~~~~~~~Faulkner Orphanage~~~~~~~

Athena sat at the window looking out at the far off hills. I need to get out of this place before I go crazy! The fourteen year old had lived in the Faulkner Orphanage for as long as she could remember. Tomorrow was her fifteenth birthday but no one but her would remember. She was too old to be adopted, no one voluntarily chose to have a teenager. She got up and moved to the mirror and assessed herself. She wasn't ugly, she was medium height (5'4"), and had black hair and violet eyes. Her big problem was that she was kind of...strange...not in looks but in behavior. The heads knew that weird things happened when she was around and warned potential parents about it. It seemed whenever she got really angry or wanted something really badly odd things happened. Who am I kidding? I'm going to stay here until I'm eighteen and I get kicked out to starve on the streets. She looked in the mirror once more and shook her head. Then she crawled into bed in the room she shared with five other girls.

~~~~~~~Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry~~~~~~~

"How could this happen? How could we be so...mistaken? To have a witch overlooked for four years?"

"Relax, Minerva, it will all work itself out. But we must bring her here immediately. Hagrid, go fetch her. Bring her to Diagon and help her get her stuff. I must draft a letter to Sirius. I am very disappointed in him. How could he keep it from us that he had a daughter?" Dumbledore was in shock. Never in the history of Hogwarts had this happened. A witch going unnoticed for four years? Where should he put her? With the first years or with her class? "I need to see Hermione Granger as soon as possible."

~~~~~~~Faulkner Orphanage~~~~~~~

Hagrid rode through the night sky towards Faulkner Orphanage. He shook his head An undiscovered witch...and the daughter of Sirius Black as well, who woulda guessed? He pulled up to the window and opened it using his wand. Ever since he's name had been cleared he was allowed to use magic again, instead of that silly umbrella. He still carried it though. It was pretty. He climbed through the window, an interesting feat for such a large man and approached a bed. There were five girls in the room but he knew which one he was coming for. He reached out a hand carefully and tapped her gently. Nothing happened. He tapped her again, a little harder this time. She stirred and slowly opened her eyes. He saw the fear register and right before she could scream he pointed his wand "Silencius totalus" and she was rendered silent. "My name is 'agrid. You must come with me, you are a witch and belong at 'ogwarts. Don't be scared." Athena was scared though, what was this man doing here, what did he mean she was a witch, and why couldn't she speak? But he was offering her a chance to leave the orphanage and even if he was only going to kill her she couldn't help but think that it would be better than staying there. She nodded and he pointed the wand once again. "Restorus. Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go outside so we don't wake anyone up." She started to the door but he stopped her. "This way."

"But we're three stories up!"

"Trust me." He opened the window and climbed through she looked and saw he was now sitting on...a flying motorcycle? He stuck out his hand to her and she climbed on behind him. They flew off and soon arrived in London. He touched down in a back alley and parked in front of a run-down bar. Athena read the sign, it was called "The Leaky Cauldron." "'Ave a seat, I'll get you sumthin' to drink and explain what is going on." He went up to the bar and left Athena to look around. The people in the bar were quite strange looking and all knew Hagrid. They called out to him.

"Hello, Hagrid, nice to see you." "Is this the next Harry Potter?" "You want the usual?" "How're things at Hogwarts?" Slowly Athena realized that they were all wearing robes. Were they really witches and wizards? Was this...giant...telling her the truth. He returned to the table with their drinks.

"'ere, now. Do you know who yer father is?"

"No, do you?"

"Of course I do! Your father is Sirius Black, a brilliant wizard who was wrongly accused of being a terrible criminal. We are unaware of who your mother is and why Sirius gave you up but we are working to find out. I'm 'ere to take you to 'ogwarts. There you'll learn to use your pow'r. There's only one problem."

"What?" Athena was intrigued and found herself believing everything he said. Deep down she knew she had some power. And she know knew who her father was.

"Well, you see, most students enter 'ogwarts at the age of eleven. You aren't eleven, you're fifteen. Oh yeah, 'appy birthday! Somehow you were unrecorded. We just know discovered you existed. To tell you the truth we aren't really sure yet what to do with you. But for now we will get your basic supplies and send for your books later, when we know what classes ye are to take."

"Sounds good."

"Well aren't you Miss Willing. You'll do well."

"When you've been living in a orphanage for as long as you know anything new sounds great. And this whole magic thing sounds absolutely wonderful." Hagrid smiled and they continued to talk amicably as he led her outside behind the bar. He touched some bricks and the wall opened up leading to a bustling street. Athena saw more robe-clad wizards and witches there. She was in absolute awe of the magnificence of the place. She was beginning to realize just how sheltered she'd been her whole life. Hagrid led her from store to store and she just took in her surroundings.

"Well, all that's left is yer wand. We could only get the basics since we don't know what class ye'll be takin'. All that's left now is yer wand." He led her into a store and introduced her to Olivander, the wand man. He studied for a second and then went to get something. He returned with a slender box.

"Try this one. Willow and Unicorn Hair." She waved it tentatively and purple rose petals shot out. "Perfect. A beautiful wand for a beautiful girl. But is this your first wand? Aren't you a bit old?" Hagrid shook his head to discourage anymore questions.

"I want to make one more stop. This is something I did once before and want to do fer you. In here." They entered a pet store. "Pick one." Athena looked at all the pets. She had always wanted a pet but the closest she ever got were roaches she'd trapped at Faulkner. She wasn't sure what she wanted but then something caught her eye. It was a tiny, gray kitten.

"Oh."

"Do you need some help Miss?" A nice salesman had come up to her.

"I believe I'd like to buy the kitten fer the girl. Is this the one you want?"

"Yes. Um...is it a gril or a boy? Just out of curiosity."

"Girl. You got a name picked out?" She shook her head and waited while Hagrid paid.

"Well, it's off we go now. Normally you'd take the Hogwart's Express but since classes started last week I'll bring you."

~~~~~~~Hogwarts~~~~~~~

"Hermione Granger is here to see you sir."

"Thank you, Minerva." Hermione was led in and Professor McGonagall followed. "Miss Granger, have a seat. You can relax, you aren't in trouble. As you know you have consistently had the highest marks in your class each year. We of the faculty are now in need of your assistance. How would you feel about tutoring another student? This is a very special circumstance and we would be very thankful."

"Of course! But what are these 'special circumstances' sir?" Hermione was ebullient . She was asked to do a favor by the head master himself.

"Well, Hermione. There will be a new student this year. She should be here soon. She is the same age as you but we just recently discovered her assistance. I would like you to help her advance as fast as possible."

"Of course I would, sir." She was already formulating a list of what books she would need to read.

"Thank you very much. You will meet her later on. You may go now." Herimone left and went straight to the library. Professor Dumbledore, in the meantime, was waiting for his next guest, Sirius Black. Soon a large black dog walked into the room. "Good to see you Sirius." The dog changed into a large man.

"What seems to be the problem, Albus?"

"Tell me about your daughter."

"My what?" Dumbledore then realized that it was possible Sirius didn't know of the existence of his daughter.

"I see there is a problem here. Well, it's recently been discovered that a witch escaped our notice and she is your daughter. She has been living in an orphanage for the past fifteen years--"

"Don't you mean eleven?"

"No, fifteen. That's where the problem lies. She is four years behind in her training."

"Where is she now?"

"She should be here shortly."

Hermione, meanwhile was in the Library looking at books that would help her. She didn't notice when two figures walked up behind her. "Hey, Hermione." She jumped slightly and looked over her shoulder, there were Ron and Harry. "What are you doing in here?" It was Ron who spoke.

"I've just been asked by Professor Dumbledore to undertake a special project."

"Really? What is it?" Harry was a bit curious.

"I can't tell you. He said it was a secret." Harry and Ron exchanged looks. Since when did the word secret keep them from sharing? Hermione saw this and knew what they were thinking. "Look, I don't want to talk about it now. Maybe later okay. Now I have work to do. Would you mind leaving me alone?"

"Well, if you're going to be like that we will. Come on, Harry."

Hermione didn't like keeping things from her friends but she couldn't tell them in the library, especially not with Draco Malfoy sitting at the next table. After another half hour she brought her books to check them out. She had found three so far. The one she thought would help the most was Magic Learned Fast. She hoped this girl would be nice and not mind hard work. She also hoped she wouldn't be a Slytherin. Hermione looked at her watch, it was almost time for dinner. She would have just enough time to put her books in her room and then maybe meet Harry and Ron in the Griffyndor Common Room. Her timing was right and she did run into them as they were leaving. "Hey guys, wait up."

"Oh, look at this Ron. Now she wants to talk to us. When it's convenient for her." Hermione would have been hurt but they started to laugh. They walked down the corridor and Hermione was stopped by Professor McGonagall.

"Come with me please, Hermione. She has arrived." She swept Hermione away leaving Ron and Harry standing stunned.