Virginia smiled as she walked around Diagon Alley with Tommy. People did glare at her and there were a few occasional shouts but some people came over to her and shook her hand , telling her they hoped she would have a bright future and to stay on the right track and stay strong. She smiled at Tommy who winked.

" See. Not everyone hates you."

" Yes...well it will be completly different at Hogwarts."

" Dont worry about it Virginia. I wont abandon you at Hogwarts."

She nodded. " I dont need anyone...I can survive."

" You shoudn't push everyone away Virginia."

" I dont...I'm just telling you how I am. I'm a strong happy girl."

" I dont see a happy girl."

" Well I...well you obviously dont know me then...and how could you...we are strangers."

He nodded. " I guess you are right."

Virginia frowned and looked up at him. " I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be rude."

" Dont be " he replied. " You weren't rude to me."

" Tommy. What did my Mother...do to your family?"

He sighed. " My family were all muggles Virginia. My Mam , my dad ,and my sister Sinead. You see my Mam's sister is a witch and my mams parents are a wizard and witch too , so you can imagine how pleased they were to hear that I was a wizard. We celebrated when I got the letter from Hogwarts and I loved my life in Hogwarts. I loved coming home every christmas and Summer telling them off my days there. I wasn't going to go to Hogwarts you see , my parents wanted to send me to a school nearer home..but my Aunt said Hogwarts was the best and she was right."

" What school was nearer home? Where did you live?"

" Queen Maeve's school for Witches and Wizards in Ireland " said Tommy. " I lived in County Wexford and thats why Mam didn't want me to go so far away to Hogwarts in Britain. It seemed to far from home. Which it was for us. But thats why coming home every holiday meant so much to me. Well one summer I decided to stay at school for the Halloween Holiday as a friend had invited me to come stay with him for a few days. Mam, Dad, and Sinead came over to London for a few days and I got a chance to meet them. It was great , then one night...the Death Eaters went on a rampage through the city breaking into any hotels that contained families of Muggleborns. I dont know how they knew who they were , but I believe a spy tipped the death eaters off and thats how they knew who to kill. I came back from from a party that night and when I went into the hotel room. I was pulled away by an officer telling me it was too horriffic to look at. I saw my family lying on the ground...and the awful look of terror upon their faces. I just remember seeing the shocked and puzzled expressions of the Police and the Pathologists and I kept thinking. I know who did this...I know how they did this and I cant even tell you idiots who it was. Otherwise you'll have me locked away for crazy ideas."

" My Aunt Laura brought me up after that. She moved away from Ireland and she bought a house in London. My Grandfather died within weeks of their deaths , I think the shock killed him and I never went home again. Still every day I long to go back home to Ireland. I feel so empty... so alone...Even back that day when those thugs tied you up...and I heard that one edging me on trying to make me hit you...I kept thinking...shut up...how can you even begin to describe how I feel."

" Tommy I am so sorry."

He nodded. " I dont blame you Virginia. Now lets discuss something else...my mood is begining to take a sharp turn downwards."