Wow, so many reviews! I'm glad you like my story!

To answer some reviews:

Fiona: I'm atteistic and don't belief in the supernatural. I just like to imagine magic could exist. In my story I am trying to descripe how doing magic feels to Starlett.

danielradcliffsgirl: I checked it, you're right. I'll change it, when I have some changes in the first chapter. I also realised that harry in fact lives in Surrey and I don't think that's a part of London, but I need Harry to meet Starlett, so I can't change that.

martino: thanks for the advice, I know it's quite unlikely but Dumbledore will come up with a good explanation. This one actually is my first Harry Potter fanfic and my first english fanfic. I've had many plots in my mind when I began writing this story and maybe I'll also write down one of the others when I'm done with this

Star and Lightning

8th Chapter – Caught!

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office in Hogwarts and read applications for the post as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Dolores Umbridge had left Hogwarts in a hurry at the end of the last term and had refused to come back. A smile appeared on his old face as he remembered the incidence. Thanks to the loyality of his students and staff he had Hogwarts back. But nevertheless, he needed to find a new teacher. The few who had applied till now came barely in question. He sighed and seized the next letter of application. This one was from a french witch, who had failed almost all common exams and whose english grammar was a catastrophy. The people must know how desperate Hogwarts needed a new professor, or else such guys wouldn't even apply. He would have to ask some Order members. Maybe he could convince Nymphradora Tonks or the real Mad-Eye Moody. They, at least, knew the subject.

Suddenly, a ringing sounded in his office. Albus got up quickly and looked at the Phoenix feather, he had put next to his Pensive. It was glowing. That meant, the strange girl was back in Diagon Alley. He went to his fireplace and flooed to the Leaky Cauldron.

When he stepped out of the fireplace, several people turned their heads to look at him, while he headed for the entrance to Diagon Alley. His appearance always arouse curiostiy, no matter where. He felt something he felt very seldom: a knot of nervosity in his stomache. As he didn't know what to expect, he felt uneasy. When he entered the Alley, he found everything the way it always was. Could this be a false alarm? But Severus should be here now. Certainely, he would check very carefully before sounding the alarm. Albus headed towards Flourish and Blotts, the most-likely place where she would be in his opinion. Right after entering, he saw Severus Snape in the Dark Arts section talking to Lucius Malfoy. Severus caught his curious gaze and looked in the direction of the Charms section. There, Albus saw a girl that was uncertainely rummaging through the books. She wasn't very tall, wore a dark blue robe and had her light-brown waist-long hair curling openly on her back. He went over to her casually and while seemingly reading the books' titles, watched her out of the corner of his eyes. When she turned in his direction, he looked into a face that remembered him of Lily Evans-Potter with dark, watchful eyes. Exactly like Minerva had described her, only the scar was missing. He decided to address her directly and asked friendly:

"Excuse me, Miss. You look familiar to me. Have I seen you here yesterday?"

Starlett froze in shock and didn't know what to answer. Had he recognised her? The bookstore's owner, who was carefully looking for the thief from yesterday, hadn't recognised her. She had covered her scar in Make-Up, so he couldn't have recognised her, could he?

When she found her voice, Starlett said quickly: "You must be mistaking me, Sir." and turned to go away.

But her reaction proved Albus' suspicion, so he seized her arm and said quietly: "I know that you have been here and stealing the books yesterday. Covering up your scar doesn't make you unnoticeable. Don't worry, I won't harm you."

Starlett looked at him wide-eyed. The old man looked at her with a friendly twinkle in his eyes and didn't look any frightening. Nevertheless, he had an aura of power around him. Starlett didn't know wether to trust him or not. Would he really not punish her? When she saw the bookstore's owner coming towards them staring directly at her, she panicked and broke free of his grip on her arm. She sprinted towards the exit, running down everybody, who happened to be in her way. Even though nobody touched them, the doorwings sprang open in front of her. Once out, Starlett looked around her and decided to melt within the crowd. Albus followed her out of the bookstore and lost her from view, but he sensed the magic, that whirled around her because of her emotional state. Starlett was in such a panic, that when somebody bumped into her, she shrieked and with a magical field pushed everybody around her at a distance. Of course, now she was clearly visible. She turned around to see Albus Dumbledore making his way through the crowd. It would have been reasonable to stay where she was but Starlett wasn't thinking sensibly any more and therefore tried to fight her way out. Wild magic flowing around her held everybody at bay: it made wands sparkle madly and all sorts of bewitched things go crazy. She directed one focused beam at Dumbledore but it didn't knock him out like she had expected, it was absorbed by a protection field around him. He didn't send any spells at her, he just smiled. Starlett was confused. She had openly attacked him and he only smiled. When she quickly looked around her, she realised, that she had run into the wrong direction; she was leaving the exit from the Alley. She was caught. Maybe the old man would have been friendly before she ran away and attacked him. He couldn't still be friendly now. What to do now? At a loss for anything else to do Starlett just turned around and ran. But soon she reached a dead-end. When she turned around, she saw that the old man had followed her. Without thinking she put all her power in one outburst of magic. It made everybody expect Albus Dumbledore fall down unconscious and it made plaster fly from the houses around and made the air thick with dust. When the air was clear again, Starlett stood, panting heavily, and the old man walked towards her slowly.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore. There is no need to be afraid of me. I only want to talk to you."

Starlett looked at him unbelieving. No lecture, no punishment. She was completely exhausted. There was no use trying to run away again and he still seemed friendly. Albus smiled reassuringly at the tired and frightened girl in front of him and asked: "What's your name?"

"Starlett." she said timidly.

"Well, Starlett. Let's go somewhere where we can sit down and talk a bit, shall we?" With a flick of his wand, the houses repaired themselves and he answered Starlett's guilty look at the people lying on the street: "They will recover. I don't think you did any permanent damage."

He softly seized her arm and led her back to Diagon Alley. Starlett went with him without resistance. Thoughts were whirling through her mind. One madder than the other. Maybe letting her belief that he wouldn't harm her and then hurting her when she expected it least was his idea of punishing her for all the confusion she had caused. Or maybe he wanted to question her first. But whatever his reasons were, she wouldn't trust him.

Back in Diagon Alley, Albus headed towards Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour. Starlett looked at him quizically when he motioned her to sit down there. He just smiled and nodded. Hesitatingly she sat down. Mr Fortescue was at their side at once, looking curioulsy at Starlett. Dumbledore ordered an iced coffee and asked Starlett: "What would you like, dear? The same or a sundae?"

"I think, I'd take an iced coffee, too." Starlett had never had one before, but as she loved coffee, she supposed iced coffee wouldn't be too bad either.

"Well, I will tell you some things about me first and then you will answer me some questions, ok?" Albus asked. When Starlett nodded carefully, he began telling: "As I already told you, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I don't want to harm you. I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That is where most young british witches and wizards learn how to do magic. Also, I was awarded several prizes and medals for saving the wizarding world and things like that."

In that moment, Fortescue reappeared with their iced coffees. When he was gone again, Albus continued: "I don't know what you want to know. So, why don't you just ask?"

Starlett thought for a moment, then asked: "You are more powerful than most wizards, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

She concentrated on her coffe, which was great by the way, for some time, then looked up with a frown and asked: "Why did you come after me? Surely not only because of the books I stole."

He looked at her thoughtfully and answered: "Starlett, maybe you don't realise what you can do. You can direct magic without a wand, without any spells. Most wizards need a wand and spells for everything. I can do some things without my wand, but not as powerful magic as you do. There's no living wizard or witch who can do as much without a wand as you can. Wandless Magic is a powerful gift. That's why I wanted to find you. "

She looked at him astonished. So, even in the wizarding world her abilities were special. She had suspected, that they weren't usual after reading the stolen books, but she hadn't expected that she could do something even one of the most powerful wizards couldn't. In her eyes, it wasn't that special.

Dumbledore broke the silence with a question: "You haven't lived in the wizarding world till now, have you?"

"No, I found the Leaky Cauldron only three days ago."

"You know, I wondered why you weren't found earlier. Usually, at the age of eleven all children with magic abilities get a letter from Hogwarts."

"Well, letters would hardly reach me." Starlett said, laughing sadly.

Dumbledore looked at her sharply. "Where do you live?" She didn't answer. "You live on the street, don't you?" he asked with concern in voice.

"Yes, I do" Starlett answered angrily and looked away. "Why are all those people staring at me?"

A huge crowd had gathered around the Ice-Cream Parlour and were watching Albus Dumbledore and the strange girl from a distance. Albus sensed her discomfort and called Fortescue to pay. Then they got up and he led Starlett back to the Leaky Cauldron. When they stood in front of the fireplaces, he explained: "Look, these fireplaces are used for transportation."

"I know." she interrupted. "I've seen people using them."

Albus chuckled quietly, in spite of her irritability. "Ok, just take this Floo powder. Throw it into the fireplace. Then you step in and say loudly and clearly 'Dumbledore's office'. You will arrive in my office in Hogwarts. I will come after you. We can continue our conversation there."

Starlett hesitated shortly. If she did this, she would depend on this man to come back. But first of all it would be difficult for her to get away now and second despite her anxiety she was curious. So she threw the Floo powder into the fireplace and took one step foreward.

Albus watched her go and smiled. She trusted him at least a bit. That was a beginning. Then he followed her.