The daughter of one

The daughter of one who has run away The daughter who has tried to stay

The daughter of one who is black as coal The daughter of one who is pure as snow

The daughter of one born to rebel The daughter of one called by the knell

The daughter who will drawn the three The daughter who will conquer for peace

The daughter who will defy the tree The daughter who longs to be free

This is the daughter who will befriend foes This is the daughter who overthrows

This is the daughter with the choice to go This is the daughter choosing to flee

The daughter who has seen the world The daughter whom serenity unfurled

This is the daughter of one For whom enemies unite For whom friendships blossom

This is the daughter of one From the arrival of Odinè

Will bring peace to the world

*****

"I can't do it." Amethyst Evanstar thought to herself, staring at the brick pillar. "Of course you can, you've done it before" a small voice in the back of her head whispered. "No way, mate thats practically suicide" she argued back. "It isn't suicide, you did it before, remember?" "Four years ago." "Still, you've done it before" "You said that already" "Yes, well it's not going to be as bad the second time, will it?" "Amè? Is that you?" A clear voice broke the argument rampaging inside her head. Amethyst whipped around to see a freckled redhead looking at her. Recognition hit her at once.

"Ginny!" she exclaimed, as Ginny walked over to her, "what are you doing here?" she asked. Ginny raised an eyebrow. "Going to school." Amethyst flushed, "Oh, of course, sorry about that.." she gushed anxiously. Ginny smiled and gave Amethyst a hug. "No problem, Amè. Welcome back." Ginny let go and studied Amethyst quickly. "You've grown so much! I never expected you to come back! What have you been doing?"

Before Amethyst could answer, a loud voice yelled out "OI! What's the hold up! We're late!!" "Brothers," Ginny mumbled, as she ran straight into the brick pillar leading to the platform. Without thinking, Amethyst rushed after her, surprised to see a platform on the other side, a red steam- engine chugging merrily to a stop at the platform for the (eager) students to board its forest-green carriages.

"See," the voice in her head had returned. "I told you so." "Shut up." Amethyst muttered under her breath, as she ran after Ginny to find a compartment.

Strangely, as she stepped onto the train, Ginny was nowhere to be seen. Amethyst opened the door to the first compartment she saw and found that it was empty.

"Ginny, wouldn't have gone that far, would she?" she thought, as she entered the vacant compartment, Shutting the door behind her, Amethyst sat on a velvet-lined lounge and waited for Ginny to return. Smiling to herself, she gazed out of the window as the Hogwarts Express began on its journey.

"I don't see how Potter can possibly escape detention this time. I mean, just how much can the professors take? Potter always gets away with everything. Father says..." came a cold, loud voice from the corridor. Wanting to keep the peace and quiet, Amethyst was about to get up from her seat, open the door and tell them off, when the door slid open on its own. Amethyst blinked. "That wasn't Ginny," she thought.

".. of course, Mother was so relieved when Father returned; not that there was any doubt-" a boy with the white-blonde hair ceased his whining rants when he spotted a black haired girl quickly turn towards the window. "What are you doing in our compartment? Aren't you one of Potter's filthy mudblood friends? You hung around him last year, didn't you?" the boy snapped.

His words faded as Amethyst turned to face the boy, eyes defiant.

"Mudblood? How dare he! He must have mistaken me for someone else" she thought, waiting for an apology.

The blonde boy stared at her. He was obviously mistaken about her identity. He cleared his throat. "What are you doing in our compartment?" he repeated. "Your compartment? This is yours? How come it doesn't have your name on it? How come the seats are still burgundy? Wouldn't you have turned it - " Amethyst studied the green crest on his robe "- green, by now? I thought Slytherins hated red. "

The boy blinked, then bent over, so his face was close to hers. "Move." He ordered, his voice warningly steady. "Now." "You think that will move me, a stare?" Amethyst snorted. The boy remained silent. "Have you ever thought of compromising? You can't get everything in life." The boy stood abruptly, hands clasped behind his back. "Well of course I can't get everything in life. Potter, however, certainly does." He paused. " Idiot." He added as an afterthought. And he sat on the other side of the compartment. Amethyst returned to look out the window. Silence passed for a while until Amethyst realised he was alone and doing much the same as she was. "Who were you talking to outside?"

The boy looked at her. "Do you even know my name?" Amethyst's usually suppressed temper was rising, and she was calmly trying to hide it. Taking a deep breath, her voice shook slightly as she said, "Answer the question." The only noise to be heard was coming from other compartments. "Crabbe and Goyle," he said casually. Amethyst's eyes widened. "You're in league with Death Eaters?" she asked incredulously. He nodded, eyes daring her to ask more.

"Hold on a minute," Amethyst thought, "end the topic. He's trying to kick you out of the compartment." Amethyst looked at him. "What's your name?" she asked. He flicked back some of his hair that was trying to escape from the confines of the rest of his gelled head. "Draco Malfoy, proud Slytherin and pureblood." Contrary to normal introductions, he did not lend his hand for shaking. "If he wants it that way," Amethyst thought, "pureblood, huh? What on earth made him think I'm not?"

Amethyst extended her hand. "Amethyst Evanstar" Draco's eyes lit up in recognition. "Evanstar? Relative of Lestrange?" he asked cautionally. Amethyst rolled her eyes. "My mother is a Lestrange," she told him. "Oh," his voice wavered, as if he was thinking. Suddenly, he held out his hand, shaking Amethysts with much reluctance.

"O..kay, what was that?" she asked as Draco let go of her hand rather quickly. Amethyst's mood seemed to have swung; eating a chocolate frog for breakfast was definitely a contributor. "What was what?" he asked, puzzled.

"You're a Malfoy." Amethyst stated. Draco nodded. "Then how come you're handshake reminded me of shaking hands with a cabbage leaf??" her eyes pinched at the corners, suppressed laughter trying to get out. However, Draco Malfoy took it much more seriously than she expected. He stood, hands in his pockets, looking purposefully at the window. Amethyst's smile faded. Suddenly, Draco spun around, his eyes turned steel-grey in cold fury. "Don't you ever think you can insult me or my family, Evanstar." He strided over to the door, opened it, and slammed it behind him. Amethyst shrugged, about to gaze out the window again when she heard the door slowly open. Smirking, she spoke as she slowly turned around "Come to apolo-" Ginny Weasley was standing at the doorway. Amethyst's smirk soon turned into a genuine smile. "Sorry, Gin," she said, "thought you were someone else." She patted the seat opposite, gesturing for her to sit down.

Ginny looked at Amethyst for a while. "I heard a commotion and thought to check it out." Ginny said, as she tapped the badge on her robes. "I'm a prefect this year" she smiled, head held high. "Well, aren't we proud" Amethyst thought. Guilt washed over her as she said, "Congratulations, Gin. As you see, I am most definitely not a prefect. I mean, I've only been here for a year." Amethyst paused as the door opened again. The trolley lady appeared; "Anyone want snacks?" she inquired. Amethyst looked at Ginny, who shook her head. "Sorry, I - I'm not very hungry." Amethyst raised her eyebrows. Turning to the lady, Amethyst emptied her pockets. "1 large packet of Bertie's Every Flavour Beans, 5 Chocolate Frogs and 2 Butterbeers, thanks." A while later both girls were happily pulling apart chocolate frogs and laughing at one another's expressions eating the every flavour beans. This fun, however was stopped short when someone opened the door. "Hey, Evanstar, about what ha-" Malfoy stopped short, staring at them in shock.

Amethyst casually said "Mr Malfoy, are you alright? Come in, are you hungry?" Amethyst held up a chocolate frog, but Malfoy was ignoring her. He was looking at Ginny with contempt. Not surprisingly, Ginny was glaring at him with most dislike. Amethyst was watching them carefully. "What's wrong? You should get along fine, you're both purebloods." They did not move. Slowly, Draco pointed at Ginny "Sure she's a pureblood, but she has friends with mudbloods and is a muggle-lover herself." Ginny glowered, retaliating. "He is a proud, stuck-up git and the only things he talks about are his father and blood. Slimy, disgusting, PUREblood loving, and terribly rude." Draco burst out laughing. "Is that all you can come up with, Weasley? Did your brothers need more brainpower last year, took yours and never gave them back? Because if they did, Weasley, it didn't do them much good, and now you're all hopeless. Or did Potter finally take notice of you, and your brain melted instead of your heart? Or," his voice now only barely above a whisper, "did your father get a promotion? Did your brain freeze from the shock?" Amethyst didn't find this funny at all.

"Having a father is a privilege, Mr Malfoy, not a necessity. Sure, being a pureblood means you have some pride, but too much is no good. Being a pureblood does not mean you are forbidden to shake hands with one who isn't, for example when you hesitated to shake my hand. Money is, like having a family, a privilege. Certainly you cannot underestimate the power of money, but..." Amethyst ran out of words to say. "argh! just take a chocolate frog!"

Chapter 2

"First years this way!" A loud voice boomed as students were rushing out onto the platform. Amethyst stepped out to see a large burly, bearded man looming over the crowd. She smiled to herself, remembering the terrible rainstorm and having to sail across the great lake. Brrr. "Lucky people," she thought, "not a cloud in sight."

"Amè! Are you coming or not!" Ginny called. Amethyst picked up her truck and hurried to catch up with her. She was about to speak, when "Amethyst Evanstar?" a stern woman's voice spoke.

Dreading that she had done something terribly wrong, Amethyst turned around to see a tall, beady eyed woman, greying hair strictly tied into a bun. Amethyst found it hard to read her expression. "That is me, m'am." "Follow me Ms Evanstar. Ms Weasley, continue on your journey." Ginny nodded curtly. The lady turned around and walked in the opposite direction. Gulping and glancing sideways at Ginny, Amethyst followed the elderly woman.

She led Amethyst towards the large man, speaking while she walked. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Ms Evanstar. My name is Professor McGonnogall. I know you have crossed the lake before, but Professor Dumbledore feels you should cross it again. Since a seventh year student has left the school, you will temporarily be placed into Ravenclaw, where she was before. However, you will not be staying in the 7th Years Dormitory. You will no doubt be in the Dormitory for fifth years. Hagrid!" she stopped, and Amethyst did likewise.

"Yes Professor McGonnogall, is anything the matter?" the man asked. "Escort Ms. Evanstar to the school. She is to ride on the boats with the first years." Professor McGonagall told Hagrid, before returning to Amethyst, holding up a bundle, "here is your Ravenclaw cloak. I suggest you put it on before it gets cold. Your trunk," hereby taking it from her hands, "will be placed by your bedside. Have a safe trip across the lake, and I will be looking forward to teaching you in class." With that, the professor walked off. Amethyst turned towards Hagrid and saw him beaming at her. "Cat got your tongue?"

"No. I was just wondering... why I have to cross the lake again." Hagrid chuckled. "Don't you like the lake?" "Actually I don't. My father drowned at sea." "Oh." Hagrid paused. "I'm sorry."

Amethyst did not say a word all the way to the castle.

***

Walking into the Great Hall for the first time in five years seemed to have triggered great memories for Amethyst, and travelling with the first years clearly had not helped. At loss of what to do again, she straggled behind the rest of the first years who were already being lead by McGonagall up to the front of the hall to a certain talking hat.

"Ms Evanstar?" Hagrid whispered, hurriedly speaking, "you are expected at the ravenclaw table." Looking over to the table, Amethyst noticed a small space at the end of the table, some students looking curiously at her. Feeling like she was being watched, she silently walked over to them, sighing with relief as she sat down. She smiled quickly at her neighbours before listening to the sorting hat.

"Why aren't I in Gryfindor like I was before?" she thought. "They probably replaced you." Evidently, the incredibly annoying voice had returned. The tirrade of arguing with her determined subconsciousness restarted as McGonagall's loud, clear, voice rang through the hall. By the time she had read "Angelica Zarthe" ("Slytherin" the sorting hat replied to polite applause), Amethyst had asked the same question three times over. "Then why wasn't I sorted again?" "Professor McGonnagall explained already. Shut it." "Why should I?" "The food is coming and you are starving."

Amethyst ceased her bickering readily, for she was, indeed, starving. However, Dumbledore's customary speech had to come first. Sure enough, Professor Dumbledore raised his silver-haired head, ruffling his periwinkle blue robes as he stood. His demeanor had changed dramatically. His once sparkling blue eyes looked extremely grave on this supposedly merry occasion. His face was more lined than Amethyst had ever seen it. A hush settled in the Great Hall as Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Welcome, once again, to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I need not remind you that the Forbidden Forest is entirely banned - for full details on that and other school rules, please fell free to read them from the noticeboard outside Mr Filch's office. On this honourable occasion, I will introduce you to a new Defense of the Dark Arts teacher, Madame Artermia. I am sure you will welcome her warmly to our school. I also believe you are becoming desperately starvacious, so, without further adieu, bon appetite!"

Right on cue, the food appeared on the golden goblets and plates. Still numbly astounded and shocked that Dumbledore spoke french, Amethyst picked up her spoon and subconciously slowly drank in the sight of gold spoon reflecting on gold bowl, tangello pumpkin soup swirly serenely inside. She dipped her spoon into the aromatic dish, noting the reflection of her dark hair, contrasting on the yellow of the spoon. "AMETHYST EVANSTAR!" multiple voices were calling her, and she jerked up, spoon sinking into her bowl with a hollow metallic clang.

"STOP ADMIRING THE SPOON AND EAT! YOU'RE STARVING! * sigh *" that was most definitely her voice in her head. "AMETHYST EVANSTAR!" a small voice squeaked, contrasting sharply with the loud commanding voice in her head.

Amethyst turned around to see a small, bearded wizard (that vaguely resembled a large dwarf, Amethyst thought). She smiled in recognition. "Hello, Professor Flitwick," Amethyst answered co-operatively, "is there anything you need?"

"Hello, Ms Evanstar. You're wanted at the Headmaster's office." There was a slight pause. "When you finish your soup, you may follow me."

Amethyst looked around. A few students were looking at her quizzically. "Oh no," she thought. "now what?" feeling slightly nauseaus, she pushed away her plate.

"Don't worry about it, Professor Flitwick. I'll go now." At the same time, wishing the seat will swallow her up whole. It appears that the teachers did not normally walk and talk to students in the Opening Feast.

They walked out of the hall silently, Amethyst feeling eyes burning at her back.

Chapter 3

Left, Right, Left, Left again. Amethyst thought she was going insane. "How long does it take to get there?" she asked Professor Flitwick, who remained silent except for his pitter-pattering of shoes.

"Just round that corner, actually," replied Flitwick, politely.

They rounded the corner. Amethyst's face screwed up in puzzlement. Where she had expected to see a gargoyle she stood in front of a large statue of a phoenix. She looked to Flitwick in curiousity.

Flitwick was tapping random feathers off the wings of the phoenix in silence. "Erm...Professor Flitwick? Isn't there a gargoyle to whom you say the password, who'll just leap aside and you go up these steps? Why are we here?"

Flitwick didn't reply. Instead, the phoenix flashed red. And started turning.

Flitwick quickly stepped underneath its wing. "Come, quickly." He said to Amethyst, who obeyed. Spinning, spinning. Not as fast as using the Floo Network, but spinning enough to make your orientations slightly muddled. Amethyst could hear the grinding of stone on stone. Suddenly, the spinning stopped, nearly toppling her over. "Oh, steady there," Flitwick continued, smiling "the old gargoyle that was probably here in your first year is now regarded unsafe. Dumbledore set this up himself. It's probably the safest room in the United Kingdom."

The wall in front of them called, startling Amethyst. There on the wall was a stone figurehead of Dumbledore. "Password?" he - it demanded. Flitwick was not smiling now - his eyes had stopped twinkling, his lips a thin pale line underneath his beard. He stood up on tiptoes and whispered in the figurehead's ear, where the wall opened up a wide oval porthole. Flitwick nearly fell in. "Oh, steady there," said Amethyst quietly. She saw the corners of his mouth twitch, as he straightened himself and strode purposely through the porthole, which quickly closed itself. "Crap," Amethyst thought, "I didn't get in."

And her surroundings itself were changing. The stairs suddenly spun and slid together, creating a floor that dipped in the centre. Amethyst started falling, yelping as she unsuccessfully tried to grasp onto the smooth stone walls. Then the walls started spinning, spinning, thrice as fast as they were when they rose up the steps. Coming down in a heap on the cone-shaped ground, she struggled to stand up. Her arms were useless in grasping the stone, legs and feet as if on ice.

"Argh," she yelled in frustration, opening her mouth again to say something entirely rude. Suddenly, the walls stopped spinning, creating white stars in the back of her eyes, which were growing accustomed to it. Eyes shut in pain, she heard a voice.

"No! Why did you do this?! James! Lily! You're best friends! My best friends! How can you do this!?" her mum desperate, horrified, angry, Amethyst recognised in shock. What was she doing... "Please, J, don't be like this... let me explain..." called a man's voice, pleading and asking for mercy. Who the... "Si, I don't want an explanation! I...You...All I want is to see them back! Happy and alive!!" wailed her mum, crying in throes of misery. "J...you'll wake the baby...Harry..their son is alive...Harry is alive..." Harry? Who is Harry? The voices were fading...Amethyst cried out...more, she wanted to know so much more...

"Amethyst? So sorry...are you alright?" Concerned blue eyes were peering at her. Dumbledore. She tried to stand, and was unable. The floor had righted itself, sure enough, but she was shaking, viciously shaking...

Strong arms pinned her arms to her sides, lifting her up with the slightess of ease. Amethyst blinked. For someone so old, Dumbledore sure had strength. "Thanks, Professor Dumbledore" she whispered weakly. McGonagall appeared, her green eyes wrought with worry. She helped Amethyst into the office, placing her gingerly on a blue velvet-lined seat. "Here, Evanstar, drink this." A potion was brought to her lips, yellow and smelling of deliciously buttery. Mmm, Butterbeer. She sipped on it, feeling the instantaneous energy returning to her body. Awakened, she sat up, downing the rest of the potion.

"I think we should let her have some rest, Minerva..." Flitwick was whispering, quite loudly to McGonagall. "No, she's gaining strength already. She'll be alert in minutes." Replied McGonagall with a tone of finality.

"I think I'm fine now," announced Amethyst, her voice clear, eyes lively, feeling better than she had in days. "What am I here for?" she added.

A tall, dark haired man with an extremely sallow face held up the sorting hat, handing it to McGonagall. Probably following her eyes, McGonagall said, "That is Professor Snape. But introductions can be made later. We have to do this before it falls asleep. You were not sorted at the Feast, as you well know, so you can be sorted now."

"Leave us," a booming voice interrupted. Dumbledore was standing at the entrance, darkness behind him making him shine in his white hair and beard, periwinkle blue robes. "Albus, the hat will fall -" "Asleep, I know. It won't fall asleep until I tell it to. Please leave, I will let you know her house in the morning." The other teachers, McGonagall, Snape, even Flitwick filed out. Amethyst suddenly felt quite alone. "Do not be afraid, Amethyst," Dumbledore said, as if reading her thoughts. She spun around; he seemed to have made it to his desk with no sound at all. "Now, I know you have made friends in Slytherin, and in Gryfinddor. I know from your transfer school that you were not placed in houses. I also know that you were the top performer in your year at your school. I also know you excel in creative arts, which we unfortunately can not provide. You will continue with your previous choices, which were - " here he studied a piece of parchment in his hand, "-Runes, Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, correct?" Amethyst nodded silently. "Now, here at Hogwarts we find that we, err.. do not place transfers into the houses which they are best suited. They tend to grow quiet and submissive, and notoriously unhappy. Do not look so alarmed - " For Amethyst sat, eyes wide, apparently shocked. "We want to give you the choice of which house you want to go to. Now I don't want you going to Slytherin or Gryfinddor just because you have friends in those houses. I want you to think carefully about this. Slytherin is for the most cunning, Gryfindor for the brave, Ravenclaw for the smart and Hufflepuff for the loyal. And -"

"Please, sir, I wanted to go on the Sorting Hat." She blurted out. There was a shocked silence. "Well...It might give me an idea of what house it thinks I am good in..."

Dumbledore stood up immediately, walking briskly to the shelf where the Sorting Hat lay. He picked it up and handed it to her, before sitting down, elbows on the table and his chin resting on his hands. "Go on then, when your ready."

Amethyst looked steadily at Dumbledore, placing the hat on her brunette head.

"I know you, little one. I must have sorted you before. I think I sorted you into Gryfinddor then. But have you changed?" The sorting hat sat silent. The rim of the hat started contracting, contracting. Amethysts hands balled into fists, nails digging into palms in pain.

CLUNK.

A weight the size of an elephant fell on her head, and she toppled off her velvet chair, a red pool of blood starting to grow on Dumbledores fine Prussian carpet.

Dumbledore rose abruptly, in shock of what just happened. Seconds later, he recovered, urgently removing his wand from his robe. "Mobilicorpus," he whispered, which immediately bandaged up her head and lifted her body, suspended in midair. He walked over to the fireplace, flooing Madam Pomfrey, telling her to come quickly. He flooed again and again, calling McGonagall, Flitwick, Snape. Within a matter of minutes, all the head of houses stood in a circle around Dumbledore, obediently silent.

"Look, my friends. Look what Evanstar pulled out of the hat." His voice was extremely grave. There in the hat lay the tokens - A deep, skyblue cloak, glimmering and glowing, radiating emmence waves of power - a sword, so different from the sword of Gryfinddors, blade black/green, sharpened edges which could cut light, a hilt carved from a single block of jade, weaved in with silver dragons, tangled with silver serpents with eyes of emeralds - and a crown, a tiara, golden as the sunrise, so bright it illuminated the room. There was a general gasp of amazement.

"What does this mean?" whispered Professer McGonagall, as if they needed to keep quiet. "I don't know for sure, Minerva. But- there is a prophecy..." his voice trailed off, eyes glazed over in thought. "So is this Evanstar...powerful?" Snape broke the silence, attempting to ask the obvious. "Well, we don't know for sure yet, do we? What we know is that Evanstar drew the remaining three gifts out of the sorting hat. We know that Mr Potter drew the Gryfinddor sword four years ago. We also know that Mr Potter only recieved the sword, calling for help. However Ms Evanstar - Evanstar seemed to have called for the gifts naturally. She definitely didn't need them - her eyes flew open in shock before she hit the ground."

Ten minutes later, the professors left Dumbledore's office, all thrice as confused as when they arrived.

Chapter 4

Amethysts eyes fluttered open to a foul clinical smell. And found that there was a pale someone with large, almond-shaped silver eyes staring down at her.

"ARGH!" Amethyst shot upwards, sitting upright immediately. "Do NOT do that to me!" her eyes were still shut, unable to see who had spoken. "Don't like to let people watch you when you sleep, Evanstar?" a rich, slightly edgy, male voice asked. Amethyst's eyes shot upon. "Mr. Malfoy? What are you doing here?" Malfoy was over by the window, apparently tieing a letter to an owls leg. "Malfoy? How did you get Madame Pomfrey to let an OWL in the hospital wing?" "It's not an owl," Malfoy replied, turning around so that his pale face was shadowed, giving him a slightly healthier complexion, "its a snitch. Well, a trained one." Amethyst goggled. "A snitch? Doing the stuff an owl does?" "Correct." Malfoy walked back over to her, sitting in a chair beside her bed. Suddenly his eyes flashed, as if extremely irritated. Of course, it was quickly covered up again. "Amethyst, go back to sleep." He said moodily. Amethyst lay back down, her eyes still open and staring up at him. "What are you doing here?" she asked again. Malfoy looked at her blankly. "Weasley told me to." His voice was emotionless. "You mean Ginny?" "Yeah. Her." "I thought you didn't like her." "I don't." "What did you blackmail her with, then?" "Nothing. She just begged me." "She begged you to come visit me. Where is she?" "How the devil will I know?" "How come you're not in class?" "We've got electives. We have free lessons every now and then." "Oh. So Ginny's in class?" "Probably. Or she'd be here." "Why did she ask you, of all people?" "Well... she said that I was probably the only person you knew, besides her." "She must have been desperate to even bother talking to you. I mean, she has her brothers, and stuff..." Malfoy looked pained. "Go to sleep, Evanstar." "Stop that. You called me Amethyst before." "I want to call you Evanstar." "Fine. I won't go to sleep though." "Amethyst, go to sleep." "You forgot the magic word." "Huh??" "Um, nevermind." And she closed her eyes obediently, unaware of exactly when she drifted back into sleep.

"Amethyst, wake up." Someone was prodding her hard in the elbow. "Ow!" Amethyst opened her eyes, swiftly moving her elbow away from the prodder. "Hey, its Ginny." The visitor said. "Argh. Ginny I was sleeping. Dreaming of the handsome prince on the white horse..." "Don't be silly, Pomfrey gave you a sleeping potion." "So? It doesnt rid the dreams. Only that weirdo Dreamless Potion or whatever does that."

"Ginny! What are you doing in the infirmary?" someone was calling Ginny. Amethyst sat up. "I'm just visiting -" "Cho?" A guy with startling green eyes and unruly midnight-black hair appeared behind Ginny. No-one could mistake the scar on his forehead, either. "Hello Mr Potter" Amethyst piped up, smiling. "Cho?" his face was pale, a stunned look on his face, his voice echoing. "Um... My name is Amethyst. I'm new here...who's Cho?" She turned from Harry to Ginny. Harry shook his head abruptly, like a dog trying to dry himself. Ginny replied, "Harry's ex. Cho Chang. She- she kind of looks like you. She should be dating Roger Davies by now..." "Who?" "Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team." "Oh."

"If Ms Weasley has finished talking, she may leave. Class starts in 5 minutes." Madam Pomfrey piped, as if out of nowhere. Ginny shot a sideways glance at Amethyst, before standing up. "Coming, Harry?" Harry still has not removed his eyes from Amethyst. "Um, I think I'll stay. I've got a free lesson." Ginny's eyes widened, reflected in Amethyst. Now she looked uneasy. "Oh, alright. I'll see you at lunch." She directed that commented back to Amethyst, who nodded. "Cya, guys." And left.

As soon as the infirmary door closed, Amethyst turned back to Harry. "Harry?" she asked inquiringly, "Please stop looking at me like that." Harry shook himself again. "I'm sorry, I just - well...I haven't seen Cho for days and..." "-I thought Ginny said you got over her. She wrote to me last year." "Oh. I suppose so." He smiled. "I'm single now." "Then what's this worrying over Chang?" Harry's smile faded. "Can't I worry over a friend?" Amethyst shrugged. "Sure you can. Anyway, you wanted to talk to me?" Harry blinked. "Um. Yes, actually. Who are you?" Amethyst looked shocked. "You've been talking to a stranger for 10 minutes?" Harry shook his head quickly. "No, no. I didn't mean it like that. I mean like, family background, age, house, blah blah..." Amethyst straightened herself in the bed. "Why?" "Why what?" "Why do you want to know?" "Oh, I guess I'm just curious." "Well then. My name is Amethyst Evanstar. I -" "-Relative of Lestrange?" Amethyst looked peeved. "Why, are the Lestrange's famous?" Harry goggled at her. "Of course the Lestrange's are famous. They're Death Eaters. You know, supporting Lord Voldemont. They're in Azkaban and everything." "I know that. Why does everyone immediately associate Evanstar with Lestrange?" Harry shrugged. His eyes glazed over. "I saw it on a family tree once." He blinked, but the glaze was still there. Amethyst thought she landed on a touchy subject, so she continued. "My mother is a Lestrange. My father died ages ago. I can't remember him. I don't know much about either side of the family. I don't know any relations. Well, except for the argument outside Dumbledore's office. "All I know is I'm pureblood, like Draco M-." "Malfoy? You've met him?" Harry interrupted. His eyes were glaring at her. "...Well, yes. I sat with him in the compartments on the way here." Amethyst replied. "What do you think of him?" His eyes read IDIOT. "...Um, I actually think he's okay, except for all the stuff about purebloodedness." Harry shook his head. "Nevermind. Continue?" He smiled, and Amethyst complied. "I'm fifteen, in 5th year like Ginny. I don't know which house I'm in yet. I was placed into Ravenclaw without going to the Sorting Hat. I went later, of course, to Dumbledore's office...But the Sorting Hat did something weird and well, I ended up here." Harry looked at her. "How weird was the Sorting Hat?" Amethyst shook her head. "It was really, really weird. The rim tightened around my neck, nearly choking me. Then this weight the side of an elephant landed on my head, and everything went black." Harry stood up. "Have you seen Professor Dumbledore?" Amethyst shook her head again. "No. I -" But Harry Potter had already left the infirmary and Amethyst lay back against the pillows.

Seconds later, Dumbledore opened the door, eyes blazing. The colour drained out of Amethyst's face as she hastily sat up again. "Why didn't anybody tell me you were awake?" his voice was quiet, but his face was full of silent fury. Madame Pomfrey walked over, from tidying an empty bed. "Albus, you told me to call you when Ms Evanstar has recovered, not regained consciousness. I didn't find it necessary to call you." Dumbledore's face relaxed, wrinkles making him look older than before. "Sorry Poppy." He said , striding over to Amethyst, sitting in the seat where Harry sat earlier. "Harry, Poppy, leave us." Amethyst failed to even notice that Harry was standing at the door. Madame Pomfrey strided over to the door, looking harassed (she never did like to leave the hospital wing) and ushered Harry out with her.

Amethyst looked back at Dumbledore. He was calm, like the eye of a hurricane. Of course, Amethyst noticed, he was never really, well, happy these days. After all, Voldemonts out there, isn't he? Amethyst waited calmly for Dumbledore to speak. He didn't. Instead, he started removing several things from his golden yellow robes. A blue cloak, which rippled in the sunlight, a sword in various greens, and a golden tiara. Amethyst drew a breath. They were beautiful. "You pulled these out of the sorting hat." Dumbledore started calmly. Amethyst's eyes shot up to look at him. His blue eyes were gazing warily into hers. "...Meaning?" Amethyst stuttered. Her mind was temporarily blank. "I don't know yet. Harry drew the Gryffindor sword out of the hat. You drew...you drew the Ravenclaw cloak, Slytherin sword and Hufflepuff crown out of the hat. I don't know what it means, except...would you look at this and see if it relates to anything about you?" Dumbledore drew out a piece of parchment and handed it to Amethyst. It seemed to crackle and Amethyst felt like it would crumble any moment. Very carefully, she rolled out the parchment. She began to read.

The daughter of one who has run away - "That might be my mother, Professor. She saw something in the paper and, well, we ended up in Australia." Dumbledore nodded.

The daughter who has tried to stay - "Well, that must be me. I begged her to come back."

The daughter of one who is black as coal - "I have no idea what that means..but.." The daughter of one who is pure as snow - "that probably means I'm pureblood.."

The daughter of one born to rebel - "Sorry Professor, I don't know what that means either." The daughter of one called by the knell - "Well, my father is dead."

The daughter who will drawn the three - "I think that might be those things I pulled out of the hat." The daughter who will conquer for peace

The daughter who will defy the tree The daughter who longs to be free

This is the daughter who will befriend foes This is the daughter who overthrows

This is the daughter with the choice to go This is the daughter choosing to flee

The daughter who has seen the world The daughter whom serenity unfurled

This is the daughter of one For whom enemies unite For whom friendships blossom

This is the daughter of one From the arrival of Odinè Will bring peace to the world

"Well, I don't know what the rest means, but surely if that poem is about me, I'd do all those things, wouldn't I?" Amethyst shrugged. "I'm sure you would." Replied Dumbledore absently, removing the parchment from her hands and replacing it into his robe. Amethyst also noticed that the three objects were gone.

"Amethyst?" Dumbledore was watching her imploringly. Amethyst shook herself and turned to face him. "The Sorting Hat didn't sort you into a house." He said quietly. Oh yes. Damn. Amethyst thought. "So I have to choose for myself?" Dumbledore nodded. Amethyst really had no clue as to which house she wanted to be in. "What about...you giving me a suggestion?" Dumbledore seemed unfazed by the question. "You're cunning enough to be in Slytherin. You're kind enough to be in Hufflepuff. You're smart enough to be in Ravenclaw and you're brave enough to be in Gryffindor." He paused. "You choose." "Do I have time to think about this?" Amethyst asked He shook his head. "I'm afraid you don't. A week has already been over and you need to get into class." Amethyst had to do some quick thinking. She knew, well, guessed that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were not that friendly with each other. Any thought of Slytherin and Gryffindor was out. That only left Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.

"Ravenclaw," Amethyst stated, "I'll be in Ravenclaw." Dumbledore smiled - for a minute, there seemed to be the twinkle in his eyes again. "The password is Fortuna" he told her. "I'll have someone show you the way. Recover quickly, Ms Evanstar."

"Hello. I'm Luna." A blonde girl with bright blue eyes was leading her up a flight of steps. "Ravenclaw Tower is up the flight of steps a way in front of the Great Hall. Then you take the left flight when the stairs fork and you get to these steps we're walking on. Theres a platform a while up, leading to a balcony. Get on to the balcony, hold the railing with the bird statue, and say the password. Here, follow me."

They were on the balcony, looking over the Lake. "Wow," Amethyst thought. She turned around, seeing the railing with bird, which resembled a pigeon. "Is that it?" she asked, pointing to it. Luna was smiling at her dreamily, nodding. "Yep. Go ahead and do it like I told you to."

Amethyst trailed her hand along the railing. It, unlike the other railings, was fuzzy, slightly vibrating under her hand. She whispered, "Fortuna." The balcony jumped, like a lift does when it starts. She held onto the railing for dear life - there were no walls. Luna smiled. "Don't worry, you won't fall. It's protected - magic." She added, shrugging. Amethyst only nodded numbly. The balcony rose up and up before slotting itself into a whole in the balcony. The balcony doors were open. Luna stepped through it. Amethyst followed.

She waltzed into a sea of blue. Prussian blue, swirling carpets, silver- blue velvet chairs, silver tassled royal blue cushions, walls and walls of blue-lined books, panels of clear, blue-tinted windows, ceiling a rich, sky blue. Amethyst felt like she was in the clouds, the sky above and the sea below her.