The whole house seemed on edge the next morning. Mrs. Weasley was making breakfast silently as everyone tried to make conversation. Lupin was sitting in a chair by the fire reading the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. All the adults were quiet and as for the young wizards and witches, they were looking at their new Hogwarts School lists. Hermione read it over excitedly as Harry and Ron skimmed through it. Harry wasn't sure how he felt about school starting...he wasn't sure about a lot of things anymore. However, he couldn't wait for the summer to end.

Suddenly, Mr. Weasley walked into the kitchen. Everyone was surprised, usually he would be gone by the time everyone sat down to breakfast. Being Minister of Magic demanded a lot of time. He was followed by Tonks, a very eccentric witch with the ability to change her appearance. Today she had cherry red hair cut very short and violet eyes, completed with a worn t-shirt and baggy jeans. Also a very large tattoo of a heart surrounded with fire on her arm (which Mrs. Weasley thought was very inappropriate). Next to Tonks was a girl, no older than sixteen. She was very slender with midnight black hair and very fair skin.

"Everyone! I'd like you to meet Arwen Magnolia,"Mr. Weasley said. "She'll be staying with us for the next few days and then will be going to Hogwarts."

Arwen, who had been staring at the floor, looked up and faintly smiled. "Hello," she said quietly. Harry noticed her very clear blue eyes. He also noticed something else...she was very pretty.

"Welcome to our home dear," Mrs. Weasley said, her motherly instincts taking over as she gave the girl a hug. When she let go there was something odd about the way she looked at Arwen...almost sympatheticly. Harry saw this and looked at Hermione, she saw it too. Mr. Weasley introduced everyone, going around the table. There were only two Weasley's this morning, Fred and George left early to go back to their beloved joke shop. Or at least that's where everyone assumed they went. The twins never lost their old habit of sneaking off without leaving any hints of their whereabouts. Then there was Harry and Hermione and of course Lupin still sitting by the fire. He got up and shook Arwen's hand. "Welcome," he smiled.

"Now, you just sit down while I finish making breakfast," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Oh no thank you Mrs. Weasley I'm not that hungry," Arwen protested. "If you don't mind of course."

"Not at all! You must be tired anyway. Girls, why don't you show Arwen to your room, she'll be staying with you. I still haven't finished cleaning the rest of the house and I don't trust what's in those rooms!" Mrs. Weasley said towards Hermione and Ginny.

"Sure, we've got plenty of room," Ginny smiled.

"Thank you," Arwen smiled back.

Together the three girls left the room. After they left everyone went back to their business. Lupin sat down and continued reading the newspaper, Ron dug right into his eggs, Mr. Weasley kissed Mrs. Weasley good-bye, and Harry just poked at his toast. The room was no longer tense. As a matter of fact the tenseness disappeared when Arwen walked in.

Later Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat in the kitchen alone. They had just gotten back from Diagon Alley to pick up their school things. Tomorrow they would be going to platform 9 ¾ to catch the Hogwarts Express. Harry thought this year would be different without Quidditch but as soon as he got back to the wizarding world the Minister of Magic lifted the ban Professor Umbrage had placed on him. Harry received his firebolt back, good as new. It was the only time Harry had been happy since last term. Of course Dumbledore was behind the whole thing. Everyone decided that Harry had lost enough already.

But for now Harry returned to his "normal" state and stared absentmindedly at his pumpkin juice as Ron asked Hermione questions about Arwen.

"So did she anything?"

"Not really. I think she might be shy. She asked a few questions about Hogwarts...she'l be in our classes this year," Hermione said.

"What school did she go to before?" Ron asked.

Hermione shook her head, "she didn't. She said her parents taught her everything."

"A home-schooled witch?" Harry asked, snapping out of his trance. He thought that odd.

"I know it's weird. She must be very talented if she can start with sixth year."

Ron grinned, "jealous Hermione?"

"Of course not!" Hermione rolled her eyes. He can be so immature, she thought to herself. "But I'm not sure if she's a witch."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

Just then Mrs. Weasley walked in with a bag of groceries filled with food for tonight's dinner. The three would have to continue their conversation later. Hermione got up and decided to get a head start on reading for the coming year. She was still insanely organized and focused, which was no surprise. Ron suggested wizard's chess but Harry took a pass. Ron then left in search for a partner and Harry was alone. He was about to leave but Mrs. Weasley asked him to bring some food up to Arwen. As he walked through the door he could hear Mrs. Weasley sigh to herself uttering "poor girl".

Harry climbed up the stairs and went to the girl's room first but only Hermione was there. He set the food on a nearby dressing table. He had no idea where to look for Arwen but he started checking a few rooms. At the end of the hallway he came to an abandoned parlor. The door was opened a crack and Harry thought he heard a familiar noise. It took his eyes a minute to adjust to the dimly room. He heard it again...and behind a large plush chair in the corner was Arwen, hiding her face in her hands. Harry walked a little closer, the floor creaking. Arwen looked up, her face streaming with tears.

"I'm sorry to bother you," he said.

"That's alright," she replied, drying her face with her sleeve.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm not sure."

Harry sat down next to her on the floor. "Do you want to talk about it? I know we just met but if you need anything I can try to help."

Arwen smiled, "thank you Harry. They told me you were nice. It's cool to talk to Harry Potter. You have quite the reputation so I hear."

"Yeah well, it's really not that big of a deal."

"To escape Voldemort more than once is a great accomplishment," Arwen said, not flinching once.

"You use his name?" Harry asked surprised.

"To say his name weakens his greatest ally...fear."

Harry nodded...he hadn't thought of it that way.

"Besides I choose not to fear a common murderer," Arwen's eyes glistened. "My father wouldn't have wanted it." A lone tear escaped down her cheek.

Harry placed his hand on hers and suddenly he flashed back. The voice...pleading, screaming and the insane laughter. "Please not my daughter!" The man was a father...her father.

"He killed your father didn't he?"

"Before he was going to come after me and kill me too," Arwen whispered, starting to cry again.

"I'm so sorry," Harry said...it was all he could think of.

Then they said nothing. They sat like that for a good hour in silence. Arwen crying and Harry never letting go of her hand.