Roughly a week had passed, and Grace had barely awakened at all. The mind work Dumbledore had done on her had put Grace in dire need for sleep and rest. James and Lily had let her rest, and had finished up the small amounts of homework that was left over. Dumbledore had popped in once and a while, taking in hushed conference with Mr. and Mrs. Potter. He had been working out the fine points about Grace attending Hogwarts.

It seemed that the only time Grace awoke from her sleep was at night. Sirius was always right there when she woke up, and the two spent the nights getting to know each other more and more. Sirius would talk out loud, and Grace would write down her comments in a notebook. It was amazing to all their spectators how well you get to know someone when you spend all night ever night for a week talking or in Grace's case writing.

James awoke in his own large bed to the sound of quiet whispers in the room next door. The Potter estate was large, and consisted of your standard large house family room, formal living room, kitchen, dining room, and study/library. It also had four bedrooms and 5 bathrooms. One for each room and then one off the family room. James had his own room with a bathroom connecting it to another room. In the second one he kept his books, desk, and Quidditch stuff as well as assorted other things to amuse him. What could possibly make Sirius get up this early? That kid could sleep through lunch. James risked a glance at his clock. It wasn't that early, 6:25 to be exact but it was summer! Slowly James grumpily tossed his legs out of bed, and shivered as his bare feet hit the floor. He had slept in shorts that came just above his knee, and didn't bother changing. What would it matter anyway, no would be up. Plus he walked around in his pajamas all the time.

James was about to cross to the door when he remembered that Lily and the girl that Dumbledore and Sirius had instead was named Grace were sleeping somewhere. With an early morning sigh he pulled a large grey sweater that was lying on the floor over his head and patted into the other room.

Like he had guessed Sirius was indeed sitting there, but to his surprise and amusement, the two were sitting on the floor playing a card game while leaning against each others backs for support. James chuckled announcing his presence. He guessed that Sirius couldn't be putting his full weight on Grace, considering he about was least 8 inches taller then her. Sirius had a mug of hot coco at his side, and Grace had hers in both hands, taking tiny sips from it while she balanced her cards on her knees that were bent close to her body.

"Got any Kings?" Sirius said, readjusting his cards in his hands.

A few piles of pairs were around him. Grace shook her head for a no. Sirius sighed and reached down to draw a card from the pile that was placed next to the both of them. Grace grinned a little, obviously realizing that he had a card she wanted. Carefully she slipped the card from her neatly organized hand and reached over there pressed together backs to show Sirius the card she was looking for. Sirius made a weird "arging" noise. He never did like to loose.

Regretfully he handed the card over to her. Grace flashed a very proud of her self smile as she collected up all her matches, counting them quickly. James noticed a big smile on her face. Obviously she just kicked Sirius' butt, seeing as she still couldn't talk she handed her deck over to Sirius to count.

He let out a loud groan. "You won again! That's not fair." He complained.

Just then James noticed a large notebook in Graces hand as she started to scribble a response. Upon further inspection of the book, James noticed it was covered with notes, all it her slightly messy and loopy scrawl.

Sirius took the book from her and read it quickly frowning in a joking way. "We will see about that" he mumbled.

James was starting to recognize that neither of them had noticed he was there despite his little cough.

"You two are playing Go-Fish? That is so sad" James joked.

Sirius caught site of his friend and quickly proceeded to throw a book at him. Unluckily for Sirius and luckily for James, the chaser's quick reflexes kicked in and he ducked the book, allowing it to hit the back wall, falling open to a random page that showed men zooming around on their brooms. Grace looked like she would have chuckled, but no sound came out of her mouth. She sighed, it was obvious that she was greatly missing being able to talk. Sirius had dived on James and the two them were wrestling, grabbing each other around the neck. They broke it up when James noticed that Grace was still starring right at them and Lily had just entered the room.

"Very smooth James" Lily joked.

James hopped to his feet and grabbed her around the waste, kissing the top of her head "G'morin Love"

Grace smiled as Sirius grabbed her hand and pulled her to the rest of the group "Grace, this is Lily, you know I told you about her"

Lily smiled and shook Graces hand. "What ever he said, don't believe it" She jokingly insisted.

Sirius shoved her shoulder gently, "Don't worry Lils, it was all good"

Meanwhile James was standing with his arms still wrapped around Lily grinning "Aren't you going to introduce me Padfoot?" Sirius faked looking annoyed.

"Fine, Grace is this James"

Sirius couldn't help but chuckle, he never called Prongs by his proper name. Grace wanted to greet them properly, but her voice was still out of her control. She had guessed that the one Sirius called Prongs had been James, but now was the first time either of them gave each other a chance. James chuckled for some unknown reason, and whistled quietly. Lily looked horrified and elbowed him hard in the ribs. Sirius frowned a little bit, but soon a smile broke through.

"Prongs is, um, quite a flirt" Sirius said running a hand through his hair. It was also true that he was a bigger flirt, but that little detail would wait.

James flashed one of his award winning grins, then said offering his hand "Its nice to meet you Grace" He looked a little more serious this time, but they all could see his lips twitching trying to control a grin.

The four of made there way over to the couch, James pushed ahead of them and jumped into one of the squashy arm chairs. He fell in and almost rolled inward but caught him self and straitened up. Lily was walking slowly, still taking in his house. This was the first time she had ever been there. James had shown her pictures at the end of last year, but pictures couldn't tell you everything. In the photographs everything had been neat and orderly, how the potters wanted there house to look for the rest of the world. That wasn't really his home. Now there were joke books, socks and the tweezers things to clip the end of his broom lying across the floor. Lily smiled a little; she even noticed some stuff that was so classically Sirius lying around. That would make sense seeing as he spent all his time out of Hogwarts with the Potters. He was pretty much an adopted son. The room even smelled like James, or maybe James smelled like the room, but in the end it didn't matter.

Lily finally made it over to his chair, eyes still wandering around. Now James had noticed her wandering gaze and followed it, looking at her a little curiously.

"What?" he asked her slowly, causing her to snap back into reality.

Lily answered by sliding down onto his lap, draping her legs over the arm of the chair. She wiggled a little, trying to get the opposite chair arm to a comfortable position against her back.

"Nothing," she said turning her eyes to him. "It just smells like you is all" She was talking quietly now, trying not to tune the whole room into their conversation. James smiled, and let his arms slink around her waste. Lily dropped her head down onto his shoulder.

Grace tossed a glance over at James and Lily before sitting down on the couch next to Sirius. It was still early in the morning, but Grace could faintly hear rattling pots downstairs. She guessed Mrs. Potter was awake now. Sirius finally noticed Lily and James, he grinned a little as Lily let her head drop down to his best friends shoulder. He quietly got up, leading Grace by the wrist after him to the baloney.

Grace closed the sliding glass door behind her and joined Sirius at the rail. His eyes were starring off into the trees, and his hands were locked on the railing, knuckles were almost white from the grip. Grace stood close to him and leaned over, placing the notebook they had been using to communicate between his arms. He removed his gaze from the trees and smiled at her, then looked down at the book. ((Everything she says is actually written. He answers out loud.))

Sirius read a large note across the page that said "A knut for your thoughts?"

Sirius chuckled; he loved her personality even though the only word he ever heard her say was her name. "Oh nothing really, just thinking about what happened"

Grace nodded, understanding that he was talking about what happened to her house. She took the book back from him and answered "Don't worry about it, no one was hurt"

Grace wrote that with confidence, but it was obvious that she was a little worried her self. She decided not to say that, seeing how worried he already was. Sirius put on a week smile for her.

She giggled uncharacteristically and slipped her arm around his and leaned into him. It was almost a little odd how short a time it took her to feel that he was a real friend. Her first real friend in a while she sighed. Sometimes it took extraordinary events to bring people together. Being attacked and ran to the ground by a boy her own age was certainly extraordinary.

Sirius smiled down at her short little form and squeezed her arm a little. Sirius had always been and open person, incredibly outgoing and fun, but the connection he felt with Grace was nothing short of odd. He almost felt responsible for her. Not in a parent sort of way. He felt that he wanted to make sure she was as happy or happier then she had been before her old life had been ripped away from her. He chuckled as she squirmed a little where she stood; trying to be polite as she eagerly shoved the large note book into his face. Sirius looked down at her still laughing, and pulled the book away from his face so he could actually read it.

He frowned a little as the words "Can we go to where my house was? I want to see if something survived the blast."

Sirius automatically worried for a moment. He subconsciously knew that would probably be the first thing on her agenda. Unlike him she has been out like a light as he looked it over. Sirius had seen more then enough of it. The wreckage always dampened his happy spirit. Sirius wasn't going to debate her on the topic, but any chance he had diapered when James threw a shoe at the glass window to rudely get their attention. Sirius smiled when he got a glimpse of Lily disgruntled face, already starting to reprimand James, but she still clung lovingly to his arm. Apparently Grace found it equally amusing; Sirius knew she would have been laughing along with him.

James saw there twin faces too and snarled playfully "Shut up you to"

The four of them sat around the dining room table, plates full of all sorts of foods in front of them. James sat next to Lily with Sirius across from him and Grace next to Sirius. James was poking Lily, causing her to squeak and jump in her chair. Lilkins was very ticklish. Mrs. Potter walked into the room with a large bowl of wild raspberries and placed them down on the table while she gave James an evil look.

"Now James is that really the way to treat the supposed love of your life? I believe that's how you put it. You can be so immature some times, it's no surprise you weren't a prefect two years ago, honestly with such immature behavior." She was quite serous, but with the twinkle in her eye as Lily explained that there was not harm no foul, you could tell Mrs. Potter was incredibly proud of her son.

Sirius flashed a grin and Grace before turning to Mrs. Potter and calling out rather loudly and annoyingly "Good morning mumsey! No hello for me?" Sirius had always called Mrs. Potter mumsy after he left his own home. He was pretty much and adopted child.

Mrs. Potter rolled her eyes before coming over to Sirius and kissing his head "Yes good morning to you too Sirius" The turning to Grace said, "Please dear, let's hope these to jokers don't rub off on you"

Grace looked up and just smiled before eyeing the bowl of raspberries and pulled it over to her, and served up a large portion of them on her plate, not unlike Sirius and James did with the pancakes and Lily with the strawberries.

James saw her with the raspberries and sighed putting on a fake regretful face "Oh no, not another fruit obsessive, Lils here loves strawberries a little two much"

Sirius burst into laughter at Grace's smiling guilty face.

Grace was so absorbed with her raspberries and listening to Sirius and James talk obsessively about Quidditch(she had very little experience with the sport) that she didn't notice two tawny owls fly threw the window carrying four letters between them. Two lumpy hard looking letters were dropped neatly in front of James and Lily, who barely batted an eye. Sirius caught his normal sized letter swiftly. Grace, who rarely to never got mail and hadn't seen it in the first place, got a nasty shock as her letter fell directly in font of her into the bowl of raspberries. She let out a silent yelp and jumped a little in her chair. Sirius chuckled at her while opening his own letter. They all sat quietly reading their letter for a moment. Everyone at the table save Grace looked like this was normal business. Her deep chocolate pools surveyed her letter with interest.

Dear Grace Locklen(lets say Dumbledore looked it up),

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry into the 7th year. Please note that the Hogwarts express will leave promptly from Platform 93/4 on September 16 at 9:00am sharp. Also please note that the following must be obtained before the start of the New Year. From the entire Hogwarts staff we congratulate you. 7th years will need:

2 sets of black robes

1 black pointed hat

1 set of dragon hide gloves

1 reinforced cauldron

1 wand

1 gold scale

Students will also be allowed to bring either and Cat, Owl, Rat, or Toad.

The letter went on to include a long list of books that would be required of 7th years. Just from looking at the list she knew the year would be difficult. She had missed when school would start in her eagerness to read the letter, now going back to look over it she yelped, shocked to see that it was three days away.

Out of impulse she yelled "Sirius!" surprising her self when her voice worked. Lily and James looked surprised as well, but the faces slowly turned into smiles.

Sirius had gotten so used to reading what Grace wrote that for a moment he didn't even notice that this was out loud while still reading his own letter and biting into a piece to toast answered "yes?"

Everyone was silent for a moment, waiting for the event to seep in. Grace looked curiously at him and slowly noticed his lips start to twitch. Finally he got the message

"Your voice is back! This is brilliant, now you can actually answer me!" All three of them chuckled at Sirius's happy boyish response. Grace was grinning ear to ear.

"Yes, yes I can" She said proudly, just happy to be able to talk. After a second she realized what she was going to say "wait, wait, school starts in 3 days?"

Everyone just nodded and went back to reading there letters, Sirius and Grace still had small smiles across their lips. Grace flipped the page to a hand written letter that was scrawled into neat little hand writing.

Miss Locklen,

We are all pleased that you will be joining us this year. It may be difficult to get catch up and get use to the new seclude that has become normal to the other students over the years. Dumbledore and myself are confident that you will face the challenge nicely. Headmaster Dumbledore has informed me that you have been home schooled. I knew your grandmother well, I will tell you exactly how on a later date, and I am confident as towards her ability as a teacher, so you should come into the year with enough knowledge to catch up easily. Let me take the chance to tell you that I am truly sorry for Annie's passing. She was a wonderful lady, and I must say I am anxious to meet any grandchild of hers.

Professor Dumbledore has also informed me that you will be in Gryffindor house. I am the head of that house and look forward to having you join us. I will not go into detail about the houses now for I'm sure Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, and Miss Evan have already filled you in or are anxious to do so. Dumbledore has appointed Mr. Black and his friend to tutor you. As for your formal tutors they are as follows.

James Potter and Sirius Black- Transfiguration

Lily Evans- Charms

Remus Lupin- Defense Against the Dark Arts

I will leave it in your capable hands to go to them if you struggle in any of these classes, or any others, although I doubt you will need help with Herbology or Potions. I assume that Annie has taught you many of the ways of a Brush Witch, so that will more then cover those two areas.

Professor Dumbledore as also informed me that Mr. Black will be your guild around Hogwarts as you get to know that place. I'm sure the rest of that crew will also be of assistance to you. I must warn you that Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Lupin are…fondly…known to their peers as The Marauders. Let's just say they often use their cleverness in ways that's are not encouraged by the school. A;hough I am confident of their ability's to help you, I'm also aware of the havoc they wreak upon the school, and I must say I don't fully understand Professor Dumbledore's choose to appoint them in charge up helping you but I support it due to the circumstances. Best wishes to you.

-Professor McGonagall

Grace looked at the letter curiously. Sirius looked over her shoulder to see that cause for her confusion and asked taking the letter from her "May I"

She nodded and waited for him to read it. When he completed it he just laughed. That is so like her. "Look James, she even acknowledged that we were the Marauders! She forgot Wormtail though…"

James just nodded without looking up from a wrapped package he had in his hand. His face was of utter disbelief, as if he knew what was wrapped in the plain parchment. Lily was doing something very similar, expect in her hands was a gold badge that had 'Head Girl' printed across it. Grace and Sirius broke their gaze from the letter waiting expectantly for a off beat comment from James and a shove from Lily. The shove from Lily came, but never the comment. For once James was speechless.

A smile creped slowly up upon her features, the realization slowly dawning on her, then came the scream "OH, MY GOD, James, James, JAMES!!" she bellowed the last James as she was out her chair hopping up and down, waiting for James to congratulate her. Once she got the last hop out of her system she turned her attention to the still unwrapped package in James' hand.

The silence was broken with Sirius' impatient "Just open it Prongs!"

James slowly complied. The folds of the parchment fell away and all that was left in James' hands was a shiny badge identical to Lily's. The way the badge sparkled it almost looked proud of its self, but that couldn't compare to Lily's eyes shining at her accomplishment, and twinkling proudly but in slight disbelief for James. Sirius yet again ruined the moment.

He burst into loud unruly laughter causing him to fall to the floor doubling over at the thought of James as Head Boy. He wiped a tear of laughter from his eyes as Grace looked at him very curiously. She knew enough to understand that 'Head Something' was an honor the way Lily carried on. Lily quickly explained it while James was frozen with disbelief, and Sirius was trying to control his hyena like laughter.

"The head boy and girl and the two students who show the best all around achievement. Grades, ability, leadership, sprite and drive as well as other things are factored in. Two 7th years are chosen every year. I have been working for this since I came to Hogwarts. We all would have no doubt in our minds that it Head Boy would have been James if he choose to follow even a fraction of the rule. It's really a miracle that the forgot about that." All the while Lily said this she was smiling proudly at James.

Sirius on the other hand said between laughs "James…head boy….HAHAHAHAHA, good going little Prongs, you going to have to write us all up now?" Lily and James both gave him evil looks. James then sighed and slumped into his seat, looking truly defeated.

Lily's face was twisted into an overdone sympathizing one. "Oh, hon, it's not bad! It's an honor"

she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his head, letting them flop into his view.

James whined a little "I worked for 6 years not to get head boy!" he wailed. The statement was true, but still meant as a joke, the Marauders, especially James and Sirius had pulled so many pranks and served so many detentions everyone thought the would have had there names crossed off the "Head" list from day one.

To top off the scene, Mrs. Potter bussed in and joyously congratulated them both "James you're just like your father, smart as hell, but enough ego to fill your head with helium! He had an archive of detention notices just as large as yours to boot" The whole room laughed. Mrs. Potter had a good sense of humor. She rubbed her sons shoulder and winked at Lily, for Lily had been saying something very similar (without the "like your father" thing) before she walked in.

With in a few moments Lily got James to get over the whole "I'm Head Boy and have shamed all the marauders" thing. Her main tactic being reminding him that they have two hours to patrol the corridors and wont need nearly that much time, so they can partake in…other…activities with out being disturbed. James shut up right away.

Sirius took a breather from laughing and engulfing more pancakes then anyone should be able to, and noticed that Grace wasn't eating much. In a very warm worried way he grabbed the big spoon and scooped some more eggs and raspberries onto her plate. His strict order was "eat" with that he went back to his own meal. Grace starred at him, and defiantly jabbed her fork into the eggs and shoved it into her mouth without ever looking away. Sirius just chuckled at her "I will but don't want to" face and went back to eating.

From across the table Lily and James had stopped their bickering and watched Grace and Sirius' light hearted banter, and how Sirius shoveled more food onto her plate. The on lookers exchanged looks that confirmed that both agreed how alike the two were.