Kate's POV

"Are you tired Kate? We could give you a small tour of the castle after we see our quarters. A real tour of the castle can take hours but we could show you a few things before bed."

Kate looked to Harry as they stood outside of a portrait. She couldn't believe she was in an honest to goodness castle. She'd nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw her first ghost. He was very polite and introduced himself as Nearly Headless Nick. Not to mention the fact that the stairs moved and all the portraits moved and spoke as well."I'm okay. Whatever you guys want to do is fine with me. I'm not picky."

Hermione spoke, "Remember that phrase that McGonagall told you to remember Kate? Speak it to the portrait. That's the password to get into our quarters."

Kate blinked. She'd been shocked when she saw that the paintings here weren't stationary, like the photos. You could talk to the portraits too? "Umm okay. Uhh, Strength in Memory."

The portrait, a young girl in a gown reclined on a settee, smiled and nodded. "You may enter."

"Umm, thank you?"

Harry and Hermione laughed and stood to the side for Kate to enter first. She walked up a short stone staircase into a luxurious room that lit up as she stepped into it, making her jump for the 40th time in the last few hours. It was old fashioned in style, done heavily in woods and deep burgundy color. To the right was a fireplace with a pair of couches, large armchair and coffee table. On the right side of the fireplace was a closed door. Directly across from her were bookshelves that went to the ceiling but they looked to be filled with some very old books and she had a feeling this is what magical books looked like. There was a large table with chairs around it, a study area she assumed.

Looking to her left, she saw that there looked to be a kitchen and dining area put off into the corner and on the wall opposite the fireplace, there were three closed doors. The room was huge and she couldn't believe she was just being allowed to stay there for free. This is what she imagined Buckingham Palace to be like inside.

"Wow. The castle really outdid itself."

She turned to see Harry looking around while Hermione had immediately moved to the bookcases, looking over the volumes and nodding to herself.

"The castle?" Kate questioned.

"It's not entirely just a castle. With all the magic that has happened here over the last millennia, the castle is somewhat sentient. You saw that with the moving staircases."

"Whoa."

Hermione smiled and stepped over with a large volume in her hand. "This is the latest edition of a book that helped Harry and I many times while we were students here. It will answer many questions for you."

Kate took the large volume and looked at the cover. There was a picture of the castle and the words "Hogwarts: A History" etched into the leather. "Okay."

"Why don't we see where these doors go?" Harry spoke up. "I'm going to guess that the three doors over here lead to the bedrooms and the bathroom."

The trio walked over and found that Harry was right. Hermione said she would be sharing with Kate and they chose the room on the right of the bathroom while Harry checked out the other room. The bathroom was huge, with separate tub and shower and an enclosed area for the toilet.

Going back into the common room, as Harry called it, the trio walked over to the remaining door that was near the fireplace. Kate watched as Hermione flicked her wand to the fireplace and ignited it. The fire made her mind flash back, her hands twitching at the memory of the raw power that had erupted from them just days ago.

"Kate? You okay?"

She looked to see Harry looking at her. "I'm okay. Just thinking."

"Ready to see what's in here?"

"Yeah."

They opened the door and Harry stood to the side to give the girls first entry. Hermione raised her wand and muttered "Lumos" and a bright light emerged from the tip and then the lights in the room itself went on. With the light, they could see something that Kate did not expect and she gasped in shock.

"Kate? Kate, what is it?" Harry said in concern, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"It's….Jimmy's.." She took a breath. "My father and my brother turned the basement of our house into a finished little studio apartment for my brother. This…is all his stuff. Even his old couch." She said, her voice choking as she could almost see Jimmy lounging on the beat up thing with a book in his hand. "I thought…I thought I destroyed everything."

"Perhaps your father had the basement specifically done to be able to withstand a great deal. I wouldn't doubt that if he prepared in advance for you to come to us on the event of his death that he would have had your home charmed in protection." Hermione said softly.

"Then how did those men get in?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry."

Kate closed her eyes. "Can we leave? I can't…I can't be in here right now." She couldn't stop thinking that if Jimmy had stayed in the basement, there was a chance he'd still be alive. If he hadn't run to her room.

"I know something that might help. 'mione, I'm going to take her to the kitchens."

Harry's POV

"Here Kate, tickle the pear." Harry instructed, gesturing to the painting that led to the kitchens.

Kate looked at him confused but reached out and did so and jumped back when the painting slid aside to reveal the opening to the kitchens. "Oh!"

Harry laughed. "Wizards don't like to use a simple door. They have to make it interesting."

"I'd say so!" Kate said, still in shock. "We're going to meet elves now?"

"That's right. Hermione would've come with us, but the elves don't really care for her since she tried to free them."

"They're slaves?"

"In a sense. But they want to be. It's how they are. Very few elves would prefer freedom. They live to work and devote themselves to their families or masters. Dobby, the house elf I told you about, he was an exception."

They walked into the kitchen to see a dozen elves going around preparing for the dinner they would be serving the few students who'd arrived early in less than an hour. Three of them stopped and immediately scurried over to their guests. "Harry Potter!"

"Hello." He greeted the small creatures. "This is Kate. She's going to be staying in the new quarters near the Gryffindor Tower. She's new to the magical world."

"Hello." She said shyly. He knew she was probably trying to figure out how to speak to creatures she'd never imagined being real before. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Oh pleasure is ours, miss!" The smaller of the three elves piped up. She introduced herself as Moxy and the other two elves introduced themselves in their own fashion.

It was then that Harry noticed an older elf looking at Kate almost as if she knew her. "Is something wrong?" He asked the elf, making her jump. "It's alright."

"Oh, Flippy is sorry, Harry Potter. Miss looks familiar to Flippy. Miss is new to Hogwarts?"

"Yes. Umm, my parents went to school here. Maybe you knew my father? Liam Baylor?"

Harry didn't expect the reaction that came from the elf, not at all. Her eyes grew wide and then she let out a wail that was hard to distinguish as either happy or sad. Then she threw herself at Kate, wrapping her tiny arms around Kate's legs.

"Oh, Mistress! Flippy has waited for this day! Long has Flippy missed her family!"

Harry looked at Kate who looked as confused as he was. "Harry?"

"Flippy, what are you talking about? You knew Kate's family?"

The elf turned her head, backing away from Kate, realizing her outburst. She straightened her pillowcase embroidered with the Hogwarts crest and smoothed back her ears before she spoke. "Yes, Flippy was one of the elves of the Most Ancient and Honorable Baylor family. Flippy was the nursery elf for Master Liam when he was born and young Master James too. Master Liam brought Flippy here, to keep Flippy safe. He says to Flippy that one day, Mistress may come to Hogwarts and Flippy is to serve Mistress on that day."

"My…father? You…I'm so confused." Kate said, putting her hand to her head.

"Mistress, please be sitting. Flippy get you a drink?"

Harry watched as the elf matter of factly led Kate to a chair where students would sit to have a snack between mealtimes if they were in favor with the house elves of the school. The elf gently pushed a glass of water into Kate's hands and gave her a smile and nod of encouragement.

"Flippy is sorry Mistress. Master Liam….he is gone?"

Kate bit her lip and nodded. Harry stepped over and put his hand on her shoulder. "Flippy, Mr. Baylor and James were killed. Do you know anything about it? It sounds like you already knew they were gone."

Flippy wiped away a tear, presuming for her dead master. "Master Liam told Flippy of chance. It was dark times. Much death." She shook her head, her ears flapping. She put her small hand on Kate's that was resting in her lap. "Mistress, Flippy will take care of you. Mistress is strong, like Master Liam. Flippy knows this."

Kate looked at the elf for a moment before she spoke. "Flippy, can you call me Kate? Is that okay?"

"Flippy can do that." The elf smiled kindly. "When you want Flippy, you say Flippy's name, and I come. Flippy can help Harry Potter too."

Harry nodded. "Thank you Flippy."

Hermione's POV

She looked up when the portrait opened and noticed that despite the large plate of treats in Harry's one hand, both looked rather lost in their thoughts.

"What happened?" She asked, standing and putting down the copy of Hogwarts, A History that she'd shown to Kate earlier. "Are you alright?"

Kate nodded quietly and sat down on one of the couches. "There was an elf that knew me. Well, knew my family."

Hermione wasn't surprised to learn that the Baylors had owned house elves. Being an older pureblood family, there had probably been a dozen elves that worked for them. She had a feeling though that Kate's parents had treated their elves better than most. But for one of those elves to be at Hogwarts? She looked at Harry when it seemed that Kate didn't have much more to say.

"I was surprised too. I guess Kate's dad knew that she would be brought here if something happened to him and he brought the elf here to protect her. She was overjoyed to see Kate."

Kate nodded. "Yeah. She said she's missed my family and now she'll take care of me like she did for them."

"Well then, that's good then." Hermione said, trying to bring up the mood. "It will be a bit strange getting used to elves and giants and such, but you are doing quite well, I assure you. Harry will have to tell you the story of the first time he met a very heroic elf named Dobby."

Harry smiled, giving her a nod of appreciation. "Let's just say it involved Dobby making my life hell while trying to protect me, in his own way." He yawned. "But it has been a very long day and I'm sure Kate wouldn't mind a bath to relax before bed, eh?"

Kate agreed. "It'd be nice, thank you."

"I'll show you the facilities, then." Hermione volunteered. "Wizarding plumbing is a bit different, especailly here at Hogwarts."

The American bit her lip. "Will...will I have to use magic to make it work?"

Hermione's heart ached at the fear in the girl's voice. After seeing what she was capable of, it was understandable she'd be terrified of using magic. "Not actively, no. I'll show you."

"And I'll get settled in my room for a bit before I bid you ladies good night, alright?"

A few minutes later found the two witches in the bathroom where Hermione was explaining how the facilities worked. Oddly enough it wasn't that different from Muggle technology. Kate explained that they now had sinks and toilets that would automatically turn on and off or flush by the use of sensors. Instead of the sensors, the castle used it's innate magic to sense what the user wanted.

"That tub is huge. It's like a small pool!"

Hermione smiled at the shock on Kate's face. "You should see the Prefect's bath. It's even bigger."

Kate's POV

Kate walked out of the bathroom into the bedroom she shared with Hermione to find the witch sitting against her pillows with a large tome in her lap, dressed in comfortable looking loungewear. Her own had been provided for her by one of the witches that had been less afraid of her at the American Ministry. Simple uniform pajamas and a matching robe. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather just share with Harry? I honestly don't mind, Hermione. He's your boyfriend after all."

Hermione closed the book and looked up with a smile. "That he is. He's just on the other side of the bathroom, it's perfectly alright." She made a come here gesture. "Let me show you a spell that will make it so you don't have to try and sleep with wet hair."

Kate walked over and took a seat on the end of the bed, facing away from Hermione. "Do people use magic for everything?"

"Many do. I try not to if I can. Though you will find that many spells are just so simple and natural, you don't realize you are doing them half the time."

Kate picked at her robe as she felt the tingle of magic rush over her head. "That seems to be my kind of magic."

Hermione put her hand on her shoulder. "Oh Kate. Please believe me when I tell you that magic isn't something you should fear. That's why Harry and I are here. We're going to help you to learn to use it. Through learning comes control."

"That's what Remus said."

"And he's right." She ran her fingers through Kate's now dry and untangled hair in a comforting way. "What did you think of all the people you met today?"

"Everyone is very nice. Molly is very sweet. Arthur too."

"Yes, they are two of the most dear people I've ever known."

"Remus is very nice. He's got a very comforting way of speaking. Not condescending at all but still explaining things in a simple way." She paused. "He must have had such a hard life, growing up as a werewolf and everything with Harry's parents and all. And losing his wife. That poor man."

"Yes, Remus has survived more than many people realize. That's why his son Teddy is such a blessing. I don't know if Remus would have survived losing first Sirius and then Tonks if he hadn't had his son to care for."

Kate nodded, soothed by Hermione's fingers still running through her hair. "And poor Bill, having those scars on his face too. This Greyback guy is dead, right?"

"Thankfully, yes. Many of us have scars from the years." She held her left arm out and showed a faint scar that read the word, mud blood. What did that mean? "Remus has said it the best, scars are just signs showing that we survived."

Kate nodded. "Like Harry's lightening bolt?"

"What about me?"

Kate looked up to see Harry leaning in their open doorway, dressed for bed in a tshirt and flannel pants. "We were talking about scars."

"Oh I see." He stepped into the room. "Am I intruding on some girl bonding moment? I know these things usually have to do with the styling of hair and usually talking about devilishly handsome men with glasses."

Kate heard a soft snort behind her. "Yeah, do you know any?"

Harry pouted playfully. "Oh I see how it is. You insist on sleeping in Kate's room and suddenly I'm hippogryph dung."

"I think you're handsome Harry." Kate said with a soft smile. She had a feeling that she was going to get along very well with the young hero. From what Remus had told her of Harry's past, especially with how his parents died, she knew they already sadly had much in common.

"See that? That's a person with taste!" He boasted with a grin. "Thank you Kate." He leaned forward and gave her a quick peck to the temple. "Don't you roll your eyes at me woman." He said to Hermione with a mock stern tone.

Kate shook her head and maneuvered out of the way and reluctantly from Hermione's fingers which were actually rather skilled in how they soothed her just by running through her hair. It was a friendly comforting gesture she really appreciated from the skilled witch. "I tried to tell her she didn't have to stay in here, that she could share with you Harry. I honestly don't mind. If I had a boyfriend, I wouldn't want to be apart from him either."

Harry took her spot in front of Hermione and made a point of grabbing the witch's wrist and moving her hand to his head to indicate that she play with his hair now. "It's alright Kate. I'm just playing. It'll be nice, not to have to try and sleep through Hermione's snoring." He let out a yelp of pain. "Oww!"

"I do not snore." Hermione said firmly, letting go of the hair she tugged and returning to running her fingers through Harry's mussed locks.

"How would you know? You're sleeping when you do it!" He had an impish look on his face and Kate had to hide a smile that threatened.

"Harry Potter!" Hermione huffed.

Yes, it was easy to see she was going to get along rather well with these two.

Later, as Hermione had left the room briefly to say goodnight to Harry in privacy, Kate took stock of her situation. Things were a bit better than she'd hoped. She still wondered why no one in the States had told her or even known of Dumbledore's death. She needed to remember to ask Hermione what Ron had meant about meeting his portrait. Did portraits have true personalities and memories of the person they represented?

She laid back in the luxurious queen sized four poster bed. It was strange that it would be now that she would get what she always wanted as a little girl, a bed with curtains. It was very comfortable and she wondered if that had to do with magic too.

She had so many questions and at the same time was afraid to ask them. She was learning so much about the true past of her family, what if there was something horrible in their past. Had her father ever been forced to kill someone like the others at the Burrow had during the War? How long had he planned to wait to tell her about being magical and apparently, very powerful? If she went by what the elf Flippy had said, her father knew that there was a strong chance he'd be killed.

She wondered if that was why Jimmy ended up learning martial arts and teaching self defense. Was that why he was so adamant that she be able to defend herself to some degree? She was nowhere near what Jimmy had been. He'd been so proud when he'd had to register his hands and feet as lethal weapons. Was all of it to protect her? Without his magic, did he do the next best thing and turn his body into a weapon?

And in the end, he never even had a chance to try to protect her. All that training and he was effectively shot in the back.

She was lost in her thoughts when Hermione came back into the room, dressed simply in a pair of comfy pj pants and a worn jersey that said Potter on the back. She guessed it had come from the days when Harry had played that game, the one with the brooms.

"Well now, you look quite cozy. Did you take your potion for the night?" Hermione asked.

Kate blinked and shook her head. "No, I haven't. I forgot."

Hermione shook her head and went to her dresser, pulling out a blue vial. "No worries. You have more than enough on your mind. Here you go."

"Thank you." Kate took the vial and knocked it back quickly, having quickly learned that while magical people could do amazing things, their potions seemed to taste worse than most cough syrups.

Hermione gave her a smile. "You get used to the taste after a while."

"Yeah, I guess so." She looked down at the comforter after handing the vial back to Hermione. "Thank you again, you know, for taking time out of your life to help me."

The English witch sat down beside her on the bed. "No thanks are necessary. It's my pleasure really. I'm sure if the roles were reversed, you'd help someone else out in a similar fashion."

Kate nodded, starting to feel the effect of the potion. "I would try my best."

Hermione smiled. "Alright, I can see your eyes drooping! Why don't we both get a good rest and at breakfast tomorrow, we can see what we need to do. If you need anything during the night, please don't hesitate to wake me. Please."

"Okay." Kate was feeling more and more heavy and knew it'd be just moments before she'd be asleep.

"Good night Kate."

"Night Hermione."