The Forgotten Song

The Forgotten Song
By Ceinwen Langley

Chapter Two:
Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

"Dragonhide Boots of Desire, on special today at Flourish and Blotts!" A small man cried from outside the bookshop.
"I always quite liked that book," Ginny said, looking at the pile of books in the window. "I should really buy a copy..."
"You don't need that rubbish, dear, honestly," Mrs Weasley sighed. "What you need is the mass of Defence books that she's set this year. Honestly, setting new books every year, it's enough to drive me mad. Let's hope she's staying for a while."
"Who's 'she?'" Ron asked curiously. "You mean we've got another bird teacher, then?"
"Never you mind, Ronald Weasley," Molly snapped. "You lot go and visit those no good brothers of yours, I'll buy the books. I'll meet you there in a while." She gave Harry a quick glare, though it was short lived, and went into Flourish and Blotts, trailed by a grinning Arthur.
"She's right, you know," Hermione said as they made their way through the crowd.
"About what?" Ginny asked.
"Your brothers. They're wasting an awful lot of their talent on Jokes, and..."
"Who says a joke shop isn't worthwhile?" Ron asked. "And they're doing a lot for the Order, too. Promoting Dumbledore and anti-You-Know-Who stuff whenever they can."
"I'm not saying that it's a waste of time, Ron," Hermione said patiently. "I said they were wasting their talent. They could have gotten an 'O' on every one of their OWLS if they wanted, and they really didn't have to leave school early, and-"
"Well, they did leave early, didn't they," Ginny sighed. "And they're doing what they've always wanted to do, so why complain?"
Hermione made an expression much like Molly's when she was cut off in mid-whinge.
"What number were they again?" Harry asked, as they were nearing the end of Diagon Alley and were close to the turnoff for Knockturn.
"Ninety-three," Ron said, smiling. "But if you forget in future, just follow the crowd."
Harry stared at the small mob of people outside a shop. From the looks of it, the inside of the shop was packed. Above the door, a red sign was swinging gently in the breeze. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
"You're not serious," Harry laughed. "Look at all those people!"
"Still think they're wasting their time, Hermione?" Ginny nudged her. Hermione didn't say anything.
"Come on then," Ron said, a note of pride in his voice. "Special discounts for red heads."
Even Hermione laughed, and they took off at a run, barging through the crowd and into the brightly coloured store.
The shelves were as packed with items as the store was with people. Fred and George were barely visible through the pack of customers at the counter, and Harry thought he saw somebody else serving people with them, though he couldn't get a good look.
"Look at these, Harry," Ron waved a small brown ball above his head. "Super Dungbombs. The special ingredient is Extra Dung. Cor, Filch'll love these!"
Harry laughed and pointed to a shelf filled with feathered hats, gloves and socks. "Headless Hats, Handless Gloves and Footless Socks. For day's when you're just not there... what's wrong, Hermione?"
Hermione was beside them, clicking her tongue in disapproval. "Hallway Guillotines. So funny their heads will roll. Discount if used on members of the Malfoy family."
Ginny giggled. "Sounds fine to me."
"Ginny! These are dangerous! They're meant for killing people! I think I'll buy the whole lot just so that nobody else can-"
"I wouldn't bother, we've got boxes of them out the back," George poked his head over her shoulder, making her scream.
"Shouldn't you be serving?" Ron asked, looking at the customers. "Fred'll be overwhelmed."
"Yeah, it's pretty full," George smiled proudly. "But Lee's started working here part time, and Anna's been helping us out a fair bit."
"Who's Anna?" Harry asked, but George didn't hear him. He turned away, distracted by a flash of silver blonde hair in the crowd.
"That overly gelled 'do looks eerily familiar," he mused with a half grin. "Apparently he didn't spot the sign in the window."
Hermione's tongue clicked again as they looked to the window and discovered a glittering 'Malfoy Free Zone' sticker. Harry laughed as he looked at the other stickers. 'Voldemort Supporters will be Charged Double,' 'Discounts for Dumbledore Look-alikes,' 'Ron Spanks Midgets.'
Ginny giggled loudly, and she and Harry exchanged an amused glance.
"Hey, Fred!" George yelled. "We've had a breach of clause twenty-three B."
It was amazing that Fred could hear his twin over the noise of the crowd, but he looked over. "Twenty-three B?" he asked, a grin forming on his wide mouth. The mob fell silent, looking at both Weasley twins. Harry took a quick glance at the other two people behind the counter. Lee Jordan, best friend of the Twins, was grinning knowingly, brushing his black dreadlocks from his face. The other girl, Anna, was nudging Lee and whispering to him. Harry frowned at her. She looked awfully familiar.
"Here we go," Ron muttered gleefully, distracting Harry from his musings.
"Is it Malfoy?" Ginny asked, trying to stand on tiptoes. "I can't see." Ron, who was about a foot taller than the rest of the crowd, nodded. "I don't know what he thinks he's doing in here."
"Oh no," Hermione stepped behind Harry. "I can't watch!"
"I can," Harry muttered, spotting his blonde haired enemy. Draco Malfoy, son of a Death Eater and all around prat was unruffled. He stood calmly in the center of the crowd, his face impassive.
"Mr Jordan," Fred said smugly, staring at Malfoy. "Would you kindly tell us what clause twenty-three B is?"
Lee grinned at Anna and produced a rolled up parchment from under the counter and clambered up so that he was standing high above the crowd, looking for all the world like a herald. He unrolled the parchment, which fell to his feet, and began to read in the clear voice which he usually reserved for commentating the Hogwarts Quidditch games. "Clause twenty-three B," he began, "is the prohibition of any members of the Malfoy family crossing the threshold of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes (trademark), especially the overly gelled git and only son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, Draco. If any of this family violate this clause, Fred Arthur and George Marcus Weasley are free to do what they will to the offender." Lee rolled up the parchment and jumped down from the counter.
"So, Malfoy," George said to Draco, whom the crowd had now isolated in the centre of the store. "Any last words?"
Malfoy raised one blonde eyebrow, a slight smile playing around his lips. "Put it away, Weasley. I'm here on business."
"Business?" Fred asked. "What, going to kill or enslave us all?"
"It's an appealing thought, Weasley, but maybe not today," he drawled. "See, mother and I are staying with the Zabini's, ever since father was wrongly sent to jail, and Mr Zabini had an idea."
"And I can hardly wait to hear what that idea is," George rolled his eyes. Fred and Lee laughed, but Anna narrowed her eyes and he saw her shifting a black wand around in her hand.
"The idea, Weasley, is to-"
"Sure you want to incriminate yourself, Draco?" a cool voice asked from the door. Harry gasped as the Kera White, his mothers best friend, entered the shop, flanked by Dumbledore and McGonagall. With a start, Harry realised why Anna looked so familiar. She was almost an exact replica of Kera, the only difference being that Kera's hair was deep maroon, and Anna's was a rich brown.
"Who are you?" Malfoy spat.
"Think of me as your guardian angel, Draco," she said in a voice loaded with ice. "Say what you're here to do, and you'll be expelled. Do what you're here to do, and you'll be joining your father."
Malfoy hissed. "What would you know, you pale-faced-"
"I do not think you want to finish that sentence, Mr Malfoy," Dumbledore interrupted, almost serenely. "Speaking so to your new teacher could result in rather a load of detention."
"Teacher?" Ron whispered to Harry. "She's that woman in the painting! I thought she was dead or something!"
"She's an Auror," Harry whispered back, deciding to keep quiet about her relationship with Lupin. He really didn't know much about it, nor was it his place to say.
"I think you should leave, Mr Malfoy," Professor McGonagall advised him sternly.
Malfoy growled, glared at George, but followed her advice.
"See you in class," Harry thought he heard Kera mutter as Draco moved past her. Malfoy paused for a moment, then left.
"Well, now," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Now that that little unpleasantry is over, I'd like your super-value pack of Super Dungbombs."
"Professor!" Hermione said reproachfully.
"Well, somebody has to do it, now that these three have left," he smiled, nodding at Lee and the Twins. The crowd in the shop laughed, and the merry buzzings of conversations started up again. Harry was oblivious, however. He was watching Kera, who nodded to Anna, then conferred briefly with Professor McGonagall.
"Potter!" McGonagall called him over.
"What's she want you for? Ron frowned.
"Dunno," Harry shrugged. "I'll be back in a minute."
Harry made his way through the crowd to the two women.
"Outside, Potter," McGonagall shouted, pointing to the door. Harry nodded and followed her to the much quieter street outside.
"Potter, this is your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," McGonagall motioned to Kera, who was silently staring at him. She was taller than he was, and she had deep, aqua green eyes. He recalled that Draco had called her pale-faced, but Harry would have used the word luminescent. Her skin looked like it had captured moonbeams and never let them go.
"Um..." he stammered. "Pleased to meet you." He held out his hand, and she took it, but rather than shaking it, she just held it, still staring at him.
"You have her eyes," she said softly. "And you look just like him. But..." she shook her head lightly and smiled. "I guess you get that all the time."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. I... I've seen you before. In a photo. And a painting. My parents wedding, and..."
"The wedding," she smiled fondly. "I remember. They were so happy. We all were. Voldemort was the last thing on our minds, even while he was destroying things all around us. It was in a nice little church in the Welsh Valleys. Have you ever been there?"
Harry shook his head. "No, never."
Kera frowned. "Really? So you've never been to their village, or..."
Harry shook his head again.
"Wow. I'll have to find an excuse to take us on an excursion there, then," she grinned mischievously. "Oh, there's a Dragon cave near the village... we could borrow Charlie and..."
"Kera," McGonagall warned.
"Yes, Professor," she sighed. "Honestly, it's like she's still my teacher."
"I am still your teacher, Kera," McGonagall smiled. "While I may not have been your Head of House, I am still your teacher."
"You weren't her Head?" Harry asked. "But... why not?"
"Professor McGonagall is in Gryffindor, Harry," Kera laughed. "I was a Slytherin."
"But, in the painting! You're a prefect, like Lupin!"
"Yeah, I was a prefect. But you must not have noticed that the colour of the badge was green, not red. That was Lily. She was the Gryffindor good girl."
"Speaking of badges, Potter, that's the actual reason I called you out here," McGonagall interrupted.
"But I don't have a badge," Harry said.
"I know that, Mr Potter," McGonagall rolled her eyes heavenward. "And from that statement I should probably reconsider giving you one."
"What would you be giving me one for?" he asked, bewildered.
Kera giggled as McGonagall sighed. She handed him a red velvet box, which he took and opened. He stared goggle-eyes at what was inside. A little red enamel badge, with the words 'Captain' running across it in gold.

The Forgotten Song
By Ceinwen Langley

Chapter Three:
The White Sisters

"I can't believe you're the Quidditch Captain!" Ron enthused. "That's so cool!"
"When you look at it, though," Hermione said thoughtfully. "It was really only out of you two, and Harry's been in Quidditch longer than you and you're already a prefect, so it pretty much had to be him, anyway..." she trailed off when she saw them staring at her. "What?"
"Thank you, Hermione," Harry said dryly. "I now feel very special and honoured to have been chosen Quidditch captain by default."
"Oh, oh I didn't mean it like that!" she gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "It's great that you were chosen, it's just that..."
"You were chosen out of the wide selection of you, you and you," Ron grinned at him.
"You all suck," Harry sniffed. "And you're both jealous that I'm captain of a Quidditch team of two members. Including me. The other member being a lanky red haired git. That would be you, by the way," he whispered to Ron.
"Really?" he asked in disbelief. "'Cos I thought I just saw a red hair amongst all that black. Oh, and hey, you just grew about a foot in the last two seconds. Congrats, Harry, you're no longer a midget."
Both boys descended into giggles and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you're both like little girls."
"What'd we do?" Ron asked, quite offended.
"Who knows," Harry shrugged. "'Reckon that meeting's finished yet?"
"They have an awful lot of meetings for people who aren't doing anything," Ron observed. "Lupin's barely left the house since we've been here."
"There's strangers in the house," a raspy voice came from the door. Ron jumped as a dirty, haggard little house elf came creeping into the bedroom.
"Hello, Kreacher," Hermione said kindly.
"Don't be nice to him," Harry snapped at her.
Kreacher looked at him slyly with huge unblinking eyes. "The Boy Who Lived is still upset over the blood traitors death, is he? Mistress was not upset, Kreacher was not upset, oh, but they've killed the house, Mistress, the brats and the werewolves and now there are blood suckers, oh poor Kreacher, what is he to do?"
"Get out," Harry said darkly.
"Oh, Harry, he doesn't know what he's saying," Hermione protested.
"Yes he does," Harry snapped. "He does, Hermione, and if you can't see that, then-"
"Harry!" Hermione cowered on the bed, and Harry realised that he was standing over her. He growled and turned around, grabbing Kreacher by the scruff of his neck and throwing him out the door. He slammed against the wall and fell to the floor. He gave a nasty little chuckle as he climbed to his feet and limped off, muttering to himself.
"Harry! That was cruel!"
Harry looked at her, not saying anything, then slumped into a chair, arms folded, and a black look upon his face.

* * *

"...and then he stormed out of the shop, past the lady, and into the street! It was so weird." Ginny was recounting the story to Tonks over dinner.
"Cor, that Malfoy boy's trouble if you ask me," Tonks shook her head. "Nasty family. His mother, now she's a piece of work. Hated my mother... oh, wotcher Harry!"
Harry forced a smile and waved to her, noticing that her hair had grown waist length and was a vibrant and glittering blue.
"I 'eard you ran into the Whites, Harry," Mundungus Fletcher called out. "Whitey Senior's off limits, but Junior's your age!"
"You leave him alone," Molly whacked his hand with the back of her ladle. "Harry doesn't need advice from you."
"Aw, come on Molly, I was just 'aving a bit of fun!"
"That sort of fun he could do without," she said knowingly, staring him down. "And don't you mention any of that nonsense while they're around. Anna does not need encouraging."
"Molly," Arthur laughed, holding out his bowl for her to ladle soup into. "They cant get into any more trouble than we did at their age."
The corners of Molly's lips turned up as she struggled to keep a straight face.
"What was that?" Ginny asked, laughing.
"Mum and Dad, doing bad things at our age?" Ron mock gasped. "I don't believe it! Mum, I'm shocked!"
"You eat your dinner, Ron," she shushed him, laughing a little.
Harry looked upon the scene, taking in the presence of his friends but unable to appreciate it. The encounter with Kreacher had brought back his black mood, stronger than it had been at Privet Drive. He snuck out of the kitchen, into the living room, hearing wolf whistles from Mundungus as Kera and Anna entered the room.
"Now that's the first time I've ever seen a man leave a room when Kera entered," Sirius said from his portrait.
"I don't feel like being around people," he said shortly, not looking at him.
"Yeah?" Sirius asked. "Whenever I feel like that, I go out on my bike. Man, I love that bike. Do I still have it?"
"You're dead," Harry reminded him darkly. "But you gave it to Hagrid. I think."
"No way! I gave it away?" Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Must have been insane. But since I'm dead, I recommend you steal it off Hagrid and learn to ride it."
"That won't make it better," Harry muttered.
"Won't make what better?"
"You!" Harry yelled. "It wont bring you back, will it?"
"Whoa, steady on," Sirius said, alarmed. "I didn't... I mean, y'know, I know it wont make me... um... alive again, but I just thought you'd have fun on it, y'know?"
"Fun?" Harry asked, incredulous. "You want me to have fun? MY GODFATHER JUST DIED AND I'M SUPPOSED TO KILL ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL WIZARDS IN THE WORLD! FUN ISN'T EXACTLY ON THE AGENDA!"
"Harry?" he heard voices call from the kitchen.
"HE KILLED MY PARENTS, HE KILLED YOU, AND HE'S GOING TO KILL ME, AND EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF THE ORDER, MOST LIKELY! HALF OF MY FRIENDS ARE GOING TO DIE, AND IT'LL BE ALL MY FAULT! FUN IS NOT AN ISSUE!"
"Harry!" he felt a strong pair of arms winding around his shoulders. "Harry, it's okay, it's just a picture!"
He stared in disbelief at the portrait, now just a flat canvas depicting the five friends, standing close together and laughing.
"They do that sometimes," Kera said softly. "They go back to their original state for a while."
"But- but he..."
"He's not Sirius, Harry," Kera brought him to the couch and sat down with him, her arm still around him. He vaguely noticed that Lupin was in the doorway, looking concerned. "He's just an instant. It's a memory of Sirius' seventeen year old self, stuck in a painting. Just like Lily and James. And me and Lupin. It isn't really them."
"I just..."
"It's a trick, see? You just have to stop thinking of them as the Sirius you know, or the Parents you wish you knew. If you think of them as different people, then it gets easier."
As he began to cry weakly, he felt another pair of arms around him, and saw Lupin on the other side of him, with tears in his eyes. It was a bittersweet moment. He imagined that this was the sort of hug his parents would have given him if he was upset. But his parents were dead. And someday, he had to kill the one who had destroyed them.

* * *

The day was fast approaching when Harry and the others were to return to Hogwarts. Kera and Anna had stayed at the Headquarters, and while Kera and Lupin spent practically every waking moment together ('There are a million rooms in this house,' Ron had grumbled, 'The least they could do is find an empty one.') and so Anna had taken to spending time with Harry and the others, in between shifts at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
Anna was an odd girl, but Harry liked her immediately. Ron, of course, blushed whenever she spoke to him, and Hermione seemed to disapprove of her somewhat shorter-than-average skirt and phenomenal swearing habit, and Ginny had discovered in Anna a sister figure.
"So tell me more about Hogwarts. Teachers, people, and whatnot." Anna, who was also sixteen, was coming to Hogwarts as well.
"That's a bit of a broad subject," Harry raised his eyebrows.
"Well don't go near Draco Malfoy," Ginny said wisely. "He may be gorgeous, but he's awful."
"The biggest prat you ever did see," Harry happily agreed.
"Wait a minute," Ron interrupted. "You think Malfoy's gorgeous?"
"Well..." Ginny stalled. "He is. Everyone thinks so, he's just so... mean. And, well, stupid girls like Lavender think they want to be the one who makes him see the 'error of his ways' but it's a lost cause."
"Do you think he's gorgeous?" Ron asked Hermione accusingly.
"No," she said calmly, not looking up from her knitting. "I don't like blondes."
"He's that guy that came into Weasley's Wizard Wheezes the other day, isn't he?" Anna asked, interested.
"Yes," Hermione nodded stiffly. She was always very proper when Anna was around.
"Well fuck me," Anna laughed and Hermione blanched. "Yeah, he's hot. Bit too much gel, but hot all the same. Moody little bugger, though, isn't he?"
"Should be exterminated if you ask me," Ron muttered darkly.
Anna chuckled and pulled a dark red lollipop from her pocket.
"What flavour's that?" Ginny asked curiously.
"German."

* * *

"RON! GINNY! YOU'LL BE LATE FOR THE TRAIN!"
"Wouldn't an alarm clock be quieter?" Harry grumbled as he rolled over in bed.
"Probably," an equally disgruntled Ron muttered from under his pillow.
"RON!"
"Foul incarnations of Doom and Misery! Begone from the house of my forefathers and rid it of your filthy presence!"
"Oh no," Harry buried his head under his pillow, taking his lead from Ron. "Somebody shut her up."
"VILE SNAKES OF BLOOD TRAITORS! BEGONE! LEAVE MY HOME IN PEACE AND DISTURB IT NO MORE WITH YOUR TREACHERY AND MADNESS!"
"Shut the fuck up, woman!"
"Anna! Stop bloody swearing!"
"MUM! Have you seen my jumper?"
"You should have set out your clothes last night dear! Ohh, we're going to be late, I can see it now! RON! ARE YOU UP?"
"BEGONE FROM THIS HOUSE AND BOTHER IT NO MORE!"
"I am going to throw something pointy at that goddamn painting if somebody doesn't shut it up!"
"Anna!"
"Kreacher! What do you think you are doing with that axe?!"
"Kreacher... Kreacher is cleaning..."
"With an axe?"
"Kreacher doesn't take orders from Werewolves... There is no Master in the house anymore..."
"Argh! What the fuck is that gnarled little thing on the floor? And why is it holding an axe?"
"Anna! Stop. That. Fucking. Swearing!"
"FILTH! SCUM! HALF BREEDS! FREAKS! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS!"
"RON! HARRY! GET OUT OF BED NOW!"
"Hogwarts is looking like a good option," Ron observed.

* * *

After much noise, commotion, tearful and extended goodbyes, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Kera, Anna and Ginny made it on the Hogwarts Express with exactly two point three seconds to spare.
"Harry!" Neville Longbottom called from one of the cabins. Last year he had been short, plump and rather reminiscent of a bowling ball, but the summer had been good to him, and had performed a miraculous transformation. He had grown perhaps half a foot, and his puppy fat had melted away.
"Neville!" Harry and Ron hailed him. "How was your summer?"
"I practised everything you taught me," he grinned proudly. "I can do an Expecto Patronum, a Shielding spell, and I already leaned half of the jinxes and counter Jinxes in our new books!"
"That's great, Neville!" Hermione congratulated him, and he beamed. Hermione turned to the others. "Why don't you sit down here, and Ron and I will go to the Prefects cabin for a while."
Anna looked at Harry and shrugged, taking a seat next to Neville, who blushed. She saw and held out her hand. "Anna White."
"Nev- Neville Longbottom," he smiled bashfully. Ginny and Harry grinned and sat down opposite them.
"I'm popping off to the teachers lounge," Kera smiled at them.
"There's a teachers lounge? On a train?" Harry asked. "'Course there is. Me and Sirius used to sneak in there all the time. See you when we get there!"
Neville stared after her, then looked at Anna. "Are you two related? Because you look an awful lot alike."
"She's my sister," Anna shrugged, pulling another red lollipop out of her bag and unwrapping it.
"But, isn't she an awful lot older than you?" Ginny asked. "I mean, if she's the same age as Lupin..."
"With parents like mine, kids aren't off the chart yet," she laughed, sucking away at the lollipop.
"That didn't sound half dirty," Harry commented to Ginny.
Anna only smiled at them.
After about half an hour, Ron and Hermione had joined them in the cabin.
"You won't believe who got Slytherin Captain," Ron groaned as soon as he was inside.
"Malfoy," Ginny and Harry said at the same time.
"That's right," his cool voice said from the door.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked, not in the mood for taunts.
"Looks like the competition'll be even more intense this year, Potty," he said, glaring down at him with stormy grey eyes. "But, then again, I guess you need more than one other person in your team to even be able to qualify. Maybe you should think about a new Keeper, anyway. After all, the Weasel King can't save a thing."
"Clever, Malfoy," Harry rolled his eyes. "Too bad the beaters of the Slytherin team are too dumb to remember the difference between the bludger and their own heads."
"Watch yourself out there, Potty," Malfoy muttered dangerously. "There are worse things than bludgers."
"Like what, killer pigeons?" Anna raised her eyebrows.
Malfoy's eyes flicked to her, noticing her for the first time. "You..."
"No, me."
"You're..."
"My sister, actually. I know the resemblance is uncanny, but try not to stare."
"I know what you are," he hissed.
"Really? Wow, clever."
Their eyes were locked. One pair a deep sea green and one an icy grey, both as impenetrable as each other.
"What do you think you're trying to do?" he half asked, frowning slightly.
Anna didn't say anything. She just looked at him until he frowned even deeper, and simply turned and left. The others stared at her as she stretched and smiled.
"Mind games," she grinned. "Gets 'em every time."

* * *

Harry felt the presence of the Thestrals before he saw them. They sent chills down his spine, and he shuddered when he saw them. The reptilian horses stared blankly ahead, their threadbare manes dancing in the breeze.
"Bloody ugly things, aren't they," Anna said, looking them up and down.
"You can see them too?" Harry asked in surprise. "Who have you seen... well, not to be rude or anything, but-"
"Who've I seen die?" she asked him with a slight smile. "Fucking hundreds. And every time I see one of these things I get shivers down my spine."
"Yeah. Me too," he nodded slowly.
"Well, no use standing round here all day, huh? Let's go." Anna grabbed his hand and started leading him to the closest carriage, keeping her eyes firmly averted from the Thestral. As Harry looked behind him to see if the others were following, he noticed Hermione staring at Anna with a stern, almost worried expression on her face.

* * *

Dinner in the Great Hall was always grand event. The First Years had been brought inside the Hall, huddling together in wonder and fear, and Anna had joined them, looking somewhat out of place and embarrassed. Harry could see her mouthing words furiously to Kera at the head table, who was giggling uncontrollably. Professor McGonagall brought out a stool and the old brown wrinkled hat, which immediately sprang to life and burst into song.

In days of old when I was new,
Old Gryffindor decided
That I was to decide the fate
Of students, who united
Made up the population of
Our little magic school,
And I'd decide the fate of those
Who were destined to rule.
Gryffindor, all but one agreed,
Would be leaders of the pack.
But Slytherin objected to
Be following up the back.
Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff
Cared not for petty things;
And let Slytherin and Gryffindor
Fight over who'd be king.
So now I must choose the ones
Who will follow in their names...
Gryffindor, who led with pride,
And never with sly games.
Hufflepuff who accepted all
And never discriminated,
Slytherin who thought that
Bravery was overrated.
Ravenclaw who sat in thought
And was surely the wisest;
She let the others duke it out
With cunning and with violence.
The times are hard, we must unite
For while I must divide you,
I hope in time the walls will fall
And hopefully unite you.
Nothing is won from mistrust,
It cannot be denied,
But now the Sorting must begin,
So line up and take a try.
As the clapping died down, McGonagall stepped forward and read from a long scroll.
"Aberforth, Jessica."
A tiny blonde girl stood forward, trembling slightly. McGonagall placed the hat on her head, and after a moment he yelled at the top of his lungs (if a hat can be said to have lungs) "HUFFLEPUFF!"
After a long list of first years, Anna's name was finally called. Hayden Turner had just taken his seat at the Ravenclaw table, and Anna sat gingerly on the seat. The hat was placed on her head, and it was silent for a long time. Anna's eyes kept flicking from Gryffindor Table to Slytherin, and he knew that the hat must be deciding between the two. He knew how that felt like.
After what seemed an eternity, he saw Anna shrug. "GRYFFINDOR!"
Gryffindor table erupted into applause, and the tables were suddenly laden with food, which the students happily dug into.
"Whew," Anna sighed, sitting between Harry and Hermione, taking up a glass which suddenly filled itself with a red drink. "Nearly got thrown in Slytherin there for a while. Considered it, but the Gryffindors seem a more interesting lot."
Harry saw Hermione's eyes glued to Anna's drink.
"Tell me, Anna," he heard her say quietly. "How do you and Kera manage to get around the sunlight issue?"
"Bloody good lineage," she replied with a smile, downing the liquid. "And a hell of a lot of sunscreen."

* * *

Ron looked up as Harry stuck a sign on the Gryffindor common room noticeboard.
"What's that, then?"
"Notice for Quidditch tryouts," Harry sighed. "But I dunno how it'll turn out. We got such a crappy turnout last year when Me, Fred and George were banned."
"What's this?" Anna asked from the corner where she and Ginny were playing chess. A few other students looked up, too.
"Quidditch," Harry explained. "We practically need a new team. Two beaters, and three Chasers." He suddenly remembered something. "Hang on, Ginny, didn't you want to try for Chaser this year?"
"Yeah, I did," she nodded. "Chuck my name down, please."
"Yeah, me too," Anna smiled. "Kera and I used to play a bit in our spare time, and I love flying."
"I'll bet you do," Hermione muttered. Harry gave her a brief glance, but was distracted by Seamus Finnigan, an Irish sixth year with sandy blonde hair. Harry noticed that he'd bulked up somewhat over the holidays. "I'll try for Beater, if you don't mind," he offered, somewhat shyly.
"Ohh, can I go for Chaser, Harry?" Colin Creevey asked enthusiastically. "I've never really played Quidditch much, but it'd be really cool to be on a team with you!" The offers were rolling in, and soon the sign up chart was filled with names.
"When's the try-outs?" Ron asked.
"I thought we'd try next Saturday, if that's okay with everybody."
Chorus' of 'yes' assured him that the timing was fine, and he settled down in the chair next to Hermione. He was quiet for a while, and she didn't look up from her book. Harry waited till everybody else was absorbed in their own private things. Ginny had slaughtered Anna at Chess and was now playing her boyfriend, Dean Thomas, and killing him, too. Anna had seated herself next to Ron and they were having what looked like an enthusiastic conversation which seemed to involve lots of hand movements. Harry noticed that Ron was still blushing, but the firelight pretty much disguised it.
"So," he said eventually. "What's the problem?"
"What problem?" Hermione asked evenly, not looking up from her book. Harry noticed that her eyes weren't actually moving.
"Anna. You've been acting weird around her since we met her. What's wrong?"
"What's wrong, Harry? You mean you haven't noticed?"
"So she swears a bit. There's nothing really wrong with that."
"You think I'm strange around her because she swears? Oh Harry," she sighed. "I mean, not that the swearing isn't disgusting and rude, but I'm not that shallow."
"The skirt length, then?"
"I'll have you know I have one that length at home," she folded her arms. "I'm not entirely stuffy, Harry."
"I know that," he said quickly. "It's just that I... wait, you have a skirt that short? Why don't you wear it?"
"Because I don't want you staring at my legs," she said, a small smile forming on her lips. "But think Harry, where else have you seen those lollipops she's always sucking?"
"Honeydukes," Harry shrugged.
"And what flavour were they?"
"They were..." Harry cast his mind back to the more disgusting aisle at Honeydukes sweet shop. He mentally reviewed the sweets on the shelves. "Cockroach Clusters, Acid Pops, Blood Lollipops... oh, gross!"
"That's my point," Hermione sighed.
"Why would she want to eat Blood Lollipops?" Harry screwed up his face. "Yuck!"
"You mean you..." Hermione stared at him. "Oh, Harry! What sort of people drink blood? What sort of people are that pale, drink blood and are that good looking?"
"Vampires and good looking freaks who dislike sunlight," Harry said promptly. "Wait, Anna's a Vampire?"
"Yes!" Hermione hissed. "I have no idea how she goes out in the sun, but she is! Kera, too. That's why they've got such an age difference - their parents have a lifespan of about three times the average one."
Harry stared at Anna, who was still wrapped up in Ron.
"Vampires are dangerous, Harry," Hermione said, worried. "They kill ordinary people like us."
"Wait, back up a second," Harry frowned. "You like twisted little homicidal freaks like Kreacher, but are scared of two Vampires who are trusted by Lupin, Dumbledore, and my parents? And who seem happy to stick to Blood Lollipops rather than actually drinking people? Are you insane?"
"I wouldn't expect you to understand," Hermione said rudely, standing up. "I can't help it if you're in love with her like the rest of them." She quickly left the common room, leaving Harry staring bewildered after her.
"Women," he rolled his eyes.