Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The fantastic author J.K. Rowling does. I am only borrowing her work to write fanfiction. I am not making money off this. So please don't sue.

Summary: Alexis starts her second year at Hogwarts, after having had the best summer so far in her life. But with a useless DADA teacher and mysterious events going on, her year is bound to be as action-packed and dangerous as the last.

This chapter is dedicated to my sister Amy and amythestpony. All future chapters will also be dedicated to a reviewer. And thanks to Amy for beta-ing this chapter.

Alexis was in the library, doing her summer homework. Her trunk had been left at Mrs. Channing's house, and she had only taken her clothes, toothbrush, and a few other necessary items to the Dursleys. She had decided against bringing her trunk over, because her relatives hated magic and would not like the things connected with the wizarding world in their house. They could very well decide to lock her trunk up.

Alexis finished her History of Magic essay and rolled up the roll of parchment. She wondered if she ought to write another letter to her friends. She sighed, wondering what was going on with the mail. For some reason, none of her friends had written to her. Or if they did, their letters never reached her. The only letter she'd gotten was from Hermione, sent by the Muggle post to the Channing's address, the day before.

Hermione had said that she hadn't received any letters from Alexis, and that their friends reported the same thing. Alexis found the whole thing odd. Hedwig was a very reliable owl and had never failed to deliver a letter before. So why was she suddenly not delivering Alexis's letters to Alexis's friends?

In desperation, Alexis had written to her friends explaining things and had Emma's owl deliver the letters. Since letters weren't reaching her, it would be better if they sent the letters for her to the Channings and have them give her the letters.

"Alexis," said Kyra making the Alexis jump. "Sorry for startling you. Anyway, you have a letter. From your friend Sophie."

"Thanks, Kyra," replied Alexis. She took the letter and opened the envelope. A piece of parchment and an invitation written in elegant calligraphy fell out. She picked up the invitation first, and flipped it over to the front to read:

Your presence is requested for a fête celebrating the twelfth birthday of Miss Sophia Amelia Persephone Kent. It will be held on the sixteenth of July, at two o'clock in the afternoon. You may also spend two weeks at Silver Kent Manor, the date of arrival being the fifteenth of July. A portkey will be arranged. Please R.S.V.P. by the thirteenth of July.

Alexis set aside the invitation and read the letter.

Dear Alexis

How are you doing? I hope things aren't too bad at your aunt and uncle's. Do you have any idea as to what the matter could be regarding your mail? The others have received my letters, and I've received yours, but the only letter I've gotten from you was sent by Emma's owl. Someone or something is interfering with your mail, I think.

I know you're obviously staying over and attending my party, but send a note to my grandmother that you're coming via Emma's owl anyway. Grandmother was very pleased with my getting the top marks on the exams along with Hermione, so when I asked if my friends could stay for two weeks, she said yes immediately.

Anyway, I can't wait to see you. Hermione, Ron, Eric, Neville, Ginny, and Luna will be staying over. Daphne Greengrass will be staying over too, because Grandmother invited her. She thinks the two weeks would have a good influence on Daphne. Oh, and Fred and George will be here also. Grandmother says she wants to get to know them, because apparently we're related to the Weasleys. Percy was also invited, but he declined to come.

We will have a wonderful time together, I'm sure. See you in couple of days!

Your good friend,

Sophie

Alexis took a piece of parchment and composed a reply, telling Mrs. Kent that she would be attending the party and staying over. She then put the note in an envelope, sealed it, and asked Kyra to deliver it for her.

That evening, at dinner, Alexis said, "Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. My friend Sophie invited me to stay two weeks over at her house."

"You're leaving?" demanded Uncle Vernon. "Fine. Nice to get you out of the house."

"But after the two weeks, you will be returning to spend August?" asked Aunt Petunia.

"I guess," responded Alexis. "But I'm not sure, because another of friends also said he was planning to invite me over. I'll write to you if he does."

Uncle Vernon grunted and Aunt Petunia nodded. "Fine then, Alexis," she said.

The next day, Alexis made sure that her things were packed in her trunk and told Hedwig to fly to Sophie's house. Mrs. Kent sent a note. It read,

Dear Alexis,

I will be Apparating tomorrow at ten o'clock with your Portkey. Please have your trunk ready. As it is not convenient to bring your things by Portkey, I will take your trunk along by Appariation. Please inform your aunt and uncle of my arrival.

Yours truly,

Sophia Emmeline Cornelia Prewett Kent

Alexis told her relatives of Mrs. Kent's arrival. They were not pleased, though as Uncle Vernon had to go to work, he didn't have to deal with it. Aunt Petunia made a tsking noise, then said, "Fine. But she can't stay long. Just to pick you up and leave."

The next morning, after breakfast, Alexis got her trunk from Mrs. Channing and then sat in the living room, waiting for Mrs. Kent to arrive. At precisely ten o'clock, a crack was heard in the back yard, startling Alexis. A minute later, the doorbell rang.

Aunt Petunia opened it. Mrs. Kent was there, dressed in a white blouse, blue jacket, and blue pants, with her hair done in a neat bun. Nothing about her said that she was witch.

"I am Sophia Kent," said Mrs. Kent pleasantly. "You must be Petunia Dursley. I trust your niece, Alexis, has told you that I was coming to pick her up so she could spend a fortnight with my granddaughter. Ah, hello, Alexis. Are your things packed?"

"Yes, Mrs. Kent," answered Alexis, dragging her trunk over.

Mrs. Kent smiled, then turned to Aunt Petunia. "I'll be taking Alexis to my house by a magical way of transport. Since you are probably not used to such methods, you may wish to go to another part of the house, Mrs. Dursley."

"Nobody else will be able to see your way of leaving?" asked Aunt Petunia.

"No, of course not," replied Mrs. Kent. Aunt Petunia nodded and went to the kitchen.

Mrs. Kent reached into her purse and pulled out a Galleon. "This is your Portkey, dear."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kent," said Alexis. "You look very nice."

Mrs. Kent smiled. "What a polite young lady you are, Alexis. This is one of the outfits I wear to church. It's a Muggle church, so I have some Muggle clothes. Now, the Portkey is set to activate –" she glanced at her watch, "– in a minute. Get ready."

Mrs. Kent grabbed the handle of Alexis's trunk. After a minute, Alexis felt a tugging at her navel and the hallway whirled around her. A second later, she disappeared from the Dursleys' house. After a few seconds, she landed in a heap in the hallway. Sophie, Eric, Luna, Neville, and Daphne were standing nearby and helped her up. With a loud crack, Mrs. Kent appeared with Alexis's trunk. She took the Galleon from Alexis.

"I have to go and pick up Hermione now. Sophie, please go see if Ron and Ginny have arrived yet." Mrs. Kent Disapparated and Sophie gestured for her friends to follow her to the living room. A minute later, Ron stepped out of the fireplace, dragging his trunk behind him. Ginny followed several seconds later, and then came Fred and George.

They exchanged greetings, then went back out into the hallway.

A couple of minutes later, Hermione and Mrs. Kent arrived. "Thanks for having us over, Mrs. Kent," said Ginny.

"Aunt Sophia will do, Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George," said Mrs. Kent. "I do believe your mother's maiden name is Prewett?" Ron nodded and she continued, "Well, that means I'm your great-aunt. I'm your mother's aunt, though I haven't seen her since her wedding to your father. I wasn't exactly her favourite aunt, though she liked me better than Muriel. And with so many children to raise, she didn't exactly have the time to visit me."

Ron stared at her, open-mouthed. "You're our great-aunt? Mum mentioned you, but…"

"Yes. And please close your mouth, young man, unless you wish for a fly to fly in. I'm sorry I didn't inform you sooner of this. I know that you've met your Great-Aunt Muriel, but you hadn't met me until the party last year. Unlike her, I don't force myself on people without an invitation, except for social calls. Oh, and that means you cannot show any interest in Sophie beyond friendship, as the two of you are second cousins. I do not approve of such things below the fourth degree of cousinship."

Ron turned as red as his hair and Sophie blushed. Mrs. Kent could be quite frank and blunt at times. Eric stifled a snicker and Alexis and Hermione exchanged looks.

Changing the subject, Mrs. Kent said, "Your rooms are on the same floor as Sophie's. A name card is on each door so you know which room is yours. Tribby has been assigned to take care of your needs. Please be nice to her. If there is anything you need her to do, phrase it as a request. Do not put it as an order. Sophie and I are the only ones who can give them orders, and that is only for extreme cases. If Tribby feels that she needs to be punished, do not allow her to punish herself. She would no doubt try to hit herself or do some other act of self-harm. Send her to me and I will give her a harmless punishment."

As Sophie led everyone upstairs, Hermione and Alexis asked about house-elves. "What did your grandmother mean about Tribby punishing herself, Sophie?" asked Alexis.

"Oh, that's just the nature of house-elves," responded Sophie. "They feel that if they've done something that displeases their master or mistress, they have to be punished. Grandmother doesn't approve of physical punishment, so if one of the house-elves feel that they deserve punishment, she just sets them an extra chore or something.:

"What?" demanded Hermione. "But that's wrong! And the extra chore isn't all that –"

"Hermione," interrupted Sophie, "Grandmother doesn't approve, either. But the house-elves nature insists on some sort of punishment, so she just assigns a chore."

"Besides, house-elves don't mind this sort of thing," said Eric. "In fact, they like it." He made a disgusted face. "Though I do think they should be treated decently. My grandparents are horrible to theirs. It makes me sick and I want to give them clothes."

"Clothes?" asked Alexis and Hermione at the same time, looking confused.

"Oh, that's the only way a house-elf can be set free," answered Sophie. "Sort of like in the story 'The Elves and the Shoemaker.' You know how the elves never showed up again after the shoemaker and his wife made them little outfits and shoes?"

Alexis and Hermione nodded. By that time, they had reached the third floor and the nine of them went to their respective rooms. Alexis went into hers.

The room was papered a pale rose, with a pattern of darker roses. In the left corner was a four-poster bed with pink hangings. Next to it was a dresser and mirror, and next to that a window with pink curtains and a window seat. By the right wall were a bookcase and a wardrobe. In the middle of the room were a table and four chairs.

Alexis set her trunk at the foot of the bed and began hanging up some of her clothes in the wardrobe. After half an hour, Sophie knocked on the door and asked her to the nursery, the only room on the floor large enough for them all without becoming crowded.

Once they were all gathered, Sophie said, "I'm so glad you're all here. I would have gone bored out of my mind. Daphne, we want to get to know you better. So talk."

Daphne shrugged. "I really don't know what to say. I'm in Slytherin, and you guys, except Ginny and Luna, are in Gryffindor. Slytherins and Gryffindors don't get along."

"My father was in Slytherin, and he got along perfectly well with my mother, who was in Gryffindor," said Sophie. "He didn't care at all that both her parents were Muggleborn."

"You're halfblood?" asked Ron in surprise. "I thought you were a pureblood, Sophie."

"Well, my mother's parentage wasn't exactly spread around," said Sophie a trifle acidly. "Now, forget about me. We are going to get to know you better, Daphne."

"Fine," said Daphne. "But could you please answer this first? Why did your grandmother invite me over when I'm not your friend, Sophie, just an acquaintance?"
"Because you are a nice girl who doesn't act like a stereotypical Slytherin, Daphne," answered Sophie. "And Grandmother thought it would be good for you to be away from your parents for a couple of weeks. And I do want to know you better."

Daphne sighed. "Okay, but I really have no idea what to say so you can know me better, besides stupid stuff like my favourite colour or favourite food."

"The best way to know someone is to just spend time with them," said Luna in a dreamy voice. "If you like them and enjoy being with them, then they become your friends."

The others stared at her. Then Alexis said, "You're right, Luna. How wise of you."

Luna shrugged and then got up to gaze out the window. Sophie looked around the room. "Does anyone want to play Exploding Snap?" she asked, picking up a deck of cards. As they played, Alexis told Ginny, Luna, and Daphne exactly what had happened when she faced Voldemort/Quirrell. Daphne and Ginny looked horrified.

After an hour long game, Tribby appeared. "Lunch is ready, young masters and mistresses," she said, curtseying. She was wearing a blue pillowcase that had been fashioned into a dress of sorts, a spotless and starched white apron, and a frilled white cap.

"Thank you, Tribby," said Sophie. "And you don't have to call us 'young masters and mistresses.' My friends aren't your owners. Miss or Mister and then first name will do."

"Tribby is sorry, Miss Sophie," replied Tribby, curtseying again and twisting her apron nervously. "Tribby must punish herself for this."

"No you don't, Tribby," snapped Sophie. "You haven't done anything wrong. Now, could you please go do whatever you're supposed to be doing now?"

Tribby nodded and went to call the twins to lunch. As the nine of them went downstairs, Sophie remarked, "I have no idea why house-elves have to act like this. I know they like it and enjoy their servitude, but it doesn't make me feel any better about it."

"Why not set house-elves free?" asked Hermione. "It would solve all this."

"It wouldn't solve anything," said Sophie patiently. "Hermione, I know you mean well, but you have the wrong idea. House-elves simply do not want to be set free. Well, I'm sure there are a few who have cruel masters and want to be free. But the majority of house-elves don't. And even the ones that do want freedom would just go find a nice family who'd treat them well if they were given clothes."

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but they arrived at the dining room then. Mrs. Kent was sitting at the head of the table, which was set for twelve. She had changed out of the suit and was now wearing pale silver robes.

She stood up, a pleasant smile on her face. "This isn't a formal meal or anything, dears. However, I have set out place cards at each setting so you know where to sit."

Alexis found her seat, which was opposite Sophie's, next to Ginny, and on Mrs. Kent's left. A bowl of tomato soup was in front of her, with a silver soup spoon next to it. The bowl itself was white porcelain, with a gold rim and blue flowers around the edge. Next to it was a small plate from the same set with two crackers. On the other side of the soup was a crystal goblet of water.

Ron reached for his spoon, but stopped as Mrs. Kent cleared her throat. "Please bow your heads as I say grace." They quickly lowered their heads and folded their hands. Mrs, Kent said, "Lord, we thank thee for the bounty we are about to receive. Please watch over us and bless us in all our endeavours. Grant us long and fruitful lives. Amen."

Everyone repeated the "Amen," and then began eating. Nobody spoke for several minutes. Then Mrs. Kent broke the silence. "Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George, how are your parents? Your father works in the Ministry, I believe?"

"Yes, Mrs. – I mean Aunt Sophia," responded Ginny. "He's the head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. And he and Mum are fine."

Mrs. Kent raised a brow. "So Arthur is still very interested in Muggles?" That was a polite way to put it, for as Ron and Ginny had told Alexis, their dad was obsessed with everything Muggle. Alexis had gotten three letters from Mr. Weasley the past year asking questions about Muggles and Muggle stuff.

"Yes, Aunt Sophia," answered Ron. "Dad loves his job very much."

"I suppose, but the job doesn't pay very much. And your family is quite large. Well, Fred and George, tell me something of yourselves. I know about Ron from Sophie's letters, but I don't know anything about you except that you have a penchant for pranks."

"Erm, yeah, George and I like to play pranks," said Fred.

"Maybe it's because our birthdays are on April Fool's Day," added George.

Mrs. Kent raised a brow. "Well, don't go about playing pranks while you're here. I do not tolerate practical jokes of any kind. Sophie made the mistake of playing some pranks when she was younger, and I was rather annoyed with it."

"We won't," said Fred with a mischievous grin. "But I wish we could."

"You see, we want to open a joke shop someday, Aunt Sophia," said George.

Mrs. Kent actually laughed, showing that she did have a sense of humour. "Well, perhaps you can play some pranks while you're here, so long as it's not on me or any of the house-elves. You're going to need practice if you want to have a successful joke shop. When you graduate from Hogwarts, contact me and I'll see if I can't lend you some money to help you get your store running." Her eyes twinkled merrily.

Sophie stared at her grandmother in shock. This was a new side of Mrs. Kent.

By that time, they were done with the soup course. Mrs. Kent rang a silver bell by her side and a house elf, dressed in tea towel draped like a toga, appeared. "This is Barry. He is in charge of waiting on the table, cooking, and other kitchen duties. Barry, could you please clear the table and bring the main course?"

Barry bowed, then with a snap of his fingers, the bowls, spoons, and cracker plates disappeared. Then with another snap of his finger, plates and utensils appeared. The plates were the same pattern as the soup bowls, and the utensils were silver. Another snap of his fingers made three pitchers and several platters of food appear. Barry bowed again, and then he turned and returned to the kitchen.

"Help yourselves," said Mrs. Kent. "The pitchers have apple juice, milk, and ice water."

Alexis poured her goblet full of juice, then filled her plate with a few slices of chicken, a helping of mixed vegetables, a serving of peas, and a small ladleful of gravy.

After a few bites, Mrs. Kent resumed conversation, this time with Alexis. "How has your summer been so far, Alexis? I trust your relatives haven't been bothering you?"

"My summer has been fine, Mrs. Kent," replied Alexis. "My relatives have mainly ignored me, except when my aunt informed me that it was mealtime."

Mrs. Kent tsked. "Well, that's better than their showing their disapproval of you. Sophie has informed me that your relatives do not like magic at all and therefore do not like you, since you're a witch. She hasn't told me how they expressed their disapproval, however."

Alexis did not like the way the conversation was headed, but fortunately, Sophie rescued her. "Grandmother, are my godparents coming to my party tomorrow?"

"Yes, they are. And kindly do not interrupt when I'm talking with someone, Sophia. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Alexis, if your relatives cause you any trouble, please let me know. I have connections in the Ministry and can get you removed from their care."

"I will, Mrs. Kent," responded Alexis. "And thank you."

There was a minute's silence, and then Mrs. Kent began talking with Eric and Daphne. After half an hour, Barry was summoned again. He cleared the table and brought in dessert, which was strawberry ice and a goblet of fresh fruit each. To drink was lemonade.

When they were done, Mrs. Kent wiped her mouth with her napkin and rose. "You may amuse yourselves however you like until teatime, as long as you aren't too noisy or cause destruction. You may go flying if you wish, as long as you don't fly too high and attract the attention of the Muggles down in the village. I will be taking a nap, so please do not disturb me unless it's absolutely necessary. Sophie, you will still have to practice piano for an hour after tea. Your friends can amuse themselves for an hour without you."

The eleven of them went outside. After walking about the grounds, they decided to go flying, except for Neville and Hermione. Neville still had a fear of flying, and Hermione didn't have a broom. The two of them sat under a tree and watched the others fly. They threw a football around, as they couldn't use real Quidditch balls. In place of the Snitch, a golf ball was used, and Alexis caught it each time the others threw it.

At three-thirty, they put their brooms away and went inside. At four o'clock was tea with tea, cress sandwiches, biscuits, and strawberry shortcake. It was taken in a drawing room, and as Mrs. Kent was having her tea in her room, the eleven of them chattered throughout. Finally, at fifteen minutes to five, Mrs. Kent and Barry appeared.

"Tea has gone on long enough. Sophia, go practice the piano immediately, or you won't have enough time before dinner. Barry, clear the tea things, please. The rest of you, go find some way to amuse yourselves until dinner." She looked annoyed.

Sophie instantly got up and went to the piano in the corner to start practicing. The others left the drawing room. Fred and George went off to do some exploring of the house, while Alexis, her friends, and Daphne played Exploding Snap and Gobstones.