Summer break had barely started and I was already getting mail from students. Most of it wasn't even questions about the homework. Luna sent me a copy of the Quibbler, and the next day I sent her back the form and money for a subscription. Most of the theories were shit, but they were amusing. There was a grain of truth in almost everything, and it took a while to parse through it. Honestly, this magazine would be the perfect way to keep in contact with a rebel army that was scattered like the Order of the Phoenix had been.

Lee's radio show was one thing, but miss one episode and you're screwed, never get the next password. If you had a formula that could be applied to articles that everyone expected to be nonsense anyway...But that shouldn't be necessary. I was already knee deep in plans to get rid of Voldemort before he could properly rise again. Changing things with Black had risk to it, because I couldn't be sure how things with Moody, Crouch, and Wormtail would play out. I could always ask to borrow the map at some point, and check Moody. That would be one sure sign that Voldie was doing okay without Wormy.

Plans for the Dark Snake aside, my plans for the Ministry were moving along nicely. Percy was now heavily suspicious of everything they endorsed, and mailed me every scrap of info he heard, even if it was only gossip. Some of the gossip painted pictures of personal lives that made it easier to guess motive, and future reactions. I had an inventory, more of a magical rolodex, with all important players, even if they were only important because of who their wife's cousins husbands half-sisters dog groomer happened to be married to. Their political leanings, affairs, opinions, hell, I had how they preferred their tea. Percy was a very effective spy. People didn't tend to see him, and when they did they knew he was excited to help in any way. His persona was built from birth, even if his opinions were now completely different. No one knew his role in the Ministry Scandal involving Sirius Black, they had no reason to think he was anything other than he appeared, an ambitious, if stupidly eager, Gryffindor. He would have made a brilliant Slytherin.

The Doctor, who was now a much more normal sized painting in my living room, agreed with me. He was great to bounce ideas off of, but little help otherwise. He didn't like violence, didn't like that I wasn't taking it off the table. He also wasn't fond of how much coffee I drank, or little I slept. Very mother henish. I had debated putting him in the hall, or even my classroom, because I knew he would miss the students. He could also be a brilliant teaching aide, having seen most of human history in person. I had seen a lot of it, but I'm not one of the gracefully aging Time Lords. I had considered getting another painting, of another incarnation, to keep him company. But people would ask why they were both 'just the Doctor', and I had a feeling he was one of those people who wouldn't get along with himself. He'd told me of the arguments he'd had with three of him when that thing with Gallifrey happened, I didn't particularly feel like playing referee.

Four weeks into the summer I got a letter from Molly Weasley. Aparently Percy had been either at work or locked in his room all summer. She knew a stupid amount of owls were going to me, and she wanted to know why. She also took a u-turn right in the middle from demanding to sweet motherly woman who wanted her boys 'favorite Professor' over for lunch. She had already set a date, and a time, telling me the Floo Address was the 'Burrow'. Oh dear.

I had looked up from the letter, sitting at the staff table for breakfast. I just stared at the plate of muffins blankly, trying to think of a way to get out of it. Minerva had gently taken the letter from my slack hands, snorting when she was finished.

"That's Molly for you. She'll lay eyes on you and insist you're a stick. You won't leave without three helpings, I guarantee."

I looked up at the Head of Gryffindor, expression pleading, now.

"But maybe I can have some sort of emergency? Boggart in the castle? The Squid had a stomachache?"

She actually rolled her eyes at me so I turned to Snape, who looked a bit surprised at being included.

"Please tell me there are time sensitive potions ingredients that need to be hunted down? I'll camp in the forest if I have to."

He rolled his eyes at me too.

"Don't be so dramatic, Swift. There is nothing to fear from the Weasleys."

I sighed, slopping bonelessly down further into my chair.

"I'm not afraid of them, per say, but I don't really know how to interact with people anymore. How do you interact with parents in this situation anyway? Do I talk about classes? I'd come off as one boring individual."
Minerva huffed, grabbing yet another muffin,

"It's Summer holiday. Seeing as you aren't a head of house you are 'off the clock' as it were. You are once again back on the level of a normal human being. As for conversation, you can be yourself."

I poured more coffee, snorting indelicately.

"I don't know who I am, so that doesn't give me much to work with."

Awkward silence. Whoops. I sighed,

"I've been told Arthur Weasley has a fascination with Muggle things, I'm sure that can fill the silence."
So three days later I was in front of my fireplace in my office, wearing a plain long sleeved shirt, TARDIS blue. I was in my original skinny jeans and red converse, hair in a ponytail. My wand was in the pocket of my over robe, a plain black thing that was just worn enough to be comfortable and soft instead of scratchy. I gathered my wits, and courage, stepping into the fireplace,

"The Burrow!"

I tumbled out of the fireplace, coughing and blinking soot out of my eyes. When I could finally see again I was met with with the sight of two identical grinning red heads. I blinked slowly,

"Am I seeing double?"

They snickered, grabbing an arm each and hauling me to my feet just as their mother entered the room,

"What was-oh, Miss Swift! Just in time!"

I smiled at her weakly,

"Marissa, please. Miss Swift is a bit too formal for me."

She smiled kindly down at me,

"Then call me Molly, dear."

She turned to the stairs,

"Everybody get down here! It's time for lunch!"
She turned back to me,

"The kitchen is through here."

I glanced around, noting the organized chaos, eyes coming to rest on Mr. Weasley who was reading the Daily Prophet. They must be having a late start today. When I entered he looked up, immediately folding the paper and putting it aside, standing and holding out his hand, shaking mine vigorously.

"Wonderful to meet you, I've heard so much about you from the kids! Here, have a seat."

By the time the twins had taken a seat I had been assured to call him Arthur, given three rolls, and asked at least seven questions about muggles in America.

Molly bustled in, rolling her eyes,

"Give the girl a chance to catch her breath dear, she only just got out of the floo."

In the ensuing silence we were able to clearly hear the sounds of Ginny and Ron descending the stairs, not bickering as I had expected. Ginny was sighing, more relief than sadness,

"I am so glad to be home again."

Ron made a noise of agreement,

"Yeah, no homework or anything."

He followed it up with a yawn, and Ginny made a condescending noise.

"You do have homework, Ronald, it's just not due for a few months."

He huffed,

"Exactly, I have months."

I let a wicked grin spread across my face, making brief eye contact with the twins before forcing my expression to straighten out into serious concern. I turned to face the entrance they'd come through, crossing my arms. When Ron entered he froze and I asked seriously,

"Have you finished your homework?"
He let out a noise reminiscent of a strangled groundhog before staggering back a few steps, running into an annoyed looking Percy. The twins were howling with laughter, and their parents were trying to hide small smiles while Ginny outright cackled. Percy huffed, pushing Ron forwards into the kitchen.

"What is the meaning of-Professor?"

I gave a half-hearted salute,

"That's me, though I'm told I'm allowed to be a human being during the summer, instead of a teacher."

Ron was blushing furiously as he sat, elbowing the closest twin. Food was being set out on the table but when Ron reached for it Molly slapped his wrist gently,

"You can wait for our other guests to arrive."

I raised an eyebrow at this, close to asking when the Floo flared once again and someone thumped out of it ungracefully. A laughing someone else followed, and both entered the kitchen almost immediately.

Sirius Black looked infinitely better after medical care and a few months of nutritious and regular meals. Harry was also looking better, still skinny, but more lean muscle than bird bones. Sirius waved to the room at large,

"Hope we're not too late, Harry here apparently does not agree with Floo travel."

Harry scowled half heartedly,

"Floo travel does not agree with me."

Molly waved them off,

"You're just in time boys, take a seat."

I was squished in between Sirius and one of the twins, a dangerous position. From my expression Ginny realized I was aware of it. She snorted, smoothing out her expression quickly afterwards, and trying to cover it with a cough.

I eyed the both of them suspiciously as food was passed out, trying to keep an eye on my drink at the same time. No moves were made against me and the entire group was rowdy, and loud, laughs and food everywhere. It was quite the sight, and I didn't know where I really fit into it. Percy spoke to me as often as he could, in between topics with his father. Sirius would eye me knowingly when he did, and I would kick him in the shin under the table each time.

I wasn't expecting to have fun, or for there to be a lack of awkward silence. The kids drifted off to play Quidditch after lunch, and I caught Percy before he attempted to disappear.

"Percy, if you keep this up you'll burn yourself out. Trust me, you need a bit of family time, or fun time, just to cool down. I put work before family, and mine died out, I didn't even know it for years after the fact. Just...don't make the same mistakes I did, kid."
He took the words to heart, playing keeper for one of the teams. I watched them play with the other adults. We got along surprisingly well, despite the age gaps between all of us, right up until I heard one of the twins remember I couldn't fly. I paled,

"Um, yeah, that's my cue to leave. I have...papers to grade-and, uh, things, yes, things."

I turned to Molly,

"It was brilliant, thank you for inviting me."
She smiled brightly,

"Thank you for coming, feel free to pop by any time. We do these little get togethers with Harry and Sirius every Sunday, I hope we'll see you here next time."

I eyed where the twins were rapidly descending, followed by other eager teenagers,

"Sure thing, Molly. Until then-"

I darted back inside, blatantly fleeing from children. Sirius' laughter echoed in my head even after I stumbled out of the fireplace in my office. I was grinning like an idiot for the rest of the day. I sort of had friends.

A/N:

This unusually fast update is me being a bit passive aggressive. My other fic was reported because someone didn't read the warning at the top of the chapter and got offended because there was a little bit of gay in the background. However, I've been told that to stop writing completely would be a shame, so I'll at least keep up with this one while I wait to see if my flamer succeeds in getting my story 'ripped down'.

~TimeLordOfPie