A sudden, sharp fear stabbed through Harry. If the daughter was here, then Voldemort couldn't be far behind. He leapt away from the counter, pulling out his wand and looking around for any danger. Why hadn't his scar warned him?

"Harry, calm down," Blaze said softly, making no move to threaten or follow him as he backed away. "I'm not going to hurt you. Like I said, Snape contacted me on Dumbledore's behalf. I'm here to protect you."

"How can I trust you?" Harry demanded. "How do I know this isn't a trap?"

She shrugged. "You can't. But if I were trying to kill you, you'd be dead. If Voldemort was here, why hasn't he shown himself by now?" She paused, giving him a moment to ponder the question. "Just listen to me. Years ago, before he met you and lost his power, my father and I had a bit of a falling out. I went to Dumbledore. It took me forever to get him to believe me, but eventually he took my word for it. I haven't seen Father since." Harry was staring at her, a look of horror on his face. "For years, Dumbledore, myself, and a number of other wizards have been putting spells around your aunt and uncle's house so that Voldemort can't touch you there, but Dumbledore is concerned about your safety, especially now that he's returned to power."

A far-off look appeared in her eyes. A moment later, she blinked and re- focused on his face as he said, "But Dumbledore said it was my mother's blood in me and my aunt that protects me here."

She nodded. "It is, but extra protection is always helpful.

"Anyway, that's who I am. I'm helping you because I really don't like my father. Plus, I owe Dumbledore for helping me out so long ago. I'm not going to hurt you, and I have every intention of bringing you to Hogwarts, once school starts. In fact, I'll be staying with you there during the year."

Harry continued to stare at her for a moment. "And what if I run?"

She shrugged. "Then I'll follow you. But I wouldn't recommend it. You'd be entirely vulnerable on your own, away from any sort of protection." There was a brief moment of silence. Finally, she said, "What can I do to convince you? Is there somewhere else I can take you for the next few months? Diagon alley, maybe? We don't have to stay here. Or if you like, you could have someone come stay here with us. A friend of yours or something."

Slowly, Harry asked, "Why didn't Dumbledore come see me himself?"

"He's really busy right now," Blaze replied. "If you really need to, I suppose we could track him down. He's got to be somewhere. All I know is that he's working on a line of defense against Voldemort somewhere. It could take a while to find him. I could take you to Snape."

Harry frowned. Somehow, the teacher who hated him so much wouldn't be much of a reassurance, especially after Harry had discovered how he had been a Death Eater at one point. They could go visit Ron or Hermione, but that might put them and their families in danger.

Slowly walking back towards the counter, Harry lowered his wand from an attack position. "Can I send an owl to Dumbledore, asking him to come visit us? And maybe we could go see a friend of mine?"

"Sure," she replied, standing up. "When do you want to go? We could eat first, or if you like we could just head over now."

"You can eat," Harry replied. "I'd rather wait though."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself. You can watch TV or whatever while you wait." She grabbed a piece of parchment and a pen from the counter and handed it to him. "Here. You can write to Dumbledore. Hope you don't mind the pen, but I'm too lazy to use a quill when I don't have to."

Harry nodded, then moved into the living room, picking a seat where he could keep an eye on her and write at the same time. Was he doing the right thing, dragging the Weasleys into this? Was he putting them in danger? He had no idea what to do in this situation. Maybe Dumbledore really did send her. He had sent Snape off to do something last year. But surely he would have mentioned this to Harry? And why had no one ever mentioned that Voldemort had a daughter before now? Could he trust her? He quickly wrote the headmaster, asking him to send an owl to the Weasleys with word.

About fifteen minutes later, Blaze walked into the room, a small bag over her shoulder. "Ready?" He nodded, and she asked, "Where is this place? How do we get to it?"

"It's-" Harry paused. He realized that he had no idea where the Burrow was. "Uh, I'm not really sure, actually."

She smiled, sliding her sunglasses back on. "Okay, how about a name? Is this a wizarding family?"

"Yes, they are, and his last name is Weasley."

"Easy, then. They should have a fire lit somewhere. All we have to do is send a message through it." She walked down the hallway and into the library, beckoning Harry to follow. Inside was a large collection of not only books, but also what appeared to be comic books and shelves of potion ingredients. A cold fireplace was set into one of the walls, and as she gestured to it, it burst into flames. What startled Harry was that she didn't use a wand.

Noticing this, she explained, "I have a bit of a gift with fire. That's where I got the name Blaze." Grabbing a jar from one of the shelves, she tossed a pinch of the powder inside into the flames. "C'mere. All you have to do is stick your head in and talk into it. You should see someone's face in a moment. Tell them you and I are going to use Floo powder to come over."

Harry nodded, eyeing her and then the fire nervously. A moment later, Mr. Weasley's face appeared in the fireplace. "Harry!" he exclaimed, obviously surprised. "Hang on just a moment, I'll get Ron."

"No, wait, Mr. Weasley," Harry said before he could leave. "Er, I have a bit of a favor to ask. Can I come over for a bit with a, uh, friend? I need to talk to you about something."

The surprise written across his friend's father's face amplified enormously. "Of course you can. How are you getting here?"

"Floo powder," Harry replied. "We'll be there in just a moment, okay?"

"See you in a moment, Harry." With that, Mr. Weasley's face disappeared. Blaze had replaced the jar and was holding another one.

"Have you ever used Floo powder?" she asked.

Harry flinched. "Once, with disasterous results."

She grinned. "It's happened to the best of us. Don't worry; I'll follow you if you get off track. You go first." She extended the jar to him, and he took a pinch of the powder. Tossing it into the fire and concentrating very hard on the Burrow, he stepped into the fire and clearly pronounced the word. A moment later, he was standing in their living room. Harry let out a sigh of relief, then moved so Blaze wouldn't trample him. All of the Weasleys, minus Percy and Charlie, were present.

"Harry!" Ron said cheerfully. "How on earth did you get the Muggles to let you come?"

"Later," he replied quickly. "Mr. Weasly, I need your advice. You see, this morning, a girl showed up at the Dursleys and she said Dumbledore had sent her and now I found out who she is and I'm not sure if I should trust her or not."

"Harry, dear, slow down," Mrs. Weasley said. "What girl are you talking about?"

At that moment, Blaze emerged from the fire. She glanced around the room, surprised at the number of people present. Her gaze landed on Bill for a moment, then continued on. "Hello. I'd imagine Harry hasn't had time to relay everything to you yet, so if you'd just show me the door, I'll wait outside."

Mrs. Weasley looked shocked and slightly offended. "Why, there's no need for that! Any friend of Harry's-"

"That's why he needs to talk to you," Blaze interrupted. "He's not sure if I'm a friend or not yet."

There was a brief pause before Bill said, "I'll take her outside." He left the room and Blaze followed with one last glance at Harry. "Try not to scream," she tossed over her shoulder. "Don't want to think you're being threatened or anything." The two of them disappeared from view, and Harry shot a worried look at the door they'd left through.

"Ron, is Hedwig around? Can you do me a favor, give this to her and tell her to go to Dumbledore as fast as she can," Harry said. Ron nodded, a puzzled look on his face, but left. He reappeared a few seconds later.

"Now, then, what's going on?" Mr. Weasley asked. His wife was looking very indignant, staring after the two.

"Well, that was rather rude, wasn't it?"

"I think she was trying to be polite," Harry said. "There are a few things you need to know about her." He quickly relayed what she'd told him, producing a shriek from Mrs. Weasley. He pulled out the letter she'd given him from Dumbledore and showed it to them. "She says she's going to protect me until school starts. She's been really nice so far, gave me a room and bought me some stuff, but then she told me and."

To his surprise, Ron laughed. "Come on, Harry. You-know-who's daughter? It's ridiculous. Someone would know if he'd had any kids, right, Dad?"

"Children, go get your wands, quickly please," Mr. Weasley said, not answering the question. "I want you all to go up into the attic until we tell you otherwise."

"But Dad!" Fred protested.

"Now," he said firmly, in a tone Harry had never heard before. The four Weasleys scampered off to obey. "Now, Harry," he continued, "it's essential that you've told us everything."

He nodded vaguely, his eyes unfocused, staring at the table in front of him. "Her eyes. She has the same eyes as him. That's how I knew."

An instant later, he found himself wrapped in Mrs. Weasley's arms. "Oh, Harry!" she exclaimed. "This must be horrible for you, especially after what happened in the tournament, and then in the Department of Mysteries."

He managed to force a smile, pushing away the painfully memories. "I'm alright, Mrs. Weasley, really. But what do you think I should do? I'm sorry I brought her here, but I didn't know what else to do."

"Of course," Mr. Weasley replied. "You did exactly as you should." He sighed, rubbing his face with one hand. Glancing at his wife, he said, "Should we try to reach Dumbledore by fire? It could take Hedwig a while."

Mrs. Weasley nodded and ran to find the right ingredient for it. When she came back, they immediately called him. A few moments later, Dumbledore's face appeared in the fireplace Harry had stepped from.

"Ah, Arthur," he said, a pleasant smile on his face. "I've been expecting your call. I assume this is about Blaze?"

Ron's father nodded. "So you did send her, then."

"Yes, of course. I do apologize for the lack of warning, but I didn't know that she would actually arrive until just before she left." Dumbledore seemed to think this was a perfectly normal solution.

"Albus," Mrs. Weasley said, "Do you really think we can trust her? You- know-who's daughter, for heaven's sake!"

"Yes, yes, I realize that, Molly, but she's been an excellent help in the past. In fact, she's helped us with protecting Harry ever since we sent him to live with his relatives. However, with the recent circumstances, we decided it might be best for her to take him in. As I'm sure you can imagine, she's rather powerful."

Harry had sat down on the floor, slightly in shock. Dumbledore had sent the daughter of the evilest man alive to look after him since he was a baby. She could've done anything, and he would've been helpless.

He suddenly realized he had missed part of the conversation. Dumbledore was speaking again. "-Think it might be best if Harry simply went with her. We don't want to endanger any of your children."

"We don't want to endanger Harry, either!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "Really, Albus, what you're asking.!"

"Of course, it is ultimately up to Harry," Dumbledore replied. "If he chooses not to go with Blaze, we'll have to make other arrangements. However, Harry, I would seriously recommend that you take the young lady's offer."

Harry blinked, confused, at his headmaster's face, flickering in the fireplace. All three adults were looking at him. After a moment, he said, "All right. I'll go with her."

"Oh, Harry, are you sure?" Mrs. Weasley cried.

He nodded. "I'll just have to be careful." Smiling at her, he added, "I'll send word if I suspect anything at all."

Dumbledore smiled. "And I'm sure you won't let her leave with him until after you've had a thorough interrogation of her, Molly. He'll be fine, I assure you. Blaze has long been a friend of Professor Snape and myself. But now I really must go."

"Of course, of course," Mr. Weasley said. "Didn't mean to hold you up."

"Not at all," Dumbledore replied. "You were merely concerned. Harry, I'll direct Hedwig back to you as soon as she arrives." He winked and vanished.

There was an awkward moment where Harry and the Weasleys just looked at each other. Mrs. Weasley looked as though she was dying to say something, but held back. Finally, Mr. Weasley said, "Well, we'd best call her in and speak with her. Molly, go get the others. They should be here." They left Harry alone in the room and Mrs. Weasley returned a moment later with her children. Ron instantly moved to Harry's side.

"Is she really, Harry? Are you actually going with her?" he demanded.

Harry managed a weak smile and nodded. "I'll be okay," he said in a voice that sounded much more confidant than he felt. "She hasn't hurt me so far, and Dumbledore okayed her."

Mr. Weasley entered with Blaze and Bill in tow. Ginny made a slight noise at the sight of them, and Blaze glanced over at her, grinned, and shifted her bag higher onto her shoulder.

"All set, then? What's up, Harry?" she said, looking at him.

Mrs. Weasley cut in, "Not yet. We're going to have a long talk, and then, if we're satisfied you mean him no harm, we'll let him go with you."

She shrugged. "I figured there'd be some sort of an inquisition. Mind if I sit down?"

Smirking slightly, Bill pulled a chair out of the table and slid it to her. She turned it backward and straddled it, facing them as they all took seats. Fred and George stood on either side of Harry, arms crossed, glaring at her. Mrs. Weasley rolled her eyes at their bodyguard-like behavior, but didn't comment.

"Well, then," Mr. Weasley said. "I suppose I should start by asking your name."

"Blaze," she replied politely. "And you are?"

After a quick round of introductions, Mr. Weasley continued. "Right. Now that that's done, why did you agree to take Harry in for the rest of the summer? How do you know Albus Dumbledore?"

"I met Professor Dumbledore through a mutual friend, Severus Snape," she said easily. Ron made a bit of a choking noise at Snape's name, but she ignored it. "I'm not my father's biggest fan, and I'd already been keeping an eye on Harry since his parents died, so when Dumbledore asked me to make it a bit more hands-on, I didn't really mind. Miserable place the kid lives at."

"But why were you looking after me before?" Harry asked.

She glanced from him to Ron. "Actually, Severus asked me to."

"He WHAT?" Ron demanded.

Again, she shrugged. "He asked me to look in on him every now and then after the initial protection spells were cast. I owe him a lot, so I agreed."

Harry and Ron looked at each other. Why on earth would the teacher who hated him the most be so anxious to get him help? It didn't make sense.

A few seconds later, Mrs. Weasley asked, "Where will the two of you be staying?"

"I've got a place," Blaze replied. "Harry's already been there. I can't really tell you where it is, though. You'll just have to trust me on that."

"Am I correct to assume you're a witch?" Mr. Weasley said.

She smiled slightly, tilting her head at him. "Of course. Wouldn't be much help to him if I wasn't, would I?"

Glaring at her, George said, "What's with the sunglasses?"

She pulled them off and glanced around the room, briefly looking into each person's eyes. A gasp went up from most of them, and Ginny cringed away slightly. "Yeah," Blaze replied to the looks on their faces, "that's why I leave them on. Sometimes I just change the color, like when I know I'll be inside a lot, but I didn't really count on telling Harry who I was today, let alone coming here, so I didn't bother."

The round of questioning continued well past what would be dinnertime. Finally, Harry stood up with a sigh. "Look," he said, "I'm gonna trust her and Professor Dumbledore on this one. I promise I'll write you the whole time I'm gone so you'll know I'm okay, but for now, I think we should go. I'm not even supposed to be here this summer, remember?"

It was true. Near the end of last school year, Dumbledore had specifically said that Harry was not to be at the Weasleys'. The magical barriers weren't strong enough, and it was to great a danger. Mr. Weasley knew this and slowly stood up, extending a hand to Harry.

"Be careful," he said softly. "It's a dangerous world out there, now more than ever."

Harry nodded, a soft smile on his face. "I will be. I promise."