*Authors note*- hey I got the second chapter out. This one is better The story is going to be more about her and Harry in the future. Also for all of you who are wondering why I didn't put Sirius's death in the first chapter, that is because I am mad that he got killed off. I am not going to be lame and act like it never happened, however, I'm just not going to mention it. Also In the last chapter I forgot to put in who was who, the "long hared witch" is Ray and the other is Lauren, sorry about that. Also I do not own Harry Potter they are copyright to J.K Rowling.

Chapter two- Horrendous battles

Harry entered the bedroom that he and Ron had shared just a year before. Ron sitting on his bed writing furiously on a pad of paper. Hermione was sitting in the corner engrossed in a rather large novel. Harry shut the door with a snap and they both look up.

"Harry!" Said Hermione, putting down her book "how are you?"

"I'm fine, did you guys just get here?" Harry asked looking around the room, it was vacant of his friends school trunks and supplies.

"Hermione arrived an hour ago," said Ron "but I'm not staying the night, I'll just be here during the day" he explained sadly.

"Wouldn't it just be easier to stay here?" Harry asked.

"Yea, well, my mom and Ray. do you know her?"

Harry nodded.

"Well they got into this big row at the start of summer break. I'm not sure why, but they both seem to despise each other. I guess my mom just doesn't want to be near her more then she has too."

At that exact moment they heard voices coming from down stairs both sounded extremely angry. Harry recognised the voices as Mrs.Weasley and Ray.

"Not again" Ron sighed as he got up and walked out into the hallway followed closely by Hermione and Harry. Out in the corridor they could make out the argument between the two women.

"SOMETIMES YOU SHOULD MIND YOU OWN BISNESS MOLLY! THAT MEETING BETWEEN DUMBLEDOR AND I WAS PRIVET!" screamed Ray at the top of her lungs.

"IF YOU MUST NO, I DIDN'T GO 'SNEEKING AROUND', DUMBLEDOR TOLD ME! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE MEETING!" Mrs.Weasley yelled back. "WELL YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT IT UP! IT WASN'T UP TO YOU TO TELL EVERYONE."

"I DIDN'T WANT YOU TO BREAK YOUR PROMISE YOU CAN BE A BIT FREE SPIRTED YOU KNOW!"

"WELL SORRY I LIVE MY LIFE ON THE EDGE, BUT IT IS NOT UP TO YOU TO BE MY BABYSITTER, I CAN DO PRETTY WELL ON MY OWN THANK YOU!"

"I KNOW THAT!" Mrs. Weasel paused for a moment to catch her breath "But you know as well as I that it's not up to you to tell him, it's for the best."

Ray wasn't backing down "I KNOW PERFECTLY WELL WHAT I CAN AND CAN NOT DO! BESIDES IT'S NOT UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHATS BEST FOR HIM EITHER!"

Mrs. Weasel started to shout again "WELL WHO ELSE DOES HE HAVE!"

"HE HAS ME!"

When Molly Weasel spoke again it was clear that she was trying of this shouting fest, her voice was hard, "Is that so? Is that so? Then tell me Rachel, where have you been for the last fifteen years? How can you play a part in his life if he doesn't and can't know who you are? You can't tell him."

Ray's voice was cracking and Harry was sure that if he could have seen her face she would have been crying "DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT! I'VE BEEN LIVING WITH THAT REALITY FOR FIFTEEN YEARS MY WHOLE FAMILY HAS! I DON'T CARE; I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY! HE'S MY FAMILY! HE'S MY FAMILY NOT YOUR, SO STOP ACTING LIKE YOU UNDERSTAND HIM! YOU DON'T, BUT I DO!"

At that moment Harry, Ron and Hermione heard the sickening sound of a hand slapping someone, hard, across the face.

"MOLLY" yelled Lupin there was a crash as though a chair had fallen over.

"RON GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LEAVING!"

Ron cast a backward glance at his friends "Um. bye guys," he said as he headed, quickly towards the kitchen.

"I wonder what that was about" ask Hermione in a small voice.

Harry shrugged though he had a shrewd suspicion that it was about him. They made it downstairs just in time to see Mrs.Weasley, who was red in the face, and Ron, who was looking a little scared, march right out the door. They made their way into the kitchen, there were three fallen chairs scatted about the floor, Ray was sitting on the table nursing her swollen cheek and was refusing Lupin's help. Seeing Harry and Hermione enter she promptly rose and left the room.

Lupin looked too the two friends extremely flustered "umm... yes.supper! Would you to set the table for me?" he asked, Mad Eye Moody entered the room looking thoroughly confused.

"Ah Mad Eye, help me if you would?"

Mad Eye Moody nodded and turned to look at the two teenagers "Tonks and Kingsley will be coming round for supper also. You can set a place for Ray but." he cast a glance out the door and up the stairs, his magical eye focused on the wooden ceiling "I don't think she'll have much of an appetite tonight."

Dinner was a quite event. Harry supposed that Lupin had told Tonks and Kingsley about the afternoon's events when they had arrived. After dinner it was pretty late so he said good night to Hermione at her room and proceeded up to his own. On the way he saw a bedroom with the light on he guessed it had to be where Ray was staying. He slipped by noiselessly, as to not disturb her and quickly made his way to his room.

Sleep eluded Harry that night, he finally gave up laying in the darkness with his eyes closed and headed for the kitchen for a glass of water. He slipped out of bed and into his dressing gown. Down in the kitchen it was very hard to see. Harry slowly made his way to the cabinet and started shuffling through the cupboard to find the cups.

"Midnight snack?" Harry jumped at the sudden voice. Looking around he saw Ray sitting at the table with a large plate of crackers. Harry noticed that her cheek was a little red but, besides that, she looked considerably better then she had that afternoon.

"Sorry" said Harry, awkwardly "just needed a glass of water."

"Glasses are over there," she said pointing to the shelf on the left

"Thanks" he got a glass, filled it will water and sat down next to her. She pushed the plate of crackers towards him and he took one wordlessly. After a while of silence she finally said:

"You likely heard that fight didn't you?" she asked without emotion.

"Yea, kinda," said Harry shyly.

"How much of it did you hear?"

"Pretty much all of it."

"You probably think I'm horrible person." Ray said putting her head down on the table.

"No I don't. You probably had your reasons, didn't you?"

Ray smiled; it was the first time Harry had seen her do so "Your a good kid, you know that. Yea, lets just say Molly Weasley and I have very different ideas about somethings. It's like she keeps trying to control me. Sometimes I think she forgets that she's not my mother. I already have one and if she couldn't control me I doubt Molly Weasel could.

She smiled at Harry who looked down at his glass, something other then that had been bothering him. Ever since he had met Ray at his Aunt and Uncle's house.

"Something bothering you Harry?" she asked, as though reading his mind.

Harry nodded.

"Go on."

"Well this might sound stupid, but I feel like I met you before but I don't think we have." Harry finished somewhat lamely.

To Harry's amazement she laughed, then she smiled at him and said;

"We have."

"Huh? How? When?"

"Well I'm.um.. I, lets say I knew your parents, well actually, I knew your dad better then your mum, but I saw you a couple time when you were a baby. Heck I was even at your first birthday party! I think I got I picture of it up in my room somewhere I'll find it for you tomorrow if you want."

Harry smiled "thanks" he whispered.

"I guess we should go to bed," she said as she got up.

"Ya."

"Well night Harry" and she left the kitchen leaving Harry sitting at the table even more confused then he was before.

"Ha! I win again what is that now boys? Five to nothing?" Moody said with a grin. It had been three days since his talk with Ray in the kitchen and Harry, Hermione, Ray and Lauren were watching Moody, Lupin and Mundungus play cards at the kitchen table (the entire Weasel family had failed to return after the fight).

"You're a cheat, Moody," said Ray laughing "You can see right through the cards!"

"Well that would explain a lot," said Lupin with a sigh, putting down his cards.
Moments later the group heard the front door open, Moody and Lupin began to rise just as Professor Dumbledor entered the kitchen. Harry was surprised at the drastic change the elder man had gone through during the summer; he looked so much older now and very tried. The Professor quickly scanned the room; his eyes settling on Ray seated at the table.

"I need a word with you" he said to her.

"Oh, is this about the thing that happened on Monday?" she asked him, a slight frown on her face "it wasn't my fault you know."

"I didn't hear about that one, but I would love to hear about that at a later time. Please I need a word in the hall."

Ray and Dumbledor step out into the hall while the rest of them started to clean up the kitchen. Finally when all the dishes were done and the chairs had been put away Ray came back in the kitchen looking shell-shocked with a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand. Ray slumped in to the wall and handed Lupin the paper. Skimming it he said "What? He wants you?" he looked just as shocked as Ray. She nodded looking as thought she couldn't speak.

Moody took the letter from Lupin and read it "well he must think you can handle it." He handing the letter back to Ray.

"Either that or he want to get rid of me." She looked at the letter for a few minutes then said, "He already talked to Fudge to get me off work for a year or more if I need it."

Harry and Hermione sat completely clueless to the situation "maybe we should go to bed" said Hermione quietly.
"I've got to leave tonight. I'll be in my room packing if anyone needs anything." Ray said quickly, as she left the room.

Later that night, as Harry passed by Ray's room she called his name and motioned for him to enter. She was perched on her bed, a small photo in her hand. He walked towards her, careful to avoid the two large trunks that were sitting on the floor.

"Here," she said as he came to sit beside her on the bed "this is that picture I told you about, the one of your first birthday."

Harry took the picture from her, he smiled at the two people he recognized as his mum and dad, laughing and waving up at him. Standing around them where the ever present Maunders; Sirius, Lupin and Peter along with two other witches he didn't recognizes along with an elder witch and wizard he guessed must have been his grandparents. Harry broke out in a wide grin as his gaze stopped on baby Harry nestled comfortably in his mother's arms.

"You can keep it if you want" Ray said to him, "you must not have many pictures of your folks. They were good people, really good people" Ray shifted on the bed and sighed.

"Thanks" whispered Harry who was still looking at the picture. Then without another word he left the room.

"Hurry up kids!" Mrs.Weasley's voice rang thought the house "You don't want to miss the train!" She, Ron and Ginny had come to see them on to the Hogwart Express Along with Moody and Tonks. Ray had left the pervious night.

*** Hogwarts the night before ***

"Ok, I'm here."

"Good, I was beginning to think you weren't going to come."

"Ye of little faith. Could you please tell me what this is about? Three weeks ago you wanted to keep me as far from Harry as possible. Now you give me a job at Hogwarts?"

"I had a change of mind"

"Does that mean what I this it means?"

"Yes, I want to tell him. He has a right to know"

"What? Oh my gosh . . . . Wait a minute, what's the catch?"

"You know me too well Ray. I want to wait till after this year, Just to see if he can figure it out by himself. That's why I want you to teach Defense Against The Dark Arts this year."

"Your cruel old man, but I'll do it. Can I tell the others?"

"I see no harm."

"Good, I'll owl them later. Will you tell me now why we couldn't take care of him right after Lily and James died."

"Not yet."

" Fine be that way, I'll be in my office."

*** The arrival of the students ***

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny sat down excitedly at the Griffindor table in the Great Hall; the room was full of the excited chatter of the other students.

"I wonder who the new Defense Agents the Dark Arts teacher will be this year," said Hermione.

"Vampire?" Ron offered.

"Look up, that may answer a couple questions," said Harry pointing to the staff table.

She looked up at the staff table and gasped. "So that's why Dumbledor wanted to talk her."

"What?" Asked Ron looking up at the staff table, "oh, mom's going have a fit!" he said smiling. "She was so mad when we got home. I couldn't make all her grumbling out, but what I did get is she got upset with my mum when she mentioned something to her."

At that moments Dumbledor stood up. Harry saw that Ray looked very white but yet happy it was hard to figure out.

"Welcome to a brand new year at Hogwarts, before we begin I have a few start of year notices. All first years should note that the forbidden forest is off limits to students under any circumstance. I would also like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Rachel Heart." Ray stood and smiled at the students as polite applause echoed through the hall, her face was still pale with fear.

"And now please enjoy your meals." The once bare plates were now full of delicious food.

*** Breakfast the Next Day ****

Harry, Ron and Hermione came into the great hall the next morning, well rested. Just as they sat down a large barn owl came and stopped in front of Harry. He immediately recognized the heavy yellow parchment and bright green ink. Harry quickly untied the letter and tore it open.

Dear Harry Professor Dumbledor wishes you to continue you Occlumency lessons with the help of Professor Heart. Please go to her office at 6:00 Wednesday night.

Professor McGonagall

Harry's relief at the fact that he would no longer have to spend hours alone with Professor Snape, was quickly over shadowed by worry. He had been having a few dreams over the summer, but nothing too sever, however if Professor Dumbledor felt he needed to continue his Occlumency Lessons it could only mean that there was still a chance that Voldemort would try to contact him through his dreams.

*** The First Class ***

Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the defense against the dark arts classroom that afternoon and realized that they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins. The first thing they noticed that Malfoy was looking very pleased about something. They heard him whisper as they sat down " she is bound to favor us she is really good friends with my father and Snape." He must mean Professor Heart thought Harry but what Malfoy didn't know is that she was on their side.

At that moment professor heart walked in, " settle down settle down now welcome to defense against dark arts I see here." She picked up a piece of paper from the desk. "That you have learned about creatures and cruses I am going to teach you about the two different kinds of magic's there are can any one name one. Yes miss. Granger" "The Dark Arts" "yes very good. Anyone else. No well it's just the basics that you learn in school also it includes apperating and disapperating and others like that, but as you already know a lot about that I am mostly going to show you the dark arts now you would be performing much of it just observing. Now there are very few people that clam do these things." Hermione's hand shot up in the air. "Yes miss. Granger." "You mean death Eaters," "Well yes and no not only Death Eater now this also Aurors have to have this sort of training. one of the hardest types of dart art would be making things appear or disappear with out a wand watch closely." She took an unlit candle from a box on the desk and placed it in front of her she stared at in for about 3 seconds then it lit, every one started to clap and she blew out the candle. " Now I will give you each a candle and will see if you can do it don't worry if you can't it takes years to perfect remember these keys all ways clear your mind and just concentrate on lighting that candle." She began handing out the candles and every one stared at them. the only one to do anything to the candle was Neville who made it smoke slightly.

*** Wednesday ***

Harry walked down the long corridor to professor Heart's office, when he entered the first thing he saw was a lot of pictures mostly of her and Lauren. There was another that looked like they were her parents both had black messy hair. There was another picture that caught his attention this one had a black cloth draped over it. Looking at the desk he saw three frames that were face down on the desk. Harry had very little time to ponder this for when he had spied the picture on the desk he heard Professor Heart behind him.
"Good evening Mr.Potter" she said as she shut the door with a snap
"Hello" he replied.

"Well let's begin Professor Snape taught you the basics did he not?"
"Yes."
"Well lets begin you may use any spell you can think of to defend your self. And also any memories that we inquire from the other will remain confidential just incase your wondering." She said this as she pushed boxes and chairs away from the center of the room 1..2..3 legilimens."

"Seines from harry life passed before his eyes harry immediately without thinking produced a shield charm then the images changed they were not his own but those of his teacher. He saw a little black hared girl laughing at her brother whose was playing a trick on another little girl whom was shouting back. Then a wedding, then she was holding a laughing baby on her nee while someone familiar was watching, then at funeral, looking into the caskets Harry saw the face of his father and mother the black hared girl was holding the baby, him. He was jerked a wake.

" I think that's all for to night Mr.Potter please come back tomorrow evening for our next lesson." She gave no indication that she was disturbed by what he had seen but Harry now knew something Professor Heart was not who she said she was Harry had a nagging felling as he left the office. He kept thinking that Rachel Heart was really someone much closer to him then he thought.

Author note ~ so how did you like that one I still really sorry about the first one the spelling was so bad. I don't know what I was doing. But this one is better and I will fix that one up when I have time I am still surprised I got this one out. Well thanks for reading.
Missy_Sarah