Title: Strings of Fate
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: Being raised only by his Aunt, Harry comes to Hogwarts not only knowing about the Wizarding World, but with a kind of training no one at the school is expecting.
Amelia and Petunia sat down at the more comfortable dining table in the private dining room at the Bones Manor. The private dining room was more personal and intimate than the big formal dining room and was where Amelia and Susan usually ate. They had spent a number of hours going through the preparations for Sirius' Trial, which was to take place in early November, with Sirius' Defence Lawyer.
Both Amelia and Petunia were enjoying the company. Petunia had never really been happy with Vernon but over a decade alone caring for the boys, no matter how much she loved them, had not left a gap in her life. Amelia had dedicated herself to her work and Susan since her Fiancé had died during the Blood War.
"Thank you, Klepse." Amelia said. "We will be fine."
The House Elf nodded and disappeared with a distinct pop.
"I'm not sure I'm ever going to get used to that." Petunia said with a shake of her head. "So have you heard anything recently from Susan?"
"Yes. Apart from Harry making the Quidditch Team, he's now a curiosity with two other students for getting a hand delivered letter from a Ghost." Amelia said with a grin.
"Harry did mention something about spending Halloween at some special gathering. A Death Party or something." Petunia replied. "He also mentioned Susan is now getting requests for her evening song before the dorm goes to bed."
Amelia half smiled, half blushed in pride at her niece. Not only was Susan pursuing something that she both loved and had a talent for, but she was also at the forefront, and the inspiration for, an entire musical revolution at Hogwarts. Merlin, the Indy Concert at the end of the last school year had been so popular amongst the students that several recently graduated students were petitioning the Wizarding Wireless to have this year's concert broadcast, and the Wizarding Wireless was expressing interest. If the broadcast did happen, Amelia intended to have it played for all the Cadets at the Auror Academy, partly because she was proud of Susan's participation and partly to play a prank on Auror Cadet Tonks.
The two women spent the next few hours just discussing the joys and challenges of raising a child as a single woman. It was late in the evening when their conversation began to die.
"I suppose I should be getting home." Petunia said sadly, not looking forward to returning to her empty house.
"You know that you can stay." Amelia replied. "You can have your regular spare bedroom."
"I guess I just don't want to face the idea of spending another night alone." Petunia admitted.
"You don't have to." Amelia said after a slight pause.
Both of them recognised that the offer was recognising that they both needed to not be in a big, empty bed alone. Nothing more, nothing less.
Harry, Neville and Luna stood in the entrance hall waiting for their escort to the Death Day Party as the rest of the school filed past them into the Great Hall. The Bloody Baron approached and led them off to the room where the Death Day Party was being held. It was a much smaller hall than the Great Hall but still large enough to hold the hundred and fifty ghosts of the Castle with ease.
"I would avoid the main buffet table." The Baron advised. "The food there has been rotting for over a week. It allows us Ghosts to get a sensation similar to taste. The House Elves have warded the table for you so the smell will not spread beyond the table and a small area around it. The small table on the other side has fresh food for you."
"That is very considerate." Neville said.
"Helena insisted." The Baron replied. "Excuse me."
The three students looked around and were amazed at what they saw. There was music playing, which Harry recognised as a modern Muggle Band, and a number of the Ghosts were dancing with energy in a open 'dance floor', while other Ghosts were standing around in small groups chatting. One of the dancing Ghosts spun around and the students were surprised to see it was Helena.
"Hey!" She called out in glee as she danced over to them. "You're here. Isn't this great?"
Luna bounced excitedly and immediately skipped of to the dance floor, with a grinning Helena following behind. Harry and Neville moved over to the fresh food table and began surveying the room. Amazingly Peeves was the DJ and The Bloody Baron was talking the Sir Nicholas, the Gryffindor Ghost, that everyone believed were bitter enemies. Luna, Helena and a young female Ghost in a Hogwarts Uniform were all dancing with abandon and broad grins on their faces.
"Harry, dear boy." The Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff Ghost, said as he approached. "How are you?"
"We are good." Harry replied.
The Friar, despite his reputation for being jolly if a bit naïve, got into a long an involved discussion with Harry about the political and sociological impact of the changes that were happening at the school, a conversation the Neville found deeply interesting if slightly over his head.
The Death Day Party was starting to wind down when Harry, Neville and Luna found themselves sitting in a quiet corner of the hall with Helena. Helena was regaling them with stories of Lily, Andromeda, Alice, Serena and Marline. Like Harry's own group, it was one of the few groups in the last half century that contained members across all four Houses.
"Your mothers were very different but they each contributed something significant to the group." Helena said. "Lily was the leader. She was smart, brave and could easily both read and navigate the social morays of they school. It was thanks to her, and her confident decision making, that the group was able survive. Alice was, for lack of a better word, the enforcer of the group. She was the fastest with a wand and most effective in selecting the right spell in any given situation."
Both Harry and Neville, who had never known their parents, listened on in rapt attention. Luna was not as desperate for knowledge as the two boys as she had a few years of memories of her mother, so she allowed Helena to tell a few stories about Lily and Alice before she spoke up.
"What of my mother?" The blonde girl asked.
"Serena was amazing. She was one of the most creative women I have ever known." Helena replied. "Before she graduated, your mother had already created no less than three brand new spells. If she had wanted to, she could have sold the patents to the spells, made a fortune and never had to work again, but she was not in it for the money. She loved to create and that is all she was interested in. You will actually learn one of her spells in Fourth Year."
Harry, Neville and Luna were walking back to the entrance hall, taking a slight detour to the second floor girl's bathroom to escort one of the Ghosts, a girl called Myrtle that Luna had made friends with during the party. The bathroom was where Myrtle spent most of her time, something that baffled Harry and Neville but after what they had just seen they were over being shocked at the behaviours of the Ghosts.
The four of them were chatting away when they came across the Caretaker's Cat hanging from the wall outside Myrtle's Bathroom stiff as a board. There was a message of 'Enemies of the Heir Beware'. At that point a rush of students, the Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, arrived on the scene headed from the Great Hall to their Dormitories.
"You killed my cat!" Filch screamed as he arrived on the scene.
"Don't be bloody stupid." Myrtle replied. "The three of them have been at the Death Day Party at the personal invitation of Lady Ravenclaw."
"Argus, Miss Norris is not dead." Albus spoke up. "She is petrified."
A discussion erupted, with several more Ghosts showing up, each confirming for the staff that Harry, Neville and Luna had been at the Death Day Party, giving them an ironclad alibi against any accusation. It was into this mess that Professor Lockhart showed up.
"Did I miss anything?" The DADA Professor asked.
"Is that a hair out of place?" Harry asked with an innocent voice.
Lockhart immediately reached up for his hair and made a quick departure.
"That you, Potter." Professor Snape said.
"You're welcome, Professor." Harry replied. "May we return to our Dorms now?"
"Of course. Off to bed, everyone." Dumbledore ordered.
TBC…