Tyler Black-My Story

I stepped out of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron and waited for the rest to arrive. We were quite a large crowd altogether. There was Harry, Hermione, Ronald, Ginny, the Twins, Mrs. Weasley, and I.

As we all clambered into Diagon Alley, I tripped, taking Ron’s pants with me. Ron turned bright red, matching his hair quite nicely, while the rest of us were doubled over in a fit of laughter.

We stayed in our large group to go to Gringotts Bank, where I found that the Black family was not as poor as I’d figured seeing the state of Grimmauld Place. Harry told me how much I’d need so I took the suggested amount of galleons, sickles, and knuts.

After Gringotts, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I went off on our own. I had to go get a wand. After I got it, Ebony and Ivory, 12 inches, Black Pegasus feather, we all went and got our books. I was told to just get the sixth year books. I also went and bought a beautiful midnight-black cat with glowing green eyes.

"He’s so beautiful," Hermione commented. "I have a cat as well, Crookshanks. I’m sure you’ve seen him around the house. What are you going to name him?" she finished, rubbing behind his ears.

"I’m not sure yet. But when I saw him I just knew he was the one," I answered. "His eyes are so...." My sentence drifted as I looked up at Harry to find him looking back. "Green...." I finished, lamely. ‘He’s got Harry’s eyes’, I commented to myself.

We went into a shop called Flourish and Blotts to buy quills, ink, and parchment. I had plenty of money left, and wanted to stay in Diagon Alley much longer, but it was nearing the time that Mrs. Weasley had told us to meet her back in the Leaky Cauldron. I walked out ahead of the others but soon wished I hadn’t. Walking up the street like he owned it, shadowed by his little look-alike, was none other than Lucius Malfoy himself. I felt sick to my stomach, ‘I can’t let him see me!’, I mind-screamed at myself.

I turned and ran back into the shop only to fun straight into Harry in the doorway.

"Hey, careful there, Ty-" he began, but stopped upon seeing to fright in my eyes.

"Hide me!" I whispered, urgently. He looked so confused but more concerned. "From him," I pointed. "I’ll explain later."

He nodded. We stood in the shop, me clinging to the back of Harry’s shirt and Ron and Hermione standing by him in a way to hide me, until finally they had walked passed. Then, we quickly made our way to the Leaky Cauldron. Mrs. Weasley was already there with Fred, George, and Ginny.

"What took so bloody long?" said Fred.

"Yeah, we were about ready to rent a room," George joked.

"Let’s just get back so mum can make dinner! I’m starved," Ginny added.

"Here, here," the Weasley boys relayed.

And so, we left, via floo powder, back to 12 Grimmauld Place. Mrs. Weasley said she’d call us down when dinner was ready. Harry, Ron, and Hermione motioned me to follow them upstairs so that we could have that nice little chat...there was no escaping it now.

Oh, joy... :

*********

"What was that in Diagon Alley?" Harry began. He really wasted no time, did he. he started pacing. "And while you’re explaining that , why don’t you tell us why you were screaming last night," damn, I wish he didn’t know about that, "and why you were mad at me. Why’d you just suddenly show up?" He finished.

"Where should I start?" I said, realizing that I didn’t really have a choice.

"How about the beginning," Harry said more gently, stopping his pacing to sit next to me on his bed. Ron and Hermione had already seated themselves on Ron’s bed and were listening eagerly.

"Okay. My mother was a siren. She died when I was three and I lived on my own on the streets until I was eleven. I got my Hogwarts letter, and was so happy that I’d finally have a home. But then I was kidnapped by a group of hooded men. I found out that they were called ‘death eaters’ and worked for the dark Lord Voldemort. They locked me in a cell underground for the past five years. I only escaped a few weeks ago. I saw my father in a newspaper when I was 13. So I tried to find him, and here I am. I found out that I escaped the very same night that my father died." I paused. "And about last night, I just had a bad dream." I held my composure, but I felt the tears forming behind my eyes. They looked surprised....a bit of an understatement, actually.

"May I ask what the dream was about?" Harry inquired.

My voice was catching in my throat. "No," I stated shakily. I released the tears that had been patiently waiting to fall. Harry wrapped me in his arms and pulled me to him. It was comforting. I hadn’t been hugged in.....well, I can’t ever remember being hugged. Another comforting thought , as I cried into Harry’s chest, was that the dark mark hadn’t bothered me since last night, and I hadn’t had any weird mood swings. We stayed that way for some time, until I calmed down. Hermione and Ron had gotten up and were trying to comfort me, too.

"Thank you...all of you. I didn’t think anyone cared about me this much anymore."

"Oh, of course we care!" Hermione squealed. As she came to hug me, I noticed tears in her eyes as well.

"Definitely," Ron added, rubbing my back.

I turned and threw myself at him. He hugged back, hesitantly. "I’m sorry, Ron," I said.

"For what?" He asked, clearly unaware of what I could possibly mean.

"About your pants, earlier today," I giggled.

His ears reddened again as the rest of us laughed.

It was getting late so I went up to my room, feeling much better than I had all day.

On the nightstand by my bed, Remus left a note near a small bottle that read:

    Tyler,

        Just in case, here’s some dreamless-sleep potion. Goodnight.

    Remus Lupin.

Not wanting to ruin a good day, I decided to take it. The next morning I came to a conclusion: Dreamless-sleep potion is great!

*************

(Harry’s POV)

"Harry!!! HARRY!!!!" Ginny screamed from down the hall.

"What!" I replied.

"Come here, quick," she said, out of breath.

She led my into a room with an old battered curtain in it. The curtain had names on it.

"First of all, Harry, Fred, George and I heard your conversation with Tyler the other day on the extendable ears. Look what I found," she pointed to the curtain.

**********

(Tyler’s POV)

When I got into the hallway, I was stopped by Harry and Ginny.

"Tyler, you have to come see this," Harry said.

He led me into a room that had an old battered curtain with names on it.

"Look at this," said Harry, referring to the curtain. "It’s a family tree. Your dad’s name used to be here. And yours used to be here, I guess. But look..."

There, branching off of my father’s name...well the hole where his name used to be, was no other name than Malfoy. Narcissa Malfoy was my aunt, which made Lucius my uncle and Draco my cousin. Did they know? How could this be possible? I can’t believe it.

"Oh my god!"

************

"Kids!" Mrs. Weasley bellowed up the stairs. "We’ve got to go NOW or we’ll be late for the train!"

At last I was off to Hogwarts. I was quiet during the ride to the station, reading ‘Hogwarts, A History’ which Hermione had lent me. She was reading as well, and Harry and Ron were talking about quidditch, which was apparently a very popular wizarding sport played while flying broomsticks. I can’t wait until I can fly!

We made it to the platform with minutes to spare.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Weasley. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. And thanks for the clothes from Diagon Alley. I hope to see you during the summer holiday."

"Oh, don’t forget Christmas, sweetie. You’re welcome anytime at the Weasley house. Goodbye, and enjoy Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley said.

Once on the train we searched for an empty compartment and finally found one toward the back. I was so happy and excited, nothing could wipe the smile off my face.......or so I thought....

Just when everything was going so well, none other than Draco Malfoy himself slides open the door of our compartment. I quickly pick up ‘Hogwarts, A History’ and hold it in front of my face.

"Well, well, well, if it isn’t Potty, Weasel, and the Mudblood. Nice to see the golden trio is still close as ever."

"Oh, honestly, can’t you come up with any new insults?" Hermione retorted.

"Now, Hermione, I think you’re putting too much faith in little Drakey here. I mean, he’s just a ferret." Ronald added.

"Granger, your boyfriend needs to learn when to shut his mouth. He had it open enough today whilst the two of you were snogging."

Harry chuckled slightly, but stopped, seeing that both Ron and Hermione were scarlet-faced.

"Oh, what’s wrong scarhead, didn’t they tell you? Hey.....Who’s that?" he asked and began walking toward me.

"Get out!" Harry yelled, jumping in front of me before Malfoy got too close for comfort, wand at the ready.

"What, Potter. Jumping for the opportunity to fight when all I wanted was an introduction. Don’t worry, Potter, you’ll get your fight, and it won’t be with me." And with that, he left.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Ronald asked, anxious to keep the conversation away from what Malfoy had said about him and Hermione.

"Oh, honestly, Ron, how thick can you be?" Hermione snapped, equally eager to keep Harry’s mind away from the snogging comment.

"Voldemort," I chipped in, quietly.

"Yes, obviously that’s what he meant. But what was that that he said about you two?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione, shattering their attempts to distract him.

"Um....Nothing," Ron said, avoiding eye contact with everyone. "He was just mouthing off about nothing, as usual." But his red complexion was giving him away.

"Oh, Ron. He’d find out eventually, anyway. We’ve been dating, Harry," Hermione revealed, blushing.

"I don’t mind that you two are dating, I just wish you would’ve told me," said a slightly hurt sounding Harry.

"We know, mate. We just weren’t sure how you’d react, is all," Ron explained.

I had to admit, they did make a cute couple. (a/n: (; guess what ship I love!;) )

***********

"Harry." He turned. "Thank you. For earlier, I mean. With Malfoy. I know he would’ve went straight to his father saying he’d found me." We were getting off the Hogwarts Express and making our way through the crowds of students.

"Anytime," he said with a smile that mesmerized me. He has such a cute smile....

"Ouch!" I’d collided with someone because I was staring....

"Tell your girlfriend to watch where she’s going, Potter. I don’t want to be exposed to the filth you hang out with," Malfoy spat.

He, luckily, didn’t notice who I was.

********

We made our way to a clearing. It was full of carriages which were being pulled by the most amazing horses I’ve ever seen. Well, they looked like horses, except for the fact that they were dead-looking, with bones visible through tears in their skin. They were still very beautiful, though. Harry must’ve noticed me staring at them.

"You can see them?" he asked.

"Yes. Why wouldn’t I?"

"Well, not everyone can. Only people who’ve seen.......someone die," he explained.

"Oh," I replied quietly. "Who’d you see...ya’know?"

"Um. A boy......named Cedric. Two years ago. Voldemort killed him."

"Oh, I’m sorry."

"Who’d you see?" he asked me.

"Being around Voldemort and his deatheaters, lots of people. But the first I saw was my mother, when I was three."

"Oh, sorry." We smiled sympathetically at each other. He’s got the cutest smile.....

"Come on, you two! We’ve found a carriage!" Hermione called.

"Coming!" Harry hollered back.