Chapter One
Elsie Mackenzie and Harry Potter sat on the rusty set of swings in Little Whinging park. They had both escaped the heat of their houses to find comfort in the cooler more peaceful setting of the currently deserted children's park. A comfortable silence emanated between the two.
Elsie had moved across the road from Harry just before the start of the summer. They had met the night of her Aunt's 'Meet the Neighborhood Barbeque'. The Dursley's had gone leaving Harry at home as usual. Not as usual however, Harry had decided to venture out to the cooler environment of Little Whinging park. Elsie had managed to escape the barbeque and also decided to head towards the park...
Harry sat on the rusty swing silently thinking to himself. He heard leaves crunch behind him, the immense summer heat had dried up all of the leaves that covered the park ground. His hand immediately went to his pocket to retrieve his wand, but stopped as he heard a small voice,
"Oh, sorry, I didn't think anyone would be here." He stood up and turned to face the voice. It was a girl. She was quite tall and thin. Her dark hair was pulled up in a messy bun. The bits that hung out stuck to the back of her neck and the side of her face with sweat. Her large, icy blue eyes, that currently held a slight look of nervousness, stood out in the twilight. She turned to leave.
"Wait," He called after her. She stopped and turned around, "You don't have to leave." He walked around the swing set and over to her. "I'm Harry, what's your name?" He reached his hand out to shake hers. She took it "I'm Elsie." A silence resonated between them. Elsie smiled, "What brings you to the park at this hour Harry?" He returned her smile. "Just thinking. It's much cooler here than in my house. What about you?" She rolled her orb-like eyes. "My Aunt is throwing a 'meet the neighborhood party', I finally escaped after she got distracted by a couple from down the road. I should send them a muffin basket or something." He laughed. Amazingly, this was the first time that he had laughed for a very long time. He then realised why he hadn't seen Elsie before. She was part of the new family that had just moved in across the road.
"Ah, so you must be Elsie Robinson, of the Robinson family who just moved in," Harry said. "Actually, I'm Elsie Mackenzie, I live with my Aunt and Uncle," she explained.
"Oh, well actually so do I," He replied with a smile. "Well don't we have a lot in common?" She said with a laugh. They chatted away the rest of the night and after that, Harry Potter and Elsie Mackenzie had become very close friends.
"Sugar!" Elsie exclaimed. "What's the time Harry?"
"About...six forty five" He replied. "Damn, I better get home, Aunt Julie will flip if I'm late for dinner again" She said, jumping up from her seat on the swing. "You coming?" She asked turning to Harry, "Nah, I think I'll just stay here a bit longer," He replied.
"Ok then, I'll see you tomorrow Harry!" Elsie called, turning to wave as she ran down the street towards her house.
Unfortunately, just as Elsie disappeared, Dudley and his friends rounded the corner snickering. Harry called out to Dudley "Hey Big D, beat up another ten year old?" Dudley turned towards his cousin, "This one deserved it," His friends laughed by his side. Harry snorted, "Ooh, five against one, very brave."
"You're one to talk. Moaning in your sleep every night. At least I'm not afraid of my pillow!" Dudley jeered. His friends laughed in the background. "Don't kill Cedric!" He whimpered. "Who's Cedric? Your Boyfriend?" Harry was seething "Shut up," he said, trying to keep his voice even. "He's going to kill me mum!" Dudley continued to mock Harry, "Where is your mum Potter? Is she dead?" His friends 'ooh-ed'. "SHUT UP!" Harry yelled. He yanked himself from the swing and strode over to Dudley, pulling out his wand and jabbing it right under Dudley's chin. Dudley's friends started laughing even harder, only Dudley's jeering confidence had wavered, a worried look spread across his wide face. Suddenly, the wind picked up, and dark storm clouds started to swirl overhead."What are you doing?" Dudley demanded to Harry. "I'm not doing anything!" He replied. Dudley's friends started to worry and ran off, calling for Dudley to join them.
Harry and Dudley broke into a run towards their house. The massive pitch black storm cloud seemed to follow them. The rain pattered down as they reached the tunnel underneath the train tracks. The lights flickered and started to freeze over. Everything got colder, they could see their panting breaths as the fogged out in front of them. A dark hooded being swooped down and grabbed Harry by the neck. A dementor. Harry gasping for air managed to struggle out a warning, "Dudley, RUN!" Dudley started to lumber away but slipped and slid along the icy floor. A second dementor swooped down to him. Just as everything seemed like it was over, Harry managed to reach his hand to his pocket and found his wand. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled. The first dementor spun out of the tunnel in a mass of bright white light. The same with the second. Just then, the most unexpected figure rounded the corner. "M-Mrs. Figg," Harry stuttered, hiding his wand behind his back. "Don't put away your wand Harry," She exclaimed, "They might come back."
Harry and Mrs. Figg Helped a delirious, twitching Dudley back to the Dursley residence. "Dementors in Little Whinging, what next?" Mrs. Figg said, shaking her head "The whole world's gone topsy-turvy."
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Harry kicked his wardrobe. The picture of his parents crashed to the floor. The events of tonight had given his life a turn for the worst. A letter, that was currently scrunched in a ball on the floor, had informed him that he had been expelled from Hogwarts for performing the Patronus charm in the presence of a muggle. His head snapped around to the window. He could hear screaming coming from across the road. From Elsie's house. He quickly grabbed his wand and ran down the stairs and out onto his front lawn.
"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU FILTHY LITTLE WITCH!" A woman's voice screamed. The front door of Elsie's house wrenched open and a suit case was thrown out onto the front lawn. A girl ran from the house and bent down for the suitcase. "ELSIE!" Harry yelled. Elsie looked up. "Harry?" She called, an upset and confused look spread across her features. He ran across the road to her. "What happened?" He exclaimed in concern. "U-uh," She stuttered, "Aunt Julie and Uncle Ben threw me out." Her eyes were threatening to spill more tears down her already wet face. "Why would they do that?" He exclaimed. She simply said nothing. Harry was about to interrogate her further when he was distracted by something on Elsie's left arm. Am extremely large bruise. "Who did that to you?" He exclaimed. She quickly looked down, "Nobody," she said in a quiet voice. He looked towards her house, "Was it your Uncle?" Elsie said nothing and continued looking down. Harry looked back down to examine her arm and noticed a piece of paper scrunched into a ball in her hand. He slowly reached down and took it from her. He opened it and read the last thing he would have ever expected.
Dear Miss Mackenzie,
It is my pleasure to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Attached is a list of materials that you will require to complete your fifth year of schooling. You may purchase your required materials at Diagon Alley in London.
Yours Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Harry looked up at her, "Y-your a witch?" he stammered in disbelief. Elsie looked up and met his gaze. She slowly nodded and looked down once again. "I wanted to tell you Harry, I really did. But I was scared." Elsie said in an anxious voice. "Is this why your uncle hurt you?" Harry asked, "Because you're a witch?" She looked down again and slowly nodded her head. The tears she had been holding back were released and rolled down her cheeks. Sobs racked her frail body. Harry felt his heart wrench. He couldn't stand seeing Elsie like this. He pulled her towards him. "It's okay Elsie," He hugged her tightly. "Come on we'll go across to my house." And with that he wrapped an arm around her waist and with his free hand picked up her discarded suitcase and helped her across the road. "What are the Dursleys going to say?" Elsie said suddenly panicked. "Don't worry, they're not home, they went...out." He explained.
They reached the front door and went inside. Harry sat Elsie down at the kitchen table and set her suitcase by the bench. He fetched her a glass of water and a pack of frozen peas and a tea towel for her arm. "I should probably explain myself," Elsie said after Harry had sat down. "You have no obligation to, but it might be for the best so I know what is going on." He told her. "Well, here goes," she said taking a deep breath, then letting out a sharp exhale, "The reason that I'm living with my Aunt and Uncle is because my parents were killed at the end of last year, I went out for a walk and when I came back, I found them dead. Deatheaters. I was too late. I was sent to live with Julie and Ben. Ben is my father's brother. He always hated my mother and me because of what we are. He said that we ruined Dad's life and we were freaks of nature that belonged either dead or on display somewhere. When I moved in he pretty much ignored me most of the time, which I was grateful for. Better that than him bad mouthing my mother and me. I was home schooled by my mum so I think he thought that because mum was dead my magical education would stop. But tonight, when I got home, he had read the Hogwarts letter. He told me I wasn't allowed to go, that he was sick and tired of this magic bullshit. Julie had no idea about any of this, but when he mentioned the word 'witch' she freaked out. They told me to get out and never come back, they told me I wasn't going to ruin their lives like mum ruined dad's." She let out a deep sigh. "I wanted to tell you so badly. I just...couldn't." Harry sat there silently taking her story in. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that the girl he met this summer, his friend, wasn't a muggle, she was like him. Elsie studied Harry's face with a worried look. "Harry, say something. Anything...please." She exclaimed. He simply stood up from his chair and walked around the table to her. He gently grabbed her good arm and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry Elsie, for everything that's happened to you," He said softly. "I don't blame you for anything, you had your reasons for keeping it a secret."
They stay there for what felt like a long time when they heard voices at the front door. "Oh no, are the Dursleys home already?" Elsie said starting to panic again. "No, they shouldn't be home for a while yet," Harry said with a frown. He flicked off the light switch and pulled out his wand , moving to a protective position in front of Elsie. There was a flash of light through the keyhole and with a loud click the door opened. A crowd of people flooded into the hallway. Harry's heart was in his throat as he heard a low growling voice, "Lower your wand boy, before you take someone's eye out." He knew that voice, "Professor Moody?" He said uncertainly. "Don't know about 'Professor', never got round to much teaching did I?" The voice replied. "It's alright Harry, we've come to take you away." another voice said. His heart leapt, "Professor Lupin? Is that you?" All this time Elsie had been frozen with fear in her seat behind Harry. She was too afraid to ask him what was going on. Harry walked over and flipped the light switch on. A group of nine witches and wizards were revealed as the lights came up. Their faces went from smiling to shock as they saw the young girl that was currently occupying a chair at the kitchen table. "Harry, who is this?" Remus asked in disbelief. "Oh, sorry, this is Elsie Mackenzie, Elsie, this is Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody and...I'm sorry I have no idea who anyone else is." He explained. "What is she doing here boy? Is she a muggle?" Moody growled. "Um, I'm not a muggle," Elsie said in a quiet voice. "I met Harry this summer, I live across the road...well...I did, I got kicked out." she explained quietly, glancing towards her suitcase. "Harry, what is going on?" Said Remus, a confused look spread across his face. "Well, Elsie is my friend. I had no idea she was a witch until tonight. I heard yelling coming from her house before, so I ran across the road to see what was going on. Her Aunt and Uncle kicked her out because she got a Hogwarts letter. Her uncle hit her and they threw her and her stuff on to the front lawn so I brought her back here." Harry explained. "Why are you only getting a Hogwarts letter now? You look about Harry's age." Remus asked. "Well, I was home schooled until my parents died at the end of last year." She explained not meeting anyones eyes, choosing to stare at the floor instead. "Well, what are we going to do now," Moody exclaimed, "We can't bloody well take her with us!" Harry's head snapped up, "Well I'm not leaving without her!" He exclaimed. Elsie looked up at Harry, "No Harry, just go with them, I'll be fine," She said. "No you wont!" He exclaimed, "You don't have anywhere to go! I'm not leaving you!"
"This is not the time to worry about your little girlfriend boy! We have strict orders to bring you back and your coming with us!"Moody roared. Harry and Elsie looked up, "We're just friends," They said at the same time. Remus looked over to Moody, "Calm down Alastor, I'm sure we can work this out. Kingsley," He said turning to address a tall black wizard, "Apparate to headquarters and see if you can get a hold of Dumbledore or someone to see if we can bring Elsie as well. Harry, go upstairs and start packing your things, I'm sure this will all turn out fine."
Harry reluctantly stood up and headed upstairs, Elsie, not wishing to be left in a room full of strangers, followed him. When they reached his room Elsie sat on his bed while he picked up things at random and threw them in his trunk. "Thankyou Harry," Elsie said in a quiet voice. He looked up at her confused. "What for?" He asked. "Everything!" She exclaimed, "Being my friend, helping me tonight and most of all, for saying that you wouldn't leave without me." She said with a small smile, looking down again. "Of course I wouldn't leave you Elsie," Harry exclaimed, "Thank-you for being there for me this summer, I don't know what I would've done without you." Elsie blushed deeply. Once he had packed, they both headed back down to the kitchen. Before they could enter, a hushed conversation stopped them in their tracks. "How do we know she's not working for You-Know-Who?" A voice whispered. "Very convenient to have her move right across the road from Harry. AND on the night he's supposed to be taken back to headquarters, she shows up to throw a spanner in the works!" The voice continued, "I think we should interrogate her! See what information she has!" Another calmer voice interjected, "Now Alastor, really, she's just a girl, that theory is rather far-fetched. And no, we will not interrogate her she has been through more than enough." Harry looked over to Elsie, she was looking down again. "Ah! You are too soft Remus! If I'm right about this girl then all the blame will be on you!" And with that Moody clunked away. Remus sighed and rubbed his temples. Harry and Elsie entered the kitchen. "Professor, I'm all packed." Harry said, setting his suitcase next to Elsie's. "Good, thankyou Harry." Remus said, "Kingsley returned a short while ago and relayed that Dumbledore says Elsie may come to headquarters and stay until school starts." Harry grinned for the first time that night and looked over to Elsie who was also grinning widely. "Ready to go Remus?" A short pink-haired witch stuck her head around the kitchen door. "Yes we are Nympha-" He started but the witch interrupted angrily, "Don't call me Nymphadora!" She fumed. "Sorry...Tonks" Remus apologized.
They all headed to Harry's front garden where ten broomsticks waited. "Honest to Godric!" Tonks exclaimed as they reached the brooms. "We only have ten brooms, we didn't plan for any extras!"
"Elsie could just ride with me," Harry suggested. "Are you sure?" Elsie said uncertainly. "Of course, come on" He said heading over to his firebolt. "What about our bags?" Elsie asked. "Don't worry, we'll take one each." Tonks said walking over and grabbing Elsie's suitcase and strapping it to her broom. Kingsley did the same with Harry's trunk and everyone got ready to head off. "Make sure you all stay in formation!" Moody growled, "Harry, follow the pack!" Just before they kicked off Harry whispered to Elsie, "Just hold on tight, We'll be there before you know it." They kicked off and shot up into the night sky. Elsie let out a small squeal and held Harry tighter, petrified she would fall off. She squeezed her eyes shut tight as they climbed higher and higher. She started to shiver as the cold air and the altitude got the better of her. She started to warm up as they started to drop lower and lower. The wind blew the hair off her face and she opened her eyes. Harry was laughing with enjoyment. He hadn't flown all summer. Elsie joined in as she started to enjoy herself. Her toes skimmed the water as they flew along the river. Before she knew it th ey had landed. In an ordinary London street.
"What are we doing here?" Harry asked. "Here you go Harry, this should explain it more," Remus said, handing a small piece of parchment to him. Harry looked down and read the parchment, The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London. "What's the Order of the -" Harry began. "Not here boy!" Moody snarled. "Wait till we're inside." He pulled the parchment out of Harry's hands and set fire to it with his wand. Elsie was studying the houses across the road. "But, theres no number twelve" She said with a puzzled look. "Think about what you've just read," Lupin said in a quiet voice. Both Elsie and Harry thought about the parchment and all of a sudden, a door emerged between number eleven and number thirteen. Before they knew it, a house had appeared. They both gaped at the grimy residence. "Come on, we better hurry," Lupin said. They all scurried quickly across to the house. As they reached the front door, Lupin tapped it with his wand. A series of loud clicking noises was heard before the door slowly creaked open. "Alright everybody, inside quickly. Don't go too far in and make sure you don't touch anything." Lupin whispered. Everyone hurried into the darkness of what appeared to be the entrance hall. "Stay still while I give us a bit of light in here," whispered Moody. A soft hissing noise was emitted from Moody's wand as old gas lamps sputtered to life along the narrow hallway, bathing the group in a flickering aeriform glow.
Hurried footsteps headed towards them as Mrs Weasley entered the hall from a door at the far end. Although she looked tired and worn, she was smiling in welcome, studying each face in the crowd to make sure everyone had returned safely. Her eyes lingered on Harry's face before she rushed over to pull him into a bone-cracking hug. "Oh Harry, It's so good to see you!" She held him out from her at arms length, studying him, "Hm, you're looking rather peaky; best get some food into you, but I'm afraid dinner will have to wait." She turned to the group behind him, "Now where is miss Elsie? He's just arrived for the meeting and he would like to meet her." Elsie stepped out from her hiding spot behind Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Um I-I'm here" She stuttered in a small voice. Mrs Weasley made a clicking noise with her tounge, "Poor girl, come right this way," Harry made to follow but was stopped by Lupin, "I'm sorry Harry, you have to go upstairs, I expect Ron and Hermione are waiting for you," Harry's face held a look of protest, "No way! I'm going with Elsie!" Elsie looked over to him, "Harry, It's fine, just go upstairs" She said. "It won't take long Dear, You'll be down for dinner soon," Mrs Weasley reassured. Harry frowned and reluctantly headed up the rickety staircase. He turned to look back at the group in the hallway, "First door on the left," Mrs Weasley prompted. He grumbled under his breath and headed to his room.
As Harry ascended the staircase to meet Ron and Hermione, Elsie stood in the hallway waiting to enter the kitchen. She threw one last nervous glance towards the stairs before taking a deep breath and heading into the kitchen of Number twelve, Grimmauld place.