"Ron" called Hermione from Ron's bedroom.

Ron who was walking up the stairs replied "Yeah"

"Can you come in here?"

Hermione heard shuffling footsteps and Ron walked in, he sat on his bed next to her. "What is it?"

"Nothing I just want to ask you something"

"Shoot"

"Well I got a call from my parents, they've taken in a foster kid and they want me to meet him, would you come to?"

"Ah, I, see" said Ron "In case he's a tool and you want me to knock him out?"

"Yes, I don't really want to risk magic" replied Hermione sarcastically, but she didn't think Ron caught the sarcasm

"Alright I'll come"

"And Ron"

"Yeah"

"Could we bring Ginny? You know, get her out of the house. After we meet the kid we'll got over to the Leaky Cauldron and get smashed, sound good? Great"

She got up and left before Ron could protest.

At the door she turned and said "You know it would be good for her"

Ron sighed because he knew it was true "Yeah"

Hermione left to go tell or rather force Ginny to go with them.


Deacon sat alone in his new bedroom. He'd been sitting and staring at the ceiling, there wasn't much else to do (unless you enjoyed reading) and Deacon wasn't much of a reader. He supposed this family was smart, Deacon remember his basic math and English but for someone reason these were the only aspects of his life that he could remember.

There was a knock on the door followed by Mary's voice "You don't have to knock you know"

"I know, it just feels so strange" said a girl's voice

"Oh and you've brought guests, Ron, Ginny, how are you?"

Two voices replied in unison "good"

"That's good. I'm just getting dinner ready Deacon is upstairs" said Mary, and the group began conversing in whispers. Deacon heard none of their conversation but he assumed that Mary was warning them that he could be a possible serial killer or something malevolent.

Deacon heard the footsteps coming up the stairs and only then did he realise he was shirtless for he never wore a shirt to bed and he was just about ready for it, he felt so tired. He scrambled to get a shirt but it was too late, the moment he stood three people walked in.

The bushy haired girl shut her eyes and muttered "Sorry" the other two followed.

Deacon hurriedly put a singlet on that was lying on his bed. "it's okay" said Deacon

"Is it safe to open my eyes now?" asked the bushy haired girl.

"Yep" said the red haired boy "he's clothed"

The bushy haired girl opened her eyes "Hi I'm Hermione" Deacon put on a fake smile and shook her offering hand.

The red haired boy seemed to tense up when Deacon shook Hermione's hand. "And I'm Ron" said the tall red head boy.

Deacon shook his hand as well, the red haired boy seemed to be trying to crush his hand in the handshake but he had no such luck. Deacon squeezed with enough pressure to keep them at a stalemate. After a few short seconds their hands released.

"And this is my sister Ginny" said Ron

Ginny was hanging behind Ron and Hermione and clearly didn't want to be there so Deacon didn't press for any greetings.

They stood in awkward silence for a few seconds until Ginny, to everyone's surprise broke the silence "What are those?" she said pointing at the four scars that travelled parallel from his wrists to his underarm on his left hand and the scattered scars on his upper right arm.

"Ginny" scalded Hermione

"It's okay" said Deacon. He looked at his own arms "I don't really know, scars I guess"

"Oh" said Ginny probably remembering the whispered conversation that they had had with Mary downstairs.

Deacon felt strangely as if he knew these people, like he'd been told a tale about them.

"Have we met?" he asked

"I don't think so" said Hermione "Why?"

"I don't know, I can't place it, but I swear I know you, it's like the memory is on the edge of my brain and I just can't pull I back" Deacon closed his eyes in concentration but he had no success. The memory seemed not to want to come back.

After more awkward silences Mary's voice came through the door "Dinner"

"Ah yes" said Ron, his stomach rumbling

Ron and Hermione parted together down the hall and Ginny after them.

Deacon sat at the end of the table while Mrs Ganger, Mr Granger, Hermione, Ron and Ginny were at the other end immersed in conversation.

Deacon clutched his hand to his head. Recently he'd been getting headaches, it was as if the memories were bouncing inside his brain, ricocheting of the walls and making his head pound.

"Deacon" said Mrs Granger "Are you okay?"

Deacon nodded, the pain was too much for words.

"Are you sure?" she asked

Deacon nodded again

"It's the headaches again?" she asked, seeming concerned and sympathetic

Deacon nodded "I just need some air, thanks for dinner Mrs Granger"

Deacon got up and left.

He walked out the door and down the street, now that he was out in the cool night air his headache seemed to be subsiding. He walked around a block, in a straight direction, not really taking care of where he was going. Not even knowing that Hermione, Ron and Ginny were walking briskly attempting to keep up with him, they were no doubt suspicious.

As the pain left him completely he found himself staring at a street sign "Pokerville Avenue"

"Oh shit" Deacon muttered to himself. This was the worst part of town.

He hadn't even realised that along with Ron, Hermione and Ginny, five other men had been following him. The encircled him.

"Hey there, you're pretty aren't ya?" said one

"Give us your money and your jewellery or we'll take ya life" said another

"And the jewellery" piped up another

"And then we'll cut off your cock and shove it down your dead throat" said the largest man in the group

Deacon didn't know why but he wasn't scared. "You want it, come and get it"

"You're askin' for it" said the largest as he stepped forward

He pulled out a pocket knife and swung at Deacon. His reflexes took over, he ducked the knife and landed an uppercut to the man's ribs, he felt them crack beneath his knuckles. It was an oddly satisfying feeling. The others swarmed him, not with knives but with fists. They kicked and punched but Deacon was quick, quick enough to dodge and deal blows, but he wasn't quick enough for four at once. A fist came crashing into the back of his head and he fell to the ground.


Ginny watched in horror as the men swarmed Deacon. She had to admit, she was impressed, the boy could move.

Hermione restrained Ron from pulling out his wand "No you can't, not here, not in a muggle neighbourhood"

Ginny too held Ron "We can't leave him there" said Ron as he struggled against them

"We can't help" said Hermione.

Ginny thought that sounded rather cruel.

Suddenly from amidst of the flashing and whaling fists was a shout "LEAVE ME ALONE"

A burst of energy shot from the middle and expanded like an invisible explosion. The men were thrown back 10 feet and hit the ground hard. Even from the safe distance of 50 feet Ginny felt the remnants of the energy.

The only thing that remained was Deacon; he was lying in the epicentre of where the explosion had come from. He sat up, looking weary.

Ginny wanted to rush and help but Ron restrained her "Wait, he could be dangerous"

"Dangerous" said Ginny struggling

Deacon stumbled groggily to his feet. The four men were arousing too. One stood and slowly made his way towards Deacon. Suddenly Deacon seemed to come alive, as soon as the man was close enough Deacon front kicked him straight in the chest. The man fell back and once again, hit the ground. Another two men got up and staggered towards Deacon. The first to reach him swing wildly at his head, Deacon ducked and quickly delivered a left-cross to the man's jaw. He too fell, the other man looked at his fallen friend, and that moment of distraction cost him dearly. Deacon swung a large haymaker right at the man's head, he toppled. The fourth didn't get up, but the fifth, the one that had his ribs broken was staggering drunkenly towards Deacon from behind.

Ginny yelled "Deacon watch out"

The man swung as Deacon turned, Deacon just had time to lean backwards and avoid the blow. He knelt to the ground and spun, kicking out the legs of the man. He hit the ground and groaned in pain as he clutched his ribs.

Know Ron let go of Ginny, he seemed to be awestruck by the performance that he had just seen.

Deacon surveyed his hands, closing and opening his fists (checking to see if his hand was broken) as if he did this regularly.

"How did you do that" said Ron as he eventually joined Ginny who was inspecting a bloody lip and an apparently broken jaw.

"Do what?" asked Deacon wincing as Ginny touched a sore spot on his face

"Oh don't be a girl" said Ginny

The corners of Deacons mouth twitched, as if he were about to smile.

"That explosion" said Ron

Deacon looked away "I don't know, it just kinda, came out"

"You're a wizard aren't you?" said Hermione

"A what?" said Deacon gently pushing Ginny's hands away as she dabbed something on his wounds.

"You, are, a wizard. That's why you know us" said Hermione "I think I know what happened to you"