Disclaimer: Not mine, I only own some of the plot of this fanfic and Carya, some parts might be copied from the book (hopefully not very much. I tried to keep it to a minimum), you might notice that some people got into different houses than in the books by JKR; this has only minor reasons, but I need them to be where they are now

Author's Notes: My imagination is running wild these weeks though. I have possible scenes for all remaining books in my series in my head but don't know if these ideas will ever get written down. There are also several new story ideas driving me crazy so I have to write these on paper or I won't get anything of ADW done.

I hope that this is up to your standards and as a little bribe to get more reviews, I will send a scene that might appear in one of the following books to those who review and leave me a note saying that they want me to send it to them.

I don't want to be accused of spamming someone's mail-account so please state that you indeed want those snippets .

2003-12-24

Review Responses:

laffytaffygirl: Thanks, I like it that some people like reading my version of HP. .

The Fallen Angel Serra: Thank you for the advice. I might just try and do that in the future. I'm definitely going to finish this up until at least book 6. I have a few ideas for the seventh year but nothing special right now. I'm really happy that you think it's good!

Psychotic Coconut Observer: Thank you for pointing out the difference with the grading system. I have already updated that part of my website. It's good to get this information from someone who knows what it's really like.

Chapter 10 - Letters and Christmas or Minister Fudge: Take Two

They trained this as much as possible. The older students had been rather busy because they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade to buy christmas presents. The younger ones had just ordered them trough the 'Owl Express'.

Soon it was December 19th, almost christmas, and Ginny as well as Hermione had finally managed their transformation. Ginny was a kneazle with fluffy red fur and pale blue eyes while Hermione was a raven, her feathers not entirely black but dark brown with amber eyes.

They four friends celebrated this with butterbeer and cookies which they got from the house elves. At first Hermione had problems with that. She thought they were some kind of slaves but she soon realised that the elves really liked working.

And they were treated alright at Hogwarts. Their little party lasted the whole night and when their respective dormmates asked them where they'd been on the next morning the friends just told that they'd been studying.

Of course no one believed that but since no teacher had noticed they were safe. And even if someone had wanted to get them into trouble it was hardly possible because there was no proof. They were called by a prefect to explain their absence when they were halfway to their dorms.

"Hey, where have you three been last night?" asked a Slytherin prefect.

"We were studying with Hermione but it's none of your business!" Carya shouted and she and Ginny disappeared into the 2nd year girls dormitory.

Harry was gone before the prefect could asked another question. He didn't bother to find out what had happened any further. Every Slytherin knew that at least the twins would either ignore any questions or hex them if they got annoyed even if they were older than Harry and Carya.

The last two days of classes were not really that interesting. Hardly anyone paid attention because of the approaching holidays. Only Potions on Monday (December 22nd) had been amusing enough to talk about.

Neville Longbottom had melted another cauldron and Gryffindor lost fifty-six points in one single lesson. The reasons were the same as always but not paying attention did not help them at all. Their housemates were quite angry about that.

It was already difficult enough for Gryffindor to gain any points because the teachers always compared them to Ravenclaw and some of the smarter Slytherin's. And if those 'know-it-alls' as the Gryffindor's called them didn't get any points they wouldn't get any either.

In addition to that they lost quite some housepoints during every Potions lesson. At dinner on the last evening before the students departure the whole Gryffindor table was strangely quiet. They were beyond pissed because they were in fourth or better last place in the house championship now.

Even the Hufflepuff's had gained more points than them. Professor McGonagall was furious about Professor Snape unfairness towards her house. Snape of course enjoyed that though he didn't show it. He looked his usual 'christmas-hating' self.

The next morning Draco again went home for christmas. He didn't look forward to it. Draco really wished that he could've stayed at Hogwarts with his true friends but his so-called friends were just kids his father wanted him to be with.

He hated that but didn't dare to voice those thoughts towards anyone. Although he had hardly spoken a word with the twins, Ginny and Hermione, they all gave him a christmas present because sending them to him would've gotten him in trouble with his father he noticed.

This way he could just say that some admirers had given them to him. Draco really didn't know what to think anymore. He had treated his true friends horribly because he was so much afraid of what his father might do to them or him if he found out but they still were nice to him.

They still were his friends, wanted to be with him, wanted him to be a part of their little group. It was a wonderful feeling, Draco felt loved and truly wanted. Nothing like his so called home. He was tolerated at Malfoy Manor as long as he did what Lucius demanded.

Not even his mother seemed to feel anything for him. But that might be Lucius fault too.

Draco's POV

Draco was confused beyond belief. 'Shit, what do I do now. I just don't know what to think anymore. ... Damnit, they are my friends. I should be able to be with them anytime I want. If I only weren't that much afraid of my own father. ... This is not right.

No child should have to fear it's parents. That's exactly what I am. I'm just a child. I can only hope that I'll make the right decisions. And I'm pretty sure that I'll have to make them sooner as I would like it.' Draco thought when he again looked at the presents his friends had given him.

End Draco's POV

Sirius was still writing letters and since he hadn't been spotted after that incident on Halloween the security in Hogsmeade was lowered a bit. Christmas at Hogwarts was a funny thing. The Gryffindor Weasley's for once went home completely.

Only Ginny stayed and her parents finally understood. Bill had accepted her too and Charlie hadn't known in the first place. But he had accepted it from the start. So Ginny was a bit surprised when she got so many presents from her parents, from Bill and from Charlie.

Actually Charlie thought it was quite funny to have a family member in Slytherin. He sent his sister a statue of a beautiful green and silver dragon and a necklace with a miniature of said dragon. She was truly happy. Now she had at least some family to care for her again.

Ron had once again made fun of Ginny before he left for the train. That just screamed for revenge. After a bit of talking the Fat Lady could be persuaded to let the Slytherin's into the Gryffindor common room one night.

They set up quite an amount of pranks on Ron's, Fred's, George's and Percy's beds. Ginny enjoyed this the most. She would finally be able to get them back for that and everything they'd done to her since she'd started Hogwarts.

She also knew that Harry and Carya had written a letter to her parents. Telling them that if they didn't treat Ginny properly in the future they would adopt her as their sister and change her name to Potter. Carya had added that she would be glad to add someone like Virginia to HER family.

That finally did it. Molly and Arthur didn't exactly like Slytherin's but they still loved their daughter and to think that someone else cared more for their own child than they did hurt them very much. They got over it and apologised to Ginny. Molly sent Harry and Carya something too.

Flashback - The Letter at the Burrow

It was early December and Molly Weasley was currently making dinner for herself and her husband when an unfamiliar animal - a raven to be exact - flew into their kitchen and dropped a letter. The next minute the raven was gone and Arthur Weasley came home from work.

Molly was still staring at the letter. It was addressed to herself and Arthur.

To Mister And Mrs. Weasley

The Burrow

No sender was written onto the envelope. They cautiously opened it and pulled out a piece of parchment. And together they started to read this strange letter.

'Mister And Mrs. Weasley,

you will most likely have heard about us from your sons by now because we're Harry and Carya Potter. Although we're pretty sure that they've put us under a dark light we want to tell you something.'

At this the Weasleys were looking confused at each other. What could the infamous Potter twins possibly want from them?

'We have heard AND seen how you and your sons are treating our best friend and your own flesh and blood - Ginny! My brother and I just wanted to tell you how despicable and detestable such a behaviour is. You are all treating her like the plague, like some animal that isn't worth living.

Did you notice how much pain you are causing your own daughter? Can you even imagine what she's been through after her whole family abandoned her? Do you know that she cried herself to sleep the first weeks after the sorting? I think you don't.

Her brothers treat her like shit - like the pest would be a better description. I cannot understand how a family could treat one of their own like that. Even our Muggle-relatives who really dislike magic for some reason treat us both like their own children.

Well, if you don't want Ginny only because she was sorted into Slytherin which by the way is nothing bad - it just suits her personality quite well - then we would gladly adopt her into our family. We love Ginny with all our heart and consider her our little sister. Slytherin is not evil or dark.

It's only different from the other houses. A house doesn't make you what you become. It's your actions and decisions and Ginny is one of the kindest and nicest witches on earth. I cannot say that about your sons.

They are truly despicable if you judge them by their behaviour towards all people outside Gryffindor. We do love Ginny and it surely wouldn't be a big problem to make her 'Ginny Potter', not at all. I'd be careful about what you do.

You could loose your only daughter if you continue to treat her like this. I just cannot fathom that someone could hate their own child over something stupid as houses at Hogwarts. That is totally stupid and surely not becoming of a supposedly old and proud wizard-family.

Perhaps you should consider this. But we for one would be more than happy to call her our sister.

Carya and Harry Potter'

Once Molly and Arthur had finished reading this they were both very pale and Molly had tears streaming down her face. They were shocked to actually being told how they treated Ginny. But they had to admit that most of this was unfortunately true.

They'd deserted their little daughter and caused her more pain than any parent ever should. To think that someone else loved their child more than they did was horrible and they felt guilty. But the worst part was that two twelve year old children had to accuse them of that before they realised what they were doing.

Of course they'd just ignored Ginny but what her brothers were doing that was actually enough to make their parents truly angry. After Arthur had comforted his wife and they'd calmed down they decided to write Ginny a letter.

To apologise to her and tell her how stupid they'd been. That they still loved her and wouldn't want to loose her. That they were sorry for any grief they'd caused their little baby. The boys would get letters too.

They had halfway expected such a behaviour from Ron and perhaps even the twins but Percy too? That was unacceptable. Arthur could hardly prevent Molly from sending them howlers. He only won because he told his wife that they hadn't acted any better than the boys.

They also send the twins a reply and thanked them for making them see the truth. They didn't even bother on commenting how rude their letter actually was. The Weasley's soon got Ginny's reply. It was a small slip of parchment and the ink was smeared - obviously from tears.

But the short message which was only one sentence made up for everything. It read:

'Mum, Dad,

I love you too.

Ginny'

They decided that Ginny would get an extra large christmas package this time and the twins would receive a little present too, that was for sure. When Bill and Charlie visited the Burrow a week before christmas they were told about the letter incident and they wrote their sister too.

Bill apologised and told her that he would make it up to her the next time they saw each other. Charlie who hadn't really known in the first place told his sister that he was okay with her being a Slytherin.

He actually found it quite funny that their little baby-sister seemed to be that ambitious. He'd always thought that if anyone was it, it would be Percy.

End Flashback - The Letter at the Burrow

The twins both got one of the famous Weasley pullovers. Harry's was emerald green with a silver snake on the left side and Carya's was just the same only that hers was a deep blue with a silver snake on it.

They wore these under there casual robes. (Carya had given Ginny one of hers claiming it didn't fit her any more and she wouldn't take complaints from Ginny.) Carya wore dark green while Harry's was a bit lighter and Ginny had a deep blue robe.

They even got something from Draco. Only small things this time but still a christmas present. He obviously hadn't truly forgotten his friends. But the twins figured it must've been difficult for him to send the presents.

Perhaps he'd ordered them via Owl Express since the friends didn't recognise the owls. Ginny got a book about advanced charms. Hermione got something too, the new edition of 'Hogwarts a History', it was called 'Hogwarts: A History - Extended Version' by Frederick French.

Harry got 'A Seeker's Guide to Quidditch' by Marcus Monroe and Carya now had the addition that had just been published to one of her books 'Advanced Potions and their Various Uses - Addition' by Severus Snape. She took the book down to breakfast and started reading it.

The funniest thing at breakfast were the teachers. Dumbledore had made them wear coloured robes for the whole day. Black was not an option. Snape of course went against that order and so the twins, Hermione and Ginny pranked him.

Severus Snape was suddenly sitting at the table with Slytherin green robes which had a silver serpent in the shape of an 'S' embroided on the left side. He instantly knew who'd done this because the other students either wouldn't have the guts to do something like that to him or they just didn't have the knowledge.

He also knew that it must have been a student because the other Professors would have given him something blue, or most likely red or rainbow coloured just to annoy him. He soon had a fairly good idea who the culprits were. Some of his Slytherin's must've done that.

The remaining Gryffindor's were too young and the only ones he could think of who had the needed knowledge for such a 'prank' were the twins and their friends. But he had to admit that the robe was definitely beautiful and that it looked good. He would keep it. Not that he would ever tell anyone ...

Severus Snape's POV

'Hmm, this robe is really eh ... nice ... I think I'll keep it. I bet that were some of the students. Albus would've made them in rainbow colours, I'm sure. But who? It can't be a Gryffindor, they're too young and the Weasleys are gone.

Wait, ... Weasley? Of course, the Potter twins, the Weasley girl and that Ravenclaw Granger. Hmmpff, yes definitely them, they are still throwing glances this way. How obvious!' Snape mused.

The most curious thing for him right now was the book that Carya read. He had almost missed it. The girl was reading his book the one that had been published only two weeks ago. Snape didn't know what to think of that but she seemed to like it because she hardly noticed her friends talking to her.

Although he couldn't explain why he felt oddly pleased that one of the students had a copy of that book.

'I wonder if she has the first part too. Strange, of all my students I had never thought the a Potter would have a copy of one of my books. Well, at least I know she'll understand some of it. I really hate to admit that, even only to myself, but that girl is really adept to potions.

Unlike her parents. Potter sucked at that and Lily, well she was hardly average level but still fairly good. ... What's that?? Who is sending christmas mail this late?' he thought as the owl flew over to the teachers.

End Severus Snape's POV

There were only a few students staying for christmas and so they all sat at one table. Suddenly an unknown owl came flying into the great hall. She landed in front of the headmaster and had quite a huge package for him.

Dumbledore untied the package and noticed that wrapping. It was plain black with hundreds of tiny Hogwarts crests all over it. He proceeded to open it and to every teachers horror it revealed an extra large four and a half pound tin of lemon drops.

Of course no one except him and Snape noticed the slight snickering of the four friends. They were too busy gaping at that strange present. The young animagi had fun outside in the snow when Minister Fudge arrived.

The other remaining students and most of the teachers were standing outside too. Most of the children were happily engrossed in a large snowball fight. When Fudge spotted Carya his face went deep pink and Carya instantly looked as if she wanted to kill someone or better Fudge himself.

Fudge unconsciously made a step backwards. Snape noticed that immediately and was curious as to why the Minister of Magic was scared of a twelve and a half year old girl. He then spotted the two Junior Aurors who were accompanying him.

Professor Snape caught the Potter girl smirking at them and what did those two do? They cringed as if they'd had an unpleasant run in with her. Harry, Ginny and Hermione snickered at this which also didn't go unnoticed by Snape.

He had thought it odd how the four kids behaved all year long. He knew that they were often out of their dorms after curfew but they never got caught. Even he hadn't managed to catch them. Something just wasn't right here.

And it definitely wasn't normal that two junior aurors and the Minister of Magic, although he really was incompetent, were afraid of some twelve year old children. And why were the Potter twins so damned calm about the Black-Issue?

That madman was most likely after them. But they didn't seem to care in the least. It might have helped that Black had attacked the Gryffindor guardian instead of the Slytherin one. He wondered if the twins knew about Black being their godfather.

He didn't believe that Dumbledore had told them either. Little did he know that Sirius was within sight right now. And little did he know that Carya, Harry and Sirius were corresponding via owl quite regularly.

The Minister would stay at the castle over dinner and it was quite funny to watch him during that time. He was turning different shades of pink whenever one of his Slytherin's smirked at him and he noticed.

Please Read AND Review.

Thx ,

Carya

Review responses at the beginning of next chapter!