Some of these characters are copyrighted to JK Rowling (as I'm sure most of
us already know). However, the characters (so far added) that are mine
are: The McDowall family of Alyson, Gregor and son Drew; the MacGregor
family of Merllynn (Llynn), cousin Duncan, Duncan's niece Delaney, and
stepbrother Iiann. Thank you for your attention and feedback.
*************************** After another grueling summer with the Dursley's, Harry Potter was thrilled to be back with Ron Weasely and Hermione Granger and going back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were all standing on the crowded 9 3/4 platform saying good-bye to Mrs. Weasely when a hush came over the platform. Mrs. Weasely gasped and pulled them all closer. People parted a walkway while you could hear murmurs.
"I can't believe she's here!"
"It's scandalous the boy was allowed into Hogwarts!"
"She has a lot of nerve!"
A smartly dressed blonde woman wearing a new black cloak with kitten-healed black leather boots walked briskly towards the train with a tall auburn- haired boy in tow who looked Harry's age. Neither Harry, Ron, nor Hermione could recall who he was. The boy carried an eagle owl and pulled his trunk behind him.
"McDowall! Down here!" Draco Malfoy appeared and yelled.
The boy looked up, waved slightly and went towards Malfoy, now with his mother in tow, looking distressed.
The whistle suddenly blew for the Hogwarts Express. The normal hustle and bustle of the platform resumed and Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped into their carriage with Ginny Weasely. The four waved good-bye to Mrs. Weasely as the train started to move.
"I'm going to see if I can find Delaney!" Ginny jumped off her seat and went down the corridor to find her best friend, Delaney MacGregor-Black, another Gryffindor.
"Well now that she's gone, who was that boy? I don't remember him." Ron leaned over and shut the door after a quick look up and down the corridor to make sure she wasn't within hearing range.
"I've see him before in our classes, I remember now, but he never really says anything. The strange thing is, Snape usually leaves him alone even if he's done it wrong!" Hermione picked up Crookshanks to pet him.
"But why did everyone react that way towards them? Who are they?" Harry was thinking of owling Mrs. Weasely to find out who the pair was.
Parvati Patel opened the door to see who was in that compartment just in time to hear Harry's questions. "She's Alyson McDowall and her son Drew. Gregor McDowall, her husband, is in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. He was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's right hand man, they say. Mrs. McDowall was a Ravenclaw at Hogwarts and is supposed to be a brilliant potions mistress but she married the Slytherin and never seemed to care what he was doing. Then, she had Drew right after Gregor had been sent to Azkaban so he's never seen his son."
Parvati paused for breath so Hermione jumped in, "Drew's a Slytherin, right? That explains why Snape leaves him alone! Snape's probably afraid of Gregor McDowall!"
"But why would Snape be afraid of McDowall when he's in Azkaban?" Harry pressed Parvati hoping for more information.
"I don't know! Uh-oh! Here come Crabbe and Goyle. See you later." Parvati waved as she turned and briskly walked away.
Harry was scribbling furiously by the time Crabbe and Goyle came past their compartment.
"Who you writing to Potter?" Goyle stepped into the compartment and made a grab at Harry's parchment.
"Get out!" Ron yelled and shoved Goyle into the corridor while Hermione threw the door closed and locked it. Ron pulled the window shade down.
They waited a few minutes until Crabbe and Goyle were gone.
"Who are you writing to anyway?" Hermione asked Harry.
"The only person who'll know more than anyone else and tell us. Sirius. He's been in Azkaban and he'll tell me the truth." Harry finished writing and sat back to reread it.
Sirius,
We really need to get you cleared. This summer was worse than the others. They do get progressively worse. Luckily, there aren't too many left!
How are you? Any gossip you want to hear about? Hey, does Remus Lupin write to you as well as Dumbledore and I? Just wondering how he is as well.
The reason I'm writing from the Hogwarts Express is to get 'gossip' from you. I don't remember seeing this boy before but he's in my year at Hogwarts. He and his mum got onto Platform 9 3/4 and everyone shut up or mumbled nasty things. People were saying how they couldn't believe he'd been allowed into Hogwarts. I found out their names: Mrs. Alyson McDowall and her son Drew. I've been told he's a Slytherin and his mum was a Ravenclaw and is quite smart. Also that his dad, Gregor, is in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. And Drew was born after his dad was sent to Azkaban. I'm wondering if it's all true and if you know of anything else about any of them? I've never noticed him before but Malfoy called after him on the platform. I guess I just want to know who all of my enemies are and about them. I know I'll meet up with Voldemort so it's best to find out all I can about who might stand with him.
My best, Harry
Harry made one or two corrections and rolled up the parchment. After letting Hedwig loose from her cage, he tied the parchment to her leg and opened the compartment window. She was gone in an instant and Harry grew sad, knowing he wouldn't see her for weeks.
"Hey!" The trio jumped, hearing Ginny and Delaney bang on the locked door and yell to be let in.
Ron leaned over and unlocked the door. The two girls fell into the compartment, giggling. Delaney was eating a Honeyduke and holding a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans that Ginny's hand was in. The corridor was littered with fallen beans.
Ron rolled his eyes and closed the door again as the two girls settled next to him. They giggled and gossiped the rest of the way to Hogwarts. Delaney had barely made the train since her train down from Scotland was late having encountered a long delay in Glasgow.
Harry, Ron and Hermione yelled a greeting to Hargrid on the Hogsmeade platform while making for the carriages to take them up to Hogwarts instead of the boats the first years used. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas joined them in their carriage and gossiped about their summer.
Professor McGonagell met them all to tell them to hurry into the Great Hall and asked the prefects to stay as to learn their house passwords. Hermione departed the group as they said they would save her a seat in the Great Hall.
Harry was keen on hearing what the Sorting Hat had to say this year. It had almost put him into Slytherin six years ago but it would only be his fifth time hearing it (or so most would think). Harry had tried the hat on in Dumbledore's office one year to see if he should be in Slytherin, although the thought terrified him. The hat agreed with it's earlier decision to keep Harry a Gryffindor.
Finally, the Great Hall doors opened and Professor McGonagell led in the first years. The first years were astounded by the enormity and grandeur of how the Great Hall looked this evening. These young, new students formed a line in front of the head table as Hagrid and Hermione made their way to their seats.
Dumbledore stood and gave his usual short but bizarre speech then sat down for the Sorting Hat to start it's ceremony. This year, the Sorting Hat was briefly bizarre as well, only saying: "You're about to get new families, You first years must know, You'll make such follies, Others will laugh so."
There was a smattering of applause when everyone realized it was done. Professor McGonagell unrolled her parchment, "Abbot, Blaine!"
"Hufflepuff!" The Sorting Hat yelled after Blaine Abbot sat on the stool and put on the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagell continued amid continous applause from different parts of the Great Hall.
Soon students were feasting themselves on pot roast, ham, pineapple chuncks, mash, peas, corn on the cob, salad, fresh bread, and salmon. Dessert was strawberry trifle, ice cream, profiteroles, and apple and custard pie with fresh cream.
Feeling sleepy, each House parted ways. Hermione led the way towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Chestnut." Hermione announced. "Chestnut is the password to get through the portrait into Gryffindor House. Don't forget. Neville? Did you hear the password? What is it?"
Neville had nodded and now turned bright red as everyone turned to look at him. "Chester," he stammered.
"Chestnut," Hermione repeated.
After everyone had tramped through the passageway, Hermione announced that they were in the Gryffindor House Common Room and pointed out the first yea's bedrooms. Harry and Ron had already claimed the armchairs closest tot he fire for the three of them by the time Hermione was finished. She let out a loud sigh when she was able to sit.
"How long do you think it'll take to get an answer from...him?" Ron paused just in time.
"At least a week but it all depends on where he is. I'll miss Hedwig."
"You should have used Pig. No one would miss him. He's still so mental!" Ron offered his own owl that Sirius had given him after Scabbers, really Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew, was found out and ran back to Lord Voldemort. Pig's a pygmy owl that is hyperactive, upsetting most of the other owls in the owlery at Hogwarts and Harry said so to his friend.
They chatted for a little while longer until the effects of the feast and fire were too much for them to fend off any longer. Harry and Ron left Hermione to find Neville, Seamus and Dean already fast asleep. They changed, drew the curtains of their four-poster beds and fell asleep instantly.
************************************ It took a week for Sirius's response but it finally came in the form of Sirius himself.
"Harry!"
Harry looked up at his name to see Sirius' head floating in the fire. "Sirius! How are you? Did you get my owl?"
"Yes, listen. Beware of McDowall's son. He shouldn't know too much of his dad or of his dad's friends but since he's become a Slytherin, I'd consider him an enemy. Alyson was a Ravenclaw, like you heard, and it's from my understanding that she's kept away from Malfoy and the rest since McDowall's arrest. McDowall was Voldemort's right-hand man and is a powerful wizard. He was actually in the cell two down from me. I'm surprised Azkaban's held him as long as it has since he is so powerful."
"What do you mean? Could a wizard just use magic to get out and not like how you did?" Hermione joined in the conversation, putting her homework parchments down.
"Definitely. It couldn't hold Dumbledore for sure but it's possible that McDowall is waiting for Voldemort's return and hasn't bothered to try. He probably will soon though since Voldemort has regained so much of his strength and followers. I should go before this house's family returns. Bye for now."
"Hey, Sirius! Wait! Why is Snape afraid of McDowall's son? He leaves him alone in potions even if he's done it wrong when he'll harp on anyone else or anything?" Ron remembered to ask.
"Look, Alyson's a great potions mistress and has probably passed most of it on to her son but McDowall had a temper that maybe he's afraid of. Plus, he'll have to deal with McDowall when he's out again and won't want to have to protect himself from McDowall going after him because of his son. But that's if Azkaban has changed him a lot. McDowall and Snape were best friends and before McDowall started dating Alyson in our sixth year, Snape has a major thing for her as well, I think. Oh and, McDowall did get arrested before his son's birth. It was just before Voldemort went after you and your parents, Harry. McDowall's son must be a year younger but since he's his mother's son in some ways, he must be intelligent enough for Dumbledore to skip him a year. Be careful of him. Gotta go. Take care."
"Bye Sirius!" The three called after his receding head.
"Snape had a crush on someone! Ew! Just the thought is making me nauseous!" Ron faked some vomiting motions.
"Let's do some more homework before we turn in. I don't want that mental image in my head while i go to sleep." Hermione grimaced and picked up her homework parchments again.
Once Hermione had finished her Arithmancy homework and Ron and Harry had finished making up their Divination homework, they set off for their beds hoping images of Snape would evade their dreams.
*************************** After another grueling summer with the Dursley's, Harry Potter was thrilled to be back with Ron Weasely and Hermione Granger and going back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were all standing on the crowded 9 3/4 platform saying good-bye to Mrs. Weasely when a hush came over the platform. Mrs. Weasely gasped and pulled them all closer. People parted a walkway while you could hear murmurs.
"I can't believe she's here!"
"It's scandalous the boy was allowed into Hogwarts!"
"She has a lot of nerve!"
A smartly dressed blonde woman wearing a new black cloak with kitten-healed black leather boots walked briskly towards the train with a tall auburn- haired boy in tow who looked Harry's age. Neither Harry, Ron, nor Hermione could recall who he was. The boy carried an eagle owl and pulled his trunk behind him.
"McDowall! Down here!" Draco Malfoy appeared and yelled.
The boy looked up, waved slightly and went towards Malfoy, now with his mother in tow, looking distressed.
The whistle suddenly blew for the Hogwarts Express. The normal hustle and bustle of the platform resumed and Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped into their carriage with Ginny Weasely. The four waved good-bye to Mrs. Weasely as the train started to move.
"I'm going to see if I can find Delaney!" Ginny jumped off her seat and went down the corridor to find her best friend, Delaney MacGregor-Black, another Gryffindor.
"Well now that she's gone, who was that boy? I don't remember him." Ron leaned over and shut the door after a quick look up and down the corridor to make sure she wasn't within hearing range.
"I've see him before in our classes, I remember now, but he never really says anything. The strange thing is, Snape usually leaves him alone even if he's done it wrong!" Hermione picked up Crookshanks to pet him.
"But why did everyone react that way towards them? Who are they?" Harry was thinking of owling Mrs. Weasely to find out who the pair was.
Parvati Patel opened the door to see who was in that compartment just in time to hear Harry's questions. "She's Alyson McDowall and her son Drew. Gregor McDowall, her husband, is in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. He was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's right hand man, they say. Mrs. McDowall was a Ravenclaw at Hogwarts and is supposed to be a brilliant potions mistress but she married the Slytherin and never seemed to care what he was doing. Then, she had Drew right after Gregor had been sent to Azkaban so he's never seen his son."
Parvati paused for breath so Hermione jumped in, "Drew's a Slytherin, right? That explains why Snape leaves him alone! Snape's probably afraid of Gregor McDowall!"
"But why would Snape be afraid of McDowall when he's in Azkaban?" Harry pressed Parvati hoping for more information.
"I don't know! Uh-oh! Here come Crabbe and Goyle. See you later." Parvati waved as she turned and briskly walked away.
Harry was scribbling furiously by the time Crabbe and Goyle came past their compartment.
"Who you writing to Potter?" Goyle stepped into the compartment and made a grab at Harry's parchment.
"Get out!" Ron yelled and shoved Goyle into the corridor while Hermione threw the door closed and locked it. Ron pulled the window shade down.
They waited a few minutes until Crabbe and Goyle were gone.
"Who are you writing to anyway?" Hermione asked Harry.
"The only person who'll know more than anyone else and tell us. Sirius. He's been in Azkaban and he'll tell me the truth." Harry finished writing and sat back to reread it.
Sirius,
We really need to get you cleared. This summer was worse than the others. They do get progressively worse. Luckily, there aren't too many left!
How are you? Any gossip you want to hear about? Hey, does Remus Lupin write to you as well as Dumbledore and I? Just wondering how he is as well.
The reason I'm writing from the Hogwarts Express is to get 'gossip' from you. I don't remember seeing this boy before but he's in my year at Hogwarts. He and his mum got onto Platform 9 3/4 and everyone shut up or mumbled nasty things. People were saying how they couldn't believe he'd been allowed into Hogwarts. I found out their names: Mrs. Alyson McDowall and her son Drew. I've been told he's a Slytherin and his mum was a Ravenclaw and is quite smart. Also that his dad, Gregor, is in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. And Drew was born after his dad was sent to Azkaban. I'm wondering if it's all true and if you know of anything else about any of them? I've never noticed him before but Malfoy called after him on the platform. I guess I just want to know who all of my enemies are and about them. I know I'll meet up with Voldemort so it's best to find out all I can about who might stand with him.
My best, Harry
Harry made one or two corrections and rolled up the parchment. After letting Hedwig loose from her cage, he tied the parchment to her leg and opened the compartment window. She was gone in an instant and Harry grew sad, knowing he wouldn't see her for weeks.
"Hey!" The trio jumped, hearing Ginny and Delaney bang on the locked door and yell to be let in.
Ron leaned over and unlocked the door. The two girls fell into the compartment, giggling. Delaney was eating a Honeyduke and holding a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans that Ginny's hand was in. The corridor was littered with fallen beans.
Ron rolled his eyes and closed the door again as the two girls settled next to him. They giggled and gossiped the rest of the way to Hogwarts. Delaney had barely made the train since her train down from Scotland was late having encountered a long delay in Glasgow.
Harry, Ron and Hermione yelled a greeting to Hargrid on the Hogsmeade platform while making for the carriages to take them up to Hogwarts instead of the boats the first years used. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas joined them in their carriage and gossiped about their summer.
Professor McGonagell met them all to tell them to hurry into the Great Hall and asked the prefects to stay as to learn their house passwords. Hermione departed the group as they said they would save her a seat in the Great Hall.
Harry was keen on hearing what the Sorting Hat had to say this year. It had almost put him into Slytherin six years ago but it would only be his fifth time hearing it (or so most would think). Harry had tried the hat on in Dumbledore's office one year to see if he should be in Slytherin, although the thought terrified him. The hat agreed with it's earlier decision to keep Harry a Gryffindor.
Finally, the Great Hall doors opened and Professor McGonagell led in the first years. The first years were astounded by the enormity and grandeur of how the Great Hall looked this evening. These young, new students formed a line in front of the head table as Hagrid and Hermione made their way to their seats.
Dumbledore stood and gave his usual short but bizarre speech then sat down for the Sorting Hat to start it's ceremony. This year, the Sorting Hat was briefly bizarre as well, only saying: "You're about to get new families, You first years must know, You'll make such follies, Others will laugh so."
There was a smattering of applause when everyone realized it was done. Professor McGonagell unrolled her parchment, "Abbot, Blaine!"
"Hufflepuff!" The Sorting Hat yelled after Blaine Abbot sat on the stool and put on the Sorting Hat. Professor McGonagell continued amid continous applause from different parts of the Great Hall.
Soon students were feasting themselves on pot roast, ham, pineapple chuncks, mash, peas, corn on the cob, salad, fresh bread, and salmon. Dessert was strawberry trifle, ice cream, profiteroles, and apple and custard pie with fresh cream.
Feeling sleepy, each House parted ways. Hermione led the way towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Chestnut." Hermione announced. "Chestnut is the password to get through the portrait into Gryffindor House. Don't forget. Neville? Did you hear the password? What is it?"
Neville had nodded and now turned bright red as everyone turned to look at him. "Chester," he stammered.
"Chestnut," Hermione repeated.
After everyone had tramped through the passageway, Hermione announced that they were in the Gryffindor House Common Room and pointed out the first yea's bedrooms. Harry and Ron had already claimed the armchairs closest tot he fire for the three of them by the time Hermione was finished. She let out a loud sigh when she was able to sit.
"How long do you think it'll take to get an answer from...him?" Ron paused just in time.
"At least a week but it all depends on where he is. I'll miss Hedwig."
"You should have used Pig. No one would miss him. He's still so mental!" Ron offered his own owl that Sirius had given him after Scabbers, really Peter 'Wormtail' Pettigrew, was found out and ran back to Lord Voldemort. Pig's a pygmy owl that is hyperactive, upsetting most of the other owls in the owlery at Hogwarts and Harry said so to his friend.
They chatted for a little while longer until the effects of the feast and fire were too much for them to fend off any longer. Harry and Ron left Hermione to find Neville, Seamus and Dean already fast asleep. They changed, drew the curtains of their four-poster beds and fell asleep instantly.
************************************ It took a week for Sirius's response but it finally came in the form of Sirius himself.
"Harry!"
Harry looked up at his name to see Sirius' head floating in the fire. "Sirius! How are you? Did you get my owl?"
"Yes, listen. Beware of McDowall's son. He shouldn't know too much of his dad or of his dad's friends but since he's become a Slytherin, I'd consider him an enemy. Alyson was a Ravenclaw, like you heard, and it's from my understanding that she's kept away from Malfoy and the rest since McDowall's arrest. McDowall was Voldemort's right-hand man and is a powerful wizard. He was actually in the cell two down from me. I'm surprised Azkaban's held him as long as it has since he is so powerful."
"What do you mean? Could a wizard just use magic to get out and not like how you did?" Hermione joined in the conversation, putting her homework parchments down.
"Definitely. It couldn't hold Dumbledore for sure but it's possible that McDowall is waiting for Voldemort's return and hasn't bothered to try. He probably will soon though since Voldemort has regained so much of his strength and followers. I should go before this house's family returns. Bye for now."
"Hey, Sirius! Wait! Why is Snape afraid of McDowall's son? He leaves him alone in potions even if he's done it wrong when he'll harp on anyone else or anything?" Ron remembered to ask.
"Look, Alyson's a great potions mistress and has probably passed most of it on to her son but McDowall had a temper that maybe he's afraid of. Plus, he'll have to deal with McDowall when he's out again and won't want to have to protect himself from McDowall going after him because of his son. But that's if Azkaban has changed him a lot. McDowall and Snape were best friends and before McDowall started dating Alyson in our sixth year, Snape has a major thing for her as well, I think. Oh and, McDowall did get arrested before his son's birth. It was just before Voldemort went after you and your parents, Harry. McDowall's son must be a year younger but since he's his mother's son in some ways, he must be intelligent enough for Dumbledore to skip him a year. Be careful of him. Gotta go. Take care."
"Bye Sirius!" The three called after his receding head.
"Snape had a crush on someone! Ew! Just the thought is making me nauseous!" Ron faked some vomiting motions.
"Let's do some more homework before we turn in. I don't want that mental image in my head while i go to sleep." Hermione grimaced and picked up her homework parchments again.
Once Hermione had finished her Arithmancy homework and Ron and Harry had finished making up their Divination homework, they set off for their beds hoping images of Snape would evade their dreams.