~Harry Potter and the Battle of Heirs~

~By Rachie.V.~

~Author's Note: Well, here's Chapter 2. I hope you like it! Do not read this before Chapter 1, or you will be a little confused! Please REVIEW and I welcome all points of constructive criticism (NO FLAMES). Tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: Only Rachel belongs to me, but the other characters and places like Hogwarts belong to the best author to be born, J.K.Rowling.

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Chapter II

Dear Sirius,

                 Congratulations! I'm so glad that you are now a free man. I can't wait to live with you, and I would have Christmas break with you, but since I can't live with you until after the year, I guess I'll be seeing you at King's Cross Station at the end of the year!

I had this dream last night, and it involved this girl I didn't know. I was in Hogsmeade, and there was a blizzard going on. Then this girl comes along, and she says that one day, I will meet her, and she will tell me something I have been longing to hear. Then Voldemort comes up behind her, he laughs, there's a flash of green light, and then I woke up. My scar didn't hurt, but do you think that this is something to do with Voldemort coming closer?

And while Dumbledore told me about you, we heard news that Voldemort attacked the Weasleys. I hope they're all right! 

I had better go now, but take care of yourself!

Love,

Harry.

Harry sealed the letter and decided to walk up to the Owlery with it. He had written the letter in the Gryffindor common room, as soon as he was dismissed from Dumbledore's office. The students still had not arrived.

Harry sighed. He was worried sick about the Weasleys. What if they were… Harry couldn't bear to even think about it. The Weasleys were like Harry's family, and Harry wouldn't know what to do without them. Especially Harry's other best friend, Ron Weasley.

Harry had reached the Owlery, and he found Hedwig easily. He tied the letter to her leg, and watched her fly out through the window. Harry decided to walk to the Great Hall; the students would probably here soon. Harry walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. The golden plates and goblets were already there. The Great Hall's door swung open and the teachers marched into the Great Hall and sat down at the Head Table. A few of them threw curious glances Harry's way, but he ignored them. The dors closed again, and Harry sighed. Dumbledore walked up to Harry.

"Listen Harry, I know that you're upset about the Weasleys, but don't do anything about it. I know that you will do anything to help find the Weasleys, but please, don't. You will put yourself in danger," he said.

"I know, but what happened? I mean, did they disappear, or did Voldemort kill them?" Harry asked desperately.

"Well, as far as we know, they disappeared, but we are doing everything we can to find them," Dumbledore said. Just then, the doors to the Great Hall flew open, and the students (except for the first years) all poured in, and sat at their tables. Dumbledore headed back to the Head Table. As soon as Hermione saw him, she rushed to Harry and enveloped him in a hug.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed.

"Oh, Harry! I heard about the Weasleys, and I was so worried! Then when I got on the train, and I didn't see you, I thought you were…" Hermione didn't finish, but she let go of Harry and tears started pouring down her face. Harry didn't start crying, and he didn't know why.

"It's all right Hermione, we'll find Ron," Harry told her, while she sniffled and sobbed at the same time.

"No, it's not! I bet that Dumbledore was telling you not to go looking for him, wasn't he?" she asked.

"Er… yeah, but did you really think that I'd go by the rules when it comes to Ron?" Harry asked.

"Well, no…" Hermione admitted.

"That's the spirit. Now, do you want to hear some good news?" Harry asked Hermione, watching her wipe her eyes and blow her nose on a handkerchief.

"Yeah! What?" Harry started to tell her about Sirius, but was quickly interrupted by Professor McGonagall, who came in with the first years and explained about Sorting. The Sorting Hat and the stool were already in place. Everybody watched the hat as it started to sing a song, and then Professor McGonagall started reading the students' names off a list.

"Aseeda, Gail". The list went on, and until Professor McGonagall got to her, nobody recognized the girl in the line that looked tall enough to be in year 7.

"Now, we have a student to be sorted into year 7. The reason is that she had been going to "The Australian School of Witchcraft and Wizardry". She was born in England, and has moved back here. Rachel Hay, please put on the Sorting Hat, and sit on the stool." Professor McGonagall said. Harry couldn't see her face properly, as the Sorting Hat was hiding her face, but he thought that she looked familiar…

Everybody was staring at the girl as the Sorting Hat fell over her eyes. The Sorting Hat was silent for a few seconds, then it shouted, "Gryffindor!"

The Gryffindor Table blew up. At least, that's what it sounded like to Harry. People were cheering at the top of their lungs. You'd think that they'd won the house cup! Harry expected to hear the Weasley twins (Fred and George) to shout out something like, "Wahoo! We got the new girl!" But then Harry remembered that the Weasleys were missing. Harry sighed.

"Is anything wrong?" Harry turned to his right. It was the girl who was just Sorted. Harry gasped. It was the girl from his dream! The girl who had just come to Hogwarts was the girl in his dream! He had met her, and now she should tell him something that he had been longing to hear…

"Is anything wrong?" the girl asked again. Harry noticed that she was sitting in Ron's chair. Harry felt a pang in his chest. He had to find Ron!

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm Harry Potter," Harry said, outstretching his hand. The girl laughed.

"I knew that! But you knew that I'm Rachel Hay, didn't you?" Rachel shook Harry's hand.

"Yeah," Harry replied. Then Dumbledore stood up and made some announcements, including an announcement about a Graduation Ball that was to be held at the end of the year, for the years four to seven. The year sevens would have to lead the ball, like Harry had to lead the Yule Ball in his fourth year. Harry sighed. He supposed that he would have to take Hermione. Then Dumbledore told the school about the Weasleys. Harry sighed again. Hermione then burst into tears again, and Harry put a comforting arm around her shoulders. Harry still couldn't cry. He didn't know why.

Then it was time for dinner. While they ate people all over the Gryffindor table were asking each other to the Graduation Ball. Harry supposed he might as well ask Hermione now.

"Hermione?"

"Yeah? (Sniffle)"

"Will you go to the Graduation Ball with me?"

"Oh, Harry, I would, but, well… I'd rather go with Ron, and even though he's missing, I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings."

"That's okay," Harry sighed. Now what would he do? He had no date yet, and he had to lead the ball! Wait…what about Rachel?

"Uh…um…Rachel?" Rachel looked up from her dinner. She hadn't said a word to anyone. Harry thought she was very nice. He and Hermione should become friends with her.

"Yeah?"

"Will you…er…" Harry blushed. Why was he so bad at this?

"Would I like to go to the Graduation Ball with you?" she supplied, smiling.

"Yeah," Harry replied.

"Sure! I'd love to," Rachel cried. For some reason, Harry didn't like Cho Chang that much, anymore…

Suddenly, the door to the Great Hall flung open, and in walked… the Weasleys! Except for Bill and Charlie. They didn't disappear.

Hermione screamed and burst into tears. Harry yelled, "RON!" and ran to him. Hermione and Rachel followed.

"Oh, Ron!" Harry cried, and hugged him. All of the Weasleys looked as if they had been travelling for days. Their robes were ripped, their hair was knotted and they had dirt on their faces. They looked very tired.

"Harry!" Ron cried back, giving him a hug back. He was limping, so Harry helped to support him. The teachers all came running over. Dumbledore pulled Harry, Ron and Hermione aside. He showed them a note that an owl had brought while the Weasleys had made their appearance. They read it and gasped.

It read:

Beware! I will attack when you least expect it…

Then there was Voldemort's Dark Mark on the bottom.

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~Author's Note: What did you think? PLEASE REVIEW!!! And constructive criticism and comments ONLY! Please, no flames! Thanks to all the people who do review! They deserve a big hug! **Blows kisses to the reviewers** Please review? It only takes a couple of seconds! :) Click here to e-mail me!