It had taken Professor McGonagall explain the situation to Janie for her to grasp why her father was so upset. She wasn't allowed to live on Hogwarts grounds during the summer. Apparently there had more than one attempt to kidnap her. She laid her head against the train window. Hagrid had taken her by motorbike to London, and now she was riding the train alone.

The night before had been a blur. Hagrid hadn't wanted to send her at all, because he was her father and she was safest with him. Professor McGonagall though, had insisted that Janie go live with a family called The Wesleays. She knew Ron, and he was nice enough despite Fluffles, whom he was terrified of.

It was almost nightfall again. Janie yawned widely, and rested her head against her new broomstick. Papa had taken her to Diagon Alley, and bought her the broom. He said it was going to be a Christmas present, (Janie adored flying) but he decided to get it then. The train came to a stop, and Janie grabbed her things. She only got a few strange looks for the oddly shaped broom, yet she had plenty over the giant inanimate spider hanging from her luggage.

Fluffles was stunned with a spell that Professor McGonagall had assure her wouldn't kill him, and that her new caretakers Molly and Arthur could very easily undo. Looking around her, Janie spotted two people with fiery red hair smiling at her.

"Over here, dearie." Said the woman. This must have been Molly. She always knitted Janie a sweater for Christmas. "How are you?"

"Tired." She responded, rubbing one of her eyes. Arthur grabbed her suitcase, but almost dropped it when he noticed Fluffles.

"I thought Hagrid had been kidding about the spider." He chuckled nervously. Molly paled slightly, but continued to smile.

"Don't worry. He's poisonous, yes, but he thinks he's a dog. He only attacks when he thinks I'm in real danger, and once he's unfrozen, he'll probably want to wander a bit." She explained. Molly took her hand, and the three of them left the train station. Janie didn't say much more. She was worried. Arthur and Molly kept murmuring as they drove to their home.

"Now, I must ask." Arthur looked in the mirror to see her face as they drove. "You're so articulated."

"Arthur!" Molly hissed.

"No, it's quite alright." Janie smiled. "I had grammar lessons with Professor McGonagall. She made sure that I knew when to speak comfortably, and when to speak properly." She explained. Fluffles had been removed from her trunk, and now sat alive next to her in the car.

"I see!" Arthur nodded. Molly swatted his arm. "I was curious!"

"Well, we want you to feel right at home with us, sweetie. You can choose any of the rooms in the house, except George's." She paused. Janie could see the deep sadness in her eyes. "Any other room is fine. All of my children are grown and gone. And your spider… well, we'll decide what to do with him tomorrow."

They pulled into the driveway, and Janie clambered out of the car. Arthur took her trunk inside, but Janie was busy staring at the crooked house. She grinned widely at it.

"This is lovely!" She exclaimed, following Molly up to the door.

"Thank you, dear. Now just head upstairs, and choose any old room, alright?" Molly went to the living room.

Janie and Fluffles headed up the stairs. On one side, there were rooms that said names like Bill, Charlie and Percy. Up another set of stairs there were Fred and George in one room, and Ginny in another. Ginny was Harry's wife. She really like Ginny, but she had never heard of Fred Wesleay. One more set of stairs, and there was the last room. It said Ronald's Room on the door.

Janie opened the door, and could see the left overs of Chudley Cannon posters. Janie herself was more of a HollyHead Harpies fan, but she could stand the Chudley Cannons. Looking at the sloped ceiling, and the nearly bare wall, Janie flopped on the bed.

"I think, Fluff, that this is going to be okay after all."

Over the next few weeks, Janie got to try out her racing broom, and got yelled at by Molly at least three times a day, if she was lucky. Arthur grew to like Fluffles, but Molly insisted that he wasn't supposed to be in the house. This went on every summer, Janie getting more and more of a Quiddicth player's build as she practiced with Victorie Weasley, and the teams back at Hogwarts.

The real excitement came during the summer after her eleventh birthday. Her Hogwarts letter had arrived.

"Janie!" Molly yelled from the door way of the Burrow. Janie was zooming low to the ground on her broom. The broom was an older model now, but she took good care of it so it flew like it was brand new. "The mail's here!"

The girl stopped on her broom and jumped down, sprinting to the house. Fluffles followed her closely. He was almost as big as she was. Puffing her massive curls away from her face, Janie grabbed her letter.

"'Miss Arachne Jane Hagrid, the Burrow.'" She began. Sweat decorated her skin from the summer. "'We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry!'" She squealed. Molly smiled at her. "I leave on September 1st, and I need to get the following books for my classes. I- Oh." Her smiled faded. "I-I can't take my broom."

"Oh, it'll be okay. Your father is the game keeper, surely you can keep it in his hut." Molly encouraged. "Speaking of your father…" She looked out the window. Janie jumped up, and ran own the drive way to jump into his arms. It was a rare treat to see him over the summer.

"I heard today was the day!" He smiled at his daughter. She could still easily be lifted with one of his hands, as she was a slight girl. Her massive black hair and gleaming eyes made people think she was actually his daughter, which neither of them minded this false thought.

"I got my letter, Papa!" She said. He scooped her up in his left hand, and set her on is shoulder. "Will I be allowed to have Fluffles?"

"I don't know. Have to ask Professor McGonagall. Shouldn't be ter much of a problem." He said. "You been mindin' Molly and Arthur, now haven't ya?"

"You know she doesn't, Hagrid." Molly said, meeting them halfway down the drive. Janie grinned wickedly.

"I try to, Pa, I swear!" She looked at him, and Molly knew it would be no use. He was a push over for that little girl. "I jus' can't seem ter want ter follow rules!"

"Ya'll be a Slytherin at the rate yer goin', kiddo." He threatened lightly.

"I won't be a Slytherin, but I don't care much for what house I am in. I'm too nice to be a Slytherin." She decided. "I wouldn't mind to be a Hufflepuff."

"I don't care what house you're in neither, but you still better behave for Molly." He took her off his shoulder, and the three went in the house. They ate lunch, and decided the week before she went to school, Janie would go to Diagon alley. She had been before, but never for her own things.

"Alright, go fly around for a bit." Molly told Janie. She hugged her father, and dashed outside. The two looked at each other. "Do you think we should introduce her to Teddy?"

"Can't say. She'd like him, but I don't know if Andromeda would be willing to meet her." Hagrid said, adjusting to the smaller size of the house.

"McGonagall thinks it'd be a good idea." She told him. "My heavens, I remember what her mother looked like, and she's just like her, only slimmer."

"She's nicer. Got a better personality I think."

"Yes." There was silence. "I'm going to write Andromeda."

The week before the term started, Janie woke with a start. The Floo chute had been activated. Fluffles was outside, so Janie crept down the stairs. She looked around the edge. There stood two new people. One woman was tall, and slim with a pretty face, and lots of curly black hair. The boy was skinny, with big eyes and oddly turquoise hair that hid his skinny, pale face.

"Gran, where are we?" He asked, looking at the woman.

"Molly Wesley's home. I told you, we're shopping with her in Diagon alley for your school supplies." She explained. Molly came bustling out of the kitchen, and spotted Janie.

"Well, don't just stand there. Come say hello." The woman turned around, and it was as if all the wind had been knocked out of her. She sat down in the nearest chair slowly, and kept staring at Janie as she took the stairs two at a time. The boy smiled at her.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Teddy Lupin, who are you?" He replied.

"I'm Janie Hagrid. You like Quiddicth?"

"Sure. I like to play beater. What about you?"

"I play beater too. Is this your first year at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah."

The two stared at each other for a while longer, before Molly clapped at them. They ate breakfast, already speaking as if they knew everything about each other. Andromeda had needed a moment to breath.

"You didn't tell me-"

"If I had you wouldn't have come!" Molly cut her off. "Yes, she is Astra, but she's nothing like either of her parents. She's sly, sure, but she's so much like-"

"Molly, I wish I had known." Andromeda took a deep breath. "We can't tell her who she is. Not until we break that awful Slytherin streak."

"I'm sure she will."

Hagrid met the group at Diagon alley that afternoon. Janie was ecstatic, but they stayed with Andromeda, Molly and Arthur.

"Molly, you think I can slip away for a bit? I wanna get Janie something special." Hagrid asked her. Molly nodded, and Janie didn't notice as her father slipped off. She and Teddy were too busy arguing about who would be the better Quiddicth player.

"I've played at Hogwarts, I'm a sure fire pick for the team, no matter what house I'm in." She said. They stopped in front of Flourish and Blotts, where Molly and Andromeda ducked inside. "Besides, I have my own broom."

"You can't take it with you. First years aren't allowed to have their own brooms." Teddy countered.

"My father's the Gamekeeper. I'll just keep it with him." She crossed her arms. "What house do you think you'll be in?"

"I hope Gryffindor, but my mum was a Hufflepuff, so I'd be happy there too." Teddy kicked at the ground.

"Where are your Mum and Dad, anyway?"

"Janie!" Hagrid roared, sneaking up on them. He held an odd package under his arm. "That is not the kind of question you ask someone."

"I just-"

"No. I don't want ter hear you ask that to Teddy again."

"Sorry, Teddy." She said. He smiled.

"I forgive you. I would tell you its okay, but then you would do it again."

"Right. I got this fer ya, Janie." Hagrid handed her the package. it was long and thin. Janie sat right there on the ground in front of Flourish and Blotts, and tore it open. She screamed.

"You got me a new broom?!" She hugged her father. "But..." She let him go, and looked at it longingly. "I can't have my own, not at school."

"Well, Professor McGonagall never said you couldn't keep it at my hut." She hugged her father again, and handed the broom to Teddy to admire. It was a Clean Sweep 13.

"That's amazing!" He said. They talked eagerly about the broom for a while, until Hagrid had to take it away from them again so they could finish shopping.

"Last stop, Olivanders." Molly announced. Janie swallowed a lump in her throat. They walked into the store, and were greeted by a younger man in decent clothing.

"Hello!" He smiled warmly at them. "First years to Hogwarts, I presume?"

"Yes sir." Janie and Teddy said together.

"Well, Ladies first." Janie stepped up. The man handed her a slim, dark wand. "This is Oak, 9 inches, with a phoenix feather core." She took it, and flicked it towards Hagrid.

"Sorry Daddy!" She squeaked after setting his beard on fire. The man took the wand, and handed it to Teddy. He knocked wands off the shelves.

"Sorry." He said. The man took it, and handed Janie a new one. It was silver, with intricate lace like designs in it. Janie didn't even wave it before he tore it from her grasp. Teddy didn't touch it.

The third wand Janie fell in love with.

"This wand is Birch. 13 inches, very sturdy. It has a dragon heartstring core." He handed it to her. She pointed it at the chair Hagrid had settled on, and the chair vanished. She laughed. "There you are." Janie didn't hear the price, as she was busy staring intently at her wand.

Teddy was given a wand that was made of Ebony. It was 10 inches, and had a unicorn hair core. The two new friends were getting tired of their adventures in Diagon alley. After a hearty meal at the Leaky Cauldron, they departed company.

"I'll see you on the first." Teddy promised, shaking her hand. He leaned in close. "Then I'll tell you what happened to my Mum and dad."

"Okay." Janie smiled. "I hope we're in the same house." He nodded in agreement.

September First could not come soon enough for the fast friends.