Disclaimer: OK, you really should know by now that nothing but Bryn belongs to me.

Chapter 11 - Christmas Riddles: Bryn sat in Ginny Weasley's room at the Burrow, flipping through a magazine. Ginny was seated next to her, also reading a magazine, though she kept shooting dark looks across the room at Fleur Delacour, who was engaged to Ginny's brother Bill. Fleur was poring over a dress pattern, a huge smile on her face.

"Hey," Bryn whispered, mostly to get Ginny's attention off 'Phlegm', as Ginny had christened Fleur. "Thanks for inviting me, Ginny." Ginny grinned at her.

"I needed someone to help me deal with Phlegm, and 'Mione's doing Christmas at home this year. Besides, Ron would've invited you if I hadn't." Bryn laughed, causing Fleur to scowl at them both.

Luckliy, before Fleur could explode, a distraction arrived in the form of Ron. "Hey," he said, "Ginny, Bryn, Lupin's here." Ginny smiled. Lupin? wondered Bryn.

"Uh, Ron, who's Lupin?" she asked dryly. Ron blinked at her and then turned pink.

"Sorry," he said. "Forgot you never had him..." he trailed off. Bryn waited for him to continue, and he did. "He was the D.A.D.A. teacher 3 years ago, the best we ever had, though Tonks is doing really well."

The two Weasleys went downstairs and Bryn followed. "Hello, Professor," Ginny said brightly as they entered the kitchen. Her words were directed at a tired-looking man seated at the kitchen table. He turned and smiled at Ginny. Lupin had a kind face, blue-gray eyes, and gray-flecked brown hair. Bryn stopped dead. Lupin was the man from the bookstore!

Harry was also sitting at the table. It looked like he'd been in conversation with his former teacher. He noticed Bryn standing there. "Professor," he said, "have you met Bryn yet?"

Lupin looked at Harry. "Bryn?" he said in a slightly hoarse voice. Bryn stepped forward.

"Hi," she said. "Ambryn Sayre. Ron says you used to teach at Hogwarts?" There it was again; that flash in Lupin's eyes that suggested he knew her. It bothered Bryn.

Remus thanked the years of learning to control himself. Otherwise, who knew how he would have reacted to the sudden appearance of Ambryn. He wasn't too shocked; seeing her in the bookstore had prepared him, but he hadn't thought she'd be here. But it made sense, he thought ruefully as he watched her take a seat next to Harry. And it fit that she and Harry had become friends, considering that if things had not gone how they had, the two would have grown up together. He smiled and turned to the teenagers. "So," he asked, "I don't remember teaching you, Ambryn. When did you transfer?"

"It's Bryn," Bryn replied, "and just this year. I used to go to Salem Academy in the U.S., but, well, let's just say I pulled one prank too many. They were sick of me." She smiled wryly; that wasn't exactly true, but no one knew that.

That night, they were all listening to a radio concert by a singer Mrs. Weasley likes called Celestina Warbeck - or they were supposed to. In reality, everyone pursued their own interests. Fleur and Bill were talking - and kissing - in a corner, Ginny and her twin brothers Fred and George were playing a card game, and Ron was sneaking looks at Fleur and Bill, though Bryn wasn't sure why. Harry was talking to Mr. Weasley and Lupin, and Bryn, seated nearby, was quietly eavesdropping as she wrote letters to Ailin and Sarai.

She had just finished Sarai's letter when something Lupin said made her freeze. He was a werewolf? That explained the shabby clothing; werewolves were nearly always unemployed. Most people would have been nervous, but not Bryn. A friend of hers from Salem (and Ailin's boyfriend), Logan Jackson, had a little sister who was a werewolf. Riley was the nicest girl you could hope to meet, and Lupin seemed OK. Something else bothered her more. This 'Order' Lupin and Harry were talking about, what was it? She'd heard Harry, Ron, and Hermione mention it before. She gathered that it was some group that fought Voldemort, outside of the Ministry's jurisdiction.

And there's one big difference between here and home, she reflected sadly. Voldemort. He was just an historical figure in America. He'd never caused much trouble over in the U.S., so they didn't worry much about him. Here? You couldn't even say his name without people cringing.

As Celestina wore down, Bryn signed Ailin's letter and sighed. She'd sent her friends their gifts over a week earlier. She hoped they got them. God, did she miss them. In other years, Christmas was celebrated with Ailin and Xiao, and Sarai would always Floo over, usually on the 26th. This year, Ailin had complained in a letter that she would have to attend some fancy party where, she was sure, she would be presented to eligible, pure-blood, Chinese males. Mr. and Mrs. Chen did not know about Logan and never could - he was American and his dad was a Muggle. Sarai, on the other hand, was, as usual, dreading the arrival of her many aunts, uncles, and cousins. Along with Sarai, her parents, and her 5 siblings, the Medina house was always full to bursting during the holidays. Bryn pitied both her friends. At least she was with people she liked, even if they too were a bit crowded.

The next morning, Bryn and Ginny woke at the same time, to find Fleur already gone. "Thank God," Ginny said as she began to unwrap her gifts. Bryn did the same. Her own gifts from the other two members of the Coven had arrived on the last day of term, but she had managed not to open them till now - mainly because she suspected that Ailin, who could give Hermione a run for her money, had hexed her gift to punish Bryn if she cheated and looked ahead of time. Sarai had given her a book called The Key, by Marianne Curley, and Ailin... Bryn gasped. The book cover was black leather, with the exact design of Bryn's tattoo emblazoned in silver on the front. Well, just like the tattoo except that all three symbols were in the middle of the star, not just her own. Bryn flipped through the pages; it was all there, from their first meeting to the day Ailin left for China and Bryn for England - they'd left the same day. Putting it aside with trembling fingers, she opened her other gifts. Xiao had given her an inkwell of some cloudy green glass with Chinese characters such as the ones for fortune and intelligence carved into the rim, Ron a package of candy from Honeydukes - the sweet shop in Hogsmeade, Ginny a Daydream Charm from her twin brothers' joke shop, Harry a pair of Quidditch gloves, and Hermione a pair of earrings that matched her mother's necklace. There was also a package from Mrs. Weasley; apparently all her children's close friends got them. It included a silver-gray sweater that Bryn put on after she noticed Ginny wearing her own light blue one, as well as a few other things.

That afternoon, the whole group that was staying at the Weasleys' was just finishing their Christmas lunch when Mrs. Weasley suddenly shrieked, "Arthur, Arthur, it's, it's Percy!" Everyone turned to look; Bryn grabbed Harry's arm.

"Who's Percy?" she asked him in an undertone. He scowled.

"Ron's third-oldest brother. It's a long story, but he... well, he's not really on speaking terms with his family right now. I haven't got a clue why he's here."

Percy Weasley was not alone. The Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour was with him. While Percy stiffly greeted his mother, the Minister asked Harry to take a walk with him around the back garden. Judging from the reactions of most of the others, this wasn't good, but Harry went. Meanwhile, Percy said something that upset his mother very badly, which caused him to leave the house with mashed parsnip on his glasses, something Fred, George, and Ginny all claimed to have done.

It was after lunch was over that Bryn decided to do something she'd been considering ever since she had met Lupin the day before. She managed to be at his side when he walked into the garden, most likely seeking a moment alone. "Um, Mr. Lupin?" she asked, suddenly hesitant. Lupin looked at her, obviously surprised to see her there. She rushed on, thinking, Now or never. "This, this will seem a bit weird, but, well, I couldn't help but notice, yesterday, it almost seemed like you knew me or something. And I'm only asking because if you did, then maybe you could help me, because, well..." She trailed off. There was an odd look in Lupin's eyes.

"You reminded me of a former classmate of mine," he said softly, after a moment's silence. "I'm sorry if I got your hopes up somehow, but I'm afraid I never knew any Sayres at any point in time." Bryn nodded and fled. That had been a waste of time.

She went back to the room she was staying and went through her trunk in a hurry. There it was. She pulled out her photo album and flipped to a page she looked at more than any other. There was her mother, with her arm around an 11-year-old Bryn. It had been taken the day Bryn left for Salem. Bryn stared at the picture, looking at her mother.

Why had Julia lied to her? Was her mother's name even Julia? What horrible past had they had to escape?

Bryn sighed, closing her photo album. This Christmas had certainly been different. There were now more questions in her mind than ever. Lupin was lying, she was sure of it. Bryn was a good liar herself, but even better at catching others in a lie. But then, maybe he wasn't. Just because he'd never known any Sayres...

And what was all this business about some mysterious Order and the Minister's wanting to talk to Harry? Bryn didn't know. She smiled in spite of herself. She'd always liked a good riddle. Now she had more than she'd ever expected.

A/N: Well, sorry I haven't updated in so long, but... what can you do? I hope you can forgive me.