Come in and sit down,� Arabella said abruptly. They re-entered the Defence against the Dark Arts classroom and Arabella and Harry sat down. Hermione began unobtrusively to pack her and Harry�s bags.

�I don�t know what happened exactly the night your parents died, Harry. When I and the other Aurors arrived it was all over. I know she died to save you. That�s the sort of thing she would do. Competitive to the end. James didn�t save you, so she did.�

�What was my mother like?� Harry asked. If anyone knew it would be Arabella.

Arabella frowned a bit, �I don�t suppose anyone has ever talked to you about her. Always good to talk about the dead. Get�s it out of your system. Your mother was very competitive. That�s the first thing I remember about her. In Transfiguration on our first day, she challenged James to transfigure as many matchsticks as he could in a time limit. It was a draw. I think we all knew what would happen then. Since that day everything was a race between Lily and James. They were both top of their class and your father was a terrible egoist. He thought he was the best at everything. He was in most cases. Lily also thought she was the best. James did not believe she could be better than him because she was a girl. This enraged her. If James did anything, Lily had to do better. If the Marauders sneaked out with an Invisibility cloak, then Lily would find an extremely complicated spell for invisibility and we�d sneak out too. It was quite exhausting being her best friend. Then she had that dreadful sister, Petunia. I think she was quite nice, but she was terribly jealous of Lily. It was really improbable, I remember, that talented, clever, fierce witch, Lily should have such a nondescript, stupid family- her mother was truly pathetic, and such an awful sister! They didn�t even look alike. Lily stood out like a beacon with her smooth fair hair and her twinkling green eyes.�

Harry glanced at Hermione, waiting patiently by the door. She had gone very pale and was staring at them as if she had seen a ghost. Perhaps she was hungry and tired from the duel.

�Thank-you, Professor. I really appreciate you telling me this. I think I�ll go to lunch now.�

�Oh, Harry. Perhaps you didn�t know, I am actually one of your godmothers.�

Harry stared at her open mouthed. �My godmother? Oh!�

Arabella grinned back, �Your other godmother was Molly Stibbins, now Molly Weasley.�

�Ron�s mother?�

�Yes. I thought you�d like to know that. Now get your lunch- you must be starving.�

Harry picked up his bag from Hermione�s outstretched hand and they left the room, silently.

Arabella looked after them, a small frown on her sunny face, �I wonder...� And she left in the direction of Dumbledore�s office.

Harry and Hermione didn�t mention the duel to anyone except Ron who did not look very interested and merely suggested they earned a living by duelling against each other. Hermione and Ron were still at each other throats, and it would probably have continued if Harry had not reminded Ron of his resolution never to fight with Hermione again.

Saturday dawned fresh and bright- perfect conditions for a quidditch match. At breakfast Harry sat at the Gryffindor table hardly eating anything, drawing attack plans on the tablecloth with his knife, using the pepper and salt as players.

�Erm, Harry, the match isn�t till tonight. You�re turning into Oliver Wood, you know. You know- obsessed.� Ron commented as Harry bewitched his piece of toast to be the quaffle. Hermione shook her head sadly behind his back, but not totally seriously.

�I wish we still had Oliver Wood,� Harry moaned.

�I wish Fred, George, Angelina, Katie and Alicia were still here.� Ron replied, winking at Hermione.

�We�ve got Pippa,� Harry said brightening up a little. Pippa was Alicia Spinnet�s younger sister in the sixth year and like her sister was an excellent chaser.

They spent the morning doing homework, or in the case of Harry, worrying.

Eventually the hour of the game arrived and Harry and Ron left to get changed and Hermione followed Lavender and Parvati to the stands. (�Promise you won�t do your homework during the game, this time.� Harry had pleaded.) She hadn�t even brought it. After all, it was Harry�s next to last quidditch game at Hogwarts.

She made her way to the stands and sat down between Dean and Parvati. Lavender had gone off to sit with her Ravenclaw boyfriend. The pitch was a hub of excitement. Three-quarters of the crowd were sporting red and gold flags and a quarter had green and silver flags. Pansy Parkinson seemed to be wearing Malfoy�s old quidditch robes. Seamus and Neville staggered up to the crowd followed by Ginny Weasley carrying the massive Gryffindor flag which usually decked the Great Hall. �Dumbledore said we could have it. Will you help us hold it, Hermi?� panted Seamus. Hermione hated that nickname but she took hold of one of the poles all the same.

The roar of the crowd swelled as the teams entered the pitch. Hermione screamed and jiggled her pole of the flag along with the rest. She surveyed the Gryffindor team. Rachel Jones and Shane Britain were beaters. Not as good as Fred and George, but not bad either. Ron as keeper. Pippa was the best chaser, Colin Creevey was dreadful and Gemma Robinson wasn�t bad. Then Harry. She smiled happily and awaited the start of the game.

Harry shook Malfoy�s hand with as much loathing as Oliver Wood and Montague had in the old days.

Madame Hooch�s whistle went and the teams flew off the ground. The commentator, Susan Bones from Ravenclaw started yelling the score. �10-0 to Gryffindor!! And Spinnet scores! That�s 20-0! Oh, Pucey has the quaffle and he score- no! He�s stopped by a trusty bludger sent by Jones. Quaffle is intercepted by Spinnet and will she- won�t she? YES ! Spinnet scores again! 30-0 to Gryffindor!�

So the game continued. Hermione had her Omnicolars and she skimmed the pitch, trying to find the snitch. Malfoy and Harry were soaring round above them, looking for it as well.

A roar of cheering came from the Slytherin end. Slytherin had scored, bringing the score to 30-10. Next a bludger almost knocked Colin Creevey off his broom giving a Slytherin chaser a chance to score another goal. He would have succeeded if Shane hadn�t sent a bludger into his stomach on purpose. Madame Hooch awarded Slytherin a penalty and they got another goal past Ron.

�The Slytherins are catching up! 30-20!� roared Susan.

Hermione concentrated on finding the snitch. She swooped the pitch for some sign of the golden ball. A roar in the crowd was gradually rising. Dean pinched her arm. �Did you see it?�

�What?�

�Colin had the quaffle and flew straight into Harry! He�s almost off his broom!�

With a slightly sick feeling in her stomach she turned her omnioculars towards the Gryffindor end of the pitch. Harry hung with one hand from his broom. Slowly he heaved himself up to the concern of the Gryffindor team who were so upset that they didn�t notice that the Slytherins had grabbed the quaffle bringing the score up to 30 all. Harry was being blocked by Colin Creevey, who seemed to be apologising to him in a very sycophantic manner when Hermione saw an even more sickening sight near the Slytherin goalposts: the golden snitch hovering near the Slytherin keeper, and Malfoy souring towards it.

Harry hadn�t even been able to see past Colin. �THE SNITCH!� bellowed Hermione, but Harry could not hear her. Then it occurred to her. She could do it. Yes, she�d give everything away, but to win the game... This would prove whether she was right or not anyway.

HARRY POTTER! she screamed, though not one word left her lips. Harry almost fell off his broom. Hermione�s heart jumped into her mouth. THE SLYTHERIN GOALPOSTS! THE SNITCH! MALFOY�S ALMOST THERE! she yelled.

Without waiting to hear anything more, Harry turned his broom towards the Slytherin end and flattened himself against it, brushing past Colin who looked very surprised. �Look!� cried Ginny, �He�s seen it! Look at them go!� The stadium was almost silent as the two seekers chased the snitch. Professor McGonagall was biting her finger nails and even Snape was looking anxious.

Malfoy was nearer, much nearer than Harry, but Harry had a Firebolt. He was gaining on Malfoy... but still Malfoy would get there first. The whole stadium was silent. Pucey was holding the quaffle, but didn�t even seem to notice it. It was then that one of the Slytherin beaters made a grave mistake. He sent a beater hurtling towards Harry. It missed and hit Malfoy in the stomach. Malfoy rolled over in pain as Harry leaned forward and grabbed the snitch!

The stadium erupted. Hermione released the breath she hadn�t realised she had been holding and burst into tears. Susan was jumping up and down on the platform shouting, �YES! YES! YES! THE LIONS WIN!! DOWN WITH SLYTHERIN! 180-30 TO GRYFFINDOR!! YES!! YES!!�

No-one stopped her. McGonagall was dancing some sort of tango with Dumbledore and Sirius had kissed Arabella.

The Gryffindor team landed and Hermione, closely followed by Ginny raced onto the pitch.

�You WON!� she screamed tearfully as she threw herself into Harry and Ron�s arms.

Disclaimer: All belongs to JKR. I own nothing.

Chapter 10- Exams and Other Duties

Hermione disengaged herself from her friends' arms and beamed at them. "I can't believe we won!"

Neither can I!" said Harry shaking his head. Ginny came up from behind them and cried, "You should have seen your face, Harry, when you realised Malfoy had seen the snitch! You almost fell off your broom in surprise and Pucey had the quaffle and no-one noticed! He could have shot a hundred goals and no-one would have seen! Where's Pippa? I must tell her... That goal she got across Anderssen...!" Ginny hurried off to find her friend.

Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed on the pitch grinning goofily at each other. "Don't look now, Harry, but I think if you look over there you'll see an interesting sight," Ron whispered as he gestured towards the teachers' block. Harry and Hermione looked immediately over their shoulder to see that Sirius was still kissing Arabella, or maybe she was kissing him, it was impossible to tell. Harry smiled, "About time Sirius found a partner, and I like Arabella. She's my godmother, you know."

"Really?" said Ron in surprise, "That makes it even better. Maybe they'll get married and stop teaching and you can go and live with them after we've left Hogwarts."

Malfoy's sneering voice was suddenly heard behind them, "Well, Potter, not badly won. If that fool of a beater hadn't missed you I would have won. I'm not sure whether he will be staying on the team much longer, you know. You were really show-boy today, though. You only fell off your broom twice. Can't resist showing off, can you?" Harry gritted his teeth and tried to resist the urge to kill Malfoy on the spot, who merely grinned and waved as he moved off to get changed.

Ron frowned, "I never thought the day would come when I would agree with Draco Malfoy, but how did you manage to almost fall off your broom twice in about five minutes? The first time, OK, if Colin Creevey hadn't bumped into you then you wouldn't have lost your grip. That's all fair and square, but the second time I can't understand it. You can't have just lost your balance because you saw the snitch! What happened? No-one knocked into you, I saw, because you were up near the goal."

Harry frowned, "Would you think I was totally mad if I said I thought someone had told me where the snitch was in my mind?"

"Yes," Ron answered promptly, "or else it's some trick of You-Know-Who's."

"What do you think, Hermione?" Harry asked, "because- I say! Do you have any books on telepathy? I think I've just worked something out!"

"Telepathy? Yes, I think I've got one out of the library. You can borrow it if you like. I'll go and get it now." Hermione ran off towards the castle.

"What are you on about? What's telepathy?" asked Ron.

Harry looked at him blankly, "You see, I think it was Hermione who was speaking in my mind, and that doesn't make any sense."

"Hermione? Why would she do that? I know, maybe she's found some complicated spell and wants to test it out before she tells us, as a joke."

"Maybe," said Harry, unconvinced, "I don't know though. Why didn't she tell us? I think it's more serious than that. I remember something like that before- What was it?" Suddenly a look of comprehension crossed his face, "Oh Ron! It is serious! Hey, see you soon!" And thrusting his Firebolt into Ron's surprised hands he dashed as fast as he could towards the school building.

Once inside, Harry ran straight up to the library. It was deserted. Even Madame Pinch seemed to have gone to watch the quidditch. Ignoring the temptation to look in the restricted section, Harry went to straight to the shelves to look under the letter 'T'. Trigonometric ratios in the World of Astronomy; Toxicology- A guide to Magical Poisons; Guide to Magical Creatures- Transilvanian Turtles. How many books had titles beginning with a T? thought Harry as he ran his fingers down the spines. Eventually he found A beginners guide to Telepathy.

Harry pulled it down off the shelf and sat down with it at the nearest table by the door. He had just read the first few pages (the contents pages) when the door of the library opened and Madame Pince entered. She cast her eyes around the room until they landed on Harry.

"POTTER!" she screamed. Harry's eyes jerked up from his book.

"Yes?"

"Now I've really got you! Don't think I didn't know about your wandering about at night, boy."

"What?" asked Harry confused.

"Don't play the innocent with me! I know all about it. For the last five years you have been coming in here after dark, spread muddy footprints around the floor, taken out books and then not put them back. Let's see that book!" She snatched up his book as the door opened silently behind them, "Look! It's the same book too! Telepathy! Always telepathy, and left open on the table on the pages on the Unbreakable Link for me to put away in the morning! I suppose you think it's funny, don't you? Well, now I've caught you. You can come back tonight to clean up this mess and prepare an essay for me on why we must keep the school facilities in good condition. Make no mistake, this will be going to the Headmaster!"

She stalked off angrily with Harry's book in her hand. Harry stared after her in surprise, what had that been about? He had certainly not been trailing mud about in the night to read about telepathy. How unfair can one get! And now detention and an extra essay to do. He stormed off towards the door and bumped into someone standing by it.

"Watch where you're going!" said Hermione with a blush of surprise.

"Hermione!" said Harry, taken aback, "where were you going?"

"Oh, it turns out I took that book back, so I was going to get it out again for you."

"Thanks, but you don't need to. You can talk to me instead of my reading the book."

"Talk about what?" asked Hermione faintly.

Harry paused, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Well, shall we go back to the common room? Madame Pince won't want to catch you hanging around the library at the moment, will she?"

"No! I mean, let's go in here." Harry grabbed her arm and dragged her into the nearest room. It was a pitch black, dark book storage room. Hermione stared at him in astonishment, "Erm, I hate to interrupt, but wouldn't the common room be more comfortable?" she said as Harry pushed her onto a packing case full of old books.

"It would most certainly not be," replied Harry sitting down on another packing case, "Anyway, I wanted to ask you."

"Yes?" asked Hermione, feeling slightly nervous. What was he going to ask her...! Common sense told her it was about the quidditch match, but some part was wishing he was going to ask her- that was ridiculous! She was Hermione not Lavender!

"Was it you who was talking to me at the quidditch match, and who told me where the snitch was?"

"It was me," Hermione replied, letting out her breath in... disappointment?

"OK, I thought it sounded like you and I just had to know. How do you do it?"

Hermione considered for a minute then sighed, "I suppose you would have found out sooner or later. You remember in the summer how you managed to give your invisibility cloak to me and also to warn me about the guards?"

Harry nodded, "I thought it had something to do with that."

"Yes. Anyway, we have this very rare condition- Don't look like that! It's not that bad! It's called the Unbreakable Link, and it means that when you're eighteen as well as I am, we will be able to communicate through our minds, a bit like telepathy."

"Wow! So I never have to say anything to you ever again?"

Hermione laughed, this wasn't such an ordeal as she had expected it would be, "Theoretically you're right. Practically, I'd rather you talked to me than just thought to me."

Harry grinned, "All right, so how do you do it?"

"I can think to you now because I'm already eighteen, and you can hear me. You won't be able to think back to me until July. Well you might, in an emergency if you tried very hard."

"Is that the only thing that we can do?"

"No, we can also pass objects between us if we really need them. That's how you gave me the cloak when I really wanted it in Greece."

"Cool! Is that it?"

"Yes. I mean no," Hermione hesitated.

Harry looked panicky, "What is it? What are the side effects?"

"Oh no. There's no side effect. I just forgot this bit. I've remembered now. If we say the same spell at exactly the same time then the power of the spell is tripled."

"Oh," said Harry blankly. "So I guess you're in on it now."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione, though she already had an idea of what the answer was going to be.

"You'll have to help me fight Voldemort now. I was probably going to have to fight him again. He wants to kill me as you know. Voldemort's almost immortal and so Avada Kedavra can't kill him. Perhaps Avada Kedavra magnified three times would kill him. Do you see?"

Hermione nodded, "I see. I'd seen that before, I just didn't want to believe it. I have to admit that fighting Voldemort isn't going to be my favourite Sunday afternoon activity, but..."

"I've already done it about five times, so ha!"

"Aw. I've missed out on so much," she replied with mock sadness.

They both burst out into hysterical laughter and for a minute were oblivious to the world. When she had recovered, Hermione felt much better. "I've been winding myself up all year, and that got it all out of my system."

Harry stared at Hermione in surprise, "I didn't know you could laugh like that!"

"Nor did I! Still," she replied setting her face into a solemn expression, "you do know what we are talking about? It's not to be jested at."

"Are you suggesting that famous Harry Potter doesn't know what he's talking about?" Harry's attempt at solemnity was quite ruined by his sneezing violently at the end of his line, causing Hermione to start laughing again.

Harry pushed open the door of the book room and they stumbled out into the bright light, Hermione still clutching her sides. She gave a last hiccup and stared round the deserted corridor slightly bewildered.

"You all right, Hermione?" asked Harry anxiously, who had a cobweb in his hair.

"Yes. Quite all right, thank you. I think we both needed that, though. We've been as tense as a piece of wire all term, we would have cracked anyway sometime. Oh, by the way, you do look funny, covered in mud and dust," she added.

"Seriously though," Harry said ignoring Hermione's last comment about his appearance, and putting his hand on her shoulder, "It will be a lot more comforting to have a companion while I try no to die."

"You won't die, Harry." Hermione said decidedly while trying not to go red and look at his eyes.

"You sound very sure about that," Harry replied grimly releasing her and leaning against the wall.

"I am sure."

Harry looked at her in puzzlement then shrugged his shoulders, "Come on, I need to get changed and everyone will wonder where we've gone. There's supposed to be a party in the common room. That's why I didn't want to go back there."

Harry went of in the direction of the changing rooms and Hermione watched him disappear round the corner of the corridor. She sighed. I might have known, she thought.

How he thrills me, aha, honey, honey

Honey, honey

Nearly kills me, aha, honey, honey

I've heard about him before

I wanted to know some more

And now I know what they mean

He's a love machine

(Oh, he makes me dizzy)

"Damn," muttered Hermione as she made her way back to the common room.

A large golden owl flew through an open window of the castle. Eagerly Voldemort relieved it of its burden and tore open the letter. A minute later he let out a scream of rage and impatience causing the girl sitting by his chair to flinch a little.

"Beaten! Beaten again by a woman!" screamed Voldemort crushing his letter. "Running on and on about how she wants to see me, and never once telling me what I want to know."

"Do you think," suggested the girl timidly, "she realised that you were wanting her to tell you who her daughter was?"

He wheeled round on her, "We are dealing with the most clever woman in England here, fool. She saw through me I know. Anyway, at least we can find out exactly where she is." He tapped the owl with his wand and said, "Revelio Indrum!"

Nothing happened. Voldemort cursed under his breath, "How dare she conceal her whereabouts? Does she know who she is working against? Lord Voldemort! She'll never win! Never! This does it- if she puts one foot near here then she dies!"

"We're leaving for England, Susanna." Estella Green paced the hotel room, her black eyes glinting.

"Is that wise, Signora?" asked her confidant.

"Wise? Wise? I must see her. You don't understand- she is my daughter! You are not a mother. You don't know. I have not seen her for eighteen years. I cannot tell her who I am, cannot tell her who she is. She thinks her name is- Oh Susanna, I need to see her."

Susanna was quiet. She had always thought her leader was cold, with as much emotion as a wet flannel. She was surprised to see her with a strange look in her normally expressionless eyes.

"Oh, don't look like that! I won't hurt. I'm only human, I love her. I only wish I could see her and tell her. It was the same me who fell in love with Tom Riddle all those years ago at Hogwarts. He was so handsome and brave! We were perfect for each other in every way; I had the brains to think things through, and he had the nerve and courage to do what I suggested. He loved me too. But all the time I knew it would not last; we were too different. I was only put in Slytherin because I wanted to be with Tom. I fell in love with him on the train. I was a fool. But my life changed when they put me in Slytherin. 'You will find your true friends in Slytherin' they say. I certainly got relative fame and made friends with my hero. But I will never forget what the sorting hat said to me, 'You may wish to be in Slytherin, but a part of you will always remain in Gryffindor.' I always wondered what it meant. Then Trelawney made her prediction and Elvira was born- that glorious Indian summer day! I was so happy until Tom told me of his plan. I hated him then. He had robbed me of all my chances as a person, and now he was going to rob me of my rights as a mother. I was furious with him. I left him that night with Elvira. I wasn't going to comply with his wishes then. I did though. Why? I still ask myself. I think I know though. Tom wouldn't have been able to find me, but with a baby- that's harder. Also, Trelawney's prediction. Tom had remembered the prophecy wrong, and I hope that Elvira has a little of Gryffindor in her blood, a little of me, not just Tom. And Harry Potter. I always longed to know what would happen when Elvira met young Harry. I knew that the prophecy concerned Harry Potter and my daughter. Who else could be the son of Light? With his mother being who I think she was? Though that doesn't make sense. Still... Harry Potter. Without him I would never have given Elvira to those good muggles. They will defeat Tom because Harry will never join the dark side, and Elvira will never join her father. She will never join me either. She will join her Harry Potter and they will fight... and they will win."

She stared at Susanna, who was audibly sniffing. Estella laughed, though a little shakily, "Well, there you have it. My life story. Well, people always said I should have been an actress in Tragedy. Maybe that would have been a better career than trying to take over the world. Anyway, now you know why we are going to England as well as to pick up Fudge. He will supply us with interesting information about Elvira and Harry Potter. I am worried for him... In his letter Tom said Harry was in the palm of his hand... I must warn the boy. We cannot have Potter caught. Then Tom will be back in power for real and I can do nothing to stop him. I cannot kill him... I loved him once. I only hope Harry and Elvira will do it for me. Then I can start to take control. I wonder," she added with a laugh, "what Tom thought when he got my letter. He must have been mad! I only hope Elvira knows who she is though, what her destiny is, who it concerns. She will if she's any daughter of mine."

There was silence- almost a reverential silence like in a church. Then Susanna stood up and started to pack the bags for England.

A scream pierced the night. A light flashed on, and Jane Sullivan crawled out of bed. She groaned as another light was switched on and Abby Pentium sat up in her bed. The only light that was not on now belonged to Mia Grann, and it was Mia who had screamed. Jane and Abby looked at each and Abby gave a large shrug as if to say, "There's nothing we can do." Jane walked over to Mia's bed and looked down at the sleeping girl. Mia looked very 'sweet' when she was asleep. Her long, wavy golden-brown hair was spread across the pillow making her look, as Jane and Abby often thought, like Sleeping Beauty. The thing was, Jane and Abby were very often awake when Mia was sleeping. Mia screamed in the night quite a lot. No-one knew why. Now it had gone too far. Jane shook her roommate awake.

Mia woke up groggily and the first thing her eyes fixed on was Jane's picture of Shane Westlife on the noticeboard by the door.

"Where's the fire?" Mia asked yawning.

"Nowhere, you silly. You screamed so we woke you up because we can't stand another night of your waking us up in the middle of it. It upsets our sleep pattern," said Abby directly.

"We'll have to ask Miss Fairfax to move you into another room if you do it again," added Jane.

Mia stared at her friends in shock, "I wake you up by screaming? Everynight?"

"Not quite that often," reassured Abby.

"Oh dear. It must be my dream."

"Your dream?" prompted Jane.

"Yes, I never told you because I didn't... didn't want to discuss it. I think it was about the night I was left here."

Her friends were silent. Like everyone else in the orphanage Mia had no parents. Or rather, she didn't think she had. She had been 'found' by the Principle of the establishment, Miss Fairfax on the frontstep of the building one morning about seventeen years ago when Mia had only been one year old. With it was a letter explaining that the name of the baby was Mia Grann and giving her date of birth. It gave nothing else away. Miss Fairfax had had to take Mia in. Mia had been eleven when Miss Fairfax told her exactly what happened. Before, she had thought her parents had been killed in a car crash when she had been very little. Everyone seems to die in car crashes, Mia had thought. Many of the children who had mysteries surrounding their arrival at the orphanage were told that their parents had died in a car crash.

Nearly every night Mia had the same dream, and the more she had it the less it made sense to her. It now seemed as though she screamed when she had it. Mia was actually quite glad to talk to someone about it. Maybe Jane or Abby would know what to do about it. Mia cleared her throat and started.

"When the dream starts I see a modern house somewhere and on the lawn a man and a woman are playing with a baby. I know that that baby is me. I just know it. We're so happy! Then, suddenly, I can see this woman in a long black cape and a bundle in her arms. She appears on the lawn from nowhere and my parents jump up and my mother and this strange woman, who I think looks creepy, start talking. My parents look really scared. Then the woman takes a short wooden stick out of her cloak and points it at my parents who start screaming, and my mother puts herself in front of me. The woman talks some more then says something weird like, 'Impervious!' You know, that stuff raincoats are made of, or something. Then my parents go into a dreamy state. The woman says something- it's really weird, I can't hear any of the dialogue. Just, the main words as it were. My mother gives her the baby."

"No!" cried Jane.

"Yes. And the woman puts me on the grass, and she picks up the bundle she had been carrying and says something to it then gives it to my mother. Then she points the stick at the bundle and yells something that sounded like, "Transformation!" and then different parts of the body and some words in Latin I think, then there is a flash of red light coming from nowhere and the bundle screams-"

"Aww, it must be a baby!" cooed Abby.

"I think it must have been. The bundle screams and I scream, and that must be when you hear me. Normally if you hadn't woken me I would have continued dreaming. When the red light had gone, the bundle continued wailing and my parents were still looking dazed. Then the lady in black pointed the stick at my parents and shouted, 'Obliviate!' They went even more dazed and dreamy, then looked at the bundle and started playing with it like they had done with me before. Then the lady picked me up, and I don't remember any more. But we were so happy!"

Mia was crying now.

Jane put an arm round her friend, "Oh, cheer up Mia. I'll get you some Westlife tickets!"

Mia managed a watery smile.

Abby frowned, "I think you should tell Miss Fairfax, Mia, you never know she might-"

The door opened, "What might I know?" In the doorway, a purple hairnet round her red bob stood Miss Fairfax herself.

The three girls gulped and Mia choked a bit. Miss Fairfax seemed to notice that she was crying and she said, "What's wrong, Mia?"

"She had a nightmare," said Abby swiftly.

"Oh dear. Are you all right now? Do you want to tell me what it was about?"

Mia nodded and told Miss Fairfax what she had just told Jane and Abby. At the end, Miss Fairfax threw her hands in the air and said, "Goodness. Not another one obsessed with cloaks and magic wands!"

"Magic wands!?" cried Mia, Jane and Abby.

"Yes. That stick was probably supposed to be a magic wand. I wonder if you are possibly related to the other boy we had here..."

"Which boy?" asked Jane, always eager to hear about a boy.

"Oh, it was a long time ago. A boy, what was his name, Thomas something, came here. Got a funny letter when he was eleven and went away to a supposed magic school. Load of nonsense if you ask me. He just wanted to get away from here. He came back here at the end of his education all dressed in a black cloak like you described with a stick like that as well, and he was simply evil! He killed one of the pupils with it. Dreadful commotion. Then he laughed. I think he was mad. We never saw him again."

"I should say he was mad," cried Abby warmly, "To kill someone like that!"

"I should hate to think I am in anyway connected with that boy," said Mia with a shudder. "Anyway, I don't believe in magic."

Far away, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were preparing for their very final exams, the NEWTs (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests).

There was only one week away until the first exam and Harry, Ron and Hermione were finding that the work was being more than piled on.

"According to Fred and George," Ron said hopefully as he highlighted his Care of Magical Creatures notes, "after the NEWTs you don't do anything all summer term."

"What?" cried Hermione, "Scandalous! What is the point in not teaching us all through one term? They should sent us home early if they're going to do that!"

"You've given me an idea!" said Ron with a grin. "Anyway, Snape and McGonagall keep us going until the end."

"Good! I should think so too!" said Hermione.

Harry had told Ron all about the Unbreakable Link and how he had it with Hermione. Ron was absolutely astonished, and a bit angry that Harry had not told him about his dream that summer. Harry felt a bit guilty about that too. However, both had grown up enough not to fight over it, much to Hermione's relief. He had not told Ron about how Hermione was now going to have to fight Voldemort. He didn't want to add to Ron's present worries.

Harry had tried to persuade Hermione to help him cheat in the exams, by telling him all the answers through his mind, but Hermione refused. ("How low can you stoop?! Honestly!")

Harry, Ron and Hermione had all discussed the magical intruder to the library that had given Harry detention. Neither of them could think who it could be.

The days ticked by, the hours magically disappeared, the minutes trickled away and then-

"Please come in."

It was Professor McGonagall opening the door to the Great Hall to beckon the long line of nervous seventh years into the exam room for their first exam, Charms. It reminded Harry of his first day of Hogwarts when they had queued up to be sorted.

Neville had gone white and was clutching a strange amulet as a good luck charm. Lavender was crying and Parvati had spent the whole morning hugging everyone and saying, 'Good Luck' to them. Hermione looked pale and nervous, but strangely calm. Harry's mind seemed to have gone completely blank, and Ron was repeating spells which he knew perfectly well over and over again as if his brain had got stuck in a groove. Even Draco Malfoy looked quite uncomfortable and Pansy Parkinson was rumoured to have fainted earlier in the lavatories.

As they trooped into the Great Hall Professor McGonagall, who was chief adjudicator, took each of their wands and quills and bewitched them with anti-cheating spells.

The Great Hall was completely transformed. Instead of the five large tables, there was row upon row of desks and chairs, one per person. At the front of the room the teacher's table had piles of papers on it and a massive clock in the middle. Standing in front of the table were Professor Black, Professor Figg and Professor Snape. They were each holding a thick pile of what looked horribly like the exam papers. Harry was starting to feel sick.

Soon everyone was seated in register order. (Harry was near the back but not far enough away to avoid the luminous dial of the clock.) He was sitting behind a fair-haired Ravenclaw girl he didn't know. He couldn't see Ron or Hermione.

Professor McGonagall was speaking again, "The desks are bewitched so that you cannot talk to your next door neighbour and also so that you can't pass notes. There isn't any way you could possibly cheat."

Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared. Harry grinned, Oh yes there is, he thought.

She continued, "The exam lasts for four hours including your practical test which will take place in the room by Professor Figg." Arabella, looking unusually serious, stepped back to reveal a door with 'Practical Exams' written on it.

"There, Professor Flitwick will set you a task to perform and he will be the examiner. Professor Dumbledore is a co-examiner of the practical. When you hear your name please get up quietly with your paper and wand and go into that room. You will give your paper to me; I will stay here all the time. You can get it back when you have finished the practical. Professors Snape, Black and Figg will be patrolling the aisles to check up on you. I want total silence from now on. Anyone who isn't will be disqualified."

She paused ominously, and Harry noticed that Snape looked particularly pleased at this point and that Sirius and Arabella looked particularly grave. Arabella nodded her head a few times as if to emphasise McGonagall's point.

Snape, Sirius and Arabella gave out the papers. On the front cover was a blank space for your name, house, date of birth and school. There was a box already filled in with the date of the exam. In the centre of the page was a large title saying:

Below that a slightly smaller sized font read:

At the bottom of the page in an even smaller font it said:

Harry looked up, at the giant clock, it was thirty seconds until nine o'clock. Time seemed to stop. Then Professor McGonagall's voice said, as if from very far away, "No talking please. Good luck, you may start."

This chapter has now ended.

Disclaimer: One author to rule them... and it's not me. Her name's JK Rowling and she wrote the original series...

Chapter 11- The Invitation

When Harry woke up at six o'clock on Saturday the twelfth of April he felt as if a burden had been taken off his mind- the NEWTs were over and it was the Easter holidays. The dormitory was quiet as the other boys slept off the strain off the past few months. Harry, accustomed from his days with Dursleys, was an early riser. Not being able to sleep he got up and dressed and went down to the deserted common room.

Through the windows of the common room Harry could see that the weather was good. There was a clear sky with only a few white clouds. A perfect day for quidditch, he thought. He sat down on the window seat and waited for someone else to come down.

The next arrival in the common room was not actually human. It was Hermione's cat, Crookshanks. Crookshanks had not even come from the dormitories, he seemed to have come from the portrait hole, though how an ordinary cat had managed to get through the portrait hole did not cross Harry's mind. Crookshanks was not an ordinary cat. He crept along to Harry and jumped onto his knee. Since Peter Pettigrew had been found and Sirius had been cleared of all his charges Crookshanks had become a model pet. The day when he had jumped on Ron's head when Harry, Ron and Hermione had seen him first was all in the past. It seemed almost providential that Hermione should have chosen the one cat in the world who knew Sirius and Peter were Animagi, to be her pet, Harry thought. After all, how many cats can tell that Pettigrew was bad and Sirius was innocent?

Crookshanks seemed to be able to tell that Harry was slightly suspicious of him, for he tensed up in Harry's lap and his luminous green eyes frowned up at him. Fortunately at that moment someone came into the common room.

"Oh, you've got Crookshanks, Harry," said Hermione as she spied him on the window seat and approached him carrying a large book.

"Good morning, Hermione! Always so cheerful, aren't you? You sound so happy to see me!"

Hermione trilled sarcastically, "Oh what a lovely morning! Harry, I've never been happier in my life before now than to see your handsome face on this glorious morning!"

"No need to over do it. Aren't you glad to have finished your exams, though?"

"Yes, I am. I can't wait for the results though."

"Typical. I'm perfectly happy to wait."

"You'll have done fine. There's no need to worry." So saying she pulled out a very thick book.

Harry groaned, "What's that?"

"Oh, the complete set of plays of Oscar Wilde. They're very funny."

"Better than the book you were reading on the train, I suppose?"

Hermione looked amused, "You remember that? Yes, much better than that stuff by Miss Green."

"Miss Green!" cried Harry jumping up, "Not the Miss Green? You know, Estella!"

"Do you really think so? It seems unlikely, that she should write books to earn a living."

"Well, she's got to get money some how."

"S'pose."

Hermione read Lady Windermere's Fan and Harry looked out of the window until eight o'clock when Ron woke up and they all went for breakfast.

Ron was in a good mood. Such a good mood in fact that he kept whistling the Weird Sisters' new album causing Harry and Hermione to exchange amused glances behind Ron's back. Still, Harry knew what Ron meant.

Every seventh year at breakfast was very happy and it spread onto the sixth years as well. Some Hufflepuffs even started a food fight.

When the owls flew down into the Great Hall three owls approached the Gryffindor table. They landed in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry picked up his letter and looked at it. It was sealed on the outside with a seal of a Dragon. So were Ron and Hermione's. Harry opened his. It seemed to be an invitation.

You are cordially invited to spend a week at Castle Squear in the Yorkshire Pennines in the company of Lord Timothy Eldir and his household.

His Lordship is a friend of the well-known Professor Dumbledore and is most desirous of meeting you and your friends, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger who are likewise invited. He is very eager that you show his Lordship some magic. Activities will be provided every day.

His Lordship's servants will collect you and your friends from the village of Hogsmeade on the fourteenth of April if you wish to come. Send your reply back with your owl as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely, I. M.,

His Lordship's housekeeper

Harry stared at the letter in surprise and then looked across at Ron's, which was exactly the same as his, only addressed to Mr. Ronald Weasley. He assumed Hermione's would be the same as well.

"Well," said Ron eagerly, "this sounds great, doesn't it? Just imagine, we've been invited to stay in some great castle with a famous peer. Ginny will be so jealous!"

"Hold your horses a minute, Ron!" said Hermione sharply, "This all looks very suspicious to me. It says that this Lord Eldir, who sounds about as phoney as you can get, wants us to show him magic. This suggests that he is a muggle. If that is a case, how come he knows about us and is inviting us to stay?"

"Oh, Hermione, you're seeing problems round every corner," sighed Harry. "I agree with Ron- it sounds wonderful. Besides, it says that he is a friend of Dumbledore, he must have heard of us through him."

Hermione didn't seem convinced, "Very obliging of I. M. to give us that information. Also, who nowadays keeps servants? Let's see," she muttered, and taking out her wand, she performed a series of little spells on the manuscript. When she finished she looked up vexed, "I can't see anything wrong with it. It all looks genuine, I'm afraid. The paper was bought in WH Smith, so was the fountain pen it was written with, and so was the ink. It looks very much like I. M. is really a muggle, and I can't think that Voldemort would employ a muggle, even to trick us."

"Voldemort!" cried Harry in surprise.

"Well, who else would want to lure you out of the castle?" replied Hermione.

"I suppose."

Hermione got up, "Well there is one way to check if this is a fraud or not," and so saying, she picked up her letter and moved over to the teachers' table, where she confronted Professor Dumbledore.

Hermione pointed at the letter and said something. Dumbledore smiled and said something as well. Then Hermione said quite a lot in one breath and Dumbledore frowned. He replied in quite a good deal of detail it seemed. Hermione nodded and said something and Dumbledore laughed. Then she returned to the table.

"Well," she said with a smile, "Dumbledore was expecting this invitation apparently. Lord Eldir is his friend and a muggle who loves the idea of magic. He is a perfectly genuine old man and would like to meet real witches and wizards. He has a massive old castle in Yorkshire and it actually sounds quite interesting. There's a large, old library, Dumbledore said." Hermione looked as if she was starting to be won over to the idea.

"Has Dumbledore been there himself?" asked Harry.

"No, I don't think so. Eldir has told him a lot about its history though. I look forward to hearing some of it myself."

Harry and Ron looked at each other and grinned.

"What about You-Know-Who?" asked Ron suddenly.

"Oh, Professor Dumbledore said that his spies hadn't been told of any plans to get hold of Harry. In fact, he told them that finding his daughter was more important than getting rid of Harry Potter at the moment. We should have no trouble with Voldemort, I hope."

To Castle Squear, therefore, they were to go.

Harry, Ron and Hermione left for Hogsmeade early on Wednesday morning. The story they had told the others was that they were going to see an aunt of Hermione's. Hermione hadn't wanted to lie, but as Harry had no relatives except the Dursleys and Ron's family was too well known to be suitable, she had to be the one with the phoney relations.

Outside the Three Broomsticks a large black, shiny Rolls Royce was waiting, much to the astonishment of Madame Rosmerta. A handsome driver who looked about as trustworthy as James Bond was seated at the wheel. When they approached he got out of the car and asked if they were Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. Harry answered in the affirmative, and the driver loaded their trunks into the large boot and Ron, Harry and Hermione (in that order) scrambled into the back; Harry clutching Hedwig in her cage and Ron holding Pig's cage. Crookshanks jumped in after Hermione and they were off.

The driver drove very fast especially round corners causing Harry to fall onto Hermione if they turned left and Ron if they turned right. Harry soon began to feel rather sick. The car lurched up hills and down them again for hours, twisting through narrow lanes. Ron, who wasn't as used to car travel as Harry and Hermione, was soon clutching onto the handgrip as if his life was at stake if he let go.

Eventually they arrived at a small pub in a Yorkshire village in the Pennines. They passed into a coach yard and the car stopped. They tumbled out into a healthy country wind. Harry, feeling slightly wobbly, followed the driver out of the yard. The pub was facing the road, and beyond the road were the Pennines. Harry gasped at the wild beauty of them. Hills seemed to go on forever, their summits hidden in very low grey cloud. Their slopes were populated with nothing but pine forests or bare scrub land. Sheep and stone walls were dotted over them. Nothing else seemed to be alive, though Harry could see the occasional car moving along on the opposite hill and every now and then he could see a lonely farmhouse. The road they were travelling along was overlooking a valley with a reservoir in the bottom of it. Little white horses decorated its surface. Harry took a deep breath of cold air.

"Yes, it's beautiful, isn't it?" commented Hermione suddenly at his elbow. "I love Yorkshire. My aunt Grace lives in York and we go to see her sometimes."

"So you do have relations in Yorkshire!" Harry replied glancing down at her. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes bright. A couple of strands of brown hair were blown across her face. It occurred to him then that Hermione was actually rather pretty. The outdoors suits her, he thought. She blushed a bit at his admiring gaze.

"Come on, you two, I'm hungry," interrupted Ron, "and I think the 'Gun Inn' looks a good place to eat. I've just gone to look at the menu while you two were admiring the view. They've got steak and kidney pie, a roast, fish and chips..."

Hermione blushed even more and they went in.

While eating treacle steamed puddings the driver told them that from this stage they would continue in a horse drawn carriage as there was not a suitable road from Denby Dale (where they were then). This surprised Harry a lot. "We're really cut off then," he said.

"Oh yes, there isn't another house for miles," replied the driver and he smiled.

Hermione's eyebrows knitted together, "Does this castle have running water and electricity?"

Ron looked at her in horror.

"There is a reservoir near by from which we get our water, but there isn't any electricity. But surely, Miss, you can use magic to get warmth and light?" he asked, smug that Hermione hadn't thought of that.

Hermione bit her lip angrily and Harry asked, "Are we allowed to do magic?"

"Yes, I asked Dumbledore and he got us permission from Miss Goldfinger."

"Good old Marisa Goldfinger!" cried Ron. "Fudge would never have let us. I say, you know Percy? How he was about Mr. Crouch?"

They nodded and groaned. "Don't remind me," Harry said rolling his eyes.

"Well, he met her at a dinner party last summer and he's been raving about her ever since. It's 'Marisa this, Marisa that, Marisa says' etcetera. Fred and George tease him about being in love with her, but I dunno if he really is." Ron trailed off.

After their meal they found a black carriage in the yard with two bay horses at the front of it and the red dragon crest on the sides. It all looked as if it had walked straight out of a period drama. The driver of the Rolls Royce climbed onto the box and Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed inside. It smelt slightly of mouldy hay. Their trunks were on the roof and the animals waiting inside. The driver lashed out with his whip and the carriage jerked into motion causing Harry and Ron to fall backwards and Hermione, who had the bad luck to be facing backwards, to fall forwards, almost into Harry's lap.

The carriage jolted out of the coach yard and onto the road, earning many surprised glances from the drivers of speeding cars as they shot past the slow moving horse drawn vehicle. It didn't stay like this for long though. Soon they turned off the main road and onto a small track that twisted steeply up hill. Hermione felt herself once more thrown into Harry's lap.

The world was truly deserted now. There were no roads now, or farmhouses. It was too bleak. Only heather and pine trees and the occasional sheep were visible. Every now and then they passed a ravine filled with a rushing mountain stream, or a stony path disappearing steeply off into the menacing, dark woods.

"It's The Little White Horse country," commented Hermione, gazing out of the window.

They continued in this way for about half an hour until they turned off the track again onto an even narrower, stony lane leading upwards through the pines. It became dark. Hermione had a continuous frown on her face and even Ron was looking slightly worried.

Suddenly they broke through the trees and saw, positioned actually in a mountain it seemed, a large stone castle. It was made out of yellowish stone and Hermione was heard to mutter, "Victorian gothic."

The walls were littered with grotesque gargoyles and there was even one above the portico as they passed into the walled courtyard. The carriage stopped and Harry, Hermione and Ron climbed out. It was cold and the wind whistled, trapped, round the yard. Crookshanks huddled close to Hermione, the wind blowing his fur the wrong way. The horses snorted and stamped as the driver took down their trunks from the roof of the coach. Then he moved towards the great stone door of the castle and pulled a bell pull twice. He remounted the carriage and drove it away round to the corner, presumably to put the horses away.

Harry, Ron and Hermione waited shivering in the shelter of the door for some minutes. Then there was the sound of bolts being with drawn back and the door creaked open. Standing in the doorway was a girl of about Harry's age. She had a thin, ferrety pale face and cold grey eyes, as stony as the castle. She had silvery, blond hair in ringlets. She was wearing an old fashioned, long black dress with a tight waist. Her grey eyes stared at them expressionlessly for about thirty seconds, then she said without emotion, "Welcome to Castle Squear, Harry Potter."

They entered the hall and the door clanged shut behind them. The girl faced them and said, "I regret to inform you that Lord Eldir is on business in France. He was called away very urgently yesterday morning and was unable to stay. He was very sorry. I will be looking after you until he returns. I'll show you to your rooms now."

And abruptly she turned away without letting her guests answer and walked up the stairs to the upstairs of the castle. They went into a long, cold, stone flagged corridor. Double doors were at the end of it. "That's the library," said the girl.

She approached a door. "Here is your room, Mr. Weasley. Mr. Potter, you are in the next one and Miss Granger, the far end one, near the library. I shall call you when dinner is ready." She turned to go but Ron stopped her.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? What the hell is going on?"

"My name is Irene, you have no need of anything else. I run this establishment."

"But you're only about sixteen! What game are you playing?!" burst out Ron.

"My age is hardly important to you, Mr. Weasley," she said in final sort of way and left with quick decisive steps down the corridor.

They all entered Harry's room, which was the largest, though still very cold. There were doors into Ron and Hermione's rooms. They sat down by a large hearth and Hermione lit a fire with her wand. A bit of warmth began to creep back into the room.

"What a detestable girl!" Ron opened the conversation.

"Maybe she'll improve when we know her better," replied Harry doubtfully.

"No she won't! I can't stand her!"

Hermione said quickly, "Well, we're stuck with her until this Lord Eldir returns from France. It must have been very urgent business that meant that he had to leave the day before his guests should arrive. I'm beginning to wonder if he actually exists."

"Rot, of course he exists. He's Dumbledore's friend."

"You put a lot of trust in Dumbledore," said Hermione.

"That reminds me," said Ron, "I promised mum I'd owl her when we got here."

He rummaged in his trunk until he found a spare piece of parchment and a quill. Then he wrote,

Dear Mum,

We have arrived safely. It is very cold. Harry and Hermione are all right. Lord Eldir is in France on business and we're stuck with his horrible servant, Irene Somebody. How is Percy? Have you heard from Charlie and Maria at all?

See you, love Ron.

"Who's Maria?" asked Hermione.

"Charlie's Romanian wife. He married her in the summer. She's really nice."

Hermione stared at him. She had not known this. Charlie was the first Weasley to be married. Bill merely had affairs and Percy was too deep in his work to get married (at least to anyone who was anything less than a workaholic like him). Fred and George weren't married either, though George seemed to still have a soft spot for his old girlfriend Katie Bell.

"Don't you think we should send an owl to Dumbledore as well?" asked Harry.

"Good point." Ron added a P.S.

P.S. Will you owl Dumbledore to tell him we've arrived as well.

Then he attached it to Pig's legs and threw him out of the window. They played exploding snap with Harry's cards until Irene was heard knocking at the door to tell them that supper was ready. They followed her downstairs and into the old dining room. It was large and gloomy and reminded Hermione strangely of the old place she had explored uninvited in Greece in the summer holidays.

They sat down at a long table and Irene served them good, home made food. There was onion soup for starters, poached salmon and boiled potatoes for the main course and apple pie and custard for pudding. Irene was obviously a very good cook. She stood and watched them eating, effectively blocking any conversation. Eventually Ron asked her, "What are we going to do here? In your letter you said that activities will be provided. What are they?"

"Tomorrow we will go walking and the day after that, riding."

"Horse-riding?" exclaimed Hermione, looking uncomfortable.

"Yes," replied Irene.

"What's wrong? Don't you like riding?" asked Harry.

Hermione looked very embarrassed. Eventually she confessed, "The only time I've been riding was on a donkey on Blackpool beach when I was seven. I fell off."

Ron grinned, "Poor Hermione! Anyway, you rode the hippogriff with Harry in your third year. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Hermione shuddered, "Yes it was. It was worse. If Harry hadn't been there to hold on to, I don't know what I would have done. I really don't like riding."

"I've never been. I think it sounds great," Ron sighed wistfully.

Harry's experiences of horses were not very pleasant. He remembered Dudley had played horses with him. That being, Harry had been the horse, and Dudley had ridden him. He had done it very realistically too, including spurs. Harry had a lot of sympathy with the horses and not much with the riders. He had ridden a hippogriff in third year twice. That had been quite a sickening feeling, but it wasn't very bad.

At this rate Ron was the only one looking for riding.

The next day Harry, Ron, Hermione and Irene went walking. The hills were steep and the weather was blustery and cold. By the time they had returned in the evening they were glad to let Irene prepare a hot meal for them all.

Irene as usual did not say much, and what she did say was brusque and to the point. Harry was tired and did not say much either. Ron however was excited and asked Irene many questions about what they were doing the next day, i.e. riding, which she was clearly bored with answering. Hermione was reading at table, but no one seemed to care. They went to bed, Hermione complaining that she had almost finished her last book. ("What?! You brought about ten and it's only the first day!" cried Ron in disbelief.)

When Hermione awoke in her four poster the next morning the first thing she realised was that she was supposedly going riding that day. After having dressed she knocked at Harry's door. He was sitting on his bed attempting to brush his hair.

"Are you looking forward to going riding?" she asked, coming to the point immediately.

Harry grimaced, either from the thought of trusting his life with a horse, or because his brush had caught in a snag in his messy hair, "Not a bit. You?"

Hermione shook her head, "I really don't want to do it. However I really can't not go because a: that would make me look like a spoilsport and b: I couldn't stay behind on my own."

"I'll stay here with you," suggested Harry, brightening up.

"But Ron? Alone with Irene? He really is annoyed by her. Anyway, we can ask him what he thinks. Maybe he won't mind."

They found Ron awake reading a book on horse care that he had found in the library. He seemed a little bothered that Harry and Hermione were intending to stay behind and leave him to Irene's mercy.

Eventually Harry decided that he was going to give it a try after all, and begged Hermione to go as well. She gave in reluctantly in the end.

After breakfast Irene took them out into the courtyard. Four horses were tied up there: a dark palomino pony with a long mane, a fat black mare, a very large heavy dun and a skittery skewbald which was rolling its eyes.

She pointed at the dun and said to Ron, "That's Fudge. You can get on him." She guided Ron onto Fudge's back while he sniggered at the name. However he put the wrong foot in the stirrup and therefore ended up facing the tail and had to get off again. If Harry hadn't been so apprehensive about the fact he was riding the slightly dodgy looking skewbald, he would have found it quite funny.

Once Ron was secured on Fudge, Irene helped Harry onto his horse, Firefly and Hermione onto the black mare, Lottie.

Hermione was sitting on her horse looking pale and extremely tense. She was staring straight ahead of her, and totally ignored Harry's "Good Luck!"

Irene mounted her pony side-saddle and told them to follow her. Ron immediately kicked his horse into a slow walk behind her. Firefly needed no kicking, but skittered off unbidden behind Fudge. Lottie and Hermione did not move. Harry tugged at his reins and Firefly halted reluctantly.

"What's up?" asked Harry anxiously.

"I'm not doing this," she whispered through clenched teeth.

"Umm..." Harry glanced round at where Ron and Irene were disappearing down a stony track between the pine trees, "It's not that bad, is it?"

"Yes, it is!" Hermione looked wildly round then slid rapidly off her horse. "I'm staying here. Don't you follow me. I'll be fine. I'll read or something."

Harry would have protested, but Firefly took that opportunity to catch up with his friends. His last glimpse over his shoulder was Hermione gingerly tying Lottie to a metal ring in the wall.

She walked up to the door and used the Alohomora spell to open it. She made her way up to her room through the silent castle, collected her book and went to sit by the fire in Harry's room, which was more comfortable. She sighed. Of course she couldn't do everything, but maybe she should have gone with them... Oh well. She started to read. Time passed and the pages left in Hermione's last book decreased. Suddenly there was a tapping at the window. Hermione, deep in her book did not register it until a few seconds after it had been repeated twice. Then she jumped up like she had been bitten and turned to face the window. Someone was sitting on a broomstick outside tapping on the pane. Someone in a black cloak. Hermione's finger's tightened on her wand.

Estella Green was outside the window.

Disclaimer: A long, long time ago in a publishing house far far away someone called JK Rowling (NOT me) wrote the HP series...

Chapter 12- The Little Red Notebook

Hermione�s brain seemed to have jammed. Then seconds later it went into overload. What was Estella doing here? How did she know where they were? Who did she want to see? Were her intentions peaceful... or not?

�Alohomora!� cried Estella and the window flew open. She climbed in and dragged her broomstick after her. She smoothed her cloak then turned to face Hermione who couldn�t say a thing. Crookshanks, standing by Hermione, arched his back.

�I�m not going to kill you. You can lower your wand,� said Estella after surveying her companion for a minute.

�How can I believe you?�

�Who am I?� asked Estella in return.

�There is only person who you could be. Though I do not what you look like from my own eyes, Harry has described you to me many times. You are Estella Green.�

�Harry Potter recognises me?�

�Yes. He dreamed about you and Voldemort.�

Estella looked down and tapped her foot gently on the floor while Hermione watched her anxiously. Eventually she said, �How much do you know?�

�As much there is to know,� Hermione replied, �and more.�

They stood facing each other, in silence. �Why are you here? Are you here for a purpose?� Hermione said curiously after a long pause.

Estella sat down in Harry�s armchair, �Where�s Harry Potter? I know he�s here. Don�t try to deny it. I don�t want to kill him. I need to see him, though. However, you�ll do if necessary.�

Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her chair which she had returned to, �Harry and Ron are out riding. They should be back at lunch time.�

�Are they on their own? Where is the owner of the castle? Is he with them?�

�No. Lord Eldir is in France on business.�

Estella looked at her almost pityingly, �You have the nerve to tell me that? I�d have thought...�

She stopped. This was because the door had just opened to reveal Harry standing with a dropped jaw staring at the two ladies.

Hermione looked blankly at him. Harry seemed then to wake up as it were, �Estella Green in my room? Hermione, what�s going on? Why have you put your wand away?�

He raised his wand and pointed it at Estella who merely gave hers to Hermione. Estella looked at him with frank curiosity, �So you�re Harry Potter? I know you from your famous scar of course. I�ve wanted to meet you for years... Since that prophecy actually, if you really want to know.�

Harry looked from Estella to Hermione and back again in confusion, �Are you going to kill me, because if you are, hurry up about it because I�m fed up of all this fooling around I put up with your dear Tom Riddle,� he said bitterly to Estella.

She shook her head with a glimmer of a smile, �No, Harry. I�m not on your side, true. I�m not on Voldemort�s either. I�m on my own side. I�m not trying to make you join me, I just hope you�ll help me defeat Voldemort.�

�Help you defeat Voldemort?� asked Harry incredulously.

�Yes. I want him gone too. Still, we don�t have much time. Now I�ve got you both I can start to explain-�

Hermione interrupted, �Where�s Ron?�

�Still out there with Irene; he loves riding. I fell off, but actually I was just looking for an excuse for returning to you. I was worried...�

�Not Irene Malfoy, the squib?� asked Estella curiously.

�Irene Malfoy!?� cried Harry and Hermione in unison.

�Well, yes. I know the Malfoys. Irene is the daughter of Nefarius Malfoy, the brother of the notorious Lucius Malfoy. She�s a squib. Nefarius pampered her when she was little but practically turned her into a slave when she didn�t get excepted into Hogwarts, and hid her away. I�m not surprised she�s here I must say. It would be very convenient for him to have a real non magic person in his plot. �

Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, �What does this mean?�

�Do you know anything about Lord Eldir?�

Hermione frowned, �He�s a muggle friend of Dumbledore. He lives here and came to his title about three years ago.�

Estella nodded with pursed lips, �Tell me, Harry. What happened three years ago?�

Harry thought a minute. Three years ago, his fourth year... He felt a slightly sick feeling in the bottom of his stomach, �Voldemort returned to power.�

�Well done. Let me tell you a little history. It might interest you. The previous owners of Castle Squear were Lord and Lady Doring. Lord Doring was a permanent invalid and his wife had died earlier. They had no children. They were very cut off here. Most of the world had forgotten about them completely. Just under three years ago Lord Doring died. About a month afterwards a never heard of before cousin came to claim his inheritance. A certain Lord Timothy Eldir. No one could prove him wrong. He took over the castle but hardly ever lived there. He put himself into parliament and soon became the Prime Minister�s close friend. He soon found out about us and met Professor Dumbledore. They became friends- Eldir seemed to know just what would appeal to Dumbledore. He even managed to persuade Dumbledore to trust him with Harry Potter.�

Harry said faintly, �Eldir is Voldemort?�

�Yes, of course. You could have worked that out of course. You know his obsession with word games, I suppose. You know- Tom Marvolo Riddle equals �I am Lord Voldemort�. Look at Eldir. E-L-D-I-R. Turn the word round and you get R-I-D-L-E. Add another D and you get Riddle!�

�I�m a fool!� moaned Hermione from between her hands. Harry was looking absolutely aghast, �What do we do now?� he asked. He seemed to be looking to Estella for help. He appeared to trust her now.

�I�ve warned you, which was my objective. You don�t know how long it took me to find out what his plan was. I just knew that you were 'in the palm of his hand'. I haven�t done so much work since I was at school! I got most of the help from your dear ex Minister of Magic. He was very helpful. Now, however, you must follow your nose. You have to fight him sometime, and this holiday would perhaps be a good opportunity.� She smiled at them, �I know you�ll win.�

�Let�s get out of here!� cried Harry jumping up.

�Sit down, Harry.� Hermione restrained him, �Miss Green is right. We�ve got to fight him. Remember the closet- The Unbreakable Link. We�re the only ones now. Besides, you�ve got me and I�ve got you. We�ll see it through.�

Harry sat down again. He was still a bit confused; why was Estella really here? What did she care about him or Hermione? And more importantly, why Hermione? Yes, they had the Unbreakable Link, but Estella wouldn�t know that, would she?

�You have the Unbreakable Link?� asked Estella sounding surprised, �I didn�t know that. That makes it even better, I suppose. If you like, I�ll contact Professor Dumbledore and tell him what�s happened. I couldn�t bare it if you died. I have only one more thing to say to you now. Good Luck.� She looked at them in silence for a minute. Then, �Good-bye. I daresay I won�t see you for a long time. Think of me sometimes. Good-bye, Harry. It was nice meeting you- take care of her.� Harry and Estella turned to Hermione, �Good-bye...Hermione.� She seemed to be fighting some unconquerable emotion, then she turned and bent to kiss Hermione. Harry didn�t know what to make of it. Then she turned abruptly away to the window and climbed out onto her broomstick. Soon she was merely a spec in the distance.

Harry looked at Hermione, sitting perfectly still in an armchair. Silent tears were trickling down her cheeks. Harry sat down opposite her, he didn�t know how to comfort her. She must be feeling awful, he thought; she did not want to fight. He dragged her into it.

�Forgive me, Harry. I�m just...� she looked away from him.

�I think I understand. Don�t be ashamed to cry.� He paused, �To be honest, I still cry about my parents sometimes.�

Hermione stared up at him and seemed to cry harder, �Don�t talk to me about your parents.�

Harry felt suddenly angry, �Yes, it�s all very nice for you, you�ve got parents and a loving home. You could at least not dismiss my own grieving like that.�

It happened very fast, Hermione�s hand lashed across his face, as hard as it had done to Malfoy when he had insulted her about being a muggle born. Her face was white and taut and she stood up, towering over him. Her voice was almost a hiss, �Don�t you dare. Don�t you even dare. Try and see past your own self centred sorrow. You never knew your parents. How can you possibly impress on me that you are to be pitied? Don�t do it again. You might come up against me, and let me tell you, Harry Potter, you�ll find me an unpleasant antagonist.�

She turned away and stalked to the door of her room, still crying, when Harry, hand pressed against his stinging cheek called after her, �Don�t go, Hermione. I don�t understand what I did. You were mean about my parents, I think I was right to retort. What you did was unjust, I think, considering. I don�t think I said anything too unreasonable. OK, I was angry and I apologise if I offended you, but, why?�

Hermione�s already pale face drained itself of colour. She clutched the doorknob for support. Harry got up and moved closer towards her. He was quite alarmed, was she ill? She whispered, �I thought you knew...During the duel? Didn�t you realise? Oh no. I didn�t think...�

Harry looked at her, frowning. What was she talking about? An idea that would fit, �What�s happened? Your parents? Has something happened to them?�

�No. I can�t understand it though!"

�Understand what?�

There was only about a foot between them now, �Harry... Look at me. Don�t you see? Can�t you see? Don�t you know who I am?�

And Harry looked at her, and he saw with his eyes what he had missed for years. Since he had become friends with Hermione he had seen her with his brain. He had taken her for granted. Now he saw what Ron had seen, what Viktor Krum had seen, what Estella had seen, what everyone else had seen...

He saw an ordinary looking, though not totally plain young woman in tears. He saw that she was clever and brave. She would never be Hermione the swot again. That was over forever now. And he saw what she herself had seen many months ago. That he and Ron had missed. As usual, like at the Yule Ball, many years ago, they had overlooked Hermione. The obvious contestant- she was not striking to look at, she was clever, she was brave, she was muggle born, she knew him, she had the Unbreakable Link with him, she was going to have to fight Voldemort with him. She was Voldemort�s daughter.

They stared at each other, then Hermione said quietly, �So, do you understand now?�

Harry mutely nodded.

�Are you still my friend? You won�t desert me?� She looked anxiously up at him.

Harry threw his arms around her neck as a way of reply.

They stayed like that for some time, Hermione crying softly on Harry�s shoulder. It was such a relief to tell someone the truth. She�d found out who she was very soon after she had found out about Harry�s dream. She had not told anyone because she had been afraid- not afraid of facing her father, but of everybody�s reaction when they found out. Surely no good person would want to associate with Miss Voldemort. If it had been anyone else she wasn�t sure if she would have wanted to herself. Now she still had Harry at least- he still loved her. She could even have faced Voldemort with a light heart.

Harry sighed as he looked down at her head of brown hair. He had never dreamed- of all the people to fulfil the prophecy- Hermione! She was so obvious, they hadn�t noticed how natural it all now seemed. Of course it would be Hermione. It couldn�t have been anyone else. With a jolt Harry realised that he wouldn�t have fought with anyone else. For some reason he had grown possessive of Voldemort. He would not have let anyone else defeat him. But Hermione- that was different. Hermione was different. He would fight with her, and only her. He had known her for so long- it made sense. He didn�t care that he might die in the attempt- it was knowing what he had to do that was almost calming. He would have a rest today- Voldemort wouldn�t attack them this afternoon. The next day he would discuss it all with Ron and Hermione and make a plan of attack. He wondered how Ron would take it.

Estella was going to tell Dumbledore what was happening so that factor had been taken care of. It didn�t occur to Harry, or to Hermione who had forgotten all about it, how likely it was, if Estella actually got to Hogwarts, that Dumbledore would believe her. It could just seem like a plot to get Dumbledore out of Hogwarts. It had happened before.

�I really think we should get back to Harry and Hermione. We�ve been out for three hours, and we haven�t even turned round. We�re meant to be back at the castle in twenty minutes.� Ron trotted his horse up to where Irene was riding in silence ahead of him. He was getting angry. He had been deserted by his two friends and now he seemed to be being kidnapped by a sixteen year old muggle. He couldn�t restrain her by magic because she was a muggle and he would be in trouble with the Ministry.

Irene turned round and said tonelessly, �We�ll just go a little further. There�s plenty of time.� She tapped her pony with her whip and cantered off, Ron following reluctantly.

Irene was approaching a fallen tree log which she would have to jump. Unfortunately the trees were very low at that point and as she jumped, her hair got caught in a twig.

�Ow!� she cried, losing her balance. She clutched the pony round its neck, and managed to keep her seat, however she was clearly very shaken.

Ron took the easy way round the log- he didn�t feel up to jumping just yet, �Are you OK?� he asked. Much as he disliked her, he felt some concern.

Her grey eyes seemed to have gained some warmth and she suddenly looked terrified, �Go!� she cried, �while there�s time. Now! Go straight up the path and past the river... Gallop...� She was starting to look more serene again, �Please go, Ron.�

Ron gaped at her. She shouted now, �NO! Go, like I said. If you value your friends... Imperius...� She was lost again. Ron understood then. Irene was under the Imperius curse and when she got the shock of almost falling off she had managed to shake it off for a minute. Ron turned Fudge round and kicked him hard. He started to move back up the path at a vigorous canter.

�Where on earth is Ron?� asked Hermione, eating two day old sandwiches on Harry�s four-poster. �He said he�d be back by one, it�s half past now.�

Harry shrugged, �Maybe Irene kidnapped him. We know she�s in with Voldemort now, and if she�s anything like her cousin, dear Draco, she�ll be really happy to serve him.�

�Oh I hope not. Let�s just hope they got lost or something. They�ll be back soon.� Hermione rolled onto her front on the four-poster and opened a large volume.

�Drat.�

�What is it?�

�I�ve finished it and I don�t have the second volume.�

�Why not look in the library here for it, it�s supposed to be very good,� Harry suggested.

Hermione yawned, �Can�t be bothered. I�ll get it later. I�m tired, what with all that crying and so on.�

Harry swept all the sandwich wrappers off the bed onto the floor and sat in an armchair with Crookshanks on his knee while Hermione fell asleep.

The minutes passed and Harry, who didn�t feel tired at all, became bored. He stroked Crookshanks, tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, whistled. He did everything to not think about had happened between him, Hermione and Estella. Eventually he had an idea- he would go to the library and try to find the second volume of Hermione�s book. He stood and tiptoed over to where the first volume was lying on the floor. He picked it up- it was a leather bound copy of Hypocrites and Happiness by Samuel Morrison. Harry raised his eyebrows. Still, if Hermione liked it...

He crept over to the door and opened it gently, careful not to disturb his sleeping friend. He shut it quietly behind him and then speeded up his walk towards the double doors at the end of the corridor which were those of the library. He tried the lock; the door opened with a little creak. For some reason Harry felt like he was breaking and entering.

The library was dark and dusty. Hardly any light penetrated through the small windows. It was a high, vaulted room. There were shelves of books filling it all up- far more than in the school library. The silence hung heavy in the air. Dust covered pictures of people in old fashioned clothes lined the walls. Harry walked slowly towards one of the shelves and started quietly, like he was breaking a rule, to look along the shelves.

He felt a slight prickling on the back of his neck. He turned quickly round, a copy of Hard Times in his hand. No one was there. Harry slotted the Dickens back on the shelf and fingered his wand anxiously. �This is ridiculous, I�m beginning to imagine things.� He pulled his wand out and muttered, "Lumos". The books were all lit up. Harry carried on looking, one ear still on silence. There was a creak somewhere, but Harry, ignored it. He wasn�t going to be scared by every little- His scar seemed to explode. He spun round, dropping his wand because of the unexpected pain.

�Well met, Harry Potter,� said Lord Voldemort.

Hermione woke up with a jump. For a second she wondered what it was, then she realised she had a splitting headache. There was a burning pain from behind her forehead. She shook her head, but it wouldn�t go away. She looked around her for Harry, but he wasn�t there.

�Harry?�

Silence. Hermione stood up and smoothed her crumpled robes. The room was cold and Harry wasn�t there. The pain in her head increased and Hermione realised what it was. It was Harry�s scar hurting her through the Unbreakable Link. And Harry�s scar only hurt when Voldemort was near...

Like walking in a dream Hermione picked up her wand and opened the door into her room. She went over to her trunk. At the bottom there was a little red muggle notebook. Hermione, more calmly than she actually felt, opened it and looked over the spell for the last time. Then she replaced it in the case. She reached the door into the corridor when she had an idea. �I�m not going to make it easy for him...� she thought.

She re-entered Harry�s room and looked into his trunk for his most valued possession: his invisibility cloak. The silver material shone in her hands. It reminded her of when she had last needed it- in Greece. Now she needed it again. She slipped it over head and opened the door.

Where could they have gone? She looked up and down the corridor searching for where they could be. A door was open a little at the end of the passage. Hermione ran softly towards it and slipped through it without touching it. The library! Of course.

Standing between two bookshelves were Harry and Voldemort. Hermione felt sick. She had seen him in her mind many times but never had she actually seen him. He was twirling Harry�s wand between his fingers. He did not seem to be attacking at the moment. He was merely talking to Harry.

�So, I had to actually do the disguising myself. All my death eaters aren�t trust worthy enough. I had to pretend that I was in France because if I didn�t you would know who I was because of your little scar. Very tiresome, that.�

�I don�t understand,� complained Harry. Hermione crept behind the bookshelf nearest Harry, �why you didn�t just kill me as soon as I arrived here? Why wait two days?�

�I waited for my daughter.� There was a tense silence. Hermione felt her hands going clammy as she peered round the bookshelf.

�Your daughter will never join you, Voldemort.� Harry cried more strongly than he felt. Hermione held her breath. �Your daughter is on my side and she will never come over to you. Besides, in the prophecy, it says that I will defeat the light together with Her- your daughter and I will never change sides.�

�What makes you think that?� Voldemort twirled Harry�s wand lazily. Hermione suddenly realised that she wasn�t actually doing anything listening to their conversation. She�d come here to save Harry and kill Voldemort and that was what she was going to do. She took a deep breath, and checking she was still covered by the invisibility cloak, she pointed her wand at Harry and began to recite the charm she had spent months learning off by heart.

�Your daughter is not even here!� cried Harry.

�You think not? Well it just so happens that your clever Professor Dumbledore tells all his secret suspicions about my offspring to Lord Eldir. I�ve therefore got quite a good idea who she is. But perhaps you know who she is?� His red eyes bored into Harry�s. Harry couldn�t say anything.

�I thought you did. And I think my suspicions are therefore correct. One more �pointless� death will not matter if I am wrong. At this moment in time, my dear little Irene is leading your friend deeper and deeper into the woods. By the time she brings him back you will be either dead or gone.�

�Gone where?�

�To kill poor Professor Dumbledore along with your little friend and companion, my daughter.�

The idea was almost laughable. �I�d much rather be dead than help you kill Dumbledore.�

Hermione lowered her wand. She had just completed the spell on herself as well. �If that�s what you want...� Voldemort raised his wand.

In Hermione�s head she could hear Harry speaking, he�d managed to use his art. Hermione? Where are you? You promised you wouldn�t let me die- and I don�t have my wand! I can�t do magic without it.

Hermione bit her lip and replied, I won�t let you die. Never mind your wand. I�ll get it back for you, trust me. I am now actually in the room. Trust me.

Harry almost jumped out of his skin.

�Yes, I�d be like if I was about to die. You don�t have your wand and there�s no one to die for you now. Say good bye to life. I would torture you first but I�m in a hurry. I want to find my daughter after I�ve got rid of you. You�re quite right, I don�t think you�ll join me. Therefore, you can go to your muggle mother and your silly muggle friend who�ll be joining you shortly.�

Voldemort raised his wand again and Hermione held her breath. Time seemed to stand still. Not for the first time she worried. What if it didn�t work? What if...?

�Avada Kedavra!�

Ron pushed open the door of the castle and, not bothering to shut it behind him, ran up the stairs. It had taken him over an hour and a half to return, even at Fudge's greatest pace. Irene had gone on ahead, probably under the influence of the Imperius curse. He had ridden on at a fast canter (Fudge didn�t seem to gallop) and when he had arrived he had left the horse in the yard to stay or escape as he wanted. If Harry and Hermione were in danger in some way he, Ron would have to do something. He did not know what yet.

He pushed open his door and ran into Harry�s room to look for him. The room seemed deserted, but when Ron looked towards the window he got the shock of his life. Someone was standing by the window, looking out of it, her back turned away from him. It was a female in a dusty pink summer dress that was very well worn. She had loose shoulder length strawberry blond hair. He couldn�t see her face.

�Ron Weasley?� she asked. She had a serious, brisk voice.

�Uh, yeah,� replied Ron pulling out his wand.

�No, no,� she said without turning round. �I won�t hurt you. However, I have a message to deliver to you. Harry and Hermione have gone to fight Voldemort.�

Ron�s jaw dropped, �What? Fight You-Know-Who? Where? When?�

�I think they�re in the library.�

A suspicion was entering Ron�s mind. Before he could properly think it through, the woman said, �You really can trust me, it isn�t a trap I promise you. You however, must write and get help. Estella Green won�t be able to deliver the message.�

�Estella Green?!�

�Yes, she was here. This place is Voldemort�s. Now, you get some paper and a pen and write to Dumbledore. We need help urgently.�

�Why don�t you do something if it�s so urgent?�

�Because it�s their battle. I can�t interfere. Where�s that parchment?�

Ron couldn�t see any.

�Honestly, conjure some. Oh, if you don�t know how...� She raised a hand and drew with a finger a piece of parchment in the air and then a pen. They shone silver in the air then she muttered a spell and a piece of parchment and a pen appeared in front of Ron.

�Without you wand!� cried Ron in astonishment.

�Without my wand,� she replied in an exasperated tone. �Now get writing. I�ll dictate. Um... Write this. Dear Professor Dumbledore. We have discovered that Lord Eldir is actually Lord Voldemort. Oh, correct that. You�d say You-Know-Who. You got that? I�ll carry on. Harry and Hermione have gone to fight in the library and as you realise, this is their fight and I can�t interfere. Still, I would like some support and I would be obliged if you could come here ASAP. I imagine the castle is protected by apparition guards so apparate to the nearest village, which is called Denby Dale. You can fly from there. For reasons of my own I would prefer it if you didn�t let it be known I sent you this letter. You were given this information from a spy of yours. However, I can tell you this is all true. I am not a spy impersonating me. I really am Ron Weasley. Yours sincerely, Ron Weasley. That�ll do.�

Ron finished writing and shook his aching hand, �I don�t understand. Why don�t you send it yourself if you really are trustworthy? Why don�t you show me your face? How can you do magic without a wand?�

The woman shook her head, �I can�t tell you any of this because technically I don�t exist.�

Ron started, �You�re a...a ghost?�

�No, but I can�t explain what I mean. Please just trust me. I love you three. I couldn�t see anything happen to you. I also beg you not to tell of who or what you have seen.�

Ron didn�t know what to say.

�You�re scared of me. OK, let�s just say, I�ll hurt you if you don�t comply with my wishes.� She sounded quite desperate now, �For Harry�s sake don�t tell. I mean it.�

Ron swallowed, �All right. I trust you, I don�t why, but I do. Shall I send the letter off now?�

�Yes, send it with Hedwig.� Ron turned around and folded the letter up, attached it to Hedwig�s legs and whispered �Be fast!� He turned round to open the window and send the owl off. The woman had disappeared. Ron looked around the room but no one was there. Hedwig flew out of the window. Ron gaped, �What happened to her?� Crookshanks rubbed against his legs, but obviously couldn�t answer.

A jet of green light hit Harry in the chest. The library was totally silent. He didn�t fall to the floor. The green light seemed to cover him entirely. Hermione could hardly see; it was so bright. Then it was all gone and they were left with spots across their eyes. And Harry was still there. He was sitting on the floor looking absolutely shocked, but it was nothing to how Voldemort looked. He backed away, horrified, �You�re...you�re still alive?�

Harry pinched himself then said slowly, �Yes, I am.�

Voldemort let go of Harry�s wand. �How?�

For once Voldemort and Harry seemed to be in agreement, �I don�t know. Do you?�

�No.� Hermione almost giggled. She hadn�t felt so light hearted for a long time. Quickly though, she muttered, �Accio Wand!� Harry�s wand flew into her waiting hands. However, in her eagerness to see what had happened, the cloak had slipped off her shoulders.

�So...� Voldemort seemed to have recovered a bit, �It looks we have a spectator.�

Harry wheeled round and saw Hermione. He opened his mouth as if to say something but nothing came out.

�Er, good afternoon, my Lord,� she said as casually as possible.

�Elvira, you�re very welcome to join our little family reunion. You have witnessed Harry Potter resisting the death curse for the second time. Do you have any ideas how he did this?�

�None at all.�

�Indeed. I have wanted to meet you for a long time now, you know. You have heard of the prophecy concerning yourself and Mr. Harry Potter.�

�Yes. I have heard it.�

�Of course, I understand that you will be joining us.�

Hermione tried to look at him straight in the eye, �That was what the prophecy said, didn�t it? And everyone knows prophecies always come true.�

Voldemort nodded, �So you are joining me?�

�That�s what I gave you to understand, wasn�t it?�

Harry made a gagging sound. Hermione ignored him, �Of course Harry will come with me, won�t you?�

�NO! If you betray us, that�s your decision, but don't expect me to go along with it!� Harry said furiously glaring at Hermione.

�All right. It looks like our paths go separate ways from now on. I�ll just give Harry his wand back.� She looked at Voldemort for collaboration.

�Yes, give him his wand back. Then you can duel together afterwards.�

Hermione smiled slightly and concentrated all her mind in giving Harry his wand back.

�Go on, give it him then,� Voldemort hissed impatiently.

The wand appeared in Harry�s hand. He looked at it in surprise. Hermione smiled and twirled her own wand like Voldemort had done earlier. He looked from one to the other in surprise and his face went paler and paler as he realised what he had just seen.

�Do you have the Unbreakable Link?�

�Oh, did I forget to mention that? Yes, we do.� Hermione was enjoying this.

Voldemort couldn�t go any whiter; in fact, he seemed to be going slightly green now, �But you are on my side now?�

�That's what I said,� Hermione replied in honeyed tones. In her mind she had made up her mind what she was going to do, Harry, she said into his head, After three say it.

Say what? replied Harry.

Do you want to kill him or not? We won�t go to Azkaban for this. One!

They raised their wands. Voldemort raised his finger as well. He seemed to understand what they were going to do. Hermione had tricked him.

�I�m your father!�

�You have killed others� fathers!�

Two!

�You�ll never do it.�

�Don�t be so sure of it.�

�Expelli-�

Three!

�AVADA KEDAVRA!�

Two jets of green light shot out from each of their wands. Just before they hit Voldemort the jets joined and turned into a brilliant gold. Hermione felt her wand hand shaking as she tried to maintain the light. It was blinding, you could not see anything else. There was a rushing sound, like a cross between the wind and the beautiful phoenix song. The gold light hit Voldemort and there was a burst gold light illuminating his terrified face and his body, now picked up from the floor. Then the gold intensified even more for a split second before disappearing, taking Voldemort with it.

Far away at Hogwarts, Professor Snape, marking Potions papers in the staff room, felt his skin on his left arm burning. He rolled up his sleeve quickly. The dark burned clearer than ever then abruptly it disappeared.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that JK Rowling wrote the HP series, and not me...

Chapter 13- Epithanos

Ron rushed into the library, following Professor Dumbledore. Both had their wands out. The library, however, was silent and dark. Hermione was sitting near a bookshelf, her head on her knees. Harry's invisibility cloak and her wand were lying next to her. Further along Harry was standing; his wand still clutched in his hand, staring into space. When they entered the room he turned round and said with a sigh, "He's gone, Professor."

Dumbledore nodded, almost as he hadn't really heard. "Are you all right? Not hurt?" he asked anxiously.

Harry nodded and pointed to Hermione, "I'm not sure about her, though."

Dumbledore and Ron, who was looking rather lost, turned to Hermione. Dumbledore knelt down beside her, "How are you?" he asked loudly, for she had not moved since they had entered the room.

"Is he gone? Really gone?" Hermione muttered.

"So Harry says."

Hermione looked up at them and then seemed to notice Professor Dumbledore for the first time. "Oh. Er... hello, Professor. Er-" She didn't seem to know what to say.

"I suggest we return to Hogwarts as soon as possible," he proposed.

Harry, Ron, who was looking extremely bewildered, and Hermione nodded. She stood up and shook herself. Then, picking up her wand and giving a very Hermione-ish stare at no one, she put her nose in the air and left the library first without a backward glance.

They packed quickly and then took their trunks downstairs. Dumbledore was waiting in the hall. Harry wondered how they were going to get back to Hogwarts. Were they going to apparate?

"I have some floo powder here. I have temporarily connected the castle up and we will return that way."

They went into the dining room (the room with the biggest fire) when Harry suddenly remembered Irene. "What's happened to Irene?"

They all stared at him blankly. Then Ron said, "Gosh, I completely forgot. She went off into the forest. I don't know where she is."

"Irene is the servant Mrs. Weasley told me about?"

"Yes. She's a squib-" said Hermione.

"-and a Malfoy-" continued Harry.

"-and she works for You-Know-Who, but she helped me, so I don't think she's too bad," finished Ron.

"What will happen to her?" asked Harry, "she can't go back to her parents."

"No," replied Dumbledore. "I suggest she returns with us to Hogwarts. We can decide what will happen to her then."

"How will you find her?" asked Ron.

"Honestly, Ron! He'll use the tracking spell. We did it in Charms for our OWLs. I can't believe you don't remember it," protested Hermione.

Ron scowled at her and Dumbledore coughed slightly, told them he'd be back shortly and left in search of Irene.

The other three sat in silence. Ron didn't want to force Harry and Hermione to talk about whatever happened if they didn't want to. Harry simply didn't want to think about it, and Hermione was well aware that Dumbledore would want to know what happened, so she thought she might as well kill two birds with one stone and tell Ron at the same time.

After about ten minutes Dumbledore returned with Irene. She looked pale but collected though she hardly said 'hello' to them. Dumbledore took Harry, Ron and Hermione aside and whispered to them, "Irene has told me all that has happened to her. She has been through a massive ordeal, as have you all, and should on no account be questioned."

He then turned to Irene, "Do you know how to use floo-powder?"

She nodded. Dumbledore threw some into the flames, which immediately glowed green, "Harry- you go first with your trunk." Harry dragged his case into the fire and cried loudly, "Hogwarts!"

He disappeared. Ron followed with his case, then Hermione and Crookshanks disappeared. Irene went next and Dumbledore brought up the rear with Hermione's case.

Mia climbed off the train at King's Cross station on platform seven. She had ran away from the orphanage after she had had a second dream. This one had consisted of her parents saying good-bye to a girl Mia guessed was their supposed daughter who had been swapped with herself in her previous dream. The second dream had taken place at King's Cross station. The girl had gone towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten, and then she had disappeared. Mia now knew that she had living parents, and though she did not expect to see them when she arrived at the station, she could at least try to find out how the girl had disappeared.

She walked towards the appropriate barrier. There were no trains on platform nine, but a small train from Windsor was sitting belching fumes at platform ten. Hordes of day-trippers were coming from it. She hesitated just before she reached the barrier and looked round. What exactly had the girl done? Mia closed her eyes tight and tried to visualise her dream. The consequence was that a group of lively American tourists bumped into her, knocking her into the barrier between the platforms. Fuming, Mia glared at the offending party and rubbed her funny bone, which she had hit.

She touched the barrier, hit it, kicked it, and walked up and down alongside it, achieving nothing more than a few sidelong glances from a nearby guard. Eventually she gave it up and leant against the barrier, frowning in frustration. She seemed to have reached a dead end.

Suddenly her attention was caught by two people coming at a fast walk towards where she was standing. There was a woman in a beige tweed skirt suit carrying an overnight bag and a briefcase. She was thin lipped and had determined grey eyes. She reminded Mia of an old maths teacher. Next to her, slightly behind her, was a very tall man with bright red hair and horn-rimmed spectacles, dragging a suitcase. They stopped and Mia watched idly as the woman looked at her watch, said something and the man nodded quite a few times. They approached her slowly and she could catch something of their conversation.

"I could have taken Farrel, you know," the woman said in a no-nonsense voice.

"Farrel? He's hardly serious enough."

"He's got his heart in the right place, and he's very good when he actually makes an effort. Just because he is sometimes slightly frivolous over his job doesn't make him a fool, Percy."

"But... he can't take his job lightly. He's your secretary!"

They stopped again, and suddenly the woman leaned up and kissed the man called Percy on the cheek, making him go very red.

"What was that for, Marisa?"

Marisa gave the first hint of a smile, "Just remember, I really should have taken Farrel. Take it and chew it while you're finding seats. I'll be ready to hear you're conclusions when I follow you in a minute."

"Chew it?!"

"Yes, like chewing gum. Now get on the platform- we'll miss the train. I'm just getting a newspaper."

Percy started to walk towards the barrier. Mia moved away unconsciously to let him pass, but he disappeared. Mia's jaw dropped. She stared and looked round for the woman who was buying her paper.

Soon she poked the newspaper into a pocket and started towards the barrier as well. Mia however did not the let the chance go, "Excuse me?"

She stopped, "Yes?"

"How do you do it?" Mia asked bluntly.

"I beg your pardon? I don't what you're talking about and I have a train to catch."

"You won't catch it by walking towards the barrier. Or perhaps you'll disappear like your friend and the girl in my dreams did."

The woman frowned and seemed to be looking for an escape route.

"Where did they go?" Mia persisted.

The woman reached inside her jacket and pulled out a short stick like the woman in the black cloak had done in her dream. Miss Fairfax had said it was a magic wand which Mia had not believed. But could there actually be something in what she said? It was a chance...

"That's a nice wand. Where'd you get it?"

"Ollivander's of course. What?!"

"So it is a magic wand?" The woman looked vexed, "How do you know?"

"My dreams. The person in the black cloak used one and Miss Fairfax thought it was a magic wand because the boy at the orphanage used one, and killed someone by pointing it at them."

"What? You're speaking in riddles, but never mind. What was the name of this boy? Can you remember?"

"Er...Riddle I think."

"My god! You-Know-Who! Start at the beginning, this is important!"

"What do you mean?"

Percy suddenly appeared by them, "Marisa! You have two min- Who's that?"

"What's your name?" Marisa asked Mia.

"Mia Grann, aged eighteen, resident of Little Blackhill Orphanage, Suffolk."

"There you have it, Percy. Well Mia, why are you here?"

Mia explained why she had ran away.

"Right. Percy, get on that train to Hogwarts and tell Dumbledore that I am coming and reassure him that everyone passed their NEWTs and OWLs with flying colours. I'll follow tomorrow."

"But-"

"No buts!"

"Er, yes Marisa." And Percy disappeared again.

"Are you hungry, Mia?"

"Yes!" replied Mia, who hadn't eaten anything since a sandwich on the little Blackhill platform.

"All right, lets head for this caf�."

Mia followed Marisa into the little station caf� and ordered a large plate of fish and chips.

"I think I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Marisa Goldfinger, temporary Minister of Magic."

"Minister of Magic?!"

"Yes, Minister of Magic. The equivalent of your Prime Minister."

Mia's jaw dropped. She was eating fish and chips with the Minister of Magic!

"Oh, don't go all sycophantic just because you know I'm a bigwig."

"But I-"

"That's all right. Well, you want to know about magic? Perhaps you'd better tell me what you know first."

Mia told her, and as she spoke Marisa's eyebrows grew more and more tight together. She was silent for a few seconds. Then she said to herself, "And Pettigrew wanted to know all those details about eighteen year old girls. I think he's looking for the girl you were swapped with. And if the woman had a black cloak... Dumbledore needs to be told about this."

Mia listened in silence, rather confused. What her dreams were about seemed to interest a stranger as well as herself. It was peculiar that Marisa believed so implicitly in them. Maybe all these magical people had funny dreams. A sudden doubt entered Mia's head. Should she believe Marisa? Should she herself really be taking her dreams seriously? Everyone had strange dreams occasionally, but that didn't mean they were true. It was scientifically proven that this happened. Mia like things that were scientifically proven. Abstraction, theories, ideas she couldn't understand. She liked facts and figures and concrete rules. She was very down to earth and did not have much imagination.

"Prove to me that magic exists," said Mia suddenly as Marisa was vainly trying to open a plastic sach� of tartar sauce.

Marisa looked quickly up, "You don't believe me?" Mia shook her head.

"Well, I can show you, but we mustn't let anyone see." They looked surreptitiously around and Marisa pulled out her wooden stick. "This is my wand. I will now open this packet of tartar sauce by magic." Almost hiding her wand in her coat, she pointed it at the packet and muttered so only Mia could hear, "Aprite packet!" The packet opened as if cut by an invisible pair of scissors. Mia stared and Marisa smiled.

"Will you open mine as well?" Mia asked. Marisa did so and then put her wand back in her pocket. "Do you believe me now?"

"Yes, I think I do. It's all so strange, though!"

"I imagine it must be. Now would you like to hear all about us?"

"Please."

Marisa laughed and started talking while they finished their meal. She talked about Hogwarts, the four founders, platform 9�, the Ministry of Magic, Diagon Alley, Dumbledore and Grindelwald, Voldemort, Harry Potter, quidditch and much more. When she had concluded, Mia having finished her fish and chips, a bowl of ice-cream, coffee and biscuits, felt like one of the most knowledgeable people in the world.

"So what am I?" she asked as they walked out of the caf�, "I'm not a witch because I can't see the platform, but I don't think I'm totally normal. Otherwise we would all know about magic, and we don't."

"Good point, Mia. You're not a muggle strictly speaking. I think you're a psychic."

"A what?"

"A psychic. You're not actually magical yourself, but you can sense the magical world. You have the type of dreams only a wizard would normally have, and you can see us get onto platform 9�."

"But...but can't anyone see you disappear?"

"Oh no. They see us pass through the barrier, but then they just forget all about it. You remembered it."

Mia digested this information in silence.

"Now," said Marisa, "What are you going to do tonight?"

"Well, I suppose I should return to Blackhill," Mia said doubtfully.

"No. I don't think you should. I'll take you to Diagon Alley and you can stay the night in the Leaky Cauldron."

"Why can't I return to Blackhill?"

"Two reasons," replied Marisa. "One, I don't think there are any more trains going; and two, I can get hold of you more easily if you're in the magical world."

"Why would you need to get hold of me?" asked Mia.

"Well, tomorrow, I shall go to Hogwarts to present the exam results and certificates to the fifth and seventh years. It's a tradition, you see, for the Minister to present the certificates. It adds a kind of real ceremony to it all. Anyway, while I'm at Hogwarts I shall talk to Professor Dumbledore. He always knows what to do. Then we'll find out who your parents are and hopefully you can meet them. However, it will be considerably easier to arrange all that if you are in Diagon Alley. We must go there now, find an owl and send news to your orphanage. They must be worried sick about you."

"Oh yes!" Mia nodded, relieved.

"We'll find you a chaperone for the next few days. I think Linda Newman's back from Bordeaux... She might do it if she hasn't broken anything else."

"Broken?"

"She's dreadfully accident prone, is Linda. If she hasn't broken this; she's sprained that, if she hasn't sprained that; she's dislocated this. Anyway...shall we go?"

Mia nodded and they got up and left the station.

Harry fell out of the fireplace into Dumbledore's office and looked up at the startled faces of Sirius and Arabella. "What happened? Are you all safe? Was it Voldemort? Ron and Hermione? What's happened?" they cried.

Sirius pulled Harry's trunk out of the way and Arabella picked up his glasses. Just as he had scrambled up, Ron and his trunk appeared in the fire place. Sirius grabbed Ron and his trunk and pulled them out of the way as Hermione and Crookshanks appeared. Hermione got up by herself and Crookshanks crawled hastily under a table. Soon they were all in the office.

Sirius and Arabella stared at Irene in astonishment. "Who's she?" Arabella asked Dumbledore.

"All in good time. Why don't you sit down?"

They sat. Dumbledore turned to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Irene. "Much has happened since we last met."

Ron was heard to mutter, "Talk about understatements..."

"If everyone is agreeable I suggest we have sandwiches up here, as dinner is over. While we eat I suggest one of you tells us exactly what happened. At present I am quite at sea."

"Don't you think that they should get some sleep first?" suggested Arabella with hesitation. Hermione nodded vigorously.

Dumbledore stared at them hard out of his piercing blue eyes. Harry could guess what he was going to say. He was right. Dumbledore said, "You're right, Arabella. However, I think Harry would agree that it is better to get explanations over as soon as possible. Of course all the young people are exhausted."

Harry then voiced the question that had been occupying all their minds, "What will happen to Irene?"

They all looked at her. She was sitting very still and calmly. As usual her face was perfectly expressionless except for her eyes which darted all around the room, taking as much as possible.

"I think we should ask Miss Malfoy that herself," Dumbledore replied gravely, giving Irene the same piercing stare.

"I would like to, if it is all right, to er, not return to my parents," Irene responded, not looking at anyone.

"I see," Dumbledore thought for a minute then said, "Would you like to remain here at Hogwarts?" Irene's face seemed to brighten for a minute, then it clouded over again, "But I can't. I'm a squib and squibs are outcasts of society." She said it in a monotonous tone, as if she had been made to learn and recite it.

"Nonsense!" said Dumbledore sharply. "Being a squib has nothing to do with your position in society. You are just as clever as you would be could you use a wand. You can still brew most potions, ride a broomstick, take part in Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Arithmancy, Astronomy, History of Magic, Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies lessons. With the help of a kwik-spell course you may be able to perform a few simple charms as well. In fact, the only lessons you wouldn't be able to take part in are Defence against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms. In these lessons you could have your kwik-spell course. Professor Sinistra, our Astronomy teacher has done much work with that course and will, I am sure, be happy to teach you. I see no reason why you shouldn't attend Hogwarts in a normal way. You would be in the fifth year, I believe."

"But...but squibs have never been to Hogwarts before!" said Hermione.

"True," replied Dumbledore, "but I am hoping to change that. Miss Perks of Ravenclaw is an excellent astronomist and I hope she could replace my colleague Rosa if she took on the job of instructing the kwik-spell course full time. The Minister of Magic should arrive tomorrow, and I shall discuss the point with her then."

"The Minister of Magic is arriving tomorrow?" asked Sirius.

"Yes. She's coming to present the exam results next week at the Laurels' Ceremony."

The Laurels' Ceremony was when the NEWTs certificates and a silver wreath were presented to each pupil. It was called the Laurels' Ceremony because it harked back to the laurel wreaths which were placed on the heads of ancient Olympic winners. If you had done particularly well then you would wear a golden wreath. Harry was pretty sure Hermione would have a golden wreath. There was a ball at the end of term called the Laurels' Ball. It was a tradition for the boys to dance with every girl in the year.

"Will I be sorted?" asked Irene.

"Certainly. We will sort you now, if you like. Arabella, if you would kindly pass the Sorting Hat..."

Arabella picked up the hat from where it lay on the shelf with Godric Gryffindors' ruby encrusted sword.

"May I be sorted in private?" Irene asked.

Dumbledore looked at her for a moment, "Irene, the Sorting Hat has never made a mistake yet."

"Yes, but-"

"Very well. I think I shall leave you in the charge of Professor-" Dumbledore stopped for someone was pounding on the door.

"Oh, that's McGonagall," explained Sirius. "She's been in about every five minutes trying to find you, something about Snape."

"Come in."

The door swung open and Professor McGonagall rushed in. She caught sight of the assembled group and clutched the corner of the desk, "Goodness, well...never in my life...Professor...what's going on?"

"What's going on, Minerva, is that these students have just rid the world for always of Lord Voldemort."

"My goodness..." She suddenly noticed Harry for the first time, "Potter! The hospital wing immediately!"

"But Professor, I'm fine. We really are..." He glanced over at Hermione, whose head had fallen on her breast, WAKE UP! he yelled through his mind. Hermione's head jerked up, "What? That was a really good dream I was having..."

"We really don't need to go to the hospital wing, honestly." Harry looked at Dumbledore for confirmation. "I don't believe they are in anyway need of medical attention, Minerva, however I shall send them to the hospital wing when we have finished with explanations. What I want you to do is to supervise Miss Malfoy's sorting and listen to anything she would want to tell you. You will then give her some supper and put her to bed in the hospital wing for tonight. Then you and Severus should return here. I take it the dark mark has disappeared like last time?"

"Severus... dark mark... he's not a death eater, is he?"

Professor Dumbledore stood up and said firmly, "We shall be in-"

"My office," interposed Arabella.

Harry, Ron and Hermione (yawning heavily and carrying Crookshanks) followed Sirius, Arabella and Dumbledore out of his office, down the moving staircase, through the deserted corridors and into Arabella's office.

Harry had been in four of the Defence against the Dark Arts professors' rooms before. Professor Quirrel, Professor Lockhart, Professor Lupin and the fake Professor Moody's. The year after Barty Crouch had left, the real Moody taught them, but he had to leave at the end of the year because he was needed by the Ministry. In their sixth year they had been taught by a young Australian wizard who had fallen in love with a barmaid in Hogsmeade and had carried her off to Australia to marry her at the end of the year.

Arabella's room was by far the most comfortable of the rooms he had been in. A roaring fire was in the grate and photos in frames stood on the mantlepiece. An old upright piano with music scattered all over it stood in the corner, Persian rugs were on the floor and there were two armchairs by the fire.

Harry zoned in on the photos, "Here, there's one of old Mrs. Figg in Privet Drive."

Arabella looked at him, amused, "My mother, Harry. She is a muggle, by the way."

He picked up another one. It showed a large pink stall with the words, 'GUARANTEED TO GET YOU TOGETHER!' sketched across the top. Underneath was a picture of a fruit bowl and next to it, 'FRUITFULL HEAVENS- THE HOGWARTS DATING AGENCY!'

Harry looked at the two girls sitting in the booth. One was clearly Arabella- she hadn't changed a bit; wide apart blue eyes, blond bob and earrings. The other was- "She's not my mum, is she?"

"Which one are you looking at? Oh! Yes, that's Lily all right."

"But...I thought my mum had red hair! In this picture, she's got fair."

"Red hair? She dyed it after she left school, but her natural colour was fair."

"Oh." There was nothing else to say.

"Do you think we could defer this interesting discussion on the success of the Hogwarts Dating Agency until a better time?" asked Dumbledore.

They all turned to face him. Dumbledore continued, "There are things about this business that I think I already know about. However I will not confuse you by adding these. So now, could you tell us exactly how it is that yet another time Harry Potter has fought the Dark Lord, and has once again come out on the top."

"Where shall I start?" asked Harry.

"I think the beginning would be preferable."

The beginning? Harry's mind went blank.

"Wait a minute." Dumbledore immediately conjured a plate of sandwiches which the group fell on. Harry thought of where to begin. "In the summer I kept having some dreams. They were about a girl who was going round palaces and museums looking for something. I could never see the girl's face but in the last dream, as she was being chased by guards, I gave her my invisibility cloak so she could escape. When I woke up I looked for my cloak, but it had gone."

"Yes, I know about that dream, Harry," said Dumbledore.

"How come?"

"As I think I have said before, you are not Sirius' only correspondent. Please continue."

"On the train I found out that I'd actually passed the cloak to Hermione. She gave it back to me then."

The focus shifted to Hermione. Sirius asked, "So were you looking for something in palaces and museums, Hermione, or was that just a dream?"

Hermione yawned, "I suppose you want to know what I was doing breaking into private houses in Greece?"

"Well, if it's not too much trouble, then yes," replied Ron. Hermione glared at him. "Harry didn't start at the beginning," she continued. "The beginning was in the Easter holidays last year when my parents wrote and told me that we were going to Greece in the summer. The ancient Greeks, you know, were not only philosophers, mathematicians and play writes. They were also magicians. Many of the curses and spells we know today come the Romans, but most of them originated even earlier in Greece. For example, Avada Kedavra comes from the Greek curse, Thanos- a derivative from the Greek for death, thanatos."

"Spare us the lecture, Hermione," sighed Ron.

"Shut up, Ron! As I was saying, in Greek magical philosophy, for every curse there was a counter curse. It was the balance of good and evil. This meant that there must have been a counter curse for Thanos."

Everyone was listening attentively now.

"How did you find all this out, Hermione?" inquired Dumbledore.

"Oh, I was doing a bit of research in the summer term, so I would understand the visit more. My social life wasn't very lively then." She shot Ron a quailing look, "I didn't actually find out that there was a counter curse to Thanos. I just thought there must be. I also taught myself the Greek alphabet and a bit of the language to help me when I was there. I decided to call it Epithanos because epi means against, and the curse is against death.

"My mother sent me some guidebooks to help me with my research. In one of them was printed a fragment of a letter as an example of something found on a site. You can imagine my surprise when I recognised the word Epithanos on it. I even got the name right! I translated the fragment. It basically said, '...and how are you getting on with Epithanos? Can you hurry up because Thalia wants to know the protection; she's convinced someone's following her. All nonsense if you ask me, but anyway...'

"I wrote to the author of the guide book and asked for a copy of the complete letter, which they sent me. I was convinced, you see, that the person who was being written to, a little known philosopher caller Keidon, was researching the counter curse to Thanos. And because Avada Kedavra is almost exactly the same as Thanos then this counter spell might work for Avada Kedavra as well."

She drew breath and continued, "I knew the letter had been sent to Keidon. When I was in Greece I hoped to find a book of his writings. I researched the date of when the letter was written and I discovered he was staying at Corinth when he was doing the spell. I went to the museum there and looked for anything that could be appropriate. I asked the manager if there had ever been such a piece of paryrus or book containing the word, Epithanos and by the minor Greek philosopher, Keidon. There had been, but it had been bought by the American millionaire, Winston Jefferson. Apparently it was extremely well preserved for its period.

"I found out that this millionaire had a house in Greece where he kept a collection of antiques. However he seldom lives there now. I went there. It was at that house, by the way that I met the guards and received Harry's cloak. I found it."

"Found what?" asked Arabella.

"The counter curse to Thanos. It was written on a piece of parchment, as I had expected."

There was a silence, then Dumbledore said, "What did you do then?"

"I copied it into my notebook and got out of his house as fast as I could. I fell ill when we returned to England, but as soon as I could, I translated the curse. It turned out it wasn't exactly a counter-curse, but a spell of protection from Thanos. It lasted two hours, I think."

"Hermione," interrupted Dumbledore, "why didn't you tell me or the Ministry? There would have been no need to break in, then. We could have done it legitimately."

"Exactly. The minute the Ministry is involved is when the press comes in. Voldemort sees what we're after, and as soon as you are out of the country, he kills Harry before you can get hold of the curse. The whole element was surprise."

"Yes, I see that. What did you do when you returned to Hogwarts?"

"Well, I thought that my ability to communicate with Harry was something to do with telepathy. I looked it up in the school library. I eventually found something that fitted. Harry and I have the Unbreakable Link." She looked anxiously at Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised, "I see. Is everyone familiar with that term?"

Sirius and Ron nodded. Arabella said, "So that's how come you knew about the Unbreakable Link in that Defence against the Dark Arts lesson, Hermione."

"That's right. I knew then that I had to fight Voldemort. I knew the curse to protect Harry and together we could defeat him through the Link." Hermione paused and Harry helped her out, "Then I remembered the other dream I had had, about Voldemort and Estella having a daughter and the prophecy made about me and her."

"What is this prophecy?" asked Arabella.

"That the son of light and the daughter of dark will together defeat either the dark or the light."

Ron's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He seemed to have just realised something, "Oh! You don't mean...that Hermione..."

"-is Voldemort's daughter?" nodded Dumbledore.

"Yes," she replied, shrugging lightly and meeting no one's eyes.

Ron fell back in his armchair and shook his head, "I need to think about this."

"Hermione's not done anything wrong," said Harry hotly, "She just killed Voldemort for heaven's sake!"

"Yeah, yeah! I'll think about it later. Carry on!"

"Did you know I was Voldemort's daughter?" Hermione asked Dumbledore.

"I thought you best fitted the description," he replied with a small smile.

Hermione looked nervously about, "Will I be expelled? I doubt you like me very much just now."

Dumbledore shook his head, "Not all Slytherins are bad, Hermione. You are living proof of that. I have absolutely no intention of expelling the best head girl Hogwarts has seen for many a day!"

Hermione positively wilted with relief. "I was so afraid... Shall I continue?"

"If you're up to it."

"Well, there's nothing really more to say. We went to Castle Squear, which was really Voldemort's-"

Dumbledore interrupted, "I must apologise for putting you once more in Voldemort's power. My skills are diminishing, I'm afraid."

"Oh, no! Not at all! You couldn't have known. Anyway, we met Estella Green."

"I imagine that must have been interesting."

"It was," said Harry. "She seemed, I dunno, good but evil at the same."

Seeing that Dumbledore didn't look as if he understood, Harry elaborated further, "She looked just like the typical death eater, but she seemed on our side, as it were. I trusted her, you know. Didn't you feel it, Hermione?"

"Oh, ye-es, yes I did," replied Hermione. "She's my mother!" Harry did not really know where to look.

"Anyway, we fought Voldemort and then you came and that's about it," finished Harry. "The most bizarre thing is that I didn't die when he said 'Avada Kedavra'!"

"What happened exactly?" asked Sirius.

"I did the Epithanos spell substituting Thanos with Avada Kedavra on Harry and myself," answered Hermione, "and when Voldemort tried to kill Harry, the green light shot out of his wand, you know. However, instead of hitting him in the chest, it covered him in it. It was very bright. Then after a few seconds it disappeared. The spell worked."

"You'll be quite famous, Hermione, for having discovered that. I imagine the Ministry will want to offer both you and Harry awards, actually,"said Dumbledore with a smile.

Harry and Hermione looked at each with surprise on their faces.

"The Department of Experimental Charms will have fun with the counter curse. I almost wish I was a member of that department and not an Auror," sighed Arabella.

"Did You-Know-Who really die?" asked Ron.

"He disappeared. But- oh, Professor, you'll want to know how he disappeared," said Harry.

Dumbledore smiled sadly, "I already know. I have seen the effects of killing someone with the Unbreakable Link many times. I did it myself."

"You!" said Sirius. No one seemed to believe it. Only Hermione didn't look surprised.

"I didn't know you had the Unbreakable Link. Who with? This is news! Why didn't you tell us?" cried Sirius.

"There's no use of it now. A�da's dead. She died many years ago. It all happened before you were born. She died in... May '65."

"May 1965! What day?"

"Er...she was found on the 17th, but we think she was actually killed on the 16th."

Sirius and Arabella looked at each other.

"You what I'm thinking, Sirius?"

"That if she'd died a day earlier then her deathday would have been the same as Lily's birthday."

"My mum was born on the 15th May 1965?" asked Harry. How strange that he had never thought of finding out his mother's birthday, "She was just twenty-one when she had me then."

"Yes," replied Dumbledore gravely. "Your parents were very young."

"Professor," asked Harry suddenly, "why were my parents killed? You said you'd tell me when I was older. Am I old enough now? And I've heard that my mother did not need to die. Is that true? Please tell me now."

Once upon a time there was an author called JK Rowling who wrote the HP series. I didn't...

Chapter 14- Of Dating Agencies and Domini

Harry peered anxiously at Dumbledore.

He replied, "You are old enough now, Harry, if you are sure you want to know. Some of the things you will find out, you may not like."

"I want to know."

"Perhaps..." Dumbledore turned to Ron and Hermione, "perhaps you should-"

"No. Let them stay. I want them to hear," interrupted Harry.

Dumbledore made no reply and leaned back in his chair, "Your mother did not need to die, Harry. However, it would have been very helpful for Voldemort to eliminate her. I'm sure he went to Godric's Hollow with the intention of killing her as well."

"Why?"

"Your mother was what is known as a psychic."

"A what?"

"A psychic. A person who to some degree can predict the future."

"My mum was a seer?" asked Harry in surprise.

"Not exactly. Your mother was quite a peculiar psychic."

"In what way?"

"A psychic is a person who can see things which are invisible to the normal eye. A sixth sense, you could say. People have varying degrees of it. Some people can tell that something is slightly out of place. I knew a psychic who could tell when the ink in a pen was run out. Then there are the great psychics who can predict the future. Claire de Montford, a French seer of the 18th century predicted that a great war would start on the 4th August 1914 and last for four years."

"And my mother?" pressed Harry.

"Well, your mother wasn't a seer-"

Sirius snorted, "You can say that again! She was dreadful at Divination- she really hated it."

"Yes," added Arabella, "do you remember when she threw the teacup at Professor Trelawny?"

"No, did she? I was sensible, you see. James and I didn't take Divination."

"So how do you know she hated it?"

"Well, if you've got someone doing their homework next to you and every five minutes they start an ostinato of, 'I hate Divination! Divination is a waaste of time! Why are we studying Divination? Professor Trelawny is a fake!' then you begin to get an idea."

"Your mother threw a teacup at Professor Trelawny?" said Hermione in a voice that suggested admiration.

"If she couldn't tell the future, what could she do then?" said Harry, reverting back to the original topic and ignoring Hermione.

"It's difficult to say. Some people thought that her powers weren't those of a psychic at all."

"And..." punctuated Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore could get on so much faster if you didn't keep interrupting him, you know."

"Thank-you, Hermione. Anyway, to cut a long story short, your mother, Harry, was, I think the only word to describe it is perceptive. She was extremely perceptive."

"Perceptive?"

"Yes. She couldn't predict things at all, but to some extent she could predict the very near future of people. Not just their future, but their characters and their deepest secrets."

"Wow," breathed Harry.

Arabella licked her lips, "She also knew some things about people that they didn't know themselves. Hence the dating agency. She could tell who was in love with whom, even if they didn't know themselves. The way it worked was that she would tell me who was in love with whom and tell me their characters and I would devise a way of getting them together so that they wouldn't know it wasn't them. It always worked too."

Sirius laughed, "And the things they came up with Harry, you'd never believe. We gave them all names, 'remember Bella?"

"Yeah, the Quidditch phobia system-"

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"Oh, that's one of the most clich�d techniques ever. Here's an example. John and Jane fancy each other but for some reason they aren't together yet. Lily finds out the following info: John is fond of quidditch and is on the house team. Jane however, is not good at quidditch, is scared of heights, whatever. During John's quidditch practice, Sirius as Padfoot chases Jane up a high tree near the quidditch pitch. There's an excellent tree made just for that purpose- easy to climb up, but not so easy to climb down! Anyway, Jane is stranded up the tree with a fear of heights. So naturally she starts crying, shouting for help etc. As the quidditch ends John must pass the tree and sees the object of his secret affection. There is nothing so becoming as a female in distress. He jumps on his broom and rescues her. When they reach the ground John will help Jane off the broom and just remain holding her hand, the way one does. Then Jane will say, staring into John's eyes, 'Oh John, you rescued me! My hero!' or words of that sort. By this time, mind, it will be dusk. John will reply softly taking her other hand, 'Oh Jane...' And that's about it."

"Did it work?" asked Hermione skeptically.

"Oh yes! It was amazing how often it went exactly like that."

Harry laughed, "It sounds really good fun."

"Oh, it was." Arabella smiled with a far-away look in her eyes.

Dumbledore looked at his watch in a significant way, "Well, I was never quite sure just how Fruitful Heavens opperated and I was very interested to hear about it. However, time is getting on and if we want any sleep tonight I suggest we continue."

Hermione re-opened the conversation, "I don't understand, Professor. If Mrs. Potter could read characters like this, why didn't she know Wormtail was betraying her?"

Dumbledore frowned, "As always a good question, Miss Granger. That I don't know."

"I do," this was Sirius. "She didn't know Peter had changed sides because she promised very early on not to read either me, Bella, James, Remus or Peter ever in that way."

"And she always kept her promises." finished Arabella.

"And could she then predict that Voldemort was going to kill me as well?" asked Harry after a short silence.

"It's very possible," replied Dumbledore, "that she decided to save you in cold blood as it were. She was very clever, was your mother, she'd have been perfectly well aware of the consequences if she died to save you."

"She must have been very brave to decide to do that," said Hermione.

No-one replied. Eventually Harry said, "So Voldemort killed my mother because she could have betrayed loads of his spies to you?"

"That's right."

"So why did he kill my father?"

Dumbledore looked around the room then turned to Sirius and Arabella, "Do you know?"

Arabella frowned, then her face cleared, "Oh, you mean DOM?" She said it in a slightly hushed voice, like she was saying something forbidden.

Hermione gasped and Dumbledore noddded. Ron frowned, "I've heard that before, but I can't think where..."

Harry had no idea what they were talking about. Not for the first time he wished he hadn't been brought up by muggles.

Dumbledore looked piercingly at Harry, Ron and Hermione, "What I am about to say is top secret information and must be on no account whatsoever revealed to anyone. Is that understood?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded.

Dumbledore turned to Sirius, "Who else did he tell apart from you?"

"Lily," replied Sirius, "no-one else. He didn't tell Remus or Peter."

Arabella spoke again in that same hushed tone, "We took ages to persuade them that the fact James was married was OK. They don't like their members to be married except to other members. We did persuade them in the end that Lily was suitable though."

Harry felt a shiver run down his spine. Who were they? And why did they object to marriage?

Dumbledore was speaking, "Have you ever heard of the Department of Mysteries?"

Harry nodded.

"Do you know what they do in that department?"

Harry shook his head.

"Do you know who works there?"

Again Harry did not know.

"Do you know how big it is?"

"Well, no-one knows anything at all about it, do they?" asked Hermione, "that's why it's called the Department of Mysteries, because no-one knows."

"Your father, Harry," said Dumbledore, "worked in the Department of Mysteries."

Harry's mouth formed an 'O' shape, but he said nothing.

Dumbledore continued, "No-one knows what happens in the Department of Mysteries, or DOM for short unless they themselves are a member. Even then most don't know everything."

"So how do you know?" asked Ron.

"I was myself offered a place in DOM. I turned it down because I had also excepted the post here as Transfiguration teacher. I wanted to dedicate my time to education."

"And what actually goes on in the Department of Mysteries?"

"Well, they work a little like Aurors. Arabella, if you could just give us a breif on the job of an Auror."

Arabella folded her hands in front of her and recited clearly, "An Auror must protect the general wellfare of the magic populus and free the state from unforseen danger. He must work against crime and faithfully serve the current Minister of Magic."

"You forgot something." said Sirius.

"Did I? Oh yes, and an Auror may not use the Unforgivable Curses except in exceptionable circumstances and when advised to do so by their superior."

"Where in the world did that come from?" asked Harry.

"The Junior Auror Handbook Level One, Section A, pages 13 and 29. It's the sort of thing you remember."

"So what does the Department of Mysteries do?"

"The members of the Department of Mysteries work undercover," replied Dumbledore, "Whereas Aurors are like your plain bobby on the beat ("your what?" from Ron), the DOM members, the Domini as we call them work undercover. They hunt for things that don't fit the normal pattern, for things that aren't quite right. Then they investigate them, and well, the enemy usually comes out worse for wear if they come out at all. Domini have a licence to kill, though they don't use it often."

"Did my dad kill anyone?"

Sirius shrugged, "James didn't talk to us about his job much. He didn't mention if he'd killed anyone. I hope he didn't."

"Whether he killed anyone or not," Dumbledore continued, "James was a good Dominus. That's why he was at the top of Voldemort's hit list."

"But how did Voldemort know about the Department of Mysteries?" enquired Hermione.

Dumbledore sighed, "To this day I don't know. There was a fly in the ointment. That's all. Someone who was in the know was betraying DOM. People were disappearing more often than before. James and Cidilla were very worried. They were sure they were the next target. I got them both Secret Keepers. Cidilla survived; James didn't."

"Who was Cidilla?" asked Harry.

"Ah, Cidilla French was James' partner, and a very good Domina she was too."

"What do you mean?"

"The Department of Mysteries on the first level, that which James got to is divided into groups of six people and a group leader. The group leader is responsible for his or her Domini, for their missions etc... He or she receives orders from the next level and passes them on to the Domini. The group leader is called a Princeps or Principa. There are three Domini and three Dominae for each group. They always work in pairs. This is because it is so much easier to escape notice as a couple sightseeing on holiday, than alone. Cidilla was James' partner."

"Why did they disapprove of marriages?" asked Hermione.

"Because the Dominus or Domina would confide in their spouse which they don't like, and the Dominus would be in love with their spouse and therefore not notice if she was, say, a gossiping type. It took us a long time to persuade James' Princeps that Lily could hold her tongue, fight and win a duel, disguise herself, solve riddles; everything that would be needed. In fact, when they knew her they thought she was a perfect wife for a Dominus."

Hermione frowned, "So how big is the whole department and is it controled by the Ministry?"

"That's the clever thing. No-one knows. The Domini only know their group and their Princeps, no-one else. The Principi know a bit more, I don't know how much. I don't know how many Domini there are, I don't know who DOM is controlled by, it's definitely not the Ministry, however."

"How is that clever?" asked Harry.

"Oh come on, Harry, use your brain. If you don't know your fellow comrades then you can't betray them, can you?" This was of course Hermione.

"My dad must have been very young when he started," mused Harry.

"He was," replied Dumbledore grimly, "he was enrolled at his Laurels' Ceremony. They like them young because they don't often survive very long."

"It all sounds very grim," said Ron.

"Well in a sense it was. However, Domini were often sent round the world and it is well paid. Very well paid. That's where you got your fortune from, Harry."

"It would have to be well paid, considering the risk," put in Hermione.

A silence set in. Harry didn't know what to think. His mother had been psychic and his father had been, there was no other word for it, a spy. And he had been killed because of it.

Ron yawned heavily and Dumbledore stood up, "I must see Severus and Minerva now and put them in the picture. I'll leave you together a bit; I'm sure you must have a lot to discuss, but I want you in bed by ten thirty. Go to the hospital wing, tonight."

Harry glanced at his friends and nodded. Sirius and Arabella chorused, "Yes, Professor!"

Dumbledore told them again that they had all shown great bravery and initiative in what they had dealt with that day and it should not go unoticed, before leaving the roon.

Arabella shifted her slightly on the piano stood. She remarked gravely, "Professor Dumbledore was right, you know-" before she was interrupted wearily by Hermione, "Oh, please can we talk about something else?"

Arabella looked surprised, "Well, all right if you want. What do you want to talk about?"

Harry replied immediately, "Tell me something more about the dating agency."

Sirius and Hermione groaned audibly.

Arabella laughed, "You're really interested, aren't you? Well, fetch the photo." Harry did so. "What are all those things written at the bottom of the stall?" he asked.

"Those? Ah, you see, if you think running a dating agency is a slightly frivolous thing to do." She glanced at Hermione who was vigorously nodding, "then you're wrong! It was very interesting, and my knowledge of people was built from it to a very great extent. Lily and I discovered that all the people who came to our help, or we helped without their knowing, fell invariably into six categories."

Sirius groaned again, "Here she goes."

"Which were?" asked Harry.

"Look at the photo. They're written at the bottom."

"Um...it says...'Are you'...er...'In separate houses'...arrow...'Romeo and Juliet?' What does that mean?"

"Here's an example. John of Slytherin loves Jane of Gryffindor but the enmity of the two houses is too great to let them dare a date. Hence the Romeo and Juliet idea. Next."

Harry read on, "er...'Always quarreling'...arrow...'Love slash hate?'"

"Yes. John and Jane are always arguing but actually they fancy each other deep down. Go on."

"Erm...'Too shy'...arrow...'Are you a wallflower?'"

Arabella explained, "John likes Jane, but she's probably older than him and he can't manage to ask her out."

Ron snorted, "That's Harry about Cho all right!"

"Ha ha. Very funny," Harry said with a fake grin. "Anyway...'Best friends'...arrow...'Don't-want-to-spoil-the-oh-so-innocent-frienship?' What on earth?"

"It does look a bit ludicrous, doesn't it? But believe me, it's awfully popular. John likes Jane but so far they've been best friends. Now John's afraid that Jane won't like him in any way if he tells her about his real feelings."

Harry raised his eyebrows but continued the list, "'Ignored'...arrow...'Your prince hasn't noticed you yet?'"

"I can guess that," said Ron, "it's what Ginny thinks every night about Harry."

Harry looked daggers at Ron but Arabella looked amused, "Does your sister fancy Harry? Hmm...Carry on, Harry. Last one."

"'A triangle'...arrow...'We both love her!'"

"Now that occured so often. John and Tom both like Jane, or John likes Jane but she's already going out with Tom. You know... Anyone who didn't fit into these categories didn't need our help."

"What solutions did you have?" asked Harry.

Sirius laughed and was soon joined by Arabella, "Oh some of our ideas we came up with were simply hilarious. Oh Sirius, do you remember the Hufflepuffs and the dog lead? It's all coming back!"

"The Hufflepuffs and the dog lead?!" queried Harry incredulously.

Arabella's elbow collapsed loudly onto the piano keys as she laughed, successfully stopping her mirth and waking Hermione up.

"That was one of our best ideas. It's done so often in films, but I never thought it would actually work... Anyway, Lily and I worked on the principle that if you get a couple accidentally in each other's arms then nature would work the rest. We had a problem with two Hufflepuffs who were in the 'best friends' syndrome. We hatched the following plan. It was a Hosmeade weekend and, what were their names, oh...what were they? Got it! Terence and Adela! Terence and Adela were going into Hogsmeade together. What was more natural then, for Lily and I to go in as well walking a dog, Padfoot on an extendable lead?"

"I think I see where this is heading..." said Harry trying to suppress a grin.

"What was more natural than, just when Terence and Adela were walking in front of us, for Padfoot to suddenly chase a rat that ran across the street in front of Terry and Adela. The rat, of course being frightened, just happened to rush in circles and Padfoot therefoot chased it in cicles as well. And what was more natural than for Terry and Adela (who we ascertained was scared of rats) to cling to each other in fright, while the extendable lead wound round their legs?" (Ron snorted at this point) "At that moment, just when they're in danger of falling over the lead being so tight, a very ashamed and out of breath Remus Lupin comes out from behind a building saying, "Is that my rat? Oh dear, I see he's caused some trouble," and picks up the rat. Lily and I unwind the dog lead and apologise profusely for Madame Rosmerta's cousin's son's dog which we were walking. Of course neither Terry nor Adela is listening, having just discovered that their friendship has changed slightly. Another success for Fruitful Heavens!"

Even Hermione, who had told herself that she wasn't going to listen, found herself smiling at the end.

Harry laughed, "Did you really do that?"

Arabella nodded, "Of course we did!"

"Why was the agency called 'Fruitful Heavens'? It sounds a bit corny if you ask me."

"Ah, it comes from out names. A fig is a fruit, so Fruitful and Heavens sounds like Evans. And yes, it sounds corny on purpose. Isn't a dating agency pretty corny in the first place?"

Sirius looked at his watch, "Er, Arabella, I know Dumbledore said we could have till half past ten, but I think some of us are rather tired." He stifled a yawn himself and glanced at Hermione who looked as if she wasn't completely rivited by the discussion.

"Well, you can go to bed, Sirius, no-one's stopping you."

Sirius didn't budge.

"Hmm I thought so." Arabella ran a hand over the piano keys in an arpeggio, "Here, I'll play you all something to wake you up."

Still facing sideways, she attacked the famous Minuet in G with great panash.

Sirius groaned, "Can't you play anything else?"

"Sure." She sat down down properly and coughed, "The great Arabella Figgarotti will now play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata for pianoforte."

Sirius groaned even more, "Do you really think that's going to wake us up?"

Arabella ignoed him and started drumming out the sonata. Far from waking Harry up, his eyes seemed to close of their own accord. He was sure he would have fallen asleep if, just when Arabella had started the Right Hand and pumped the pedal, there was a squeal from under the piano and Crookshanks who had been dozing on the pedals ran out and into Hermione's lap. Everyone sat up, fully awake now and Arabella immediately left off playing, "Oh the poor cat. Is he all right?"

Hermione nodded, "I think so. He just got a shock."

Crookshanks certainly seemed shocked. He scrabbled around in Hermione's arms and actually scratched Arabella when she tried to pick him up. Arabella, however, kept a tight grasp on him, "Whoa old thing. I gave you a shock, didn't I? No need to scratch me to pieces though."

Hermione apologised, "He hasn't been like this for years. I can't understand it."

"No, the last time was with Scabbers," Ron commented.

Arabella looked at Crookshanks properly, "Oh, so this is the famous Crookshanks then, is it? I've heard all about you." She was holding him at arms' lengh and then she frowned. She turned him upsidedown and rummaged in his long fur.

"Hey-" began Hermione.

"It's OK, Hermione. I know what I'm doing. My mother always has had an average of ten cats at one time. I know something about them, and it seems...rather more than the person who sold you him. This cat is a female, Hermione."

"Er...oh." said Hermione.

Arabella couldn't have been frowning more, "Sirius, look at this cat. Doesn't it remind you of anything?"

Sirius shrugged, "I can't say it does. Should it?"

"I don't know." Arabella stared at the cat thoughtfully a minute, "Bizarre, definitely bizarre. I could have sworn... How old is this cat, Hermione?"

"I don't know. I bought him, I mean her in Diagon Alley it must be five years ago. The previous owners had been a wizard who had had Crookshanks for three months. Then she got in a mood and the wizard had to sell him to the pet shop. Before that she beonged to cousins of that wizard. They were muggles and they had Crookshanks for about twelve years."

"Twelve years! That's an awfully long time to have a cat that was mature when she arrived. That's seventeen altogether. What about before then?"

"I don't know."

"Crookshanks is a very old cat if he was fully grown when he came to those muggles."

"He doesn't behave like an ancient feline," mused Sirius.

Crookshanks was certainly being very lively in Arabella's arms of steel.

"Why can't we just leave it?" asked Hermione. "Crookshanks is very old. All right. Let's go to bed now, I'm tired."

"Wait a moment, Hermione. Sirius, don't you think it's odd. Crookshanks is accounted for for seventeen years. Harry is seventeen. And don't you recognise the cat?"

"You're not trying to suggest that Crookshanks is actually Harry's long lost twin sister are you?" guffawed Sirius.

"Nonsense! Harry doesn't have a sister. But I do think she may be an animagus."

"Crookshanks, an animagus!" cried Harry.

"Ever get the impression history is repeating itself?" Ron muttered, "first Scabbers, then Crookshanks. What about Hedwig?"

Arabella sighed, "If I didn't know better, I'd say this was definitely an animagus. However, I do know better. Still..." Arabella shook her head, dissatisfied, "Well anyway, it's odd."

"There's no harm in checking, is there?" asked Harry.

Hermione snorted, "That's my cat you're talking about!"

"But you know Sirius, it's absolutely impossible it could be, well, who it would have to be."

"I don't know who it could be, Arabella," said Sirius sounding like he was explaining something to a very young child.

Hermione interrupted, "This doesn't make sense! The only recorded animagus that is a cat is Professor McGonagall and she's a tabby! Are you saying that there is yet another unregistered animagus apart from the four marauders?"

Arabella looked at Sirius for confirmation. He glared at her, "For heaven's sake, stop looking at me! I don't know anything about unregistered ginger cats. Crookshanks is clearly a highly powerful magical cat, but I wouldn't go as far as to say an aimagus."

"You mean you didn't know?"

"No, I didn't know and I still don't," replied Sirius, exasperated.

Arabella stared at him, "Wow, I'm the only person in the world who was told. Amazing! Hermione, I apologise in advance for your possibly losing your cat. If I'm wrong, which I hope I am, for the alternative is rather far-fetched, then there'll be no harm done. Anyway Sirius, will you perform the spell while I hold her or vice versa? I think I'd better keep a grasp on her, since I know more about cats...good girl..."

This last remark was made because Crookshanks was now behaving very well in Arabella's arms. Sirius raised his wand and Arabella took one arm away from the cat to scratch her head and whisper, "Now this won't hurt at all, as you probably know," she added grimly. Arabella's grip relaxed and Crookshanks took that opportunity to jump out of her captor's embrace. There was a slight pop as Crookshanks proved herself to be an animagus.

Sirius' jaw dropped and Arabella looked both worried and disbelieving. Ron made a face and pointed his finger at her mouthing, "You!" Harry, if it was possible, started forward and backward at the same time. Hermione looked first a little shocked then nodded her head once, without removing her eyes from the face of the beautiful stranger.

She was quite middle height and she wore a dirty pink dress. Her face was pale and fine boned. Her hair was the very finest light gold; every brunette hair dyer's dream colour. Apart from the fact she was looking rather stunned, her face was handsome and betrayed intelligence. She must have been a little under forty. She was blinking quite a lot, but between blinks you could tell that her eyes were the colour of a well cared for aspidistra, or sparkling emeralds, depending on preference.

To cut short a long description; Lily Potter stood in Arabella's office.

In the beginning there was canon, and the canon was by JK Rowling...

Chapter 15- The flower that never withers

Harry's mind seemed to have jammed, then he cried, "Mum!" and would have jumped into her arms had not Hermione grabbed the back of his robes. "What?"

"Harry, what's the chance that that's actually your dead mother? Come on, don't be hasty."

Harry sat back down. Lily didn't look like what he'd thought his mother would look like. She looked too young. He had thought of her as rather like Mrs. Weasley. Lily looked too much like one of those young mothers he had seen advertising nappies on Dudley's TV. Apart from the fact she was dirty and looked tired, of course. Then he remembered that she must be only 38 years old. She was young.

Hermione's voice had broken the silence. Arabella took out her wand and said slightly horsely, "Um... I'll just check for dark arts. If you really are Lily, then you'll understand."

Lily swallowed hard and Harry heard her real voice for the first time. Although it sounded rusty and unused, it was a bossy voice, tinged with a bit of irony, "Yes, of course, Arabella. Better get that over with. I quite appreciate your doing it. Infact, I'd think you were a fraud if you didn't take those precautions." She looked gravely around at the people in the room. When her eyes came to rest on Harry she smiled slightly. Her eyes were soft and her gaze was fond. Arabella started doing the anti-dark arts tests. Eventually she shook her head, "It seems that you're all right. But we must be sure... Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"Think of something really really stupid and don't tell us."

Sirius looked completely baffled. "OK, I've thought of something," he said a few seconds later.

"Right, if you are Lily Evans Potter, what's Sirius thinking of?"

Lily laughed a little but it sounded exasperated. She looked at Sirius neutrally with her head on its side, "Sirius...is thinking... what was that delightful word you used... thank-you, how ludicrous Snape would like in a pink tuxedo with red poka dots and matching hair. Charming, Sirius."

"Is that right, Sirius?"

"Spot on, Arabella," Sirius replied shrugging. "Well really, Arabella," said Lily, a twinkle that looked oddly familiar in her eyes, "doing that would have been the first thing I'd have thought of in your situation."

"Well, we didn't all get 117% in our NEWTs!"

"Still smarting about that 99% are you?"

The two women suddenly realised what they had both said. Arabella's face burst into a smile and she threw her arms round Lily's neck.

When they broke apart Sirius cried, "Er, hi Lily."

"Evening, Sirius. Nice to communicate with you other than through miaows."

Harry felt he should say something but his mouth seemed to have dried up. Hermione did the talking for him, "Have you forgotten Harry, Mrs. Potter?" she cried angrily.

Lily looked at Harry and smiled. "Of course not! I imagine this must be quite a shock to you. However, believe me, Harry, I've wanted to talk to you for years." She gave him a hug and kissed the top of his head.

"Hey wait a minute!" said Sirius frowning, "I've got a few questions for you."

"Me too!" added Harry.

"Me three!" Arabella put in with a sharp nod of her head.

Lily sat down on the arm of Harry's chair, with her arm around him, "Yes. I imagine you do have some queries. You want to know a how come I'm not dead, and b why, since I'm alive, I've not shown myself before now."

Sirius muttered something like, "Psychics. Always the same. Showing off what they know."

Lily replied sharply, "You're wrong, Sirius."

"Er..."

"I'm not a psychic."

"Not a psychic? But, but?" This was Arabella.

"No, I'm not."

Sirius laughed hollowly, "So you're saying that Dumbledore, McGonagall, us, Madame Pomfrey and all the people from the Ministry were wrong and you, Mrs. I'm-so-clever-it-hurts Potter is right?"

Lily didn't bat an eyelid, "That's right, Sirius. It's not as if I'm going to be wrong is it?"

"So," said Hermione, "If you're not a psychic, what are you?"

"It's not what I am that's the question, it's who I am. And you know the answer to that question, Hermione."

"Me?"

"No, I mean Sirius' pet goldfish. I'm talking about you, Elvira Voldemort, Hermione Granger whatever you want to be called by. You know. I'm not your cat for nothing."

Hermione fiddled with a frayed piece of her robes and tried to look clueless.

"Let's start on the questions then, shall we?" interrupted Arabella.

Lily sighed, "You want a full explanation, don't you? Well, it's only to be expected. All right, here goes." She coughed, "Have you ever wondered why I'm so different from the rest of my family, not the least being the only witch in a completely muggle family. I traced the tree once. There isn't a single magical person in the Evans family since there was a sqib in the thirteenth century. So how is it that suddenly I'm born? I'm not trying to be modest here, I'm the cleverest witch to go to Hogwarts since Godric Gryffindor's daughter Marianna."

"What was your family like?" asked Harry who realised that he knew nothing whatsoever about Lily and Petunia's family.

"Well, it was interesting. My father worked in town with a computer company and only came home at the weekends. Petunia and I lived with my mother at her riding school in Sussex."

"A riding school?" asked Harry.

Lily grinned, "I know you're not so fond of horses, but I was never happy out of the saddle."

"She was quite amazing," added Arabella. "I remember seeing her at a show when she was thirteen. She went round a course of jumps over a metre high and then she came first!"

"I loved riding," agreed Lily, "I really did. It was lucky actually that I did, for Mother was very trying. She was very young- she had Petunia when she was about sixteen and she wouldn't let us call her mum. We had to call her Trixy. She behaved like a spoilt teenager for whom life never goes right. She was only interested in her riding school and Petunia and I did all the work. This was all right, for Petunia and I got on fine to start with. Then when she was about twelve or thirteen, she suddenly woke up to the fact that she was a teenager and that she was living on a riding school, that she had no life and that we were to blame for it. She got into terrible rows with her mother. She seemed to think that everyone existed to make her life a misery, that she was doomed to be the scape goat in everything. She threw tantrums, she threatened to run away and commit suicide, she fell in with the wrong people. Well, you can imagine the rest. Trixy didn't know how to deal with it because she also thought that all the world was against her. In the end it came down to me to do everything. Then I received the letter from Hogwarts. Petunia's attitude towards me changed completely then. She was jealous of me while my father was proud and my mother thought it was 'fun'. I thought Petunia hated me just because I was cleverer and had better chances, but I was wrong. I now see that her hatred of me was because Trixy or my father had told her the truth about me- what I was never told. That I was adopted and that I wasn't Petunia's real sister."

"You weren't Petunia's real sister?" cried Harry, "So I've just spent the last seventeen years of my life living with people who aren't my relations?"

"I'm afraid so, but Dumbledore was right, they were the safest people you could have lived with. And you were just across the road from Arabella's mother."

"But I don't see why you couldn't just have changed back and returned to the wizarding world."

"I knew you were going to ask me that and I hope my answer is sufficient. I'm not trying to excuse myself, but it was physically impossible. My wand was broken, you see. When people die, there wands are broken-"

"But you're not dead!" cried Arabella.

"I'm going about this all wrong, aren't I? OK, I'll continue what happened from my point of view. I went to Hogwarts and almost the first people I met were James Potter and Sirius Black. I met them on the train actually. We shared a compartment. I thought they were good fun and we became friends. At least, we did until the next day. I discovered that James and Sirius liked playing practical jokes and that James thought himself clever. I also thought I was clever and we started a who-can-be-the-best-at-everything. We were still friends to some extent though. In our third year, Dumbledore became headmaster and with him came a new boy, Remus Lupin. It didn't take me long to work out that he was a werewolf and James and Sirius found out soon afterwards."

"You found out before us? You never said!" Sirius looked astonished.

"I also didn't mention that I was so furious at not being included in the animagus scheme.- I found out about that too, that I became an animagus on my own."

Arabella caughed.

"With Arabella's help, I mean."

Sirius groaned, "And we thought we were so clever, and all the time you were one step ahead."

"Naturally." Lily's green eyes twinkled gently, "Anyway, back to the plot. When I was in my fourth year I realised that I could read minds. I won't go into details but it was like a sixth sense. (A/N: Think Lyra in His Dark Materials reading the alethiometer.) It was hard to control in the beginning, but I could use it very well after a few months. That's how we did the dating agency. That was great fun, though I still can't see how people could actually take it seriously. All sorts of people came to see me and they called me a psychic. I read a lot about it and I wasn't convinced, but I didn't see what else it could be. The worst thing was that Trelawney wanted me to do extra Divination. Divination was my worst subject. In the end I through a teacup at her, the old bat!"

Arabella gave her the thumbs up.

Lily continued, "I married James when I was only eighteen and we had you, Harry two years later. You know about James' job. I was training to become a teacher. I specialised in Defence against the Dark Arts and Charms."

"Oh by the way, what happened to Cidilla French, James' friend from work? I liked her," asked Arabella.

"Cidilla? I don't know. I imagine she, her husband with the funny name and her five little daughters are still in hiding from Voldemort."

"They won't be little anymore, Lily," said Sirius.

"No, you're right. They'll be grown up by now. I wonder what happened to them. They all had such sensible names, remember Bella?"

"Yes, if your mother is called Cidilla French, is a spy and teaches German in a muggle school as a cover, and your father has a name that is merely laughable, then you'll be glad to be called Mary or Eleanor or the like."

"I'm not going to talk about happened then. You all know. Peter betrayed us and Voldemort came for us. James was killed and I died to save Harry."

"Excuse me, I thought you're alive," said Sirius.

Lily's arms tightened round Harry, "No, I was killed. I was prepared to die. I thought I really did die. Instead I only fainted it seems. For I woke up what must have been a months later in a coffin!" She shivered, "It's an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone. But I was certainly alive."

Harry cried excitedly, "You found the Epithanos spell!"

"No, Hermione is one up on me there. I was just as mystified as you were. Then something else happened. I managed to get out of the coffin by doing magic without my wand. I know that all wizards can do magic without a wand in exceptional situations but it came so easily to me! I decided I must be thought dead, and I had no idea how long I had been knocked out. I did not know if you were alive, Harry, or not. I did not know what had happened to Voldemort. My first motive was to get in contact with the magical world. I changed into a cat, as I was aware that people wouldn't react very kindly to the appearance of the dead Lily Potter without an explanation of what I was doing. I would be sent straight to Azkaban for being an imposter. I was picked up by some muggles and they kept me as a pet, or perhaps I should say, a prisoner. For eleven years. I'm still surprised that the RSPCA never caught them. And of course I can't do magic in my cat form. It was awful. Then I met a cousin of the family one Christmas and I knew immediately that he was a wizard. I sucked up to him and started to be more bad mannered than I already was to the rest of the family. Eventually they gave me to the cousin as he was the only person who could control me. I went back to a wizarding home and it was bliss! I caught up on all the news of the last twelve years and I discovered that you, Sirius had escaped from Azkaban. That you were supposedly after Harry. I also read the news paper article about the Weasleys and saw the picture with Peter on your shoulder, Ron. That did it- I had to go to Hogwarts! Not only has Hogwarts got the best library in the wizarding world where I could try to find out why I wasn't killed, but Sirius was going to go to Hogwarts, Peter was at Hogwarts and you, Harry was at Hogwarts. I played up to my owner and he was forced to sell me to the pet shop. I waited for someone from Hogwarts to buy me. Eventually you three came in. I apologise for jumping on your head, Ron, but I was just so surprised to see Harry and Peter in the same room. I know I'm going to say the two things that will make you give me everlasting hatred, Harry, but you have grown and you are James' splitting image. You know what happened that year."

"Lily," said Sirius, a slight canine growl in his voice, "if sometime you'd like to get to the point, then that's all right with me."

"I'm afraid it's me who gave you your detention last term, Harry. It's me who has been using the library in the middle of the night and, well, cats sometimes find it hard to clean their feet, especially if I've been outside and I did leave the library rather muddy sometimes."

"Why were you reading about the Unbreakable Link?" asked Ron.

Lily smiled, "Since you know so much about it Hermione, would you like to tell us the three ways that you can survive death?"

Hermione nodded, "Someone can have died for you, you know the counter curse, or your parents had the Unbreakable Link."

"Take a million points, Hermione. Well, no-one died to save me, I had never heard of Epithanos so it only left one option."

"Your parents had the Unbreakable Link?" breathed Harry.

"Yes. It all makes sense, though. If your parents had the Unbreakable Link then you can survive death by force, do magic without a wand and read minds."

Harry had the peculiar impression that Lily was speaking on two levels. It was like when he had read Animal Farm a few years ago. He had thought it was just a story about animals, until Hermione had gone to a lot of trouble and had explained that actually it was about Communism. At one level Lily just seemed to be explaining what the children of parents with the Unbreakable Link could do, but at another, she seemed to be saying something and it was directed at him. "...So basically I'm pretty powerful. Of course it depends on how strong the parents are. My father was exceptionally strong, but my mother wasn't much, so I'm middling. Just imagine if my parents were like Godric Gryffindor's- they had the Unbreakable Link- Simon Gryffindor and Diana Slytherin you know- they were very-"

She paused to take breath and Arabella interrupted, "Please stop gabbling the history lecture, Lily and tell us. Who are your parents?"

"There are only two people it could be, you know Arabella. Professor Albus Dumbledore and Professor A�da Thompson."

"Dumbledore?!" cried Ron. Harry looked stunned and Hermione looked slightly surprised. Sirius and Arabella exchanged worried glances. Lily continued, "Dumbledore is the only person last century to have the Unbreakable Link. I did some research on it and he had it with a half Italian witch he was very fond of: A�da Thompson. She had fair hair and green eyes. She looked very like me, in fact."

"I saw a picture of her in a book on teachers. I thought her eyes were a bit like Harry's, but I didn't actually connect her with you because I thought you had red hair," said Hermione.

Lily laughed, "So near but so far!"

Harry frowned, "But how come you were adopted? Surely as Dumbledore's daughter..."

Lily's smile disappeared, "This is of course all speculation. I don't know, but I have a theory that could fit. You all know what happened to Professor Thompson, I suppose?"

Everyone except Harry and Ron nodded.

"A�da Thompson was the biggest scandal of the 1960s. One fine early September day in the year 1964, Professor Thompson left Hogwarts after having successfully taught Defence Against the Dark Arts for eight years. She was never seen again. On the fifteenth day of May 1965, eight and a half months later, a baby girl was born in a hospital in Penzance. She was named Maria Lily and she had no surname. Two days later A�da was killed by Avada Kedavra and was washed away in the sea. She was found by the muggle police on a beach near Penzance. Three months later Maria Lily was adopted by a Mr. Hamish Evens who wanted a companion for his five year old daughter, Petunia. The girl's name was changed to Lily Maria. No-one knew why A�da had disappeared. No-one knew who Lily Maria's parents were. Only Petunia was told by her father when she was older that her sister wasn't her blood sister. Lily Maria never knew."

"Are you telling me that A�da Thompson, the most kind hearted woman ever, abandoned her daughter in a hospital in Penzance?" cried Arabella angrily.

"I'd like to think it happened differently."

"I still don't get it!" said Harry, "Why couldn't this A�da Thompson simply have had you at Hogwarts without all the fuss?" Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes, "Boys! You see Harry, she wasn't married to Dumbledore. She was very strongly religious and she was afraid of her having a child when she wasn't married. At least, that's what I think it was," she added hastily.

"Yes, that's what I think too. I also think she didn't tell Dumbledore because she thought he wouldn't love her if he knew."

"You don't think she told Dumbledore?"

"He wouldn't have let her go, I'm sure. I honour her, however. It must have taken her a lot of will to give up her life as she knew it and throw herself into the mercy of the muggle world. She was Voldemort's prime target, you know. If Voldemort could kill her then Dumbledore had his powers halved or more. I think after I was born she felt she could let security loosen a little. I was born; that was the main thing. Voldemort got her then. I don't believe she ever intended to abandon me."

They all stayed silent a minute to pay tribute to Lily's mother, Miss A�da Thompson. Eventually Hermione asked, "Does Dumbledore know you're his daughter?"

"I don't know. I think sometimes that he does, and sometimes that he doesn't. I shall have to go and see him now."

"He's in conference with McGonagal and Snape at the minute," Sirius said.

"Well, dear old Severus will be pleased to see his old crush."

Harry's jaw almost dropped, "Snape likes you? I thought he hates all Gryffindors!"

"Well, he hates all Gryffindors apart from me. That's one reason why he hated your father so much- because James got the girl and he didn't." She smiled a little sadly and stood up. Then she looked at her watch in fake surprise, "Goodness! Look at the time! Harry, I'm shocked and astonished! Why are you not in bed? To the hospital wing and bed now! All three of you!"

They all stood up, but Harry had to ask just one more question, "Are you immortal then?"

"Lillies never wither," she replied gravely, "quote from the marvellous and non-existent autobiography of the amazing Lily Potter by Lily Potter. Seriously though, I am not immortal. I'll die of old age, disease, or I'll be run over by a bus. But I cannot commit suicide or be killed by a human hand. Now to bed!"

And at long last, they followed her advice.

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns it all...

Chapter 16- Estella's Gift

"Harry? Harry! Are you awake?" Harry Potter woke up to the dulcit tones of Ron Weasley from the cubicle next to him. He rubbed his eyes wondering why they were both in the hospital. Then memories came flooding back to him. Voldemort was finally dead and Hermione was no longer the muggle born he had thought she was. Then there was his mother! He had never had such a wonderfull surprise.

"Hi Ron!" he called happily. "I'm awake. Can I come through?"

"Sure," replied Ron.

Harry quickly got dressed and put his school robes on; it was the first day of the summer term. He then pushed back the curtain to Ron's cubicle. He was sitting up in bed, his hair standing on end almost as much as Harry's usually did.

"You're dressed?" he asked in surprise.

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a minute, then Ron said quietly, "Tell me everything that happened after you fell off that horse, and don't leave anything out."

Harry took a deep breath and told Ron everything, from Estella's visit and the revelation of Voldemort's daughter to the appearance of Voldemort himself in the library and Harry and Hermione's battle against him. At the end the sun had crept round to the window and Harry was feeling slightly hoarse.

Ron sighed, "I know you're Harry Potter and all that, but how can you take it all so easily? I mean, you're just killed someone; your friend's father. And think- this all signifies that Hermione is the daughter of the heir of the most evil wizard ever and has just killed her father in cold blood. That's patricide!"

Harry thought about this. He had not considered it at all in that way, "But even so, Voldemort was only her father biologically. The equivalent would be her killing Mr. Granger. He wasn't a father to Hermione." He paused, "I'm proud of her."

Ron was about to reply when Hermione herself pushed back the curtain and came in, "Hello Harry, Ron. I heard you talking so I thought I'd come through. I've been reading. What, aren't you dressed yet, Ron? It's quarter past eight and classes start soon. Madame Pomfrey's taken Irene down to breakfast already. She said we were to go if we felt up to it. Harry and I will wait out here while you get dressed."

Before she left the cubicle, she warned them not to say anything of what had really happened the day before to anyone, "We had a very interesting stay; riding and walking. We got back so late yesterday that we had to stay in the hospital wing so as not to wake people up. That's the story, right? Irene has nothing to do with us, by the way. We'll see what Dumbledore says before we go giving things away."

Harry followed her out into the corridor. He was about to start a conversation on what had happened, but he suddenly noticed a glimmer on her hand.

"A ring! Where did you get that from? That's the first piece of jewellery I've ever seen you wear."

Hermione turned her left hand towards her and said guardedly, "It was a present."

"Who from?"

"I do hope we get the NEWTs results soon. I'm afraid I lost some marks in Transfiguration because I hesitated before doing the practical exam," was the only reply Harry was entitled to and she resolutely kept the conversation up till they were halfway to the Great Hall. At last Harry in desparation (for he didn't want to discuss the exams anymore) asked her what she had been reading. Ron shot him a horrific glance. This subject seemed just as unpalatable to him as the exam results. Hermione seemed happy to talk about her reading materials however.

"Oh it's a marvellous book!" She enthused, "Really. It's written as an autobiography of one of history's most important and influential woman ever!" She paused for effect then said, "Lady Diana Gryffindor!"

She could have saved her pause, for Harry looked nonplussed and Ron said, "Who?"

Hermione looked increduously at them, "You mean you've never heard of Lady Diana? The mother of Godric Gryffindor and the sister of Salazaar Slytherin's father! Born Miss Eleanor Slytherin and died Lady Diana Gryffindor."

"Wait a minute," questioned Harry. "How could she change her Cristian name like that?"

"Very easily. Her real name was Elena but everyone called her Diana because she reminded them of the moon goddess, Diana or Artemis because she was so pale skinned and dark haired. In fact, when she and Lord Simon were married they were called Apollo and Artemis because he was just like the sun and she was the moon.

"Most people study magical history from the founding of Hogwarts and seemed to forget that there was existence before then, which is very sad. Godric Gryffindor was important but perhaps his parents were just so as well. Diana's story I find fascinating. I have just reached the first meeting of Simon and Diana. They met at a party Diana's brother gave and Lord Simon was the only non Slytherin there. And of course there was the added thing- they had the Unbreakable Link and they knew it the moment they met."

Hermione stopped to draw breath and Harry slipped in a question, "Who was it by?"

"A never heard of before author called Star White. I think though, that it's my mother- Estella Green writing under a pseudonym."

"Really? I suppose it's possible."

Ron let out a massive yawn and pushed the Great Hall doors open. When they reached the Gryffindor table they saw, inbetween Ginny Weasley and Pippa Spinnet; Irene Malfoy.

"You're in Gryffindor!" Ron cried in surprise.

She nodded gravely, "The Sorting Hat had quite a lot of trouble with me, but eventually it put me here. I'm quite happy with the arrangement. Ginny and Pippa are being very kind." She smiled for the first time, "It makes so much difference not being under the Imperius Curse and always in danger. I can be myself again. At least I'm not with my odious cousin."

"Talking about Malfoy," said Harry glancing at the door, "here he comes- with his bodyguards."

Sure enough, Draco Malfoy flanked as usual by Crabbe and Goyle approached the Slytherin table and sat down with Pansy, Blaise and Millicent.

"Did you know that Crabbe and Goyle have got Zabini and Bulstrode to go out with them?" whispered Pippa in Harry and Ron's ear. She could always be counted on to know all the latest gossip, "I don't know how they could bare to be with those two goons. Ugh!"

Harry couldn't see how Crabbe and Goyle could have wanted to date those two girls either.

All six Gryffindors watched Pansy say something to Malfoy and point in their direction. Soon Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle walking respectively about a foot behind, began to approach them. The pupils having breakfast stopped talking to watch. When Draco Malfoy looked like that then there was going to be trouble. Watching it was as good an entertainment as any.

He took up his stand directly in front of Irene and she raised her eyes to meet his. No-one said anything for a few very long seconds. Then Draco said cooly, "I think you've come to the wrong table, Irene."

Irene ate a piece of toast and did not reply. At all. Malfoy looked quite disconcerted. After all, it is difficult to argue with a brick wall. Soon he recovered himself and tried another attack, "I am absolutely furious that Dumbledore has admitted such scrum as you to Hogwarts. Mudbloods were bad enough, but letting muggles come is too much. It's lucky I only have one term left here."

Irene kept resolutely silent, though her cheeks had reddened almost imperceptively. Out of the corner of Harry's eye he saw Hermione lay her hand restrainingly on Ron's arm. He was once more aware of her ring.

Meanwhile neither Irene nor Draco had moved. The latter seemed to be stumped. Suddenly Irene jerked her head up and stared vaguely at Draco. At last she spoke, "Sorry cousin, did you say something? I wasn't concentrating."

Red spots appeared on Malfoy's cheeks. He wasn't used to being ignored. He reached inside his robes for his wand. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles in anticipation of a fight.

"Just you wait, squib; I'll make you pay," he hissed preparing to curse her.

"Malfoy!" Hermione stepped forward. He turned around and suddenly she held up her left hand towards him, her palm facing herself. A jet of purple light left the ring and hit Malfoy's wand arm.

"Ow! What have you done? Filthy mudblood!"

Hermione's voice rang out clear across the hall, "Next time, pick on someone your own size. I may not be persuaded to join in then. In answer to your question, if you don't know what this ring does then you should. Call yourself a Slytherin and you don't recognise it! And really Malfoy, it seems to be you not Irene who needs to check the geography of the room. You sit over there."

"Do you want to duel, Granger? I'm quite ready."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that. However I'll be very happy to oblige, if you're sure."

"Now Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger," it was little Professor Flitwick who had decided that it was more than time to interfere, "20 points from Slytherin and 10 points from Gryffindor. I hope I never hear such language and threats from you again, Draco, and remember; no curses out of class, Hermione. Now finish your breakfast quietly."

Hermione sat down and all Gryffindor craned their necks to see her and Irene. No-one really knew who the new girl was, but Malfoy's interference had rendered her most interesting.

Shortly afterwards Dumbledore followed by Lily, Arabella and Sirius entered the room and sat down at the teachers' table. A string of hushed comments and queries followed Lily as well as she made her towards Harry and the Gryffindors.

She greeted them and then said in a low voice to Harry, "Dumbledore has entirely acknowledged me as his daughter, I am glad to say."

"Did he know already that Miss Thompson had had a child?"

Lily sighed and glanced at the table. "I would tell you, Harry, but I think it best if what passed between me and Professor Dumbledore stays between us only."

Harry understood but still wished he could know. After all, Dumbledore was now his grandfather! His mother continued, "However, since he believes that A�da did not want my true parentage to be known, he is going to honour that wish. I am going to appear as his niece."

"But... but, are you going to be my mother?"

"I am your mother Harry! But yes, I am going to be introduced as Mrs. Potter. The professor will say a few words about what happened yesterday and he will mention Epithanos. Hermione will be credited with inventing it, but the school will be told that that is how I survived. It will not hold water for the more important people like Miss Goldfinger, but she shall be told the truth."

"In that case, Hermione won't get the credit!"

"You'd rather Hermione got the credit than me? Dear me! Well, she will get it. I used it without really knowing what it was."

"That's not going to work!"

"You'd be surprised how many people will believe things like that." She shrugged and then continued, "I was talking to Severus last night and I think you deserve a explanation."

"An explanation?" said Harry in surprise.

"I know he's been horrid to you since the very first day you arrived."

"And you know why?"

"Yes." She sat down next to him and stared into space for a while before speaking again. "You have heard that the reason Snape hates you was because of your father- of James. That's only partly true. The reason he hates you is because of me not James. James was always civil to Severus- in the beginning at least."

"So what went wrong?"

"I came along. I hated Severus Snape with a blind prejudice. So did Sirius and Arabella. We played tricks on him, we teased him. We generally made life a plague to him. Of course it could only get worse when he fell for me. I hated him and he loved me. Knowing his partiality only gave me something more to tease him about."

She paused and Harry punctuated with an, "And?"

"This is where it gets difficult. You know Harry, I was a partner in a fun dating agency at school. I prided myself on being able to tell who was in love with each other perhaps before they knew themselves. I still can actually. I could tell who were life partners and who just had crushes. I was very vain of this talent but one thing it lacked was telling who liked me! Even in our third year Severus says he could tell that there was something between James and I. So then he hated James for liking 'his girlfriend'! He was always jealous of James- his quidditch skills (Severus never made it onto the quidditch team though he tried many times), his intelligence in class, his bravado and the way he was even nice to him. Then James saved his life, risking his own life. And when they returned afterwards I completely ignored Severus and went to James. After that James became less tolerant of Snape and started playing his own tricks which I have to say, were far more slick and accomplished than mine. It ended in bitter hatred. Now, the reason he hates you, Harry, is because he knows you're like James and also because you're my child- mine and James'. He can't bear to think that you could have been his child!"

Harry was starting for the first time, to feel sorry for Snape.

Lily sighed, "Well, he has given me his word that he shall be nicer to you now. Not that I think much of his word. He may not be a bad man, but he's not the most pleasent fellow I ever met. He'll try to get over hating you for my sake, but I'm afraid, scandalous as it is for teachers to like different pupils more or less than others, he doesn't actually like you for your sake. Still, you tolerate him and perhaps he'll tolerate you."

At that point they were interrupted by Dumbledore who had stood up and clapped his hands for silence. The whisperings in the hall slowly died.

Dumbledore started, "Good morning everybody! Before I let you go to classes, I have a few notices to give out. Five, in fact. Firstly, I would like to welcome a new student to the school. Miss Irene Malfoy was sorted into Gryffindor last night. She will be in the fifth year. Stand up, Irene please!"

Irene stood up and endured all the stares and comments with a very good grace. After a minute she sat down. Dumbledore continued, "If you think you have heard the name 'Malfoy' before you are right! Miss Malfoy is Draco Malfoy's first cousin." The mutterings increased. "Miss Malfoy has not been attending school before now because she is a squib." Dead silence. "However, she has been sorted and I intend to introduce squibs to the school on a regular basis. My colleague, Professor Sinistra has kindly volunteered to teach them the quickspell course. Irene is our guinea pig!"

The mutterings were general again. Dumbledore waited for them to die down before moving onto his second notice, "I would also like to introduce my neice, Mrs. Lily Potter!" The hall went wild with shouts, gasps and general confusion. Professor McGonagall clapped her hands and called loudly, "Silence please!"

Dumbledore picked up the thread, "I know what you are thinking. Yes, Lily is the mother of Harry Potter. However she is not dead as you can see! Quite by accident she found a charm to counter Avada Kedavra!"

"What?!" cried someone.

"Due to a variety of circumstances she has not been able to return until now. She will be staying here for some time and I hope she will accept a teaching post here."

Lily smiled, "Thank-you, Professor!"

"I have already mentioned the counter curse to Avada Kedavra. This is actually the counter curse to an ancient Greek curse, Thanos. It was actually found by a student while she was on holiday last year. Miss Hermione Granger, please stand up!"

There were a few gasps and some boos from the Slytherin table. Harry, Ron and Lily all clapped very loudly.

"I am afraid that as this research did not take place in school, I cannot award house points, however I am sure the Minister of Magic will have something to say about it at the Laurels' Ceremony. Sit down, Hermione."

Dumbledore waited for the school to digest this new imformation but even when silence had set in he did not speak. The pupils began to figit. When Dumbledore eventually spoke it was in a much more serious tone. "I do not think that there isn't one person sitting here who is not aware of the existance of Lord Voldemort."

He paused and there were quite a few shudders at the mention of the name. The older students looked rather frightened. Some could remember Cedric Diggory and his death. Dumbledore's tone of voice indicated some catastrophe of the like. They were not all that wrong.

"There has been a death." Dumbledore paused before continuing just as seriously, "Some of you may know that last week Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger went on holiday. The holiday was a trap. Yesterday, two of them encountered Lord Voldemort and managed to defeat him!"

The Great Hall was still with shock. "I am pleased to say that the Dark Lord is no more. He will never be able to terrorise your families again. I think we should just take a minute to remember all the people that were killed by his hand and the families broken up by him." He bowed his head and the rest of room followed suite. Soon all that could be heard was Dumbledore's quiet voice, "The following were some of the victims of Voldemort. The McKinnons, Geoffrey, Alice and Laura; the Crouches, Bartemius, Godfrey and Jane; the Potters, Samuel, Clemence, James and Elizabeth; the Weasleys, John and Harriet; the Shortstraws, Monty, Cidilla and Eleanor; the Browns, Derek and Rosemary; the Bones, Charles and Helena; Mary Chang; Bertha Jorkins; Rose Birchwood; Cedric Diggory; A�da Thompson; Richard Harding; Peter Goldfinger; Sean Newman." He stopped talking and after a minute of silent reflection everyone of one accord looked up. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "If the Ministry has no objection, I would like the 20th of April to be set aside for remembrance."

No-one appeared objected and everyone felt rather sad. Lily sighed and said to Harry, "I was at school with John Weasley, Arthur's brother, and Harriet Walpole. They were good friends. Rose Birchwood was in my year as well and Cidilla French-Shortstraw was one of my closest friends. I wasn't even aware she had died."

Dumbledore was speaking, "However, this is a time for rejoicing! Voldemort is gone at last and thanks to the bravery of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."

This time there were cheers. However, Ron elbowed Harry and whispered, "Look at Malfoy!" Harry looked. Draco Malfoy looked as if he had swallowed a lemon with extra vinegar. Harry grinned and whispered back, "Aw, poor Malfoy- he can't become a death eater now!"

"Don't be so sure of that, Harry!" Hermione interrupted, "I'm sure someone will step into Voldemort's shoes soon enough. He may have even left an heir, for all we know."

Ron glared at her, "Hermione, we really didn't need that!"

Eventually the Great Hall quietened down a bit and everyone finished their breakfast. Harry, Ron and Hermione all got bombarded by questions but they answered evasively.

At the end of breakfast Percy Weasley entered the room. After talking with Dumbledore and McGonagall for a few minutes he sat down and started eating breakfast.

"Whatever is he doing here?" cried Ron without any hope of an answer.

McGonagall then stood up and asked all the seventh years to remain behind.

"Why?" Harry asked no-one.

Hermione shrugged, "Probably about our NEWTs. I hope so anyway."

Harry didn't.

Hermione was right though. Percy had come to forward the Minister of Magic who had had to remain in London for the night for some reason. He hadn't brought the results himself, but had been told to tell them that everyone had passed, and that some people had results over 100%!

Professor McGonagall then took the opportunity to explain to everyone what was going to happen about the results.

"Next Friday, the 25th, is the date of this year's Laurels' Ceremony. Parents and relatives are all invited and the Minister of Magic herself will present the certificates. It will take place on the Quidditch Pitch at 14:30. Clean school robes- not dress robes- will be worn. It will also be neccessary to wear a hat, so if you haven't got one make sure you have one by Friday."

Harry had always wondered when the pointed hat he had bought before his first year would come in useful. He'd never worn it before.

"There will also be a ball on the last evening of term."

Harry and Ron exchanged gloomy glances. Their experiences of school dances so far had been catastrophic.

"This ball will not be like the other school balls you may have been to previously. This one will take place in Hogsmeade. The date is Friday, 27th June at seven pm. School finishes on Saturday, 28th. Dinner will be served there. Dress robes or muggle formal dress can be worn, depending on preference. We have no problem with what you wear providing it covers a reasonable amount!"

Some girls giggled there. Hermione looked stony faced.

"Professor Dumbledore has invited the Diagon Sinfonietta Orchestra to play for us for which we are very grateful. It is a custom at this ball for all the boys to dance with all the girls and vice versa. There are more than enough dances to manage this in. The evening has been planned in the following way: the first half will be dedicated to the faster dances. There will food in the interval. The more romantic dances such as the waltzes will be played in the second half."

"Waltzes!?" cried Padma Patil, looking horrified, "I can't dance them!"

"Not many people can, Miss Patil. Because of this there will dancing lessons taking place every Tuesday lunchtime in the Great Hall for those who want to learn how to dance waltzes, polkas, foxtrots and other dances. I remember when I was at Hogwarts, all the balls were like that..." Professor McGonagall remenised for a few seconds. "Well!" She said eventually, "Talking about extra lessons, there will be career talks on Fridays at four thirty in the Transfiguration classroom and apparition lessons Saturday mornings on the west boundary of Hogsmeade. None of these classes are compulsary, but they are all advisable." At that point she dismissed them.

Ron seemed the most excited about apparition lessons. Harry liked the sound of a careers talk. Hermione, however, seemed the most interested in...

"Dancing lessons! Hermione, why are you so keyed up about having dancing lessons? For heavens sake, anyone can dance!" cried Ron. He waltzed a few steps down the corridor, tripped over his feet and crashed into a Slytherin fourth year. Hermione let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes at Harry. "Yes, but not everyone can dance properly. The dancing we've done so far at Hogwarts has been awful- just swaying in time to something they call music. That's all very fine if you've got a boyfriend, but if you haven't then it's so boring. I'm really excited about this ball! It's going to have proper music-"

"Don't you like the Weird Sisters?" said Ron incredulously.

"Honestly Ron! You know my opinion of pop music."

"But the Weird Sisters aren't really pop! They're-"

"They sound like pop to me!"

"Well, they aren't!"

"Yes they are!"

"No they're not!"

"SHUT UP!" yelled Harry. "Do you ever stop arguing?"

They looked a little sheepish and for once, shut up. The next they spoke, Hermione asked the boys what they wanted to do.

"I'm going to be an auror." said Harry firmly.

"So am I," said Ron.

"What about you, Hermione?" asked Harry.

She didn't immediately reply but then said that she was going to train as an auror as well.

Harry suddenly remembered the ring she had used at breakfast, "You've got to tell us. What does it do? Who gave it to you?"

She held it up to the light and they watched it gleam a deep purple. She sighed, "I found it this morning in a pocket of my robes with a note. Estella gave it to me. It's an old Slytherin heirloom."

"You're wearing a-" burst out Ron then shrugged his shoulders, "Never mind. What does it do?"

"Here's the note Estella left me. You can read it." She handed a small piece of parchment to Harry and the two boys read it through carefully.

Dear Hermione,

This ring was forged for Miss Elena Slytherin, an ancestor of yours whom I'm sure you've heard of, by her brother Lucius the father of Salazaar. When she died it was given back to Caecilia, Salazaar's mother to keep. It's powers are extraordinary and yet not permanently dangerous. If you wear on the middle finger of your left hand and hold it facing the person you wish to curse, then they are robbed of all magical powers for five minutes; enough time to quickly defeat the enemy. I have an idea that it may come in useful.

There were other amulets, of course, which robbed you of your magical powers permanently. Fortunately these have all been destroyed. The reason Elena's only works for five minutes is because they thought the other curses were too powerful for a lady! The opinion of our sex in those days was not too favourable, I'm afraid!

Use the ring well and good luck! My greetings to Harry Potter. He is a very brave young man, I think.

Yours sincerely, Estella Green

"Hey, she might have mentioned me!" cried Ron, when he had finished reading.

"She doesn't know you, Ron. Why should she mention you?"

"Well anyway." For once he was content not to argue.

They were the first to Charms, and found Lily Potter sitting in the teacher's chair.

"Hi Harry, Hermione, Ron! Please sit down."

They sat and Lily explained the reason behind her presence. Professor Flitwick was going to retire at the end of the year and she had been invited to take his place. "I am fully qualified," she added, "for I started training to be a Charms teacher as soon as I left Hogwarts and I got my 'Professorship' just months before you were born. You'll have to call me Professor Potter now!"

"Even me?" complained Harry.

"Of course. Still, I don't actually start my job until September. I'm just helping Frederick until then. Any of you planning to be teachers?" She asked casually.

Deep silence. Then Hermione said, "Well, Parvati's been offered to help Professor Trelawaney as a second Divination teacher. No training required. She and Lavender almost had a fight about it, because Lavender wanted the post as well."

Lily snorted, "Looks like the next generation of students will enjoy Divination under Professor Patil just as much as you've enjoyed it with dear old Sybil. Anyone else?"

"Neville says he might train for Herbology." Ron said and Harry nodded in agreement. "Oh, he'll be good at that," said Hermione warmly as Neville himself walked in. The others and Professor Flitwick followed shortly afterwards.

At lunch the trio discussed some of the details of the fight against Voldemort with Ginny and Irene. They never found out everything and neither of them were told about Voldemort's daughter. What Ginny found strange, however, was how Dumbledore had found out that they were in danger. After all, Ron's letter to Mrs. Weasley conveyed nothing out of the ordinary and Dumbledore surely wouldn't act so promptly on that alone.

"Uh..." said Harry. Come to think of it, how did Dumbledore know? Did Estella really get there, he had not said anything about it.

"Um, I think I can explain that," said Ron.

"You?" Ginny looked surprised.

"Yeah, me. You see, I think I saw your mother, Harry."

"You did? When?"

"In the castle. I arrived back from riding and went straight to Harry's room. When I got there your mother was standing, looking out of the window. She didn't tell me who she was and she swore me to secrecy about her. She seemed to know everything about me, you, and what was going on. She dictated a letter to Dumbledore and I sent it with Pig."

"Now everything makes sense!" sighed Hermione contentedly.

"Well, all's well that ends well, isn't it?" said Ginny with a grin.

JK Rowling owns all...

Chapter 17- The Summer Term

First Letter

Dear Harry,

WELL DONE! I just got an owl from Dumbledore! It's wonderful! You've beaten You-Know-Who again! I always thought you'd do it! An' the Unbreakable Link an' all! Olympe and I will be returning this summer- we're getting married you know. She's going to come to Hogwarts an' teach. Well done with your exams and best wishes to Ron and Hermione.

Hagrid.

Second Letter

Dear Harry Potter,

Will you marry me?

Yours hopefully with much Love,

Egredia St. George xxx

Third Letter

Dear Harry,

I'm sorry I have not been replying to your letters recently. My new job has kept me very busy. I've dropped out of my Auror course and I'm working in 'The Leaky Cauldron' instead. It's very interesting- especially when we get customers like hags coming in! I've read the article in the Daily Prophet about your defeat of the Dark Lord. However, it seems very patchy and has great gollups missed out! I'm sure you'll tell me the true story, however. My congratulations both you and Hermione.

Imagine your mother being alive! This is very unexpected but I'm sure you're pleased. The reason given by the newspapers for this doesn't seem to hold water but I'm sure that isn't the real reason! Have Hermione and Ron stopped fighting? You will have the Laurels' Ball in the next few months and the ceremony is on Friday, am I right? I hope to attend the ceremony, so I'll see you then.

I don't know what you and Ron are thinking of doing when you leave Hogwarts, but I have just started renting a lovely, two bedroomed flat in Diagon Alley and I wondered if Hermione would be interested in sharing it. The rent is very reasonable- 450 Galleons a month and I would be delighted to have her. Please mention it to her, however I'll be seeing you soon so it's not of vital importance.

Love Cho

Fourth Letter

Dear Mr. Potter,

We at 'The Most Charming Smile Awards' are pleased to announce that you have won first prize in this year's competition. Well done!

Yours sincerely,

Anne Bobbins (Head Secretary at 'The Most Charming Smile Awards' offices)

These were just a few of the mountains of letters that Harry received in the days following his return to Hogwarts. And he wasn't the only one. Hermione had her share of post, though hers consisted mostly of job offers to join certain agencies dealing with making new spells rather than proposals of marriage. Ron counted the number of these that Harry received, and at Thursday supper announced to the school that, "Harry Potter had received 547 offers of marriage in four days including 129 from Hogwarts and 23 from witches he (Ron) knew to be already married."

The main event of Tuesday was the arrival of Marisa Goldfinger. For most people this was the first time that they had seen their new Minister. She was quite tall, had fluffy golden brown hair and dark brown eyes. She looked sympathetic even though she had her aunt's glare. This was the only resemblance that she bore to Professor McGonagall. She seemed very friendly with Percy, and Harry was reminded of what Ron had said when they had been in Yorkshire- that Percy was in love with her. When he put this suggestion to his friends, Hermione said in a peeved voice that of course he was! Wasn't it obvious? Harry couldn't see why she could be offended.

Hermione herself seemed to have a lot of dealings with the Minister and Professor Dumbledore. She didn't let on to them about what until Wednesday evening after she had sent another long missive to the Grangers. She had already sent one and had a reply. Favourable, if Harry could judge from her behaviour.

Professor Dumbledore, Marisa and Hermione had all realised that the muggle Marisa had met at King's Cross, Mia, was actually the real Hermione Granger. Estella must have swopped the two babies and left Mia in the same orphanage that Tom Riddle had been brought up in with a name as like 'Hermione Granger' as she could dare. Hermione had written to her parents explaining this. She hoped they would except Mia. "I shall always think of her as my sister," she said.

Her parents replied soon. They would never abandon Hermione, she was as much their daughter as Mia could be. They were however going to see Mia who was staying at The Leaky Cauldron.

Harry and Ron were both amazed to hear of this odd twist, even though Ron's first query about Mia was 'if she was pretty'. Hermione admitted that she had considered the possibly that there might be a real Hermione Granger somewhere, but that she had never thought seriously about it.

The week before the Laurels's Ceremony was very frantic. Somehow Harry managed to have his first apparition lesson (all paperwork and pretty boring), his first dancing lesson (boring without the paperwork) a careers talk (too much paperwork and very boring), a quidditch practice ("We'll flatten those Ravenclaws in the finals!") and a practice ceremony.

Soon the big day came. At lunch time the guests started to arrive. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George and Katie Bell came bringing the exciting news that 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' had finally got off the ground, and that George and Katie were getting married in the autumn!

Cho came, looking splendid in dark red. Her comments about working in the pub being harder than her auror course puzzled Harry, but she gave no explanation. He had mentioned her offer of accommodation to Hermione and after some thought, she decided to except it. Remus Lupin turned up unexpectedly, alarming most of the pupils and delighting Sirius, Arabella and Lily with whom he went off into a corner for most of the lunch hour.

Neville's grandmother arrived, looking just as the Snape/Boggart image had done in their third year. Snape looked livid about this, and wouldn't speak to her. At two twenty Harry donned his pointed hat and made his way to the quidditch pitch. The stands had been lowered to ground level and at one end there was a large table with chairs behind it. The centre chair was for Marisa and in front of it was a row of certificates and silver Laurel wreaths. On her left sat Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and six of the school governors. On her right was Percy and the other six governors. To the right was a block, marked 'STUDENTS' where Harry sat. Each place had a name marked- you had to sit in registar order.

At exactly two thirty the ceremony started. Marisa Goldfinger opened it. "I am very pleased to be here with you for the first time since I left Hogwarts myself!" she said. "And I would just like to say a few words about last year." She paused before continuing, "Last year has been an outstanding year for academic achievments, as I am sure Professor Dumbledore would agree, and we have a new record for NEWTs results. Every single pupil has passed with very high marks and I am certain they will all go on to have very deserving careers. I will now give out the certificates."

As if on cue, the pupils removed their pointed hats. Marisa picked up a roll of parchment and called the first name, "Abbott, Hannah!"

Hannah Abbott, now a pretty, fair haired young woman, left the stands and made her way to the table, collected her certificate from Marisa, shook her hand, received her Laurel wreath and returned, blushing furiously, to the stands to a burst of heavy applause.

They crept down the registar, past Lavender Brown, Vincent Crabbe and eventually Gregory Goyle. Then they came to Hermione, who was looking noticibly more confident than anyone else. A whisper spread through the crowd when she received a gold Laurel wreath.

Harry was too nervous, when it came to him, to notice that the clapping had increased about ten fold in volume. He did notice though, that the wreaths were heavier than they looked. Hermione said afterwards that they were made of real silver, or in her case, gold.

After the certificates, Marisa answered everybody's unspoken question. "I am sure you have all noticed the difference in colour between the wreaths of the majority of you and that of Miss Hermione Granger. Yes, we do have a new record." Here she smiled warmly at Hermione, who's face somewhat resembled a beetroot. "Previously the highest mark for NEWTs was held by the late Tom Riddle with 119%. Miss Granger beat this mark by 2% bringing the record up to 121%! I think she deserves a round of applause for this. Very well done, Hermione."

The quidditch stadium gave Hermione a very suitable tribute, though perhaps not as loud as if they hadn't been told to.

There was a pause after that and everyone wondered what was going to happen next. Marisa looked round the pitch and then said, "The events of last week cannot be ignored. However I will not embarrass those concerned by making a fuss over their courage. They will probably like to know all the same that most of the Death Eaters of old are now in Azkaban. Only a few have escaped detection." Harry wondered who the few were. Marisa was speaking again, "I know you all know what Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley achieved last week, and it seems fitting to acknowledge it here. On behalf of all the magical community I bestow on these three students the highest possible mark of distinction in the wizarding world- The Order of Merlin." Harry felt himself go numb- the Order of Merlin!

"Firstly, to Mr. Ron Weasley I award the Order of Merlin Second Class for the use of cool logic in the face of the Imperius Charm and good sense in front of danger contributing to defeat of the Dark Lord." Harry picked out Mrs. Weasley's face in the crowd, stunned and proud.

"Mr. Weasley, please collect your medal." Ron walked to the front again and picked up a large mounted certificate and had a badge pinned on his robes. Harry couldn't see the details from that distance. When he returned to his seat Marisa continued, "To Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Harry Potter I award the highest medal of all- The Order of Merlin First Class. Both these students are the youngest in magical history to receive this medal-" Harry caught sight of Hermione, who had nodded her head at this point. Sometime Harry also must have learnt this fact in History of Magic. "The courage and perseverance of these two young persons is of the highest calibre and we have honoured them accordingly. Will Mr. Potter and Miss Granger please receive their medals?"

Slowly Harry stood up and Hermione did the same. They went back to the desk where Marisa picked up a velvet box, opened it and took a small round badge. It had a twisted pattern in silver metal round the edge which glimmered with some magical charm. Inside was royal blue velvet padding and written in gold on it was

ORDER OF MERLIN 1st CLASS

25/04/2003

Marisa pinned the badge on Harry's chest and then did the same to Hermione. She handed them their certificates to great applause and they sat down again.

The formal ceremony was over. Dumbledore then took the chair and announced that they would sing the school song to tunes of their own choice of course. Because Harry had sung it at the beginning of every school year he now knew the words off by heart, however they appeared in front of the school in silver letters at a flick of Dumbledore's wand.

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.

They started singing. Harry, who knew nearly no music, sang it to the tune of Three Blind Mice. Sally-Anne Perks, the Ravenclaw astronomist next to him sang it to Jupiter. He knew that Hermione would sing hers to the tune of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus as she always did. Ron, who wasn't musical either, just sang whatever the person next to him sang. At the end only Fred and George were singing (as usual), this time to Barber's Adagio for strings.

When the twins had finished they sang God Save the Gracious Queen fortunately to only one tune and the ceremony was over.

Harry met Ron and Hermione on the Quidditch pitch. Hermione immediately opened the conversation thus, "What did you get for your NEWTs? Everyone knows I got 121%, but what did you get? I was quite pleased with my mark, but I am disappointed that I didn't get extra credit in that Arithmancy problem. I explained it so nicely too!"

Harry had completely forgotten to look at his certificate. Trembling, he undid the red bow and unrolled it. He had got 95% over all, an excellent Defence Against the Dark Arts mark making up for a not very good Potions one. Hermione nodded and said, "Hmm, not bad, I suppose."

Ron didn't volunteer a mark, but Harry thought he was pleased. They walked in silence out of the pitch. Then Ron said quietly, "Did you expect to receive that Order of Merlin thing?"

"No, not at all!" replied Harry, "it was a complete surprise. Did you?"

"Of course not!" They walked a little further, then Ron stopped again and said, "I know you both have 1st class awards, but... do you think 2cd class is good?"

"Good?" Hermione almost screamed. "According to a book I read, only 5% of wizards receive Orders of Merlin, and only 1.5% of those are gold. It's brilliant, Ron! Absolutely fabulous!"

"It's just..." he hesitated, "none of my brothers have Orders of Merlin!"

The weeks following the ceremony were spent doing practically nothing. Only in Potions and Transfiguration were they kept working. Marisa Goldfinger's engagement was announced at breakfast the day she was due to leave Hogwarts. Ron was over the moon. "Just imagine- first I get an Order of Merlin, then one of my brothers announces that he's going to marry the Minister of Magic! Harry, can't you marry Ginny or something to raise our name even more?"

"They're not married yet," Hermione reminded Ron ominously as Harry said he preferred to do the 'something' to marrying Ginny.

Every week they would trudge down to Hogsmeade to learn Apparition and they took their exam at the of May. All the seventh years took the course apart from Neville whose Grandmother wouldn't let him.

Harry dropped out of the Careers course soon after it had begun- he knew he wanted to be an Auror and didn't see the point in listening to the qualifications you needed to run a Hippogriff breeding centre. Ron joined him but Hermione stayed for the whole course, saying that it was 'very interesting'.

One class Harry surprisingly did enjoy attending was the dancing class. After the first theoretical lesson it got much better. They were all paired off and Harry found himself with Mandy Brocklehurst, the Ravenclaw quidditch captain, a tall, sensible, brown haired girl with glasses. She was also a good dancer. Hermione was with Ernie MacMillan and Ron with Eloise Midgen whose acne had cleared up amazingly in the last few years.

In the first two weeks they learnt the tango, then they progressed to the foxtrot, the polka and the gavotte. They learnt the quadrille and the march and eventually they came to the waltz. As they practised, Harry looked around the Great Hall, where the lesson was held. Only a few couples looked happy. Hermione looked bored and was holding Ernie, who didn't seem to know what he was doing, at arm's length. Ron and Eloise were having problems as well as neither of them knew what they were doing. Hermione was definitely one of the best dancers there but Mandy was a good partner as well.

"You need to stop tensing up and looking so worried," she said. "No partner is going to kill you!"

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you," replied Harry loosing his footing as he glanced over at Millicent Bulstrode.

"One, two, three. One, two, three. Well don't dance with her then. Twirl me!"

"One, two, three," echoed Harry, "can I dance with you then at the ball?"

"I've already got a boyfriend- other way, Harry! but yes, you can have a couple of waltzes. One, two, three! Only dance waltzes with people you really like. Watch out- you're going to bump into Hermione! Oh well done, you're improving, you know... ow, my toe! One, two, three..." The only other time Harry saw Mandy was in the Quidditch final against Ravenclaw, which Gryffindor won. Harry decided that next year's Quidditch captain should be Pippa Spinnet, in which decision he was backed by Ron and Hermione. She was clearly the best player on the team.

The only other noticeable event of the term took place one breakfast in June. One morning more owls than ever flew into the Great Hall. They dropped identical letters in front of most of the pupils in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and some of the pupils in Slytherin. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Pippa, Irene and the rest of the seventh years had letters.

The envelopes were white marble coloured with crinkled edges and had your name and address written on them in curly gold letters. When Harry opened it a single piece of paper fell out decorated in the same way. As Harry read it he smiled. The letter ran as follows.

You are cordially invited to the wedding of

Mr. Sirius Black and Miss Arabella Figg

on Saturday the twelfth of July 2003

at 2.00 p.m.

in Hogsmeade chapel.

The reception shall take place at the Three Broomsticks after the ceremony.

If it hadn't been for the fact that he was spending his last days at Hogwarts, Harry would have been very happy.

As it was, the term slipped by. The last Hogsmeade trip took place, the last detention was given, Snape yelled at them for the last time, the owl post arrived for the last time, Harry played quidditch with Gryffindor for the last time, the Fat Lady changed the password without telling anyone for the last time...

And then it was the last day, and the last morning, the last lunch and the last ball in the evening...

JK Rowling owns all... This happens to be my favourite chapter, so review kindly! :-)

"Finite incantatem! Turn that off! I can't stand another minute of that out of tune banshee!"

"But... but, Hermione. We like it! We can't get changed for a ball without music."

"Well, get changed to something different. I'll put-"

"Not Beethoven! You will not put him on. I've heard enough violin sonatas to last me a life time."

"But I like Spring, Parvati."

"And Lavender and I like Geri Halliwell."

"Hermione, stop squabbling with Parvi. You're making me smudge my lipstick!" Lavender didn't turn round from her vanity table where she was applying a load of fuscia lipstick.

Hermione glanced up from where she was skimming through A 100 Magical tips for Improving your Appearance, her birthday present from Lavender, wondering if it actually had anything useful in it. "Don't wear it then, Lavender."

Lavender gave her a look.

"How do I look?" cried Parvati, who had just squeezed herself into a long, black, tight fitting ball gown. Lavender was in raptures, but Hermione privately thought that Parvati should have worn something brighter, and less figure hugging. However the affair of the moment was her hair. Should she straighten it? or should she make it even more frizzy?

At length she decided to ask Ginny. Getting up, she made her excuses to her classmates and left the dormitory. As she closed the door behind her, she heard Lavender and Parvati taking advantage of her absence.

The grandfather clock was working itself up for striking. Catherine, curled up on the sofa with the Odyssey and a plate of delicious Italian grapes did not here it. After all, Odysseus' problems were rather more pressing than hers at that moment. For once, she reflected sorrowfully. There never seemed to be a moment in Catherine's life for a quiet read. Always something to be filled in, or something else to be written for someone else for a dead line. These things were generally of no importance to her.

The clock struck. Catherine glanced at her watch. It said ten to two. It took a few minutes of action packed Greek minutes for Catherine to realise what she had seen. When she did she let out a yelp, dropped Homer into the grapes and stared at the grandfather clock. After all, it generally didn't chime at ten minutes to the hour. The clock showed six o' clock.

Catherine jumped up, Penelope's suitors forgotten for the minute, scrambled over the coffee table, knocking her book and the grapes onto the floor and breaking the Venetian glass fruit dish at the same time. She climbed over her piles of books, trinkets, holiday magazines and scrunched up pieces of parchment and suddenly stopped in the middle of the room realising she had no idea what she was doing. She wound up her watch absent mindedly and wondered what the Latin equivalent of 'bloody hell' was.

In a flash memory returned. She was meant to be someone in one hour exactly. And she had been reading the Odyssey thinking she still had three hours to get there. Stupid, stupid Catherine!

The phone rang. Tripping over her Spanish dictionary she grabbed her phone and said rather breathlessly, "Hello. Catherine Shortstraw here. Could I-"

"Ciao, Kitty!" There was only one person who annoyed her by using that name-

"Bill Weasley! What are you doing calling me? I haven't spoken to you since you left Hogwarts! My name's Catherine by the way."

"I know. I say, I didn't expect you to be here. I thought you were still digging up mangy remains in Italy."

"I came back to England four years ago. And I really must go, Bill, I've got an urgent appointment I really need to-"

"Miss? Anyway, why didn't you get ready sooner?"

"My watch stopped, and I really must go-"

"Your watch always stops! Can you just do me one favour?"

Catherine stretched out her arm, one more inch and she'd have got hold of her dress, hanging on the back of her wardrobe.

"What sort of favour?"

"I've got this message in Latin to do with banking, and I don't understand it. I just wondered if you'd help."

Almost got it! "I'll send you a dictionary and grammar book with Chiron tomorrow. I'd love to help you, but now is really not the moment... Now I really must-"

CRASH! Catherine fell over, she had leant too far over bringing the telephone and it's table with her.

"Catherine? Catherine? Earth to Kitty?"

"Is that better, Hermione?" asked Parvati, dancing with her hairbrush.

Hermione rolled her eyes as she came back into her bedroom, "Better, I suppose."

"You look nice, Hermione. I like your dress."

"Thanks, Lavender."

"Yeah, you look OK," added Parvati, determined not to be outdone by her friend.

Hermione surveyed herself in the mirror and wished it to be true. She was in blue, as always, but this time it was quite a tightfitting dress. 'Victorian' her mother had called it. She had opted for frizzy hair, this time and of course, no make up.

"Oh," Lavender remembered, "Harry came in, while you were with Ginny. He left you a note."

Surprised, Hermione picked the piece of parchment up from her bed and turned it over,

Hermione,

PLEASE don't have a row with Ron! He says he won't if you don't provoke him and PLEASE don't provoke him! Enjoy the dance.

Love Harry

P.S. Dance with him once, a fast one.

Lavender and Parvati both wanted to know the contents of the letter, they thought it was a love letter. Hermione quickly expelled such a thought from their minds.

Hermione, Lavender, Parvati and Ginny left their dormitories at half past six for Hogsmeade. They were seen off by the rest of the house and Pippa Spinnet and Irene Malfoy in particular. Irene could have gone because a relation of hers was leaving, but she chose not to. Whether this came from a dislike to see Malfoy as her relation or whether she simply didn't like balls, nobody knew. As it was, Ginny was the only non seventh year to be going.

They met up with Harry and Ron in the Entrance Hall and Hermione and Ginny, after watching Lavender suck up to Harry for five fruitless minutes, left in the same carriage as the two boys.

It was an embarrassing ride. No one spoke. Harry looked very handsome and quite nervous. Ron looked quite handsome and very nervous. Neither of them seemed to want to talk to the two girls, but looked at them sideways every now and then in a way that was starting to get on Hermione's nerves. Ginny was too apprehensive at being near Harry at a ball to say anything and Hermione was saving her collection of small talk for the dancing.

Eventually they reached Hogsmeade and the carriage dropped them at the furthest end of the main street. Just after where the shops and houses had started to peter off, there was an enormous marquee. It was an open marquee, and at one end there was a small orchestra, The Diagon Sinfonietta Orchestra. Round the edges of the canopy were chairs and next to the orchestra were tables with food on them. The centre of the marquee was a smooth polished dancefloor. Different coloured lights twinkled all round it. The orchestra was already playing something light and cheerful. Hermione recognised it as Vivaldi's Spring.

They walked towards the tent, and suddenly Ginny gave a gasp, "Oh look! They're fairies!"

"What are?" asked Hermione, as Ron groaned and muttered, "Girls!"

Ginny showed her one of the sparkling lights. It was actually a tiny fairy holding a coloured lantern. She held it in her palm for a minute before it flew away.

The only teachers Hermione could see were Professor Dumbledore, Sirius and Arabella. She was very glad Snape hadn't come. She looked round to see her fellow seventh years. Draco Malfoy was wearing yet another black, clerical gown. He actually looked quite good looking. Next to him, however, Pansy Parkinson was terrifying. She had over powdered her already pale face, and with scarlet lipstick and a bright red dress, she gave an impression of some gory death.

Crabbe and Goyle both wore muggle suits, and looked as Harry said afterwards, like Dudley "entertaining" one of Uncle Vernon's business colleagues.

The orchestra finished 'Spring' and stopped. It was seven o' clock. Professor Dumbledore announced that the ball was open and pandemonium ensued as everyone tried to find a partner. Harry found himself grabbed by a pair of long, female nails and dragged onto the floor. Opposite Padma Patil. Hermione was dancing with Neville and Ron with Susan Bones. Ginny had the misfortune to be partnering Goyle.

The first dance was a Gavotte which Harry managed to completely mess up. He didn't think Padma would be returning for a second dance later, though he assured her that he could do the tango, foxtrot and waltz without any problems. She looked doubtful.

He missed out the next dance, a quickstep, for the health of his partner, and watched Ron and Lavender, Hermione and Justin Finch- Fletchley, and Ginny and Terry Boot.

And so the first few hours passed. Harry danced some of the dances and sat out for many. After fifteen minutes of the ball, his partner from the lessons, Mandy, rescued him from the clutches of a very insistently romantic Hufflepuff and a slow waltz. They danced a tango together quite successfully and it occurred to Harry that perhaps it depended on the partner how well he danced.

He made Ron and Hermione dance a quickstep together, holding each other as far away as possible. By far the most awkward of all the dances was the polonaise he danced with Ginny Weasley. She was so embarrassed that at the end he felt he had to sit down and recover from the effort of entertaining her.

But it was a tango, which Harry liked. Just as he was leaving the floor, a hand grabbed his arm and drew him back. A familiar voice said in his ear, "I though you were meant to dance with every girl in the year. Come on Harry, don't forget me."

Harry had never danced with Hermione before and he was glad it was a dance he was good at. After all, Hermione was one of the best dancers in the year. They danced in silence for a bit and suddenly Harry found that he was enjoying himself. There was no need to waste time with small talk with Hermione. When she started to talk about permanent banishing charms it came as no surprise and Harry actually felt interested. He felt he was lucky. To have a partner who was interesting, a nice person, pretty and a good dancer was certainly very good fortune.

After Hermione had dried up on banishing charms he brought up the topic of her dance with Ron.

She laughed and replied, "It was funny really. We must have broken the record for uncomfortable dancing." She glanced up at him, her eyes sparkling and a strange feeling came over Harry. He had felt it only once before- in Yorkshire. He had seen Hermione outside the pub and he had thought she had looked pretty in the blustery wind. But it hadn't been the same way when he thought of other girls being pretty. Hermione wasn't pretty in the usual sense of the word. She was elegant and she was clever and that made her-

"Why are you staring at me, Harry?"

"I just thought you looked so beautiful!" Harry said accidentally.

For the first time in the evening she momentarily lost her step.

"Thank-you."

"Back, forward, forward together forward, forward, forward, back, back together back, back, back."

She recovered.

The tango was the last dance of the first half and as Harry and Hermione left the floor in search of Ron, a lady brushed past them, showering them in perfume. They stared at her in surprise, for she was not a member of Hogwarts.

"Sorry!" she cried as she headed for Dumbledore.

"Who's she?" remarked Hermione to Harry. "She's rather old to be at a ball like this!"

The lady was certainly a little above student age. She was quite tall and was wearing very floating robes of a shifting violet, blue colour. She had on a headscarf and too much white powder and rouge. She was probably about fifty, Harry reckoned.

They found Ron sitting near the refreshments and discussed the 'Woman with two much perfume' as they labelled her. She was talking to Dumbledore and was being introduced to Sirius and Arabella.

During the interval the orchestra played some modern tunes which some people danced to.

Harry, Ron and Hermione ate supper.

Harry suddenly became aware that the woman was coming in their direction. He poked Ron, "Look! She's coming towards us."

"Who? Perfume Woman? Oh. So?"

"I wonder what she wants." Hermione mused.

They soon found out. She almost walked past them, then stopped and turned round. She fixed Harry with a curious stare, held out her hand and said rather breathlessly, "You must be Harry Potter. How lovely to meet you."

Harry shook her hand and muttered "Hello."

"I'm Dumbledore's second cousin twice removed." She continued, "You must be Hermione Granger, the expert on Ancient Greece."

"Oh no!" Protested Hermione modestly, "Not really. I mean, I only know a bit... Just very specialised. Well..."

"But you learned the alphabet just to find out the curse, did you?"

"Oh no. That was a coincidence. But I generally learn a bit of the language of the place I'm going to be staying in. Greek was just a little bit trickier."

"Yes, it would be. But it's very good, your learning the language. The number of people who just swan around a foreign country not even being able to say 'Yes, thank you' is absolutely disgraceful. We don't like it if foreigners come into our shops talking their own language, so we shouldn't do it to them."

"I quite agree." Hermione nodded vigorously, "we think just because English is almost an universal language that we can go around pretending we own the world."

Harry chipped in, "This is Ron Weasley."

The woman looked vaguely at him out of grey-green eyes. She seemed to have forgotten his existence. "Oh yes, of course. Nice to meet you, Ron. I know a few of your brothers- Charlie and Bill. Do you like travelling too?"

"Er, yes," replied Ron who couldn't really have answered anything else. Dumbledore's second cousin twice removed turned back to Hermione with interest, "So, Hermione, where else have you been? Greece, and...?"

"Well, I've been to France quite a few times.-"

"Est-ce que tu parles français?"

"Bien sûr!" Replied Hermione, with a laugh. Ron went off to find a partner for the next dance.

The ball started up in the second half with the more romantic dances. It was dark now. The fairies were brighter than ever. There was a really magical feel in the air.

Harry half switched off from the conversation. He was quite tired. It was clear that Hermione was very taken with the new arrival and vice versa.

"...absolutely amazing..."

"...Ibiza...dreadful..."

"...speak five languages as well as Latin..."

"...Guten Tag!..."

"...really no sense of culture..."

"...the euro...awful...takes the fun out of travel..."

"...I completely agree..."

He watched Ron idly circle the dance floor with Lisa Turpin to a slow waltz.

Harry left and went to dance with Mandy. She had promised him a waltz after all. Hermione and Dumbledore's cousin were still deep in conversation, this time about magical communications with South America, where neither of them had ever been. It occurred to Harry that he didn't even know the woman's name.

The waltz having ended, Harry returned to Hermione who had just finished a passionate argument with Dumbledore's cousin about the tourism industry in Spain. When Harry arrived they had just realised that they agreed on every point, and had been therefore arguing against themselves.

"Excuse me," Harry butted in, "I'm afraid I don't know your name?"

She turned surprised and set her eyes on his face, "I'm sorry. Did I really forget to introduce myself? Things are coming to a pretty pass!" She held out her hand and suddenly Hermione frowned- for a middle aged woman's hand, it was very tanned and smooth. "My name is Miss Shortstraw... Catherine Shortstraw."

"That's an odd name," said Hermione.

"Yes, isn't it? I like it, though."

Harry felt sure that it sounded familiar. Suddenly Miss Shortstraw asked him to dance. It was only polite to agree though he didn't see much fun in it. He didn't think he could keep a conversation about the Romans going very long. Only people like Hermione could talk about them with that much interest.

"I feel sure I've heard your name before..." Harry mused.

"It's not one you'd forget soon," she laughed, "really though, you probably have heard it. My sister, Emma is a journalist. She's been in the news recently about her very cynical approach to the Voldemort crisis."

"You said his name!"

"Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. I am meant to be a relation of Dumbledore's after all."

"You're meant to be... you mean you aren't?"

Miss Shortstraw hesitated a split second, "I'm not remotely related to him. I just used that excuse to get into the ball."

"Why did you want to get into the ball?" Harry enquired. He was getting a very bad feeling about Catherine Shortstraw. After all, there were a few death eaters still about who would probably want him dead and would try to get at him in every way.

"Well, you see Harry, er, I'd like to make you a job offer."

Harry hadn't expected that. "Thank-you very much, but I already know what I want to be."

"An auror?" inquired Miss Shortstraw.

"Yes. How did you know?"

She flailed an arm about vaguely, "Oh, you're Harry Potter!"

Harry agreed to this and asked what her what job she was proposing to offer him.

"Ah, well, where shall I start?" She thought a few minutes then said, "You may have heard of my name through my sister, but it's far more likely you heard about me in a different context. My mother was a very good friend of your mother."

"Really? Who was she?"

"Her name was Mrs. Cidilla Shortstraw. Her maiden name was Cidilla French. Er, she taught German."

"But that wasn't all she did!" cried Harry, remembering, "she ah, she erm..." He also remembered that The Department of Mysteries was supposed to be a secret.

She was looking at him insistently with raised eyebrows.

Harry felt very uncomfortable, "Erm, Miss Shortstraw-"

"Catherine."

"Er, Catherine. Well, I'm afraid I can't continue."

"What you mean, I suppose, is that she worked in the Department of Mysteries. Yes, she did and yes, I do now." She smiled at him.

"You? You... work... and you're telling me?"

"Of course. I'm a Principa, and mind you pronounce it 'prinkipa'. It's a made up word from the Latin word 'princeps' meaning emperor."

"Oh. Er, really!"

"You may know that I am in charge of a group of three witches and three wizards. One of our wizards was killed last week and the Department is offering you the job."

"Oh," said Harry again.

Catherine seemed rather worried, "I know it's very hard work, and quite dangerous. Most Domini don't last very long. But it is well paid. Very well paid. You'd earn about 5000 Galleons in your first year."

"Five thousand galleons!?"

"Yes. I see I'm persuading you!"

Harry considered. Becoming a Dominus would take away any idea he had of an auror course. And yet, they were similar jobs and being in DOM was better paid. He remembered what Dumbledore had said of having a partner. He asked Catherine who his partner would be.

She pursed her lips, opened her mouth and shut it once before committing herself to words, "Ah. Your partner. Well, her name is Linda Newman."

"Oh?"

"She's, she's very nice."

"What else?" Harry thought Catherine was being rather evasive.

She looked sheepish. "Linda, unfortunately, is quite sickly. She always seems to be ill in some way, nearly always when it is necessary for her to be on an assignment. It is very, ahem, unfortunate."

"I see. So what happens when she is ill?"

"Either you go alone or a substitute goes with you. Usually it is me, being the Principa of your group."

"Who else would be in my group?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that until you have accepted."

Harry bit his lip and concentrated very hard on his steps for a bit. Catherine was actually a good dancer. She didn't have that aura of grace and perfection that Hermione had, but she didn't miss a step.

What would Ron and Hermione say if he told them he had become a spy? It would be a totally different life, with new people to meet and new things to do. But he liked Catherine. And Hermione liked her, and she generally wasn't wrong about these things.

"I accept."

Catherine positively beamed, "Good! I had an idea that you might. I think I'll enjoy working with you, Harry. Excellent!"

Harry grinned back. He suddenly felt much happier and more secure, "So, who will be my colleagues?"

"Ah yes. You know of course that in each group there are six members, three sets of partners."

Harry nodded.

"Yes, well, in each partnership, one of the two will be very good at attacking, at physical work- that's you, by the way. The other partner probably has the harder lot. They must be a fine actor or actress, capable of deception, of tricking people, of laying red herrings. That's Linda, only she doesn't do her job very well. I don't know how she got the job and how she's survived up to now I can't imagine."

"Who chooses the members? It's not you, is it?"

Heavens no! There's someone called 'The Boss'. I don't know who he is, you don't know who he is, I don't know anyone who knows. Anyway, he's in charge of this whole caboodle and he issues all the orders like which new members to recruit. I just follow his orders and pass them on to you and the five others. It could be a woman actually," she added.

"Now will you tell me who the other members of the group are?"

"Certainly. One of them I believe you already know. A certain young lady?"

"Er?"

"Cho Chang. In fact she only joined us at Easter."

"Cho? She's a Domina? That explains why she dropped out of the auror course!"

"Yes exactly. That's another point I've just remembered. You must have another small job to make it look like you're earning something to people who aren't in the know. I work in Madam Malkims', Cho in the Leaky Cauldron. I wouldn't advise becoming an auror as well, it would be quite a lot to take on board."

"I don't know. What do you suggest?"

"What are you good at?"

"Quidditch, I guess." Harry replied after a little thought.

"Well, there are plenty of quidditch orientated jobs without being actually involved in flying. Have a look out for some. That's what I'd suggest anyway."

Harry thanked her and looked about the marquee.

"Nice event," commented Catherine. "I like balls. I remember my own Laurel's ball when I left Hogwarts. I was forced to dance with Professor Snape."

"Poor you!" laughed Harry.

"Oh it wasn't that bad. I danced with one of Ron's brothers as well. Charlie I remember. We were in the same year. Bill was a few years older."

Harry stared at her, "But you're... you're older than that, aren't you?"

"I'm twenty seven. I look like I'm about fifty because I'm trying to look like Dumbledore's cousin."

The dance (a very long waltz) wound to a close and Harry and Catherine left the floor, Catherine to go and talk to Dumbledore and Harry to Ron and Hermione. Ron was still dancing with Lisa but Hermione was sitting where he had left her, looking tired and rather bored.

"Hello, Harry. Enjoyed your dance? You looked like you were enjoying it."

"I was actually!" Harry replied surprised.

"Hmm." Hermione stared at him out of narrow eyes. Eventually she said, "So she wasn't a death eater?"

"No! Why should you think she was?"

"Her hands are younger than the rest of her. I thought she was in disguise."

"But you liked her!"

"I know, and I still do. Even death eaters can be nice I suppose. So what did she want?"

"She was-"

Ron came back, looking radiant. "I think I've fallen in love!"

Hermione looked very sceptical, "What, this is the, oh what is it, fourth time you have? No, third. Fleur and me first. Who with?"

Ron had a very dreamy look on his face, "Lisa. Lisa Turpin. And to think I didn't even know she existed before tonight!"

"Does she like you back?"

"That's just it. I- I think she might!"

"Oh Ron! You've danced one waltz with her. Anyway, shut up! Harry was just about to say something important when you interrupt with your love life. Really! Go on, Harry."

Quickly and quietly Harry narrated all that Catherine had told them, and made them swear to secrecy.

Ron looked a bit jealous but he couldn't tell whether Hermione was. She looked... blank.

At last when Ron had finished being excited by it she laid her hand on Harry's, and said softly, "Do you have to, Harry? I- I couldn't bare it if anything happened to you. Remember your parents. It's a dangerous job. You could be killed next week!"

"Oh come on Hermione," put in Ron, "he's far more likely to be run over by a bus."

Harry wished she wouldn't take it that seriously, he couldn't help agreeing with Ron. "Look, Hermione. Thanks to you, Voldemort's gone. No-one's going to be trying to kill me."

"He came back last time."

"Well that was last time. This is this time. It's completely different, and this is a ball and I don't propose to spend my time talking about that now. Voldemort will never come back."

Suddenly as they were talking Hermione went pale and she stared hard over her shoulder. Harry frowned at her and made a few incomprehensible eye movements in her direction. Ron carried on talking about Lisa.

Eventually she caught on that Harry had noticed her change in behaviour. She said through the Unbreakable Link, Harry, whatever you do, don't let Ron look at the dance floor.

Harry frowned and replied, Why not? What's up?

It's Ginny. She's dancing with... with... Draco Malfoy.

Harry immediately turned round and caught sight of Ginny in her canary yellow ball dress circling the floor with Malfoy to a relaxed foxtrot. (A/N: I always think of Ginny in canary yellow?!) She didn't look too unhappy either.

Unfortunately Ron noticed Harry's glance and turned round as well. Harry and Hermione watched anxiously. It didn't take Ron long to see what the deal was.

His face went red and he left out a bellow like an angry bull, before charging onto the dance floor towards the couple, "DRACO MALFOY! UNHAND MY SISTER!"

Some of the dancers stopped dancing and stared, even the lead violinist of the Diagon Sinfonietta hesitated a second. Draco Malfoy stopped dancing and turned to face Ron. Ginny pulled away and looked rather scared.

Ron raced to her side and grabbed her physically away from Malfoy. Harry and Hermione followed cautiously onto the dance floor. Draco's eyes glittered coldly, "Leave my partner alone, Weasley. I'll dance with who I like. Besides, she came of her own free will. I asked her to dance and she accepted."

"Don't be ridiculous! What spell did you put on her? That's the question! This calls for revenge!"

Ginny wrestled out of both Ron and Malfoy's grasp and cried out, "Malfoy's right! I'm dancing with him because I want to. Now let me go, you're making me waste the foxtrot!"

Ron wouldn't give up and cried with more perception than he was usually credited for, "Ginny! Don't even think he's doing this to be nice! He's just trying to hit it off with you, ruin you and then dump you!"

"Ron..." intervened Hermione ineffectually and was ignored.

Ginny went scarlet and gazed from Ron to Malfoy who was looking decidedly shifty. She couldn't seem to make up her mind what to do. Eventually she acted as only humans do, "Harry! It's all his fault!"

Harry opened his mouth and shut it again. All eyes swivelled onto him. This was the second love triangle he had got himself 'caught up in', the first being the affair of Hermione and Krum in his fourth year.

"If Harry liked me and danced with me then I would never have felt the need to dance with Malfoy!" Ginny continued.

"Rubbish!" Said Hermione her eyes blazing, "that's absolute nonsense!"

"How sweet! The Mudblood sticking up for-"- Malfoy.

"Why bring Harry into this?"- Ron.

"Yeah- why bring me into this?"- Harry.

"'Cos it's your fault!"

"I want to dance!"

"He danced a polonaise with you? What more do you want?"

"God, I wish we had a reporter here. This would make headline news. You know- 'Weasley girl dumps Scarface Potter for Draco Malfoy at Laurel's Ball!"

"Malfoy, you're really not helping!"

"And it’s really none of your business, Granger!"

"We were never even going out!"

"What on earth is going on here?" They fell silent. Arabella was the speaker and she looked furious. She placed her hands on her hips and surveyed them. "Now what was going on?"

After a couple of minutes she extracted the true story from Hermione and sent Draco and Ginny off to finish their dance and told Ron that it really was their business who they danced with. Ron was not pleased and stormed off the floor saying that he hated balls.

The foxtrot came to its conclusion and Ginny sent off a parting shot, "See, at least you made me miss my favourite dance!"

Harry found himself standing in the middle of the dance floor. He made his way off when he heard Hermione call to him from behind, "Wait!" The orchestra struck up a waltz.

Harry turned round and saw her standing there amid the swirling couples. Her head was on one side, and her eyes seemed brighter than usual in the fairy light. She held out a hand to him with a smile, "Will you dance, Harry? Just one waltz?"

Harry looked at her and wondered why he was hesitating. He shrugged, "If you like." He took her hand and put his arms round her and they began to dance.

It was a moment he would never forget for all his life; it was the moment he fell for Hermione Granger.

As she leant back in his arms Harry felt that she fitted into them, like she belonged there. She was so light, and such a good dancer!

"Do you know what this dance is?" she asked.

Harry shook his head.

"Strauss. Thousand and One Nights waltz."

"How do you know that?" asked Harry, amazed.

"Oh, I know everything!" She laughed and spun round, her sky blue skirt swirling round Harry's legs. For once Harry didn't even try to doubt it, "Tell me some more about permanent banishing charms, Hermione. They're really interesting."

She grinned up at him, "I can't talk about charms in a waltz!"

"I thought you could talk about charms anytime and anyplace!"

"Anyplace but a waltz! You may not know it, but I really like balls! I've been looking forward to this one for months and I intend to enjoy it! I love the atmosphere, the music, the dancing, the gentility of it all! Don't you think so?"

"I suppose so, it's certainly very romantic."

"I love the romance of it all as well! Nowadays at a disco, everyone's simply interested in the sex, the physical part of love. Here, I don't know- it's different."

"I know what you mean. There are no sensual songs, no kissing- do you know, I have not seen even one person snogging their girlfriend yet!"

"I won't tell you to look behind you then. Terry and Mandy are just proving you wrong!"

"And Ron and Lisa, I imagine."

They laughed and then danced in silence for the rest of the waltz. At the end of it, Harry felt tired and his legs ached, but Hermione didn’t let him go, and somehow he didn't care and stayed with her to dance Roses from the South and then The Blue Danube.

He felt so happy and yet he couldn't explain it. It was so nice to spend time like this with a good friend like Hermione!

By the end of Roses from the South Hermione's head was practically resting on his shoulder and she seemed to be dancing in her sleep. However, when he suggested quietly that they went and sat out for a bit she stood up straight and shook her head emphatically, "No! I'm quite happy here. Thanks for asking though, Harry."

It was midnight when the beautiful blue Danube finally reached the sea and everyone stopped dancing. The bells of Hogsmeade gave their impression of Big Ben, fireworks were set off and the lovers kissed. Then Professor Dumbledore wished everyone good luck with their paths in life, the pupils applauded, the lovers kissed some more and the ball was over.

Hermione disentangled herself from Harry's arms and went off somewhere. Ron grabbed Harry and they made off for the coaches to take them back to Hogwarts.

"Hermione looked like she was almost asleep! I can't believe you danced the last three waltzes of the evening with her! With Hermione!"

"Well," replied Harry ruefully, "it was only going to be one dance, but then I think we were so tired we just couldn't be bothered to stop."

"Oh I see," said Ron who didn't.

"I say, have you seen Catherine?"

Ron nodded, "Yeah, I saw her leave for the station just before midnight."

"She must have been going to catch the 12 o' clock train. I wish I had had a chance to say goodbye to her."

"You'll see her again soon. Where's Hermione for that matter?"

"She went off somewhere at the end. I don't know."

"She said she'd walk back. I think she wanted some fresh air." Sirius appeared behind them. "So enjoyed the ball?"

"It was great!" said Ron enthusiastically, "apart from that Slytherin git going off with Ginny."

"That was unfortunate. What about you, Harry?"

"It was good," said Harry guardedly. "I'm...um... just going to see... er... see you at the castle, Ron!"

"What? Where're you going?"

But Harry had disappeared into the crowd.

Hermione walked quickly away from the group of students leaving the marquee and down Hogsmeade's unlit main street. How many times she had come here with Harry and Ron to buy sweets and tricks! She walked briskly, but when she reached the Shrieking Shack she stopped suddenly and went to sit on the rail of the fence around it.

The music echoed in her head as she watched the crowd moving towards the coaches. It was so nice to sit here, being eighteen and at a ball! A gentle night breeze wafted her hair across her face. She yawned and stared up at the clouds illuminated by the half moon.

She was tired, very tired indeed and yet she felt very excited. She could hardly sit still. There were butterflies in her stomach and she knew she wanted something, but she didn't know what. She knew she would not sleep a wink that night, or rather morning.

There was something she would have to think about. That was why she had come out here. Harry. She knew she liked him. She had realised that long ago- in that closet when she had told him about the Unbreakable Link. Now she wondered just how much. She had thought it was a crush and anyone can control a crush, after all no-one had noticed, had they? She hadn't even bothered to check it, she liked it. It was odd and different to feel like that towards someone. She had not thought it would go anywhere. She had taken Parvati and Lavender as her rolemodels- they had crushes everyday which then disappeared like the twinkling of a star.

She tried to analyse her feelings now, it was the first time she had thought of them seriously. They worried her. The scale and dept of them. It wasn't just physical attraction, there was that of course, but it was more than just that, there was the desire to be with him, to help him. To be happy with him, to be sad with him, to laugh and cry together. There was a small tug at her heart when she thought of it. Hermione wasn't stupid, she knew what had happened. She had fallen in love with him.

How awful it was to be eighteen, at a ball and in love with someone!

She would have to go back sometime. They would miss her otherwise, yet for a moment she wanted to escape reality. To stay in the warm, friendly night for a bit longer. The main square was dark now, all the coaches had left. Hermione sighed and prepared to get off the fence, hopefully keeping her dress in one piece at the same time.

"Hermione?"

Hermione sat perfectly still, her heart beating faster than normal.

"Harry?" Her voice came out a strangled gasp. She immediately composed herself and made her throat relax, like one does before singing.

"Where are you?"

"Shrieking shack," she replied, her voice normal again.

He came up to her and grinned, "Why on earth didn't you go to the coaches? Sirius said you wanted top walk back. Why?"

"Oh, just helps me calm down. It was very hot in the tent."

"True. It was a wonderful ball though." He clambered up onto the fence next to her, just as she jumped down.

"You're really edgy, you know Hermione. What happened?"

"I'm excited! The ball's worked me up."

"Of course," he said sceptically.

Suddenly she felt it. It wasn't that bad being in love, it was exciting and novel and happy! It was wonderful power.

She laughed, "It was a wonderful ball!" she said with real conviction.

"You are odd, you know!"

"And delightful!" She danced up to him and grabbed his hand.

"Of course! I was just coming on to that!" He allowed himself to be dragged off the fence and waltzed around the street.

"Are you ever going to stop dancing tonight, Hermione?"

"I could have danced all night!" she sang with a smile.

"What's that?"

"Song from My Fair Lady. It's my favourite musical. 'I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night, And still have begged for more!'"

"You sing well. Carry on!"

"'I could have spread my wings, And done a thouand things, I never did before!'" She hesitated, realising where the song was going. Harry stopped dancing.

"'I never knew what made it so exciting, Why all at once my heart took flight! I only know when he, began to dance with me, I could have danced, danced, danced all night!'"

She stopped breathless.

"It's a nice tune," said Harry neutrally.

Hermione turned away, "We'd better get back now." She started to walk away.

"Hermione," Harry suddenly took hold of her hand and she turned slowly to face him, "who was he? What was the meaning of the last bit of the song? Who was he? Who did you dance with?"

"I- I can't tell you."

Gently he touched her chin and turned her face towards his. "You're different. It's changed you. Or maybe I'm seeing you differently, that's all. I don't know."

She didn't reply. Harry didn't move.

"We've been through a lot together, Hermione."

"A lot," she echoed.

He didn't seem to know what to say after that. Eventually, "Oh damn it! Just tell me if it's me!"

"Do you want it to be you?"

Harry stared at her as if that consideration had never entered his head.

"Do you?" she insisted.

"I never thought of that. I suppose- I don't know! It's all changed! I think- I think I do!"

Hermione let out her breath she had been holding and wondered what to say. The possibility he might like her back had never occured to her. What should she do?

He was looking at her again. Her mouth went dry. "It is me, isn't it? I would never have thought!"

She nodded once and licked her lips nervously.

Harry looked at her in mild amazement, "Hermione? Why are we standing here, talking like this? It isn't right, I want to go right away from here now! I want to live in reality, where you're the bookworm and I'm Harry Potter, saviour of the world!"

"But you are! And I am! It's just different."

"Exactly."

"Harry, never forget, we are who we are and we always will be. Nothing can change that!"

"I know what you're thinking about. We can change it! It doesn't matter to me, and it shouldn't matter to you. No-one will ever hear your name in connection with Voldemort's. The world will know you just as Hermione Granger, if that's what you want. No-one will ever know."

"But, Harry, that's not possible. It's simply not possible to hide it from everyone."

"Well, we'll try our very best!"

Suddenly she cried, "Oh please do! It'll ruin all my chances if people know who... who I am."

He stared at her and suddenly put his arms round her and kissed her. She let out a gasp and kissed him back. Viktor was nothing like him, this was... amazing. She had never thought she would ever kiss him, and certainly not like this! She didn't want to think, not now, just kiss him and kiss him...

He changed his position and suddenly she realised what had happened. She pushed him away from her.

"Hermione!" he cried horrified, "what have we done?"

"We kissed. Harry, we can't do this!"

"I know! What will Ron say?"

"Of all the things to say just now!"

"Well, what did you mean then?"

She opened her mouth but no sound came out for many seconds. She couldn't get rid of the memory of the last few minutes. At last she said carefully, "Harry, do you realise the implications? The very serious implications?"

"No, what are they?"

"Do I have to spell it out to you? Who are we? I am the daughter of Lord Voldemort, you are Harry Potter, you have Gryffindor blood in you you said once. It's almost as bad as Ginny and Malfoy!"

"I know, but we shouldn't do things just because our ancestors hated each other!"

"Yes, but Harry! We have the Unbreakable Link, don't we? What would happen if...? Doesn't this mean anything to you? No of course it doesn't! You haven't read it!"

"Read what?"

"Oh never mind! I can't tell you! I don't even know myself, but we can never. get. together."

Harry blushed crimson, "I think I know you what you mean about the Unbreakable Link, Hermione!" (A/N: And if you don't, re-read chapter 5!)

"Yes exactly, you see what I mean, we must forget this evening!"

"But... Hermione, I enjoyed it."

Hermione opened her mouth and turned away from him, "Let's get back to the castle."

And so they returned to the castle, Hermione talking about permanent banishing charms the whole time.

JK Rowling owns all...

Chapter 19- The Green-Eyed Stag

Lily Potter watched the last of the carriages disappear from Hogwarts and turned to face Professor Dumbledore.

"Gone?" he asked.

"Gone, never to return."

"I expect some will return. Parvati Patil is going train to teach Divination."

Lily laughed, "Who on earth gave her careers advice?"

Dumbledore's mouth twitched. Lily asked suddenly, "How was the ball? I didn't go, I was at a meeting with Professor Flitwick. I can't believe I'll actually be teaching here! It's always been my goal."

Dumbledore sighed, "Have you seen Harry since last night?"

"I've seen him. Why?"

"Do you know who was at the ball last night?"

"The seventh years? Ginny Weasley? You? The headless horsemen? I can't imagine."

"Catherine Shortstraw."

Lily spun round, mouth slightly open, "Not Cidilla's youngest daughter?"

"The same."

"And I missed her! I remember little Catherine, always so much brighter than the others. Emma, Anne, Margreat, Eleanor and Catherine. What was she doing?"

"She was passing herself off as my second cousin to get into the ball."

"Hmm. Why?"

"To talk to Harry. She was making him a job offer."

Lily went white, "No! He... he didn't except, did he?"

Dumbledore nodded gently, "I believe he did. I appreciate this must come as a shock to you, Lily, but it could have been expected."

Lily's mouth was a thin line, "They won't get him! No-one is killing my Harry!"

"Of course they won't," soothed Dumbledore, "don't forget- Voldemort's gone."

"He may be dead, but they'll be others who will try to imitate him. They haven't even caught all of the death eaters. Pettigrew's still out there, for heaven's sake! And so's Lucius Malfoy! Aurors these days aren't what like what they were. And now it's Harry and Catherine's job to save the world again! Is Catherine his partner?"

Dumbledore shook his head, "No, she's the group's Principa. His partner's called Linda Newman."

"Hmm, let me think. Linda Newman... twenty nine years old, was in Hufflepuff, long greasy blond hair, used to have too much acne, complains all the time about her health in a high whiny voice and thinks putting on an American accent is the height of sophistication? Yep, I know who you mean. Lucky Harry."

Dumbledore didn't reply, and she continued a second later, "Why can't he be partners with Hermione, it's the natural thing, since they've got the Unbreakable Link?"

Dumbledore shrugged, "You know things like this aren't always very fair."

Lily sighed and her hand went to her neck, like it always did when she was anxious. Dumbledore looked at her carefully and then said, "May I see it?"

"See what?"

"The pendant. I wasn't aware you still had it."

"I would sooner sell my soul to the devil than loose it. Have a look."

Dumbledore stood up and peered close at the necklace out of his half moon spectacles. It was a gold pendant on a thinly woven gold chain. It was very delicately crafted and was of a golden stag, with one tiny emerald as its eye.

He drew back and sighed, "A very fine example, Lily. A stag for James and the emerald for you. When will you give it to Harry?"

Lily shrugged, "When the time is ripe. Clemmie Potter gave it to James when he was seventeen."

"That young?"

"Yes. He told me later that it was when I was staying with the Potters and Clemmie noticed that her son liked me and gave him the pendant."

"And he gave it to you when?"

"At the Christmas Seniors' Ball when he asked me to marry him."

"They're fascinating magical objects." Dumbledore commented.

"They are indeed. Their ability to see who you've fallen in love with is very strange. James said that he knew immediately who he was in love with, because he didn't know know anyone else with green eyes! They're such individual objects. This could belong to no-one except me. And the second I give it to Harry it will change."

"Who do you think she will be?"

"Only I am allowed to know that. It's taboo to tell anyone else. I think Harry will know exactly who she is when he sees what the pendant has changed to though. That's why I shan't give it to him until I know he's fallen for her. Oh Professor, the idea of Harry marrying anyone is so odd! And my giving it to him... I wonder what it will turn into? A broomstick?"

"I doubt it. I'm sure Harry has more substance than quidditch, something that goes far deeper than a love of flying."

"Oh? What?"

"I think he is a true Gryffindor."

Harry Potter slumped back in his chair and ate another chocolate frog. The scene was ever so familiar for a journey on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, eating; Ron staring out of the window; and Hermione deep in 'Hogwarts, A History'. None spoke. Harry thought about what he had told Dumbledore that morning about Catherine's proposal, Ron thought about Lisa Turpin and why she was so much more... everything, than Hermione was. Hermione was thinking about the reconstruction of the Astronomy Tower in 1159 following the rather destructive antics of a pair who put the Maurauders and the Weasley twins conbined to shame.

Harry ripped open another sweet and glanced at the card groaning, "Drat. Another one of me. That makes it six so far. Ron, you want it?"

Ron shook his head, "Nah, not particularly. Can I have a frog, though?"

Harry handed him one and he unwrapped it. His eyes widened, "Will you believe it, Harry? This is the first ever chocolate frog card I've got of Agrippa! I've been looking for it for about ten years!"

"And you've only just found it? Great!"

"I was looking for it on the very first train ride, remember?"

Just as Harry was about to reply, the door slid open and the brilliant brown eyes of Lisa Turpin peaked round the door. Ron went bright red and looked quickly away.

Hermione glanced up from her book, "Come and join us, Lisa!"

Lisa smiled and sat down next to Ron, "Doesn't it looks like Study Time in the Ravenclaw common room! Wow, Harry, you've got six chocolate frog cards of yourself! I'd love to be on a card like that!"

Harry shook his head, "We can swop anytime. Do you want a scar as well?"

Hermione kicked him. Another silence set in. Ron stared unseeing out of the window, Harry stared out of the compartment door, Lisa looked very uncomfortable and kept looking at Ron. Hermione read her book without looking at it and without turning the pages either.

Suddenly she closed her book with a snap and looked at her watch. She started very hard and cried, "It's ten past eleven. Harry, we are so late!"

Ron and Lisa ignored her, they were too busy not looking at each other. Harry looked up, "How interesting, Hermione. Big deal."

Hermione glared at him, "You know the head girl has to go and check up on the prefects at eleven o' clock."

"Why? Can't the prefects take care of themselves?"

"I don't know! and you've got to come with me because you're deputy head boy!"

"I'm-?" Harry was stopped because Hermione had trodden on his foot.

Ron sat up suddenly, "You never told me that you were deputy head boy. I never knew they even existed." Lisa looked on with mild amusement.

"Well he is," said Hermione, "now come on Harry! We're late!"

She dragged Harry out of the compartment and closed the door. She dragged him further down the corridor.

"Now!" he began, "Hermione, what is the meaning of this? I am certainly NOT deputy head boy! Why do you want me alone?"

"Not us, you idiot! Them!"

"Oh."

"And while we're about it, why are you in such a bad mood? You were really nasty to Lisa back there."

"What do you mean? It's not as if you didn't just make one of the most obvious excuses to leave them alone!"

"So obvious you didn't notice it!"

"That's besides the point! And in case you want to know, I didn't get to bed until two in the morning and I had to get up at half six to see Dumbledore. The damn train left at eight o' clock and I hadn't even packed!"

"Well that's your problem isn't it? As a matter of interest, I was up at six o' clock to arrange with Professor McGonagall who was going to be head girl and boy next year."

"Look who's in a bad mood now!"

"Stop being so immature Harry! By the way, Ginny is going to be head girl next year."

"Ron will be so pleased to have another head of school in his family."

"You're unbearable, Harry!"

"You're not my mother, Hermione!"

"Like I don't know that! Now act your age. We arrive at King's Cross in about two minutes. Let's see what Ron and Lisa are up to."

Hermione led the way back to the compartment talking perhaps louder than was necessary. When they entered it Ron and Lisa were sitting next to each other in exactly the same position as they had been left, only slightly redder in the face. No questions were asked, but Ron smiled slightly at Harry's raised eyebrows.

They reached King's Cross a few moments later and instantly there was confusion. The first person to come running into their compartment was Neville who had lost his address book and needed to get their addresses again. Then came Lavender and Parvati (clutching her crystal ball) who were very tearful and remeniscent of all the 'good times' they had had with Hermione. Lavender kissed Harry's cheek and looked very sorrowful, but he didn't seem to notice.

Mrs. Weasley was on the platform and immediately enveloped Harry, Ron and Hermione in a hug instantly. Then she stopped and looked at Lisa. "Hello, dear."

There was an awkward silence then Lisa said with a beaming smile, "You must be Mrs. Weasley. I'm Lisa Turpin and I'm in Ravenclaw. I'm friends with Ron, Hermione and Harry."

If Mrs. Weasley was at all suspicious of this, she didn't show it. "You're very welcome, dear. What are your plans for the summer? I've aleady got two extras with us, Harry and Ginny's friend Irene. We'd love to have you with us!"

Lisa's face was as red as a tulip in full bloom. "I- I'd love to, Mrs. Weasley, but I'm actually going on a study trip to India this summer. Remember I'm a Ravenclaw!" she added ruefully.

Mrs. Weasley nodded, "Well, another time, perhaps. Now come on, Ron and Harry. Do you have you trunks? Is that Pidwidgeon that's trying to escape? Where is Ginny? Let's get off the platform. Really very claustrophobic..."

As one they barged through the barrier, incuring the wrath of the guard who was a afraid the muggles would notice them. Harry caught one last glimpse of the scarlet engine before he became engulfed in the muggle world.

At once he heard Hermione cry out from next to him, "Mum!" and she dashed off into the crowd.

Hermione tugged her case reluctantly through a group of very lost and sweaty Italian students. Eventually she reached her parents and was about to drop her possessions and embrace them, when she noticed someone standing next to them. She was a tallish girl with lots of golden brown hair. She had a brace and hornrimmed glasses. Hermione faltered. There was a pause while she stared at her.

Then the girl smiled, showing her brace off to best advantage and held out her hand to Hermione, "Hi! I guess you're Hermione. I'm Mia. I've been dying to meet you, you look just like a witch!"

"Er, I do?" She smiled back and took Mia's hand, "I wanted to meet you, too. Hello, Mia."

She glanced at her mother. Mrs. Granger suddenly hugged her, "I'm very proud of you, Hermione." She whispered in Hermione's ear.

It was all as normal, "I wish you'd been to the ball, Mum! There were real fairies! And they played Strauss!"

"Fairies?" cried Mia, "there were fairies? Aren't they just made up for little children?"

"Oh no! They're real! I'll lend you 'Hogwarts, A History'! You'll love it!"

She became aware of someone's prescence behind her, "More than I can say for Harry."

"More than you can say about what? Hello, Dr. Granger, Mrs. Granger."

Mrs. Granger smiled, "How are you, Harry? Long time no see. You've grown a bit since I last saw you, when you were only twelve! This is Mia, Hermione's sister."

Harry glanced at Hermione, "Nice to meet you, Mia. I'm Harry Potter."

Mia almost jumped a foot in the air, "You're Harry Potter? Miss Goldfinger told me all about you. You're like a wizarding James Bond, aren't you?"

Harry nervously brushed his fringe over his scar, "Um yeah, I guess."

"And you're Hermione's friend? I suppose we'll see a lot of you then!"

Harry looked at Hermione who looked away, slightly confused. Mrs. Granger frowned. "Yeah, yeah. I imagine we will," said Harry.

"Where are Ron and Lisa?" asked Hermione.

Harry raised his eyebrows, "They're behind the newspaper kiosk. Er, saying goodbye."

"Why behind a kiosk?" asked Mia.

Harry chose not to answer that question.

Dr. Granger looked at his watch and whispered something to his wife. She nodded and turned to Harry, Hermione and Mia, "I really think you should say goodbye to Harry now, Hermione. We've arranged for Mrs. Hollberg to have tea with us, so we should be getting back."

Hermione put on a rather fake smile, "Lovely. Where's Ron, Harry? I want to say goodbye to him as well."

"I'll show you." They disappeared into the crowd.

Suddenly Hermione grabbed his arm, "Harry, promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Never tell anyone about me. Or about our link. I- I don't want it raised at all. I just want to be normal."

"Yes of course. I won't tell a soul. Why?"

"Oh Harry. There's something you don't know about, but I can't tell you. It would ruin everything."

"Oh if you can't tell me..."

"I'm sorry..."

They stared at each other then Harry shrugged, "I daresay I'll live without knowing. It's not a big deal." He grinned at her then kissed her very quickly on the lips and watched her blush and draw back gently.

"No, Harry. We're friends. Always and only friends. Let's go and find Ron, see if he's finished kissing Lisa."

Harry shook his head with a smile, "Who knows where it'll end if we don't stop them?"

Laughing, they disappeared in search of the newspaper kiosk...

Finding comfort together the way old friends do.

And then divides and words of violence

We make up with each other the way old friends do.

Times of joy and times of sorrow

We will always see it through.

I don't care what comes tomorrow,

We can face it together the way old friends do.

Title: Harry Potter and the Unbreakable Link (20/20)

Author: Silvestria

E-mail: [email�protected]

Category: Mystery

Keywords: Hermione Estella Harry Voldemort Epithanos

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All books

Summary: 7th year fic in the good old traditional style. Voldemort has a daughter (only he lost her), Harry has a dream, Dumbledore has a past and Hermione has a problem. Major revelations about the Potters, and the beginning of a possible romance...

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Epilogue

A small woman pulled her cloak round herself more snugly and shivered in the cold wind. She was standing as far away from anywhere as possible, on a deserted Yorkshire moor. Looking around she pulled out a wand and drew a long shimmering line round herself. It glowed blue. Then she cried "Apparecchio!"

Immediately the air on the line began to shimmer slightly. She could see people fuzzily through it. She stepped through the line and closed the air behind by saying, "Deapparecchio!"

There were only six people there, all swarthed in black cloaks like the woman herself. There was a tall man, standing a little aloof from the rest. There was a very impatient man with another very close to him. There were two people who seemed to be wider than they were high. And there was the leader, a short man with a silver hand.

These were all that was left of the famous British Death Eaters.

The short man turned to the woman and asked sharply, "Are there any more coming?"

She laughed to herself. Peter Pettigrew was never the brightest at recognizing people, though he'd seen her more than enough in the past. "No, I believe we are now complete."

Pettigrew nodded absently and turned to the two impatient death eaters, "Well Lucius, I see you've brought your son. Draco Malfoy, do you swear alegience to me and your Lord?"

The son nodded and drawled lazily, "Of course, though the Dark Lord isn't really in a position care about new recruits I'd say. He's rather dead, isn't he?"

Peter hissed, "He will return! Now listen to what I have to say! Any more speech of that kind and you'll lose your head!"

The woman bit her lip to stop herself interfering. If she were in charge that wasn't the way she'd go about instigating fear in the ranks and she didn't like watching people behave stupidly.

Pettigrew paused for effect. Then he said in a hush, "His Lordship has left a will!"

The six others crowded closer in. Lucius cried, "Well?"

Pettigrew was enjoying the attention, something he had never got when he was merely Voldemort's second in command. "I will now produce the document!"

Going to give us a rabbit out of your hat while you're about it, are you? she thought sarcastically. Get on with it.

Peter Pettigrew pulled out his wand and moved it slowely in circles around a particular spot. A bright white light increased until it was unbearable to look at. Then it stopped and he was holding a piece of parchment rolled up and tied with green ribbons.

The Death Eaters communally gasped. The lady made no movement whatsoever. Pettigrew unravelled the scroll with a flourish, "Behold the last will and testament of our Lord!"

"Will you read it aloud?" asked the aloof man, speaking for the first time.

Pettigrew smiled, "This is a very private document. Only the most trusted of his lordship's command should have the right to see its contents."

He skimmed his eyes greedily over it and then stopped somewhere on the second page. "I will read you this section. It should give you hope. Here." He started to read.

"'My last bequeathment is to England, my country. Knowing how much my faithful followers will mourn my departure, I have left them with one promise. One day the group that I have initiated will be stronger than ever before! All England will be under the command of the Dark Lord! There will be no witches and wizards who are not completely pureblood left! Muggles and Mudbloods will be exterminated! Hogwarts will be a school of the Dark Arts! And to rule over this new England I leave my heir!'"

Peter paused and Lucius cried eagerly, "More! More!"

Voldemort's new first in command nodded and continued, "'My heir will be the descendent of someone very close to me. He will be the most powerful witch or wizard that ever lived and he will exist to build up my regime into something the likes of which the world has never seen, not since the reign of my glorious anscestor, Salazaar Slytherin. Await his coming!' Here ends his will, faithful Death Eaters!"

She felt sick and couldn't speak. It couldn't be...? Lucius also was frantic, "What does it mean, 'descendant of someone very close to me'? When is this heir coming, anyway?"

Pettigrew backed off, "I really- I have no idea. We most only watch and wait, and then, at the right moment- strike!"

The aloof man muttered something about a meeting and left the cirle. She smiled, yes, go back to Dumbledore. He'll be very pleased to hear your news.

Pettigrew was saying something to the Malfoys, but she was no longer interested. She had heard all she needed and she apparecchioed out. Pettigrew continued explaining his plans for a few minutes then the meeting broke up.

When everyone had left Pettigrew folded up the will and shoved it in his pocket. He then pulled out a quill and searched through all the compartments in his cloak for something. A choclate frog card of Harry Potter, some string, a pocket calendar and then a small scrap of poor quality notepaper. He checked that it was the right piece, then picking up the quill added to what was already written there. There were two bullet points on it with tick boxes next to them. They were empty. Pettigrew drew a new box, near his new point. The paper now said,

- Find the daughter.

- Find the mother.

- Find the heir.

Smiling slightly he crumpled the paper back into his pocket and apparated away.

To be continued...

You can read the sequel, Cassandra, or Memoires of an Heroine by going back to this address or my yahoo group. Hope you enjoy it!

Please review!