Ch.1
"It's good to be back at Grimmauld Place." Harry sighed as he set down his bags. Hermione and Ron did the same.
"I never thought I'd hear you say that man!" Ron sighed as he stretched his arms. "Let's just hope that stupid portrait doesn't wake up too much."
"Maybe we can find a way to get her off." Hermione said.
"Oh get off it Hermione! Do you know how long they have tried to get that old hag off the wall? There must be permanent sticking glue or something." Ron looked around. "This place just seems bare—I wonder where everyone is."
"Your father, sister and other siblings are at home at the moment." Mrs. Weasley said as she came out of the kitchen.
"Mum! What are you going here?"
"I thought I would just welcome you three home since you refuse to live anywhere else. I made you some lunch if you're hungry."
"Thanks Mrs. Weasley, but I think I'm going to go upstairs first." Harry said, picking up his bag.
"Of course dear, take your time." Mrs. Weasley smiled at him. "I'll keep everything hot for you."
Harry made his way upstairs and walked right past the room he had stayed in the last time he was here. Instead, he went to Sirius's room. Slowly he pushed open the door and stepped in.
Harry stopped and looked around. All over the walls were pictures of Sirius, Remus Lupin, and Harry's parents, Lilly and James Potter. Some were pictures from when they were in school and others were from when they had gotten older and Lilly and James had married.
"Obsessed." Harry laughed silently. He sat down on the bed and laid back. So, this was Sirius's room He had never been in here when Sirius was alive. Harry had no idea what made him want to stay in this room, but he did. Maybe it was just to make Sirius feel closer.
"First my parents, then Sirius, and then Professor Dumbledore." Harry muttered to himself. "I keep losing people."
"Careful deary—thinking of the dead in that way will drive you insane." A voice sad suddenly.
Harry turned his head and saw a little mirror laying on the night table. He picked it up and looked into it. "Do you always do that?"
"What's that?" The mirror answered back.
"Listen to people talk?"
"Only when I'm awake dear, and that's not a lot of the time. I only happen to be awake now because you woke me with all your stomping around. Now it's time for me to go back to sleep."
Harry laid the mirror back on the table and sat up. "I might as well start unpacking." He waved his wand and his bags flew open, sending his clothes into different storage places.
He stopped when he heard yelling downstairs. "Oh great." Harry ran out of the room and into the kitchen where he not only found Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Hermione, but Charlie and Professor Lupin as well.
"I'm sorry Molly, but this is urgent."
"It is still common courtesy to knock before you run into a home! I know I taught you better than that Charlie!" Molly yelled at the two newcomers.
"I'm sorry Mum, but this is important." Charlie exclaimed, waving a piece of parchment around in the air.
"Our first day back and you're already making Mrs. Weasley yell." Harry sighed.
They all turned to face him. "Harry!" Lupin and Charlie said at the same time. "We were wondering where you were hiding." Charlie added.
"We've been around. So, what's so important?"
They both looked at each other. "We, well Dad, received a letter from this woman asking for help. Lupin and I are going and we were wondering if you wanted to come as well Mum." Charlie turned to look at his mother as he held out the parchment.
Molly shook her head. "I'm busy right now Charlie, have Harry read it out loud. You don't mind do you Harry?"
Harry shook his head and took the parchment from Charlie. "Alright, here it goes." He cleared his throat and read.
Dear Arthur and Molly Weasley,
You probably don't remember me and that's alright. I never really did speak with either of you much and for that I am truly sorry. My name is Jennifer Sparks and I am is desperate need of your help.
I've been out of touch with everyone for eighteen years now, but your home is the one that I remember the most. If you still don't know who I am, then let me refresh your memory.
The last time I saw you was about two years before Voldermort disappeared and Lilly and James Potter were killed. I tried to tell you something, but I got scared and ran off. I told you that I would come back, but I never did because I left the country for America. I knew that was the only place that I would be safe.
Now I know that this was a mistake. I'm no safer here then I was there, but at least there I would have had friends to help me. Please, I am begging you, come to America so I can explain everything in more detail. I will not say more here in case this letter is intercepted by prying eyes. I know that you will get this rather fast, so I will be expecting you, or if like to send someone else, here soon. Find a plane and take it to Hawaii in the United States. I will wait for a week and if you do not show, then I will understand.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Sparks
Harry looked up at Molly. "Do you remember this woman Mrs. Weasley?" He handed her the parchment.
"Of course I remember her; she was such a sweet girl. I remember how terrified she was the last time I saw her." Molly shook her head. "The only thing is, I can't go. I have so much to take care of over here."
They all stood there quietly. "I'll go." Lupin said finally. "It's not like I have anything better to do at the moment."
"And I'll go as well." Charlie said. "I've always wanted to go to America."
Molly nodded. "Very well…"
"And I'm going." Harry interrupted and everyone looked at him in astonishment. "I want to do something."
"Well if Harry's going we're going—right Hermione?" Ron said and Hermione nodded her head in agreement.
"NO! There's no way I'm letting you three go." Mrs. Weasley exclaimed.
"Molly," Lupin said quietly, "You can't stop them from going and you know that. They're of age. Besides, Harry and Hermione may be able to help us blend in a little more. They know more about muggles then we do."
She looked around at everyone. "Fine! I know when I'm out numbered!" Mrs. Weasley threw her hands up in disgust. "I'll be waiting here for you five to return."
x.x…X…x.x
A woman with short, brown hair paced the terminal and watched closely as people walked past. "Maybe they are not coming. I wouldn't blame them—after all I rarely spoke with them."
Just then five people walked past. The young woman and bushy, brown hair, the young man with glasses had messy black hair, the older man had short, dirty blonde hair and the last two young men had flaming red hair; they reminded her of someone.
"How are we supposed to know what this Jennifer Sparks looks like? I mean she asks for help and she doesn't even tell us what she looks like!" The younger man with red hair said.
"Calm yourself Ron. She said she would be looking for us so we just have to trust that she'll find us." The other one with red hair said.
"But what if she got tired of waiting or hasn't gotten here yet?" The young woman asked.
Jennifer hurried over to them. "Excuse me?" She whispered and they all turned to face her. "Did Arthur and Molly send you?"
"Yes they did—are you Jennifer Sparks?" The older man asked.
"Yes I am." Jennifer sighed with relief. "I was beginning to think that no one would come. I mean I would understand…"
"Please Jennifer—of course we would help you. I'm sorry Molly and Arthur themselves could not come, but they had important work to do. Instead they sent us. I'm Remus Lupin, this is Hermione Granger, these two boys with red hair are Molly's sons, Ron and Charlie—and this last one here is Harry Potter."
Jennifer looked carefully at Harry. "You're Lilly and James's little boy aren't you? Yes I can tell, you look just like them."
Harry shuffled his feet. "You knew them?"
She nodded her head. "Of course I knew them. Come on; let me take you to my home so we can talk more."
Nearly an hour later they pulled up in front of a two story house where music was blaring. "Of course." Jennifer sighed as she turned off the car. "Before I take you inside I need to explain why I asked you here."
"You have a nice house." Hermione said.
"Thanks. Anyways, I asked you here because I know something about Voldermort that he doesn't even know about himself."
Everyone in the care winced except for Harry. "Alright, let's hear it." Lupin said.
"I left eighteen years ago because I knew that if Voldermort found out he would surely kill me."
"Find out about what?" Charlie asked.
Jennifer bit her bottom lip. "I left because I was pregnant. Voldermort has a daughter."
They all looked at her in shock. "Voldermort has a daughter? Are you sure she is his?" Lupin asked.
"Of course I'm sure. She even looks like him." Jennifer squeezed her eyes closed. "I couldn't let him find out. After all, he always prided himself of being the last descendent of Slytherin; he hasn't been for eighteen years."
"This is, remarkable. Can we meet her?" Lupin asked.
"That's why I brought you here. Andrea has always known that Jonathon is not her biological father and she now wants to find her real father. I never told Andrea who her father was, but she does know that she is a witch. She is way advanced in her magic."
Just then the front door opened and a young man was pushed out of the house. "Just leave me alone alright? Don't you get it that I don't like you?" A young woman with long, black hair and silver eyes exclaimed.
"I don't think so Andrea." The young man grabbed her arm. "I'm not just going to let you go that easily."
"Let me go Mike!"
"No."
Lupin started to leave the car but Jennifer placed a hand on his arm. "Just wait a minute." She whispered and he sat back.
"I mean it Mike, let go of me now."
"Not until I get an explanation from you Andrea. You can't just lead me on like this and then decide to dump me."
Andrea scowled as she arched her free arm up, slammed it down on Mike's arm that held her other arm and smashed her elbow into his nose. He let go with a yelp, holding his nose, and she pushed him away making him land on his butt. "Just stay away from me Mike." She ran into the house and slammed the door shut.
Mike stood up, pinching his nose to stop the bleeding and entered his car. He watched the house for a minute before he started his car and drove away.
"How did she do that?" Hermione whispered.
"I had her take these classes so she could defend herself. She doesn't have to use magic against people, she can use her hands." Jennifer replied. "I guess it's time you met Andrea—let's go."
When they entered the house the music was still on, but Andrea was nowhere in sight. "Wow, this house is nice. What does your husband do?" Lupin asked.
"He's a doctor." Everyone except Hermione and Harry looked at her quizzically. "He helps people when they are sick. Like the doctors and St. Mungos." Jennifer explained.
At that moment they heard Andrea and she sounded exasperated. "Right now? What about Matthew? Oh he is? Alright, I'll be there in a few minutes. Yeah, you're welcome—bye." She came out of the kitchen and stopped when she saw everyone. "Uh, hello Mum. I wasn't expecting you back so soon. Who are your friends?"
"I gathered as much. These are old friends, Remus Lupin, Charlie and Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. I asked them to come here and visit us." Jennifer replied.
"Nice to meet all of you, but you'll have to excuse me I have to go. I'm needed at the job." Andrea grabbed some car keys off the desk and was about to leave when Jennifer spoke again.
"Andrea do you really have to go?"
"Yes Mum, I do. They're having trouble with the computers and I'm the only one who knows the system well enough to fix it really fast."
"What about Matthew? Why can't he do it?"
Andrea turned to face her mother. "Oh yeah we could call him all the way from Europe, away from his new wife, to fix the computers." She shook her head. "Tell you what—when I'm done with this I'm going down to the beach. Bring your friends and we can talk about whatever you want to talk about then, but right now I really have to go." She quickly left the house.
"Is she always like that?" Lupin asked.
Jennifer shrugged. "Sometimes she is and sometimes she isn't. Do you guys have swimsuits?"
"Uh…" They all looked at each other.
"I guess not. Come on, let's go to the store and get you some swimsuits so you can swim. After all, we don't want your clothes to get all wet."
7