The Second Star
3
The New Griffindor
"Why's she carrying the Sorting Hat," Hermione said stiffly. All eyes followed Adhara as she crossed the hall and sat between Neville and Lavender. Adhara smiled nervously at them.
"Are you in Griffindor," Lavender asked.
"Yeah, I tried the hat on in Mr. Dumbledor's office." Harry remembered his Sorting; he wished he tried the hat on in privet too. Adhara caught Harry's eye and grinned.
'What? What is she up too? Why does she look familiar?'
"Hey Ron, Hermione, can one of you tell me the password? I still have Max with me," Adhara leaned over Neville to say. Ron got a pink twinge in his face and opened his mouth to respond.
"You'll have to wait like everyone else," Hermione snapped. Adhara looked taken aback but said nothing.
"That was harsh Hermione," Ron whispered to her.
"What happened to you thinking she has connections with Voldemort," Hermione whispered back angrily.
"Why can't you both just leave her alone," Harry said quietly. Hermione and Ron both stared at him but said nothing. The plates filled with food. Harry kept glancing at Adhara out of the corner of his eye. She kept casually dropping bits of food on the floor. The plates cleared and Dumbledor stood to make his speech.
"Harry, I told Luna about Adhara and she reckons she's being possessed by a Death Eater," Ginny whispered, leaning over Ron.
"Leave her alone," Harry muttered. Ginny stared at him.
"-and last, Defense Against the Dark Arts classes will be postponed until further notice," Dumbledor said. The hall started muttering loudly.
"What? Not DADA classes," Adhara said glumly.
"Er, 'dada'," Ron said. Adhara turned to him as the Griffindors started leaving the Great Hall.
"Yeah, it's an abbreviation," she said sounding mildly surprised. Max was trotting at her heels looking sleepy.
"You know, dogs aren't allowed as a school pet," Hermione said disapprovingly. "Some people have cats."
"Max is allowed, I checked with Mr. Dumbledor and he's very good with cats seeing that my mother has two," Adhara assured her.
"And why is Max a special case," Hermione asked stiffly.
"Because my mom's a Muggle," she said. "So I had to bring him."
"Your dad couldn't watch him? It sounds like he's a wizard from the way-"
"I don't know my dad." Adhara didn't look very happy. Hermione looked very sorry that she went too far. "Just say the password or we'll be stuck out here all night." They were in front of the Fat Lady and the other Griffindors were starting to fuss.
"Canis Major," Ron said. Adhara led the way into the common room.
"Why did you have to badger her like that? Why couldn't you leave her alone," Harry said angrily. The rest of the Griffindors went to their dormitories as Harry sat himself in a chair in a far corner. Ron followed him over.
"Hermione's going to apologize to Adhara," Ron said. Harry nodded. "Are you coming to bed?" Harry nodded.
"Later, I need time to think," Harry said sadly. Ron turned away.
"Erm, Harry? Why do you keep defending her? She is nice to look at but you barely know her," Ron asked.
"It doesn't feel that way. I feel like I've meet her before," Harry said. "I'll be up in a minute." Ron left.
Harry felt exhausted but never less he didn't start falling drowsy until well after two in the morning. His eyes snapped open for the fifth time. It wasn't until a second later that he realized Max was in his lap and Adhara was feet away, crouching by the embers writing a note with a beautiful barn owl on her knee.
Her quill stopped and she folded the letter. Harry watched her tie it to her owl's leg.
"Take this strait to the Minister of Magic. I don't care if you wake him either Aarow, just do it," Adhara said. Aarow gave a whispery noise and flew through an open window. Adhara walked over to Harry and Max. Harry instantly shut his eyes.
'What business does she have with Fudge? She just moved here, how does she even know Fudge?'
Harry felt Adhara pick Max up. He opened one eye and watched her sit in the chair next to his.
"Max, search the castle from anything. He must have left his mark somewhere in this castle," Adhara said. The little dog jumped from her lap and trotted out of the portrait hole.
'Who's the guy that left his mark?'
"Hmm, Harry are you awake," Adhara asked. She was fiddling with a golden locket. Harry's heart jumped.
"Er, yeah. Well I am now," he said sitting up. "Listen Adhara, Hermione-."
"She all ready said sorry. You can't blame her for acting how she did. I mean Lord Voldemort has put a Death Eater in here before from what I've heard," Adhara said.
"Y-you said his name," Harry said stunned.
"Well yeah, it's his name. You usually have them so people can call you by them," Adhara said logically. "Hermione is never going to really like me, none of you friends will so I don't need you telling them off if they say something about me."
"But why shouldn't they like you? It can't be because you're American," Harry said.
"Well, truthfully I was born here. I moved to America before you got your scar," Adhara explained. "It doesn't matter if it is because of that. Hermione might not like someone else knowing the answers too. She came across as an all knowing to me."
"Why do you have an American accent then," Harry asked, brushing off that she called Hermione a know-it-all.
"Oh, my mother is American. She came here for college and met my father. They got married but then Voldemort got stronger so my dad told my mom to move back and he'd come and get her when it was safer."
"Why didn't he go with you and your mum," Harry asked hating Voldemort worse.
"He wanted to fight. He felt he needed to fight him. We would have moved back sooner but my mother, being a Muggle, was scared. She knew a bit about wizards and magic before she met my dad but Voldemort scared her," Adhara explained. Adhara stood up as did Harry.
"Voldemort's evil. He deserves to die," Harry said. He was on the verge of telling her about the prophecy but buried the thought.
"Worse then death. I'm going off to bed," Adhara said. "Oh and Harry...thanks."
