AN: I own nothing, but Maya, the rest belongs to JKR
Chapter 1: A Normal Year
It was the beginning of 7th year, the gang's final year at Hogwarts. Things, surprising, were going great. Voldemort was getting weaker thanks to the Ministries help and would be defeated at any moment. Only the prophecy saying Harry had to defeat him was looming over the boy-who-lived head. Dumbledore had promised Harry a normal last year and he hoped to enjoy it for all it was worth. He was looking forward to thinking about normal things for once, like getting a real girlfriend, and dealing with Malfoy, plus the added squabbles of Hermione and Ron now that they were dating. His summer had been like all others, first half at his aunt and uncles, second half at the Weasley's. Number 12 Grimmauld Place had been completely revamped and redecorated for Harry on his 17th birthday, waiting for him to live in when he got out of school.
He had spent half of July and all of August with Hermione, Ron, and Ginny who had managed to work her way into their trust after 5th year. Luna and Neville were together vacationing in France before school started. (AN: bugger to JKR I think they make a great couple)
Looking up from her postcard from their friends Hermione addressed the breakfast table on August 30th.
"Guys, I have something really important to tell you…"
Everyone, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and even the Twins (home for the weekend) looked up expectantly.
"Your pregnant aren't you?" said Fred completely deadpan.
"I always knew Ron was a little bugger." added George.
"NO!" gasped Ron, "Bloody hell no…"
"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" Hermione eyed him.
"I…huh…but…"
"Oh shush you I'm kidding. I'm not pregnant thank you very much, " (at this Mrs. Weasley got her color back) "No, I was going to say that Neville and Luna are going to get married, after Luna leaves school, that's what the post card says."
"Holy buggers, how can she get a boyfriend, no a husband and I can't even get a date?" pondered Ginny cynically.
"Aren't they a little young?" said Mr. Weasley, glancing at his wife.
"I think its wonderful!"
"Oh…"
Two days later every one was packed and ready to go back to Hogwarts for the last time.
"Its kind of sad though isn't it?" said Hermione on the train
She was greeted with two blank stares from Ron and Harry and a sad snort for Ginny.
"At least you get to leave, its gonna be so boring next year"
"Hermione, love, school equals bad, freedom, money, being a grownup equals good." Said Ron
"And tons of responsibility, plus at school they have a free library, and no jobs!"
Harry left the two of them to figure it out and turned to Ginny.
"Where's Luna and Neville?"
"Most likely having sex in some empty compartment to celebrate their love for each other" she said miserably.
"Don't worry, you'll get a boyfriend."
"Oh your one to talk Mr. It-would-be-too-weird-with-Ron-its-not-you-its-me!"
"Hey don't bring that up again…"
Harry was getting mad, it wasn't right of her to bring up their last year's uncomfortable fling that ended for pain for every one. And she hadn't seemed to upset back then when she had gone running to Seamus and left him in the cold. At least she'd had relationships. All he had was sobbing, bratty Cho and Ginny her self, for a week, and really shitty week at that.
"Your right I'm sorry"
An uncomfortable silence settled over the car only broken by the expected but dreaded visit of none other than Draco Malfoy. He sneered around at every one until he saw Ginny, long tanned legs stretched out across the seat she shared with Harry, long red hair falling in front of her pout-y face, looking like a sexy emo-teenbopper Draco had seen in a muggle magazine over the summer.
"A rose between torns, I see" he said checking her out, his voice changing from hard to butter.
In the time it took Ron to figure out what was happening Ginny had returned the look and even offered a hello.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" he bellowed, "MALFOY IF YOU LAY ONE HAND…"
"OH SHUT IT RON YOUR NOT MY MOTHER I CAN CHECK OUT WHO EVER I DAMN WELL PLEASE!"
With that she pushed Draco out the door and followed him slamming the door behind her with a loud BANG. Ron just stood there, mouth agape, like a fish.
"Shut your mouth and sit down theres nothing you can do about it, she right though your not her mother" chided Hermione.
Turning to the window and tuning out Ron's muttering Harry wondered if this year would be any less hectic and stressful even with out the looming threat of Voldemort.
In the great hall every thing was going just as years before, a speech from Dumbledore, McGonagall with the sorting hat, the song (this year its about how victory would be theirs and one would save the day, Harry received the usual stares) and the procession of little 1st years. Only the last 1st year wasn't little, in fact Harry, Hermione, and Ron (Ginny wasn't talking to them) was pretty sure she was more like a 6th or 7th year. After Zurma, Adam (Hufflepuff) Dumbledore came to the podium.
"We are very pleased to have a 7th year student from Salem Witchcraft Academy joining this year. She will be sorted into a house and will spend the whole year with us. Please treat her as one of our own." He nodded to McGonagall who dutifully read off the girls name: Maya Black.
AN: I own nothing, only Maya the rest belongs to JKR
Chapter 2: Maya Black
Harry did a double take on the girl, the name sending an alarm off in his brain. She was short, most likely only 5 foot 1, with olive skin. Her hair was jet black, like Harry's, down to her shoulders, layered with a brilliant streak of purple running through the front. Dressed in a Hogwarts robe, she still stood out from the rest of the black clad students. She wasn't particularly beautiful but had a certain look about her that caught the students' eyes. When she turned to face the student body Harry almost gasped aloud, and looking at Ron and Hermione they had the same look on their faces. Maya Black looked just like Sirius, they could have been brother and sister, or cousins, or…father and daughter Harry thought.
"Bloody hell…" Ron muttered
"Please step forward…" McGonagall said
Maya stepped up to the stool and placed the hat on her head, its slipped over her eyes, and a moment later a name broke the silence of the hall.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry joined in the clapping with the rest of the table, some boys were even cat calling and whistling, but were quickly silenced by a cold look from Maya herself as she sat in the only open seat, across from Harry. Before she sat, Harry saw that her skirt was hemmed a little shorter then the other girls and he did not really seem to mind. Embarrassed for looking Harry quickly looked down at his plate (magically filled moments before) before she would see the red creep up his face.
Hermione on the other hand was already introducing herself, no doubt impressed by the way she shut the whistling boys up.
"Your Harry Potter."
"Uh…yeah…" now, he had to look up, and when he did, he was looking into the most brilliant violet eyes, looking at him kindly.
"Dumbledore wants us to meet him tonight, before bed."
"Us…?"
"Yeah, I don't know why though."
They spent all of the feast talking. Harry learned she had lived in an orphanage in Boston Mass until she was sent to the SWA. Her Boston accent and abrupt way of talking were new to Harry, be he soon became used to it. She never asked about him, or Voldemort, or any thing like that, and Harry was glad. Out of respect he didn't ask about who her father was (or had been). Ron had tried to a number of times but was quickly silenced by Hermione's foot. She didn't tell them why she had come to England but Harry hoped the meeting with Dumbledore would answer most of his questions.
After the last crumbs of their meal had disappeared (literally) Harry left Hermione and Ron and showed Maya to Dumbledore's office.
"Did he…uh…give you the password?"
"Earwax Beans"
The two gargoyles moved aside and the two new friends jumped on to the moving staircase. As Dumbledore's office came into view they saw the headmaster sitting behind his desk, fingertips lightly touching, obviously deep in thought. While Harry was thinking how to politely wake the old man from his pensive slumber Maya got right down to business.
"We're here." She said loudly.
"I know" said Dumbledore, smiling, "Come forward please I have a lot to tell you in a short space of time.
So much for a normal year, Harry thought sadly, surely a lot of information in a short amount of time was urgent and dangerous and Harry just wanted to go to bed and worry about Potions for once. As soon as they sat the old man started to talk.
"Harry as you know Maya's surname is Black, and if I read your reactions right in the Great Hall you have many speculations about her past."
Maya looked at Harry and raised her eye brows in amusement, Harry just blushed and looked away.
"If you are thinking that Maya's father is, was, your late godfather you are correct."
"Really? Bloody hell…I mean…sorry professor." He looked quickly at Maya, who held his gaze and smiled.
"That makes us god-siblings I guess" she said laughing extending a hand.
He took it returning the smile, "I guess it does."
"I filled Miss Black in on your connection to her father earlier. You would have know earlier Harry but we only just discovered her. It seems that on a trip to America Sirius had an affair with an American muggle and left when he found out she was with child…"
"Wait…what?"
AN: plug your ears people hear come the explosion, he really does have the emotional control of a teapot…
"Sirius did leave any one! He would do that!" Harry looked between the two, and watched the smile slip off Maya's face.
"Excuse me? How the hell would you know?"
Dumbledore sat back in his chair, smiling to him self (AN: the craft devil )
"BECAUSE I KNOW SIRIUS!!!! And he wouldn't do that!!!!" Harry yelled getting up.
"Listen mister you may know Sirius but that's only because he left ME to rot in some orphan and carried more about his precious, famous god-son then his OWN DAUGHTER!" Maya rose, trying to get eye level with Harry who was a good 5 inches taller.
"Children please!" Dumbledore spoke up, "Sit."
They did.
"Have a lemon drop"
They did.
"Don't choke, please" (Harry was so mad he almost had)
They didn't.
"That's better, now while you bother have some, ehem, talking to do, please lets do this tomorrow, lunch time say? Please be here at noon. Go to bed now, Maya you are in dormitory #7, with Hermione Granger, Harry show her the way and no more fighting please."
And with that he abruptly disappeared.