Sorry about the wait. The web site was busy for the past three days. I have been going nuts!

Disclaimer: The characters and world of Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling. I wrote this fan fiction as a complement to her. All fan fics are because if we weren't fans, we wouldn't be writing them!

Chapter 7: The American Ambassador

            Harry laughed. Ron was always thinking about eating. "I am thinking yours. I don't feel like cooking."

            Ron snorted. "What do you mean? You can't cook. My mum does and than I bring it over."

            "Still, I won't be the only one to clean up. You two vanish after we eat."

            "I am very tired after I eat. I need to immediately lie down."

            "Right, Ron."

            "If you two are finished talking about food, could we talk about something else?"

            "Sure," Ron caught himself, "as long as it doesn't involve you and being Head Girl."

            Hermione aimed a very nasty look at him. Then, she turned to Harry. "I am very excited about this year, it being our last. We have a lot to do. Especially since I am Head…" She looked at Ron, who made a face. "Sorry."

            They walked in silence most of the way to The Burrow, until Hermione brought up his apparation test.

            "Harry, why don't we go and take your apparation test tomorrow?"

            Harry grimaced. "I don't know. Why…"

            "Oh, Harry, it is not that hard," Hermione explained. "Really, I have the book…"

            "He doesn't need the book, Hermione," Ron interrupted. "Harry, all you do is think of where you're going, the name of it or what it looks like exactly. It's almost like Floo powder. Only, without the dust and dizziness."

            "Well, that's certainly a plus," Harry replied sarcastically.

            Ron snickered, knowing Harry hated to travel by Floo powder.

            "I still think it would be beneficial to Harry if he just looked over the book."

            "Of course, you would. You live in the library."

            "So what if I spend time there? You should too. Look at your grades…"
            "We're here," Harry cut her off as he walked towards the door. "Could you both try to keep your comments to yourselves?"

            "Fine," Hermione huffed as she opened the door.

            "Only if she does," muttered Ron as he followed her.

            "Oh boy," Harry said as he shut the door. Mrs. Weasley walked into the kitchen, Ginny behind her, as Ron and Harry were about to take some of the freshly baked bread.

            "Eh, em. That would for dinner," She gave both boys a look. "Harry, dear, so nice of you to stop by and just in time for dinner." Mrs. Weasley turned to pick something off the corner. "Oh, how silly of me, I forgot to ask. Did one of you boys get Head Boy?"

            "I am Head Girl, Mrs. Weasley!' Hermione shouted a little louder than she intended.

            "Hermione, dear, of course you are."

            Ron gave Hermione a look that said I-told-you-so. Hermione sneered at him.

            "Go ahead, Harry, tell her," Ron said.

            Mrs. Weasley gasped and started crying as she pulled Harry into a hug.

            Harry gave Ron a look over her shoulder. "I don't need to. You just did."

            "I am so proud of you! A Head Boy and Girl in my house! This calls for a celebration." With a wave of her hand, six somewhat elaborate place settings appeared on the table. "We will wait for Arthur. He should be home soon," Mrs. Weasley said, looking at the clock just as the hand that said Mr. Weasley flipped to traveling. A second later, Mr. Weasley walked through the door.

            "Hello, Weasleys."

            "Hello, dear."

            "Hello, dad."

            "Hello, dad."

            Mr. Weasley turned from giving Mrs. Weasley a kiss on the cheek and saw Harry and Hermione sitting at the elegantly decorated table.

            "Well, we must have very special guests, because Molly never brings out the Weasley china. Hello Harry. Hermione."

            "Hello, Mr. Weasley," Harry and Hermione said together.

            "Arthur, you are looking at this year's Head Boy and Girl! And Ginny is prefect again."

            "Really? Well this does call for the china. Congratulations!"

            "Thanks Dad." Ginny beamed

            "Thank you Mr. Weasley." Hermione and Harry replied, together.
             "So what did you three do today?" Mr. Weasley asked as everyone sat around the table.   

            Harry spoke because Ron was stuffing his mouth and Hermione was looking at him, disgusted. "We finished all of our homework, they," he indicated Ron and Hermione, "argued, we talked, they argued, we…"

            "Met a new girl," interrupted Ron giving Harry a nasty glare. Harry had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing.

            "Who is she?" Ginny asked.

            Hermione took over. "Her name is Elizabeth Peterson, and she is going to be starting her seventh year at Hogwarts even though she is only sixteen. She attended Whitehall Academy before transferring, and she is really smart."

            "How do you know that?" Ron injected.

            "Know what?"

            "That she is smart. You just met her, and only for ten minutes."

            Hermione shook her head, as if everyone should know. "She used a very advanced silencing charm…"
            "To shut you two up." Harry muttered under his breath. Ginny snorted into her goblet. Harry received two nasty gazes.

            "That does not mean she is smart, Hermione."

            "I want to see you try to do that charm, Ron."

            "I would if I knew where to find it!"

            Ginny leaned over to Harry and whispered, "You would think they were married." This time it was Harry who snorted, but both of the people in question heard what Ginny had said and were staring at her.

            Mr. Weasley tried to break the uncomfortable silence. "Peterson? Would that be John's daughter?"

            "I don't know her dad's name, Mr. Weasley."

            "Does she have many brothers and sisters?"

            "Yeah, two sisters and three brothers," Hermione supplied.

            "Yes, that is John's daughter. She is starting her seventh year, although she is sixteen and her twin is starting his sixth, right?"

            "Arthur, do you know the Petersons?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

            "John Peterson is the American Ambassador to the Ministry. He came over to help with the fight against Voldemort and protect his country from dark magic. Dumbledore sent me over to his house to see if he wanted to join the Order."

Mrs. Weasley paused with her fork midair. "Well, did he?"
            "He said, 'Absolutely. This is what the ministry needs, but Fudge is an idiot and has no idea of what is going on.'"

"He certainly has Fudge down." Mrs. Weasley laughed.

"Yes, John Peterson knows a lot about Fudge and he has full American support because he is very popular in America. He was a favorite for the position of President of the Wizarding community over there, but he was born here in England. He wanted to come back to help with the defeat of Voldemort, his and his wife's parents were killed by him."

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Oh, dear! So he brought his family back to England to fight against Voldemort?"

"Yes, but when I met his family, they were not too happy about it. His wife, Maggie, was still angry with him, and his two oldest, twins, boy and girl, were not talking to him. The daughter, was so angry that she left the room whenever he entered."

"I am sure they will get over it in time. They will be away from him for ten months for school."

"Mum, I am not so sure. She was really peeved today. She got a Ministry warning for using the Silencing charm."

Mr. Weasley dropped his fork. "Really, well I am sure John will take care of that. She just moved here. American laws are much different than ours."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

            At the Peterson house, Elizabeth was stomping all of the mud off her shoes at the back door.

            "Elizabeth, is that you? It is time to eat."

            "Why did you think I came back?" she muttered. Walking to the dining room, she was bombarded by two toddlers, her three-year-old sister, Mary Anne, and her four-year-old brother, Michael.

            "Lizzie, why did you leave?"

            "We were just about to have fun."

            Elizabeth gritted her teeth. She hated the nickname, but she had to grin and bear it because her little sister could not say Elizabeth. "M.A.," Elizabeth started, using Mary Anne's nickname, "I needed quiet to think. You guys were so loud."

            Maggie Peterson stuck her head out into the hall. "Elizabeth, could you help them wash their hands and then bring them to the table?" She turned back into the kitchen. "And do not roll your eyes at me."

            Elizabeth did just that. "Come on," she pushed her siblings to the downstairs bathroom, "wash your hands, and quickly. I'm hungry."

            "You wouldn't be if you came back sooner, Liza."

            "DADDY!" Mary Anne and Michael ran at their father, their hands still wet and soapy, spraying Elizabeth with suds and water.

            "Ugh! You got me all wet!"

            John Peterson let out a laugh. Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. "It is not funny, father."

            "It is time to eat!" Mrs. Peterson's voice was a little impatient.

            He looked hurt, but Elizabeth knew he was mocking her. "Oh, you are still using the formal calling for your dear old dad." He grinned.

            "Time to eat!"

            Elizabeth couldn't help but grin. "You know you are not dear and old, but yes, until we move back to New York, I am going to call you father."

            "The food is getting cold!"

            Mr. Peterson's grin faded. "Liza," he was the only one who could call her by a shortened version of her name, "you know we are not moving back. I needed to come back here." He looked at her for a moment. "Come on, let's eat before your mother yells herself hoarse."

            "Fine," Elizabeth pouted before following him to the dining room.

            Once seated and eating, John asked each of his children what they did that day in turn, from youngest to oldest, as he did each night.

            "So, Mary Annie, "she giggled, "what did you do today?"

            "I played with mommy and me and Mikey were gonna play with Lizzie," who winced, "but she left," Mary Anne finished, with a pout.

            Mr. Peterson sent Elizabeth a look. She missed it because she was staring at her food. He continued with all of his children, while Elizabeth was still in a daze.

            "Elizabeth, what is so interesting? I am sure you have seen roast beef before."

            Her head whipped up, with a surprised look on her face. "Um, nothing. What did you say?"

            Mr. Peterson cleared his throat, smiling "I asked what you did today, besides avoid your family and using magic." He gave her another look, this time it said We-will-talk-about-that-later.

            Elizabeth grimaced, "How did you find out about that?"

            "I work at the ministry, Liza. I know everything."

            "Sure, you do."

            "Why did you use magic?"

            "Well, I went riding to escape, and I was reading in pure quiet, when these two people starting arguing. Then they stopped. Then they started up again. This happened like, 5 times. It became really annoying, really fast. I had to use a silencing charm to make them stop."

            "YOU WHAT? Were they muggles? How could you?"

            "Dad, chill out. They were talking about N.E.W.T.s and Head Boys and Girls at Hogwarts."

            "Well, thank heavens. Did you find out who they are?"

            "Yeah, there were three of them. Hermione Granger, who is the Head Girl, was arguing with Ron…um, Weasley, I think."

            "Would he have red hair and freckles?"

            "Lots of each."

            "Maggie that would be Arthur Weasley's boy, who is in his seventh year. Remember Arthur Weasley? He came over earlier this week to ask…me…"

            He trailed of as Mrs. Peterson gave him a very dark look. "How could I forget?"

            Mr. Peterson loosened his robes. "Liza, you said there were three people. Who was the third?"

            "Well, he was really quiet compared to the other two, but about just as annoyed at them as I was. His name was Harry. Harry… Potter."

Mrs. Peterson dropped her goblet and it shattered on the table. Mr. Peterson dropped his silverware, breaking his plate.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Whew! I am finally done. That was long. I needed to let you all meet the Petersons. It will come into play later! PLEASE Read and Review. Thanks to my reviewers. Keep it up!