Everything is J.K. Rowlings. I only claim the plot. Everything else is hers, all the characters and the magic, all of it. Please let me know what you think though, I encourage feedback of all kinds, just be nice about it!

Introducing a new character. And I hope you all grow to love him like I already do. Yeah, I know his past sucks but just go with it.


Chapter 7

The summer months passed quickly and soon the House was empty was again of school aged students. The lack of children made the House seem bigger than normal and it surprised Sia how much she missed the quiet. She was becoming better at controlling her abilities but her emotions still overrode any controlled change. Teddy claimed it was because she had gone so long without training and that her emotions would probably always override her controlled look unless she wanted to start hiding her emotions. That wasn't something that Sia wanted to do so she decided that her emotions taking precedence wouldn't be so bad.

It was a Saturday so the House children had been allowed to sleep in that morning and so it was near noon that Sia finally made her way to one of the studios to work on her changing some more. Typically she would go out to the Greenhouses but it was raining that day so the studio was her next option. Slipping quietly inside she let out a surprised squeak when she saw a strange boy already in there. He leapt to his feet at her entrance. He had tucked himself into the farthest corner and had a scattering of random objects around his feet.

The two children stared at each other for a few heartbeats. Neither sure how to respond to the other. In the silence Sia looked over the boy. He had to be new because he did not look familiar at all. He looked to be her age, dark chocolate eyes, tanned skin and fuller lips with dark black hair. She wondered if he was related to Miss Patil, the two shared similar features after all. Despite it all, she felt the overwhelming desire to befriend him. Something told her that the two should be friends. Neville and Jamie had went about the process so easily with her so she felt that it couldn't be too hard with this boy now.

"Hi," she finally said.

"Hi," he replied. He shifted nervously and looked similar to a frightened animal.

"I'm Ambrosia, but you can call me Sia. What's your name?" she asked taking a couple steps closer with a gentle smile on her face, concentrating hard on not randomly changing anything. She didn't want to spook the kid. He reminded her of how scared she was when she had first arrived.

"Zain. Zain Wali."

"It's nice to meet you. Are you new here?"

"Yeah. Just got here this morning. How long have you been here?" He seemed to be growing comfortable near her and didn't seem to mind that she was now only a few feet away.

"A couple of months, since April. I was the last new kid before you I guess." She moved to sit on the ground and he copied her. His back still facing the corner and his knick-knacks creating a barrier between the two. "How old are you?"

"Seven, almost eight."

"I'm seven too, not sure when I turn eight though. I don't know when my birthday is. Did you know about magic before you got here?" she asked. After interacting with the other children she had found that some had known about the magical world previously from their parents before they had been orphaned and others, like her, hadn't had any exposure.

"No idea. You?" As they sat, Sia noticed Zain's hands moving to pick up some of the nick-knacks and start to fiddle with them absentmindedly.

"Same. Though it made sense once I learned about it. All the foster families always gave me up after a week or so after I became too 'freak-like'," she replied with a smirk. At this she allowed her hair to change colors, from the light brown to light pink. The neglect she had suffered from her numerous foster families still haunted her but Neville and Jamie and Jamie's family and the rest of the people at the House were helping her overcome that.

Zain elicited a gasp as his eyes widened at her change. "How-how did you do that?"

She shrugged. "Apparently I am a metamorphmagus. I didn't know that till I was here though. Jamie's god-brother has helped teach me how to control it though."

"Cool. I guess it makes sense for me too though. None of my other siblings could do the stuff I could."

"You have siblings? Where are they?"

"Dead or adopted," he responded quietly, his eyes staring intently at the floor.

Sia was silent as she thought things through. "Do you want to talk about it? I can tell you my story too if you want."

"Why would you care?"

"Because I want to be your friend. And friends tell each other these things. At least that's what Neville and Jamie told me."

"How do I know you won't just leave me too, like everyone else?"

"I've been left before too. I don't like it and so I won't do it to someone else," she promised firmly. Zain stared at her for a moment. His chocolate eyes large and hopeful. Sia sensed that he wanted to trust her but couldn't allow himself to be vulnerable again. She knew what he felt like. "Promise I won't leave you. So long as you don't leave me," she said sticking out her pinky finger. Her seven-year-old self couldn't explain her need to help this boy but she felt it and so she was going to do whatever was in her power to do so.

"Promise," the young boy said a happy smile crossing his lips and the smile alone elated Sia beyond measure. After their pinkies dropped Sia sat silently, waiting for Zain to speak when he was ready. "I actually have four siblings. Half-siblings, really. Actually I probably have a whole lot more than that, but I never met the others." Sia blinked in surprise at this but didn't say anything.

"So, when I was born, Mum already had a girl, Lucy, from another bloke. Mum said that her parents weren't happy with that and so she was kicked out. Mum and Lucy lived on the streets for a bit until Mum met my Dad. Dad already had Jeffery and Roger living with him. So when Mum and Dad met they had me. They stuck together until I was two and then Dad ran off after his parents cut off his inheritance. Mum always used to tell us that dad was just a prince down on his luck, but I don't think that was true. So Mum raised the four of us after Dad got arrested. He was let out three years ago according to the papers but we never saw him again. Though I heard he has another new son now. The four of us ended up having to leave the apartment. Mum said the landlord was jealous of all our fun and didn't want us to brighten up his foul mood. We lived on the streets for a while. Mum started meeting all sorts of random men at night but we always got to eat the next morning. Mum said the men were giving her work so that we wouldn't be hungry. She never let us see the men though. We tried stealing some food so that she wouldn't have to work so hard but she got really mad at us when she found out. Well, when I was four Cynthia was born. Two years ago, mum died though. Lucy said Mum died of being sick, but sick people don't get holes in their heads...do they? Well then it was just the five of us, my Aunt Molly took us in at first. But sent Jeffery and Roger away to an orphanage, I haven't seen them since. She didn't like the accidental magic, I think is what Miss Patil called it. I ran away a lot. But I couldn't leave Lucy and Cynthia. But then Aunt Molly died last year, Lucy said it was cancer. But then Cynthia got really sick. Lucy and I tried to take care of her but she died. Lucy and I went to an orphanage then. Lucy didn't like it there though. She met this boy who was in a gang. And she ran away. Then this man showed up, Harry Potter? And told me that I was a wizard and would need to come here." Zain went quiet after his story was done. He hadn't cried the whole story, speaking as though he was reading out of a book. A story of someone else's life, not his own. "I don't know if I'll ever see my brothers and sisters again. I miss them."

"I don't have any brothers or sisters," Sia said quietly. "Do you want to be my brother? I can be your sister. Maybe when we are older we can search for your other siblings. I can't replace them, but as brother and sister we can help each other and not leave each other."

Zain was quiet as he thought about her offer. "Yeah. I'd like that. Ok, I'll be your brother," he said with a shaky smile.

"Yay! Tonight, I am having cookies with Neville. You can come too if you want."

"I'd like that," he said softly.

"Don't worry Zain. I'm going to stick with you. And when you meet Neville and Jamie. They will want to be your friends too. They won't leave either."

"What's your story?"

"Um…..I was two when my parents died. I don't remember them really well. From then on I have moved from foster family to orphanage, only staying a couple days to a week or two at a time. I've never had friends until I came here. Most families were really mean to me, they hurt me sometimes and I didn't always eat. After a car crash, Harry Potter found me at the hospital and took me here."

The two fell into a comfortable silence, not bothered at the fact of baring their souls to each other on a first meeting. It felt right. Sia finally glanced down at what Zain was fiddling with and saw a shape taking form.

"What are you doing?"

"Hmmm? Oh, I'm not sure. I just kind of make things without realizing it. It's something I used to do on the streets. I'd pick up random things and create something. Mum used to love the things I'd make her."

"What are you making now?"

"I think it's a flower…." he said with a frown as he stared at the object in his hands. It was a combination of paperclips, string, torn up paper from newspapers and magazines, and buttons. But it did resemble a flower, a daisy actually. "And look it can spin," he said, eager to demonstrate his creation. He brought a fingertip to the edge of one of the paperclip petals and began moving the head of the flower, bringing his finger away the flower head kept spinning before slowly moving to a halt once more.

"Oh Zain that is so cool!"

"Do you want it?" he asked shyly. "I used to give my sisters and Mum most of my creations. And since you're my sister now, do you want it?"

"I'd love it Zain!" she cried happily, taking the flower with delicate hands. It had automatically become her most treasured position and she planned on keeping it with her forever. Which in her seven-year-old mind forever stretched out into limitless possibilities. "I love flowers. Neville has been teaching me Herbology out in the Greenhouse. Jamie doesn't do well with plants but I do. Do you want to come with me next time?"

"Sure, I'll check it out."

"I can't wait for you to meet Jamie too. He's my best friend. His dad is Harry Potter. He comes over at least once a week, sometimes more. I'm sure you two will be best friends too."

The two children continued to talk as the day drew on, giggling and joking together, solidifying the friendship that would carry them through anything that the world might throw at them.