CHAPTER TWO
As the last student was sorted, Dumbledore rose from his seat to give the traditional start of term announcements.
"Attention, boys and girls. This year, like every other year, the forbidden forest is out of bounds at any times. Do not attempt to go there if you like your head in the position it's in. Secondly, your new defense against the dark arts teacher, Professor Carotene, will be arriving later tonight, so you will not meet him until tomorrow." Harry now noticed that there was an empty spot at the teachers table. He was surprised he had not noticed it before. "Lastly, I have one final announcement. We have a n..." But Dumbledore never got to finish his sentence.
Just at that moment, the double doors banged open and revealed a girl, no older than 15, walking towards the teachers table. She was wearing a very short white mini skirt and tight fitting black shirt, with a loose, emerald green button down shirt open on top. She had long brown hair that cascaded in soft curls down her back, and she had very tanned skin. Several of the guys wiped imaginary drool off their faces as she strolled in, hips swinging.
"Dumbledore!" The girl yelled, obviously infuriated at something. "This is the fifth time this week you're ruddy pigeon has interrupted my holidays."
"Phawkes is a phoenix." Dumbledore said calmly.
"Phawkes has screwed with my well earned break! It's no easy task for me to apparate inside these grounds you know. Now what the hell is it?" She roared, stopping a few metres before the table. Several of the students exchanged whispers at this. Who was this girl? How could she apparate inside the grounds.. wasn't it impossible?
"I apologize Lara, but this is urgent. I need you to stay at Hogwarts."
"For how long?" She girl said exasperatedly.
"Three years." Dumbledore said simply.
"No." Lara said without hesitation.
"I'm not giving you a choice."
"I'm not asking for one, I've made my decision."
"You're staying."
"Why do you want me here anyway?"
"Harry, he's in danger." At the mention of his name, Harry perked up from his seat. What did this girl have to do with him?
"He's always in danger Dumbledore, what's new."
"He's in even more danger now that Voldemort's reached his full potential."
"He wouldn't have if you would just let me..."
"No, the prophecy says Harry must kill him, so Harry must kill him."
"Screw the prophecy Dumbledore! Lives are at stake, and you refuse to let me save them because some drugged up old toad decided to have an epileptic fit in front of you." Professor Trelawny bristled with anger at this.
"I'm not drugged..."
"Those perfumes you intoxicate your students with are far enough down the track to be cl..."
"Enough." Dumbledore boomed. Lara stopped, crossing her arms in impatience.
"So you want me to look after the Gryffindor Golden Boy for the next three years."
"Until the prophecy is fulfilled."
"Fine. But you realize this is your mess, I could've..."
"But you didn't, doesn't that show you that fate's at work here?"
"No, it just tells me that next time I'll have to come armed with fire proof armor..."
"Why?" McGonnagall joined the conversation now, confused as to what they were talking about.
"Voldemort sent a couple hundred demons after me on the night of his uprising." The students, who had stayed deathly silent so far, broke out into whispers at the mention of the name.
"Good heavens, why?" McGonagall said, terrified.
"He doesn't want me there when he confronts Harry." Lara said simply.
"Why?" McGonagall persisted. Lara looked at Dumbledore questionably, as if asking if it was alright to answer. Dumbledore nodded, obviously agreeing as Lara replied.
"Because he know's I can kill him." The girl said simply. The hall now broke out in even more fervent whispers as the students discussed this information.
"Silence." Dumbledore boomed again. The hall went deathly quiet.
"Lara, how are you going on the case for your father?" Dumbledore said softly, changing the topic of conversation. Lara sighed, looking down at the ground sadly.
"I told you Albus, I need Wormtail, without him my father's a murderer." The wizened old man sat back in his chair, deep in thought. The last sentence had not meant much to most people in the hall, but to a particular trio sitting at the Gryffindor table it meant a lot.
"Very well. You can continue that work while you are here. I think you'll find the library quite useful. And I know a particular trio who would love to help you out." Lara grinned at his, as Dumbledore's eyes flickered to Ron, Harry and Hermione, who were watching the conversation with interest. "I also think it's about time you told Harry the truth." Lara's smile disappeared.
"No." She said simply. "Absolutely not."
"You have to Lara, before Voldemort uses the information against him!"
"I heard he can get really hormonal about his parents Dumbledore, I'm not about to provoke it again."
"He needs to know."
"I need to think of my own life in this situation."
"You are going to tell him Lara, the future of the wizarding race might depend on it."
"You always say that."
"So you have agreed to stay?" Dumbledore asked after a short silence.
"Do I have a choice?" Lara asked, knowing it was useless.
"You always have choice Lara." The man said cryptically.
"Do I get any say in this at all?" Harry yelled from his place across the hall. He got up from his seat and walked to stand in front of Dumbledore. The headmaster sighed, as if he had known this was coming.
"Who's this?" Lara asked, looking at the boy with interest.
"This, Lara, is the subject of our conversation, the hormonal one." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"Potter? This is that scrawny little boy you keep sending me pictures of?" Lara asked in disbelief. Dumbledore nodded, a slight smile on his face as Lara surveyed the boy, obviously impressed.
"Bit of a change... what happened? Found your sex drive?" Lara said, showing no signs of embarrassment at all. Harry, however, flushed.
"N... not really..." He said nervously. Lara laughed, her melodic voice echoing in the cavernous hall like music.
"Don't be cruel Lara." The girl grinned wickedly.
"Professor, is this my godfather's daughter?" Harry said to the headmaster suddenly. Dumbledore frowned at this.
"Yes Harry. This is Larrissa Black." Now it was Harry's turn to look at the girl standing next to him in surprise.
"He never told me..."
"He wouldn't."
"But why..."
"I think we should talk about this somewhere else Harry." Dumbledore said softly. Harry nodded, a look of confusion on his face. It didn't make sense...
"Lara, you will be in sixth year, and be placed in Gryffindor. You will find a copy of your timetable on your bed. Have a good sleep tonight, we will talk tomorrow." Dumbledore said simply, clearly signalling the end of the dicussion.
"Whoa... hold it. Timetables? I'm not actually attending classes am I?"
"Yes, you are. I think it's about time you got back into shape, you're getting lazy and arrogant." Dumlbedore said simply.
"And exams..."
"You will be dismissed from those." Dumbledore replied, before dismissing the students from the hall. Immediately the level of noise rose as the students discussed what had transpired. Harry, however, was staring curiously at Lara.
"I know I'm sexy Potter, but could you take your eyes of my chest for at least a minute?" The boy flushed, but quickly recovered.
"You have some explaining to do." He said simply. Lara sighed. She did not want to talk about it now, but she knew she had to.
"Fine, we'll talk later." She snapped.
"Not later, tonight." Harry said firmly.
"Fine, in the common room tonight." Lara replied wearily. Harry nodded before walking away to join his friends.
"Hey wait." Lara called after him.
"What?" Harry snapped back. He did not like this girl, she was crude, rude and arrogant. He didn't care if this was Sirius's daughter, she was a bitch.
"Aren't you going to show me the way?" Lara said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"And why should I do that?" Harry replied nastily.
"Because I'm going to be saving your ass for the next three years, so I'd start being nicer or I might accidentally. slip up."
"I don't need your protection." Harry cried back.
"Have you faced Voldemort in full power yet?"
"No, but..."
"Then don't talk about things you don't understand." Lara snapped back. Hermione, who had watched this rally from a distance, dropped behind her two friends to join Lara.
"Don't worry about him, he's just a little paranoid about admitting he needs help."
"So I've noticed. Larrisa Black, by the way."
"Hermione Granger."
"You're the smart one!" Lara said, remembering some letters Dumbledore had sent her about Harry's friends. The bushy haired girl blushed.
"I wouldn't really say..."
"Don't be modest Hermione." Lara said, smiling.
"Well what about you? You can defeat demons, apparate inside Hogwarts grounds... what was all that about?"
"It's complicated." Lara said slowly.
"I've got a lot of time."
"I'm talking to Harry about it tonight, join us. I don't think I can stand being alone in a room with that wanker for too long anyway."
"He's not that bad..." Hermione said quickly. Lara grinned.
"I think I sense a little crush here..." She said slyly.
"Harry? No!" Hermione said indignantly.
"So it's the freckly one then? Ron... W...w..."
"Weasley." Hermione said, a slight blush creeping up her face. "And yes, it is. But he doesn't like me back." The girl said sadly, casting a wary eye forward to make sure the two boys were well in front.
"How do you know?"
"I just do, we're too different."
"But that doesn't stop you liking him." Lara supplied.
"But that's cause he's funny and sweet and charming..." Hermione said dreamily. The other girls musical laughter rang once again through the corridor they were in.
"Why you poor love sick child." Lara said, shaking her head slowly.
"And what about you? Any special guy?"
"Never. Quite a few have been interested..."
"Not surprisingly..." Hermione added.
"But they all want me for...other reasons." Larissa ignored the other girls comment.
"Very obvious other reasons." Hermione added.
"Yes. And you can ask your little boyfriend if he wants to hear to, but I can't tell anyone else. Top secret stuff..."
"I can do a silencing charm around the common room..."
"I've got a few spells up my sleeve, don't worry." Hermione didn't comment. From what she'd heard so far, this was a very powerful witch, and not one to be messed with...
HEY AGAIN GUYZ YOU HAVE BEEN GOOD WITH THE REVIEWS BUT I WOULD LOVE A COUPLE MORE.
LUV YA ALL
LOZ AND NATTY
As the last student was sorted, Dumbledore rose from his seat to give the traditional start of term announcements.
"Attention, boys and girls. This year, like every other year, the forbidden forest is out of bounds at any times. Do not attempt to go there if you like your head in the position it's in. Secondly, your new defense against the dark arts teacher, Professor Carotene, will be arriving later tonight, so you will not meet him until tomorrow." Harry now noticed that there was an empty spot at the teachers table. He was surprised he had not noticed it before. "Lastly, I have one final announcement. We have a n..." But Dumbledore never got to finish his sentence.
Just at that moment, the double doors banged open and revealed a girl, no older than 15, walking towards the teachers table. She was wearing a very short white mini skirt and tight fitting black shirt, with a loose, emerald green button down shirt open on top. She had long brown hair that cascaded in soft curls down her back, and she had very tanned skin. Several of the guys wiped imaginary drool off their faces as she strolled in, hips swinging.
"Dumbledore!" The girl yelled, obviously infuriated at something. "This is the fifth time this week you're ruddy pigeon has interrupted my holidays."
"Phawkes is a phoenix." Dumbledore said calmly.
"Phawkes has screwed with my well earned break! It's no easy task for me to apparate inside these grounds you know. Now what the hell is it?" She roared, stopping a few metres before the table. Several of the students exchanged whispers at this. Who was this girl? How could she apparate inside the grounds.. wasn't it impossible?
"I apologize Lara, but this is urgent. I need you to stay at Hogwarts."
"For how long?" She girl said exasperatedly.
"Three years." Dumbledore said simply.
"No." Lara said without hesitation.
"I'm not giving you a choice."
"I'm not asking for one, I've made my decision."
"You're staying."
"Why do you want me here anyway?"
"Harry, he's in danger." At the mention of his name, Harry perked up from his seat. What did this girl have to do with him?
"He's always in danger Dumbledore, what's new."
"He's in even more danger now that Voldemort's reached his full potential."
"He wouldn't have if you would just let me..."
"No, the prophecy says Harry must kill him, so Harry must kill him."
"Screw the prophecy Dumbledore! Lives are at stake, and you refuse to let me save them because some drugged up old toad decided to have an epileptic fit in front of you." Professor Trelawny bristled with anger at this.
"I'm not drugged..."
"Those perfumes you intoxicate your students with are far enough down the track to be cl..."
"Enough." Dumbledore boomed. Lara stopped, crossing her arms in impatience.
"So you want me to look after the Gryffindor Golden Boy for the next three years."
"Until the prophecy is fulfilled."
"Fine. But you realize this is your mess, I could've..."
"But you didn't, doesn't that show you that fate's at work here?"
"No, it just tells me that next time I'll have to come armed with fire proof armor..."
"Why?" McGonnagall joined the conversation now, confused as to what they were talking about.
"Voldemort sent a couple hundred demons after me on the night of his uprising." The students, who had stayed deathly silent so far, broke out into whispers at the mention of the name.
"Good heavens, why?" McGonagall said, terrified.
"He doesn't want me there when he confronts Harry." Lara said simply.
"Why?" McGonagall persisted. Lara looked at Dumbledore questionably, as if asking if it was alright to answer. Dumbledore nodded, obviously agreeing as Lara replied.
"Because he know's I can kill him." The girl said simply. The hall now broke out in even more fervent whispers as the students discussed this information.
"Silence." Dumbledore boomed again. The hall went deathly quiet.
"Lara, how are you going on the case for your father?" Dumbledore said softly, changing the topic of conversation. Lara sighed, looking down at the ground sadly.
"I told you Albus, I need Wormtail, without him my father's a murderer." The wizened old man sat back in his chair, deep in thought. The last sentence had not meant much to most people in the hall, but to a particular trio sitting at the Gryffindor table it meant a lot.
"Very well. You can continue that work while you are here. I think you'll find the library quite useful. And I know a particular trio who would love to help you out." Lara grinned at his, as Dumbledore's eyes flickered to Ron, Harry and Hermione, who were watching the conversation with interest. "I also think it's about time you told Harry the truth." Lara's smile disappeared.
"No." She said simply. "Absolutely not."
"You have to Lara, before Voldemort uses the information against him!"
"I heard he can get really hormonal about his parents Dumbledore, I'm not about to provoke it again."
"He needs to know."
"I need to think of my own life in this situation."
"You are going to tell him Lara, the future of the wizarding race might depend on it."
"You always say that."
"So you have agreed to stay?" Dumbledore asked after a short silence.
"Do I have a choice?" Lara asked, knowing it was useless.
"You always have choice Lara." The man said cryptically.
"Do I get any say in this at all?" Harry yelled from his place across the hall. He got up from his seat and walked to stand in front of Dumbledore. The headmaster sighed, as if he had known this was coming.
"Who's this?" Lara asked, looking at the boy with interest.
"This, Lara, is the subject of our conversation, the hormonal one." Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.
"Potter? This is that scrawny little boy you keep sending me pictures of?" Lara asked in disbelief. Dumbledore nodded, a slight smile on his face as Lara surveyed the boy, obviously impressed.
"Bit of a change... what happened? Found your sex drive?" Lara said, showing no signs of embarrassment at all. Harry, however, flushed.
"N... not really..." He said nervously. Lara laughed, her melodic voice echoing in the cavernous hall like music.
"Don't be cruel Lara." The girl grinned wickedly.
"Professor, is this my godfather's daughter?" Harry said to the headmaster suddenly. Dumbledore frowned at this.
"Yes Harry. This is Larrissa Black." Now it was Harry's turn to look at the girl standing next to him in surprise.
"He never told me..."
"He wouldn't."
"But why..."
"I think we should talk about this somewhere else Harry." Dumbledore said softly. Harry nodded, a look of confusion on his face. It didn't make sense...
"Lara, you will be in sixth year, and be placed in Gryffindor. You will find a copy of your timetable on your bed. Have a good sleep tonight, we will talk tomorrow." Dumbledore said simply, clearly signalling the end of the dicussion.
"Whoa... hold it. Timetables? I'm not actually attending classes am I?"
"Yes, you are. I think it's about time you got back into shape, you're getting lazy and arrogant." Dumlbedore said simply.
"And exams..."
"You will be dismissed from those." Dumbledore replied, before dismissing the students from the hall. Immediately the level of noise rose as the students discussed what had transpired. Harry, however, was staring curiously at Lara.
"I know I'm sexy Potter, but could you take your eyes of my chest for at least a minute?" The boy flushed, but quickly recovered.
"You have some explaining to do." He said simply. Lara sighed. She did not want to talk about it now, but she knew she had to.
"Fine, we'll talk later." She snapped.
"Not later, tonight." Harry said firmly.
"Fine, in the common room tonight." Lara replied wearily. Harry nodded before walking away to join his friends.
"Hey wait." Lara called after him.
"What?" Harry snapped back. He did not like this girl, she was crude, rude and arrogant. He didn't care if this was Sirius's daughter, she was a bitch.
"Aren't you going to show me the way?" Lara said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"And why should I do that?" Harry replied nastily.
"Because I'm going to be saving your ass for the next three years, so I'd start being nicer or I might accidentally. slip up."
"I don't need your protection." Harry cried back.
"Have you faced Voldemort in full power yet?"
"No, but..."
"Then don't talk about things you don't understand." Lara snapped back. Hermione, who had watched this rally from a distance, dropped behind her two friends to join Lara.
"Don't worry about him, he's just a little paranoid about admitting he needs help."
"So I've noticed. Larrisa Black, by the way."
"Hermione Granger."
"You're the smart one!" Lara said, remembering some letters Dumbledore had sent her about Harry's friends. The bushy haired girl blushed.
"I wouldn't really say..."
"Don't be modest Hermione." Lara said, smiling.
"Well what about you? You can defeat demons, apparate inside Hogwarts grounds... what was all that about?"
"It's complicated." Lara said slowly.
"I've got a lot of time."
"I'm talking to Harry about it tonight, join us. I don't think I can stand being alone in a room with that wanker for too long anyway."
"He's not that bad..." Hermione said quickly. Lara grinned.
"I think I sense a little crush here..." She said slyly.
"Harry? No!" Hermione said indignantly.
"So it's the freckly one then? Ron... W...w..."
"Weasley." Hermione said, a slight blush creeping up her face. "And yes, it is. But he doesn't like me back." The girl said sadly, casting a wary eye forward to make sure the two boys were well in front.
"How do you know?"
"I just do, we're too different."
"But that doesn't stop you liking him." Lara supplied.
"But that's cause he's funny and sweet and charming..." Hermione said dreamily. The other girls musical laughter rang once again through the corridor they were in.
"Why you poor love sick child." Lara said, shaking her head slowly.
"And what about you? Any special guy?"
"Never. Quite a few have been interested..."
"Not surprisingly..." Hermione added.
"But they all want me for...other reasons." Larissa ignored the other girls comment.
"Very obvious other reasons." Hermione added.
"Yes. And you can ask your little boyfriend if he wants to hear to, but I can't tell anyone else. Top secret stuff..."
"I can do a silencing charm around the common room..."
"I've got a few spells up my sleeve, don't worry." Hermione didn't comment. From what she'd heard so far, this was a very powerful witch, and not one to be messed with...
HEY AGAIN GUYZ YOU HAVE BEEN GOOD WITH THE REVIEWS BUT I WOULD LOVE A COUPLE MORE.
LUV YA ALL
LOZ AND NATTY