this is my first HP fic.... I wrote this a loooooong time ago, before I became a fanfic author.  I'm probably doing a million things wrong... I'm praying that I don't butcher J.K's world and characters... but please tell me if I do.

hope this is okay!

disclaimer: I don't own this stuff, cept for Kelly, Lisa, Angie and Mr. Banson.  that's it.  *kelly* she thinks she owns me... but you just wait....

okay, that was weird, but hey, this is one of my disclaimers.... they usually do get a little out there.

happy reading!

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Harry Potter and the Fire Hawk

by hollie

            "Now Kelly, please try to behave."  A short young girl with reddish-blond hair and mischievous brown eyes looked up grinning at a tall blond woman, middle-aged, who was trying very to suppress her tears.

            "Oh Lisa, you know me!"

            "Yes, I do.  Like I said, at least make an effort to not get yourself in trouble."

            "I don't try to get in trouble, it just happens naturally," the girl retorted.  The woman called Lisa sighed exasperatedly at her stepdaughter. 

            At that same moment, a plump, cheery faced girl came running up to them.  Standing with one hand on her hip, the other clutching Lisa's hand, she faced Kelly.

            "How come you're going away from us?  Don't you like us?"  Bending down a little so she was eye level with the child, Kelly replied, "Oh, of course I like you guys, Angie.  But I'm going to a new school now.  We'll still get to visit each other though, on vacations and stuff."

            Satisfied with this answer, Angie gave Kelly a quick hug, then returned shyly to the safety of her mother's side. 

            "Alright, alright," a tall, broad shouldered man strode in, carrying a huge slate blue trunk under his arms.  Placing it on the stone floor, he enveloped Kelly in a huge hug.  She gave him a kiss on his unshaved cheek, the whiskers pricking her lips. 

            "Bye daddy," she whispered.

            "I'll miss you sweetie.  Take care of yourself, you hear?"

            "Yeah, I hear."

            "Now, if I'm not much mistaken, you have a train to catch."

Kelly nodded, looking at her ticket.  Searching the crowded train station, she was met with the first problem. 

            "Um... do any of you see Platform 9 3/4?" she asked quietly.  Her family turned this way and that, looking for the platform.  They found 9 and they found 10, but no 9 3/4.

            Biting her lip, Kelly began to become very worried. "Where are you, 9 3/4?  Come out come out wherever you are," she began to mutter. 

            Suddenly, she felt a tapping on her shoulder.  Kelly turned, and was met by a girl, not much younger than she, with fiery red hair and fair skin dotted with freckles. 

            "Excuse me," the girl spoke in a somewhat timid voice, "did you say that you were looking for Platform 9 3/4?"

            "Yes..."

            "Well, all you have to do is walk through that barrier over there, the one between Platforms 9 and 10."  Kelly looked at her incredulously.

            "Walk through the stonewall?"

            "Your going to Hogwarts, right?"

            "Uh huh."

            "Well," the redhead lowered her voice so only Kelly could hear, "it's magical.  You walk through the barrier and you'll be at the platform."

            "Oh.  Well, okay, thanks." 

            "You're welcome.  If you want, I could walk through with you, and you could meet some of my friends."

            Kelly let of a sigh of relief, "thanks, I was wondering what I was going to do, if I was just going to sit by myself the whole time!"

            Giving her family a quick wave, she turned, pushing her trunk, which her father had placed on a trolley, and with the girl, walked through the stone barrier.  To Kelly's complete surprise, they actually did make it through.  On  the other side, she was met with an astonishing sight; students pushing trunks on trolleys like herself, saying farewells to strangely clad parents, and in the middle of it all, a long scarlet steam-engine, black smoke billowing from it. 

            "Wow," Kelly breathed.

The girl smiled at her. "Impressive, isn't it?  I'm Ginny, by the way, Ginny Weasley."

            "Kelly Banson," she replied, still captivated by the platform.  Ginny smiled, and led her new friend to the loading area, where they stowed their trunks.

            Suddenly, a very round, red-haired woman came rushing up to them, practically suffocating Ginny with a huge hug.

            "Oh, you're getting so grown up sweetie, I can't believe it, in fourth year already!"

            "Mother!"

            "Oh, don't worry Ginny, we're just going to miss you lots.  Where did your brothers run off to, by the way?"  A tall, lanky man, also with red hair, had joined them, now looking around apparently for Ginny's brothers.

            "I think they are on the train already." Prying herself from her mother's strong grip she added, "and if we don't get on soon, we'll miss the train.  You wouldn't want another car mishap... would you?"  A mischievous light was in Ginny's eyes as she bit her lip to suppress a chuckle.  A fury came into Mrs. Weasley's eyes, but her wrath was distracted as she finally noticed Kelly.

            "Why Ginny, who's your friend?"

            "This is Kelly mum, Kelly Banson.  We've really got to go now," Grabbing Kelly by the wrist, she practically dragged her onto the train, stepping aboard just as it started to pull away form the station.  Waving goodbye to her family, Ginny led Kelly down a narrow hallway, looking through each doorframe as they passed.  They had reached the middle of the train, when suddenly Ginny let out an "ah ha!" and entered the cabin on her left.

            As Kelly followed, she was found three other people already sitting inside.  One was a girl with frizzy brown hair, her nose glued to a thick leather bound book.  Seated opposite her, there was a redheaded boy ("another red head?" Kelly thought.) who absolutely had to have been one of the brothers Mr. Weasley had mentioned, and the third and final was a boy with jet black hair, green eyes and that distinguishing scar that told Kelly that here before her was the one and only Harry Potter. 

            "Hullo guys," Ginny started, "this is my friend, Kelly Banson.  Kelly, this is Hermione Granger, Ron, my brother, and Harry Potter."  Kelly noticed that Ginny blushed ever so slightly as she spoke Harry's name, and Kelly, recognizing the symptoms, identified the crush right away.

            "Hello!" she said cheerfully, trying to be as friendly as possible.

            "Hi, I'm Ron," Ginny's brother told her.  There was a snap as a heavy book closed, and the girl, now known as Hermione rolled her eyes.

            "I believe that Ginny just said that."  Ron shot her a dirty look.  Kelly just giggled.

            "Boys," Hermione chided, shooting an exasperated look at Kelly.  "Come, sit."  She patted the section of the bench next to her, and Kelly and Ginny sat.

            "So," Hermione started, eager to get to the point, "if you don't mind my asking, why are you here?  I mean.." She was cut off by Ron.

            " 'Mione!  What kind of question is that, awful rude!"  Kelly just chuckled again.

            "Well, actually, I'm from the United States.  I went to the Salem Witchcraft Academy up until this year, when I got a message from Headmaster Dumbledore, saying that I was accepted for Hogwarts.  So, here I am."  Hermione looked confused, "You transferred here?  I didn't think that Hogwarts took transfers."

            "Oh, well, " Kelly shifted uncomfortably, "well, they took me!"

            "Uh huh," Hermione murmured, beginning to doubt this strange girl's story.

            "That's great," Ron broke in, eager to join the conversation, "so are you really smart, or something?"

            "Well, actually..." Kelly was interrupted as two tall auburn-haired boys burst into the cabin, wide grins stretched across their faces.  Ron and Harry groaned, "What did you two do now?" Harry asked, recognizing the mischief in their smiles.

            "Oh, nothing," one said, now trying to suppress a laugh.

            "Why hullo there," the other said, noticing Kelly.  He bowed low, extending one hand to her.  Taking it, she giggled, "Ginny, who are these charming fellows?"

            Rolling her eyes, Ginny replied, "these are Fred and George, my brothers.  And trust me, they aren't charming."

            "Why Ginny!" one started, Kelly wasn't sure if it was Fred or George, "You cut us to the quick!"

They all laughed, Fred and George bowing low again. 

            "Well, are you two going to sit or not?" Hermione asked impatiently.

            "Love to darling, but Lee has assured us that he has a very interesting surprise."

            "Not another tarantula, I hope," Ron muttered.  Kelly's eyes lit up at the mention.

            "He has a tarantula?"

            "Yes, and supposedly something better.  Would you like to come along, my dear?"

            "Love to!"  Kelly rose from her seat and followed Fred and George in search of the mischievous Lee Jordan and his surprises.

            Ginny looked around at the remaining three.

            "Well..." she asked, "What did you think of her?"

            Hermione sniffed, unimpressed.  "I don't trust her.  Transfer student my ear.  Never in the history of Hogwarts has there been transfers allowed.

            Ron and Harry exchanged looks, "someone's jealous," Ron muttered.  Hermione was outraged.

            "Me!?  Jealous of, of... of her?!  Why, that's laughable," opening her thick history book, she proceeded to ignore them.

            "Well, I think she's nice," Ron commented.  Ginny smiled up at him, glad that her brother finally approved one of her friends.  The snort Hermione issued was barely audible.

            Harry kept his thoughts to himself, agreeing with both Ron and Hermione.

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so....................... what do you think?????

please tell me, I'm very curious!!!

please r/r!

hollie