"There has to be a better way to travel," Rachel muttered to herself as she stood up. She tore the hole in her pants leg even large. "Dammit," she mumbled. She sat down and just tore the rest of the leg off and threw it in a nearby dumpster. She stood up and began walking to try to find the Leaky Cauldron. It was dark and late. Would anyone even be there? She seemed to be walking in circles but it's not like she could ask for directions. First of all she looked like something the cat dragged in. And secondly only people that know about magic can see the Leaky Cauldron. Muggles wouldn't have a clue what she's talking about. After about two hours of aimlessly limping around she found what she was looking for. She opened the door and was surprised to see that all the lights were on and Tom was sitting at a table alone, reading the paper.

"Ms. Weasley! Is that you?" Tom shouted.

Rachel just nodded.

"Oh Merlin, what happened to you?!"

"Tom, I need water," Rachel choked.

"Of course, sit down. I'll be right back," Tom ran into the back and came back with a large pitcher of water and a glass. Tom was going to pour her a glass when she took the pitcher and began to chug the water straight from the pitcher.

"Thank you, Tom."

"It's no problem, Ms. Weasley. I've been so worried about you. Everyone thought you were kidnapped!"

"I was," Rachel informed him.

"How did you escape?"

"I didn't I was released. Tom I really need my Mum and Dad right now. Could I please use your floo to go the Burrow?"

"Yes! Of course, wait! No, dammit! I'm out of powder," Tom said.

"Is there any way you can get me home?"

"I can apparate us just outside of the night wards. The wards will recognize you and let you in but not me. You could walk from there."

"Would you really?!"

"Of course, Ms. Weasley," Tom said smiling sadly.

Rachel jumped up and hugged him around the neck, "Oh thank you, Tom!" When she let him go she said, "You can call me Rachel."

"Well then, Rachel, take hold of my arm please," Tom told her.

She did and moments later Rachel was on a familiar hill.

"I can't thank you enough, Tom!"

"It's no problem, Rachel. I just wish I could have taken you further. I hate the thought of you walking down there in bare feet."

"You've done more than enough for me, Tom. I'll see you soon," she gave him one more quick hug before heading down the hill. She heard a familiar pop and knew Tom was gone. The walk took longer than it had the first time she made it. Almost every step she took hurt but she finally made it. She wasn't surprised that the door was unlocked. They probably left it in case she came home. She opened the door quietly. She wasn't sure what to do now. Everyone was probably sleeping. Rachel went to the clock to find it was 3:35am. What now? They would probably want her to wake them up, right? She really wanted to see her Mum and Dad.

"Mum! Dad!" she called out. She heard a few voices upstairs but soon it was silent. "MUM! DAD!" she tried again.

This time she heard several hurried footsteps on the stairs. Ginny was the first one down. When she saw Rachel she broke down. She fell to her knees and began to cry. Molly and Arthur ran down not long after and were trailed by everyone else.

"Mum…" Rachel said quietly before running into her arms and bursting into tears. There was something about Molly holding her that calmed her.

"Oh, my baby! You're back!" Molly said overjoyed.

Bill sent a patronis to Dumbledore tell him what happened. After a while Rachel let go of Molly and hugged Arthur. New tears formed and Arthur pet her hair calmingly.

"Oh honey, what happened to you?" Arthur whispered.

A moment later the floo fired up and Dumbledore, Minerva, Snape, and Madam Pomphery appeared. "Oh thank Merlin," Minerva gasped as she saw Rachel.

Rachel released Arthur and turned to face them. "Rachel, my dear, what happened?" Albus asked.

"Two men. They sent me a portkey."

"Who were these men?" Snape asked uncharacteristically gently.

"I don't know their real names but you might," Rachel said pointing at Dumbledore and Minerva. "They called each other Padfoot and Moony."

Minerva gasped and looked at Albus.

"You know who they are?" Bill asked.

Albus nodded and said, "Moony is Remus Lupin and Padfoot is Sirius Black."

"You're sure?" Charlie asked.

Albus looked around and found todays newspaper. He passed it to Rachel and said, "Does this man look familiar?"

He did.

"That's Padfoot."

"What did Moony look like?"

"Um, he was about the same age, he had brown hair, and scars on his face." She drew lines with her fingers to show where.

"Remus is a werewolf. He got those on a couple bad full moons. I treated them," Madam Pomphery told her.

"Did they hurt you?" Snape asked.

Rachel shook her head.

"But you covered in blood," Arthur insisted.

"I hit my head on arrival and it knocked me out. When I woke up I tried to escape but I fell down the stairs when I saw Moony. I ran back into the windowless room I came from and blocked the door so they couldn't get in. I pushed the bed into the corner and stayed under it."

"Smart," Snape mussed.

"Not really, because after so long I became very thirsty. After it became unbearable I left them room. They saw me sort of hidden but still watching. Padfoot got a bottle of water and Moony rolled it to me. They said they would let me go as soon as I listened to what they had to say. So I did."

"What did they need to tell you that was so important they needed to kidnap you?" Snape sneered.

"Not to hate Lily and James. They were part of the original kidnapping," Rachel told them. "Then they gave me a portkey that took me to London. I eventually found the Leaky Cauldron. Tom was out of floo powder so he apparated me just outside the wards and I walked the rest of the way." Then Rachel remembered the envelope. She pulled it out and was surprised when she opened it she found a picture from the newspaper. It was of Ron and Rachel. Ron was holding Scabbers and Rachel was holding Hedwig on her shoulder. Scabbers was circled in pen and it said ANIMAGUS beside him. Rachel passed it to Minerva.

"Ron, would you get your pet rat?" Minerva asked him.

"Uh, sure," he ran off and returned a minute later holding Scabbers.

"May I see him?" Minerva said holding out her hand.

Scabbers began to struggle but Ron and Minerva held on tightly. Moments later there was a large man where the rat used to be. Everyone except Rachel and Minerva gasped.

"Haley! You've grown so much!" the man said creepily as he stroked her cheek before grabbing her neck and using her as a shield. Everyone pointed there wands at him. "Put the wands down or I'll break her neck!" Everyone slowly dropped their wands.

Rachel shook her head and said, "Why is it always me?" She kicked his groin and pushed hand away from her neck. She stuck her leg out and pulled the man successful over it making him fall to the floor. Rachel still had a hold on the man's arm and she pulled it backward popping it out of the shoulder. She placed a foot on his neck to keep him down.

Fred chuckled, "Told you she knows martial arts!"

"Bloody hell!" Bill and Ron shouted.

Snape actually started laughing. Dumbledore picked up his wand and yelled, "Stupefy!"

Rachel let him go and threw her arms around Molly again.

Minerva slapped Severus over the back of the head, "What are you laughing at?"

"A little girl beat up Peter Pettigrew. It's hilarious!"

Rachel gave Snape a death glare, "Did you just call me a little girl?"

"Um, no," Snape said slowly.

"I didn't think so," Rachel said with a satisfied smile.

"Now what?" Bill asked confused.

"We will notify everyone about Rachel's happy return. I will take Mr. Pettigrew to Azkaban. Mr. Weasley will probably get a new pet and we will all get some well-deserved sleep," Albus told them and everyone left.

"Okay everyone, off to bed," Arthur announced. Molly guided Rachel to her room. Arthur followed the pair. He was afraid to let Rachel out of his sight.

They entered the bedroom and Arthur closed the door behind them. Molly looked Rachel in the face and said, "You're sure they didn't hurt you?"

"Not on purpose. They just… They terrified me," Rachel admitted.

"And Peter he didn't hurt you either?"

"No, I hurt him though."

Arthur chuckled, "Remind me to never piss you off."

Rachel smiled at him.

"You should probably get some sleep, honey," Molly told her.

"I don't think I can."

Molly gave her a sad smile, "Come along sweetheart." Molly got Rachel to crawl into the bed before crawling in beside her. Arthur smiled at the pair but left the room to give them some privacy. He knew Rachel was in good hands. Rachel curled up against her mum. She wasn't sure why but she wanted to be close to her.

"Masster isss back!"

Rachel turned to look at Medusa who had climbed beside her. "Hello, Medusa. I'm sssorry that I wasss away for ssso long."

"It wasss not Massstersss fault! I heard that bad persssonsss took you away!"

"Yesss but I have returned."

Molly was giggling. "What's she saying?"

"That she's happy I'm back."

"Well, she's not the only one. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry, Mum."

"Oh honey, you don't need to be sorry. It's not your fault. I just want you to be safe for once."

"I don't think I've ever truly been safe and it's unlikely that I will ever feel safe. I always look over my shoulder to make sure no one's there but it never works."

Molly pulled her close, "I will do everything I can to protect you." Rachel leaned against her mother and the two fell asleep in that position.

888

Molly and Rachel were surprised to learn that they were the last to wake. Charlie and Ginny made breakfast.

"Morning Rachel, how are you feeling?" Arthur asked gently.

Rachel sat down and said, "Better. I'm still a little creeped out though."

Arthur nodded and Charlie said, "Any sane person would be. I mean you were kidnapped and then a guy threatened to snap your neck!"

"Thanks for the recap," Rachel said sarcastically.

"Does your life ever seem normal?" Bill questioned.

Rachel thought for a minute before saying, "Not really, no."

"What did Lupin and Black tell you?" Fred asked.

"Um, well, Lily had a baby but there were complications so she couldn't have anymore. Their baby died so they couldn't have any. My da… James got desperate. Lily was angry at Mum because at the time she had seven healthy children and could probably have more and she wouldn't have any. James got Padfoot and Moony to help him kidnap me from my crib so he could give Lily the one thing she desperately wanted. They used me as a replacement and no one knew the difference."

"They had to kidnap you to tell you that?" Bill questioned. "Why not just write it in the freaking letter?"

Rachel shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe they thought it was something I needed to hear face to face."

Arthur said, "Well, it was pretty stupid."

"I said they never hurt me. I never said they were smart."

Arthur shook his head, "Well, we are moving today. We will be safe from everything at the manor. We will leave after breakfast. Albus is sending house elves to collect our belongings. I thought we should be out of here before the Daily Prophet announces you're back and the reporters come back."

Haley nodded and ate her breakfast.