The
Gryffindor common room was packed full to the brim of laughing and
joking students. Harry checked his watch. 1. 30 Am. A small
1st year that looked exactly like Harry was sat next to him grinning
and chatting to Ginny Hermione, a bottle of butterbeer in her hand.
Ron was laughing with Dean, Seamus and another first year called
James about the previous event. Harry was glad that Ron had
apologised to him, even though Ginny did have to kind of force
him.
Sat around him was the greatest Gryffindor quidditch team
Harry had ever seen.
Harry, himself, who was the fasted seeker at
Hogwarts.
Ginny who could score more points in 5 minutes than
Hermione could answer questions.
Ron who was now perfect at his
Keeping abilities
The new beaters Robert Sharpe and Jordan Sunerly
who where almost as good as the Weasley twins.
His new chaser
Charlotte James who, with Ginny, could win an intentional quidditch
game by themselves
And another new chaser Sapphire Malfoy. The 1st
year sat next to him. She had never flown a broom till Thursday night
but both she and Charlotte got 10 goals each in 5 minutes. Charlotte
was a 4th year but Sapphire was only in her 1st year at Hogwarts, yet
she flew like she'd been training all her life.
Harry could
only smile to himself.
What made the evening better was that a
girl called Lola who loathes Sapphire when she didn't make the team
threw her broom at the ground but it bounced up and hit her in the
face. Now she was sat across from Harry with a group of friends
looking sour and a huge red mark on her forehead.
"You alright
Harry?" Ginny had moved to sit on the other side of him
"Yeah"
Harry grinned
"Good call this year" Ginny said gesturing to
the team.
"Yeah" Harry said again. Why couldn't he think of
anything to say?
"I didn't realise Sapphire was so good at
quidditch" Ginny wondered
"She's brilliant. She had never
flown a broom until Thursday night" Harry said
"You're
joking"
"Nope"
Ginny looked impressed. There was a moment
of silence.
"You know Sapphire reminds me a lot of you" She
said
"How?" Harry asked quickly
"Well for starters you
look nearly identical. Both the families you've been living with
have disowned you. You're both related to Sirius and you both love
quidditch"
Harry thought for a moment. Sapphire really was like
him. The only thing missing was the scar really. And also the fact
that Harry was a boy and Sapphire was a girl. Was this some sort of
connection between Harry and Sapphire? Maybe there was more Sapphire
than meets the eye.
Transfiguration had seemed to become a
lot tougher than Harry thought. His next lesson was proving to be
difficult and both Harry and Ron just didn't get the hang of it.
Last year they had started conjuring objects. Now they were conjuring
bigger objects like Wardrobes and large animals
In this
particular lesson Professor McGonagall was asking them to conjure
Unicorns out of thin air. Because the classroom would be too small
they used the Great Hall instead. All the house tables had
disappeared and there was a huge space for them to practice.
Harry
had his wand gripped in his hand and was concentrating with all his
might.
"Cornunus" He cried he waved his wand but nothing just
a lot of gold smoke appeared in front of him, wafting it away he
looked around the room.
Ron was having a similar
problem
"Cornunum – no – cornsumu – "He stuttered he
waved his wand wildly and dropped his wand. Ears glowing he picked up
his wand mumbling.
Hermione had almost done it but so far could
only conjure a horse.
Dean was stamping on Seamus robes that he'd
accidentally set fire to apologising over and over again.
Neville
had his eyes closed his wand ready concentrating hard.
"Cornunus"
He said and waved his wand and with a puff of gleaming silver smoke a
brilliant white unicorn was standing before him. Hermione's
jaw dropped. No way had Neville just out beaten her in
transfiguration?
The class stared speechless at the unicorn with
Neville was now patting. A huge smile on his face. Harry and never
seen him so happy, or been able to do such advanced magic.
"Well
done Mr Longbottom" said Professor McGonagall striding towards him.
"I see you have been practicing, well 20 points to Gryffindor and I
suggest you should all take a leaf out of Mr Longbottom's book and
get practicing". She smiled at Neville and began helping other
students.
"Hey Neville do you think you could help us a bit"
Harry called to him Neville came over to them. He spotted Hermione's
horse.
"Hermione you've almost got it, just concentrate more
on the look of the unicorn and you should get it" He advised. He
turned away from a glowering Hermione and began on Harry and
Ron.
"Harry if it helps close your eyes for a second and
visualise a unicorn on your head" He said. "Then you need to
concentrate really hard -"
"– That's what we're doing"
Ron retorted. Harry shot him a look.
"Ron do you want to be able
to do the charm or what" Harry said
"I was just saying" said
Ron darkly.
"Sorry Neville carry on"
"Then you have to
wave your wand, but not like a windmill like Ron was" –Ron huffed
– "But do it gracefully, now give it a go"
Harry closed his
eyes and thought clearly of a unicorn. Its shining white coat, it's
swishing silver tail, its glittering horn.
"Cornunus" He
swished is wand and silver clouds obscured his vision. He wafted the
smoke away and stood before him was a glowing unicorn. Shocked at his
performance he moved forward to stroke it. He had never really been
up-close to a unicorn. Its pure whiteness dazzled his eyes. The bell
for next period rang through the school and Professor McGonagall
began vanishing the unicorns from the hall. Harry Ron and Hermione
collected their bags from the back of the hall and set off for
Defence against the dark arts.
"Well that wasn't so bad"
said Harry
"At least you actually conjured a unicorn"
Hermione snapped.
"Hermione, I didn't even conjure anything"
Ron argued. "You actually made some progress. All I did was make
green sparks come out of my wand"
Hermione opened her mouth to
retort but she closed it again. She new she had been beaten. Ron
glanced sideways at her.
They entered their classroom to find
Lupin ready and waiting for them.
"Hello Professor" Harry said
as they took their seats in the classroom
"Hello Harry" Lupin
said cheerfully. "And Hermione and Ron"
"Hi Professor"
Soon
the rest of the class joined them and mutters of excitement began to
fill the room. Professor Lupin was the best defence against the dark
art teacher they had ever had. In their third year He had shown them
all sorts of creatures and spells.
"Quite now class" Lupin
said" I'm so glad to be back here and to see so many familiar
faces." Harry looked around the room all the faces where smiling
except the Slytherins who were muttering darkly to each other. Harry
could see Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson among them.
"Right I
thought we'd tackle a patronus"
A ripple of murmurs went
through the class. Harry, who already new how to do a perfect
patronus charm, smiled to Hermione and Ron. He had tried to teach
some of the DA in his 5th year to do a patronus, but never really got
the chance to progress it.
Lupin turned to Harry.
"Harry you
already know how to do a patronus so please would you assist me" He
said. Harry nodded. "excellent, now the patronus charm is what
anyone can tell me?"
Most of the class raised their hand. Harry
could see nearly all of them were members of the DA.
"Yes Mr
Thomas" Lupin said pointing at Dean.
"It acts as like a
shield, it repels dementors" Dean explained winking at Harry.
"Well
done 5 points to Gryffindor, yes it is like a shield and it takes the
form of an animal that is most like the wizard that has conjured it."
"Take Harry's patronus for instance, his is a stag because of
his father, does anyone else now what their patronus was"
Only
Hermione raised her hand this time.
"Yes Miss Granger"
"Mine
is an otter sir …. I tried it out by myself" She added
quickly
"Are you able to perform a proper patronus?" Lupin
asked
"No I've only tried the charms once to see if I could
really do it"
Lupin smiled, looking impressed then continued
talking to the class.
"Well then the word cantation is expo
patronum for the patronus charm, but to make the charm work properly
you must think of the happiest thought you can think of"
Harry
looked around the classroom again most people had there eyes closed.
Obviously trying to think of a happy memory, though Neville didn't
but when Harry caught his eye he smiled at him. Harry had a good idea
what Neville's happy memory would be.
Half an hour later
Harry Ron and Hermione where sat in the courtyard at break time
discussing the previous lesson.
"Well I definitely know that
mine was something big" Ron said. "It might have been a lion or
maybe a dragon."
Harry wasn't listing, Ginny had just walked
through the courtyard with a gang of her friends, but to Harry's
disappointment she didn't notice them. Sapphire and James appeared
in the courtyard just as Ginny and her friends left. Harry Ron and
Hermione waved at them, and they waved back
"Hi Sapphire,
James", Harry said once they were in ear shot.
"Morning guys"
James said, He sat down next to Harry. But Sapphire remained
standing. She looked rather paranoid and kept glancing at everyone.
Once or twice she would touch her left fore arm.
"Are you
alright Sapphire?" Harry asked. "You seem at bit jumpy."
"What?
Oh... I'm fine" She said not looking at Harry, but glancing over
her shoulder. The bell sounded for the end of break and she left
without James or saying goodbye.
"She's been like this all
say, I don't know what's wrong" James said staring after
Sapphire.
"Just keep an eye on her ok?" Hermione said looking
concerned.
"I will, see you later" James followed Sapphire's
route and disappeared.
"Blimey she looked at little pale" Ron
said as they made their way to herbology. "Didn't she".
"I'll
have a word with her" Harry said then he had a thought. "I bet
its Malfoy, I bet he's said something to her"
"It would
explain why she was so nervous; He probably has Crabbe and Goyle
watching her" Hermione said
"It is the sort of thing Malfoy
would do" Harry said. "Terrorising his younger sister"
"Not
to mention he disowned her" Ron said. "I mean, her hole family
hates her"
Hermione looked like she was about to cry.
"Poor
girl" She said. "We really have to help her"
We sure do
Harry thought, Harry some how felt that he had to protect Sapphire.
She reminded him of himself so much it was unbelievable. Harry felt
there was this amazing connection between the two of them, yet Harry
didn't know how. Sapphire was more like a sister to him than a
friend.
At the end of the day Harry looked everywhere in the
castle for Sapphire, he even asked James but he just said that she
left history of magic with out waiting for him. Harry found her in an
empty classroom on the second floor. She was sat on a table with her
legs crossed. She was looking at something on her left arm but when
Harry opened the door she immediately pulled her sleeve down.
"Oh
hi I didn't realise anyone would come in here" She said
quickly.
Harry closed the door behind him and sat on the table
with Sapphire.
"What's been up lately?" He asked
"Nothing"
Sapphire said in a clear tone that said it was not nothing.
"Come
on Sapphire I know something's up with you"
"Really Harry
it's nothing"
Harry raised his eyebrows. Sapphire really was a
bad lair.
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you"
Sapphire said looking away from him.
"So there is something up
with you" Harry said grinning.
"Fine, there is" Sapphire
said angrily, glaring at Harry
"Is it Malfoy?"
"What?"
"Has
Malfoy been saying to you?"
"Its not about Draco, well not in
the way that your think of"
"It isn't?" That was the only
thing Harry thought would be wrong with Sapphire. Now he was
clueless.
"Well in what way is it to do with Draco?" Harry
asked
"I …. Sapphire trailed off. Harry looked at her. She was
looking at the window. Her eyes glistened with tears, which silently
dropped on to her cheeks. She bowed her head and wiped her tears on
her sleeve.
Harry put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up.
Her brilliant emerald green eyes shined brightly and Harry pulled her
into a hug.
Harry had never had a sister, but Sapphire was as
close to one as he could get. Harry would do anything for Sapphire,
he respected her and he would not let any harm come her way. Sapphire
was almost Harry's family, something he didn't have a lot of, and
neither did Sapphire. Both of them had been ripped of their
families by Voldemort, it made Harry angry that a girl this young
could survive with no family. Yet Harry survived, he was once
Sapphires age and Harry had had to live his whole life with out his
family. He had to grow up with the Dursleys. Harry felt the sides of
his eyes prickle slightly. He had to be strong for Sapphire. Harry
pulled himself together and let go of Sapphire.
"Harry I just
want you to know …. You're like a brother to me" Sapphire said
quietly
"I am?" Harry said. His heart lifted. Sapphire nodded
her head.
"Ever since I got here you were the one who looked
after me, and you know what I have to go through" She said looking
up at Harry. "I mean Hermione looks after me aswel and Hermione is
great, but I can really relate to you."
Harry beamed at Sapphire
and he was glad that he got a smile in return.
"I sound really
cheesy don't I" Sapphire said looking embarrassed
Harry
laughed
"Of course you don't, I mean I always think of you
like my younger sister" Harry confessed. "I mean look at us, were
like twins."
"Good point" Sapphire agreed, Harry was glad
she was smiling again. He decided not to question Sapphire anymore
about Malfoy, for fear of upsetting her. Harry would leave it for
now, but keep a close eye on both of the Malfoy siblings.
Soon
the last September sun evaporated from the grounds and replaced it
instead with cold gusting winds that blew up leaves from the ground
and billowed everybody's cloaks around them.
Quidditch practice
began on one Tuesday evening. Harry and the rest of the team were in
the changing rooms talking over tactics.
"We have a good
chance of winning this year" Harry said standing in front of the
team and surveying them. "I mean look at us, this is one of the
best teams we've ever had"
"Plus this is mine and Ron's
last year at Hogwarts, so you have to make me proud, right let's
get on with it"
The team filed out with their brooms in hand and
onto the pitch. All of them mounted and kicked off from the
ground.
"Right Charlotte can you go get the quaffle and then
we'll start with just passing it around" When Charlotte had
retrieved the large scarlet ball from the trunk on the ground she
paced it to Jordan, who passed it to Robert, who passed it to Harry,
who passed it to Sapphire. After 5 minutes of perfect passing Harry
decided that everybody should play their positions's and see how
they got on. Harry let out the snitch and bludgers. He gave
the snitch a head start so he could watch the rest of the team.
Sapphire was doing excellent, and Charlotte and Ginny were taking
great care of her. Ron was circling his hoops and Jordan and Robert
where hitting the bludgers with such force Harry felt a vibration in
his ribs every time the bludgers came past him.
After practice
they all gathered in the changing rooms once again to here Harry's
review.
"Wow" He said. "That's all I can say really, you
all flew brilliant" The team cheered and began changing.
"Hey
Harry I'll walk up with you" said Ginny
"Sure" Harry
smiled at her. As the rest of the team Harry and Ginny walked slowly
on purpose back up to the castle.
"In all my quidditch playing,
I have never seen a better team" Ginny said walking close to
Harry
"We are so going to win that cup this year" Harry said
the breeze lifted Ginny's flaming hair back slightly so he could
see all her face. She was smiling.
For a moment they didn't
talk, rather awkward for the both of them. Soon they reached the
castle doors. Harry checked his watch. It was only 6 o'clock they
had ages till they were suppose to be in bed.
"You know I feel
like we haven't talked for ages" Ginny said
"We talk all the
time" Harry said
"You know what I mean Harry"
Harry
grinned. The reached the portrait of the fat lady
"Animus"
The portrait sung open to reveal the common room, packed with
students. It was too early to go to bed. Ron Hermione Sapphire and
James were sat near the fire and they waved as Harry and Ginny
approached them. There were limited spaces, Sapphire and James where
sharing an arm chair. Ginny and Harry sat on the floor together.
"You
took your time" Hermione said from behind her book
"We were
just talking" Harry said blushing slightly. He tried to hide his
face and stared into the fire. He could see Hermione smile slightly
in the corner of his eye.
"Anyway Harry, when's the first
match?" James asked. He and Sapphire were rather close together on
that arm chair.
"In a couple of weeks actually, Gryffindor
verses Slytherin" Harry said with out a trace of fear in his voice.
There was no need to be worried.
Harry's scar suddenly prickled
painfully, this was happening more frequently now, but at the same
time Sapphire held her left and looked frightened. Only Hermione
noticed, stealing glances from Sapphire to Harry. Harry nodded his
head towards the portrait hole.
"Harry and Ron we need to finish
of those essays" Hermione said snapping her book shut and jumping
up
"What essays?" Ron asked looking puzzled. Obviously not
catching on. Hermione stood on his foot.
"Oh yeah those essays,
we'd better go to the library" Harry said through clenched teeth
glaring at Ron. "See you later" He grabbed Ron and pulled him out
of the common room followed by Hermione.
"Harry what is going -"
Ron started
"Not here" Harry hissed. He pulled them into an
empty classroom and shut the door. Hermione folded her arms and
looked worried.
"What are you thinking Harry?" She asked
quietly
"I don't know" Harry said pacing up and down the
class room. "I have an idea, but I hope I'm not right"
"I
hope I'm not thinking what you're thinking" Hermione said
looking shocked
"What are you two on about?" Ron said
"Be
quiet Ron" Hermione snapped
Ron folded his arms and looked
moody
"Sapphire said she leaked some information on Voldemort
didn't she" Harry said ignoring Ron. He wasn't about to explain
this to Ron, and he had a good reason.
Hermione nodded her
head
"Yes, but why would Voldemort do that?" Hermione asked in
horror
"Maybe to scare her, for what she's done" Harry said
coming to a stand still. "It would explain why she's been acting
strange lately, because my scar keeps hurting aswel"
"Yes it
all fits" Hermione said
"This is ridiculous guys what are you
talking about" Ron pleaded
Hermione took a deep breath and
looked at Harry. He nodded yet he would rather not Ron knew what they
were thinking.
"We think Sapphires been branded with the dark
mark" Hermione slowly
Ron's jaw dropped
"So I was right
all a long then" Ron said angrily
"No we don't mean like
that" said Hermione quickly
"We mean that she's been
branded with the dark mark so she can be tortured, and scared to show
what she's done" Harry said fiercely. This was exactly how Harry
had pictured Ron's reaction. Ron fell silent, like Harry, he didn't
want another argument between them.
"Sapphire was all ways
holding her left arm, the-"Harry said
"- Same arm that the
dark mark is on" Hermione whispered
"When I talked to her that
day she was acting paranoid, I asked if it was something to do with
Malfoy" Harry said resuming his pacing. "She said it was
something like that, when I pressed on she got upset, when I walked
in she was looking at something at her left arm and -" All of
sudden Harry banged his fist on a desk beside him, making Ron and
Hermione jump. His temper rose to its highest in days. How could some
do this to Sapphire? Then he remembered this was Voldemort they were
talking about, he doesn't care how many lives he destroyed, he
doesn't care how many people he was to torture and scare for life.
Harry was furious, Sapphire was like his sister and she has to go
through everything Harry went through. Hermione had sunk into a
chair, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"This is horrible" she
whispered
Harry dropped into a chair beside her his face buried in
his hands.
Just then the door opened and Sapphire and James came
in. James had his hand in Sapphires but instantly let go when they
realised that the classroom was already occupied. Hermione jumped up
and wiped her eyes hastily on her sleeve.
"Sapphire can I
...erm… talk to you for a sec?" Harry said. Nobody moved. "In
private". Ron and Hermione scurried out pushing James along with
them and they closed the door. Sapphire stood with her arms
folded.
"I thought you went to the library" Sapphire said
coolly. There was no use lying to her.
"Ok so we didn't"
Harry said He drew up a chair for her and gestured for her to take.
Sapphire cautiously took the seat opposite Harry and stared at
him.
"What's wrong?" she asked sounding slightly worried,
Harry didn't say anything. How could he ask her? He was stuck for
words.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?" He asked her,
finally deciding on good enough question.
"No" sapphire said
plainly
"Are you sure there isn't anything you want to share,
something you wouldn't really want to share with anybody
else?"
Sapphire's beautiful eyes widened slightly but she
slowly shook her head. Harry was slightly disappointed that she was
lying to him.
"What if I looked at your left arm" Harry said
quietly
Sapphire gasped and clapped a trembling hand to her mouth.
Tears dropped on to her skin and she closed her eyes. A tiny sob came
from behind her hand. She brought her hand away and opened her
shinning eyes.
"How did you know" She whispered splattering
diamond tears on to her robes
"We guessed" Harry said
truthfully. "Your were always holding your left arm, when ever my
scar hurt you always would grasp your left arm"
Sapphire
breathed in a sob
"It's always haunted me" She said
furiously. "I'm always reminded about my messed up life, how I
don't have a family" she clenched her fists.
"I've had to
hide it from everyone, think about what people might say about me,
ill ready get stared at and I don't want more."
"You won't
have to worry though" Harry said. "I've gone through everything
you've gone through"
"That's why I'm scared"
There
was silence between them. Harry could feel his eyes start to prickle
slightly. He lowered his head; he did not want Sapphire to see that
he was crying. He had to be strong for his sister.
After a few
moments Harry thought it was safe to raise his head again. Sapphire
was looking at him through her bright emerald green eyes, her long
shining black hair draped over her shoulders. She was beautiful, and
Harry was proud to call her his sister. He will not let anyone take
her away from him
Sapphire breathed and took the hem of her left
sleeve and silently pulled up it back to the top of her arm.
There
tattooed on her arm, bearing back at Harry was the dark mark.
Harry
looked back at Sapphires face. From two pairs of brilliant emerald
green eyes tears fell silently down its owners cheeks.
