Disclaimer: We all know Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling and certainly not us; however, Aria Sinclair belongs to us and we love her.
Notes: We are updating early for yoshimay and sweet roses thanks so much for your reviews. Thanks to the Mystical Penguin for your advice. We are paying homage to J.K. Rowling by starting our story the way she starts her books. As the story develops we belive you will like how our characters progress. As for grammar we will work on it.
Ch. 5 Complications
It was getting close to dinner time and Aria had not come out of her room. The atmosphere in the house was one of tension all day. Lupin had left on order business and Arthur had left for work. Fred and George had headed off to the joke shop. Ron was trying to get Hermione to talk to him again and Hermione was trying to get anything she could out of Harry about the new girl. Harry was trying to avoid everyone.
Everyone had retreated to his or her room except Ginny.No one had eaten breakfast or lunch soMolly was fixing a huge dinnerand Ginny was helping.
After hours of Ron pestering Harry about Aria and Harry saying, "Ron you have a girlfriend, she would not appreciate you asking questions about a new girl," Ron fell asleep in his bed.
The smell of baked chicken was starting to waft up the stairs. Harry knew Ron would be waking up soon. He slowly poked his head out the door and to his surprise so was Aria.
"Is it safe to come out?" she whispered as she turned to look at him.
He whispered back, "Do we have a choice? We have to eat sometime and I'm starving."
She nodded in agreement and stepped out the door. Harry decided he would make a run for it as well and he thought to himself, "Ron will wake up soon. He can't resist the smell of food."
Aria and Harry took a deep breath as they stood outside the kitchen door.
"Are you ready?" Harry asked.
She looked at him "I think so but I'm not sure."
They entered the kitchen and the fun started. Fred and George looked up as the door opened. They were back from the shop.
"Aria, did you sleep well, can I get you something to drink, and did you try our chocolates?"
"Yes, uhm I'm a little thirsty, uh no, sorry."
Molly turned to bring a tray of bread to the table and said, "BOYS, what did you give her?" as Aria was taking her first sip of butter beer.
"Nothing, mum, honestly, just a box of chocolates."
Harry sat across from Aria and the twins. He gave a sort of half smile and poured himself a butter beer.
"So Fred, how is the joke shop?"
George replied, "business is booming" Fred added, "literally some times. Our best seller at the moment is the exploding malted milk balls."
As Aria was taking another sip of her drink she tried real hard not to laugh but she spit butter beer across the table at Harry.
Her eyes widened as she said, "I'm so sorry."
Aria thought to her self with a smile, "I don't think I will be eating that box of chocolates any time soon."
Harry gazed at her eyes as they sparkled with laughter and he thought "Those eyes."
Harry snapped out of it as Ron, Hermione and Ginny walked in.
Then he heard Fred say, "I love a girl with a sense of humor."
Aria turns to Fred and said with a smile, "Are you always like this?" and the room went silent as Fred and George replied simultaneously "yes, always."
"No wonder you own a joke shop" Aria replied with a smirk.
Ginny sat down next to Harry while Ron and Hermione sat on Harry's other side. Hermione look at Aria and the questions began.
"So, Aria, are you going to Hogwarts this year?"
Aria stared at Harry, "am I going to Hogwarts?"
Harry gave a slight nod yes hoping no one saw.
Aria looked quickly back at Hermione "Yeah, yes I'm going to Hogwarts this year."
Harry took a deep breath and waited for the next question. Hermione glanced down the table at Harry and smiled.
"So what school are you from, are you in seventh year, what's your favorite subject," Aria's eyes were getting really wide again, "do you know anything about Hogwarts, what house do you want to be in, and how do you know Harry?"
Aria stared at Hermione afraid to look away, afraid it might cause even more question that she could not answer.
A voice from over by the stove said "Molly, when Remus told me you were having baked chicken for dinner I could not resist" it was Professor Dumbledore.
Harry looked as relived as Aria did. Dumbledore turned and smiled at everyone, "Hope I'm not interrupting."
Molly said, "Albus, I'm glad you could join us, please have a seat and I will get you a plate."
The room was so quiet you could here the clock ticking from the other room. Arthur arrived a moment later greeted Albus and sat down for dinner. Everyone watched Dumbledore eat plate after plate of baked chicken waiting for him to finish. The twins were on their best behavior and everyone ate quietly. As Dumbledore pushed back from the table with a sigh, everyone put their forks and spoons down and stared at him. Dumbledore looked around the room and smiled.
"Is everyone through eating?" he asked. All the kids gave a slight nod and waited for him to speak again.
"I guess you are all wondering about our new guest, Aria. Harry, have you told them anything?"
Harry shook his head no and said, "I didn't really know what to tell them."
"Ah, I see" Dumbledore said.
"Well I guess it would be best to start from the beginning. Yes. Yes, that is always the best place to start."
Dumbledore told the whole table the same thing her had told Harry and Aria the night before. Hermione sat in her trance like state taking in every word. Ron and the twins had turned their gaze from Dumbledore to Aria and back several times. Ginny just sat at the table with her mouth slightly ajar. Harry and Aria tried there hardest to look only at Dumbledore. When he was done Hermione's hand shot up in the air.
Dumbledore smiled and said, "I knew you would have questions, however there is more for me to explain. I will let you ask all you want to in a few moments but now please continue listening."
Harry looked a little surprised and said, "but what else is there? That was all you told us last night."
"Harry last night I told you what you needed to here at that time. Now you are ready to hear the rest."
Harry sat back in his chair.
"I need you all to listen carefully. We have found out that Voldemort is gathering allies of the darkest sort, trolls, giants, and dementors to name a few. When we found out a bout Aria we knew he would most likely go after her next, fortunately we were able to get to her in time. He had sent deatheaters to her orphanage in an attempt to kidnap her. When I arrived she was doing a fair job of holding them off with a poker. Voldemort obviously wanted her unharmed so they were trying to physically catch her. I arrived in time to rescue her and apparate here. She has been here for a week recovering from her bout with her would-be captors, but back to the matter at hand. To have the oracle on his side would be dire because she could find anyone anywhere for him. I am only basing this on my past experiences with oracles as I assume Voldemort is. At this time we do not know what Aria is capable of, what her abilities are. That is why it is imperative that she comes to Hogwarts with us."
Aria looked around, spotted Hermione and then promptly stuck her hand in the air, "I can answer one question. I have no abilities, no powers, no anything spectacular. I do not belong here. Let me go home."
Dumbledore looked at Aria, "you are very special. I do not want to keep you against your will, but you can't go back to the orphanage, there will be deatheaters watching to see if you return. In time your abilities will grow. With my help and the help from others you will learn to control them."
Aria slowly laid her hand back in her lap trying to remain calm said, "Ok, say I get these abilities, then what? You are going to help me use them. What does it matter?"
Harry was watching the conversation between the two of them. While staring at Aria he noticed her eyes were glowing even more golden than he remembered them being.
Aria continued heatedly, "what would you have me do once I learn how to control my abilities, would you have me find all of his people, then what. How are you any different from Voldemort? How did I get dragged into a fight between good and evil? How do I know what side this is?"
Harry then noticed that everyone was not looking at Aria but looking past her. He to looked past her to see what they were staring at. With each word Aria spoke the flames pulsed and grew a little higher. Aria noticed no one was looking at her but looking toward something behind her.
She exclaimed "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!"
At that moment the fireplace released an explosion of fire. Every one jumped and Fred and George ran to the other side of the table. Arthur fell back in his chair trying to get out of the way.
Dumbledore remained in his same spot with a slightly amused look on his face and said "no abilities, has that ever happened before?"
Aria sat there wide eyed and said, "once, but I thought it was the gas line."
Dumbledore stood up and walked over to Aria. He tried to put a hand on her shoulder but Aria had an immense heat coming from around her.
She put her hand up and said "Don't, I'll hurt you."
Dumbledore realized this was not a threat when he looked in her eyes and saw pain and sadness.
"Aria, this is a fight against good and evil. If Voldemort wins darkness will consume this world. As for what I will have you do the answer is nothing, you will know what to do when the time is right. I only wish to help you understand and keep you safe."
Molly thought this was a good time to cut the night off and said, "Dumbledore don't you think the children have heard enough for tonight."
Dumbledore agreed.
"Everyone up to bed, we have a busy day tomorrow getting all of your school things."
Aria looked up at Molly, "I don't have any money to get "school things."
Harry said, "I will take care of you."
Aria looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "you will take care of me?"
Harry stammered, "I… I… I mean I'll take care of what you need."
Aria again looked at him, "of what I need?"
Harry now very red said, "Your school supplies, I'll take care of your school supplies."
Aria sort of smiled "ah, ok."
As everyone was thinking of what they had just heard and seen they walked up to bed.
Aria stopped Harry at his door, "Harry, I appreciate the offer but I don't have any way to repay you."
Harry looked at her for a moment and said, "I know what it is like, to be thrown into a strange place, and not know what to do, and you don't have to repay me for anything."
Aria leaned up and kissed him on the cheek "thank you."
Aria turned and walked into her room shutting the door behind her. Harry stood frozen for a moment looking at her door. He then went into his room and lay down on his bed with a big smile on his face.
