A Good Time For Change

Chapter 1

Exactly 4 years, five states, one ocean, and five hundred acres of meadows later...

Cursing like a drunken sailor, Kelli apparated on her hindquarters in a girl´s room. She knew it was a girl´s room, not because it had said I n her directions, but because of the surroundings themselves. It was a poor girl´s room at that. Why had they sent her here? Damn, she thought to herself. I´ll kill Lupin when I get back. Kelli involuntarily smiled thinking about her superior officer. He´d only started last year, but he had a good head on his shoulders.

Then, remembering how desperate she was, Kelli pulled her wand out of the left sleeve of her robes. Choking back a sob by biting her lip, she sat on the ragged old chair in front of an even poorer looking desk, and laid her head down at her arms. Her ears perked up when she heard the door open, and she lifted her tear-stained face to find two, red-headed boys in the door of the small room.

"Are you a friend of Ginny´s?" one of them asked, stepping into the room.

Quidditch player, Kelli said to herself. She knew, just by the way he carried himself. Kelli was paid to know stuff like that. And she was pretty damn good at it. Nodding, she continued to look at the twins, with calculating, brown eyes. Knowing that she was unnerving them, she spoke. "Leave, now."

The boys looked at each other, and then seemed to be holding back laughs. "Where´s Ginny?" asked the second one.

At that point, Kelli stood up and pointed her wand at them. "Accio!" she cried. Out of various hiding places flew candies in bright wrappers, as well as trick wands, biting teacups, and all sorts of tricks. They made a large pile at her feet. Looking down at them, she smiled. "I´ll tell her you left these."

The twins looked shocked, and then smiled. "That was a mighty powerful summoning spell, there. I´m George," said one, offering his hand. She didn´t take it.

"I´m Fred," said the other, also offering his hand. Their smiles were so inviting, she almost did it, but she just smiled right back. She let out a small chuckle, shocking the twins.

"Sorry boys, I may be young, but that doesn´t mean I´m stupid." She grabbed their wrists, and flipped their hands so the palms were up. There were wizard hand-buzzers on them. "Ta-da!" Dropping their hands, she again raised her want to point it at them. In fact, she pointed it right into the chest of Fred--if that was really his name. It was probably really George. "So, Fred, or George, or whomever you are. Leave now, and perhaps I won´t hex you to kingdom come."

The boys seemed to be staring out the window, waiting for something. "There won´t be any owls about underage magic from the ministry, boys." That´s when they realized it. Accent, underage magic, being in Ginny´s room when Ginny obviously wasn´t home, being able to tell so much about them. Something was definitely wrong in the Weasley household.

"Dang, you´re good. How do you keep the ministry owls from coming?" George--or Fred--asked.

Kelli flashed him a sad smile. "An apple a day, keeps the damn owls away. That or a blast-ended skrewt on a leash." She brought down her wand. Now she knew what she had to do. "If you´ll excuse me gentlemen," she said, "I need to go find Virginia," hoping with a vengeance that it was the full version of the girl´s name.

The boys´ strong arms barred her path. "What the hell does an American need with our baby sister?" one asked. He was furious at having been tricked for so long.

"Language, gentleman?" Kelli shot the twins a poisonous smile. "Heavens. I get the feeling I´m unwanted." Then, she disappeared.

"Where´d she go?" Fred asked.

"Let´s look!" George cried, and the boys ran down the stairs. When they got to the bottom, they looked in the kitchen, and found Kelli--though they didn´t know her name--talking to their little brother, Ron.

"So, your brothers are the beaters for Gryffindor, is my guess," the girl/Kelli said.

Ron nodded and said, "You don´t follow Quidditch?"

Kelli shook her head. "Nobody really plays it real often enough to follow anything, where I´m from. Quadpot´s all the rage."

Then, it hit Fred and George like a ton of bricks. This Yank must be Ginny´s pen pal from the states! "So, you´re Michelle?" Fred asked, walking nonchalantly into the kitchen.

"What kind of a horridly normal name is Michelle?" the girl/Kelli asked. "Actually it´s my middle name, but we´ll burn that bridge when we come to it. Oh, you think I´m Ginny´s pen pal or something, right? No, `fraid not." The girl/Kelli pulled out her wand and said, "I´m with the AWAFABW. Also known as the American Warlock´s Association for a Better World. I told them we should change the name, because nobody wants to go around asking for the AWAFABW, but they told me it was tradition, and some little twelve-year-old wasn´t going to tell them to change it."

"You´re twelve?!" George asked.

"Mercy, me, no. I´m--if my calculations are correct, I haven´t celebrated my birthday in several years--hold it, what´s today?" the girl/Kelli asked.

Ron looked at the calendar hanging on the wall, which featured a picture of Celestina Warbeck...er...scantily clad in what appeared to be multi-covered scarves, and said, "July 20^th. Why?"

"Damn. That could cause problems," the girl muttered, still pointing her wand at the twins. "Look, it´s my birthday, so that means I´m...fifteen. I´m transferring to Hogwarts this year and I´ll be in.... hold on...fifth year. Years are a bit different in the states. Now, look here, I´m with the government, and I have a right to be here."

"Prove it," Fred said, crossing his arms in what he thought was a menacing way.

Kelli snorted and pulled a badge in a black case out of her left sleeve. She tossed it at Fred, who promptly caught it. In the center, there was a picture of the girl, who--the badge said--was Kelli. It also said she was Second in Command of the Intelligence Department. This girl, Kelli V. Roberts, seemed to be practically in charge of some government operation--at the age of fifteen. She didn´t know what year at school she was in, and she hadn´t had any idea it was her birthday, and--according to the badge--it was.

"Could I have that back please? I might need it later, and if you two are caught with my badge you can get thrown in confinement until your school year starts. Or, should I say, our school year?" Kelli smiled, and the twins passed back her badge.

"Now that you know who I am," she said, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs, "do tell who you are."

"Fred, George, and Ron Weasley," the tall, gangly one--Ron--said, sitting down next to her at the well-scrubbed, old table. "This is unbelievable."

"Not any more unbelievable than me being at the Weasley house. Damn, why did Lupin have to send me to the WEASLEY HOUSE!"

"Lupin? You mean, Professor Remus Lupin?" George asked, sitting down at the table, across from Ron, and Fred sat across from Kelli.

"Oh yes, yes, he was a Professor, wasn´t he? That could cause problems... He´s actually the Head of Intelligence for the AWA...for my government branch. Look, I´m loving this charming, little tête-à-tête," Kelli said, looking at her Indiglo watch, "but I´m expected to be at this Grand Ball in my honor at the ministry building in Diagon Alley. Oh, crap how could I forget!" Kelli groaned and said, "Do any of you know how to dance? I forget I need an escort. You´re fully allowed to say no, I can just owl Fudge and ask if his son could--"

"You know Fudge?" the three Weasley boys asked.

"Doesn´t everyone? The man´s a complete imbecile, lucky he´s got someone like your father to cover his arse. Look, would any of you be interested in being my escort?" Kelli looked at them, expectantly. She really was quite pretty, even though she sort of scared the pants off of them at the moment.

Kelli had thick brown hair, with natural highlights of red and gold. She had huge, brown eyes that that tended to make one long for a bar of Honeyduke´s chocolate. Along with a nice figure, she was rather short and slender as well as naturally pretty. Apparently, there wasn´t a lot of call for make-up in her work.

"Well? I´ll need to owl Fudge in a minute if one of you doesn´t say yes," Kelli said impatiently. She looked at her watch again. Her foot was tapping out a steady rhythm on the worn, tile floor.

"I would," Ron said, "but my dress robes look more like a dress. I´ll show you." Ron ran up the stairs, and it seemed there were several more flights than Kelli had first guessed. Tapping her foot, in what would´ve been a nervous way, if it hadn´t have been for the imperial look on her face, and looking at her watch, the twins stared at her.

"Take a picture, it lasts longer," she said in a calm voice, not bothering to look up. Ron came back in with what looked to be a maroon dress with tattered sleeves. "Good Lord in Heaven, it´s alive!" Kelli cried. "Is there a rather fluffy tennis-ball bouncing around in there, or is it a very small owl?" Pigwidgeon flying out the collar and landing on her shoulder answered her.

Kelli smiled and stood up, slowly and carefully so that the small owl wouldn´t fall off. He hooted happily and nipped her ear, making her smile. She walked over to Ron and took the dress robes in hand, holding them up to Ron. "Bad color on you, I´m afraid your mother doesn´t know maroon doesn´t go well with fiery red." She gave a faint smile. "Bit small, too, looks like you tried to take lace off the sleeves, as well. No, these won´t do."

Kelli pushed up her sleeves, and muttering something while waving her wand, the dress robes lengthened, became completely fray-less, and turned to a gold color.

"Much better," she said, smiling. "Now, I´d better go change. You´d better too, Ron. When will the rest of your, rather large, family be home?"

A long line of people coming out of the fireplace answered Kelli. "I don´t know if I can deal with this right now," she muttered, walking into the living room, which was filling up.

"Who are you?" Mr. Weasley asked, looking down at Kelli, but not without an unkind smile. Kelli smiled right on back.

She pulled out her badge and handed it to the tall man. "I´m with the AWAFABW, also known as the American Warlock´s Association for a Better World. I was sent here on assignment. However, I´m afraid that will have to wait until later. You see, I sort of forgot it was my birthday and--" she stopped, and looked at the girl who had just come out of the fireplace.

"Hermione?" Kelli said, stepping towards the girl. "Hermione Granger, why didn´t you tell me you were a witch, it would´ve saved a lot of trouble!"

"Kelli?!" Hermione asked. "Is that you?" However, a black-haired boy coming out of the fireplace and ramming into Hermione, falling on top of her, spoiled the Kodak moment.

"Oh, my gosh! Hermione, are you okay?" he asked, quickly getting off.

Kelli helped Hermione up and then hugged her. "Oh, it´s absolutely wonderful to see you! What´s it been, two years?" She released the girl. "Heavens, you´ve grown. I feel like a midget surrounded by all these tall people."

"Did you say you´d forgotten your birthday?" a stout, red-haired woman--who must´ve been Mrs. Weasley--asked.

"Yes, ma´am. Haven´t celebrated in several years. Sort of...tossed out of the family. Luckily, the AWA--the Association caught on, and took me in. But that´s not the point. The point is, the British Ministry insisted on throwing this ball in my honor--that Fudge always was a bit daft. I told him I didn´t like to celebrate my birthday--it´s the day I got kicked out of the house--and he still insisted. Being the dolt that I am, I didn´t actually realize that today was my birthday, or that the ball was today. Luckily, your sons told me the date." She paused, looking around the room.

Her mouth dropped open when her eyes landed on Harry. "So you´re the magnificent, dashing, and good-natured Harry Potter that Lupin is always jabbering on about!" she said, excitedly. Kelli ecstatically shook Harry´s hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Look, I´d love to explain, everybody, but I´ve got a ball to go to." She paused and then an idea came to her. "I´d be extremely honored if all of you would come. I´m supposed to bring guests--I think they meant Americans, but who gives a crap?" Kelli gave a smile.

"But we don´t have anything to wear," Ginny said--at least, Kelli assumed it was Ginny.

"No problem, look what I did to Ron´s dress robes." Ron lifted them up for everyone to see.

"I´m in," Hermione said, giving Kelli another hug.

"Okay, go get dress robes, and I´ll do alterations. We have to leave in about two hours. Sooner, since the students can´t Apparate. I mean, I could, but it would be dangerous to try to teach them right now. Oh, never mind, just get the dress robes, I´ll do alterations in here."

Everyone rushed off in different directions, and Kelli sat down with a "flump" on the couch. However, she realized that Harry Potter was still standing there. "Did you want to see the badge or something, as proof? Or did you just want to know how I knew Lupin?"

"I´d like to see what´s behind door number two," Harry replied, sitting next to her.

Kelli nodded, patting his arm, which seemed to surprise him. "Lupin´s a good man. He´s the Head of Intelligence for my association. I´m second-in-command to him." She then shocked herself by blushing. When was the last time you blushed, you fool. He´s just Harry Potter! What am I saying? He´s Harry Potter!

"Well, I suppose it´s no more unbelievable than what´s happened to me since I found out I was a wizard," Harry said, quietly, so quietly he thought she hadn´t heard.

"I suppose not," Kelli replied, smiling, as Mrs. Weasley came in with her dress robes as well as her husband´s. "What colors do you and your husband prefer, Mrs. Weasley?"

"Call me Molly, dear," Mrs. Weasley replied, hugging Kelli as the young witch stood up. "Whatever colors you like."

"Would you mind going in your old house colors?" Kelli asked, and Molly beamed.

"That would be fantastic, love!" Kelli waved her wand, muttering spells, and Mrs. Weasley´s robes turned a shimmering gold with scarlet trim, and Mr. Weasley´s the opposite.

"Now, go change, Molly, we´re going to have a splendid time." Giving her another hug, Molly left, followed by Harry, who was apparently going to Ron´s room to get his robes as well. Then, Ginny, Fred, and George came.

Ginny seemed rather shy at first, but soon got over it, while Kelli chatted as if they´d known each other for years. "So," she finally said, since the twins were growing impatient, "how do you want it to look?"

Ginny pondered this for a moment, and asked, "Could you make them look like a ball gown? I don´t care what color." She smiled at Kelli as she said the words, and the old robes become a beautiful ball gown, which was black velvet, with pearls sewed onto the bodice. Kelli then handed her a pearl necklace and pearl earrings. "That´ll look wonderful on you, dear. Come tell me if it´s too long or short." Virginia hugged her and then left, staring at her beautiful ball gown.

Kelli then gave the twins matching robes of deep blue and silver, which she said brought out their eyes. Smiling, they left, and then Hermione came in, carrying a beautiful sky blue dress.

"Oh, Hermione, that´s gorgeous! I won´t change it a bit, except make it longer, since it looks like you´ve grown." Kelli said the spell and told Hermione, "I´ve got some De-Frazzle Potion in my satchel. It´s in Ginny´s room. It lasts for a year. My own special recipe." Sending Hermione off with a hug, Harry came in.

Harry was carrying bottle-green robes, which brought out the amazing green of his eyes. "Oh, Harry, those look great. I´ll just lengthen them, if that´s okay with you." He nodded as the robes stretched before his eyes. "I´d better go change then. Could you show me how to get back to Ginny´s room?" Nodding, he led her there, and Kelli knocked.

"Come in!" Hermione and Ginny chorused. They both looked stunning in their dresses, and were doing each other´s hair.

"Oh, you both look magnificent! I´ll just grab my satchel and change in the bathroom." Kelli grabbed the aforementioned bag, and dashed to the bathroom across the hall. When she was done changing, she did her hair, and then went back into Ginny´s room.

Both of the girls gasped when they saw her. Kelli had her hair up in a braided bun, with several curls coming out on either side of her face. Now, they´d thought her face looked pale, but her visible shoulders and arms were so white they were almost like snow. She was wearing a strapless, vivid red ball gown, with a long, graceful train. In the front it opened up to reveal ruffled petticoats with red lace over creamy-white muslin, and there was a large, silk bow in the back, which trailed into the train, as well. Clutching onto a black and red-checkered handbag, she bit her lip, looking nervous.

"I always feel a bit out of my element dressed like this," she muttered as Ginny and Hermione rushed over to her.

"Kelli, you look fantastic! Is that silk?" Hermione asked, picking up the train.

"Are those glass slippers?" Ginny asked, looking at the high-heeled shoes Kelli was wearing.

Kelli nodded with a gulp and looked down at her watch before saying, "I know I said I´d burn this bridge when we came to it, but I wouldn´t be able to light the match." She gave a weak smile. "Alright, then, we´d best head downstairs. Everyone´s going to wonder what´s taking so long."

The girls nodded, and filed out of Ginny´s room. Ginny appeared in the kitchen first, and Hermione and Kelli heard applause and whistles. Hermione went next and the same noise erupted. Kelli´s heart beat rapidly as she stepped into the kitchen. There was silence for a moment and then they clapped and whistled, and the twins came towards her.

George whispered into one ear. "You look fantastic. Save a dance for me, birthday girl?"

Kelli nodded, and then Fred whispered, "Jeepers, are you sure it´s just your fifteenth birthday?" She nodded again, blushing profusely. Her face was practically the same shade as her dress. "Save a dance?" Kelli´s smile answered for her. "Thanks," she whispered.

"So," Kelli said, "I suppose we´d better get going."

"How´re all of us going to get there?" Harry asked, when a knock was heard on the front door.

Kelli smiled, knowingly, and led everyone to the door. There, holding the door, was her trusted partner Jack Patterson. In the front drive, was an enormous, white stretch limousine. "Shall we?" she asked, taking the arm Jack offered her. Jack helped all of the ladies into the limo.

"We´d better be off, then," Jack´s friendly voice came from the front of the limo as the last of the gentlemen climbed in.

"So, anyone want butterbeer?" Kelli asked, as if she did this every day. There was a smile on her face as she passed out bottles. "To my new friends, may we always stay that way," she toasted, and everyone clinked their bottles together.