It had been almost a week and everyone was gearing up for Harry's birthday and the trip to Diagon Alley.
Leah was mostly healed and frequently joined Harry and Sirius on walks around the castle, because she had to make sure Harry was alright, even if it was only an hour per Madam Pompfrey's request for her not overexert herself.
This is where they were now, and even though Harry had warmed up to Sirius and Remus too, Leah still didn't trust anyone except Severus . After their encounter in the tower, she was constantly near him, hiding when others visited the castle and watching him make potions while Harry was with Sirius learning about Hogwarts and wizardry.
She and Snape didn't exchange much except when he would ask her if she were hungry which was a constant "no".
Harry seemed to be adjusting fairly well on the other hand. He was always wandering the castle, already visiting the newly discovered trophy case more than twice a day just to see his father's name gleam in front of him.
They were passing the case now, and seeing as Leah seemed to need a bit of a break, they stopped and Harry pressed his nose against the glass, smiling in delight that his father's trophies were still there.
"Are you going to play quidditch Harry?" Sirius asked, leaning next to the case.
"I hope so!" Harry said excitedly.
Sirius smiled and looked over at Leah who was resting against the castle wall.
"What about you Leah?"
After a few hesitant looks and a deep breath she whispered,
"I don't like heights. I'd rather cheer Harry on from the ground." She seemed to momentarily be somewhere else before she shook her head and looked at Sirius briefly then casting her eyes to the ground.
"That's just fine, your mother used to cheer for you father and didn't take much to the severity of quidditch either." This seems to relieve her of some anxiety.
Sirius heard the clock chime four times and released they'd been walking for two hours; no wonder Leah was practically ready to collapse. Although she had healed of her broken bones and internal bleeding, she was still experiencing bouts of pain in her legs and shortness of breath. Poppy had assured them all this would pass in time, but her body just needed more time.
"We have to get ready for dinner, the Order will be here soon. Leah can you walk, or shall I carry you?" Sirius asked.
She peered up at him before trying to walk and almost landing on the floor, only barely caught by Harry.
"I can carry her on my back Sirius. I used to do it all the time, she's not heavy at all." Leah looked like she liked this much better than the idea of Sirius carrying her and as long as Harry could manage it, he'd allow it.
Harry crouched down and she climbed on clumsily before clasping her hands around him. He stood up unsteadily at first but got his balance quickly and started the trek toward the familiar infirmary.
Harry was completely healed physically and had been since three days after showing up, but considering Leah needed help healing still, they both remained in the infirmary.
They arrived at dinner by 5:30 and sat before any one else arrived. Harry was going on about how he couldn't wait to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow but Leah was a bit frightened since they still didn't know who was going to take them. As long as it wasn't the Headmaster, she would be fine, at least that's what she told herself.
Another ten minutes went by before Remus walked through the door.
"I see were all eager to have dinner, Sirius." He winked and sat next to Sirius before explaining the rest of the company would be arriving shortly after a slight delay of something he wasn't saying aloud with the children present.
Severus was the next to walk in and Leah was hoping he'd sit next to her. She knew all the members were nice and friends of her parents but for some reason, Severus seemed the safest. This was the first time the Order members were eating dinner with them as well and she was nervous about their questions that might be asked.
Severus looked at her briefly but she averted her eyes, she didn't want to get in trouble for making eye contact. If she had at the Dursley's it had almost immediately meant a beating and she wasn't sure her body could handle one right now.
He sat next to her and to say the others in the room were surprised was an understatement. Most of the meal times were spent in the infirmary and only recently had they started going to the great hall to have dinner at the same time as the returning professors that had arrived two days ago. Snape usually sat at another table, the children frequently ate with Sirius and if he wasn't there, themselves.
The door opened yet again and this time it brought some disgruntled members who sat around the table with Molly Weasley directly across from Leah.
It didn't take long to see what had riled them up however, as Albus Dumbledore walked into the room and sat at the head of the table.
Leah physically tensed next to him, but Severus just hoped she wouldn't run away this time. They had all told the man not to show up for dinner without letting the children know in advance but he had come anyway. Minerva looked particularly upset.
"Shall we eat?" He had said, in the most Dumbledore voice they had ever heard.
Leah was still shaking slightly but she did not leave although Harry had grabbed her hand in support his time.
The meal appeared in front of them and everyone began to eat silently, including Harry who was sure he'd never seen this much food in his lifetime as he saw in front of him tonight.
Leah had not picked up her fork yet, but getting her to eat was much more of a struggle. While Harry was gradually learning to eat almost a whole meal for the first time in his life, Leah had yet to eat a few more bites a day. Poppy had said her stomach was probably so small she couldn't eat much, and it may even make her sick right now. Harry had clearly eaten more often than her even though that wasn't much at all either. She had a nutrition potion three times given by either Poppy or Severus and this would continue until she ate more.
"Leah, you need to eat dear. We have to fatten you up." Molly's voice carried across the table.
She timidly grabbed her fork and took a minuscule bite, which Severus was sure just to please Molly. It did just that as she nodded and went back to her meal.
"So who is going to take the children to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" Moody asked.
"Well everyone is busy except Severus or Sirius, but I assumed they could both go." Dumbledore interjected before anyone else could answer. This caused discord as everyone knew they did not like each other.
"Sirius is perfectly capable of going alone." Harry seemed alright with this but Leah had put down her fork a bit more forcefully than necessary.
"I believe Leah would prefer if you went as well Severus." Dumbledore responded. Leah's voice immediately entered his mind.
You don't have to come. I'll be fine.
Her voice wasn't especially convincing to him.
"I guess I must go because if you let the mutt go alone he'd probably forget half the list and cause trouble wherever they go." Severus got a few laughs, a two menacing glares and he swore he saw a small smile on Leah's face; a first.
Dinner continued smoothly although Leah did not eat anything else.
Afterwards Harry convinced several male members to show him a mock quidditch game while Leah sat in the stands with the Weasley's. Severus was unfortunately preoccupied with potions and readying for tomorrow.
Harry had never been more excited as he was right now on Remus's broom, flying for the first time, even if it was Remus flying.
He had been scared at first and almost joined Leah who refused to even go on the field, but as soon as they were in the air, he knew it was something he loved.
Several others were flying under them, playing a game of quidditch, and they were doing quite well for older wizards.
Harry was so exhilarated learning all the terms and how to play, Leah however was panicking.
"Are you sure Harry is safe up there?" she inquired quietly for the hundredth time.
"Of course dear, he's with Remus, he'll be fine." Her assurances didn't comfort Leah much.
Half an hour passed when suddenly Leah was extremely cold and began to shake uncontrollably. Molly Weasley called those playing and they were all perplexed as it seemed she was having a muggle seizure.
Leah of course knew shortly before the attack, what was happening it had happened twice before in fact. This was the first time in front of anyone however as she had always been in the cupboard alone when they occurred.
She was seeing things that had not happened yet. She saw a a cloth, a mirror, some odd creature that resembled a dog, and fire.
When she awoke she was in the infirmary bed, Harry and Sirius sitting around her.
"Leah? Are you feeling alright? Don't scare me like that again!" Harry was holding her hand, however she could tell the adults knew what had happened and suddenly she couldn't breathe and she was filled with dread.
Severus walked over and could see the fear taking hold of Leah.
"You had a premonition, has this happened before." She thought she should lie, but she was never a good liar. She simply nodded her head and curled into a ball.
"Leah, you never told me you could do that too! It's so cool, I just wished it didn't make you pass out." Harry continued to hold her hand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to think I was freak too."
When the words left the girl's mouth Severus almost yelled.
"No one would ever believe you were a freak Leah, these extra abilities, they're gifts." Sirius said in response. Leah didn't seem convinced at all.
"I am a freak, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon told me so. If they knew about the visions and the talking in Harry's head and the things I kew by touching them, they'd probably kill me."
This took everyone by bewilderment as she had never talked so much at once, there was one more gift they hadn't known about and most importantly the fact that she thought the Dursley's would kill her for being herself.
"You are not a freak." Severus said first.
Leah continued to keep her head on her knees.
"When did the abilities appear Leah?" he asked.
"When we first found the box when I was three. When I lifted it out of the trash I saw a flash of where the box started, ended up with us and everything in between. We didn't know we were magic then. Shortly after was when they moved Harry to the room upstairs and we learned I could talk to him without speaking aloud or being in the same room. Then when we were five I had my first vision about Harry and how was going to get hit by a car. I stopped him from going across the street when I saw it was happening just like I saw in the vision and he was safe."
She took a deep breath.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry sniffed.
"I didn't want you to hate me too." She whispered.
