Danni Lewis looked out the window of the train.
'London is nice... But it's so new...'
She fiddled with her black robes, staring at the red-and-gold badge. She cast
another anxious glance out the window. She could see the slightly snow-capped
roofs of Hogsmeade. She grabbed her trunk and her light brown owl, Winter. She
stepped out of the compartment and walked to where a strict-looking witch was
waiting for her.
"I am Professor McGonagall. You are Danielle Lewis, I presume."
Danni nodded glumly. Professor McGonagall gave her a look of understanding.
"It's terrible that you had to move to different country because of your
parent's deaths. And I know you will be scared and nervous for coming here in
the middle of the year. But, I will be expecting good grades and no trouble from
you."
Danni nodded again.
"Follow me."
Danni followed Professor McGonagall to a office. In the office sat two redheads,
cloned to the last freckle. They were wearing matching innocent smiles.
"McGonagall, it was probably just Peeves." the twin on the left said.
"Professor Flitwick saw you setting it up."
The twin on the right muttered something to the other.
"Now. You two couldn't have gotten in trouble at a better date. This is Danielle
Lewis. She is from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic in France, as I believe you
remember from last year."
They both smirked.
"Danni, these are Fred and George Weasley. They are in their seventh year and
also in Gryffindor.
"Ms Lewis is in her fifth year. She is new to Hogwarts, London, and Britain. You
two are to show her around and do whatever she wants."
"So our punishment is to be her tour guide." the twin on the left said.
"Yes. Now off you go." Professor McGonagall said.
She ushered them out into the corridor. The twins turned to Danni.
"So, Danielle Lewis, eh?" one said.
"Danni." she murmured.
"Well then, welcome to Hogwarts Danni." they chorused, bowing.
"I'm Fred Weasley."
"I'm George Weasley."
"It's nice to meet you." Danni said quietly.
"I think we got ourselves a shy one Fred." the twin that seemed to be George
said.
"Come on. Let's show her the common room." Fred declared.
They walked on either side of her, towering above her small figure.
They turned the corner and saw a plump witch with lots of pink. Fred and George
pushed Danni back around the corner.
"That's Umbridge. She's from the Ministry but she's Defense Against the Dark
Arts teacher. She's pure evil." Fred whispered.
"No magic in that class anymore. It's just reading from a book. And she's taking
over the school, making it bad." George added ominously.
"And no one is doing anything about it?" Danni asked quietly.
They exchanged looks.
"Do you want to help do something?"
Danni nodded.
"Then we need to see Hermione."
Danni followed them through a hole behind a sculpture. They walked out through
another hole and walked to a portrait with a lady in a pink satin dress.
"Mimbulus Mimbletonia."
The portrait swung out revealing a cozy looking room.
"Hermione we need you!" Fred said.
A girl with rather bushy brown hair looked up. She was sitting by a two
redheads, a girl and a boy, and a boy with jet black hair and green eyes. And a
lightning scar.
"That's Harry Potter."
"Yeah. Hermione, this is Danni Lewis. She's an exchange student from
Beauxbatons, and she wants to help with the Umbridge problem." George said.
"Oh ok. Well then," she pulled out a piece of paper, "sign your name here."
Danni took it and saw a list of names beneath the words 'Dumbledore's Army'. She
signed her name onto it then handed it back.
"Dumbledore's Army, D.A. for short, is where we train ourselves in Defense
Against the Dark Arts so that we are ready for when we fight against the rising
forces of V-Vol- Voldemort." Hermione said.
The redhead boy fell of the chair and the redhead girl winced while the twins
both flinched.
"The idiot who just fell of the chair is Ron Weasley." the words she spoke were
harsh but her tone was loving.
"And that's Ginny Weasley, and Harry Potter. I'm Hermione Granger." she
continued.
"Four Weasley's?" Danni asked.
"If you're not including Bill, Charlie, and Percy." Ginny said.
"Wow. How do you all fit into a house?" Danni asked.
"They have a five story house." Harry said.
"Cool."
Danni was walking down the corridor. A Slytherin with platinum blonde hair and
cold gray eyes stepped out in front of her.
"Lewis. Professor Umbridge wants to see you." he drawled.
"Yeah? Well I don't care." she snapped before walking.
"Your going to go for questioning. Now." he added threateningly.
"Whatever." she kept walking.
Suddenly she couldn't move. Ropes had bound themselves around her body. She
found herself being levitated to Umbridge's horribly flowery pink kitteny
office.
"I got her Professor." he drawled.
"Thank you Draco. I'll be telling your father how helpful you are." Umbridge
said in a sickly sweet voice.
Malfoy walked out.
"Sit. What would you like to drink? Tea, coffee, water?"
"Tea." Danni replied.
Umbridge got around to making the tea, trying to make sure that Danni couldn't
see what she was putting into it.
'Veritiserum. I wasn't going to drink it anyways.'
Umbridge handed it to her. She pretended to take a sip. While Umbridge was
making herself a cup of tea, Danni Vanished the tea in her cup.
"Now. Are you or are you not in a Club, Team, Society, Organization, or anything
of the sort that has not been approved by me?"
"I am not, I have never been in one, and I am not planning to join one." Danni
lied smoothly, setting the empty cup on the table so Umbridge could see.
Umbridge gave her a disgruntled look, glancing from her to the cup.
"Very well. You may go." she hissed, her voice shaking with anger and
disappointment.
When she left the office, she found the Weasley twins waiting for her.
"How was it?" Fred asked.
"It went quite well, considering it was Umbridge. She made me tea and put
Veritiserum in it. I just Vanished it while she wasn't watching."
"Veritiserum?" George asked.
"It's a potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth." Danni responded.
"That's it? Oh by the way, DA is tonight. Last one before Christmas. Where are
you for the holidays?"
"Here with Umbridge it seems." Danni said bitterly.
They exchanged glances.
"Well if you don't mind a dark cold house, creepy house elf, and a escaped
outlaw, you can come with us." Fred said.
"Escaped outlaw?"
"Yup. Sirius Black. He was innocent and it turned out that he was Harry's
godfather. Cool, eh?"
"Yeah. Well, anywhere is better than here."
"Great!" they chorused.
Danni sat in front of the fire, reading a book in the empty common room.
All of a sudden, Neville Longbottom came running down in his pajamas and ran out
the portrait hole. A few minutes later, he returned with Professor McGonagall,
who rushed up to the Boys Dorms. She came back down with a pale and shaky Harry
and a confused and nervous looking Ron. Danni watched them leave, wondering what
was wrong.
She returned back to her book and read until Professor McGonagall came back.
"What are you doing up at this hour?"
"Reading. I wasn't tired." Danni said.
"Well, can you wake the Weasley twins and bring them to the headmaster's
office?" she asked. "Something has happened to their father. The password is
Acid Pops."
Danni got up and went up the stairs.
'What year are they? Seventh.'
She ran quietly to the door marked 'Seventh Years' and pushed it open, locating
the flaming red hair. She went over to Fred.
"Wake up. Hurry and wake up."
She walked over to George and did the same.
"Whaddisit?" Fred said groggily.
"Bloody hell Danni. Why are you up here?" George asked.
"Professor Dumbledore needs to see you. Something has happened to your dad."
They both leaped out of bed, eyes wide.
Danni lead them out the portrait hole and to the stone gargoyle.
"Acid Pops."
The gargoyle sprang to life and started rolling upwards into a staircase. They
all walked up it and through the door, where Harry, Ron, Ginny, Professor
McGonagall, and Dumbledore all stood.
"You shall be taking a Portkey to Grimmald Place." Dumbledore said.
A innocent looking kettle lay on the desk. They all put a hand on the kettle.
"Three... Two... One."
There was a tugging sensation in the pit of her stomach as they started going
into what looked like big swirly storm. They all dropped in front of a gate. The
gate swung open and Danni followed the Weasley's lead into the house.
When they entered a man walked over to him. He was the man wanted for turning in
Lily and James Potter to Voldemort. Sirius Black. He had a slightly drunk
appearance.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I was asleep, and I was dreaming about something stupid, then the other dream
interrupted it. I saw a big snake attack Mr. Weasley." Harry said, looking a bit
uncomfortable.
Ron shot him a glance.
"Well Arthur is in St. Mungos, and we can't see him until your mum says." Sirius
said.
"But we have to see him!" Fred argued.
"And how would you explain how you knew that your father was hurt before they
let his wife know?"
"We could make up something!"
"Look. Arthur was doing something for the Order. It looks bad enough as it is."
Sirius said.
They gave up and retreated to the kitchen table.
Harry was being silent, staying up in his room all day, since they heard that
Harry might be possessed by Voldemort.
Danni walked into the kitchen and got some Owl Treats to calm Winter. She felt
Sirius staring at her.
"Why do you keep staring at me?"
Sirius seemed to wake up.
"Sorry... You look familiar." he froze. "What is your mum's full name?" he
asked.
"Carrie Cooper Lewis." Danni replied.
Recognition dawned onto Sirius's face.
"Bloody hell." Sirius said, his face in his hands.
"What?" Danni asked, almost scared.
Sirius walked out the room and returned with a official looking sheet of paper.
Danni stared at it. It was a birth certificate.
'Danielle Marie Lewis, Mother: Carrie Marie Cooper, Father:... Sirius Nigellus Black.'