September 1, 2014
The Ares children walked onto Platform 9 ¾ with an air of importance. The two elder siblings led the way with their younger sister following close behind. All three were wearing long black expensive robes and all had the same shade of black hair, but the difference was that the elder two had their noses in the air looking down at their peers while their sister looked around curiously, and waved smiling at anyone who chose to look at her. The little girl was looking for a group of people in particular who should be there, but given her short status she didn't have a hope. She stopped following her puritanical siblings and put her trunk down and proceeded to climb on top of it. She could barley see over some of the students heads but when she saw a head of turquoise hair she knew just who it was. The little girl jumped down grabbed her trunk and walked in the direction of her blue haired companion. She walked up behind the family and made her way to where her favorite metamorphagus stood. She looked behind her to see her twin 17 year old siblings glaring at her. She reached her hand out and poked Teddy in the back. The teen turned and looked down.
"Gracie!"
"Teddy!" Teddy bent down and lifted the little girl up hugging her.
"How are you sweetheart?"
"Oh I'm fine. How are you?"
"Good. Do you remember everyone?" Teddy shifted the 11 year old so he could hold her up easier.
"Let's see. There's Harry and Ginny, James, Albus, and Lily. Then George, Angelina, Freddy, and Roxanne. And Bill, Fleur, Victoire, and Dominique. Did I get everyone right?" she gestured to each one as she named them. Then looked to Teddy for confirmation, which he gave to her.
"Don't I get a hug?" Harry asked reaching his arms out to her.
"Of course you do Harry, you're only the best daddy in the whole world." Grace hugged Harry around the neck and he lifted her from Teddy's grasp before putting her back on the ground, where she proceeded to hug Ginny. Harry turned to Freddy and James.
"Do you boys remember Grace?"
"Yeah, she nailed me with a snowball. Can we get on the train now?" James always the eager one.
"Oh yes, now be sure to write us and your grandmum, Grace feel free to write as well we love hearing from you." Ginny said hurriedly.
"I'll make sure they write." Victoire said to her aunt.
"And I'll watch out for the little blighters." Dominique said cracking her knuckles.
"Behave, all of you." Harry said looking to all of the children.
"I'll behave I'll be real have." Grace said, George laughed and hugged her then his own son. Finally hugging his nieces and nephew along with Teddy. Dominique grabbed Grace's hand.
"Come on Grace, you can sit with me and my friends."
"I don't want to impose…"
"Yeah Dom, she can sit with fellow first years." Freddy said. "After all she'll need to be around people her own age." Dominique turned back to her younger friend.
"Well if they start to be to much to handle just find me, I'll sort everything out."
"What do you mean to hard to handle?"
"They get wild." Teddy said grabbing his and Victoire's trunk.
"I'll manage. Goodbye everyone I'll miss you all." Grace waved as they got on the train. James leaned over to Freddy.
"I reckon she likes our parents more than we do." Freddy nodded in agreement and the three first years went to find an empty compartment dragging their trunks behind them. They finally settled down in the back of the train where another first year sat with his pet frog looking out the window as his parents waved.
"OI! Kid you mind if we sit here?" Freddy asked opening the compartment door.
"No, I'd rather like some company. I'm Benjamin Barker." the boy stuck his hand out, and James grasped it firmly.
"James Potter, this is my cousin Freddy Weasley and this is a family friend Grace Ares. We're all first years, you?"
"Same." Benjamin took Freddy's and Grace's hands when he and James unclasped their hands. The three new arrivals took their seats in the compartment after putting their trunks away.
"So what house are you planning to get into?" James asked. Benjamin looked confused.
"Houses?"
"Oh you must be muggle born. Well there are four houses at Hogwarts; Gryffindor, which is the best house, known for courage, Ravenclaw known for brains, Hufflepuff, known for well I don't know what they're known for I guess its just a leftover category, but then you have Slytherin for the sly evil and ambitious. You don't want to end up there." Benjamin looked around and saw Grace bite her lip. James noticed too.
"Don't tell me you want to be in Slytherin Ares, and here I thought you were alright."
"No I don't want to go there, but what if I don't have a choice, I mean my whole family has been in Slytherin, and they already hate me enough as it is and if I were to be put in Gryffindor like I want they would be much more insufferable and neglectful than they already are."
"Well you don't need your family you've got ours." Freddy supplied.
"But I want my own and my family hates yours. Especially since James' dad defeated the Dark Lord."
"Wow is your dad like famous or something?" Benjamin asked James.
"Yeah he saved the entire Wizarding race." James puffed out his chest with a smirk on his face. "and everyone swears I'm just like him, 'cept a bit more rambunctious."
"Not to mention insane." Freddy added, and James punched him in the arm.
"do either of you mind getting in trouble?" James asked Benjamin and Grace. Both shook their heads 'no'. "Good because what I am about to show you will be a delinquents dream." he reached into his pockets and pulled out an old piece of paper and an old glossy cloak. "I present to you the Marauders Map, and my dad's invisibility cloak." Freddy's face lit up in delight.
"Wow your parents actually trust you with this?"
"Well dad says it's more like an obligation to pass it from one generation to the next, mum doesn't know. But dad and Teddy talked and Teddy gave the stuff to me this summer."
"Who's Teddy?" Benjamin asked.
"He's my god brother. He's also head boy this year, and depressed because of it, he says that position is for nerds. Personally I'd love to have that much authority over people."
"No one would be stupid enough to give you that authority cousin." the four first years looked to the door to see Victoire standing there in her Hogwarts robes with a Prefect pin on her chest. James hastily hid the map and cloak. "I hope you aren't getting into any trouble. I don't want to have to report you before we even get there."
"Don't sweat it Vic we ain't doing nothing wrong." Freddy said
"You realized you just used improper grammar." Grace said. Freddy rolled his eyes and Victoire nodded in appreciation
"I just wanted to check that you were all settled before I begin my rounds."
"We're fine, honestly Vic. We'll have a jolly old time, now get out." James said pushing his older cousin out of the compartment and shut the door.
"Hey Benny what's your frogs name?" Grace asked turning to Benjamin. Who looked at her quizzically before shifting his hands around.
"Well Gracie his name is Max."
"Cool."
"What's with the nick-naming?" James asked.
"I don't know Jamie." James glared at Grace
"Hey lets go see if we can make this train ride more entertaining." Freddy suggested
"Your dad pack you some dung bombs?" Freddy nodded at James and the two got up and started rooting through their trunks for various pranking materials. The four first years started planning and explaining the art of magical pranks to their new muggle born friend. They worked diligently before sneaking out of the compartment. James and Freddy put the invisibility cloak over the four of them. And they walked down the corridor for about five minutes before seeing some fourth year Slytherins in a compartment with the door open. Freddy took two mega dung bombs out of his pocket and rolled them into the compartment the Slytherins looked in horror as they saw the bombs go off, and James slammed the door shut, so much for all the work they did to just end up winging the whole thing. They could hear the Slytherins cry out and they bolted for their own compartment. They opened the door and whipped off the cloak and started laughing. James suddenly stopped followed by Freddy, Benny and Grace. Sitting in James' spot was Teddy looking at them.
"Care to explain?" he asked quietly. Grace stepped forward and reached for his hand. She moved it aside and sat on his lap snuggling into his chest. He looked down at her curiously and she looked up at him with her bright blue innocent eyes.
"I'm sorry Teddy, please don't be mad at me." Teddy wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm not mad at you sweetheart, it was probably James' idea anyway." Teddy looked to his god brother with his eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face.
"Look Ted, we were just explaining what a dung bomb was to our new friend Benny, you see he's muggle born and doesn't know things like this so he had to experience it first hand." Teddy rolled his eyes.
"Look you four," Grace looked up at Teddy when he said four "I don't want to get you guys in trouble, and I most certainly don't want to have to tell your mothers, or Professor McGonagall, but you have to learn to control yourselves, and if you can't control it don't get caught. I'm only here one more year and then I'll be gone but for now you've got to listen to me, so don't screw up." the first years nodded. "Now it's time to change into your robes we'll be there soon." Teddy lifted Grace off his lap and got up to leave, "Oh before I go, good luck with the sorting Ceremony, and don't worry I'm sure you'll all be in Gryffindor." he directed the last part mainly to Benny and Grace, they were the one who were obviously having doubts.
Grace stood in between Freddy and Benny as James stood to Freddy's right. The sorting hat had just ended his song and Professor Flitwick was about to call the first name on the list.
"Ares, Grace." Flitwick squeaked. Grace took a deep breath and looked to her friends who gave her a simultaneous shove to the front. Grace sat on the stool. Over on one side of the Great hall there was Teddy, Victoire and Dominique who were giving her encouraging smiles, while on the other side there was her brother and sister, Andreas and Adeline, scowling at her though waiting expectantly for her to join them. The sorting hat was placed on her head, and not five seconds later a little voice whispered in her ear 'Ah I know exactly what to do with you.' Grace crossed her fingers.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Grace felt a huge grin come across her face. The hat was taken off her head and she jumped down and ran to where Teddy, Vic and Dom were sitting with their friends. On the way she saw the anger and disappointment in her siblings eyes and the smile almost left her face. She began to walk a little faster trying to forget the cold look.
"TEDDY! I did it!" she ran up to him all his friends looked at her as she bounced on the balls of her feet. He hugged her to stop her from bouncing too much.
"Congratulations sweetheart."
"Ted, who's the midget?" one of Teddy's friends pointed at her. "Isn't she an Ares?"
"You got a problem with me kid? I got in Gryffindor didn't I? so if you do happen to have a problem you can just stuff it." Teddy, Victoire and Dominique's friends all looked a little shocked at the tiny dark haired girl.
"Grace these are my friends Rob, and Pat, guys this is the little girl I told you about."
"Oh you mean the one who you wrote to almost everyday." Teddy's hair turned red.
"Awe Teddy that's so sweet of you to write me daily you deserve a cookie." Grace wrapped her small arms around his neck and kissed his cheek before turning to Dom, while Teddy's friends laughed.
"Hey Grace, these are my friends, Marie, Riley and Elizabeth. Girls this is Grace." hello's were exchanged and then Grace turned to Victoire.
"So who are your friends Victoire?"
"I'd introduce them but your friend is going up." Grace turned around to see Benny walking up to the stool. He looked at her as he sat down and she gave him the thumbs up and he smiled back at her before the hat came over his face. It took the hat longer to decide where he was to go but finally shouted out his house.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Benny ran over to where Grace was standing by Teddy.
"Congratulations Benny we made it." Grace threw her arms around Benny and he flushed a light shade of pink. Grace turned back to Victoire.
"Well my friends are Anna, Cassandra and Lyle." All three were bleach blondes Grace wondered how they all managed to look so alike and be in the same house and year without being related. Benny got over his blush and pulled on Grace's sleeve.
"Let's sit down I feel weird still standing."
"Mkay, bye Teddy. Bye Victoire. Bye Dominique. I'll see you guys later." she hugged Teddy one more time then made her way down the table and sat down with Benny. They started playing rock paper scissors until they heard Flitwick announce…
"Potter, James." there was an accumulative gasp everyone started whispering hurriedly. James was letting it all go to his head. He waltzed up the steps to where Flitwick was standing. Students looked at him in awe, well all but the Slytherins. Headmistress McGonagall rolled her eyes at James. James sat on the stool and the hat only had to hover over his head until it shouted
"GRYFFINDOR!" James took off the hat and took a bow before strutting to where Benny and Grace were sitting now only waiting for Freddy. The other Gryffindor first years were twins Lorcan and Lysander Scamander, who came shortly after James and Regina Daily, and Paulette Morgan who showed up some time before. There was only one other person left when Freddy was called up, and after he was sent to Gryffindor the last person walked up to the stool after his name, Marcus Zambini, was called. He was the one Slytherin Grace paid attention to during the sorting she didn't know anyone other than her fellow Gryffindors, something about Zambini gave her a feeling a really bad feeling.
It was the third week of school and James and Freddy were out doing who knows what while Benny and Grace explored the castle one night. . First years were supposed to be in the common room by seven thirty but it was well past nine and only prefects were allowed out at this time, but neither of them cared or noticed. They were walking by the library when her siblings showed up with their friend Reginald Bleakly. Adeline stepped in front of her sister preventing her from moving.
"Hello Adeline." Grace looked up at her sister, but upon seeing the scowl on her face she looked at her feet.
"What are you doing out after hours brat?"
"What are you?" she looked back up at her sister.
"That's none of your business you filthy traitor."
"Well if it's none of my business to know why you're out then it's none of yours to know why I'm out."
"You have no right I do however being older and wiser."
"First off you aren't a prefect, so you have no authority, and secondly the only thing you're more knowledgeable about is how to be a bitch." her sister's nostrils flared.
"Mother will hear about this."
"I'm shaking with fear. Do you always run to mummy when you don't get your way? Oh wait yes you do." Adeline took a step closer while Andreas and the Reginald stood back and looked apprehensive as they searched the halls.
"You are no better than this filthy mud blood standing next to you, you are a disgrace to the Pureblood community."
"At least I have a personality that doesn't fit a toad. All you do is say the same thing ribbiting your whole life, wasting away with your hideous features." Grace felt an intense pain on the side of her face. Her sister had struck her with her ring clad fingers splitting open her cheek. Grace could see some of her blood on her sister's diamond ring. Benny had pulled out his wand intent on dueling the seventh years, but there was no need, they could hear bickering down the hall and they all turned to see James and Freddy being led to the Gryffindor common room by the Head Boy and Girl, Teddy and Melissa Englebright. The new comers looked at the scene before them. Teddy sent a Patronus to McGonagall before stepping forward wand raised, Melissa followed suit. At once the Slytherin's reached for their wands Teddy and Melissa fired body bind curses, but one Sectumsempra left the lips of a Slytherin and knocked a first year to the ground. Melissa put the last Slytherin under the body bind while Teddy ran to the fallen child
"Grace! Gracie can you hear me?!" the other three first years crowded around.
"Is she okay?"
"Teddy she's bleeding you have to do something!"
"Oh no is she gonna die?"
"She is not going to die, guys just back up!" the three boys back tracked
"Ted we need to get her to the hospital wing."
"I know." Teddy picked up the bleeding girl. He let out a sigh of relief when he felt her curl up into his chest, but the relief only lasted a moment. She was bleeding a lot, so much that he couldn't even tell where it came from. He ran as fast as he could to the hospital wing feeling helpless as he screamed for Madame Pomfrey waking a student who was sleeping soundly. He laid the petite eleven year old on the nearest bed and moved to let the nurse clean her up the dividers went up and Teddy was separated from her. James Freddy and Benny walked up to him the four sat on the bed closest to Grace's and waited.
"James where's Melissa?" after fifteen minutes Teddy realized she wasn't there.
"She stayed to wait for McGonagall in case the Slytherin's woke up." Teddy nodded not taking his eyes off of the fabric that separated him from the little girl. Another fifteen minutes went by before Madame Pomfrey came out with a tray of medicinal products. Teddy stood instantly arousing the dozing first years.
"How is she?"
"She'll be fine Mr. Lupin you may see her if you wish, but I beg you not to wake her." Teddy walked behind the curtain to see an unimaginable sight. The spunky curly haired girl whom Teddy dubbed his surrogate baby sister, lay motionless and pale with a bandage covering her lower torso, slightly sticking out of her shirt. Her lips had a purplish tinge to them, and when he held her hand she felt as cold as ice. Teddy went and found another blanket and draped it over her.
"Teddy will she be okay?" He turned to see the three boys standing at the foot of the bed looking at their friend.
"Yeah she'll be fine. She just needs to rest so why don't we go and get some sleep. You guys will need to get as much sleep as possible, you need to pay attention in all your classes so you can take notes for her. You know what she's like when she doesn't have notes." Freddy cracked a grin and Benny gave a humorless laugh, while James just stared at Grace with a look of desperation on his face.