Chapter 11

As the day went on, everyone began to move more slowly and tempers began to flare. Suddenly, all of Ginny's dolls came to life and went after Ron and Harry who were busy playing wizards chess.

"Harry, look out," exclaimed Hermione as a teddy bear lunged at him.

"Bloody hell," said Harry and Ron as they jumped to their feet.

"Fred," yelled Ginny as a large rag doll tackled her. "Ah, help."

Hermione ran to Ginny's aid and pulled off the large doll. Ron was busy kicking the smaller dolls as Harry pulled the two young ladies behind him.

"We have to get to safety," said Harry pulling out his wand. "Get upstairs to Ron's room."

"Okay," said Hermione grabbing Ginny by the arm. "Let's go."

Slowly, Harry and Ron repelled the advancing dolls as they made their ways up the stairs. As they stepped into the room a large teddy bear, almost the same height as Ginny, came running up the stairs with several dolls right behind it. As the teddy bear dove for them, Harry hit it with a stunning spell.

"Stupefy," yelled Harry.

From the tip of his wand, shot a bolt of red light that was immediately absorbed into the bear. The doll fell to the ground as the other dolls watched. When the teddy bear did not get back on its feet, the other dolls grew enraged and began to charge at them. Ron and Hermione grabbed Harry and pulled him in as Ginny slammed the door on the dolls. A loud banging noise suddenly came from the other side of the door as the dolls hit the door at once.

"I can't believe Fred and George did that," said Ginny.

"Mum's going to have their heads when she gets home," Ron said sitting on the bottom bunk of his bed. "They couldn't have been that bored. Could they?"

"They must have been," said Harry sitting under the window.

A loud crack filled the room and suddenly Fred and George were in the room. Both of their faces were pale and they looked crazed.

"Why did you two do that?" asked Ginny. "I had them where I wanted them."

"We didn't do it," said George sitting on Harry's trunk.

"We were busy working on orders," Fred said holding his arm.

"You okay, Fred?" asked Harry.

"Yeah just a scrape," said Fred. "We only used our magic to make more parchment and ink appear. We swear."

"Then who made the dolls attack us," said Hermione sitting beside Harry.

"Dunno," said George. "Maybe mum did it."

"I don't know," said Ron. "Would she ever do something like that though?"

"You never know," said Fred sitting on Harry's trunk beside his brother.

"Where is mum, anyway?" asked Ginny sitting beside Harry.

"She said she was going to a friend's house," said Hermione leaning against Harry. "That was about fifteen minutes before the dolls attacked."

"Well we better make the most of tonight," said Harry looking at his watch. "Who knows how long those things will stay like this."

A loud bang came from the hall. Then a low, gentle voice came from the other side of the door. "Are you guys okay in there?" said the voice.

"Who's there?" asked Fred as he and George jumped to their feet.

"It's Remus Lupin," said the voice. "Are you lot okay?"

"Yeah," said Ron.

"Ginny, you really should keep your dolls locked up," said Lupin. "Can I come in."

"Yeah," said George opening the door.

There stood Remus Lupin. Their former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher during Ron, Harry, and Hermione's third year at Hogwarts. He didn't look as haggard as the time they saw him during the summer before their fifth year at the wizarding school.

Remus appeared to have put on several pounds since that time and looked leaner. His eyes were no longer slightly sunken into his skull. The slightly grayish tinge his skin use to have, was replaced with a healthy tan color. It appeared that he had received at least enough money to purchase brand new cloths.

Beside Lupin was a young lady of about twenty dressed from head to toe in dark green dragon hide and black leather. Her waist long hair was raven black and the top layer and sides were French braided into tinny braids, numbering about twenty, and pulled into a ponytail that sat in the middle of the back of her head. Her eyes looked like those that would belong to a wolf. They were a silvery blue with black slits that bored into your very being. Her ears were pierced from top to bottom with silver studs centered with black stones. A black satin choker with a single pearl drop, hanging from the center, adorned her neck. Around her waist was a loose fitting black leather belt that hung to one side and carried her wand, a synched pouch full of money and a dagger in a black sheath.

"Who's your friend, Professor?" asked Harry as he, Hermione, and Ginny stood up.

"Oh this is Ivy Darconia," Lupin said. "Ivy, this is Fred and George."

"Hello," said the Weasley twins.

"Ron and Ginny," continued Lupin.

"Hi," said Ron.

"Hello," Ginny said.

"They're all Weasleys," Lupin pointed out. "And these two are Hermione Granger and -"

"Harry Potter," Ivy said locking her eyes on him. "The boy who nearly destroyed Voldemort. It is a pleasure to meet you. Your name is quite known in America."

"Ah, thanks," Harry said.

Ivy watched him for a moment before looking at the dolls that littered the floor.

"Terrible mess," she said, and with a wave of her wand the dolls disappeared. "There."

"Are you related to Shannon?" asked George.

"Yes, she's my twin sister," Ivy said. "She's dating your older brother Charlie."

"Yeah, but Shannon never told us that she had a twin sister," said Fred.

"That's because we've never been close until a few weeks ago," said Ivy. "So this is the house she was talking about."

"Yeah," said Ginny.

"Ivy," said a masculine voice from behind them.

Everyone looked at the top of the stairs and saw Bill standing there. "Bill," Ivy said calmly, as she walked over to him. "Told you I'd see you soon."

"Yes you did," said Bill, kissing her cheek. "So you lot were attacked by dolls?"

"That's what it appeared to be when we arrived," said Lupin. "Ivy cleaned everything up."

"Ivy doesn't like a mess," said Bill. "You and those wolf eyes. Those things give me the creeps."

Ivy gave Bill a sly smile and eyes changed back to normal dark blue human eyes. "There you go," she said. "I only do that for you, you know."

"I know," Bill said. "So how did this start?"

"We though it was Fred and George but it wasn't," said Ginny.

"We were busy with our order sheets," said Fred.

"Then suddenly we were attacked by a large teddy bear," said George.

Without warning, Ivy suddenly transformed into a pure black wolf with a green tint to her fur. Her eyes were once again the silvery blue color. She spun around and hurried down the stairs. Before anyone could question her motives, Lupin and Bill were right behind her. With a quick look at each other, the gang followed suit.

Ivy led them outside and into the back yard. Her nose was in the air and the fur on the back of her neck was on end. She knew someone or something was there. Lupin, too, smelled it but he could not find it.

"Stay back," said Lupin. "Something every dangerous is out here and I don't want any of you to get hurt."

As Ivy took a step forward, a streak of blue light shot out from the bushes. With a single leap to the side, Ivy was able to avoid it. A large snake slowly emerged from the bushes. It flashed its fangs as Lupin and Bill moved back to the group.

The snake noticed them and proceeded to slither closer to them. Ivy stepped into its way, angering it. It raised up and let out a deep hiss before it lunged at her. In her wolf form, Ivy was able to avoid being bit as she flew over the serpent. With one quick motion, she bit the snake's neck, killing it instantly.

Once she was back in her normal form, she pulled out her wand and flicked it at the large serpent's body. The creature glowed for a moment before changing into a hooded figure that lay there dead on the grass.

"Damn Death Eaters," cursed Ivy, kicking it over. "I wish they would all just die."

She, then, marched into the dark forest. "Do you think it's safe for her to go in there alone?" asked Ron. "What if they're more Death Eaters?"

"Ivy can take care of herself," said Lupin. "She'll be back in about an hour or so. Once she's cooled down."

"She's very different from Shannon," said Ginny.

"You don't know Shannon then," said Lupin. "Her and Ivy are very mysterious people. Now let's get inside. We don't want to be out here when Ivy's temper reaches it's limit."

Lupin and Bill shuffled everyone inside. As Bill was closing the door, the woods behind the house lit up in a soft green color. "Something made her blow," Bill said. "She might be back sooner than we thought."

"You lot better get up to bed," said Lupin. "I reckon your school lists will be here sometime tomorrow and that means shopping at Diagon Alley."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny proceeded upstairs as the twins stayed in the kitchen to talk with Lupin. As the four of them reached the top of the first flight of stairs, Ginny took Harry's hand before he could go up the second flight to the room he shared with Ron.

"Can I talk to you for a second, Harry?" asked Ginny.

"Sure," said Harry. "Go on up, Ron. I'll be there in a moment."

"Alright mate," Ron said as he disappeared up the stairs.

"What is it, Ginny?" asked Harry as he closed the door to her room.

"Can I ask you a favor?" asked Ginny.

"Sure," said Harry quickly looking at Hermione. "What is it?"

Ginny, too, quickly glanced at Hermione who was busy pulling out her pajamas. "There's this guy who won't leave me alone," she said quietly. "He keeps pestering me to go out with him, even though I told him I have a boyfriend. He says that the only way he'll leave me alone is if he meets my boyfriend."

"What's the problem then?" asked Harry.

"Well I don't really have a boyfriend," confessed Ginny. "I lied to him to get him to leave me alone and I was wondering if you would pretend to be my boyfriend."

"Um...I don't know, Ginny," Harry said. "Did you tell him you were going out with me?"

Ginny closed her eyes and Harry quickly looked at Hermione who was now looking at them with wide eyes. Hermione nodded and pointed upstairs.

"Yes," Ginny confessed.

"You know what, Ginny," said Harry. "Can I think this over?"

Ginny opened her eyes and looked at him with wide eyes. "I guess," she said sadly.

"I'll give you my answer before I go to bed tonight, I promise," said Harry giving her a reassuring smile.

The young Weasley girl's face lit up with joy. She gave Harry a quick hug and said, "Okay."

"I'll see you tonight," Harry said Apparating from Ginny's room.

Crack. Harry suddenly appeared in Ron's room. Ron was just slipping on his shirt when he turned around and ran into Harry.

"Watch it, Harry," said Ron. "I heard a crack but I thought it was Fred and George."

"Sorry," said Harry as he sat on the bottom bunk.

There was another loud crack and Hermione had suddenly appeared in Ron's bedroom. She looked at Harry and then at Ron who was busy looking for something in his trunk. Quickly, she motioned for Harry to go into the hall.

"Harry, I need to talk with you," said Hermione.

"Okay," said Harry. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," said Ron not looking away from what he was doing.

Harry and Hermione quickly stepped into the hallway and closed the door. "What's wrong with him?" asked Hermione.

"Don't know," Harry said as they moved away from Ron's door. "Did you hear what Ginny asked me?"

"No, but she sounded upset," said Hermione. "What did it have to do with you?"