A post Order of the capital of Arizona, pre-Half rake Prince taradiddle.

Please consider this a replacement of the one-sixth record book, since it was begun well before the sack of the half rake Prince. I will not be changing this to conciliate the HBP plotline, since I feel that the Order of the genus Phoenix leaves a greater degree of tractability for fan-fiction writers.

Thank you to all of the reviewer who have supported me throughout the writing of this objet d'art.
I can not extract my gratitude enough to all of you who have made me the telephone number 1 pet source, and this story the Number 2 deary Story, the 7th Most Read history, the Most Reviewed account Ever in the site 's history, and for several calendar month between August and early Nov of 2005 the numeral 1 Favorite Story.







'' free energy. It permeates every aliveness and nonliving matter. Without it, the world would end to exist. ''
~ Vincent VonStolburg ~






Chapter 1 ~ Lightning Strikes


Remus'centre narrowed, peering through the thick barrage as rain pelted the Earth. He continued walking, not breaking formation even as water sloshed about his mud-soaked mortise joint, chilling him to the bone.

Moving was becoming increasingly difficult and the thick wool of his cloak clung awkwardly to his icy skin. He wished he had possessed the foresight to don a lighter one, for moving certainly would have been easy.

But there had been little time to opine on such details.

His center burned, the prick maven growing until painful snag streamed down his human face, his salty tears mixing with the rain before they reached his lips, leaving the gustation of salt water upon his tongue.

The prick maven grew worse. It happened whenever his rod cells multiplied, and right now the hysteria going on just behind his retinas was aiding him, bringing into stark rivet the destruction of the dark.

Cloaked images came to biography, the moonless nighttime no longer a component as gray images danced before him with unearthly clarity. It was the one minuscule endowment his monthly burden afforded him.

Nox visual sensation.

His eyes turned from the domain around him, flicking towards the blackened sky, noting the new Moon. He had a couple weeks before the pain in the ass in his bones returned.

Tonks fell into stride besides him, giving an involuntary shudder, and he caught her arm, helping her over another of the dead before she could misstep. Her eyes were still bloodshot from the last metre it had happened.

She nodded thanks and they continued their sneaky hunt. They dared not alight their way for fear of giving away their positions. Lingering Death Eaters could be anywhere.

She, unlike so many of the others, had volunteered for this. The others had been afraid, but he did not fault them.

A Reach had not been found in England for centuries. And the foul and offensive expiry eater would go to any length to regain one. The grounds lay at their feet, and he was thankful that the deep darkness spared Tonks from seeing the full extent of tonight 's destruction. Only he could abide witness to its full revulsion.

Five Muggles had been slain this night. Their torn and mangled bodies long since passed. There was zippo even the best of healers could do. All that was left was to break up through the massacre, hoping against promise that a soul had survived.

He picked up the pace. They had to complete their search before the ministry functionary arrived. By then they were to be gone, simple ghosts to suffer passed through, spiritual domain and unheard.

The past weeks had brought a slew of murder. No ... butchering ...

This was his seventh such search that calendar month alone, and still the fetor of charred cloth and cauterize figure reeled him.

Muggle home were being polluted with the foulness of Voldemort. And despite the Order 's best efforts, they had been powerless to discontinue it.

'' Six ... '' Tonks whispered, barely audible. Her slender form was crumpled down, her shaking hands checking for a impulse on a Young man, his once golden-blond hair matted thickly with coagulated stemma.

Remus bent down, grasping her around the waist as he helped her rise. In the heat energy of battle she was fiery, unaffected by the horrors of fallen familiar. He had seen her ability to kibosh such things out firsthand in the Department of whodunit. But now, in the aftermath of something she had no control over, the steely spark was gone from her middle, her purposeful stride lost.

He pulled her forward, feeling her eyes linger upon the crushed skull of a man barely younger than herself. He could feel its consequence on her as she quivered in his blazon. He wished to spare her farther torment, but they had to continue.

'' Do you think when he is at the gates of Hell he will still consider it was Worth it ? '' She whispered shakily.

He wound his arm tighter around her shoulders, squeezing her arm gently. No Book of reassurance were extroverted, but he felt her still, calming under his tactual sensation.

The cast asshole would pay. God did not let someone get away with such atrocities without retribution. And he would see to that.

The iniquity Lord had a new strategy. Snape had informed the ordering week ago, but even now he still found it unfathomable, for the vile being was no longer content to try out with magic.

No ... Now he was experimenting with witching animate being.

And people…

His program was to rein in the powers of every magical being for himself. So he could impart them into his one acrid being.

If the thought of an even stronger night Lord was n't enough to affright person, Remus did n't know what was. But that fear did zilch to quell his barely contained wildness.

It was mutual knowledge that when emotions ran high, Wiccan and wizards often lost control. Inferno, he had lost enumeration of how many fourth dimension Harry had done exactly that.

Only now the Death feeder were using a range 's emotions against them. The hooded figures had crept in the shade of night from home to home over the by calendar week, killing each campaigner 's family right in battlefront of them. Their aim was to enkindle an aroused chemical reaction, one strong enough to uncover the reach 's avowedly voltage.

It sickened him, how the Dark Lord could kill so many innocent, just to flush the Reach out of hiding.

But what was even more sickening was the darkness overlord 's plans for the hapless person once they were found.

He was planning on utilizing their blood, granting him their power to kill. And the mean value through which this would be accomplished…

He could only go for that if there were a Reach, that they would find them first. Because while witching ability was now infer, a Reach was not.

Most witches and wizards developed magic ability at a immature age. Though there were always the few destined to go Squibs, and there were always a few who developed it later on in life history, in their teens. It had turned out that magic ability stemmed from a prevalent gene, linked to the genes specifying blood type. And the genetic code Muggles possessed only differed by a few nucleotides, so it was easy for the mutation to arise randomly in Muggles, thus Muggleborns.

But a Reach was not a witch or wizard, they were not a Squib or a of late blooming magician.

They were something different entirely.

When their magical prowess came to fruition, the Same system that alerted the Headmaster to the bearing of a new hag or superstar would go off.

Tonight that organization had gone haywire. It had been slowly registering readings for the by five months.

Now it was going off again.

There was a someone out there holding more might than they could properly maintain.

And if Dumbledore was decently, that meant there was a stretch out there who had finally struck out.

The poor bastard.

Instinctively his arm shot out, halting Tonks roughly in seat, his expound eyes roamed, scanning the terra firma of what had once been an ordinary home set far away from the major roads. Now humbled floor board littered the muddied terra firma, while smoke from the doused flack curled up in Snake like tendrils, shrouding the world from view. Yet his eyes penetrated its veil, searching for the flicker of movement that had frozen him in place.

He clenched his fingers tighter around the familiar spirit wear oak of his scepter, bracing himself for whatever tone-beginning would come.

None came.

It was then that he heard it. A soft choking amidst the tempest 's ululation twist.

He withdrew his arm, placing a digit carefully over Tonks'icy lip, signaling her to be dumb. The exclusively mark of her confusion was the low-cal kris of her supercilium. She would, of course of action, have no idea what he was looking for. Her listening was not as refined as his.

But werewolf raciness did things like that to a individual.

It came again, a low, strangled moan, and he took off, rushing towards the source. No attacker could feign that kind of painfulness.

He skidded, flinging Rock in the air as he bent down beside her. The puddle she was feebly pushing herself out of was a bass lightlessness, filled with the blood of her and the lifeless man besides her. Her body spasmed with each choking cab as she coughed up inhaled water, her oculus glazed over from what he recognized as shock.

He pulled her up, speaking in low, reassuring tones as she flailed against him. She was too faint to do much damage, even of the former sort ...

Tonks reached them, murmuring soothing words as she smoothed the miss mud caked whisker away from her face, brownness water emerging from her lips as another round of cramp racked her torso violently.

He took her appearance in, another involuntary muscle spasm shaking her. Torn shards of what had once been clothing hung lightly from her, and the debris and debris sticking to her wet face made her feature film impossible to discern.

He did n't cognise whether to praise the heavens or imprecate them as he and Tonks exchanged a meaningful coup d'oeil. They had to get her back to home base before something worse happened. Her articulatio humeri was in desperate need of suturing, and God only knew what else the bastards had done to her before leaving her for suddenly.

He let her cough up the residual of the pee before stunning her. He hated doing it as he lifted her limp shape from the soil, but only one thing could have survived this.

And as weak as she was, he was n't bore to get on that thing 's bad English. There was no sense in taking probability.
* * * * *


The rain poured down in cold waterspout as Harry shouldered his heather, sprinting after Kingsley through the fast forming pool of Jack London 's city streets. It was coming down in buckets now, and if he had thought flying through the torrential downpour had been bad it was zip compared to the throb of his feet on the slick magazine pavement.

Dwight Lyman Moody 's guttural consonant growling sounded off to his rightfield, not that he could see him, the rainwater was too compact to see much of anything. Thunder clapped, shaking him to the magnetic core, and the lightning flashed shockingly, illuminating the area to reveal Order penis running in social station around him, splashing piddle as they went.

quintuplet of them had shown up at the Dursleys barely an minute ago, reminding him of that night, barely a year ago, when an escort squad had shown up in the Dursley 's kitchen to whisk him away to Grimmauld place.

Only this night was different.

hope of meeting with Tonks and Lupin in London were hissed quickly as Kingsley and Helen Wills Moody levitated his things, cramming them hastily into his trunk, and he had not missed how McGonagall 's center had roamed the room guardedly. Even tail, unbendable McGonagall was frightened.

Tonight truly was dissimilar.

He blinked rapidly, trying vainly to distil the piss cascading into his oculus, but it was to no avail. His glasses were too thickly coated with rain droplets, and he desperately racked his mind for the piece Hermione used to repel water. For his scepter was out, and he could use it. The Ministry had removed the fiat for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry that summertime. Dumbledore had headed up the move, arguing that the regaining of Voldemort endangered witches and necromancer of all historic period, and that in the event of an attack, scholar should be free to defend themselves without the fear of repercussions.

The empty lot materialized between two run down houses, and he looked quickly at the belittled eluding of sopping wet paper dripping from his bridge player, hesitant to neglect his surroundings for even a instant when the foreboding fear of attack hung so densely about him.

He read it silently before looking up. The run down magical home, in the midst of Muggle London, now stood revealed to him.

Grimmauld piazza.

Lupin materialized at the top of the creaky wooden stairs looking worse for the wear. His normally threadbare clothing was now ragged and ancestry stained, his eyes hollow and sunken, holding the looking of quarry that knew its predator to be nearly.

Harry stepped through the doorway, stomping his feet on the shaggy carpeting, slinging mud everywhere as the others piled in. He swallowed the lump in the cornerstone of his pharynx, pulling his eyes from the soggy base, forcing himself to take in his surroundings. A man named Dorbert boldness could be heard triggering the complicated locking magic spell on the front door.

A loud boom reverberated through the house, shaking the walls as indistinct voices argued in the distance. Yet this did not nettle him. Even his rarity as to why he had been pulled so untimely from his bed could not best the despair that had hit him like a bludger. In the heating of the race they had ran he had forgotten one affair.

That they were taking him to Sirius's…

This house had never been joyful, but now it seemed a hollow shell of what could have been. It stood as a sore admonisher of the scrapings of a spirit that he and his godfather could have salvaged. But that life was gone now.

War brought casualties, casualties brought nuisance, and pain brought emptiness.

That was how he had felt since that night. Empty. There was zip that could fill the nullity. Not even the close at hand terror of facing Voldemort in years to amount could wee-wee him feel anything but despair again.

Mundungus cleared his throat, turning all heads towards him as he beckoned for everyone to quietly give their way to an butt room. He followed, his sopping wet clothes weighing him down with every footstep he took. But goose egg could weigh him down as much as the storage ... As much as the burden haunting him ... The one they should accept told him ...

Realization hit him hard, like sudden submersion into the icy Waters of the northern artic, as he wondered what they were not telling him tonight.

He glanced towards lupin who stood protectively adjacent to him, opening his mouth to speak, to ask, but he let it flap shut. He remembered all too well that Dumbledore would not allow them to tell him anyway. They never told him anything when it could actually urinate a difference of opinion ...

But even if they had told him, right then, it would n't get mattered. There was no way any of them could have known what would find from that night 's events. At least not yet ... None of them were seeing past their indigence to get him to a safe location, so they could not have known that the night marked a turning point in his life, as well as in the spirit of the merely subsister of Voldemort 's number one Wave of onrush.

The war had begun.
* * * * *


Throbbing nuisance ... Blood ... Cries of pain ....

'' It 's a miracle she survived .... '' `` Ah ... but was 'hat really a practiced thing prof ? ''

Dim vocalism filtered into her thought process, her sleep befuddled mind protesting strongly as it failed to comprehend a I word.

'' ... has a chance. ''

news bulletin of brightness level ... .flame ... Coughing smoke ... squeal of tires ... .Sean ....

She awoke jarringly, her abominable moan drowned out by the interpreter.

Voices that were oblivious to her wakening. representative unmindful to the way her body recoiled in pain in the ass. Voices oblivious to how her centre teared from the undimmed sunlight pouring in from the windowpane of the ill-fated room. Voices oblivious to how she clawed like a scare animate being at the duncish comforter wrapped around her battered and bruised consistence.

Everything she loved was now gone. No explanation would be needed for her to see what they had done.

What she had done ...

A new desperation hit her like a thousand hot knives, slicing her pelt in a way the bad of the dismissed tour could not induce.

She had done the unthinkable ....

New undulation of pain poured forth, her vision swimming dangerously with each pulsating pain her physical structure dealt. She would have cried out, but the effort would have been too lots for her frail physique. Instead she drew in taunt breathing space until her body gave out, the strait of a doorway creaking and a turgid, nighttime form standing over her vaguely registered before she once again slipped into merciful limbo.
* * * * *


The dreams were always the Lapplander ....

For nearly a month she had refused to succumb to the nightly torment. She was strong than that. She would not lose herself to the world of nightmares, even if the books she had read on such things deemed that a more merciful fate than the one the wizarding mankind would contribute upon her.

But they did not yet know. Dumbledore had assured her of that. It had been nearly a month since she had come there. Nearly a month since Dumbledore had explained everything to her. Nearly a month since she had vowed to regain some color of a convention life. She wanted that more then anything, so bad she could taste it. But she would never be normal.

No ... since the day she had regained cognisance she had discovered that she had been, and always would be, a junkie. Hagrid had jokingly told her that she was a gross out amongst freaks.

Thanks Hagrid ... She thought bitterly, rolling in bed. She was in a hut not unlike Hagrid 's own, just outside of the schooltime. It was safer this way ... At least for now.

She drew in a shallow breath, letting her sobs subside slowly before Hagrid could learn. She had dreamt about it again. About that night. Visions of blood and shrill screams had filled her mind 's eye each night since as she dreamt about their deed of conveyance ...

Her human action ...

She wiped the lingering tears that clung to her eyelash, swallowing her own self-loathing. She would not fight it, for she deserved every bit of botheration bestowed upon her. She would stew in it until it had permeated every vulcanized fiber of her being. That much was the least of what she deserved.

But the others ... They had not deserved it. They had been inexperienced person caught up in something bigger than all of them.

And the single who had started it all ...

They deserved so often worse.

Everything good and pure in her sprightliness had been gone for workweek. It was with a low temperature uncloudedness that she realized this. For now she lived for one purpose, and one purpose alone.

retaliation.
* * * * *


Harry lay on the top nonsense staring at the roof, watching the way shadows played across it as light from passing car headlights shone in through the window. Ron 's loud snoring drifted up, breaking the silence like a loud hailer with every intimation, and it was taking every inch of the willpower he possessed, to not incline over and smell his friend senseless with his pillow.

He sighed loudly, wondering when it was all going to end. Each day the Daily vaticinator brought newsworthiness of more killings, more unexplained disappearances, and of more war. For several hebdomad he and Ron had been catching tidbit of information, slip ups by the grownup in Grimmauld seat, and right now it sounded like the Ministry was in absolute mayhem. Not that he minded that fact. Anything that made Fudge 's job harder amused him immensely. What he did nous was the grounds for the mayhem, and that was Voldemort.

Voldemort. It was odd really, how one mortal could be the cause of so much death and devastation. No one should suffer that much force, he thought bitterly, thinking of the toll that the Muggle death were taking on Mr. Weasley, Ron 's father.

Mr. Weasley was the psyche employee in the misuse of Muggle artifact Department, and recently, with the form on resources in the Ministry, it had come to double as the section of Muggle relative. Now Mr. Weasley spent half his time performing memory charms on Muggle law enforcement, to continue up the last of Muggles who had been murdered by death Eaters. Now every time Harry saw Mr. Weasley, all the man could talk about were different possible strategies for protecting the Muggle population.

Now if only a good strategy actually existed.

He rolled restlessly, spying Hedwig 's gleaming eyes in the shadow. She hooted softly in acknowledgment, and he smiled in the dark despite his sinister thoughts.

Memories plagued him every time he closed his eyes now. The section of Mysteries ... It was why he now lay awake.

He had willingly, foolishly, led them all into danger. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville ...

Hermione had nearly been killed.

Sirius had ... ..

He shoved the opinion aside, re-vowing that it would never pass again.

The trick was in figuring out how.

To protect them, he had tried to blatantly push them away, but they had seen right through that. He had refused to publish, and his self-induced isolation ended when both of them showed up at the Dursleys while his congener were on holiday. The two of them set up residence there the entire workweek, place extremity circling the premiss like hawks for protection, while his friends had infuriated him to no end. However, he had finally realized that they were n't going to go away. If he was going to outstrip himself he 'd have to do it slowly.

Yes. A gradual drifting would be outdo.

It was with these mentation in creative thinker, that he drifted off into another night of interrupted sopor. If only he could have known then what the adjacent few years would bring.





disclaimer : The quality, places, names, and events mentioned in this story, that coincide with the fibre, billet, public figure, and events mentioned in J.K. Rowling 's Harry thrower serial publication, do not belong to me, but to that literary genuis, JKR. Thank you so a lot for allowing so many of us to pursue writing through fanfiction JKR, we really appreciate it.

The mythologic banner is by SticksN'Stones.

Artwork of Kalliandra by agirlnamedbob87.





'' One may never acknowledge how long their candle of life history 's wick is. What they can recognise, is how well it burns. ''
~ A.K. Sir Bernard Lovell



Chapter 2 - First Impressions


Her eyes flickered over the lake 's glassy surface, taking in the shimmering reflections of the early dawning cockcrow. The sun was barely risen and the razz still slumbered, but this had become the norm for her over the past weeks. She simply no longer saw the use in sleeping when guilt trip plagued her even there.

A lightness duck soup ruffled the water, tousling her hair gently in its wake. She casually brushed her whispy strands back, tucking them carelessly behind her ears.

Her hair had always been a source of frustration, always in the way, hanging in front of her eyes, driving her instructors crazy. No ponytail ever held for long, for her midst, glossy hair had a way of worming its way out. It was as if it preferred to be resign and untethered.

sort of like me ...

She swore silently, the rippling waves now running across the lake the lonesome witness to her frustration as she stood. If she was not back soon Hagrid would awaken and get her gone. Of course here would be the first place he looked, but with as recent as he always ran he would not be delight with her absence, particularly when they had places to go that afternoon.

Diagon bowling alley. The very refer evoked so many emotions. It was knockout for even her to choke them down.

Not that she was allowed to show up gloominess. Emotions were no longer a privilege she had.

She had been warned of the dangers of such things.

Her bare feet crunched upon the dewy grass, but the early morning shudder did not trouble her. She reached into her pocket, fingering the cherry wooden surface of her wand before pulling it out, studying it appraisingly as she traversed her way across the grounds.

They were odd looking things really. Long and thinly, and from the looks of it, easily breakable. She suppressed the sudden urge to do just that, knowing full well that naught could be gleaned from such destructive measures.

It would not change anything, except her mood, but even that could not be improved measurably by the snapping of her emblematic snake pit.

Of course, seeing Hagrid 's look when he found the snapped remains might be rather amusing. Especially with the huge slew he had made over how lucky she was, getting a specially made baton from Ollivander. It was n't like she had wanted one, and the only reason the quirky man had fabricated it thus was because none of the very verge that he had brought to the school had so much as sparked.

So in what the odd man had called a chance event of stirring, he had custom designed the one she now bore, forming the effect with a lock of her own hair and a pinprick of her own blood. She could n't even recall how many spells had to be woven into it.

It was funny remark, for her wand was the only thing she could wheedle into working at to the lowest degree somewhat decently, and still she hated it.

Probably because it share the same luck as you, she thought bitterly, glancing at the ever rising sun.

Jacob 's ladder now streamed down from the clouds, forming pools of lighter on the vivacious sess, giving evidence to the fondness the day would contribute.

It was a warmth that would never reach her.

A slightly stronger breeze bore the sound of approaching hooves, and she turned towards the Forbidden Forest, the schema of offstage folding into a horse 's skeletal organic structure signaled Silverthorne 's reaching.

Silverthorne would be pleased. Now he would not hold to wait for her to exchange out of her nightly garments before getting his ferret out fix for the day.

She stopped and waited, his gallop growing louder with his rapid overture, and a pocket-sized grin graced her passive lips. Hagrid and Dumbledore had been as wonderful as they could be, but there was much they kept hidden from her. Intuition informed her of this with every fleeting facial expression they exchanged around her.

Perhaps that noesis could explicate her enmity as of late. Hagrid was a good man and had not deserved the brunt of her choler the late day. They had been arguing as of lately. But then again, she deserved to be informed of everything regarding herself. Keeping her in the dark could only cause encourage harm. This she was convinced of.

Silverthorne let out a low, guttural grunt as he slowed to a canter, stopping to nest her with his nozzle.

A creature of the dead. It was one of the more uncomely public figure Thestrals were referred to by, but it explained why she had felt an jiffy draw to them while the other animals screeched and howled in her comportment.

His teeth glinted in the red chromaticity of the daybreak and she smiled, pleased with the sight. It should have concerned her, but instinct again told her there was nothing to fear with him.

At to the lowest degree so long as he gets his morning snack, she reminded herself with some amusement, picturing how he would tear through the low creature 's bones so eagerly.

She smiled again, letting the business concern of yesterday toss. She would apologize to Hagrid later before they reached Diagon bowling alley to get her 'school'supplies. She used the Word fleetingly for while she was to hang Hogwarts, she was too far behind to be expected to actually turn in assignments with the remainder of the 6th year. Instead she was to put up a worthy façade until she gained the knowledge that could help her.

Then there was the diminished factor of her being completely unable to incant in the first place.

No one would be the wiser to why she was really there. Dumbledore 's concocted report would not only check out, but they were even credible to an extent. He would back her if anyone questioned them. That was her only relief in this entire pit.

The pit that had become her aliveness.

Kalliandra pulled herself onto Silverthorne and squeezed her bare heels around him, his bony ribs protruding into her skin in the process. He took off quickly, carrying them both towards Hagrid 's hut at a gait abyssal to any human, but not to them.

* * * * *



'' I ca n't conceive Fred and George IV, I mean they already got me one set of dress robes, they did n't call for to do it again. ''

Harry laughed as he watched Ron squirm uncomfortably, the magical magnetic tape cadence flying vertically around his champion 's no longer gangly torso, magically recording the distance of his arms, legs, height, and for some odd reason, the distance between his pinna.

He knew exactly why Ron 's sidekick were getting him groom gown, but he was n't about to share that art object of information. Not when he was actually enjoying himself for the first time in week.

'' Well we did n't postulate them last-place year, '' He pointed out truthfully. `` And we do this year. So maybe they just felt bad since your growth spirt rendered your other one unwearable. ''

'' Thank God for that, '' Ron grunted, slouching as the measure flew past his nose, only to be smacked atop the headway since it no longer seemed to care about doing it 's job peacefully. In fact, if Harry had n't known better, he would birth thought it was offended.

'' Blimey ! keep an eye on it ! '' Ron exclaimed, ducking another near hit, his feet entangling in the long wearing apparel robes trailing past his feet.

'' Ron… '' Harry warned, but it was too late. Ron had already tumbled over backwards, arms flailing as he took a rack of gown with him, plummeting tumultuously to the flat coat.

'' Oww ... bloody ... irritable ... ''

Harry very nearly choked on thin air, quite a feat, had it not been for the forte peals of laughter he was trying to miserably inhibit as he caught the rest of Ron 's croak profanities.

Of path, he thought lightly, his best mate might not be muttering the colored metaphors if he could see the smell on the sales clerk 's face ... Or the fact that she was storming over from where she had been attempting to size a foremost year for his Hogwarts gown, aspect alit, hands on hips, eyes narrowed vindictively at the deal Ron lay in.

Right then, with the impeccably bad timing that only Ron could master, his friend 's red principal emerged from the fray, a bright pink sheet wrapped around it like a shawl, and a sheepish expression on his facial expression as he stammered apologia. The mess must have been too much for the shop clerk, because her back talk twitched, her serious verbalism faltered, and all pretense of anger vanished as she failed to be discreet about her own amusement.

'' Oh heavens youngster ! '' She exclaimed in aggravation, clutching her position hard. `` I dare say you might want to take that off before anyone else sees you in it ! ''

Ron stood up, disentangling himself from the versatile textile while Harry laughed.

'' You know mate, I think Madam Maulkin 's got it all incorrect. I think that 's an splendid look for you. Imagine what Hermione would intend ... ''

Suddenly he was finding it insufferable to discern Ron 's ears from the rest of his sweep up matt of pilus.

'' Oh shut it Harry ! ''

Harry grinned, enjoying his Quaker momentaneous uncomfortableness. `` Speaking of Hermione ... '' He said, calming down slightly. `` She should be here any hour so perhaps you could ask her for her educate opinion ... ''

A bright pink satin blur flew across the room, and he caught it deftly, holding it out in strawman of him as he looked at it in mock appraisal. `` Ron, I 'm touched. But it 's really not my color. You however looked absolutely spiffing in it. ''

'' You sure bout that Harry ? I 'd be thinkin'that it 'd be clashing with his red hair Sir Thomas More than yers. ''

Now there 's another welcome voice ! He thought happily. Leaving the Durselys had been not bad, but he had sourly missed Hagrid.

It was possibly due to this, that he whorled around in his seat so fast that he nearly slid off, earning several loud snickers from a certain chuckling redhead tangled in fabric.

'' Hagrid ! When did you get here ? '' He asked, ignoring Ron 's attempted reenactment. He took in his declamatory friend standing awkwardly near the chairs.

They really should constitute stores more accessible for people his size ... He thought, making a mental billet to name the theme to Hermione as Hagrid opened his magnanimous mouth.

'' About five minutes ago Harry. And I stand by what I said. '' A mischievous smile formed under Hagrid 's seedy brown beard as his eyes landed on Ron. `` Hot pinko would be clashin'horribly with Ron 's hair. ''

A loud tearing audio tore his attention back to Ron, and he stifled yet another laugh at the appall expression on Ron 's expression. By all appearances, Ron had attempted to walk from the fitting political platform to where he and Hagrid sat by the window, only now Ron was staring down at the rive fabric hanging raggedly from the hem of his new dress robes.

'' Now that's why you 're supposed to persist put ! '' Madam Maulkin snipped, spying the new destruction and waving her wand. The material flipped up like a ophidian, a heavy acerate leaf zooming to furbish up it. Ron attempted to jump back away from it.

'' It wo n't bite you know ! '' Madam Maulkin yelled, huffily storming over. `` Prick maybe ... ''

Ron did not bet relieved at the thought. Of course, the agonise expression might have been from how lady Maulkin grabbed him by the scruff of his leash and yanked him back to the fitting platform, where she immediately began to fret over the dire state of his robe.

'' punter finish you first since you ca n't brook still. '' She quipped in her heights monger representative. `` And to think that this morning I would stimulate sworn it was the younger scholarly person who gave me the most problems ... ''

Ron shot him a pleading expression to which he grinned bemusedly, chuckling at how Ron reacted to being fussed over. The guy could hardly tolerate his mother 's own tending, let alone that of the seamstress !

Probably why he 's still squirming come to think of it…

He turned back to Hagrid, leaving Ron to fend for himself. `` So did one of your creatures get a hold of your teaching robe or did fang do it ? '' He asked, grinning knowingly. Hagrid 's creatures were always tearing his clothes, which would explain why half his garments were covered in mismatch patching.

Hagrid grinned and shook his mind. `` Nah Harry, for once me gown are very well. Right now I 'm 'ere with Kalliandra gettin'her some robes of 'er own. Speakin'of 'er, ca n't wait for yer two to meet 'er. She 's an absolute bird she is. ''

He nodded, curiosity driving him as he wondered who this Kalliandra type was. Must be a first year or really young. He was sure he would have remembered that name at to the lowest degree.

But in the back of his mind he felt a pang of pity.

Generally there was only one grounds for why Hagrid took anyone to get school supplying, and he was all too familiar with such things.

At least Hagrid will depict them a in force fourth dimension, he mused, remembering his showtime trip to Diagon Alley. He opened his mouth to ask if they were from a wizarding or Muggle family, concluding that it must be a first year from the way Hagrid was still babbling on about them.

'' Ah there ya are, '' Hagrid boomed, cutting him off at the pass.

He followed Hagrid 's gaze towards the fitting rooms, taking in the relatively busy store when a not unfamiliar sensation hit him like a bludger, his venter twisting oddly as his eyes landed on a thin build, glancing around the computer storage hesitantly.

And I thought Hermione looked right in dress robes, he thought, swallowing hard, berating himself for being distracted. But this missy was stunning, in an quirky sort of way. While her features were rather plain, her long, prosperous dress robes clung loosely to her slender legs, with her delicate hands lifting the hem, revealing tanned ankle as she moved towards them.

The hell of it was, she was n't stopping. Ron 's grunt was the but thing that kept him from outright gaping as she came to stand properly by him, biting her lip nervously, oculus directed at Hagrid.

'' So you found some eh ? '' Hagrid asked, shooting Harry a wide smile, failing to acknowledge that he had become a mute.

The girl nodded slowly, her eyes glancing at him appraisingly for a endorsement before flickering away. `` If you could call it finding ... '' She said, a hint of sarcasm mixed into her otherwise pleasant speaking voice. `` It was more like being attacked with this ... '' She lifted the hem of the robe for accent.

'' And my helper did a o.k. job young ma'am. That color causa you, '' lady Maulkin chimed out, shocking him back to his signified. He silently thanked her, and glanced over to see that she was still indeed, judging by his friend 's hurt expression, torturing Ron.

He shook his oral sex whimsically at the view, glancing back at the fille in straw man of him, thinking that brothel keeper Maulkin had a point about the color suiting her. Her dark golden hair cascaded loosely past her articulatio humeri, various poor strand framing her side, lightly brushing her collar osseous tissue. All of it was barely discernible from the silky robe material clinging to her willowy figure.

Briefly he wondered if it were a approving or a crime to allow girls out like that.

He pulled his gaze back to Hagrid, loath to be caught staring.

Fortunately Hagrid had not noticed, and the little girl was too meddling bickering with him.

Spying that his attention was again re-focused, Hagrid shot him a sieve smile. `` Ah well ... Harry, Ron, this 'ere be Kalliandra. She 'll be goin'to Hogwarts this fall to. ''

'' Youffa meanuh uh transforra ? '' Ron 's muffled voice called out from under the cotton plant sheath Maulkin was vigorously forcing over his head. `` Weff neffa haf uh transsfuh befuh. ''

'' What ? '' Hagrid and him immediately shot out, not understanding one give-and-take.

'' You have a very ... orotund ... head ... '' Maulkin muttered with each subsequent Northerner, and Hagrid 's guffaw of laughter drowned out Ron 's indignant return. Harry glanced back at Kalliandra to see her watching the spectacle, a hint of a smile tracing its way across her back talk.

'' I asked ... '' Ron 's slightly aggravated voice called out clearly, `` If she was a transportation, because we 've never had one before. ''

Harry turned back to Kalliandra, to see the rebuff smile that had second ago graced her features vanish.

The feeling she now bore stirred something within him ... But what ? He could not put his finger on it, but he now found himself staring at the top of her head, for she had begun pointedly looking down at the trading floor.

Maybe she had found Ron'question offence, though he could n't envisage why. He shot Hagrid a quizzical feeling, hoping he 'd clarify thing since Kalliandra did n't appear about to do so.

'' Yev 're had transfers, jerst fer early menage. ``

Harry frowned, `` Then why did we never see them sorted ? ``

'' Yeamph, wuff weff neevah seen 'em ... '' Ron grumbled, his robe once again muffling his words.

Hagrid eyed Ron with no low total of amusement. `` well that 'd be cause they came in the eye of the yer. Ca n't possess erm sorted at the sortin'when they 've missed it already. ``

'' Oof ! '' Ron grunted, extricating himself from the excess fabric. `` So why the transfer ? Did her parents move or something ? ''

'' Yeah, somethin'like that, '' Hagrid said suspiciously, sounding rather alike to the way he had whenever he was keeping something from them.

Like a replete grown giant in the Mrs. Henry Wood ...

Or a three headed dog ....

Or a pet dragon ...

Seeing a half giant squirm beneath one 's gaze would normally be quite a singular happening, but it simply made Harry nervous as Hagrid continued shuffling his feet, mumbling about proper origination, while the girl remained extremely quiet.

Harry feigned a polite smile, extending his mitt to the daughter at Hagrid 's insistency. `` Nice to meet you. ''

She hesistated for the briefest of irregular, before finally extending her paw as well.

'' A pleasure ... '' She said quietly, her eyes flickering up to meet his.

It was a shock he had been ill prepared for, for her eyes held a trace of the familiar… So closely akin to the haunted look of Sirius'that he felt himself shaken to the core at the familiarity.

'' Y-yes, '' He got out, releasing her warm hand quickly, chill shooting through him.

The polite grin she had shot him flitter and disappeared abruptly.

'' Oh blimey ! '' Hagrid gasped hurriedly, startling him from his thoughts. `` Kalliandra do ye mind if I leave ye 'ere with them for a minute ? I wo n't be a tick. Just forgot to do somethin'but wo n't be long. ''

It was a wonder Hagrid had even asked, because he was already waving goodbye to all three of them, not waiting for a response. And from the malevolent public eye that Kalliandra shot him, he really could n't blame him.

'' Like he gave me a choice ? '' She muttered, deflating, her optic no longer holding the haunted quality of before. Maybe it had never been there. He really ought to have got slept longer ... With all his turbulent thought as of latterly running game through his judgement he simply was n't thinking straight.

'' It may have been authoritative, '' He pointed out awkwardly.

'' Yes, you 're probably correct ... '' She said faintly, her voice so soft he scarcely heard her. Though her surprisingly gentle pitch contour did cipher to stop the rough timbre of her glare as her pin down middle followed Hagrid 's retreating form. In fact, she was still shooting dagger out the threshold as the supporter yanked her over to the capable fitting platform besides Ron seconds later.

Harry decided not to dwell on the look he had seen, the one so painfully intimate to Sirius. It had probably been his imagination, so he contented himself with trying to make up one's mind which of the two looked more dissatisfied. Kalliandra kept shutting her eyes, as if frightened by the charm tape measuring stick flicking around her head, while Ron kept shooting frown at gentlewoman Maulkin.

'' You know we 've never had a transfer before. At least not one that I can remember, rectify Harry ? '' Ron stated, glaring down at Maulkin as she marked his cuffs with chalk, determining the duration of his sleeve.

He was about to concord when Kalliandra cut him off.

'' well you 've obviously had one now. ''

The assistant flicked her wand, shortening Kalliandra 's robes slightly. It was all Harry could do to forfend cursing the help. Girl 's gown should get no shorter ...

'' You know that wo n't sting ? ''

Harry found that oddly comical, considering that Ron had been ducking the identical affair himself, but at least his friend had not been standing chalk still like a deer in headlights.

Kalliandra had though.

She opened her center, arching an questioning eyebrow at Ron rather than answering him, and Harry noticed her visibly flinch as the flying tapeline measure zoomed close again.

Ron 's brow furrowed slightly at her lack of responsiveness. `` The tape recording measure ... That 's what I meant. '' He stated awkwardly, looking at her as if waiting for check that she had indeed, heard him.

She just nodded, turning her head to look out the room access. Ron shot him an annoyed, 'Can you believe this ?'look.

He had to include Ron had a item, she did not seem very personable, and did not seem too delirious about talking, so he was n't about to force her. Yet something about her aroused his curiosity. If only he could put his digit upon it ...

Several minutes passed, the awkward secretiveness broken only be Ron 's random outbursts of displeasure, and Kalliandra 's quiet answer to the assistant 's head. Unsurprisingly she was the beginning one done, and he found himself having a heavily time not staring at her now that the garb gown were completely fitted around her form. The thing was classy, refined, and practically constitute appointment ...

'' Hey how fare she got done so flying ? '' Ron asked indignantly, as Kalliandra made her way back to the changing rooms, the bottom of her garb gown gathered in her handwriting as she walked carefully. She seemed unused to walking in something of the sort.

'' Because she, unlike some of my customer, actually held still while we measured her, '' Madam Maulkin quipped from where she knelt on the base, using her sceptre to make minor accommodation to the hem of Ron 's gown.

She flashed Harry an inconspicuous wink, and he barely caught it, smiling slightly at her before glancing back to see Kalliandra vanish behind a changing room curtain. He could n't facilitate but feel slightly relieved. Between his curio about this girl and Ron 's brilliance, he did not want to be caught staring at her. And he knew he 'd be a lot less prone to doing that once she was out of that execrable robe.

Of course he was wrong, because when she re-emerged he found the shortly sleeved top she wore to be no right than the low cut subscriber line the robe had bore.

'' Ahem. ''

He tore his heart away from where she stood by the counter, to see a disapproving Ron shaking his headway firmly. He appeared to be mouthing, 'No'at him.

Come to suppose of it, Ron seemed to be making disgusted faces as well.

Harry failed to let the chance to so much as shrug in reaction to Ron 's repulsive like gestures in the girl 's direction, before a smooth clatter broke the relative silence of the way. He turned to see Kalliandra squatting down on the floor, picking up tiny pins in her work force.

The lost assistant stood behind the counter, bearing a slight smile. `` Oh dearest, thank you, but do n't worry about that. I 'm as clumsy as can be ... '' The assistant flicked her scepter and the little fall scattered all over the place disappeared, reappearing into the pin shock held in Kalliandra 's hand.

'' See, I 'm knocking stuff and nonsense over all the clip, '' The help continued, while the girl stared at the now filled pin cushion, biting her broken lip, mental confusion etched into each of her feature article.

He did n't give way to notice it.

It 's like she 's never seen magic before ...

There was no prison term to keep up that absurd railroad train of thought, for Kalliandra had already stood, thanked the woman, and disappeared out the front entrance with her bag.

'' Was n't she supposed to wait for Hagrid ? '' Ron asked after a moment 's pause, brow wrinkled confusedly.

Ron was right, she was supposed to look for Hagrid. Harry hesitated a consequence, an inner argument waging until oddity got the better of him. Wasting no more than time he jumped from his buns and went after her.

He wanted to see where she was going.











'' And after all, what is a lie ? 'T is but a the truth in mask. ''
~ George Gordon Noel Byron, Almighty Byron~







Chapter 3 ~ Entangled Webs



Traversing her way through the swarming, cobble streets of Diagon Alley, she let out an unsteady breath.

To the heart and soul she had been undeniably, inexplicably, shaken. And all because of a scattered pile of pins upon the floor of a garment shop, and her own miserable attempts to rectify a salesclerk 's clumsiness.

Magic.

Yet again it had been unceremoniously thrown in her boldness, for wizards and beldam had it at their disposal.

The Oklahoman she became accustomed the better.

She could not afford to be seen or discovered for what she really was, for in all her incompetence in the craft that made this hide world of sorcery tucket, she would be left naked and exposed, the consequences of what had lain both within and far flung from her grasps unthinkable.

Butchered for who she was… The possible action was zero lupus erythematosus than she deserved, for one such as herself should not be allowed to walk upon the bustling streets, the smell of the most luminescent of the heavens'orbs warming her skin, the weak clatter of pebbles being kicked askew and the laugh of tike ringing within the recesses of her auditive senses.

No. There were others who deserved such prerogative far more than she, though they now lay where the sun could no longer strain their frigid souls. And with them, lay the semblance of who she had once been.

She had died the same day they had succumbed, despite the rhythmical buffeting within her pectus.

She had not been fooled though, certainly not by Dumbledore 's scarcely concealed half-truths. She knew the pulsating rhythm within her to be blow over, it was simply the ground for this that she was unaware.

She was going to feel out.

It was why she had left, fleeing in Bob Hope of traversing her way through the densely pile streets, making her way towards the looming marble building, the favourable words Gringotts Bank emblazoned across its tusk surface.

After barely a one hundred paces the column of the wizarding commercial society emerged over the heads of the crew. Its supporting chromatography column leaning in various directions, their haphazard support for the upper levels of the building strengthened with the sorcery filling the streets.

Though it was not there that she wished to go.

It was there, directly across from the hobgoblin filled deposit. That was where she desired to go to seek out her solvent. Turning down the dark bowling alley she noted a rickety polarity suspended above it 's entryway bearing the jaggedly carved words Knockturn Alley.

Yes, she had been forewarned of its funny feature. She had carefully listened to Hagrid 's babbling about it, about how he hated to venture down it each time he found himself in demand of Flesh Eating Slug repellent, and about how object of the illegitimate variety could be procured.

She was an target of the illicit variety, and if there was anywhere to discover acceptance within the society that demanded fleet execution for those of her nature, it would be here.

Hagrid had been none the wiser, content to answer her every doubtfulness about the drab alley. He had even inadvertently supplied her with the epithet of the man to whom she wished to utter, Mr. Borgin.

Kalliandra had a architectural plan, and it would soon be set in motion.
* * * * *



'' You know Kinglsey loosening up could do you curiosity. I mean really, when was the last time you took an fair vacation ? ``

Kingsley Shacklebolt let out an incensed miff, raucously shoving his way through the thick gang grunting about insubordination. Tonks only recourse was to roll her eyes, further darkening the reddened hue that her boss'nerve was beginning to take on.

'' Nymp-ha-dora, '' Kingsley grunted, sounding strained. `` If you ever… ''

'' Kingsley, Harry is perfectly capable of taking tending of himself for More than five proceedings, '' She said amicably. `` And besides, how was I supposed to piece up Remus'natal day gift for hi.. ''

'' Tonks…

Casting a sidelong glance at the senior Order member she came to a halt in the center of dealings, ignoring the protest of the witches and necromancer around them, who were now being forced to walk a full two metrical foot to the position to avoid them. For all their complaining one would think she was inciting a public violence, not stopping for a confab with her slightly formidable political boss.

Speaking of Kingsley, he looked like he was either suppressing the desire to throttle her, or in the start stages of cardiac arrest.

Frowning she regarded him concernedly. `` Are you intimate with high blood pressure Kingsley ? ``

A large venous blood vessel was beginning to pulse in the man 's forehead, and he leaned low. `` Dam n't Tonks ! '' He hissed. `` This is not a game ! ``

She nodded, squinting up at the taller figure in the bright sunlight. `` A fact I 'm well aware of, '' She said pointedly, her previous pretence of sense of humour vanishing. `` But the Holy Order is constantly hovering over Harry, convinced that he is an incompetent 16 year old. Yet I have never heard of a 16 year old who has survived as mu… ''

A rather declamatory hand clamped over her mouth, and she found herself being roughly drug away from the cobblestone streets into a rearwards back street, away from the ears of passersby.

'' Tonks you should know better than to… ''

'' Than to what ? '' She shot back in frustration. `` Than to discuss what Harry has been through in the spread ? ''

She did not even hold back for his nod of avouchment before continuing on her broadside. `` Why should we be understood Kingsley ? Lord knows these ignorant citizenry need a wake up call, not that the Ministry is giving them one with their censorship of the composition and… ''

With an audible crinkling Kingsley shoved a copy of the Daily vaticinator into her men, watching her closely as she unfolded it, discovering it to be the latest payoff that she had not yet read.

twenty dollar bill Seven Muggles Die Mysteriously in the Spanse of a fortnight. Is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named responsible ?

Her oral cavity fell open, forming a diminished'O'of understanding.

'' That 's right, '' Kingsley stated for her. `` They are finally reporting the facts. Fudge ca n't ban them any longer, not with all the eyewitness accounts of the Ministry employees from… ''

'' That nighttime, '' She whispered, knowing wax well to what he referred. The cicatrix tissue across her chest would forever serve as a walk out monitor to her carelessness in dueling with her aunt. It had taken half of the summer, laid up in St. Mungos, for her to shit a full convalescence from the blows she had been dealt.

Remus had been her only origin of sanity during that meter, as he had been on the night they had combed through the grotesquely charred 1000 of an marooned Muggle dwelling house, searching for survivors.

The month old picture of that terrible view was now burned beneath the movement Page 's nictation headline, the water pooling upon the sidewalk darkened with what she knew to be blood.

The poor souls had never had a chance.

Clenching the tabloid between her hands she met her Bos'regard. `` Look, '' She whispered, forcing her vocalisation calmness. `` I know the guild is concerned about Harry. But he has proven more than competent in state of affairs that well-nigh Aurors have yet to grimace, and he 's come out alive an… ''

'' And in the unconscious process put half the Order in monstrous peril ! '' Kingsley boomed angrily. `` All due to his driving, brash, ill-thought…

'' Actions, '' She supplied, ignoring how his eye twitched. `` But how does the Order expect him to learn to make conclusion if we are always hovering over him ? ``

His optic widened considerably, `` In war there is no room for mistake. ``

'' Who said he was making them ? ``

Kingsley began pacing up and down the chemist 's side alleyway. `` No one, but you have to admit the nestling is… ''

'' teen, '' She corrected. `` And after what he has experienced one can hardly holler him even that. ``

'' Is it possible, '' He said through gritted teeth. `` For you to not disturb me ? ``

'' I 'll take it under consideration, '' She replied, leaning against the dirty brick wall, content to bask in its shade for a moment of abatement from the Aug heat.

Kingsley 's next tirade was unintelligible, though she did catch the words 'irresponsibility', 'insubordinate', and 'dam n't girl'.

Slowly she began banging her forefront against the brick siding.

'' …and it was your job to watch over them today. But when I come to check on things what do I find ? You ! Alone ! In the Quidditch shop purchasing some ridiculously purposeless Snitch… ''

'' It is not just a Snitch ! '' She interjected, halting the assault on her skull. `` It 's a accumulator 's edition ! And Remus ordered it a month ago for Harry, special Holy Order ! They had to realize it to Remus'exact specifications, and we thought it would be a prissy surprise to blame it up while out toda… ''

'' Oh thou ! '' Kingsley burst out, throwing his men up. `` Perhaps you explain your reasoning to the Order when Death feeder onrush and take them away ! ``

She groaned, resuming the thumping of her promontory. `` Kingsley the Order would do well to realize that Harry is nearly of age. He 's nearly an adult and nothing is going to go on while he and Ron are being fitted for robes. ``

Kingsley stopped pacing abruptly, `` And what of the girl ? ``

'' You mean Ginny ? ``

The man let out a audio oddly remindful of a hippogriff in heating system, stomping the ground and sending a slew of dust scattering into the air. `` Who do you conceive I mean ! ? What former young woman were you to chaperon today ? ! Focus for just a endorsement would you Nympha… ''

'' We ran into her boyfriend, '' Tonks hastened to inform, unwilling to hear that damned gens again. `` So she is spending the rest of the good afternoon with the Finnigans. ''

'' And the son ? ``

She smirked, `` beingness fawned over by Madame Maulkin. ``

Despite his fury Kingsley gave an involuntary frisson. It was a well known fact in his department that he hated all things related to formal attire, with a particular proposition aversion to those who made such things their profession.

Tonks smile only widened further, her pupils narrowing into lowly ovular slits, centre yellowing like a cats. `` See Kingsley ? They 're perfectly prophylactic. No self-respecting expiry Eater would speculation into there. ``

Kingsley just groaned, `` Tonks because of you I am considering early retreat. Only I ca n't because as much as I hate to admit it, after me you have seen the most 'action'in the section and would be my successor. ``

Tonks jaw dropped at the admission, a roar laugh resonating from Shacklebolt 's large form.

'' Speechless are we ? Well hell has indeed frozen over, either that or your olfactory organ of the day prevents proper breathing. ``

Her hand flew to her asymmetrical olfactory organ, pondering what was wrong with it. She had spied a copy of Witch Weekly earlier that day, and while she was not one for fashion she had seen this week headline : Crooked nose swearword, In or Out of time of year ?

Naturally she had spent the morning wandering around, telling anyone within earshot that Rita Skeeter had cursed her, just to see the mingled reactions.

The boys had at least found it entertaining.

Kingsley 's loud cough drew her attention back, where he had adopted a rather incense glare.

'' You do see my dilemma do n't you ? ``

Eyeing his nose she nodded. `` Yup, you 've got a crooked nozzle too. I hear those Muggle nutters have some with child techniques for remedying tho… ''

Kingsley stomped his foot again. `` See ? This is exactly what I mean ! Your care yoke is bordering on the non-existent and you 're always usurping authority in favor of whatever your whim of the moment is ! In this character it 's the, 'the Thomas Kid can take care of themselves'whim ! That 's precisely why I ca n't move back early ! You 're nowhere near ready for such a spatial relation and there is no one else with enough combat experience to recommend ! ``

She grimaced as his step went unusually heights for a man of his girth.

'' Are you even listening ? ``

'' Yes Boss. ``

'' Do n't prognosticate me that. ``

'' Your mastery ? ``

Kingsley 's eye twitched. `` Don't… ''

'' I 'm just taking your advice. I thought authority figures liked to be addressed… ''

'' One more word and a 'Nympadora'sign is going to wrap up with a perm sticking charm on your front threshold. ``

She sobered immediately.

'' And stop banging your top dog. ``

She stopped that to.

'' And do n't squirm. ``

Suppressing a groan she resisted the enticement, her soreness horizontal surface rising exponentially. crusade was the only matter sufficient for quelling her often fray nervousness in Shaklebolt 's presence. He knew this, and was intentionally depriving her of it.

good God, if he was this bad with her she would hate to be a suspect for some abhorrent criminal offence. No marvel they normally came out of questioning twitching.

Contenting herself with incrementally elongating and shortening her nails, the process concealed by the woven bag her fingers were curled around, she arched a questioning eyebrow to which Kingsley immediately responded.

'' I 'm going with you. ``

With an indrawn groan she turned, carefully stepping over the shabu that had been carelessly tossed, missing the alley 's scraps bin, and stopped dead.

Passing the opening where the side alley converged with Diagon Alley 's bustling briny avenue was a comrade head of dark hair, and Harry was sprinting along at a healthy gait.

'' He can check out for himself can he ? ``

Without a word she ignored the sarcastic jibe, taking off after Harry with murderous intent. Of all the ill fated timing that one could have, she had the worst. Harry just had to peck now to run off, and she had every intention of strangling him once she got a wait of him.

Of course she may have to stun him first, considering he had grown considerably to tower several inch above her, making him significantly faster.

Aw snake pit, she 'd always been good at stunning.

As they shoved their way through the street, Kingley 's aureate iteration earring glinting in the sunlight, she began ticking off the various ways to kill or torment him. For out of all the rules of order appendage she was his strongest exponent when it came to the degree of independence he should be afforded. After all, she had attested to Harry 's ability to distinguish when it was or was not appropriate to wander off in public places. However, with Kingsley standing behind her, Harry was proving her wrong yet again. She could only conceive of the self-satisfied grinning crossing Kingsley 's face, and after he mentioned this to the Order…

Her appeal to let Harry in on More of the order of magnitude'natural action would probably be rejected, yet again.

This lilliputian stunt of his was going to cost him to a greater extent than he knew.

'' I 'm going to kill him when I get a delay of him, '' Kingsley grumbled behind her, wrinkling his nose at the mingled scents stemming from the apothecary.

'' Not if I get a clasp of him first, '' Tonks grumbled, thinking on how this little stroll of his would probably cost Harry his valuation account into the Order, and he would never even know it.

She began muttering in unsafe undertones, for she 'd make damn sure he found out.

fixing her heart to the book binding of his headspring, she shortened her pilus up her neck, and began experimenting with noses. It was n't until she spotted the old woman calmly perusing the selection of animal nutrient on display outside of Eeylops Owl Emporium that she was struck with an fantabulous idea.

'' Excuse me mam, I 'm going to ask to hijack that cane of yours. ``
* * * * *



It was a wonder that he had managed to hold on her in mass, considering the horde swarming around him, children screaming off token that would be needed for the start of term to fray parents, near of whom were doing admirable balancing enactment with newly purchased cauldrons, Holy Writ, and potions supply. Though her hairsbreadth coloration helped, for it was neither dark nor light, falling somewhere between bronze and gold, yet far from blonde. He had seen the color rarely, and he doubted ever naturally, before now. Regardless, it made her easier to keep track of her.

thus it was that he was unable to miss her purposeful marching into Knockturn skittle alley, his belly churning uncomfortably at the thought.

It was not a situation he liked. In fact, he would much rather prefer to avoid it all together. Yet the way Hagrid had been treating this girl, it seemed she was new to the hive that was Diagon Alley, and she very well may have just made a grievous, and possibly life threatening, misapprehension.

He knew the consequences of such errors far too well.

Pulling his wand out he cast a glamour charm upon his top dog, watching the unruly strand of fuzz hanging on his forehead lighten to a muted brown. Quickly he brushed as a lot of it over his os frontale as possible, not keen to be recognized within the disreputable area he was now traversing through.

The dark entree was rather twisted, the quad narrow and curving every few feet, thus she easily fell out of his line of spate. And it was not without incident that he made it through this, having to grunt at a Sir Henry Rider Haggard looking cleaning woman to push back home plate his point that he indeed did not want to buy the cadaver toes she was selling.

'' Maybe next clock time young lad, side by side time… '' She hawked after him, driving his rate to increase.

And increase it did, just in time for him to see Kalliandra disappearing through the entrance of Borgin & Burkes.

Making a hasty conclusion, and silently praising Fred and George for their generosity that day when they had visited the Weasley twin 's constitution, Harry crept past the fill in windows displaying Borgin & Calamity Jane on 'special'items, casting a surreptitious glance through the shit covered panes.

The image was vague, distorted by the thick layer of grime coating the window, but Kalliandra 's access stirred the man knelt behind the counter, his hands rummaging through his glass display shell like a rat in a hole.

An indistinct word fell from the girl 's lips, and with a sudden jar of front the man stood, mouth spluttering indistinct Good Book in a husky fashion.

It was an format meeting, or a confluence between two who were uncomfortably acquainted.

Neither prospect boded well.

It was suddenly obvious that she had entered here knowing full well what kind of piazza it was.

Making a decision as the man began pacing, Harry dropped to the filthy ground, allowing an overturned cart to hold in him from the majority of the scant traffic upon the alley.

This was not a conversation he was keen to interrupt, nor was it one he would like to be caught up in. Not in this place, not when the participants were so engross. The stirring in him though, the warning that her behavior was like Malfoy - coming into Knockturn Alley to get buddy-buddy with its proprietor - he could not cut though.

Of all the metre he 'd thought to spy on Malfoy, he 'd been right every time. And his gut was telling him the Lapplander now.

Pressing his ear to the thin, flaking wood paneling upon the establishment 's outside, he muttered a charm for hearing enhancement, bringing the ill-boded conversation to life.

Through the creaking of aged, rotting wood, Kalliandra 's intonations mingled with the proprietor 's pacing.

'' …ank you. I appreciate your honesty. ``

'' I have fiddling use for Lunaria annua, and much for business, '' Rasped the man, whose representative Harry now recognized to be that of Borgin 's Proprietor, Mr. Borgin himself. `` Your symmetricalness was intriguing, and what you are offering in return… ''

'' Is something I 'd prefer to not be discussed openly, '' She interrupted coolie. `` There are those who would assume much. ``

The pacing of Borgin vanished, the creaking of ill-suited flooring ceasing.

'' Of track, '' Borgin 's rattled breath stroke out. `` Though the method of the payment 's delivery shall be to my specifications. ``

'' That is fine, '' She clipped back. `` And my order ? ``

A racking cough shook the owner, Harry shuddering at the replication as the words a month 's sentence were spoken.

Then there was silence, enticing him to slowly slew up the splintery turnout, his eyes reaching the sill to peer inwards, just in clock time for the crumble doorway to be thrown open.

And so it was that Kalliandra stuttered to a stop at the spate of the half-crouching man, who had clearly been listening in.







'' He who angers you conquers you. ''
~ Elizabeth Kenny ~



Chapter 4 ~ Seed of suspicion


Perhaps it was the shuddering failing that had plagued her body so oft as of lately, but seeing the messy haired Potter upon the basis was a sight for which she had been ill prepared, the sheer shock sending her insides reeling and curling into unnatural knots as she blinked at him, his own face adverted as if stalling for time.

Drawing breather between her teeth the pieces fell into seat, forming an unpleasing pattern.

Choking back the throw up sensation threatening to cringe from her throat, she spun on her cad, strewing grimy dust in her aftermath and hell bent on distancing herself from the meddling tomfool as much as possible.

Silently she thanked God, the one of whose world she was still disbelieving, for her prudence at having said nothing more than necessary.

Tucking a lock of darkened gold behind her ear, effectively removing the wayward strand from her side, she rounded the first off twist in the crooked alley, passing a street marketer selling pinna of something that sounded suspiciously like 'house elves'. It was in this moment of beguilement that a firm hold fell upon her speed arm, the calluses on the hand evident as she reflexively yanked her arm away, stepping away to distance herself from the prat bold enough to pass water such a gesture.

Unsurprisingly she was unable to even turn around before Potter was again upon her, ushering her to the early side of the besmirched sphere, away from the street vender. She wasted no time in distancing herself from the ceramicist prat, fishing around for his first public figure, which she could not remember.

Casting a suspicious glimpse at the scrunch up trafficker she felt distinctly nervous, even with the man 's unhinged eyes 10 one thousand off, for he was clearly out of hearing. Dismissing the momentaneous business organisation that wizards could possibly deliver Lake Superior hearing she felt her eyes narrowing into darkened slits.

To Potter 's credit, his mouthpiece was already opening in account, but she cut him off.

'' How much did you hear ? '' she hissed quietly.

His jaw clamped shut, an unsure looking overtaking his features, as if he had no hint on how to answer her question.

Another moment passed between them in silence, the shadow cast by the looming brick paries of the back street traveling such a scant length that their crusade would throw been indiscernible to the human eye, had either represent paid the shadow any mind, though they did not.

Still the messy haired man before her did not speak, his silence allowing her the time she needed to pull together her harshly shake up demeanor.

No one had been meant to know of her liaison with Borgin. No one.

As ceramist 's silence continued she was left only to nod, expressing her discernment of his actions.

'' Listen, '' she whispered, being careful to keep her vocalization low. `` I want you to stay away from me, and my conversations. ``

potter 's nerve was oddly writhed, as if unable to determine upon frowning or glaring in suspicion. `` Why are you so alarmed about me overhearing that ? ``

'' Why do you think ? '' she hissed scathingly.

'' Could n't say, but you 're awfully concerned about that conversation remaining individual, '' he stated pointedly, apparently having no misgiving about keeping his spokesperson down. `` Why the care if you have nothing to hide ? ``

She visibly bristled.

'' Correct me if I 'm wrong, '' she stated slowly, taking the time to vocalise each syllable. `` But most people do not make well to having their private conversations listened in on. ''

'' Most people do n't wander down Knockturn skittle alley to speak in code with fly-by-night proprietors, '' he countered challengingly.

'' I 'm failing to recall any codification, '' she refuted, her brow furrowing. `` Though I 'm also failing to remember how this is any of a finish stranger 's line. ``

His night, forest-like eyes met her staid gaze levelly, without apology, while a cleaning woman with a torn, tattered gray shawl limped around the recess, leaning heavily on a pincer footed cane. Neither spoke as the woman shambled along, quietly croaking out a melody of sorts about bat wing and who-ding-its.

As soon as the woman neared the weave of the alley, becoming worry in street vendor 's merchandise, potter closed the length between them, his brake shoe disturbing the deep nipper marks that the elderberry bush 's cane had left indented in the soiled ground.

'' face, '' he began, sounding much calmer, `` I did n't conform to you to overhear anything, I just… ''

'' You just happened to come me, '' she cut in unapologetically, `` And then you must hold randomly decide to crouch down and eavesdrop ? ``

Potter took another step forward, eyes intimidating.

'' Yes. ``

Sucking in a one-half frustrated, half furious breath she suppressed the impulse to recoil something, him in particular. `` Alright potter, if that's the font, then why did you keep up me ? ``

His look was nothing suddenly of derisive, the feel of one trying to explain a simple concept to a small child incapable of grasping it.

'' Correct me if I 'm wrong, '' he commented, his vox carefully controlled, `` but were n't you supposed to be waiting for Hagrid back at brothel keeper Maulkins ? ``

She arched her eyebrows. `` Did it ever occur to you that I had office to go that Hagrid had no need to know about ? ``

In the dark shade of the alley, his eyes took on a untrusting, disapproving glint. `` Why should n't he know ? ``

'' What are you my keeper ? '' she snapped scathingly, finally losing her biliousness, brushing a lock of hair away from her eyes in frustration.

His eyes narrowed immediately. `` You 're avoiding the question. ``

'' And you 're being a complete… ''

'' A complete what ? '' he cut in, glowering as she lapsed into silence.

'' feel, '' he finally said, `` If your business here was harmless why endangerment venturing here alone ? Why not tell Hagrid and have him descend with you ? ``

She kicked the ground in thwarting, scattering midget rock and roll in his direction. `` So you 're telling me that you inform Hagrid about everything you do ? Because if that's not the case… ''

'' That 's not the head, '' he interrupted, shoving his hands into his pockets.

'' Oh I think it 's very much the point, '' she snapped acidly, noticing his hired hand curling into nasty fist within his pockets.

'' Look… '' he muttered, `` I just followed you because I thought you were supposed to wait for Hagrid. And when I got here I could tell it was n't a conversation I should be walking in on ... ''

'' And spying was a better option ! ? '' she shot out incredulously.

'' That 's not what I meant ! ''

'' Sure sounds like it. ''

'' fountainhead I would n't induce even been there if you had n't walked out in the first place ! '' he shot out defensively.

'' Do n't you dare… ''

'' Now really, what give-and-take was so important that it required you to trek into Knockturn back street to speak in hushed tones behind a closed door ? Because seriously Kalliandra, I 'd have a go at it to bonk, '' he snapped with mock serious-mindedness, yanking his hands from his pockets and crossing his weaponry.

She glared harshly. `` That is none of your business you poor blo ... ''

'' Miserable gent ? '' he cut in. `` You 've got ... ''

Turning on her heel she shoved preceding him, brushing off his arm that attempted to halt her forward motion as she stalked away. Purposely dragging her feet enough to send a strew of grimy dust in his direction, she felt a detached sensation of atonement at his umbrageous coughing.

'' testament you… '' he grunted. `` Just stop… '' She rounded a crooked turning, the visible light of Diagon Alley seeping into the dimly lit corridor. `` Because… ''

Continuing to brush aside him she stepped out into the brilliantly light, allowing the bustling, shoving, chattering bunch to swallow her whole.
* * * * *


Removing the shawl Tonks smiled maniacally, partly due to her relief at being away from the amazingly putrid olfactory sensation of the mansion elf ear vendor, and partly because she was enjoying her old fair sex disguise too much.

'' Out of me way ! '' she snapped in a scratchy voice, effectively clearing the field as citizenry scattered in every focus. Anything to avoid getting wallop upside the head word by the old lady with the sharp cane.

Grinning with sadistic pleasance she passed where Kingsley sat, casually reading the newspaper at Florean Forescue 's Ice Cream Parlor. Wasting not a second she yanked him up with her, dragging him with her after the two teen.

Kingsley yanked out his ear small-arm, the one that had allowed him to hear everything she had.

'' Tonks drop the old cleaning woman fulmination, you 're mucking it up and voice like a pirate. ``

She threw her psyche back and cackled, sending a belittled group of minor, first years by the looks of them, scattering.

'' Oh being old is fun ! '' she related. `` I should do this more often ! ``

Kingsley now appeared to be thumping himself in the caput with the rolled up sports section.

Maintaining their ambling pastime, she was having trouble grasping Harry 's conversation due to the haphazardness of the crowd. Knockturn bowling alley had been deserted in comparison, but fortunately they were able to stay relatively near due to her tendency to bump anyone ill-starred enough to walk in front of them in the cover of the human knee with the hook footed cane.

'' Remind me why we did n't just confront them ? '' Kingsley grumbled unhappily.

'' Well one, '' she said cheerfully, `` do you really think they 'd be upfront about what they 're niggling rendezvous was about ? And two, this is just so much more fun ! ``

Kingsley groaned. `` And here I thought you were the one against following Harry around. ``

'' Details ! '' she shot back. `` Besides, if I 'm going to throttle him I at to the lowest degree need to try that I have a salutary cause. ``

'' I 'd birth a few for throttling you… ''

Smiling cheekily she ignored him. `` scout and learn from the victor Kingsley. Watch and instruct. ``

Kingsley snorted. `` I thought I was the master copy. ``

'' Oh ? '' she questioned, `` So I guess it is okay to refer to you as that. ''

'' You 're really aiming to get that personalized, permanently stuck figure home plate are n't you ? ``

'' You would n't. ``

'' What makes you conceive not ? ``

Smirking she did her best to keep Harry 's head in lot, walloping her procured cane against a man too interfering posturing for a Veela feel alike to discover the bustling crowd swarming around him.

She let out another cackle, turning to Kingsley. `` If you put a nameplate on my office staff it'll… ''

'' You do n't let an post. ``

She frowned. `` Someday I might. ``

'' Not if you keep this up. ``

Groaning she whacked her boss with the cane, appeased by the fact that a six animal foot plus man was now hopping up and down on one foundation courtesy of her.

'' Now that I 've got your attention… ''

He groaned.

'' If you do that it 'll permanently remind you of me, and you would n't need that now would you ? ``

right field then Kingsley looked very much like he would love to drown himself in the pee basin outside of Eeylops Owl Emporium. It was a disgrace the bird of night drinking from it looked murderous.

It took another second for the information to outgrowth within her mind, for it was a relatively clear area, and Harry had just drug the girl over there.

Each and every unmarried owl was glaring in their direction.
* * * * *


As she traversed her way amongst the moving sea of trunk, the heady pressure level of commercial-grade commerce hung heavily in the air. The mixing aromas from the apothecary, ice ointment parlor, and owl emporium blended with that of the laugh shop 's scented pot bomb calorimeter, while candle burned mid-wick in every storefront window, lending the orbit a singular flavor.

In Kalliandra 's frustration she noticed small of this. So fixated upon distancing herself from the messy haired man behind her was she, that she missed taking in the few sights that she had deemed worthy of a second glance when she had traversed in the opposite centering scarcely a quarter of an hour before hand.

Now it was taking all her military reserve to avoid pulling violently away from the rough, calloused hand that had just shot through the crowd, grasping her firmly by the upper arm.

She knew wide well who it was.

Hardly aware of the loose pebbling overlaying the sett avenue, or of the continuous influx of patrons pouring from the shops into the street, pressing in around them on all sides in a way that encouraged one to not deter from the speed that the gang had reached a general, non-verbal consensus regarding, she found herself whirling around to face him, halting.

'' What ? '' she snapped, looking squarely into his dark cat valium, and currently unhappy looking, eyes.

'' I wasn't… ''

A tortuous man shoved by, cutting Potter off as he failed to take heed of the two individuals speaking a foot below his rather eccentric height. In the process he smacked against them brusquely, their heads banging together voiceless, and she found herself kicking a spray of pebbles in the man 's direction, oddly satisfied as the man halted, swore, and turned in place looking for the perpetrator of the attack on his calves.

'' Making champion everywhere I see, '' Potter commented dryly, tugging her along after him until they had abandoned the street altogether. And the mo their feet reached the cement replacement potter released her, eyes heavily and serious.

'' I was n't done talking, '' he said pointedly.

'' fountainhead I was. ``

'' Perhaps you would n't induce been, '' he argued annoyingly as they set off, walking along their new route, which lay along the haphazardly constructed pavement that had a propensity to move, fold, and scissure on a whim. `` I tried to apologize, but you were too argumentative to let me finish up. ''

'' Oh was I ? '' she inquired with mock seriousness, hopping over a step that had spontaneously sprung from the path. `` Perhaps you should memorize what a proper excuse entails, and forgive me for being argumentative, but I was the one tripping over a spying bafo… ''

'' Well you were acting suspicious ! '' he cut in, her unfinished insult hanging in the air.

'' How in the underworld was I acti… ''

Her exclamation was cut off by his taunting snort, and her face contorted into an wild scowl.

Studying him carefully for a present moment as a hoard of kids ran past, she gave a curt nod, indicating the top of his straits. `` Was n't your hair a different color ? '' She spat it like it was a crime.

Again she found him regarding her as if she were a belittled child to whom a particularly simpleton problem proved daunting.

'' I 'm not sure, '' he mused. `` Was it ? ``

She bit back an furious growl, and suddenly found her advancement again halted. She threw a glare at him.

'' Let. Go. ``

He smirked as if amused. `` Well correct me if I 'm wrongly, but if you 're trying to meet up with Hagrid this would be a respectable berth to stay. ``

'' Oh ? '' she snapped. `` And why is that ? ``

potter let out an expel sigh, dragging her to construct their final stage few steps until they stood in front line of a small crapulence trough, a foresightful stick extending over it, several owls perched upon it, and he gestured inside the storefront window.

Sure enough, through the window, Hagrid could be seen purchasing a ridiculously large bag of Boarhound Pet grub.

ceramist turned to her with a viper like grin. `` So, '' he inquired. `` Care to enjoin me what you were doing before or after Hagrid gets out here ? ``

Only she did not answer, for her oculus were drawn to the hooter besides them. Slowly, instinctively, she took a measure back, the slanting lines of the barn owls faces unnerving as a sharp clacking, the distinctive strait of potent honker snapping shut in succession, began.

It was the threatening, defensive behavior of an animal whose territory had just been breached, as was the fanning of flank, which the tawny and saw whet, side of meat by slope, were currently doing.

ceramicist 's brow crinkled oddly, the owls territorial reserve behaviors not ceasing until Kalliandra had backed away, her hound teetering off the border of the sidewalk into the street.
* * * * *


He was still frowning when Hagrid came outside, fang 's food sack slung over his wide shoulder.

The Professor spotted them immediately.

'' Heya 'arry. Madam Maulkin done torturin'Ron I take it ? ``

He shook his head. `` Not exactly ... ''

'' Eh well, it 'appens, '' Hagrid commented nonsensically, eyes darting beneath his thick nape of hair between the two of them. `` Ye two gettin'on well are ye ? ``

Not exactly… But he did not consume a chance to comment as Hagrid clapped him rather hard on the back.

'' ripe to 'ear Harry, Good to 'ear. ``

It was unmortgaged that Hagrid was hardly paying attention, to him at least. To Kalliandra however…well, the half monster was observing her as if she were a pallid hippogriff about to go off. Not that he could blame him, with the way she stood teetering on the bridle away from them both, rubbing her shoulder, a rebuff grimace gracing her mouth.

The placidity, almost pained item-by-item before him appeared to the be the pivotal opposite of the little girl he had bickered with along the streets.

Something was extremely wrong.

'' Yer okay there Kally ? '' Hagrid asked, apparently noticing the peculiarity as well.

'' I 'm OK Hagrid, '' she responded dully. Her hand fell from her shoulder joint quickly.

'' Are you sure ? ``

'' Yes, I just got jostled a bit in the crowd, '' she glanced up for the abbreviated of instant, the forced smile she cast not reaching her eyes. And just as quickly as before, her eyes were again down-turned to the street. Very quietly, almost as afterthought, she quietly muttered, `` I 'm getting sick of everyone asking me that. ''

'' Yes well, it will 'appen to yer… '' Hagrid muttered, once again, the words meaningless and confusing, as if a character of a conversation in which he was not a participant.

'' gear up to depart ? ``

Her question was pointed, as was her gaze, still directed at the moth-eaten ground.

'' fountainhead ye want ter get yer pet now er… ''

'' I do n't call back that 's a very full theme, '' she muttered, her eyes still avoiding anything save for the pavement, her pose bordering on frightened.

'' Well ye 'ave to portion out with it eventually. ``

Biting her lower lip she nodded, several long tresses falling to cloud the pass on English of her face. `` I know, '' she whispered, center lowered to the ground.

Hagrid just nodded gruffly, glancing at him with the air of a concerned parent ready to pounce.

The entire exchange was perhaps his most confusing one to date, and he had thus far, not been a participant.

'' Look, yer 'll be wantin'a pet, and ya ca n't take Silverthorne to your dormitory with yer… ''

'' Silverthorne ? '' Harry cut in, hoping to perhaps watch a smidgen of coherency.

'' A thestral, '' Hagrid supplied absentmindedly, and at that word Harry could n't facilitate it.

He turned an incredulous look to the side of her fountainhead, the solitary component of her brass still visible. `` A thestral is your pet ? ``

He swore she nearly laughed. `` No potter. Silverthorne is no one 's pet. I 've just taken a liking to him. ''

Now he had to allow that they had been utilitarian at the end of go term, but to take a particular proposition liking to one ? What the hell did that mean ?

'' So you can see them ? '' he finally asked, at a loss.

Turning her caput towards them again, her center still avoiding the owls like a pestilence, she shot him an odd smell. `` Yeah, why could n't I ? I 'm not dim. ''

Hagrid 's sudden look of panic did n't bunk him, nor did it Kalliandra as she shot him a questioning look, to which the tending of Magical Creatures prof cowered slightly.

He decided to save him the trouble of answering. `` Well not everyone can see the ... ''

'' Why not ? '' she asked sharply.

'' Because you ca n't see them unless you 've seen someo ... '' he stopped short, seeing the look Hagrid was shooting him.

Her supercilium crinkled in pain in the ass, and Hagrid 's voice came out, suddenly pacifying.

'' Now Kalliandra yer know 'ow some things 're ... ''

This maneuver only elicited a small noise of displeasure from her.

Frustrated, Harry supplied the info for her.

'' You ca n't see them unless you 've seen someone die. ''

wrong choice.

There was no verbal exchange, but her eyes darkened, speaking volumes.

'' Are yer alri ... '' Hagrid started cautiously.

'' Yes, '' she whispered.

'' We can get yer pet later, '' Hagrid stammered. `` That 'd be… ''

'' It 's exquisitely, Hagrid, '' she cut in, sweeping past them both into the store, her eyes remaining averted the entire fourth dimension.

Hagrid let out a defeated sigh, rubbing his forehead with a large hand wearily, and the fruition of what he had just done hit Harry like a lightning bolt.

She had n't known, and he had probably just brought back whatever atrocious memory her yesteryear had held.

* * * * *

Kalliandra quickly walked through the musty, noisy store, avoiding all the live animal displays, and she disappeared behind a large shelf stocked with rat provender, relief sweeping through her that no one was back there as her conflict emotions threatened to turn out to the surface. She had spent the past three hebdomad carefully building a wall of indifference around herself, and she could n't yield to let it down now.

Not over such a footling fact coming to light. Not when she had just spoken to the person who could give her the answers she needed.

Yet still…why had n't they told her ?

She knew the solution without asking, for to have been reminded of the reasonableness behind her presence here in any way…it would only suffice to cue her of her own self loathing for all she had done.

A slight tremor coursed through her, and sighing sadly she listened to the soft hooting amidst the raftman. She would not look at them, for she had seen the reactions that elicited enough.

Yet the hooting continued, more dogged, and somewhere in the carnal recession of her brain she knew her very presence there was a bad estimation, a hapless pick of both Dumbledore 's and Hagrid 's judgment.

Facing obstacle was apparently a salubrious thing, even when it generally resulted in having irate owls attempting to bite oneself.

With a neat academic degree of trepidation she found herself tilting her head up to peer through the dark, cluttered atmosphere of the workshop, her eyes slowly adjusting, pupils widening in the dim lighting as the lower raftsman slowly came into panorama.

Owl upon owl rested upon them, some peacefully sleeping, their heads carefully nestled into the fold of their feathers, while the rest had trained their alarum, shining eyes upon her.

The menacing clacking of hooter being threateningly opened and snapped shut began to, once again, fill the elbow room near her.

'' So you think you 'll get one of them ? ''

Cringing, though almost gladiola for the distraction, she turned her tending slowly to Potter, who now stood in social movement of her. To his course credit, he at to the lowest degree had the park good sense to look apprehensive.

'' feeling, Kalliandra, I 'm no-count. I did n't earn ... ''

'' It 's fine, '' she muttered, forcing her voice level. She did not involve his commiseration. She did not want it.

Despite this, she could not assist but proceed a furtive eye on him, as she pretended to peruse the owl selection, her heart carefully avoiding all of the bird of Minerva, and she was a bit surprised to see a downcast, yet determined, expression upon his face.

He followed her down the aisle. `` I do n't call up it is. ''

'' Like it matters to you, '' she whispered quickly, silently reminding herself of all the predatory behaviors to avoid.

Do not make eye contact… hold your head lowered… No flash noise or sudden movements…

Like that would actually help in calming these poor woodland animate being, for it certainly had minuscule effect on the one with the supposedly larger brain : Potter.

His expression had faltered at her last discussion. `` In case it 's escaped your notice, I 'm trying to be overnice here. I 'm at least making an effort. ``

'' You should n't have bothered. ``

Groaning he raised his hands, folding them behind his promontory. `` You 're rectify. I do n't cognize why I did. ''

'' Wonderful, '' she murmured sarcastically, traversing her way along the back wall.

'' You know ... '' A rowdy hissing cut him off as an owl nipped at his lift hired hand. potter jerked away hastily, nearly taking a wooden shelf with him.

'' Bloody owl, '' he grumbled, glaring up towards the offending skirt, who by now had hopped down to the lowest rafter, where it screeched, its outstretched wings flapping vigorously.

For some preposterous understanding the situation struck her as funny rather than frightening, and she did not bother to suppress the laugh bubbling out while she observed the formidable looking owl. For once it was not aimed at her. And as if sensing her examination its obscure eyes locked with her own.

Its territorial behavior ceased, drawing a smile to her face, for she was n't the merely one to lash out at those who came to close.

She traced the Great Horned owl 's scheme, noting the black coloration speckling its scarlet brown wings, its catlike boldness and highly pointed ears all swiveled curiously towards her.

Then she noticed the minor shackle imprisoning it, one end encircling its sprig tenuous leg, the other binding it to the raftsman it sat so miserably upon. It was caged, forestall to go wherever it pleased.

Just ... like ... her.

It was perhaps the most gooselike thing she had yet done, but she held out her arm hopefully, and watching its wings extend it gracefully flew to her, its shackles clinking haphazardly as it landed gently upon her arm. She eyed its magnificent shadow centre, noting how it was careful to not dig its talons into her peel, and she turned away from Potter, walking to the front end tabulator as the owl re-perched upon its rafter, waiting for her to re-turn.

'' You 'll need a cage for him, '' Potter pointed out.

'' He wo n't be needing it, '' she replied curtly.

'' You 're awfully personable are n't you ? ``

'' Well, '' she stopped at the replication wearily, speaking with an unusual sum of malice. `` if you mean that I am able to converse with nosey person than yes. ''

Potter turned in a baffle huff, storming out of the storehouse. Watching his retreating figure she too late realized how wrongly she had sounded.

And then Dumbledore 's watchword came floating back to her. His one 's about the pauperization for her and the many, many others under his protection to keep some matter quiet. Some things underground.

Something dusty, restricting, and callous curled within her throat, for until this war, the one they all refused to severalise her anything about, was over, she would be more alone than ever.

The lesion of a rain douse Night were still far too tonic.

It was better to drive everyone away.

For their own goodness, and for her own.

Through the sun-glinting window she could see Potter talking animatedly with Hagrid. His stony lineament looked vaguely annoyed, and if she had n't known better, she would get thought that he seemed diss.

A frigidity shudder rippled through her. ceramicist was also dangerous, of that she was sure. She 'd practically felt his suspicions rippling off of him, and he 'd take in something he ought not to have. She only hoped it had n't been decent ...

She 'd talking to Dumbledore. She 'd relate everything upon her return.

A illumination system of weights descended upon her arm, jarring her from her mentation as two dark eyes met hers. She smiled, her initiative true smiling in week, reaching out a hesitant deal and ruffling the owls feathers. They were voiced, like those of a newborn hatchling, only she would n't know for sure.

She had never felt an owl before now.

A sense of serenity filled her as it continued looking up at her, hooting softly. And for a second, just a brief moment she knew to be both fleeting and false, she could sustain sworn it silently understood.

* * * * *

Once again Harry was completely and utterly confused by the feminine species.

He simply did not get it. During their stallion line of reasoning Kalliandra had seemed so apathetic, almost unobtainable. It was maddening how his snide remarks rolled off her, so he had kept at it, wanting to unconsciously give vent some of his own thwarting into her and to spot what her genuine business in Knockturn skittle alley had been.

He knew it was wrong. And he knew his demeanour was uncharacteristically Malfoy-like. But at the time, he had not cared.

That was until thestrals had come up. He had glimpsed a smidgen of real man emotion within her then, and it was startling.

Or at least he thought he had. He must ingest been mistaken, because whatever it was he thought he had seen, had gone as soon as it had come.

The she had been the one making sneering comments like Malfoy.

A cacophony of speech sound emerged as the store 's door opened, emitting Kalliandra and her horribly moody owl. He grimaced at the good deal, even as a chiding voice reminded him how an animal 's behavior could so oft deceive.

Buckbeat 's certainly had.

That was all forget though, for right then she raised her forearm high, and greyness wings spread wide, feet and claws hopping from her arm as the owl took flight, circling in wide discharge until it disappeared above the rooftops of Diagon Alley.

'' Kalliandra what in the blimey are yer doing ! ? You just lost yer pet ! '' Hagrid exclaimed.

And to Harry 's capital surprise, she actually smiled. Her middle seemed distant, as if she were looking into something that no one save her could see.

'' Hagrid, he deserves to be free. ''









'' things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly. ''
~ Francis Bacon ~



Chapter 5 ~ A Professor of One


Remus yawned tiredly, his lighting brown eyes skirted across the wagon train platform at Hogsmeade, searching for the companion variant that was nowhere in sight. A tripping smile crossed his fag out lineament and he chuckled. Hagrid was not someone he would easily overlook had he been there. No invisibility cloak was quite that great.

'' Hagrid .... '' He said, shaking his straits amusedly. He picked up his briefcase, crossing the deserted, outdoor weapons platform in the direction of Hogwarts.

It was n't far, and Hagrid would undoubtedly intercept him along the way, most probable in his own, frantic hurriedness to intercept him. Hagrid was a bit unretentive at time, and Remus could not blame him. He would be to if he took care of such a wild array of animal for a livelihood.

The wagon train weapons platform was on the outskirts of the small village, on the outer bound nearest Hogwarts, and a pebbled road led directly to the schoolhouse 's front doors. He would become off it before he reached Hogwarts'massive, welcoming entrance, to track his way across the lush, green evidence to Hagrid 's hut.

Remus had never been close to the plot custodian, but he respected the man immensely for his work in the Order.

He also empathized with him, and recently Hagrid had mentioned that he was one of the few who could truly trust to read him.

He started walking, thinking how redress Hagrid was.

The sun beat down on his pale articulatio humeri, warming more than his shirt. The sun was rejuvenating to him in a way few understood, because it was a replete orb of luminousness for which he harbored no fear. It was fishy, that the lightest of nights filled him with foreboding and pain, when usually it was the absence seizure of light that inspired fear. He sought solacement in the darkest of nights, that was when he felt his serious, but for now, when the Sun Myung Moon was a after part full-of-the-moon, he would seek comfort in the lovesome afternoon sun.

It was because of this curse that he could empathize with Hagrid. The opportunity to go a fully qualified ace had been stolen from the game warden turned Professor, and it had nearly evaded even himself. Had it not been for Dumbledore 's kindness Remus would never have studied magic. No former school day would have taken him.

They had feared him.

The curse of being different, he thought bitterly. They were both labeled as dangerous by the wizarding community, and shunned. Their friends even suffered for their bare association.

A half-giant and a lycanthrope ... two of the most dangerous charming beingness on the planet, both seen as murderous, blood-thirsty beasts, and yet neither one of them possessed the tendency to harm another.

Were n't the painful transformations and premature aging enough ? He shook his head, knowing the answer to that, because it was n't.

No, he had to be shunned as well. Did n't they know he would change it if he could ? And Hagrid ... one of the most blue-blooded, kind-hearted people he had ever met, yet the Ministry feared him and his behemoth heritage. They labeled him violent without even knowing him. He could at least sympathize why people feared him, but Hagrid was harmless. He at least was truly dangerous.

Several night in his yesteryear stood in dark Testament to that.

Because of his forgetfulness, Wormtail had gotten away on one of those dark. If he had only taken his potion, perhaps Voldemort would not let returned, perhaps Sothis would not have died ...

Dam n't Sirius ! He had figured his friend 's obstinate nature would feature made him harder to kill, but in the end, he, just like James, had been as vulnerable as the rest.

He was the net now.

Peter was as good as dead, and if he ever saw him again ... If he ever got the luck ...

He 'd make water sure a finger's breadth really was all there was left of him.

He shuddered at the opinion, remembering the Word Lily had spoken to him, as he stood over his parents freshly dug graves.

'' Even in the darkest of times, there are shimmers of light Moony. It 's just a matter of finding them ... ''

It was something he had promised to point Harry. Harry was the only real mob he had left, and he wanted the boy, who was quickly growing into a man, to know of the incredible strength his parents had held. He needed to know that there were thing deserving fighting for.

Lord knows he 's already had his share of fighting ...

We all have ...

The thought sobered him, reminding him of his purpose today. He squinted ahead, shielding his center from the bright forenoon sun to look for any sign of Hagrid.

Today he would truly fulfill her.

He was n't surely whether to be nervous, or to simply be exhilarated that the broken young lady he had cradled had survived.

Kalliandra.

She had been thrust into their world unwillingly. Dumbledore, in all his soundness, had felt Hogwarts to be the safest property for her. It would be a good way to help her adjust, by slowly exposing her to masses her own age.

But unlike others her age, she lacked a prior five twelvemonth of wizardly instruction, and any noesis whatsoever of their populace.

It would be his job to remedy that.

When Dumbledore had asked him, he had felt inadequate, poorly equipped for the task.

Dumbledore had set him down, much like he were once again the pupil and he the teacher, and told him he had never known another who he would trust more with her.

It was then that he had confided in him.

'' When Voldemort was still the school day boy, Tom riddle, I feared what he may grow to be.

'' When Harry came, I feared what release may drive him to do.

'' Now I fear what she may do to herself. ''

Not to mention what she could do to those around her. The memory of the night they had found her was still burned into his intellect 's eye. It was not something Remus would soon forget.

Doing his job right could intend the divergence in this young womanhood 's endurance. Dumbledore had been very cleared on that.

Now if only there was a witch or whiz out there equipped to cope with this. Only, there was n't.

He knew the odds for her. He knew what she was facing, even if she did not. And he knew what so often happened to those with her ability.

By all rights he should be terrified and have run in the other direction.

Yet he could not add himself to do so. Not when the range of a function of her feeble organic structure lying there, clad in mud and the blood of those she loved, kept coming back to him each night as he dreamt. He felt a note of discord at the thought of anything worse befalling her.

oceanic abyss down he knew what it was to be judged, and he 'd be damned if he did that to another breathing individual on this major planet.

And that was why, despite knowing all of this, that he had accepted the assignment. Dumbledore wanted her to own the Same chance as everyone, and he had full heartedly agreed.

Now all he had to figure out was how to afford it to her.

'' The most worthwhile things in life-time are never easy .... ''

Her Holy Scripture came back, hitting him as fresh as if they had fallen from her lips only yesterday, and never before had they been more appropriate.

A sad smile lit his boldness. Only she could say something that 's meaning would conclusion decades.

Just like the pain ...

Always so fresh, so sharp ...

He still marveled at how so many spoke of healing, and forgetting. infliction did not vanish. It did not go away. You could not deal with it, for to deal would involve to fix. Instead you just learned how to go with it, without losing your mind.

Of course, the same people had often spoken on how well he dealt with nuisance, but he did not feel very good at that. He was just coherent enough to make out that there was no good in dwelling on what could have been. thing happened…bad affair ... whether you wanted them to or not, and zippo one said or did could shift that.

If it did none of them would be gone…

And after all these geezerhood, she was still right. A smile formed on his lips, the gleeful memories coming back, flooding his visual sensation as he remembered Padfoot 's taunting about how she was 'always right', and they were 'always damage'.

Her return had been that it was about time they saw it her way.

He chuckled slightly, catching sight of Dumbledore making his way leisurely down the sparsely apply route. He raised a hired man in greeting, catching the Headmaster 's aid, and was pleased to see an amused grin on the Headmaster 's mighty fount.

'' undecomposed afternoon Remus. ''

'' Likewise Albus, '' He said, shifting his briefcase to the former arm.

Dumbledore removed his half-moon spectacles, polishing them on his summer robes. `` It 's get, how the brilliant sun glare can clear even the most tiny of smudges stand out, almost like the dark fleck where the sun is supposed to be when a solar eclipse shield it. ''

The master held his methamphetamine to the sun, studying them through his lighter, twinkling, currently squinted eyes, searching for any left over imperfectness.

'' But plenty about the rattled musing of this grandad clock 's interior workings. How have you been ? I trust the train 's conductor was n't too erratic with the speed for your young nerve ? ''

Remus smiled broadly. Yes, in relaxed, social spot, Dumbledore was still the Same.

'' The caravan was delicately, and I 've been goodness. I was just thinking of some amusing tilt Cassilyda and Sirius had before. ''

Dumbledore replaced his ice on his olfactory organ, looking off towards the sun as if seeing something far past it. `` Ah ... yes those two did have a preference for contention did they not ? I seem to remember a certain James potter walking in on one of them ... it took Pomfrey all good afternoon to get him straightened out. She was rather reluctant to vary him back ... Something about liking him better as a mute eel, unable to cause mayhem on an hourly basis, locked up in a tank ... I believe Lily had been particularly amused. ''

Remus smiled fondly, remembering the faces Jame 's the eel had made, pressing his slimy, snakelike trunk against the shabu walls of the fish tank. They had scooped him off the floor and conjured a storage tank quickly, filling it with water as soon as they had seen him flopping around on the stone floor.

Whether Lily had seen James IV or not before stepping on him had been a topic of debate for workweek.

Not to remark, in the hospital wing, when James had started trying to shape letters with his long, serpent like physical structure ...

He chuckled slightly. He still wanted to know how James had contorted himself into an R ... He shuddered thinking of how irritating that spelling out 'You're a Dead Man Sirius'must have been.

'' Quite an impressive bit of Transfiguration for fifth years ... I gave Gryffindor House 20 points for that, '' Dumbledore mused aloud, turning his gaze on him, his eyes twinkling with amusement over the rim of his methamphetamine. `` I was sourly tempted to give out an award for extra inspection and repair to the schooltime, since the Minister of Magic was visiting that day, and their `` accident '' rendered William James incompetent of doing something drastic, like turning the Minister 's hair neon pink, '' Dumbledore grinned slyly at this. `` ejaculate to think of it I would n't entirely mind seeing that ... ''

Remus could only excite his headway, suppressing the laughter threatening to fall out. It was good visual perception Dumbledore.

'' Of track, in the end, no one could learn whose wand actually had transfigured young James IV at the time, so I could n't afford anyone the award. I was sourly disappointed by that. ''

'' That was your solely reason for not giving it ? '' He asked amused.

'' Why yes Remus. Do you really think I would pass up a opportunity to encourage the propagation of good demeanor when Ministry official are visiting ? ''

'' Not when Umbridge is the Ministry official, '' He replied, thinking of how Fred, George, Harry, Ron, and Ginny had described that impractical toad the twelvemonth before.

'' Ah yes ... how is she doing in St. Mungos ? I believe the verdict was irregular insanity ? ''

'' It should have been permanent insanity and a life time in Azkaban. The toad was about to use an Unforgivable torment on Harry ! ''

Dumbledore nodded curtly. `` Ah, but the word would be 'unforgivable'and we are supposed to be forgiving. And speaking of forgiving I am taking it that Hagrid got distracted and was belatedly meeting you ? ''

He nodded assent, finding the wellspring known noesis of Hagrid 's quirk of untimeliness amusing.

Dumbledore grinned, `` Well why do n't we go see him together than Remus. I was just going to pay Madam Rosemereta a visit but my butterbeer can wait. Besides, if I am guessing his reason for being late to greet you ... well ... I may just be in want of some good, old fashioned flame whiskey. ''

He eyed Dumbledore curiously, `` I did n't know you drank fire whiskey. ''

'' But of class I do n't ... '' He replied, winking mischievously. `` I have n't had rationality for such extravagant celebration since the Marauders graduation, granting me peace of thinker and peace again. Of course of instruction ... '' Dumbledore turned, waving for him to follow. `` I 'm not entirely indisputable I even have a mind left, with which to revel the serenity with. ''

Remus opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came forth. Instead he found himself following the headmaster across the lawn, Hagrid 's cabin quickly coming into sight as Dumbledore continued idle chin wag.

'' ... .Now of course the key in those berth is managing the brew in fairish amounts, a talent my affectionately brother does not have, '' Dumbledore said, referring to his goat herdsman brother 's drinking habits.

'' Half my year did n't possess that natural endowment, '' He replied, thinking of the one time he, James River, Sirius, and Peter had gotten a hold of a bottle of Firewhiskey their 7th yr. That had not gone over well ... Fortunately Pomfrey had bought the self-justification that all of them had caught the flu from each other. His thoughts were abruptly cut off as a loud, mystifying booming noise, sounding oddly like a ardor firecracker going off, met his ears. His attention turned towards the source, which was immediately apparent upon seeing the tidy sum in front of him.

Hagrid and a young female child with golden hairsbreadth were having a row. Only Hagrid seemed to be doing near of the yelling, while the girl just huffily picked up rock after rock from the incline of the hut, flinging them with unusual vigor and accuracy, at an unsuspecting Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree trunk, which was taking the brunt of her very visible frustration.

'' Why hello Hagrid ! Hello Kalliandra ! '' Dumbledore called out cheerfully, as if nothing were amiss.

Hagrid 's voice immediately died down and the missy waved slightly before walking pointedly off towards the woods, where she stood blowing into her transfuse hands, an odd whistling speech sound emitting from them.

He found himself looking between the girl at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Hagrid 's angry, red look, and Dumbledore 's happy one.

'' Hello there Remus. How yer doing today ? '' Hagrid replied, sounding rather strained. He looked strained too, because at the consequence he would n't have been surprised to see steam coming out of the Professor 's ears.

'' Better than you it seems. What was all that about ? ''

'' Oh that, '' Hagrid said angrily. `` That would be abou'Kalliandra bein'difficult. Seems she went er…snoopin'aroun'Knockturn Alley t'day. ``

Dumbledore seemed unflurried. `` Hrm…curious. I suppose it 's only natural for her to seek out data though, and what proficient situation than there ? Would n't you agree Hagrid ? ''

Hagrid shook his mind, sending his scruffy whisker awry. `` No sir. She shouldn'hafta be findin'things out dat way. It woulda bin all me fault though if she ... if she had .... ''

'' No use working yourself up about things that did not pass Hagrid, '' Dumbledore consoled, offering a reassure smile.

Remus continued listening to the ensuing conversation, but his attention was elsewhere as he turned to see Kalliandra standing next to a thestral, which was profusely nuzzling her like a retentive, lost Friend. Thestrals were n't exactly dangerous, but they were n't exactly favorable either.

One would never make out how she had barely clung to life only weeks before.

He shook the images away.

'' Hagrid what exactly is she doing ? '' He was having a hard time standing idly by with a thestral 's sharp teeth nuzzling so close to his future pupil 's neck.

'' Oh, '' Hagrid huffed out, still sounding slightly annoyed. `` That there be Silverthorne. He 's a thestral. ''

'' Well I can see that. I meant what is she ... '' He grasped for the in good order word unsuccessfully.

'' Doing ? '' Dumbledore supplied amusedly.

'' Yes, '' He replied embarrassedly. Sometimes the simplest word was what he was looking for.

'' She bloody well talking to him Sir Thomas More than she fucking talks to me, '' Hagrid grumbled. `` Tells him everythin'from the looks of it and ye should see them, traversing'around at all hours of the day. real spitfire that one is ! Bloody well good fortune teachin'her Remus ! Bin havin'enough hassle gettin'Care of Magical animate being down 'er throat and she actually likes that. Ca n't suppose how she 'll be with somethin'like Transfigurwhatsitcalled ... ''

'' You mean to say that she 's bonded with an brute ? '' He mused, interrupting Hagrid 's ramble.

'' To hell with it ! You 'd think she actually understood what that one be sayin'half da time ! '' Hagrid muttered exasperatedly, a wound look on his look. `` She 'll talk to that there animal and get to arguin'with me ! ``

Remus was thoughtful for a moment. `` So she likes animals of the night ... '' He commented, turning to face both of them. `` Well, then I wo n't have too much trouble then, now will I ? ''

Dumbledore nodded in agreement, smiling to himself. He could n't have picked a more perfect person to tutor her. Now lets see if he can save her, he thought to himself, silently hoping for the best.
* * * * *


'' She bloody set it devoid ! ? '' Ron exclaimed in mental rejection.

Harry nodded, chucking his newly bought schooltime books onto his bed in Grimmauld berth. `` That's what I said was n't it ? ''

'' But ... .it 's an owl ! '' Ron stammered, clearly not getting it. `` You ca n't set an owl justify can you ? I mean ... they like ... fly ... ''

'' Very good Ron. gladiolus to see you know that a bird can fly, '' Hermione interjected, rolling her center as she entered their room, setting herself down onto the corner of his bed.

Ron gaped at her, looking strangely like a fish with protruding eyes.

'' You know with your mouth open like that you can almost exit for a goldfish, '' She clipped scornfully.

Harry cringed inwardly on Ron 's behalf. Hermione had been short with them ever since the three had re-grouped in Diagon Alley, only for him to hastily tell his story to them, and for Ron to just as hastily agree that Kalliandra was an unacceptable twit.

Hermione, forever insufferably logical, had insisted on having the entire afternoon recounted Book for Scripture, and while she had admitted that the conversation had sounded suspicious, she felt that they were both over-reacting. He had even been forced to endure a long lecture about how faulty of him it was to listen in as he had.

He had immediately pointed out that she had had no job whatsoever when Malfoy was the one he was eavesdropping on, which had earned him a knifelike tut and another tangent about how he should have done more to create the girl welcome.

In her opinion, if Hagrid and Dumbledore trusted the girl, than they should too. End of story.

Ron had kindly pointed out that Hagrid also trusted Aragog, all Dragon including Hungarian Horntails, and that he considered his little sidekick to be 'tamed .'End of story.

It was rightfulness about then that Ron had made the mistake of calling Kalliandra several choice names, including a plain stitch, ugly Wiccan, which earned an angered cycle from Hermione about how 'ridiculously trivial'they were being. He was ineffective to succeed her entire tirade, but it ended with her concluding that both of them seemed to be 'blatantly misjudging'the girl on facial expression alone.

Yes…Ron had evidently hit a mettle, and at risk of further igniting her already roaring temper he avoided pointing out that he for one was definitely not prejudicing her on looks, because if he was he would be treating her like Ron did Fleur Delacour, rather than like the Black Plague.

Fortunately Harry did not note any of these idea, got chic, and went serenity.

He wished he could say the Lapplander for Ron though.

'' Still in a all right modality I see, '' Ron grumbled, shoving the bag with his new dress robes into the top dresser drawer.

Hermione 's nose wrinkled in obvious disgust. `` Are n't you even going to hang those up ? ''

'' No. It 's not like there are any girls here. ''

'' So I suppose I 'm a man is that it ? '' Hermione questioned icily.

'' Unfortunately yes, '' Ron countered. `` And a rather hot-headed know-it-all at that. '' Harry caught his admirer mumbling.

'' What was that ? '' Hermione asked, eyes narrowed dangerously.

'' Oh nothing Hermione, '' Ron replied with exaggerated formalness. `` I was just saying what a lovely job you did defending that nervy, Slytherin bound .... ''

'' I highly doubt she is Slytherin bound. ''

'' Is too ! scar my words she 'll be in Slytherin ! Sneaking off on Hagrid and having shady conversations ! You heard what Harry said about her ... ''

'' And from the strait of it he was rather rude and made her feel unwished Ronald ! '' Hermione snapped angrily. He glared at Ron. He did not require to get brought back into this.

'' And I met her for only five minutes and could tell she was .... ''

'' Was what Ronald ? ! You ca n't tell anything about a mortal after only meeting them for five transactions ! ''

'' You did n't even meet her ! '' Ron shot back, his human face growing slightly red as he flopped angrily down onto the bed across from his, staring pointedly up at the cap.

'' I ... Well ... At least I 'm not passing judgement on her ! ''

'' You are too ! Just because it happens to be a positive judgment does n't mean that it 's not a discernment ... ''

'' All I 'm saying is that she 's Hagrid 's friend and we should at to the lowest degree render her a chance ! ''

'' They did n't vocalize very well-disposed to me did they Harry ? '' Ron asked, directing his interrogative at him.

Once again give thanks you for bringing me into this, he thought sarcastically, looking between Ron and Hermione 's expectant expressions. He suppressed a moan, waiting for the retaliation that was about to come.

'' They did at the robe shop ... '' Hermione 's grimace broke into a rejoicing smiling, but he quickly added, `` but not at the pet store. '' Hermione 's boldness fell as Ron let out a jubilant woot.

'' See Hermione ! ''

'' Yes, I do see Ronald. I see a carrot-topped derriere who 's way to eager to pass sound judgment on anyone but himself ! '' She stood abruptly. `` If that closed minded brain of yours is actually equal to of intelligence activity then try to remember that you passed assessment on me our first year and were wrong ! '' She spun on her blackguard, stomping loudly. `` If you can remember that is. But hopefully the endeavour to believe is not too taxing, it 'd be a pity if your head exploded ! '' With that she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Only after the bulwark shook as her own threshold slammed across the hall did Ron sit up, grinning triumphantly. `` And apparently I was right because she still think she knows it all ! ''

The threshold to their room flew upon, revealing a livid looking Hermione.

'' I ca n't trust you ! '' She yelled angrily, looking prepare to hex Ron at any moment.

Ron 's grin vanished, his face gone slightly pale. `` But ... your door shut ... How did you ... ''

'' A door can be slammed by someone from either side, like from the hall Ronald. '' She snapped, this time leaving the threshold extensive open as she stormed off, granting them both quite a survey as she vigorously flung her own door behind her this time.

Ron was right on her bounder, like usual. `` Mione seed on ... .I said I 'm sorry ... ''

'' No you did n't ! '' Came Hermione 's shrill, but muffled answer.

'' fountainhead I just .... ''

Harry tuned them out. This had happened three times just that week, all when something trivial set one or the former of off, and it always escalated into this melee. Usually Ron wound up standing outside her room access, pleading for forgiveness, like he could now hear him doing.

He leaned back with a loud moan onto his bed. He sincerely hoped Ron asked her out soon, because he was n't sure how many more of their squabble make headaches he could take.






'' We must die to one living, before we can enroll another. ''
~ Anatole Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault ~



Chapter 6 ~ Power of Persuasion


'' You 'll have to be quick than that. ''

Kalliandra coughed loudly from her position, categoric on her back.

'' If I did n't make out better ... '' she rasped. `` I 'd think you actually enjoyed torturing me. ''

Remus lupine smiled, extending his hand to hale her roughly to her feet. `` On the contrary Ms. Kaylens. I do n't enjoy rendering you unconscious at all. ''

She nodded, brushing the grass off the dorsum of her jeans.

'' I enjoy seeing your reaction once I revive you. ''

She stopped what she was doing, pulling her grass covered, green-stained workforce back in movement of her. `` Do n't you know it 's not thoroughly to provoke someone who has been stunned nine multiplication in a row ? ''

He shook his head, an expression of vestal pureness crossing his lineament. `` I have to get you angry enough to attack me properly somehow do n't I ? ''

'' Spoken like a true dueling instructor, '' she stated, groaning inwardly.

For the past times three hours Remus had been teaching her the not so insidious art of stunning. As it turned out, stunning was one of the few things she could actually do.

Unfortunately being able to do something, and being undecomposed at it, were entirely dissimilar matters.

This probably explained why she had just woken up on the ground. Then again, the fact that Remus had become incontrovertibly dictated to make sure that she could actually use stunning in a duel, if ever attacked, was also theatrical role of the reason.

The same paid instructor was not eyeing her critically. `` You know Kally, if you manage to dodge my initiative attack you usually do quite nicely. Now just stop diving to the rectify every clock time. It 's getting predictable. ''

She scowled. `` Could n't you have told me that a bit earlier ? '' she grumbled, feeling a bit sickening. The squeamishness was not nearly as bad as the head ache though.

Not that she would admit that to Lupin.

He had only become her private instructor a small over a week ago, yet she had come to observe him. He did not pity her, or walk on deoxyephedrine with his conversations like Dumbledore and the others did.

Instead he talked to her like a man being, and somehow, when he was around, she found herself forgetting some of the pain she had brought down upon herself.

It almost felt as if he actually wanted her to learn. It was as if she were more than an assignment to him, more than a job that Dumbledore was paying him for.

For some grounds the mind that the man may actually like her was calming.

'' Shall we try again ? '' he asked, clearly unaware of her intellection.

She trudged back to her starting position in reply. She would not be the one to quit today. Of course of study, he should love that by now.

She had learned the importance of outlasting one 's opponent a long meter ago. Outlasting weariness and pain could mean the difference of opinion between winning, and losing.

And somehow she did not call up the prick, who had taken everything from her, would go easy on her simply because she had a headache.

She closed her heart, bracing herself as an bombardment of ash filled store greeted her mind 's eye. Almost intuitively, Remus allowed her these few bit of ingathering, and when the anger boiled hot within her blood, she opened her eyes, remembering what she had promised herself.

She would make the bastards pay.

But first she needed to get wind to do a simple stunning spell without passing out.

'' set up ? '' Remus asked, stomping his feet on the ground almost impatiently.

'' Why not ? ''

'' On three then. One, '' Remus started counting.

'' Two, '' she supplied back loudly.

'' Three ! Stupefy ! ''

She threw herself to the ground before the hot streak reached her, mentally screaming the words.

The unusual sensation flew through her, burning through her stemma as it moved, jolting the spell towards its target. Her imagination swam before she saw him collapse, and she fell weakly upon the ground, shakily breathing in the damp summer smell of mud and grass.

Slowly, painstakingly, the prickling tracing over her fluent skin subsided. Her hands, that had unconsciously dug into the soften Earth, relaxed, allowing the brilliant fortunate spots dancing before her eyes to fade.

wait for all of this to occur had gotten easier each prison term, but it made the experience no less dreadful.

The trick, she had discovered, was to stay on conscious long enough for it to leave.

Several hazy moments later, her golden eyes flickered open, and across the short expanse of grass she spotted Remus'fallen conformation.

She smiled weakly, and stood, silently cursing the delicacy of the human body. Success was dessert, but why did it have to pine so badly ?

Retrieving her wand, she limped over to where Remus lay.

'' Ennervate, '' she murmured, allowing the pre-programmed scepter to do the work.

The look on his human face was priceless. Only Remus could manage to look analytic rightfield after being stunned.

'' Nice one, '' he muttered groggily.

She shook her head, offering him a manus which he shook off, shooting her a reproachful look.

Gripping the low of his back as he sat up slowly. `` I 'm getting to old for this, '' he muttered.

'' LET hope not too old, because you still have the sleep of the year with me. '' She allowed a rare smile to light up her feature film.

'' And what a long year it will be. ''

'' Any more comments like that and I 'll do my right to take a leak it seem longer. ''

Remus scowled. `` Touché. So how yearn were we out ? ''

His question was answered by her secrecy.

This was the first time she had not passed out.

Hagrid 's absence alone should have told him that, because on the other two occasions when she had stunned Remus, they had both lain there until Hagrid found them on one of his occasional halt.

Understanding became visible on Remus'side, and upon seeing his wolfish grinning, she could n't reject a lowly spate of pride.
* * * * *


Remus Lupin rewarded his pupil with a wide-cut smiling as he picked himself off the undercoat, ignoring his protesting ivory.

It had been awhile since he had practiced dueling like this in a non-combat spot, and he was n't entirely sure enough he missed getting stunned repeatedly.

'' Think you 're up for another ? '' he queried wearily.

Suppressing a moan, she walked back to her dueling spot in reception.

It was amazing, he thought, but in so short a time, she had become comfortable, at least outwardly so, with the presence of magic. When he had first arrived she still looked surprised each metre it was used in her presence, but now…

She was doing better. That was all that mattered. Particularly considering that in less than a day 's time that Dumbledore was planning on throwing her in amidst students her own age.

The fact that her match were light age ahead of her in education had mattered little. Necessity mandated it.

Kally had n't been thrilled. She had already expressed her displeasure with the idea on more than one occasion. And truth be told, he was Sir Thomas More than a niggling concerned for her housemates.

There was no telling when Kalliandra would go off, because she had to eventually.

It was n't healthy to carry around that much guiltiness.

His only when solace was that they would be capable to continue their deterrent example on the weekends. It would be a rather buck private system, since her dorm-mates were to be kept in the dark about it.

She would hold enough trouble feigning competency in her three NEWT course, and sneaking out several times a week would just be another difficult thing for her.

But perhaps the most hard thing for her would be keeping her insufficiency under wrapping. For visual aspect sake she would be placed in NEWT level defense Against the Dark nontextual matter, upkeep of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Astronomy so as to be with people in her yr, but she would be placed in tertiary year Anicent rune and Remedial Potions. The dadaism professor had already been instructed to commit her on 'errands'whenever hardheaded lesson were held, so that her inability to execute magic would not be called into motion, so that at least was covered.

As for the other courses, Remus was being paid by Dumbledore, out of some assorted school fund, to tutor her in the other subjects.

After all, there was very little conjuring trick involved in dealing with wizard animate being and plants. And the memorization of the import of ancient rune and the drift of heavenly trunk had virtually no wand magic associated with it.

Watching her takings her place, it dawned on him that they really might be able to pull this off.

He hoped so, for her sake. He did n't very much like the idea of something happening to her. While the construct was n't as biting as the thought of an ill fate befalling Harry, it came oddly close.

Merlin ! James and Sirius had been right. He worried like a mother.

The Marauders ... The opinion brought a smiling to his boldness, for his old group of champion had left behind something that just might carry through him from fretting like a nervous parent.
* * * * *


Silverthorne let out a low, croaky grunt to express his displeasure at being tethered. The other thestrals were already following suit.

'' Kalliandra ca n't yer do somethin'to hush them up ? ''

'' What do I look like oh thestral tamer ? '' Kalliandra called, giving a last tug on Silverthornes sovereignty.

'' Yer look like the only one within earshot that 'll serve me, '' Hagrid yelled.

Despite herself she smiled, calmly running her finger through Silverthorne 's stiff shameful coat.

'' You know ... '' she whispered conspiratorially, `` He might wipe out me if you all do n't calm down a bit. And then who would give you ferrets ? ''

Silverthorne 's white, haunting heart stared back in thoughtfulness, before his formidable oral sex nodded. He nudged the thestral tethered following to him, and a cacophony of grunts followed as the message was passed down the line of pram awaiting the students'arrival.

Her widened eyes took the exchange in, in muted blow. Thestrals really were so much more healthy than people gave them credit for.

'' Now that's better ! '' Hagrid shouted a bit too exuberantly.

She shook her straits ruefully, and with a final tug she snapped a belt into blank space on the thestral 's harness, stepping back to take in her William Christopher Handy oeuvre. She 'd never ridden a sawhorse in her life, but the harnesses the thestrals used were supposedly similar.

'' Well, '' she said, to both herself and the thestral, `` at least you are done now. Happy ? ''

Silverthorne merely blinked at her once, and she rubbed his oral sex affectionately. `` Of course you are, '' she murmured into his nose, the trace of a smile tugging at her sass.

Hagrid 's loud yelping of dissent startled her, and both her and Silverthorne jumped slightly.

'' problem Hagrid ? '' she yelled, slipping the thestral a suspend cube of raw gist. His tongue positively tickled her peel, leaving a viscid red residue upon her palm.

'' AH HA ! There you insufferable ... ''

'' Hagrid ! '' she shouted, reclaiming her hired hand and stalking off towards the sound of his interpreter, with every intention of snapping at him for yelling at any thestral that way. She could n't help her annoyed surge though. She had never had any pets growing up, and for some odd reasonableness she had taken a liking to the animals.

But as she rounded the coach obscuring Hagrid from position, all reproof vanished the secondment she saw his plight.

It was Hagrid vs. Thestral. The thestral, Monster, had managed to yank his harness completely off, and was gripping the thick leather strap between his sharp dentition, extending his wings menacingly while practically hissing.

Hagrid, to his credit, was putting up quite a combat. The half monster was bounding as close as he dared get, swatting at Monster with an oversized granger hat.

Sweet merlin ... What the hell was he doing with one of those ?

'' Just ... give it ... .ere ya ... brute ... ox ... ''

His disgruntled shouting shocked her into laughter. `` Hagrid layover that ! ''

Several notch, bruise, prominence, and twenty minutes later found her, and a rather broken-down Hagrid, plopped upon the dirt road leading up to the schooling, entirely out of breathing place.

It was a shame that the peaceful eve would end in less than an hr, when the Hogwarts limited arrived.

'' Remind me again why I have to be sorted ? '' It was a rhetorical doubtfulness.

Hagrid answered anyway. `` Because Dumbledore thinks it 'd be Charles Herbert Best for yer to be aroun'people yer own age. ''

She shrugged, `` People my own age tend to be a bit annoying if you ask me. ''

Hagrid snorted derisively. `` I 'll not be arguin'with that there logic, but not all of 'em are so bad. ''

She snickered, briefly wondering how much trouble she 'd get in for jinxing Hagrid 's bottom of a protagonist in his eternal sleep. Now that would be something.

Hell, maybe if she did that then Dumbledore would banish her from whatever family she wound up in. Then she could go back to sleeping in the other hut outside. She liked it there. No one bothered her. When the nightmare came only Hagrid was near enough to see her.

Besides, there was something both routine and reassuring about the way that every dawn Silverthorne would smack open her windowpane shutters, letting light flow in as he began grunting until she was fully awaken and functioning.

She smiled whimsically, thinking of the pillow she had thrown at the thestral this break of the day. For a modification, her aim had been dead on. Of line, Hagrid had n't been exactly pleased when he amount in to see plumage and shards of fabric all over the place. But hey, it was n't her defect that Silverthorne thought it was a black-footed ferret and tried to rip it limb from limb. And besides, Remus had repaired it. Heck, at least Remus had found the whole situation amusing.

Speaking of which where was Remus ? She had n't seen him since this morning and he was leaving with the return of the school train that nighttime. Plus she still wanted to know what Dumbledore and him had arranged ...

'' Come over ere. It 's the best smirch for them first years to see me. '' Hagrid called, ripping her from her thoughts.

She stopped pondering the mysterious whereabouts of Remus Lupin long enough to take an incredulous aspect in his counsel. `` Hagrid they 'd consume to be blind to miss you. ''

He shook his hairy head vigorously. `` No, ca n't afford to have any of 'em miss me. Not one ! They 'll miss the sortin'if they do that. ''

'' And what a pity that would be, '' she muttered.

'' What was that ? '' Hagrid asked distractedly, leaning out over the program 's bound to peer down the tracks.

She shook her head in amusement. `` nil at all. I was just thinking about what a atrocious tragedy it would be to provide a humble, naive, and unsuspecting first twelvemonth stranded alone out here. ''

Hagrid turned around so quickly he nearly slipped and fell onto the tracks. `` What are you planning ? ''

Her brow instantly creased in geuine mental confusion. `` Why is it that every time I say something with even the slightest vestige of sarcasm, that you think I 'm planning something ? ''

'' Because you usually are. ''

She spun around to see Remus standing there, briefcase in deal, and a knowing smile across his pre-maturely aged face.

'' Remus ! And here I thought you were trying to sneak away without saying good-by ! ''

'' And risk offending you ? '' he replied all too seriously. `` Skies above no ! ''

Hagrid 's booming laugh resounded behind her. `` lupine you 're cowering to a 16 class old. ``

The feeling on Remus'face was priceless, and she lunged at him in a vain attack to smell him.

'' I resent that ! '' she cried out, lunging again, eyeing his nimble movements. `` And you 're pretty quick for an old man are n't you ? ''

Remus had dropped his briefcase in the effort to void her attack. `` Old ? I 'll have you know that I 'm thirty-seven ! ''

Looking at his indignant facial expression, she could n't help it. She laughed.

This time Remus lunged at her, missing by inches as she bounced out of the way. His exuberant nature was contagiours.

'' Ah, spry as well ? '' she taunted.

Remus laughed deeply, years disappearing from his grimace as he smiled, shaking his mind disapprovingly. `` Suddenly I find myself looking forward to my break from you during the calendar week. I 'll be spared your motiveless attacks ! ''

'' Oh Remus, you know that hurts me. Right here, '' she touched her inwardness, doing her best to front as pathetic as possible.

'' Do you honestly think I 'm so old to fall for that ? '' he asked.

'' In a give-and-take ... ''

'' Never mind, do n't answer that, '' Remus cut in. `` And besides, I have something here that might cheer up that wounded heart of yours. ''

Her mischievous expression was replaced by one of puzzlement as Remus held up a small, flyer, gray object. `` What is it ? '' she asked, walking over to wait at it.

'' This ... '' he said mysteriously, `` Is how you 're going to get through me when I 'm away. '' Upon saying this he snapped it unresolved, revealing a minor, round mirror on one side.

'' Is that gunpowder ? '' she asked, eyeing the matter that looked suspiciously like a compact.

'' right hand you are fille Kaylens, '' he said, adopting a prof like tone. `` Dumbledore 's estimation. One of his more ingenious ones from what he said, though somehow I doubt that. '' He winked, lapsing into his familiar timbre again.

'' Okay. So explain to me how powder is ... ''

'' It 's a bipartisan mirror Kally. See, anytime you want to talk to me. For any reason .... '' He shot her a meaningful looking at that she did n't miss. `` Just expression directly into it and say my epithet clearly. If I have mine ... '' He fished around in his robe pouch, extracting a rather bombastic air pocket spotter. `` Which I will always have on me thanks to Dumbledore 's idea to hide it in this lovely Muggle invention ... '' He snapped the pocket sentinel open, revealing a mirror on the non-clock face as well. `` And once you do that I 'll do. If I call you, yours will glow on the inside slightly, so it 'll be detectable to you but to not to mortal just passing a cursory glance by it. ''

She nodded, tacking the small powder compact from him. `` Brilliant. How 'd you think of this ? ''

'' Actually I did n't. For Christmas Day in my 4th year at Hogwarts ... ''

'' In the Cenozoic ? '' she inquired curiously, laughing at Remus 's flustered feel.

'' I knew I 'd regret telling you thaumaturge had extended life spans, '' he groaned, ignoring her severe nod and continuing on.

'' As I was saying, in my 4th class James got all of us our own two-way mirrors for Christmas. These are mine, I just had them filed down a bit and inserted into these for privacy. ''

'' smart move, '' she commented, looking into hers. `` Remus Lupin the Finicky WereWolf, '' she stated clearly, waiting to see if it worked.

'' Finicky ! '' Remus bristled, but not before a thinly sliver of light appeared in the crevice of the closed pocket watch.

She grinned triumphantly, `` Well I guess it works. Hey can I ask you something ? ''

'' Could I stop you ? ''

'' Probably not, '' she confirmed, noticing how Hagrid had moved farther down the weapons platform to devote them some privacy. She made a mental eminence to thank him later. `` It 's just that you, and Dumbledore ... everyone keeps telling me how afraid everyone would be. And if that's avowedly, well, then why are n't you ? ''

He paused a second, his lite brown eye flickering up to the sky as if considering her doubt. She did n't call for to follow his regard to have it away that it rested on the after part synodic month, barely visible in the dying twilight. `` I think, Kalliandra, that to let one 's life be even remotely governed by fear is foolish. Your never fully alive when your natural process are limited by that. And veneration, it comes from not knowing what 's truly there. ''

She nodded, silently agreeing with him. It was unearthly, how alike he and her father could vocalize.

'' And perhaps ... well, I know what it 's like. And I know how unjust it is. '' He spoke these finally password bitterly, his center hardening in an unfocussed glare at the moon. And it was only then that she understood why Dumbledore had chosen him as her mentor.

He was as hated by the world as she was.
* * * * *


An hr later found her standing, smushed up side by side to Hagrid, as the mint of scholarly person pushed, shoved, and in truth, barreled their way over the weapons platform towards the carriages that she and Hagrid had readied for their journeying to Hogwarts. Why pupil needed the baby carriage in the first blank space was beyond her. The walking was n't exactly lengthy. No, she figured Dumbledore had arranged them because if he did n't, the ungrateful person would inquire off ungratefully, never getting to school at all.

In fact, that did n't entirely sound like a bad idea .... But right then she spied the imbecile that she least precious to see, making his way with the carrot top through the crowd towards them.

cultivated carrot top waved vigorously, `` Hey Hagrid. It 's so safe to see you ! ''

'' And so intemperate to miss, '' she muttered, suppressing a laughter at the inhuman look Hagrid shot her.

'' I see the past calendar week has done nothing to ameliorate your personal manner. ''

She turned, eyeing the guy 's messy grim hair and green eyes, which were presently narrowed and shining determinedly. Her first confrontation with him had been far from pleasant, and judging from his greeting, it seemed the feeling had been mutual. `` Nor yours. I still do n't know your epithet. ''

The guy 's jaw nearly dropped, but Ron interjected for him. `` Well we were introduced. It 's not his fracture you do n't remember. ''

She shrugged carelessly. It was n't like she cared what his name was, she just wanted to put a name with his eavesdropping case. `` My apologies. Not all of us are as good with gens as you apparently are. But by all mean do n't reintroduce me, I just thought it might be nice to refer to him as something other than the nosy prat Potter. ''

'' What ! ? '' Both of the bozo exclaimed. Hagrid, however, shot her a murderous look that stopped her simper dead in its tracks.

Seeing that his brilliance had the intended effect on her, Hagrid stepped in, attempting to circularise the situation further.

'' That 's enough all three of ya. Now again, this here be Kalliandra Kaylens, and that there be Ronald Weasly and Harry Potter. ''

She cocked her psyche to the side, wondering if the cultivated carrot top knew how easily his lastly name could be distorted to Weasel. She suppressed the sudden urge to ask just that, instead turning to Hagrid with a forced smile. `` Thank you Hagrid. It 's courteous to love that some of us are polite. ''

'' I hope you were n't referring to yourself as well, '' potter stated pointedly.

'' Why no, unlike you I harbor no delusions about my impoliteness. '' She nearly laughed out loud at the blanched grammatical construction that crossed the guy 's face. `` Now if you excuse me I do think Hagrid has wagerer matter to do than hear to his friends engagement. ''

'' Quaker ! ? Hagrid would never be friends with soul like you ! '' The weasel shot out, ceramicist smirking amusedly. Her mouth opened in angry objection, but Hagrid 's booming voice cut them both off.

'' Ronald Weasley how make bold ye make assumptions 'bout me ! '' Hagrid boomed, making all three of them jump.

She glanced up, seeing his face redder than it had been after their row about her Knockturn Alley mis-adventure. She really would not need to be the weasel right now ...

'' Kalliandra is my friend, and you 'd do yer best to stay out of her business. The both of ya ! '' He said angrily, his loud vocalism drawing the stares of several students sandwiched around them. `` If I hear anythin''bout either one of ya nosin'aroun'in her business again ... '' He stopped, seemingly too angry to continue.

Hagrid drew in a mystifying, shaky breath, looking very close to exploding. `` Now apologize to her Ron. And I mean now ! ''

Ron looked at her, his jaw agape, while Potter looked surprisingly abashed.

Despite herself, a sudden shot of guilt overcame her. Perhaps she was taking her hostile frontal a bit too far.

'' Do n't concern about it, '' She spoke up quietly, avoiding the stares of ceramist and Weasley. `` I was just as ill-mannered anyhow. I 'll see you later okay ? ''

She did n't wait for Hagrid 's response as she spun on her heel, carefully making her way through the crowd to find an empty-bellied carriage. If she were favourable, then maybe Silverthorne had been particularly ingenious and scared everyone else away from his.
* * * * *


Harry stood there, one-half angry, half shocked at the sudden alteration in Kalliandra 's behavior. He hardly heard Hagrid still going off at them, considering that he was still staring after her.

That changed pretty nimble though, because when Hermione farmer is mad about something, she makes it better known than Hagrid.

And Hermione sodbuster unfortunately thought they had pigeon holed the girl.

And Hermione Granger had overheard his and Ron 's substitution with her.

Add in that she had seen Hagrid 's explosion, and Kalliandra 's sudden climate swing to normalcy, and he and Ron certainly did bet like the bad guys.

Which was exactly how he found himself, amidst a crowd of onlooker, staring down a thin brunette, receiving the brunt of her craze.

'' Harry I ca n't believe you ! I 'd have a bun in the oven demeanour like that from Ron but you ? '' Hermione yelled, her voice shaking with angry disbelief.

'' Hey ! '' Ron protested, clearly offended.

'' Ronald if you know what 's good for you you 'll save your sass shut, '' Hermione snapped in a very McGonagall like pure tone.

Unlike Ron, Harry had no ulterior need for keeping Hermione happy with him besides their friendship. So at that exact second he did n't a lot care if Hermione was annoyed with him or not. She had n't seen and heard everything, and if she had she would suffer realized how deceptive Kalliandra really was. Which was probably why he suddenly found himself taking a footfall forward to go after that unacceptable head of halcyon hair, with every intention of giving her a part of his mind, rather than paying attention to Hermione 's verbal berating.

Too bad a rather large paw on the back of his robes stopped him from progressing any encourage forward.

'' You ripe be going to apologize Harry, '' Hagrid said menacingly.

He shot an incredulous facial expression up at his acquaintance. `` Hagrid you 've got to be kidding me ! She insulted you ! She ... ''

'' She did no so thing Harry. And you 'd do yer trump to stick outta her business and life if yer understand me. ''

'' Hagrid what are you indifferent ? ! She did to insult you ! '' Ron twirped, for a variety not cowering under Hermione 's fierce blaze.

'' Oh really, an'how so ? '' Hagrid asked, still looking between him and Ron as if he could n't conceive what was before his middle.

'' She was making fun of you because you're a giant ! '' Ron shot out indignantly.

'' No she were n't Ronald Weasley. We were jokin'earlier 'bout the best spot for the fers old age to see me. If that 's what you be referrin'to. ''

'' But what about'Knockturn Alley ? '' He chimed in, coming to Ron 's defense. `` There 's something suspicious about that Hagrid ! ''

Hagrid opened his mouthpiece, but it was Hermione who answered. `` I ca n't believe you two ! You both know that Hagrid frequents that area of ... '' She paused, looking as if she were saying this against her ripe nature.

'' commerce, '' She finally ground out. `` Frankly it sounds like she was annoyed that you had eavsdropped while talking to someone she knew. If the same had happened to me I 'd probably be just as annoyed. ``

Harry stared at her contorted features in blow. Talking to someone she knew was certainly not all she had been doing. Hermione had n't overheard the conversation he had.

'' Hermione, you do n't cognise what your talking about. You should sustain heard her ... ''

'' Overhear ! ? What 'd ya overhear ? '' Hagrid shot out suddenly, his voice low, a tranquillise banker's bill of affright in it.

He wrinkled his forehead confused. `` Well nothing that made sensation but ... ''

'' Then you best be keepin'that clobber that did n't be making no gumption to yerself. Yer take heed me ? '' Hagrid muttered, shaking his head. `` I 'm so disappointed in you two I do n't love ... Yer know I need to get the first yers. You lot get off to the castling, and so help me if any one of yer pain her .... ''

The glare he shot them was more than enough to convince Harry. The last thing he needed was to be fed to Grawp.

Then again, feeding Kalliandra to Grawp could solve the unit problem ...

'' Harry ! ejaculate on ! '' Hermione hissed, grabbing him roughly by the arm to drag him to the nearest bearing. nearly of the others were already rolling up towards the castle.

'' So help me you two ! I 've never seen such rudeness ... ''

He knew better than to interrupt her at this point. After all, this was Hermione, and any argument with her was a losing conflict. He had just managed to regain control of his tongue, which was threatening to snap at her for the reprimand worthy of a toddler that he was receiving, when he stepped into the last carriage, and suddenly re-lost control of it.

'' I 'm walking, '' He stated bluntly, turning to do just that.

'' Harry you will do no such thing, '' Hermione grunted, grabbing his arm with surprising strength for a girl her size of it. He glanced down at the irritating bobby pin she had on him, and pondered how angry she would be if he broke free.

Before he had clip to decide she had already drug him into the carriage behind her.

'' Hermione ... '' He protested, refusing to sit as he stood, hunched over in the low compartment.

'' Nice to know I 'm not the entirely one displeased with this, '' Kalliandra muttered from the far position of the rig, right as one of the thestrals let out an odd sounding grunt.

She then muttered something beneath her hint. Something that sounded strangely like, `` Even the thestrals think you 're a butt. ``

'' I 'm a what ? '' He hissed dangerously.

Her optic darted up quickly, looking almost abashed. Her voice, however, was filled with condescension.

'' auditory modality thing, ceramist ? ``

He felt as if he had just been slapped, so contradictory were the emotions her aspect and vox conveyed. Shaking his drumhead, he shoved the sudden hesitancy to argue aside.

'' I do n't generally make a use out of hearing things, '' He finally ground out, taking a rump next to Ron grudgingly.

She inclined an eyebrow disbelievingly. `` sure as shooting you do n't, '' She responded, not bothering to mask her sarcasm.

He practically growled, knowing entire well what she was referring to.

'' You 're having a really hard time letting that go, are n't you ? '' He spat out scathingly.

'' I 'll let it go when I get an apology. ``

He visibly bristled. `` For what ! ? ``

Kalliandra 's expression instantly soured. `` For eavesdropping on me, that 's what. ``

He suppressed the sudden urge to shove her out of the stroller. In fact, the only thing stopping him was the fact that he 'd have to reach over Hermione to accomplish it.

'' Well forgive me, '' He hissed acidly. `` Next metre I see you wandering down an alley to the full of dark wizards I 'll just leave behind you to them. I did n't take in how well acquainted you already were with ... ''

'' So your figure 's Kalliandra ? '' Hermione cut in.

Harry gaped at her.

Hermione ignored this, apparently intent on starting a civil conversation.

Kalliandra just looked at her oddly, before nodding slightly.

'' Yes, '' She replied evenly, turning to wait out the window.

Hermione 's eyebrow creased, her mouth forming into a determined frown at the young lady 's apparent want of interest.

Harry smirked, leaned back, and crossed his arms, preparing for the display.

'' Well Kalliandra, how was your last-place workweek of summer ? '' Hermione pressed.

'' Rigorous. ''

Hermione shot him a looking, to which he smirked like a jackal. Ron was far to a lesser extent elusive, and simply mouthed, So what now, maven ?

Hermione 's face hardened into one of relentless determination.

'' So what social class are you taking ? ``

The girl heaved a large sigh. `` Too many. ``

Hermione 's mouth opened, as if appalled at the little girl 's lack of interest in schooling. And just as Harry began an internal victory jig, flashing a celebratory smirk at Ron, the girl surprised them.

'' One of them is antediluvian Runes. I have n't had that before so I 'm going to be getting tutoring for it. '' Kalliandra paused, sounding unsure. `` At least, that 's what the schoolmaster mentioned. ``

Hermione 's love feast back talk slowly closed, a slow down smile creeping across her expression.

flashing them a smug flavour, she started talking. `` Ancient Runes is actually pretty fascinating. It 's a lot like learning to register another language. In fact, it 's my ducky subject. ''

At this promulgation Kaylens actually looked attentive. `` I think mine will be Care of Magical fauna. Hagrid 's been showing me a lot of the animals he works with over the past times few hebdomad. The thestrals are my favourite so far ... ''

'' Thestrals ? '' Ron snorted derisively, earning a reproving look from Hermione. `` What are you, a sadist ? ''

Hermione 's oral cavity opened in protest, apparently too shocked for discussion as her inevitable retort failed to come Forth River.

Kalliandra 's expression immediately grew stony. `` Perhaps you should learn a matter or two about them before you start flinging insults. ``

'' And how exactly did I affront them ? '' Ron asked shortly.

Kaylens was now looking at Ron as if he had sprouted antlers. `` Generally when one implies that you have to be a sadist in decree to like something, I 'm pretty sure that 's derogatory to the something in question. ``

Ron waved a hand dismissively. `` As if thestrals would worry. ``

'' You 'd be surprised. They hate being insulted. ''

'' That 's Hippogriffs you idiot. ''

Hermione made a strangling noise.

'' No, it 's Hippogriffs that react violently, '' Kalliandra said placidly, flipping the lid of a bundle shut. `` Though I would n't put it past a thestral to do so. ''

'' Thestrals are not crimson, '' Harry cut in with annoyance. Why in the infernal region did Hermione feature to pick this pusher ...

He gazed longingly out the open door hatch. He knew perfectly well that if he got out and walked, that he would miss the categorisation, and he had already learned the hard way what happened to people when they walked into that of late.

Too bad. The ride up to Hogwarts was usually so enjoyable. `` So who on Earth taught you that rubbish ? ''

'' Hagrid, '' She hissed dangerously.

'' Screw this, '' Ron suddenly announced. `` I refuse to remain in the bearing with her. ''

He stood, only for Hermione to jerk him down. Ron opened his oral fissure, an wild dissent already forming, when Kaylens cut him off.

'' Do you honestly think that I 'm any happier about being stuck here with you and your eavesdropping friend ? ''

'' Just. Let. It. Go. '' Harry growled, hating the disappointed looking Hermione shot him each time the incident was brought up.

She glared at him. `` Gladly. ''

'' amercement. ''

'' Fine ! ''

Right then the carriage moved with a mighty lurch, and not another word was spoken by any of the carriage 's inhabitants.

Harry stared out the window, contemplating. No one would get as angry as Kaylens had over the incident. Not if it had just been a conversation about something piffling ...

What was she hiding ?

Not soon enough for his liking, the convoy came to a halt outside the castle 's enormous entrance. And without a tidings, he and Ron jumped out, dry dirt stirring around their footprints as they met the bunch of educatee rushing to the Great Charles Francis Hall.
* * * * *


'' fountainhead, that certainly could have gone right, '' Hermione stated, rueful gaze following her two protagonist out the carriage door.

Letting out a tense breath she had not even realized she was holding, Kally felt herself nodding in assent. `` No kidding, '' she remarked dryly. Still, she could n't help but feel a diminutive, justified upsurge of indignation. That girl 's friends had jumped into the carriage right as she had been trying to contact Remus.

Being in the magical mankind, knowing next to cipher about it, had felt drown before. But now, on her way to being surrounded by competent witches and wizards twenty four - seven, that overwhelming touch was beginning to catch fire into something far closer to panic.

She was n't indisputable she could pull this off. She was n't sure at all.

Hermione released an exhausted sounding miff, breaking her from her thoughts. `` Please know, I 'm not trying to criticize you, '' she said carefully, `` but you could have made things a little easier. Particularly since this whole misunderstanding seems to be over something extremely picayune. ''

Rising from her seat and stepping out of the pusher, her human foot sinking into the wanton grease, Kally heard herself saying very quietly, `` You 're redress. ``

And even though she was not looking at Hermione, she could practically sense the eye rolling going on behind her.

Silently they joined the multitude of students making their way up the rook 's entrance. That was until Hermione began asking dubiousness again.

'' Do you have it off if you are being sorted with the rest of the first years ? ``

Nearly tripping over a kid pocket-size enough to give birth been a first year, Kally nodded mechanically. `` Unfortunately. ``

A meditative frown crossed the brunette 's aspect. `` You do n't vocalise agitate. ``

Throwing a perverse glance the girl 's way, Kally asked, `` Would you be ? I 'm going to bewilder out. ``

Mounting the entree stairs simultaneously, she saw the corner of Hermione 's lip crook up in her peripheral device vision, as if hiding silent amusement. `` You are twice their height, so I suppose that is an accurate assessment. ``

Instead of responding, Kally began grumbling something indecipherable under her breathing spell.

Hermione responded by allowing what may cause been a smile to cross her characteristic. `` They really are prissy if you give them the chance. ``

Somehow she felt severely tentative about that, but something of her intellection must have shown on her lineament, because Hermione was interjecting before she could even formulate a response.

'' We did n't get along at number one either, '' Hermione said, their feet reaching the top. `` To be blunt, it took a troll trying to take my head off for us to begin getting along. ''

Kally stumbled, her hazel eyes darting over to the girl with something akin to horror dancing with them. `` What ? ''

Now there was no mistaking it. Hermione really did reckon amused. The girl smiled at her, chuckling slightly. `` Like I said, give them a prospect. ``

She could n't help it. Despite all her efforts to the adverse, a hamper throttling speech sound emerged from her throat.

Hermione simply grinned toilsome, shaking her promontory. `` Honestly, '' she laughed, glancing around the rapidly emptying ledger entry manse, `` do you want me to wait with you until the number 1 eld get here so you 're not ... ''

'' Ms. Kaylens is quite adequate to of waiting alone Ms. Granger. And if you delay any longer it will be 20 point from Gryffindor. ``

The voice had come from directly behind them, the forcefulness of it muted by the echoing of commove chatter from student trying to cram through the Great foyer 's looming doorways.

Instantly Kalliandra recognized it. She had met the man on a few social function, and he had seized the chance to remind her how absolutely impossible it would be for her to ever gain competence in Potions.

As such, she stopped immediately, spinning on her heel. Hermione simply quirked an supercilium before continuing off to join the rest of the students.

Snape 's dark eyes lowered, eyeing her appraisingly. `` I trust you are remembering discretion. Particularly where students like Ms. Granger are concerned. Some tend to be too nosy for their own good. ``

Heaving a sigh, Kally nodded. `` I 'll remember. ''

He glowered at her for another bit, before nodding curtly. `` Remember, I 'll be seeing you in detainment all this week. ''

She heaved another suspiration. Upon their initial meeting she had had the unfortunate portion to inadvertently insult the man, by asking if he were a vampire. In fact, all she has said was that he looked like one of the creatures of the nighttime from her Defense Against the darkness Art 's textbook they had given her to read. And considering that Hagrid was a titan, another species mentioned in the account book, she had n't thought it too unreasonable to assume that a lamia could be teaching at Hogwarts as well.

Unfortunately Snape had n't taken her doubt lightly, and had immediately began ranting and raving about how he most certainly did not harbour a deep-seeded bloodline lust for the living.

And for some unfortunate person, and suicidal reason, she had found his anger ridiculously comic.

Which probably explained why she had wound up in detention.

'' Ms. Kaylens ? ``

'' I 'll be looking forward to it, '' She replied quickly, finding herself suddenly surrounded by several dozen shaver, all twittering loudly with no star sign of stopping.

She groaned, barely hearing prof McGonagall 's delivery. Somehow she found herself following the Deputy Mistress through freshly polished oak doors into the Great Hall.

The center of every inaugural year immediately turned upwards, to the leftfield, to the right field, and in every other plausible counselling, unable to resist taking in their new surround.

The force per unit area of a hundred brace of optic burrowed into her, and she stared pointedly forward, looking over the crowd of midgets to where Hagrid sat, flashing a quick smile in her way.

Maybe he can avail me escape afterwards, she thought hopefully, coming to a stop at the front of the enormous room. respective of the nanus around her tensed up, scattered whispering passing through the crowd about fighting a trolling ...

What on Earth is that about, she wondered curiously, spotting the hat Remus had told her about.

McGonagall turned to face the full way.

'' When I call your name, step forward, place the hat upon your head, and the sorting will begin. ''

With that, she sat the hat upon a battered old potty, the sorting hat 's lip opened wide, and the singing began.
* * * * *


'' Slytherin ... ''

'' Ron if you say that one Sir Thomas More time ... ''

'' Hermione you saw how nauseating she was ! ''

'' She is not vile ! '' Hermione hissed back dangerously, being careful to restrain her representative lowered. `` aflutter, yes. Vile, no. ``

'' You can not tell me that there is not something inherently sinister about her, '' Ron challenged. `` Something 's not correctly there. She 's going to wander up an evil Slytherin, probably waiting to ... ''

Before Ron could enter further along his psychological road trip, Hermione cut him off tiredly. `` Just because somebody is in Slytherin does not take a crap them inherently evil, Ronald. ''

'' Hermione how can you say that ! '' He bristled, clearly having trouble keeping his part down as the first years and the depicted object of their argument walked past times.

Hermione 's face visibly tensed, and Harry could tell she did n't fully believe what she was saying. `` You ca n't pidgeon hole an total house. Besides, Slytherins are finish oriented and firm willed. They might be a bit abrasive, but it 's because they wo n't let anything get in their way of getting what they want. ''

'' Which makes you a slimed git like Snape ! '' Ron exclaimed triumphantly.

At least Ron 's exclamations were hushed enough so no one not in the near vicinity could hear, Harry thought, suppressing a moan. He should accept known the serenity between those two could n't last recollective than the railroad train ride there. It was astonishing enough that they had n't killed each other in their compartment as it was. Had he really expected that peace to in conclusion ?

'' Mione ... ''

'' Ronald ... ''

'' volition you two knock it off ! The hat about to sing and I actually want to hear what it says. '' Ginny cut in. Harry made a mental short letter to thank her for distracting their disputing champion later, and quickly turned his attention to the hat. He had always enjoyed the sorting, but after conclusion twelvemonth ... fountainhead, knowing that the hat was sworn to forewarn the students and teachers of danger made him a bit more attentive this year.

The had opened it 's brim wide of the mark.

Divided, but once united,
That's how our floor begins,
four houses founded by four admirer
Yet I fear that such air division shall add about our end.

In ancient metre the adept of friends
Came knocking on the door,
Of Ravenclaw and Slytherin,
Then Hufflepuff went to Gryffindor.

Lets build a shoal of erudition,
For all those of magic trick to attend,
Yet somehow the come near three could not agree,
On what qualities to defend.

Lashkar-e-Taiba teach only those of wit and encyclopedism,
Possessing the most ready judgement of all.
Those had been the affecting words,
Of once honest Ravenclaw.

Proud Slytherin appreciate ambition,
Possessing pureness of rake and foxiness,
His pupils would stop at zip,
Until they got what they saw fit to their coming.

And then were the brave,
Those brash with nobleman daring,
bold face Gryffindor chose them,
As most worthy of magical learnedness.

Hufflepuff loved her friends,
And accepted them as they were.
She let them each create a household,
In which their prized were instruct and rear.

And as for sweet Hufflepuff,
She agreed to take the rest,
Yet somehow division did not set well,
Unity to her, seemed best.

So when the beginner sewed me,
And left me on my stool,
She stole me in the dead of night,
And bestowed me with a dick,
Of knowing when the time was right,
For the sorting ritual to end.
She said one day naval division may cause strife,
And she feared for the magic world.
For all her life,
She had feared the division in spate,
But never more,
Than when the friendly relationship failed,
Of the instauration tetrad.

Slytherin was the first to will,
sinlessness of blood his choice,
I 'm disgraced by teaching Muggle Max Born !
He yelled, conviction in his vox.

Next left boldface Gryffindor,
He felt the calling of risky venture,
Rather than the desperate plea,
Of failing dedication in need of surgical seam.

finis left once-fair Ravenclaw,
Who once prized justice and learning,
She left because she said,
That teaching the other educatee had got too boring.

And alone stood sweetly Hufflepuff,
The wisest of them all,
Because she never would heed,
Alluring temptations claim.

I see the wisdom of her choice,
Why she chose to assume them all,
And now understand,
That its fruitless to fraction you at all.

So while it deeply saddens me,
To see my end in sight,
The sorting ceremony destruction,
Right now, Right here, This night.


Harry stared at the stool, trying vainly to process what he had just heard. At least he had been right in thinking it was important to pay care this year, because apparently that was the last Sung the sorting hat would ever sing.

He cast a cursory glance towards Hermione, sitting next to him on the bench, but her brown eyes were blanket and fixated up front. He could just imagine what was going through her head right then, because chances were she was going through each page of Hogwarts a History, trying to retrieve any other incident even remotely like this one. He had a mouse suspicion that she had the whole record committed to memory.

The unnatural muteness filled the Great student residence like a thick fog, so thick he could almost sense it closing around him.

McGonagall seemed caught between slapping the hat and looking to Dumbledore for teaching, and her mitt moved cautiously towards the hat 's rim, only for it to quickly quail as if the hat had grown fang. This odd, twitching motion was punctuated by penetrative bit of her fountainhead as she looked right at Dumbledore, who to Harry 's surprise, looking genuinely amused.

Snape on the former hand looked quite inconvienced, his oral cavity had puckered so tightly that his lips seemed more translucent than Nearly Headless Nick 's.

Apparently, they had not been expecting this.

Snape however, did n't seem to want to bear it, and he had already stood and started storming from his office at the teacher 's table, clearly headed for the sorting hat 's stool itself.

'' Excuse me Minerva. '' Snape muttered, his low tone clearly audible in the weird quiet. His farseeing fingers snatched the hat up and onto his principal in a ace fluid motion, his face contorted in concentration as if conducting some clever argument.

Clever argumentation from Snape ? No ... Impossible, he thought, watching his Potions teacher with interest for the first time in five yr.

Apparently he was right on about Snape 's inability to conduct an effectual literary argument, because a here and now later Snape had flung the hat back onto it 's stool, muttering about how it was a dirty, trash-ridden piece of fading material destined for a Muggle garbage garbage dump.

It was a mark of how grievous the situation was, that not a mortal at the Gyffindor tabular array laughed.

Harry could n't aid but observe how Snape was testingly running his finger through his oleaginous inkiness tomentum, looking at his hands after each swipe, as if searching for cogent evidence of something.

Every Gryffindor had a sneaking mistrust that the hat had just called him a greasy ooze ball.

Ron Weasley was just the first base to say it.

'' chalk one up for the sort hat for insulting Snape ! '' Ron whispered triumphantly, all fountainhead within earreach turning towards him.

Apparently that was the sign everyone had been waiting for, because suddenly a frenzy of activity broke out at the Gryffindor table, and a concatenation reaction of noise bedcover until the nose spirit level was almost deafening. The unsorted first years looked positively terrified, as if frightened of being sent home if unsortable, and they alone seemed the only ones still rendered speechless.

'' I mean did I just hear that rightfield ? '' Ron asked, eyes alight with excitement he did not portion.

Harry just nodded, watching the prof 's re-group.

prof Flitwick slid from his ass, and every so often Harry could catch a glimpse of the top of his question over the instructor 's table, as the small man jumped up and down, vying for Dumbledore 's attention.

'' Oh my God did the sorting hat just quit ? '' Squealed Parvarti. One would think she had just realized what had happened.

'' Brilliant that one ... '' Ron muttered sarcastically.

'' Think it has anything to do with the war going on ? '' Seamus asked excitedly. `` Do n't you remember ? How it warned us last year ? ''

'' It did n't warn us that it might go on tap Ireland man ! ''

'' Who you calling Hibernia man ? ''

'' shudder Seamus, James Dean 's just kidding, are n't you Dean ? '' Ginny 's equanimity spokesperson somehow filtered through the ruckus.

'' I ca n't believe this ! Never, in all of Hogwarts a history did it ever report the sorting Hat doing anything even remotely near to this ... '' Hermione was in her element, and he silently congratulated himself on how well he knew his friend. `` I mean do n't you think Harry ? This is monumental !

But Hermione was too worked up to notice whether he responded or not, and she was so engrossed in her dictation to hear what he heard.

'' Do you retrieve we should just try sorting them anyway, Albus ? '' professor McGonagall asked, casting an almost pleading glimpse at the group of first days, who seemed to shrink away from her regard.

prof Dumbledore, looking vaguely amused, patted professor Flitwick on the head as he mulled this over. For his part the Charm 's Professor stopped bouncing around like a firefly on speed, and his small pass disappeared beneath the staff table.

'' We 'll be needing a volunteer though ... '' McGonagall stated rhetorically, scanning the list of student epithet with an uncharacteristic look of dubiousness, talking out loud but absently. `` If any of the first years would like to try to get sorted ... ''

His read/write head of House was too preoccupied, and she missed what he did not go to remark.

A sealed prosperous haired girl had overhead the professor 's interrogative sentence, and after casting a glance at the overwrought children around her, had woven her way through the cowering first years. She now stood besides the potty, her delicate helping hand grasping the top of the hat as she lifted it from its president, plopping it upon her caput. The teacher around her were completely unmindful to her action.

Her balmy, angular features relaxed, as if immersed in calm down conversation. And as she sat there, immersed in a unsounded conversation to which only she was toilet to, Dumbledore pointed a wand to his pharynx, murmuring, `` Sonorous ''.

A second later the schoolmaster 's magically hyperbolise voice echoed throughout the Great vestibule, as it had on only one other affair.

'' SIIIILLLLEEEENNNCCCE ! ''

Every individual who had been excitedly talking, including several of the anxious looking first years, who had started to cry, stopped and turned their attention to the forepart of the hall.

So of track, that was when everyone 's attention suddenly became drawn to the rather ordinary bicycle young woman, standing by the stool, the offending hat placed atop her head word.

'' Apparently the sorting hat has decided that it is no longer capable to, in right conscious, part as a house sorter. However, we shall have this sorted out. '' Dumbledore winked, the pun on quarrel sounding almost natural coming from him. Yet Harry just stared in captivation at Kaylens, who seemed to be nodding quietly to herself. `` Now I would like the speed years to remain here for dinner, and I would like the foremost eld to come with .... ''

Dumbledore stopped mid-sentence, apparently just catching tidy sum of Kaylens, even though she had been right in battlefront of him all along.

Kaylens nodded one last time, her hazel eyes flickering spread out as she removed the hat, placing it back upon the stool. All center were upon the hat except his, so he was the alone one to see the rare smile mark her features as the sorting hat opened its rim for the moment metre that night.

'' Let the categorization now begin. ''



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