Keeping it in the Family

Letter from Home

Neville was worried, but he tried not to show it. He was trying to eat his toast as slowly as possible, as the people around him started to pick up their bags to go to class. The seat next to him, Keira's usual spot, was empty. Where was Keira? Maybe she was still doing her homework... No, she wasn't doing anything when I was trying to learn that Transfiguration spell yesterday night... Maybe she didn't tell me she had a lot to do... At that moment, he saw her coming in to the Great Hall with her hurried walk, her bag with a quill and bits of parchment sticking out and her hair tied in a low, messy ponytail with a black ribbon, as usual.

"Hi, Neville..." she set her bag down on the floor, sat down, and reached for a piece of toast, as lazily as if it was still early.

"What are you doing?" he asked, panicking. "Have you forgotten that our first class after breakfast is Potions? Snape will use any excuse to take loads of points off Gryffindor, and you know he hates anyone being late for his class...."

Keira raised her eyebrows. "What are you talking about? Don't you mean that you have Potions after breakfast?" Neville still didn't seem to understand so she grinned and said, "It's Thursday today, right? You know... I'm Tonks' apprentice, right?"

"Oh!" It finally dawned on Neville. "Oh yeah... you get off Potions Mondays and Thursdays, right?"

Keira laughed. "I've been Tonks' apprentice for a month now, and you still wait for me everyday Monday and Thursday.... Now you better go, or else you'll be late!"

Neville was off like a shot. I hope he doesn't trip or hurt himself, Keira thought. She worried a lot about Neville. Even though he was doing better in Potions, Snape was still the thing that he most feared, and the hook-nosed, greasy haired professor knew it. Keira took some toast and buttered it, then remembered... Tonks had told her the last time to come early because they were going somewhere!

"Oh great," she muttered. "I am late after all!" She hastily grabbed and her toast and bag, whirled around, and ran straight into her brown owl, which dropped a letter at her feet.

"You would choose today, of all days, to deliver a letter to me!" she grumbled. Still, she broke off a piece of her toast and gave it to her owl, which hooted its thanks and flew off towards the Owlery. Keira picked up the thick letter, crammed her toast into her mouth and walked briskly out of the Hall, her mouth bulging. She'd just read the letter while she was going to Tonks' office.

She turned the envelope over, and her heart gave a leap. It's from the orphanage! Keira ripped it open eagerly. It always gave her relief to read letters from home.... There were two folded sheets of parchment, covered with writing, and a moving drawing, which Keira examined with amusement. It showed a childish crayon drawing of a long-haired girl with a big smile wearing black robes with a red cord around her neck, surrounded by five oval blobs of different sizes with stick arms and legs. The girl was pointing to the sky, and gold sparks were coming out of her stick finger. The blobs were pointing at the sparks. The sky was beautifully done and was changing color continually.

She opened the first sheet of parchment. Dearest Keira, she read, I suppose that before I tell you what's going on here, you'd like to know what the drawing is all about. Seri was the one who drew you, she says its sorry if its awful, but I think it looks OK for her age, don't you think? Anyway, you're the girl in the middle doing a spell, and the blobs surrounding you are supposed to be us, ooh-ing an aaah-ing at you. The little ones drew those. Of course you can guess who drew the sky, can't you? Nathan insisted on doing it, and I worked a spell into it so it could change color. He's a born artist, which I think more than makes up for the fact that he can't use magic. Look at you, a talented almost-sorceress and you draw almost as well as Seri.

Keira laughed. Their orphanage master had a way of hitting the nail on the head. The letter continued, We're all doing fine here. Merle and Johanna fight and fight, as usual, but at least they don't duel with each other anymore. Allen used Nathan's expensive Muggle paints for fingerpainting, and our very own orphanage official artist blew up as usual, but it's all blown over now. We've all heard about Voldemort's rebirth, but all we read about in the Daily Prophet are rumors about his sighting in local taverns and the like. For precaution, I've warded off the orphanage. It's hard to break, but in the event that Voldemort comes, it'll give us enough time to escape. I hope that never comes.

"Me too," Keira whispered. "I wouldn't want to lose the only family I'm close to now." She unfolded the second sheet and continued. We miss you here. Of course we all do, you don't need me to tell you that. Seri always wants to know when you're coming back, the little ones always look for you when they need help, and Nathan seems even more moody now that you're gone. I also could use a talented sorceress in the event that... you know. I've also been trying to find word of your aunt, -here Keira's heart stopped for a moment- but I haven't been able to hear or read anything else except those ridiculous rumors. It seems that they've chosen to lie low for a while... Be careful there, won't you? How are you doing at Hogwarts? Are you top of your class yet? Have you made any new friends? Write back soon. Take care always.

Suddenly, Keira felt extremely homesick. She smelled the letters, as if she could smell the smell only the orphanage had. Please, don't let anything happen to them. Her orphanage master had scared her. Usually, he was full of sarcastic jokes and insights on the orphanage. He had never discussed finding her aunt and uncle to her before, or what the two of them would do if Voldemort or a Death Eater attacked the orphanage. But... Keira looked up and found herself in front of Tonks' office. I'll write them later...She stuffed the letter into her bag and went in.

Tonks' office was in total disarray. Books and paper were scattered everywhere, and a diagram showing some Dark creature was half had almost fallen off the wall. In the middle of it all was Tonks (now with long, fiery red hair), fingering something, looking very happy. She looked up as Keira went in.

"Keira! I know my office is really messy, but look what I found!" She waved the thing she had been fingering in Keira's face. Keira took and looked at it. It was a badge with a cord like hers, except it was green, not red. Embroidered on the back was a lizard, which meant that the bearer was either a new sorcerer or else very incompetent. Keira looked at Tonks, who shrugged and grinned.

"I haven't been able to go to the Council and take the rank-raising test- too much trouble.... They make you wait all day!" her master said emphatically.

"So, where are we going to go today?" she asked.

"We're going to the Sorcerers' Office in the Ministry of Magic," Tonks said as she fastened her badge around her neck and put on her cloak.

Keira looked surprised. Sorcerors usually didn't bother with the department the Ministry of Magic had for sorcery because they thought wizards didn't understand them and vice versa. Everyone knew that even now misunderstandings and arguments were common between the two groups. "What are we going to Sorcery Office for?" she asked.

"No! I didn't say the Sorcery Office, I said the Sorcerers' Office in the Ministry of Magic," Tonks said with a smile. "You've never been there yet, have you?"

Keira shook her head. "I didn't even know there was one!"

"That's why we're going there. Come on, hurry up, it's a long way to the Ministry of Magic!"

Keira looked at Tonks quizzically as she headed out. "You're confusing me! I thought you said it wasn't the Sorcery Office!"

Tonks groaned. "And your professors say that you're supposed to be one of the best in your year! I'll tell you that you'll just see what I mean when we get there." She gave a superior sort of chuckle and walked hurriedly down the corridor. "Hurry, we have to make the most out of it! We'll only have one day to explore the whole thing!"

"That's impossible," Keira gasped as she walked fast to keep up with Tonks. It felt weird seeing no one else walking in the broad hallways of Hogwarts! "It takes a full day to get to London from here!"

"We're not going to London, we're just going to Hogsmeade!"

Keira threw up her hands. "I give up! Just take me there!"

Tonks laughed. "That's what I told you!"

The two passed through the front door of Hogwarts. A horseless carriage was waiting for them outside.

Keira shook her head. "I can never get used to thestrals pulling carriages."

Tonks looked at her hard as they climbed up into the carriage. "You can see the thestrals?"

Ooops. I shouldn't have said that! "Uh, yes," Keira replied, looking at the floor.

Change the subject, change the subject! She could feel Tonks' eyes on her. "We're going to be there for one whole day, right?" she asked Tonks, who nodded.

"Then how about my classes?"

"I've asked your teachers, and they said that it was fine with them. They say you've been doing really well in your classes, even Snape couldn't say anything bad about you!" she said brightly.

Keira laughed. "Really? You wouldn't think so, the way he glowers at me in Potions and when we meet in the hallways! Oh!" she said as she put her hand to her mouth.

Tonks looked concerned. "What's wrong?" she asked automatically.

"Neville! I can't tell him that I'll be away all day!"

"Oh, I've taken care of that," Tonks said. "I asked Professor McGonagall to tell him."

Keira sighed with relief. "Thank you ma- I mean Tonks."

"Is he your friend?" Tonks asked suddenly.

Keira nodded. "Yeah, it seems weird, because of my aunt-" here Tonks suddenly looked down-"and uncle, you know.... But still, he's my only friend in the whole school!"

Tonks looked at her for a while, her eyes searching Keira's face. Finally, she spoke again. "Harry and his friends...do they treat you ok?"

"How do they treat me? Ron and Hermione treat me fine. I think they're great, but Harry..." she left the name hanging as she frowned. "Harry...." Wait. Maybe Tonks knows why he's so mad at me!

She got to the point right away. "Honestly, Tonks, I'd have to say that he treats me like I'm Voldemort's daughter and right-hand man rolled into one." She continued quickly, before Tonks could react.

"Do you know why?" Tonks looked at Keira, then slightly away. So Tonks knows. She knows.

"Can you tell me? Please? I just want to know! His behavior's really puzzling, because I know I haven't done anything bad to him at all! I know from Neville that this has something to do with my aunt and one of his relatives and he told me that he was there when it happened! Please, were you there? What happened? Please tell me!" Keira pleaded.

Tonks looked thunderstuck for a moment, and then chuckled softly. "I knew you were friends with Neville, but I never imagined that he'd tell you so soon..." She stole a glance at Keira. The young girl was looking at her intently, eyes wide and pleading.

Tonks sighed. "Yes, I was there, and I saw what happened, but I won't tell you." She raised a hand as Keira opened her mouth. "I know you want to know, but it's a matter really sensitive to Harry, and he's been really touchy lately. He's just really confused right now and trust me, he's still reeling from the shock of the incident ... its best that he himself tells you," she gently said.

Keira sighed and slouched against the back of the carriage. "Neville said something like that to me. I don't understand. This is about my aunt, not about me." Her voice started to rise again with emotion. "Can't I even know why Harry treats me like filth? And besides, the way things are going, he'll never tell me whatever the reason is himself!"

At that moment, the carriage stopped in front of a dingy shack. Tonks cleared her throat. "Well, here we are," she said, somewhat lamely. Keira climbed out of the carriage without looking at her.

"I'm really sorry Keira," Tonks said. "But you've got to understand- he'll tell you one day. I'm sure he will. Knowing Harry, that will come out one day, but I won't guarantee you that it will be in a nice manner."

Keira smiled slightly. "I know Harry enough to know that the last part is true." She turned and saw the whole dingy shack for the first time. Her eyes widened.

"This is the Sorcerers' Office?"

Tonks laughed and started to walk towards the shack. "You'll see soon, Keira! Come on!" She opened the door and waved at her apprentice. Keira swallowed and walked over to Tonks, trying to push all thoughts of Harry Potter's emotional state from her mind.