Disclaimer: It would be nice to own Harry Potter, but sadly I do not. Most characters hereafter mentioned are the result of J.K. Rowling's mind, not mine. Unrecognisable characters are most likely mine – it should be fairly obvious when they are, I'm not too imaginative with names. My plots are just that: mine.

Time: Harry, Ron and Hermione are going into 6th year; Luna, Ginny and Ally into 5th. Sirius is dead for the story to work but I really like Snape + Dumbledore so they are staying.

N.B. Ally went to Beauxbatons up to 6th year because her mother is French.

CLOSE TO THE FLAME

"Mother! I refuse to stay at the Malfoy's. I am going to Luna's as usual and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"You are not going to stay at THAT house! The Lovegood's are worse than Mudbloods! Her father is the editor of the Quibbler, for God's sake!"

I had to agree with my mother on that point. The Quibbler was probably one of the worst magazines around. Sometimes there would be a good article in their – but that was rare. The only reason that they could afford to go to Sweden on the expedition was because of the best-selling interview they had done with Harry Potter about Voldemort.

You don't mean that! I happen to enjoy the Quibbler!

Oh, did I mention that I have this voice that talks to me? Sometimes I think there are two of me in there. 'IT' is one weird person, I mean he reads the Quibbler actually thinks the Weird Sisters are sexy, and likes to read Muggle stories such as 'The Cat In The Hat'.

Hey! If you ever read them properly, you'd love them too! Dr. Seuss is a genius! And the Weird Sisters are schmexy…

See what I have to put up with? There was this time in my 3rd year, when I was innocently sitting in Potions and then he said….something incredibly stupid like

"I bet Professor Lowe looks hot in a tartan miniskirt"

I wouldn't be surprised if he was gay…after all; no straight guy I know would make a comment like that…

I am so not gay! But seriously….how funny would that be? Lowe in a miniskirt!

Then again, what sensible gay person would like Lowe? He definitely seems more of a straight person than a bent person anyways. Not to mention, he's kinda creepy.

My conversation with myself was cut short….thankfully.

"Alliarin Black! Get your lazy self down here now!"

My mother is so kind and thoughtful. Always asking how I feel about things and whether I want a new owl……

"When I said now, I didn't mean when I was dead!" she bawled up the stairs.

"Take a chill pill, Mother! I'm coming, for fuck's sake calm down!" I screeched back.

I trudged downstairs, carrying with me my new trunk which had 5 compartments. My entire library, wardrobe and back-catalogue of school work were in there. Of course my mother wasn't to know this as she probably wouldn't even look in my room to check everything was normal until I had left.

Unknown to her, I wasn't planning on going anywhere near the Malfoy house anytime soon. I was going to my Uncles house. I knew Sirius wouldn't have forgotten me, especially considering how I was his only visitor and last non Death Eater relative and all.

Of course, I had a back-up plan. I know the Weasley twins well, and even have a job in their shop when I am on holiday in England. It would be better for them if I could work from the flat upstairs as I would never be late again!

So as my mother gave me one last scorching comment, I grabbed my broom and cast my Disillusionment spell. Lifting my bags over the end of my broom, I set off. Thank Lord! I was finally free from that woman and that house! Hopefully, I would never have to see or speak to any Malfoys again. As I flew over London to where I knew my Uncles house was, I took out the scrap of paper that had his address on. It was odd, because it wasn't written in his handwriting. He had sent it to me in my most recent letter – telling me to visit if I got the chance. That was 3 weeks ago now and I sent him my reply last Friday. I thought maybe he would have replied, but Septimus (my Black Hawk Owl) returned empty handed.

I realised that I had flown over Fulham, and was getting closer and closer to where Uncle Siri lived. I landed on Grimmauld Place Road and removed my mothers spell. I started to walk along to his house. 10, 11……13? I walked back and double checked. There was no 12 Grimmauld Place. I took out the piece of paper and made sure I had the right number. I looked up, still holding the paper. Their it was! How could I have missed it? I walked up and knocked on the door, noticing that the handle was in the Slytherin shape. Father had mentioned that it was the family home, therefore automatically would be based on Slytherin. Sirius is the only non-Slytherin Black ever. I was hoping not to be sorted into Slytherin when I arrived at Hogwarts; I was hoping either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. The door opened and I looked up expecting to see Sirius their. Instead I saw someone completely unexpected.

"Uncle Snape? What the bollocks are you doing here?" I questioned.

"How did you get here?" he said harshly.

"I flew." I answered quickly. "Why are you in Uncle Siri's house? He hates your bloody guts, man."

He gasped and muttered "You'd better come in."

All the while, we had been speaking French, so it was a surprise to me when my uncle screeched out to the house in English: "Molly! We have a problem!" he angrily snarled.

I saw a plump woman with bright red hair in an obviously home-made jumper come down the main staircase and glare at Snape.

"What is it Severus, you know I'm busy with Harry and Ron at the mom-" she stopped mid-sentence.

"Severus, who is she and why does she have a massive trunk with her?" she asked speedily.

"Molly, its probably best if we speak in private. Er……yes."

In all my life I had never heard my stoic British uncle at a loss for words. Turning back to me he addressed me in English – again a first, as we always spoke in French.

"Ally, er dear, you had better wait here until er me and er Molly have had a chat."

They ascended the staircase, talking quietly and occasionally stopping to turn and look at me. I was very confused. Uncle Siri had told me it would be okay for me to come and visit him anytime but why were all these odd people in his house. Almost as soon as they had passed out of sight, I heard people coming down yet another staircase behind me! This wasn't my Uncle and "Molly" it sounded more like teenagers!

They were talking.

"Look, Harry, you can't keep moping. Its not your fault about Snuffles. You couldn't have done anything to stop it." Voice One said. "Harry? Harry, are you even listening?"

"What? Oh, sorry Ron." Said "Harry" said to Ron.

"Harry, mate, you need to start listening to me and Mione; its almost been a week now and maybe you should make a memorial for him or something like that"

"Look, Ron. I know you and Mione are trying to help, but I really do just need to have some time, yeah? It's not easy."

Harry had almost stormed off but in a less angry way. Ron was obviously thinking about it. He muttered to himself "Well, I mean it is like when Dad got attacked and we all thought he was going to die and stuff. I still think he should lighten up a bit, maybe?"

It was clear that he hadn't spotted me yet. Ron was almost at the bottom of the stairs when a screeching interrupted his soliloquy -

"Oh what would my mother say if she saw you here, a filthy blood-traitor polluting our Black house! Poor Phineas, he has left to the Headmaster's office because he is so disgusted! Oh my poor family, what has become of us! Oh woe is - "

"Oh shut Up you old thing. Silencio!" said Ron.

The painting was quiet. I was slightly upset that both boys had walked straight past me without apparently noticing a thing but I could tell that they were immersed in their own thoughts.

The conversation I had unwittingly eavesdropped on had confused me incredibly. Placing my bag on the floor, I sat on it, and released Septimus, who came to perch on my shoulder and nuzzle me for a treat. What on Earth had they been talking about? Maybe Snuffles had been Harry's pet and had died. But Ron was right, if so, it seemed as though he was overreacting a bit. It was then that I heard the most welcome sound I think I have ever heard. A familiar voice! I turned around and stood up, not expecting to see someone I would actually recognise in this place that was starting to seem less and less like a welcome haven and more like a repressing dump.

Seeing the scuffed shoes gave me hope and then the whole body came into view.

I leapt up and yelled at my bosses, Fred + George Weasley.

"Fred! George!"

They turned with a mixture of confusion, happiness and surprise on their almost identical faces.

"Ally!" they yelled.

Racing down the stairs they welcomed me with a massive hug and surprised questions. The usual – what are doing here, why, how, etc…

I just felt so much better knowing that I had a friend their with me. It made everything seem so much less dramatic. But why were the Weasley's in my Uncle's house? It was really odd, and Uncle Snape's presence could have been explained away – maybe him and Sirius were patching things up – but the Weasley's?

I asked the only question that was on my mind.

"So, whats going on here?"