Chapter Two

Across the street from my parents café is a very small bookstore. In fact it's so small it can only hold about seven people comfortably at a time. I've been going over to hang out with the owner Hayden since I turned ten and he opened it. Hayden's in his early twenties… I think. I've never asked. He skipped college and moved into the apartment above the store when his grandfather, who owned the store before, died. I wandered over one day just after he'd reopened the place. I'd heard drums coming from the second floor so I went over to investigate. We've been friends ever since. I help him unload shipments and stuff, but I also go over whenever I'm upset.

I happened to be very upset at the moment.

Tears were streaming down my face when I pushed open the door to the shop. They were silent tears, as I was winded from dodging cars to get across the street. Hayden wasn't sitting at the front counter so I sat my self on the desk to wait. I tried to work all of the tears out of my system; I didn't want Hayden to see me crying. I hated when people saw me crying, for me it's downright embarrassing.

Soon Hayden came walking in. He was toting two cardboard boxes and struggling under their weight. I gave my eyes one last wipe and jumped down from the desk. Hayden sighed heavily as I relieved him of one box. I almost fell under the weight of the box but somehow managed to stay up.

"That can go over there." Hayden instructed.

I grunted a feeble response and heaved the box onto the small table. A few books fell out of the stuffed box and I scrambled around to catch them.

"So what brings you here?" I heard along with the thump of books being set down.

I hesitated before answering. What was I to say? I didn't want to lie exactly, but as much as I loved Hayden I wasn't going to go into detail with the events that had just been put forth in our kitchen. "Just a little messed up right now, that's all. Adrian's being odd again and then there's this sixth kid thing."

"Adrian's being odd?" Hayden came back into view. He rubbed the dust out of his hair before sitting on a spare stool.

"Yeah and he's still going out with that flake." I thought about Tatiana, wondering if Adrian had moved her after my flight from the kitchen.

Hayden thought for a second. "The one who you dropped orange paint on at the dance after you'd seen Carrie five times?"

"That one, yup." A slight smile came to my face. "So, do you need any help around here?"

His face brightened. "There are still a few boxes in the back. Could you bring in some? I'll be back in a minute to help."

I nodded. It always takes me a few minutes to get through to the back of his shop. The shelves are so dusty so I have to stop and sneeze occasionally. Hayden specializes in used books and the books he gets are always dusty, so he doesn't dust much any more. It kind of adds to the bookish atmosphere though.

Boxes were stacked high at the back door. I spent a few minutes sifting through the boxes to see if there was anything that looked interesting. Then it longer to find a light box I could carry easily. It took too long.

When I finally had a box I was sure I wouldn't drop I turned to go back to the main portion of the store. I took one step and then I was grabbed. I dropped the box to the floor with a clang, and struggled in the grip of my captor. Instinctively, I opened my mouth to scream but sleek, cool hand clamped over my mouth. I tried biting but it was like biting steel. I almost chipped my front teeth.

"Kid, don't try anything." The person holding me said. He had a high, wavering sort of voice. "I'm letting go of your mouth. You're going to turn around and walk out quietly, or you're getting an unforgivable." I felt something being poked in between my shoulder blades, and the metal hand being removed.

"Hayden!" I cried. "Help me! There's-"

I heard the punch before I felt it. The metal arm made direct contact with my jaw and sent me sprawling. My vision was blurry, but I heard footsteps, Hayden's voice, and a faint, but distinct bark. There was a flash of blue light shooting towards me. I rolled to my right once and felt my head come in contact with some sort of sharp edge. It wasn't the blow to the head or the punch in the jaw that made me black out. It was the blue light. I think, or maybe it was all three.

*~*

I was cold, shivering like mad. My teeth chattered, and I could feel the goose bumps on my skin. Skin…oh God! My eyes flew open and swept thoroughly over my body. I was clothed in only red boxers and my black sports bra. This registered as not good. The longer I kept my eyes opened the more my head hurt, I noticed as I took in my surroundings and quickly recapped what I remembered. I knew I'd been knocked out in the back of Hayden's store, so where was I now. Had he taken me to the local hospital? It sure looked like it. I was sitting in a bed with white sheets, a fluffy comforter (which I promptly pulled up over my cold, bare shoulders), and three pillows that some one had arrange behind my head while I'd been asleep. I couldn't see the whole room, because I seemed to be in my own little section. There were white curtains on each side of me and a little wooden table and chairs next to my bed. On the table was a porciline bowl filled with fruit. My stomach was calling out to me, so I greedily took a bright red apple. But as I opened my mouth pain shot through my jaw. The pain pulled up the vivid memory of being punched in the jaw with a metal arm. I tenderly felt my mouth , moaning as little pinpricks of pain erupted all over.

"You're awake!"

I jumped as I recognized Hayden's voice. He'd entered my makeshift room silently. Behind him Adrian was poking his head almost shyly through the curtain. I ignored the pain and managed a small smile for the both of them. "I just woke up." Oh, talking hurt! "That guy punched me really hard."

"It wasn't only the punch." Said Hayden. "You hit your head on one of my metal store boxes and you got hexed pretty badly. We were afraid you were going to…" He trailed off.

"Die." Adrian finished bluntly. "It was touch and go for a while."

"F-for awhile." I said slowly, massaging my jaw. "How long is 'for awhile'?"

Adrian and Hayden both looked uneasy. "Four weeks." Hayden said finally.

"A month?" I let full disbelief bleed into my voice. "You mean it's…July, now?"

"July 10th." Hayden confirmed, then he looked down at his feet and muttered something quickly. "AndPiperdon'tgetmad, butwe'reinEngland. WehadtobringyouoverbecauseyourdadandRemuscouldn'tgetthehexoffofyouanditwaskillingyou."

I shook my head. "Hayden I didn't understand a word of what you just said, and I'm not going to try and decipher it. I have enough of a headache already."

He took a deep breath. "Piper don't get mad, but we're in England. We had to bring you over because your dad and Remus couldn't get the hex off and it was slowly killing you."

"Please," I said in a would be controlled voice. "Explain hex, England, and killing." When they both looked confused I spoke again. "As in, where in England are we, why do you keep saying hex, and how was it killing me?"

"We're in the hospital wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Adrian said. "In Hayden's shop a man named Peter Pettigrew put a Bone Rotting Hex on you and it was killing you because it was destroying your bones and more importantly, your bone marrow."

"Wait, school for witchcraft and wizardry? Adrian, does that mean what you and…dad." I stumbled over the word. "were talking about before I ran out, is true?"

"There's a big 'I told you so' in order here." My brother said smugly. "Yes, it is true Pips."

I buried my face in my hands. "Oh god. Where's dad? He must think I'm such an idiot."

"Uh-uh Lee-Lee." Hayden put a hand on my shoulder. "He doesn't. Sirius had been sitting with you ever since we got here. It was small miracle that we convinced him to go with Remus last night. I was on my way to see him when you woke up."

"You know him well?"

"His sister was my mother. I'm his nephew." He said simply. I had the feeling the subject was not open for discussion.

There was something else bothering me. "Did you catch this wizard, who'd you say, Pettigrew? Why did he go after me?"

"He got away. I was hoping to avoid this one until later, but if you must know…" Hayden's voice turned serious as he told the tale of Peter Pettigrew (with some interjections from Adrian) the Marauders, Voldemort, and Harry Potter. He only knew it from his perspective, and told me that if I wanted more detail I'd have to ask my father. But Hayden supplied enough information that by the end of the story I was extremely angry at a certain rat. I knew from experience that the world was not a soft and rosy place, but before I heard the saga of Peter I hadn't been aware that one person could ruin so many peoples lives with one secret, and that that one person could do it and feel no guilt. "He went after you," Hayden was wrapping it up. "probably because Voldemort ordered it. He might've heard Sirius was making his way to his children and thought it would be a convenient way to kill off one of Harry Potter's main sources of protection and strength. He knows it would be near impossible to take down Professor Dumbledore, so Voldemort settled for the next best thing, your father."

"So I was the bait." I mused, more to myself than to Hayden and Adrian.

"Right." Hayden sighed. "Pettigrew obviously wasn't aware that I was a wizard, or he wouldn't have come by himself. He did get away, but don't worry Lee-Lee; you're as safe as you can get at Hogwarts. Nothing will hurt you with Albus Dumbledore around. You're surrounded by some of the most talented wizards and witches in Europe." Adrian nodded in agreement as Hayden spoke ad handed me a robe which I hadn't noticed sitting on one of the chairs. "Now, if you're up to it, I'll take you out of here and down to your father. Better to do it before Madam Pomfrey comes through here. She'll kill me if she catches us."

"Did anyone tell anyone back home that we were leaving?" I asked Adrian.

"No, not exactly." Adrian became very interested with a spot on the curtain.

Hayden swung me into his arms and parted the curtain so we could leave. I had to close my eyes at the sudden burst of light in the room. The stone walls had bright sunlight shining on them coming from the wide windows on one side of the room. We'd almost made it to the door, when it swung open and three people came walking in. The first was a short woman who looked to be some where between forty and sixty. She was wearing a white uniform and I could only assume that she was the Madam Pomfrey who would kill Hayden if she saw us like we were now. The next two were men, one was obviously younger than the other, but the older one looked a lot nicer. The younger one had dark hair slicked back with a liberal amount of grease (his hair looked as if it'd been dumped in hair gel or something.). His long nose was hooked, and this sort of distorted the rest of his face (He was UGLY!). He was tall and carried himself with importance, but seemed to sneer at everyone around him except for the older wizard next to him (the guy looked as if he wanted to strangle Hayden). The nicer looking wizard who accompanied him had to be over ninety, but it didn't seem as if he felt it at all. He was smiling kindly at Adrian, Hayden, and I from behind his long white beard, and his eyes were shining and inviting.

"Hayden Murdock!" The nurse started in on us first. Her cheeks flushed, and she spoke through clenched teeth. "I know you're not taking her out of here! You of all people should know better. You turn around right now and put her back in that bed."

The greasy one gave the three of us a sweeping look of disgust as Hayden moved to turn. "It seems Mr. Murdock has not lost his disregard for authority or rules." Hayden flushed red, glaring at the man

"Poppy, Severus." The wizened wizard spoke to them gently. "I'm sure Hayden meant no harm in removing Piper from her bed. She has just awoken after all and probably wants to see her father."

"Well," Madam Pomfrey was practically dragging Hayden back over to my curtained off section. I had to grab him around the neck so I didn't fall. "Sirius can come up here, because she won't be venturing anywhere for at least another week. Her body's been through a traumatic experience. She needs care and watching, not to be gallivanting around the castle. Hayden, set her down on the bed."

Hayden dropped me gently onto the bed and Madam Pomfrey set to arranging my pillows and moving my blankets into an almost trapping position. It was then I realized she was very serious about a week's confinement to my bed. She bustled out and soon I heard her fussing over someone, whom she was claiming looked dead on his feet.

"That was Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore out there. " Adrian said quickly when the head nurse had left. "Snape's some evil incarnation of the devil, but Dumbledore's really nice."

"Why thank you Adrian." Adrian jumped guiltily as Professor Dumbledore entered the curtains. "But I'd advise you not to express that previous sentiment directly to Professor Snape. I've a feeling he'd find a way to have you serving detentions even though it's the summer." He clasped his hands together and looked to Hayden. "Have you explained everything to Piper?"

"He told me about my father and Pettigrew if that's what you mean." I said. "And why he tried to kill me. He also told me about the school and everything."

Dumbledore smiled causing his eyes to twinkle. "Good, good. Now Adrian, Piper, your names have been down in the enrollment books since you were born. You would have been invited to attend at the proper age, but certain circumstances caused me to believe that you would be safer with your adoptive parents. But this year your father and I leave it up to you two to decide if you'd like to attend in September."

"Yes!" Adrian said immediately.

The headmaster chuckled. "Piper?"

"Well yeah, of course." I said thinking. "Adrian we have to write home though before we start, or else we'll end up on 20/20 as poor kidnapped children, and," I raised my eyebrow as I remembered something else. "Someone has to shut Tatiana up."

"Sirius wiped her memory." Hayden said. "She won't say anything."

"I won't assign Remus Lupin anymore missions for the remainder of the summer." Dumbledore seemed to be thinking up quick plans as he spoke. "Since Sirius doesn't have any residence at the moment you two shall stay with Remus once Madam Pomfrey releases Piper. There's only one other full moon this summer and I'll be sure to have Sirius there that day. You'll get your school lists towards the end of August and then you'll go to Diagon Ally." He stroked beard. " Ah yes, I think we'll proceed with a private sorting ceremony so as not to cause much surprise at the opening feast. I'll wake the hat in an hour say? I'll be back then. Hayden, make sure Sirius is here." One last smile was sent our way before he was gone.

When Dumbledore came back and hour later with a battered looking hat I honestly thought Madame Pomfrey was going to give her self a major heart attack with all the fuss she put up ('Albus, I must insist that you wait! It will put so much unneeded stress on her body. That won't help the heeling in the least bit!), but Dumbledore slowly coaxed his way into the white curtained area. This was another thing Madam Pomfrey had a problem with. Adrian, Hayden, dad, Remus, and now Dumbledore were standing around my bed. 'The limit is three visitors at a time!' she had yelled. But by that time I think she had almost admitted to herself that this was a worthless battle to continue fighting.

"All you have to do is set the hat on your head." Dad said grinning. "It does the rest."

Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "Now, let's wake it up, yes, here." He tapped the hat once with his wand and immediately the drooped point stood tall and a large rip at the base of the hat started to move.

"A bit early, isn't it?" The hat said to the headmaster. I jumped about half a foot in my bed when I heard it. "I don't have song prepared at the moment."

"Yes, that's quite alright. There's still a few months until the others come in, but it would be a great favor if you could…" The hat cut Dumbledore off.

"Say no more; just put me on a head."

"Very direct, you always have been." Dumbledore said appreciatively as he set the hat on my head. I could've done it my self but I guess Dumbledore wasn't going to risk Madam Pomfrey accusing him of causing me 'extra stress, pain, and effort'.

The hat was large and it slipped covering my eyes and nose. As I blinked in the darkness waiting for something to happen I heard a faint but audible voice talking into my ear.

"Lot's of brains!" The voice sounded excited. I realized it was the hat. "Lot's and lot's of them! Hmm…you're brave. You stick up for what you think is right and you speak your mind even when you know it'll get you into trouble. Courage too then! Slytherin? Not Hufflepuff, that's for sure. You're smart but you don't apply yourself the way the Ravenclaw house does. So Slytherin or Gryffindor? You tend not to look for power, even though you've got a lot of it. You and your brother seem to what's the word…absorb it. Being a twin has it's advantages. Especially when Sirius Black is your father! Let's see I'll say…GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was yelled out for the whole room to hear. I didn't dwell on all that the hat said, although I was curious about exactly what it had meant with those last few sentences.

Professor Dumbledore removed the hat from my face. Dad and Remus were grinning widely, almost evilly (good evilly, not bad evilly), at me as Adrian set the hat on his head. Thirty seconds later the hat yelled out 'GRYFFINDOR!'

Dumbledore slipped out of the room amidst the congratulations and thumps on the back. The rest of us talked for what had to be at least two hours, before Madame Pomfrey threw them all out and handed me a sleeping potion. Even then dad didn't leave. I fell asleep stroking course, dark fur.