Authors Notes: Not quite four months but not exactly a quick update either ^^ It IS nine pages in Word though, that's my excuse =D
Review Thank Yous-
Serrebi
Kumiko *Kaylin* Eharu
Hell's Angel-Heaven's Demon: well sirius' reaction is -what you think i'm gonna spill? *MUAH HA HA*
Padfoot Black: i think i remember you even though that was ages ago ^_^ Oh i have a reason for Orion being overlooked... it'll come out soon enough ;)
Darienetta Stoke: alright alright! here it is dari!
I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update (since it takes SO long for me to actually finish a chapter!)-just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)
Please R/R! :)
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Chapter Eleven
"Headmaster it's been two days with no word from him -who knows what could've happened to him in that time! If he knows Orion is alive, and that we hid that from him… last time he thought she and Jess were dead he got sent to Azkaban! What's he going to do this time?"
Professor Dumbledore spread his fingers on the desk before him carefully, "He won't do anything, and he won't be far away, Remus. Now he has another reason to not get caught: he has Harry and his daughter."
The younger man halted in his tireless pacing.
"Then where is he?" he asked desperately.
"I'm afraid anybodies guess is as good as mine right now."
***
In the shadows of a room, a throne, ornately designed with twirls and vines and serpents and jewels sat on a raised dais.
Red slits glowed from the darkness and a figure bowed down before the throne.
"What news do you bring me?"
"My Lord, I have completed the translation of the prophecy and am certain of three of the people mentioned, one is assuredly you, your highness, and the other two were Lily and James Potter."
"Read me the prophecy."
"In the ninth age, during first reign of Death
Bonds will be bound
of blood and betrayals.
There will be born
those to defeat the darkness.
Two will perish on the eve of the grey days
Others will be lost through their own faults
One will be entrapped in personal dark
Others will be yet babes, not yet standing.
The second reign, marked by blood,
will begin in darkness, deceit, death,
fortunes of what will come to pass.
It can be changed, paths can be altered, Death thwarted
if those born unite together as brothers and sisters.
They will unite, or all are doomed
to fall under Death."
"That is the entire prophecy? You are certain?"
"Yes my Lord, I am sure."
"How many others know of this?"
"Most know of Merlin's First Prophecy, but it's deemed as nonsense. There was one wizard in the Ministry who was beginning to translate it since Dumbledore began trying to convince the community that you had returned… I took care of him."
In the dank, dark shadows a sadistic grin twisted its features into an evil smile.
"Excellent."
***
Since Sirius had disappeared, every time Harry spoke to Orion all he could think about was his Godfather and how he was missing, how they had no idea how he was or where he was. And how he couldn't tell her she wasn't an orphan.
"Hey Harry, are you staying for the Christmas Holidays?"
Think of the devil. Well when didn't he stay? It wasn't like he was going to stay with the Dursleys was he?
"Yeah -it's kind of my 'thing'."
She raised her eyebrows, "Your 'thing'?"
"Yep, I stay every holiday except for summer."
"Ooh can I copy your thing?" she said, signing herself on to the list as Harry got behind her to do the same.
The list wasn't very long, comprising of Hermione, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny (they all received a letter from their parents asking them to stay at school where they would be safe -Mrs. Weasley had also somewhat unsubtly told them not to do anything overtly stupid).
"So what do we do in the holidays then?" she asked as he finished writing his own name on the parchment.
"No schoolwork!" George cried. Hermione, however, went for a different option.
"Homework and revision," she said, oblivious to the others staring at her, "Our OWL's are getting closer and neither of you two have made revision timetables!"
"Um, neither have I?" Orion hesitantly added.
"My point exactly!"
"Let me guess Hermione," Ron groaned, "You've already made one?"
The Look he received served the purpose of answering his question (yes), quietening him and making everybody else laugh as discreetly as possible.
"I'm going to make you three timetables and you are going to follow them, alright?"
She looked scarily like McGonagall, in fact is she put on a pair of glasses Harry would bet galleons she would be a younger version of their deputy Head.
"What about Quidditch practice?" he asked.
"I'll factor them in, don't worry Harry."
He relaxed, as did Ron and they settled around the fire with a chess tournament with anybody who was willing against Ron.
They all lost, one by one in sometimes boring and other time's spectacular ways. The list of losers included: Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Orion, Fred, George, Ginny and Orion and Neville (they worked together this time), Angelina, Seamus, Dean, numerous first years, a few second years and third years… the tournament went on for hours and the list grew almost as big as the grin on Ron's face by the end of it when there were no more takers.
"Come on Ron, give us a break already -you won. Over, and over, and over, and over…" Orion was sprawled across the floor having a staring contest with Crookshanks as Hermione put the finishing touches to his revision timetable -it was colour coded and everything.
"Actually, you know what -you're too good at this. I hate you."
"No you don't."
"Do."
"Don't."
"Do do do do do do!" A smile broke over her face in that moment that looked so much like Sirius Harry had to do a double take. How did he not notice it earlier was what he wanted to know, but then the smile was gone and Orion was going up to bed.
"What time is it, Fred?"
"About eleven thirty mate. We're the last ones up."
"Oh gosh! We've got class tomorrow!" Hermione was packed up and taking her things up to her dormitory in five minutes. In that time all Harry had managed to do was read through his timetable a few times.
"Hey Ron are you going to get some sleep or just mull over your victories all night?"
"Um."
"Right, g'night then."
The last week of term was somewhat of a blur to Harry, but he could sum it up in one sentence: Sirius was still missing, he hadn't heard from Remus since and, perhaps the most worrying of all, Hedwig had returned the letter he'd written to Sirius with no reply and wasn't even opened.
*
On Christmas Day Orion was snuggled up in her covers, nice and warm and entirely not ready to get up until Hermione threw open the girls bed curtains, "Wake up Orion!"
"Mmm."
"It's Christmas, Orion."
"Hap'y Chris'as -sleep?"
"It's nine o'clock! Get up!" When no more movement came form the bundle she shook her gently, "Oh come on, please? And don't roll; you'll fall out of bed!"
Orion halted mid-roll, "Whoah, ah, thanks Hermione."
"Mm hmm." Crawling towards the end of the bed she paused. There was a small pile of presents on the floor. She grinned at Hermione, "I've got presents!"
"Of course you have! Want to take them through to Harry and Ron? If they're not awake we could always…"
Her face lit up, "Can you shrink these? I'll get the water."
Three minutes later they padded quietly up the staircase to the boys dormitory, Hermione carrying her (now shrunken) presents and a goblet of freezing water for Ron and Orion with her own mini-presents and water for Harry.
The snoring told them all they needed to know.
Orion positioned herself by Harry's bedside and pulled the curtains apart,
"Ready?"
Hermione nodded.
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS!"
Harry was awake in seconds.
"Wha- wha- cold!"
"Morning Harry!"
"HERMIONE!"
"Happy Christmas, Ron." Hermione smiled.
"Wh -why would you do something like this?" Ron spluttered, wiping the water from his face; Hermione had a good aim.
"You're awake now aren't you?" she replied, changing her presents back to their normal size on the floor between the boys beds.
"Bu-but -"
"It's cold!" Harry said, putting on his glasses.
"Stop complaining, Harry." said Hermione.
Orion resized her own presents opposite Hermione in the small space and found Harry giving her an odd look.
"What?"
"I never figured you as one for bright pink pyjamas!"
She stuck out her tongue, "Shut up -I'll have you know these are the height of fashion!"
Truth was she hated these pyjamas, but the Williams hadn't exactly cared all too much about what she liked and what she didn't -especially when things were on special offer and they could save money. Like with these bright pink pyjamas.
"When? Fifty years ago?"
"Do you want me to throw more water on you?"
Harry laughed and threw a pillow at her as he manoeuvred to grab one of his presents, a large and lumpy one in sparkly paper.
Orion picked one of her own and tore off the paper -Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, from Ron.
"Ron, do they mean every flavour or is it like, a euphemism for all the ones we think are nice?"
"Nope, it's every flavour. You get cool ones like chocolate, lime and stuff, but then you get Earwax and broccoli,"
"Brussels sprouts, sweat,"
"Sweat?"
"Yeah."
She looked at the box speculatively, "Interesting, I'll save those for a bit. What you got there Harry?"
He held up a knitted emerald jumper with spark shaped gold patterns on it and a box of fairy cakes.
"I see you got another one this year," Ron pulled out his own newly knitted jumper, "We get them every year, from my mum." He explained, tucking in to a large bit of flapjack that had come with the sweater.
"Oh fudge!" Hermione cried, having opened her own present from Mrs. Weasley, "Lovely!"
Orion didn't waste any more precious minutes before getting into the next present that was from Harry, "Harry what's Honeydukes?"
"You are definitely going to Hogsmeade as soon as the years over," Ron said before Harry could start.
"It's that place that sells all the sweets and stuff that we were telling you about ages ago." he explained, "The stuff is really nice!"
She lifted out the second part of the present, "Okay, and what's a Sugar Quill?"
"Eat it!"
Seeing no reason not to, she stuck the Quill into her mouth… and it was sugar, lots of sugar that had gone straight to her head with a zing. "Blimey. These are nice!"
Munching on her 'breakfast' she decided which present to open next, she had two left and one was obviously a book (a video was ruled out since there was no such thing as electricity any more) and the other was much smaller and harder to guess.
Three rips later and the book was revealed, "A Pranksters Guide to Jokes" by A.N. Onymous.
"Wicked Hermione! Hey," she paused, "How did you know it was me?"
"I didn't do it and Lavender wouldn't do it to her best friend… so it was a bit of a no-though-needed."
"Ah."
"What did you do to her?" Ron asked with glee.
"Nothing! Honest!"
"Yeah right!" Harry laughed, "We'll just get Hermione to tell us later."
"Go ahead because I have nothing to hide." Which wasn't the same as nothing, but this was fun and the prank had been hilarious, from her point of view anyway. Okay one last present and then it was all over for the year. The small, unidentifiable one in red and gold paper that didn't have a card. She looked at in curiously, turning it over in her hands.
"What do you reckon this is?"
"Dunno," Harry shrugged, "But I got one too. Did you two get one of these?" He held up his own, which was identical to hers, for Ron and Hermione to see.
"No, mate."
"Me either."
Orion poked the present, "Might as well open it then… wow. Tissue paper!"
Harry pulled the tissue paper off his own, "There's something in the paper, somewhere," he pulled off layer after layer until finally…
"A key? Harry why do we have keys?"
Hermione looked at them with raised eyebrows, as did Ron but neither said anything.
"I wonder where the lock is." Harry mused, and put it on the cabinet by his bed.
***
"Are you lot going to stay inside all day or do you want to come outside with us two,"
"Who are remarkably more handsome than our dear little brother,"
"Shut up George."
Fred continued despite the interruptions, "And have some fun in the snow?"
"Hang on, just let me do this. Check mate, Orion."
"Oh for crying out loud!"
"I think," Harry gasped between breaths, "you've just been thrashed in five moves!"
Orion frowned, "Snow sounds fantastic."
Out on the grounds a thick blanket of snow had covered everything and tucked it in for a very secure nap under the winter sky. The stillness was violently disturbed by seven Gryffindors as they ran yelling and screaming through the snow whilst hurling snowballs at each other.
"Every kid for themselves!" Fred cried, levitating six snowballs and releasing them at each person simultaneously.
As it was, alliances soon formed anyway: Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny worked together to get Fred, George and Orion. One fast and furious fight later there were seven very wet Gryffindors that trampled onto the Quidditch grounds, shaking snow off their cloaks as they entered the stands and chatting happily away trying to decide who'd one or lost. Both sides maintained that they had won fair and square, but as that was not possible there was only one solution,
"Maybe we drew?" Ginny ventured cautiously,
"What, like we both won?" said Orion,
"That doesn't sound so bad," Hermione agreed, "No one lost! What do you say Harry? Ron?"
"Uh,"
"Fred? George?"
"Fine." The four boys agreed, dropping their cloaks on the seats almost simultaneously.
"We're going to practice if you three want to stay here." Ron said, and away they went.
Orion sat in one of the seats, putting her feet onto the one in front, "What are they practising for if the rest of the team isn't here?"
"Ron needs the practice." Ginny said, "We only won the last match against Slytherin because Harry caught the Snitch so early -we were loosing fifty points to twenty before that."
"But Seamus said that wasn't too bad, that we could've easily come back from it?"
"We might've done or they might've completely beaten us into the ground, so that's why Ron's putting in some extra practice."
Hermione was intrigued, "Since when did you become such a Quidditch enthusiast?"
Ginny gave her a dry look, "I have six brothers, five of who are addicted to it. It was a pull to hard to resist I guess."
Up in the chilly air Fred, George and Harry made lines of Quaffles and threw one after another at Ron from as many different angles they could, trying out different speeds, different heights -George even started to put spins on them as Ron started to catch more of them.
Harry was happy to note that there was improvement in his friends' ability over the time that they practiced, which he also noted had been going on for quite a time now, judging by the numbness in his legs and behind and the darkening sky.
The others must've been thinking along the same lines because Ron held up his hands for a break as George called a time-out.
"I think that's enough for today, I mean I don't know about you but I can't feel anything from the waist down!" Harry said as they hovered mid-air,
"Nothing?" Fred asked with raised eyebrows, "So you wouldn't mind if we accidentally hit you in the -"
"Shut up, Fred."
"Sure, mate."
"C'mon, lets go see the others."
They glided down to the stands and grinned at the girls.
"Nice moves Ron!" Ginny congratulated, "Can I have a go on your broom now?"
Ron agreed (albeit a little reluctantly) and Ginny zoomed off as Orion watched with interest.
Harry watched her looking at Ginny and realised with mortification that during her catch-up summer she'd probably never been taught how to use a broom, "Want to learn how to fly? You can borrow mine and we'll teach you."
Orion hesitated, "Uh, sure."
While Ginny watched from thirty feet above them Harry began instructing her on how to call a broom, how to mount it and eventually how to ride it.
"Do you have any idea how weird this is?" she said going round in a circle, "I'm flying!"
Harry smiled, maybe Sirius was somewhere nearby, and if he was maybe he'd see her flying for the first time.
***
Professor Dumbledore sat in Sirius' converted basement with Alastor Moody. Grave looks were etched onto both of their faces, and Moody's mad eye roamed constantly around in its socket -keeping an eye out for eaves droppers of any kind and Sirius, whether he fell into the first category or not was unknown.
"Is Skizzen still missing?" the old Headmaster asked,
Moody grimaced, "Yes, but we have got our bets on what happened to him lying with Voldemort."
He nodded slowly, that was not entirely unexpected but disturbing nonetheless. "Did he leave anything…"
"He finished the translation and owled it to the checkpoint, as well as who he suspected it concerned. Figg thinks he knew they were after him, the notes were rushed and sealed well and truly -nearly lost my eyebrows getting that thing open the first time."
"Ah, that would explain the singed look you are sporting." Dumbledore munched on a Flying Saucer from a bowl on the table between them, "What do we know?"
"We know the entire prophecy, and a good portion of what it means, but Fletcher's concerned -if Voldemort's the reason Skizzen is missing then he's probably on to the prophecy as well. There's been some unusual goings on apparently,"
Dumbledore's eyes widened imperceptibly and the twinkle dimmed a little, "In what way?"
"Weasley's been doing a good job, he's getting as many as he can to listen to us while keeping his job, but he's noticed quite a few are acting a little unusual, and Beyan says that we're not the only ones that have been accessing Merlin's archives -somebody else was in there before us, not long before but it's still cause for concern. Those archives hadn't been touched for years before now,"
"Because the majority thought his first prophecy was questionable, and still think of it as such." he finished with a sigh, "And the majority still believe Sirius is guilty."
"Still missing is he?"
"Nobodies seen him since the school Hogsmeade trip, Remus is worried sick and Harry is too no doubt." He shook his head, "If the Ministry had allowed her to be raised in the Wizarding World this never would have been a problem, if we'd been allowed to tell her who she was this never would have been a problem, if Cornelius Fudge would just open his eyes -"
Moody growled, "You're getting sentimental in your old age Albus: there's no use looking at what ifs if you're not prepared to do anything about them. If you go back fifteen years you could say what if Black had told you about the swap, would the Potters still be alive. If the Potters were still alive, would Voldemort have won that war? If the Potters were still alive, Black would have been at home and maybe all of them would be dead."
"Maybe. Tell me Alastor, have you ever tried these Flying Saucers?"
Review Thank Yous-
Serrebi
Kumiko *Kaylin* Eharu
Hell's Angel-Heaven's Demon: well sirius' reaction is -what you think i'm gonna spill? *MUAH HA HA*
Padfoot Black: i think i remember you even though that was ages ago ^_^ Oh i have a reason for Orion being overlooked... it'll come out soon enough ;)
Darienetta Stoke: alright alright! here it is dari!
I've made a mailing list so you can be e-mailed when i update (since it takes SO long for me to actually finish a chapter!)-just leave your e-mail address in your review and say you wanna be added =)
Please R/R! :)
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Chapter Eleven
"Headmaster it's been two days with no word from him -who knows what could've happened to him in that time! If he knows Orion is alive, and that we hid that from him… last time he thought she and Jess were dead he got sent to Azkaban! What's he going to do this time?"
Professor Dumbledore spread his fingers on the desk before him carefully, "He won't do anything, and he won't be far away, Remus. Now he has another reason to not get caught: he has Harry and his daughter."
The younger man halted in his tireless pacing.
"Then where is he?" he asked desperately.
"I'm afraid anybodies guess is as good as mine right now."
***
In the shadows of a room, a throne, ornately designed with twirls and vines and serpents and jewels sat on a raised dais.
Red slits glowed from the darkness and a figure bowed down before the throne.
"What news do you bring me?"
"My Lord, I have completed the translation of the prophecy and am certain of three of the people mentioned, one is assuredly you, your highness, and the other two were Lily and James Potter."
"Read me the prophecy."
"In the ninth age, during first reign of Death
Bonds will be bound
of blood and betrayals.
There will be born
those to defeat the darkness.
Two will perish on the eve of the grey days
Others will be lost through their own faults
One will be entrapped in personal dark
Others will be yet babes, not yet standing.
The second reign, marked by blood,
will begin in darkness, deceit, death,
fortunes of what will come to pass.
It can be changed, paths can be altered, Death thwarted
if those born unite together as brothers and sisters.
They will unite, or all are doomed
to fall under Death."
"That is the entire prophecy? You are certain?"
"Yes my Lord, I am sure."
"How many others know of this?"
"Most know of Merlin's First Prophecy, but it's deemed as nonsense. There was one wizard in the Ministry who was beginning to translate it since Dumbledore began trying to convince the community that you had returned… I took care of him."
In the dank, dark shadows a sadistic grin twisted its features into an evil smile.
"Excellent."
***
Since Sirius had disappeared, every time Harry spoke to Orion all he could think about was his Godfather and how he was missing, how they had no idea how he was or where he was. And how he couldn't tell her she wasn't an orphan.
"Hey Harry, are you staying for the Christmas Holidays?"
Think of the devil. Well when didn't he stay? It wasn't like he was going to stay with the Dursleys was he?
"Yeah -it's kind of my 'thing'."
She raised her eyebrows, "Your 'thing'?"
"Yep, I stay every holiday except for summer."
"Ooh can I copy your thing?" she said, signing herself on to the list as Harry got behind her to do the same.
The list wasn't very long, comprising of Hermione, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny (they all received a letter from their parents asking them to stay at school where they would be safe -Mrs. Weasley had also somewhat unsubtly told them not to do anything overtly stupid).
"So what do we do in the holidays then?" she asked as he finished writing his own name on the parchment.
"No schoolwork!" George cried. Hermione, however, went for a different option.
"Homework and revision," she said, oblivious to the others staring at her, "Our OWL's are getting closer and neither of you two have made revision timetables!"
"Um, neither have I?" Orion hesitantly added.
"My point exactly!"
"Let me guess Hermione," Ron groaned, "You've already made one?"
The Look he received served the purpose of answering his question (yes), quietening him and making everybody else laugh as discreetly as possible.
"I'm going to make you three timetables and you are going to follow them, alright?"
She looked scarily like McGonagall, in fact is she put on a pair of glasses Harry would bet galleons she would be a younger version of their deputy Head.
"What about Quidditch practice?" he asked.
"I'll factor them in, don't worry Harry."
He relaxed, as did Ron and they settled around the fire with a chess tournament with anybody who was willing against Ron.
They all lost, one by one in sometimes boring and other time's spectacular ways. The list of losers included: Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, Orion, Fred, George, Ginny and Orion and Neville (they worked together this time), Angelina, Seamus, Dean, numerous first years, a few second years and third years… the tournament went on for hours and the list grew almost as big as the grin on Ron's face by the end of it when there were no more takers.
"Come on Ron, give us a break already -you won. Over, and over, and over, and over…" Orion was sprawled across the floor having a staring contest with Crookshanks as Hermione put the finishing touches to his revision timetable -it was colour coded and everything.
"Actually, you know what -you're too good at this. I hate you."
"No you don't."
"Do."
"Don't."
"Do do do do do do!" A smile broke over her face in that moment that looked so much like Sirius Harry had to do a double take. How did he not notice it earlier was what he wanted to know, but then the smile was gone and Orion was going up to bed.
"What time is it, Fred?"
"About eleven thirty mate. We're the last ones up."
"Oh gosh! We've got class tomorrow!" Hermione was packed up and taking her things up to her dormitory in five minutes. In that time all Harry had managed to do was read through his timetable a few times.
"Hey Ron are you going to get some sleep or just mull over your victories all night?"
"Um."
"Right, g'night then."
The last week of term was somewhat of a blur to Harry, but he could sum it up in one sentence: Sirius was still missing, he hadn't heard from Remus since and, perhaps the most worrying of all, Hedwig had returned the letter he'd written to Sirius with no reply and wasn't even opened.
*
On Christmas Day Orion was snuggled up in her covers, nice and warm and entirely not ready to get up until Hermione threw open the girls bed curtains, "Wake up Orion!"
"Mmm."
"It's Christmas, Orion."
"Hap'y Chris'as -sleep?"
"It's nine o'clock! Get up!" When no more movement came form the bundle she shook her gently, "Oh come on, please? And don't roll; you'll fall out of bed!"
Orion halted mid-roll, "Whoah, ah, thanks Hermione."
"Mm hmm." Crawling towards the end of the bed she paused. There was a small pile of presents on the floor. She grinned at Hermione, "I've got presents!"
"Of course you have! Want to take them through to Harry and Ron? If they're not awake we could always…"
Her face lit up, "Can you shrink these? I'll get the water."
Three minutes later they padded quietly up the staircase to the boys dormitory, Hermione carrying her (now shrunken) presents and a goblet of freezing water for Ron and Orion with her own mini-presents and water for Harry.
The snoring told them all they needed to know.
Orion positioned herself by Harry's bedside and pulled the curtains apart,
"Ready?"
Hermione nodded.
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS!"
Harry was awake in seconds.
"Wha- wha- cold!"
"Morning Harry!"
"HERMIONE!"
"Happy Christmas, Ron." Hermione smiled.
"Wh -why would you do something like this?" Ron spluttered, wiping the water from his face; Hermione had a good aim.
"You're awake now aren't you?" she replied, changing her presents back to their normal size on the floor between the boys beds.
"Bu-but -"
"It's cold!" Harry said, putting on his glasses.
"Stop complaining, Harry." said Hermione.
Orion resized her own presents opposite Hermione in the small space and found Harry giving her an odd look.
"What?"
"I never figured you as one for bright pink pyjamas!"
She stuck out her tongue, "Shut up -I'll have you know these are the height of fashion!"
Truth was she hated these pyjamas, but the Williams hadn't exactly cared all too much about what she liked and what she didn't -especially when things were on special offer and they could save money. Like with these bright pink pyjamas.
"When? Fifty years ago?"
"Do you want me to throw more water on you?"
Harry laughed and threw a pillow at her as he manoeuvred to grab one of his presents, a large and lumpy one in sparkly paper.
Orion picked one of her own and tore off the paper -Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, from Ron.
"Ron, do they mean every flavour or is it like, a euphemism for all the ones we think are nice?"
"Nope, it's every flavour. You get cool ones like chocolate, lime and stuff, but then you get Earwax and broccoli,"
"Brussels sprouts, sweat,"
"Sweat?"
"Yeah."
She looked at the box speculatively, "Interesting, I'll save those for a bit. What you got there Harry?"
He held up a knitted emerald jumper with spark shaped gold patterns on it and a box of fairy cakes.
"I see you got another one this year," Ron pulled out his own newly knitted jumper, "We get them every year, from my mum." He explained, tucking in to a large bit of flapjack that had come with the sweater.
"Oh fudge!" Hermione cried, having opened her own present from Mrs. Weasley, "Lovely!"
Orion didn't waste any more precious minutes before getting into the next present that was from Harry, "Harry what's Honeydukes?"
"You are definitely going to Hogsmeade as soon as the years over," Ron said before Harry could start.
"It's that place that sells all the sweets and stuff that we were telling you about ages ago." he explained, "The stuff is really nice!"
She lifted out the second part of the present, "Okay, and what's a Sugar Quill?"
"Eat it!"
Seeing no reason not to, she stuck the Quill into her mouth… and it was sugar, lots of sugar that had gone straight to her head with a zing. "Blimey. These are nice!"
Munching on her 'breakfast' she decided which present to open next, she had two left and one was obviously a book (a video was ruled out since there was no such thing as electricity any more) and the other was much smaller and harder to guess.
Three rips later and the book was revealed, "A Pranksters Guide to Jokes" by A.N. Onymous.
"Wicked Hermione! Hey," she paused, "How did you know it was me?"
"I didn't do it and Lavender wouldn't do it to her best friend… so it was a bit of a no-though-needed."
"Ah."
"What did you do to her?" Ron asked with glee.
"Nothing! Honest!"
"Yeah right!" Harry laughed, "We'll just get Hermione to tell us later."
"Go ahead because I have nothing to hide." Which wasn't the same as nothing, but this was fun and the prank had been hilarious, from her point of view anyway. Okay one last present and then it was all over for the year. The small, unidentifiable one in red and gold paper that didn't have a card. She looked at in curiously, turning it over in her hands.
"What do you reckon this is?"
"Dunno," Harry shrugged, "But I got one too. Did you two get one of these?" He held up his own, which was identical to hers, for Ron and Hermione to see.
"No, mate."
"Me either."
Orion poked the present, "Might as well open it then… wow. Tissue paper!"
Harry pulled the tissue paper off his own, "There's something in the paper, somewhere," he pulled off layer after layer until finally…
"A key? Harry why do we have keys?"
Hermione looked at them with raised eyebrows, as did Ron but neither said anything.
"I wonder where the lock is." Harry mused, and put it on the cabinet by his bed.
***
"Are you lot going to stay inside all day or do you want to come outside with us two,"
"Who are remarkably more handsome than our dear little brother,"
"Shut up George."
Fred continued despite the interruptions, "And have some fun in the snow?"
"Hang on, just let me do this. Check mate, Orion."
"Oh for crying out loud!"
"I think," Harry gasped between breaths, "you've just been thrashed in five moves!"
Orion frowned, "Snow sounds fantastic."
Out on the grounds a thick blanket of snow had covered everything and tucked it in for a very secure nap under the winter sky. The stillness was violently disturbed by seven Gryffindors as they ran yelling and screaming through the snow whilst hurling snowballs at each other.
"Every kid for themselves!" Fred cried, levitating six snowballs and releasing them at each person simultaneously.
As it was, alliances soon formed anyway: Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny worked together to get Fred, George and Orion. One fast and furious fight later there were seven very wet Gryffindors that trampled onto the Quidditch grounds, shaking snow off their cloaks as they entered the stands and chatting happily away trying to decide who'd one or lost. Both sides maintained that they had won fair and square, but as that was not possible there was only one solution,
"Maybe we drew?" Ginny ventured cautiously,
"What, like we both won?" said Orion,
"That doesn't sound so bad," Hermione agreed, "No one lost! What do you say Harry? Ron?"
"Uh,"
"Fred? George?"
"Fine." The four boys agreed, dropping their cloaks on the seats almost simultaneously.
"We're going to practice if you three want to stay here." Ron said, and away they went.
Orion sat in one of the seats, putting her feet onto the one in front, "What are they practising for if the rest of the team isn't here?"
"Ron needs the practice." Ginny said, "We only won the last match against Slytherin because Harry caught the Snitch so early -we were loosing fifty points to twenty before that."
"But Seamus said that wasn't too bad, that we could've easily come back from it?"
"We might've done or they might've completely beaten us into the ground, so that's why Ron's putting in some extra practice."
Hermione was intrigued, "Since when did you become such a Quidditch enthusiast?"
Ginny gave her a dry look, "I have six brothers, five of who are addicted to it. It was a pull to hard to resist I guess."
Up in the chilly air Fred, George and Harry made lines of Quaffles and threw one after another at Ron from as many different angles they could, trying out different speeds, different heights -George even started to put spins on them as Ron started to catch more of them.
Harry was happy to note that there was improvement in his friends' ability over the time that they practiced, which he also noted had been going on for quite a time now, judging by the numbness in his legs and behind and the darkening sky.
The others must've been thinking along the same lines because Ron held up his hands for a break as George called a time-out.
"I think that's enough for today, I mean I don't know about you but I can't feel anything from the waist down!" Harry said as they hovered mid-air,
"Nothing?" Fred asked with raised eyebrows, "So you wouldn't mind if we accidentally hit you in the -"
"Shut up, Fred."
"Sure, mate."
"C'mon, lets go see the others."
They glided down to the stands and grinned at the girls.
"Nice moves Ron!" Ginny congratulated, "Can I have a go on your broom now?"
Ron agreed (albeit a little reluctantly) and Ginny zoomed off as Orion watched with interest.
Harry watched her looking at Ginny and realised with mortification that during her catch-up summer she'd probably never been taught how to use a broom, "Want to learn how to fly? You can borrow mine and we'll teach you."
Orion hesitated, "Uh, sure."
While Ginny watched from thirty feet above them Harry began instructing her on how to call a broom, how to mount it and eventually how to ride it.
"Do you have any idea how weird this is?" she said going round in a circle, "I'm flying!"
Harry smiled, maybe Sirius was somewhere nearby, and if he was maybe he'd see her flying for the first time.
***
Professor Dumbledore sat in Sirius' converted basement with Alastor Moody. Grave looks were etched onto both of their faces, and Moody's mad eye roamed constantly around in its socket -keeping an eye out for eaves droppers of any kind and Sirius, whether he fell into the first category or not was unknown.
"Is Skizzen still missing?" the old Headmaster asked,
Moody grimaced, "Yes, but we have got our bets on what happened to him lying with Voldemort."
He nodded slowly, that was not entirely unexpected but disturbing nonetheless. "Did he leave anything…"
"He finished the translation and owled it to the checkpoint, as well as who he suspected it concerned. Figg thinks he knew they were after him, the notes were rushed and sealed well and truly -nearly lost my eyebrows getting that thing open the first time."
"Ah, that would explain the singed look you are sporting." Dumbledore munched on a Flying Saucer from a bowl on the table between them, "What do we know?"
"We know the entire prophecy, and a good portion of what it means, but Fletcher's concerned -if Voldemort's the reason Skizzen is missing then he's probably on to the prophecy as well. There's been some unusual goings on apparently,"
Dumbledore's eyes widened imperceptibly and the twinkle dimmed a little, "In what way?"
"Weasley's been doing a good job, he's getting as many as he can to listen to us while keeping his job, but he's noticed quite a few are acting a little unusual, and Beyan says that we're not the only ones that have been accessing Merlin's archives -somebody else was in there before us, not long before but it's still cause for concern. Those archives hadn't been touched for years before now,"
"Because the majority thought his first prophecy was questionable, and still think of it as such." he finished with a sigh, "And the majority still believe Sirius is guilty."
"Still missing is he?"
"Nobodies seen him since the school Hogsmeade trip, Remus is worried sick and Harry is too no doubt." He shook his head, "If the Ministry had allowed her to be raised in the Wizarding World this never would have been a problem, if we'd been allowed to tell her who she was this never would have been a problem, if Cornelius Fudge would just open his eyes -"
Moody growled, "You're getting sentimental in your old age Albus: there's no use looking at what ifs if you're not prepared to do anything about them. If you go back fifteen years you could say what if Black had told you about the swap, would the Potters still be alive. If the Potters were still alive, would Voldemort have won that war? If the Potters were still alive, Black would have been at home and maybe all of them would be dead."
"Maybe. Tell me Alastor, have you ever tried these Flying Saucers?"