Chapter 4

August went by quickly.

As the twins continued to train with their Dad and Sirius, it became clear that whatever power they had gained was not going away.

Harry still hadn't found the pattern of why his scar lit up when it did or why Mara's had all but vanished except for her nightmares. She'd woken up with the same nightmare almost every single night. Every time, always saying "Someone's trying to get in."

Despite Dad's reinforcement of the wards around their house, it never seemed to stop. And weirdly enough, each day Tilly, their house-elf only got more and more cross. Harry had caught her mumbling to herself, even throwing curses around at no one. Any attempt to ask her only landed in her overly pampering the two kids.

Mara had gotten so much chocolate in the past month that Mum had to put a stop to it before she went on a sugar high. Nobody wanted a repeat of that.

Mara spent her time study-free except for the grueling sessions of training with their Dad and Sirius. Harry spent his time going over the prophecy Hermione decoded with scrutiny their Mum would be proud of. Most of it, he found, made no sense, and the parts that did were all out of order.

He'd had no luck finding anything written about Cassandra or the Alesius House in general. It was almost like it had all been erased on purpose.

But as the end of August neared, Harry knew he had to prepare for the upcoming school year. Luckily, with the addition of the four new untraceable wands for their group and a new basic one for Harry after his phoenix wand exploded last year, they'd be able to protect themselves much easier.

Ollivander had not been happy hearing Harry's wand had been blown up. But he helped suit Harry with a new wand anyway.

Blackthorn with phoenix feather, 12 ¼ inches.

Everything about the prophecy was second as Harry prepared for the upcoming year, spending twice as long as Mara in training. Harry could only hope things went smoothly and nothing like last year.

Besides, how many times could a Dark Lord slip into a school to steal a powerful magical artifact?

His confidence was shot, however, when he woke up on August 31st to find his Dad making breakfast.

Harry and Mara had both been regaled with their father's childhood as a boy. How his parents had him late in their lives and so they doted on him as a "miracle" child. He grew up pampered and spoiled, getting everything he wanted.

A troublemaker at heart, he told them of many adventures he'd gotten into before his Hogwarts days. But chores, cleaning, and cooking were not one of them.

Their Mum had often told them that the first time they'd gotten their place together, Mum had banned a house-elf and their Dad had all but had a meltdown trying to figure out how to wash laundry.

The number of clothes and dishes he'd ruined in trying to clean and cook were innumerable. This is why, their Mum, coming from a muggle family who did things the hard way without magic or servants, took up those chores.

Dad only occasionally blew up the washing machine or put red items with the whites so everything turned pink but that was easily corrected with Magic.

Cooking, however, was another story.

So upon walking into the kitchen and finding scorch marks, and a sink filled with blackened pots and pans, broken dishes and various cutlery snapped in half, Harry paled.

Some kind of sauce, brown in color had exploded all over the walls, which Harry could only hope was chocolate of some kind.

His Dad stood at the stove, one of the pans actually on fire as he rubbed his stubbled chin, confused, without a care in the world.

Tilly wept in the corner, sobbing into her floppy ears.

"Dad?" Harry said cautiously, wide-eyed. "Where's Mum?"

Their Dad jumped at his voice and looked practically deranged in his bathrobe, with huge circles under his eyes from Mara's nightmare last night and all kinds of black and brown substances coating him.

"Oh! Morning, Harry," Their Dad grinned, swaying on the spot. "Breakfast is almost ready."

And then Dad collapsed to the floor.


Harry and Tilly managed to get the place cleaned up and even get Dad to his bed as he slept off his extreme sleep deprivation. Looking through their fridge, he managed to make some toasted bagels and eggs.

Mara was none the wiser, as she looked exhausted as she stumbled from bed hours later. He didn't have the heart to tell her that Dad had collapsed because of her constant nightmares. Normally, Mum would tag-team with him and switch nights.

But recently, ever since the first night on their birthday, only Dad had been waking up to care for her.

It was around Noon that Dad had finally woken up and rushed downstairs, only to find his two children munching on sandwiches and crisps.

Now, dressed, he sighed in relief at the room. "Thank god. It was just a dream."

Harry and Tilly locked eyes with one another and nodded in camaraderie.

Both returned to their tasks. Harry ate his sandwich and Tilly scrubbed the last burnt pan.

"Sorry, I didn't wake up in time," Dad sighed, thanking Tilly quietly as she poured him some tea. "Mum had an emergency at her work last night."

"What kind of Emergency?" Mara asked.

"The bad kind," Dad sipped his tea.

Both Harry and Mara frowned. It was rare for Mum to have an emergency at her department. The Department of Mysteries dealt with unknown objects and foreign matters all the time, even dangerous at times but none that required an emergency.

"I also just got a call from work," Dad sighed, "They just tracked a trafficking ring for breeding and selling dragons illegally. Sirius and I have to head to Romania to head them off."

"But what about school?" Mara gasped.

"I'm sorry," Dad said, truly looking like he'd failed them, "I asked the Weasley's if you could floo over to them tonight and they would take you tomorrow. Remus and Emilia said they'd be there too to see you off."

"But-" Mara began.

Harry just elbowed her in the ribs and smiled, "That's okay, Dad. We'll be fine. I know work has been hard lately."

Mara yelped but shut her mouth, rubbing her ribs with a cross look at her brother.

"You two are the most amazing gifts we've ever had, you know that?" Their Dad teared up a little, getting up to enclose them in a hug. He squeezed them tightly, as he always did.

Mara relaxed into the hug, "We'll see you for Christmas, though, right?" Her voice was small, hesitant like she was worried he'd say no.

"Of course. Everyone will be there. Mum and me we'll both get off work so no calls. I promise." Dad said firmly. The determined glint in his eye reassured them. Dad was about as stubborn as Mum went it came to their family. If he promised something, he would keep it, no ifs, ands, or buts.

"Then, can we have some more pocket money for the train, then?" Mara asked slyly.

Dad rolled his eyes. "All right, whatever you want, doe."

He kissed the top of her head. "Now, go get ready. I said you'd floo over before 1."

Though it was sad having Dad fuss over them after they got dressed, their trunks were already packed. Aura on his shoulder and Breena by Mara's feet, they had to say their goodbyes to their Dad. It was a bit disappointing, their parents not being able to see them off but they both held very important positions.

Mara and Harry could deal.

'I do not like this 'floo thing.' Breena complained, flickering her tail.

"Sorry, Breena," Mara comforted her, "It's the fastest way to get there. Unless you wanna use a broom."

'Fly? On that ugly contraction, you use? Never,' Breena licked her paws.

"Then, this will have to do," Mara said, lifting Breena into her arms.

"Ready, Aura?" Harry asked the phoenix on his shoulder.

Aura chirped, bumping her head against his in affection.

"All right, you two behave and have a good time," Dad smiled, giving them one last hug each.

'I did not agree to this!' Breena hissed, crushed into Mara's chest from his hug.

Aura simply hovered in the air, letting Dad hug her bonded before settling back on his shoulder.

"I'll see you guys at Christmas. Remember to write in the journals," Dad grinned, stepping back.

"Bye Dad! Bye Tilly!"

"Missus be safe," Tilly rubbed her wrinkly hands worriedly. "Masters be safe."

The floo roared to life and Tilly stood by their Dad as Mara went first. She stepped in, taking a handful of power while holding Breena in her other arm. Then, she threw down the powder, yelling "The Burrow!"

And with a roar of green flames, she disappeared.

Harry was next. Dad watched with a sad smile, waving as Harry climbed in. Mindful of Aura, he grabbed the Floo powder and threw it at his feet.

"The Burrow," He said firmly. Then all he saw were green flames.


The Weasley's house was not what he thought it was going to be.

As he stepped out of the floo and into what he assumed to be the Weasley's living room, the first thing he noticed was the clutter.

Books mounted to the wall, cozy carpets and knitted blankets on the long couch and various sofa seats. A huge coffee table with various books and papers just laid out and on the walls, various artworks which looked to be made by very young children. On one of them with a huge bird drawn with gray wings, he noticed the scribble of 'Ron' on the bottom. Every inch of the Weasley's living room was lived-in.

Though it seems cramped, Harry's only thought was "cozy."

It felt exactly like what the Weasley's were like.

Messy but warm.

Mara was staring at all the little ceramics on top of one of their stands, some having been made by the kids and some looking like something pulled out of the her arms, Breena curled up, narrowing.

'It smells of dust,' Breena said.

Aura just chirped, nibbling at the ends of Harry's hair.

Mrs. Weasley came bounding out of what he assumed was the kitchen, wiping her hands with her messy apron.

"Harry! Mara!" She smiled, brightly, bringing them both into a suffocating hug. Breena and Aura both jumped out of the way, Breena to the floor and Aura taking shelter on the mantle.

Mrs. Weasley patted Harry's cheeks, "You're just in time. The boys are doing their chores. Would you like a cup of tea or some leftovers from breakfast?"

"No, We're fine, Mrs. Weasley," Mara mumbled as the Weasley matriarch let them go. Upon noticing their trunks, however, she gasped.

"Oh, I almost forgot. You can put your trunk in Ron's room. I hope you don't mind sharing with him," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Of course not." Harry smiled.

"And you'll be sharing with Ginny, if that's all right, Mara?"

'With the littlest red one? I rather think not,' Breena huffed, sitting on one of the sofas.

"Yup! No problem!" Mara grinned.

Breena let out a little harumph, tail flickering behind her faster.

"All right, let's get you fixed up then."

"I hope you don't mind we brought our familiars," Harry asked, as Aura flew back to land on his shoulder. She chirped.

Mrs. Weasley looked at the phoenix as if she had just seen it.

"Oh, of course not! We have our owlery. It's a bit small but she can stay there if she wants or with you. Just be mindful of her mess," Mrs. Weasley smiled, reaching out a hand to stroke Aura's beak.

Aura chirped, bumping Mrs. Weasley's hand.

"You hear that, Breena?" Mara grinned, turning to her familiar, "No bringing any mice or other rodents into the house."

'I leave one alive once and everyone steps on your tail for it,' Breena humphed, jumping down, 'I'm going hunting, then.'

"She has quite an attitude," Mrs. Weasley said as the cat stalked out.

"You have no idea," Mara shook her head.

Despite their protests, Mrs. Weasley did not take no for an answer. After heating enough food to serve an army, she then watched them eat it. Harry and Mara, though slightly uncomfortable, knew it came from good intentions so they ate. Aura had quickly determined that escape was the best option as she took off to go hunting once more.

They noticed an old, worn-down clock that had no numbers and only one hand on it. Instead of saying things like time, it said "time to feed the chickens," "Time to make tea", or even "You're late."

They noticed a similar one in the living room with a hand for each family member, their faces magically on them. That one seemed to track where the family was. Most of the kids were "At Home" but Charlie, Bill, and Arthur's hands were on "At Work".

"It's just Percy, the twins, Ron, Ginny, and I. Arthur's still at the ministry but he'll be back later." Mrs. Weasley rambled as she attempted to clean up the kitchen, the dishes doing themselves as she scorgify the table, bottling various foods from the garden.

"Ginny's feeding the chickens and Percy is unclogging the drains. Ron and the twins should be de-gnoming the garden."

"De-gnoming?" Mara perked up, "You mean you have gnomes in your garden? I've never seen one before! Can we go help?" Mara asked, eyes glittering at the idea.

Harry half-hoped she'd say no, anxious at what mischief his sister could get into. The other part was intrigued.

Most high-end gardens had gnome protection already so de-gnoming was never something they had to do. The Potters certainly didn't. The only thing he knew about gnomes was that they were considered a garden pest and that a few years ago, Mum got angry as someone was marketing a "De-Gnomer Potion" which turned out to be a Stinkbomb potion.

Sure, it got rid of the gnomes but it also killed all the garden and prevented even the owner from entering it. All the house-spouses who fell for it were furious.

"That's very sweet of you, dear, but it's dull work-" Mrs. Weasley said, opening one of the books. Harry grimaced as he noticed the title.

Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests.

"Mum fancies him," Ron had said in one of his letters. Harry didn't think it was true until this moment.

"I'd love to help, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said with his charming press smile.

The twins smiled, just like they did in every family photo put on the front page.

Luckily, Mrs. Weasley fell for it.

'Oh, all right. Tell Ron and the twins they better show you how first," Mr.s Weasley said firmly, "Lockhart says you've got to have a firm grip before you throw them."

"Throw them?" Mara's eyes went wide with excitement.

"Oh, they'll show you, off you go then," Mrs. Weasley waved them off with a huge smile, giving each a squeeze as they left to the backyard.

The garden wasn't a far walk, the chicken coop lined with chicken wire all around it was not much farther either. They spied Ginny inside of the coop, a basket of eggs hanging off one arm. She held one of the chickens, a white one in her other hand.

Mara grinned, "Ginny!" She waved at the girl.

Said redhead looked up, startled, and then prompt dropped the chicken and basket of eggs with a squeal. She dropped behind the chicken coop.

"Did I do something?" Mara frowned, turning to Harry.

Harry shook his head.

He wasn't sure if it was hero-worship or a crush but Ron said his sister only acted like that around the two of them, Mara more obviously.

Just past the coop, the garden is laid out. The garden, as they found, wasn't picture perfect- there were weeds and the grass was taller than it should be but the trees curled around the stone wall fence, and various plants of shapes and colors spilled from the flower beds. Deeper down, a large green pond with plenty of moss and hopping frogs.

"Wow," Mara gazed.

It wasn't perfect but the flaws made it feel like a home.

As they entered the garden, the rickety old gate was nearly torn off its hinges squealed. It was always quite easy to spot Ron, due to his flaming red hair. Amid the greenery, it was no different.

"Ron!" Mara called out, waving her hand.

Ron lifted his head from a peony bush, petals stuck in his hair as he looked at them bewildered. Upon spotting them, he took a run to meet them.

"What are you doing here?" He panted as he approached, "Do your parents know you're here? Do my parents know?"

"Our house was infested with spiders," Harry said seriously. "So we have to live here with you."

"What?" Ron's eyes bulged out of his head, his mouth agape as he paled two shades.

"Don't listen to him," Mara shoved Harry, turning to Ron, "Our parents have to work so they asked your parents if they could take us to the train tomorrow."

"Really?" Ron asked, looking back and forth between the two, still a bit pale.

"Ruin all my fun," Harry side-eyed Mara, before turning to Ron with a smile, "No spiders, our parents just had to work. So your mum said something about de-gnoming?"

"No?" Ron asked, fearfully.

Harry kinda felt bad now, as he remembered Ron's phobia of spiders. "No spiders, I swear. Just me being a jerk."

"Don't joke about that. And don't even say the name," Ron shivered, "Call them what they are."

"Uh, arachnids?"

"Creepy crawly death dealers."

"Okay then," Mara raised an eyebrow. "About those gnomes?"

"Oh, right!" Ron jumped, "Come on, then. Fred's got the high score right now but I'll beat him."

"High score?" Mara whispered to Harry.

Ron led them further into the garden where they stopped the Weasley twins, one holding something wiggling in his grasp.

At first glance, Harry thought it was a potato until he realized it was shouting.

"Gerroff me! Gerroff me!" The gnome squealed.

As they approached, they could see the gnome was anything but cute. It was small and leathery with a bold head. Its little horned feet kicked out at Fred as Fred held it from the head.

"Ickle Potters!" George grinned. "You're just in time for Fred to beat my record."

"I thought Fred had the record."

"Nope! George got it behind the stump," Fred said determinedly, "But I can do better. I'll get it to the oak tree!"

"That has to be at least 50 feet away," Mara said, eyeing the tree in the distance.

"You bet your arse it is," Fred grinned. They watched in a sick fascination as Fred gripped the gnome by its ankles, turned it around, and then began to swing it around his head.

Then with huge momentum, he let go. The gnome flew through the air, screeching as it bounced right in front of the stump and then grasped onto it.

"I knew you couldn't do it," George grinned.

"I will!" Fred said, "Just gotta find a smaller gnome."

And then the two twins were off, sticking their heads into the grass.

Mara gaped at where the gnome was still dizzily standing, shoulders hunched over like it was crying.

"I wanna try!" She yelled, taking off towards the twins.

"See, they're not too bright," said George, carrying five or six at once, "The moment they know the de-gnoming's going on, they storm up to have a look. You'd think they'd have learned by now just to stay put."

Harry learned at his first gnome catch who had been hiding in the petunias, not to feel sorry for it. When he decided to just let it over the hedge, it quickly chomped down on his finger. Harry yelped and his hand lit up in a familiar green glow. With all of his might, he gripped the gnome and threw it as hard as he could past the hedge.

They all watched as it soared past the stump and hit the oak tree dead on.

"Wow, I guess Harry's the winner today," Ron grinned, "That was a hella good throw mate."

Harry shrugged, as his scar died down as quickly as it appeared.

Mara, however, was the opposite.

She'd grabbed the gnome, swung it around just as Fred did, and threw it with all of her might.

It landed just outside the hedge, right at the gate.

It walked back in.

Ron, Fred, and George just stared at her.

"Even Percy throws better than you," Fred shook his head.

Mara blushed bright red. "It's my first time, okay! I'll get better."

She didn't get better. No matter how many she threw, none of the gnomes landed more than five feet away from the gate, allowing them to just walk back into the garden.

"See, this is why you have to circle them around so they're too dizzy that they can't find their way back to the gnomeholes," Ron said, watching another pitiful attempt of Maras.

This time the gnome latched onto her, scrambling to latch onto her face. As Mara screamed, the gnome stuck to her face, and Harry only sighed.

"I'll go save her," He said.

He plucked the gnome right off her face and threw it out of the garden. It landed right on the stump.

"It hurts," Mara whined, clutching her now red nose from where it had bitten and not let go.

"Go inside. I'm sure Mrs. Weasley has something to help you." Harry told her.

She did, scurrying back to the Burrow.

"Well, we didn't beat the true record but it's better than any of us have done," Ron said as they watched the gnomes walk away from the field.

"The true record? Who holds that?" Harry asked.

Ron shivered. "Ginny."

Fred and George popped up behind them, grimly.

"We don't let Ginny de-gnome the garden anymore. For everyone's safety," George said.

"We've got to do this once a month at least. They always come back. They love it here. Dad's too soft with them; he thinks they're funny." Ron told him.

But just then, they noticed something creeping toward the gnomes. Something black and white and furry.

It latched onto the gnome, taking it down in one efficient kill.

"Well, almost always," Ron said, quite pale.

Harry didn't know cats could hunt down gnomes.


Mr. Weasley came home late that night, complaining about raids.

"Twelve raids! Twelve!" Mr. Weasley slumped into his chair. Thin with a balding hairline, Mr. Weasley was just as eccentric as they remembered, if not more.

He didn't even seem to notice the two new kids at the table until he had to do a doubletake as he spotted Harry's black hair.

"Did we have a new child, Molly-dear?" Mr. Weasley blinked in surprise

"Yes, Arthur. Harry and Mara arrived here this morning," Mrs. Weasley told him, "We'll be taking them to the train tomorrow."

"Mara?"

He had to look around until he spotted Mara right next to Harry. She gave him a little wave, cheeks pink.

"Oh. Sorry about that dear. You fit right in with your hair. A bit hard to pinpoint you when you're in a family of redheads," Mr. Weasley laughed.

After dinner which was an absurd amount of food, he took Harry and Mara to look at his car in the garage. Apparently, He'd charmed it to fly.

"IT's perfectly legal, of course," Mr. Weasley said, "There's a loophole, you see. As long as I don't intend to fly the car, the fact that it can fly doesn't mean anything. Oh, but I'd love to see what it'd be like if I could fly it. Maybe one day."

Fred told them the truth later, whispering in a not-so-subtle way, "Dad wrote that law. He fought tooth and nail to make sure that loophole was in there. Otherwise, half of his shed would be illegal."

Ron insisted on showing Harry his bedroom despite Harry already having seen it when he put his stuff up there. Harry let him have it anyway.

The Burrow, they found was much larger than they previously thought. From the outside, it looked like a simple homestead, except for the obvious renovations. Buildings of all sizes stacked upon each other until it looked like any simple breeze could topple it over.

Wizarding Aesthetics after all were creating things that looked like they'd fall over when whatever spell was holding it together failed.

Harry just thought they needed better Architecture.

On the inside, while it was just as chaotic, they found that every room had its purpose. No space was wasted as Ron led him to his room. On the first floor, he found the living and kitchen area. The second landing had a small plaque of "Arthur and Molly's room' on it.

The third, however, they found was ajar. Harry caught sight of a pair of brown eyes staring through the crack before the door shut with a snap.

"Ginny," Ron shook his head, "I swear she never shuts up normally."

Ron's room was on the third-fourth landing. The paint was peeling and a small plague on the room read 'RONALD'S ROOM'.

Stepping into Ron's room was like walking into a furnace. Everything from the walls to the floor, to the bedsheets, was a violent shade of orange. The second thing to notice is that all of the oranges were one thing.

Various posters are glued to the wall of a very familiar quidditch team.

Ron's spellbooks lay on the floor, looking relatively untouched next to his trunk. Harry's trunk and cage for Aura (which was unused for the most part), sat right where he put it by the door. On the windowsill was what looked like a tank full of tadpoles and right next to it, a cage with a familiar fat rat.

Scabbers was snoozing away as if he hadn't a care in the world.

Ron was watching him almost nervously as if waiting for his opinion.

"It's small, nothing like your mansion," Ron said, almost a hint of bitterness to it, "and I'm right underneath the ghoul in the attic -"

"Ron," Harry said, "Your room is amazing."

Ron grinned, his ears pink at the edges.


Maybe because it was her first time sleeping somewhere other than home or Hogwarts. Maybe it was the clanging from the attic which Ron had informed them was the ghoul who lived there.

Mrs. Weasley has been extremely kind. She'd conjured up a whole feast of food including all of Mara and Harry's favorite treats. Harry got his mouthwatering treacle pudding and Mara got a scrumptious chocolate cake. Fred and George had rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster Fireworks; the kitchen had been lit up with various red and green fireworks bouncing off the walls for at least an hour.

Then it was time for one last cup of hot chocolate as they sat around in the living room, surrounded by the loving Weasley family. Harry and Mara had felt awkward at first like they were intruding but Ron and the twins had been so eager to pull them into conversations, acting like they'd been living there for years.

Before bed, Mara had even gotten a message on her journal from Mom. She had written how sorry she was for being called out and that she'll see her at Christmas. Mara traced her mother's written 'I love you' for hours before it was time for bed.

They'd conjured her a second bed and somehow fit it into Ginny's small room. She had pillows and blankets and even Breena sleeping at her feet, a comforting warmth.

But her eyes wouldn't close.

Maybe because it was her first time sleeping somewhere other than home or Hogwarts. Maybe it was the clanging from the attic which Ron had informed them was the ghoul who lived there.

Mara sighed for the fifteenth time that night as she sat up in bed. Ginny was so snuggled up in her bed, that Mara could only see strands of her hair. The girl had stuttered the entire time they were getting ready to sleep but she'd fallen asleep rather easily.

At least she didn't snore like her brother.

Tomorrow, they'd be returning to Hogwarts as second years.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared. Everything that happened last year had been terrifying and there were still so many questions remaining. So many mysteries to solve.

And Harry.

Mara could be naive sometimes but she wasn't stupid. Something terrible had happened down in that chamber last year. Something that scared her brother.

She remembers seeing the mirror and Quirrel but then nothing. When she woke in the hospital, both she and Harry were in rough shape, the stone was gone and Quirrel was dead.

Harry didn't say anything about it after that but that wasn't anything new. Even after he'd promised after the Nicholas Flamel debacle, he was still keeping secrets from her.

Some habits don't change so easily, do they?

As Mara sat on the bed, worrying about her fate, it was Breena who noticed a sudden surge of magic.

A loud "POP!" from downstairs, heard only faintly by her enhanced hearing. Her ears tilted in the direction and she got to her paws, a growl rumbling in her chest.

An intruder.

And a familiar one at that.

"Breena, what's wrong?" Mara whispered, eyeing Ginny's form so she didn't wake up.

'Stay here,' Breena ordered, and then she jumped off the bed, growling as she ran down the stairs and out of sight.

"Breena!" Mara cried and then slammed her hands over her mouth.

In the other bed, Ginny stirred, rolling to her side with a groan and then falling silent once more. Mara grabbed her new wand and hurried after Breena as quietly as she could, heading downstairs where she heard her familiar growling. Their bond was lit up with Breena's anger, and her fierce protectiveness.

At the sound of yowling and a high-pitched squeal that was most decidedly not human, Mara didn't care about being quiet any longer. She jumped down the last few steps, ignoring the sudden pain in her heel.

Mara rounded into the kitchen and halted in her tracks.

Breena had certainly caught the intruder.

For it was a house-elf.

And this one, she didn't recognize.

With large bat-ears and huge bulging eyes like all of his kind, he was much different from any house-elf she'd seen before.

Tilly, their own, wore a uniform, dressed proudly in the colors of the house she served. This one wore what looked like a very old and very dirty pillowcase. All around his wrinkled skin were various bruises and open wounds, there was even dried blood on his pillowcase.

Breena had a hold of him, teeth and claws sunken into the poor elf's flesh as he yelped and pleaded for mercy from the feline.

"Breena!" Mara shouted, "Stop it!"

And Breena let go. She jumped off the elf-like she had been burned. The poor elf sobbed, curled up in a ball on the ground. Mara's head ached at the sight.

'This thing had been trying to get to you for weeks!' Breena snarled, 'It is my duty to destroy it!'

"It's okay, Mara. He won't hurt me, I don't think." Mara said, "But thank you for protecting me."

'I won't allow a potential threat around you,' Breena snarled.

"Give me a chance to talk to him. House-Elves normally never attack wizards unless ordered to." Mara said, "You can stay here with me and if he does anything funny, he's all yours."

Breena was still unhappy, her tail thrashing behind her but she lamented, going to stand beside Mara's legs, eyes on the intruder at all times.

The House-Elf meanwhile finally got to his feet, snot and tears running down his wrinkled face unpleasantly. He reached down and blew his nose into his pillowcase.

"Er-" Mara started, a bit grossed out by the elf's clothing, "Hello."

"Amaryllis Potter! The Girl-Who-Lived!" The Elf cried, "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you… Such an honor it is…"

"Uh, it's cool. Just call me Mara," She said awkwardly. "So, your name is Dobby?"

"Yesus, Miss! Dobby the house-elf. At your service," And he bent low enough that his nose was touching the ground.

"Uh, not that you're not welcome here, because that's definitely not the case but what are you doing here?" Mara asked.

"Oh, yes, Ma'am," Dobby nodded his head enthusiastically at her, his eyes wide with worry, "Dobby has come to warn you….But Dobby is not sure where to begin…"

"Um, how about at the beginning? You're tied to a house, right? Who is your family?"

Dobby's eyes bulged out of his head and quickly filled with tears.

"Family? Dobby's family?" The little elf burst into sobs, once more crying into his tunic. "Dobby can't say! Dobby's family can't know Dobby is here! They will punish Dobby! But Dobby had to come! Dobby must warn Amaryllis Potter!"

"All right, that's okay." Mara tried to reassure him but Dobby only let out another piercing wail and lurched towards the nearest object, which just so happened to be an old rusty pan. As he slammed it onto his head repeatedly, he cried "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Breena, stop him!" Mara ordered in alarm.

Breena pounced at her command, tackling the house-elf and knocking the pan out of his hands in the process. It fell to the floor in a clatter and Mara winced, nervously checking the staircase, hoping nobody woke from that.

Breena snarled into the elf's face, pinning him to the floor despite being only half his size. The elf curled into a ball, whimpering once more.

'Quiet, vermin!' Breena hissed.

Mara slid to her knees beside them, nervously picking at the edges of her nails. She wanted to reach out to comfort the poor elf but she knew better. She couldn't allow any more noise. It was a miracle nobody had woken up yet.

"Please, calm down, Dobby. I won't mention your family anymore, I promise," Mara whispered to him, hoping to appease him.

Once Dobby's sobs had stopped, Mara gestured for Breena to let him go. Breena did so, but reluctantly, her tail thrashing in anger.

"Now what did you come to warn me about?" She asked softly as the elf sat next to her. He rubbed his nose, sniffling.

"Dobby has heard of your greatness but not your goodness, Ma'am," Dobby's eyes shone in watery gratefulness, "Even if Dobby must shut his hands in an oven for coming, Dobby had to! Dobby heard tell that Amaryllis Potter has met the Dark Lord for a second time…that Missus escaped yet again!"

"Um, I don't remember, Dobby," Mara said embarrassedly, "I don't know what happened last year. That's what everybody says though."

But Dobby didn't seem to care. He dabbed his face with his pillowcase, wiping any tears and snot.

"Amaryllis Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers! That is why Dobby has come, to protect Amaryllis Potter, to warn her!"

"Warn me of what?" Mara said impatiently.

"Amaryllis Potter must not go back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year!"

Seconds passed, then minutes. Dobby stared up at her anxiously but it was like everything had gone cloudy.

"What?" is all she could say, eyes wide.

"There is a plot! A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," Dobby whispered, trembling like she was shaking him, "Dobby has known it for months, Ma'am. Amaryllis Potter must not put herself in peril! She is too important!"

"Terrible things? Like what? Who is plotting them?" Mara asked in rapid-fire, her brain whirling a million miles an hour.

Dobby made a choking sound, lurching to the nearest item but Mara grabbed hold of him, pinning his arms.

"Okay, you can't say, I get it." She hissed. "But why are you telling me this? Does this have anything to do with V- You-know-who?"

Dobby lurched for the wall again but Mara groaned, grabbing him and sitting him down once more.

"Just shake your head. You don't have to say anything. Yes or no." Mara told him firmly.

With wide eyes, Dobby slowly shook his head, looking as if he was trying to give Mara a hint, a clue on something she couldn't figure out. Mara frowned, completely lost.

"Then who else?"

Dobby whimpered, eyes following the wall dangerously.

Mara groaned. "Look, Hogwarts is the most protected area besides Gringotts itself! It's protected by Dumbledore. Nobody would dare to do anything with him protecting me."

"Like last year, Ma'am?" Dobby shot slyly.

Mara stiffened.

"Look, Dobby. I'll take your warning to heart, I promise but I have to go back to Hogwarts. You know the consequences of untrained witches and wizards, Dobby. Do you want me to lose my magic? Would that be a better alternative?"

Dobby choked, tears welling in his eyes as he shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, no. That cannot happen! Amaryllis Potter is too important! Too good!"

"Then I have to go back," Mara said firmly.

"No, Amaryllis Potter cannot go back to Hogwarts!" Dobby shook his head.

"What do you want from me, Dobby? I have to go and I can't go back. You're not giving me a good choice here!" Mara threw her hands up, frustrated.

"Amaryllis Potter must say she will not go back to Hogwarts!" Dobby cried.

"No," Mara crossed her arms, "I understand that you want to protect me but I have to go."

"Then you leave Dobby with no choice!" Dobby snapped his fingers and all of the pots and pans lifted into the air, hovering.

Mara paled. "Dobby, what are you doing?"

"Dobby must protect Amaryllis Potter!" Dobby cried.

"Breena!" Mara shouted in a panic, lifting her wand to a panic.

Just as Dobby snapped his fingers and all of the pots and pans started to fall, Breena rushed at him but with a loud pop, Dobby was gone.

"Silencio!" Mara cast around the kitchen. The magic fell over them just as the pots and pans fell to the ground. The resulting sound was loud enough to wake a herd of elephants. Mara clutched her ringing ears, groaning in pain.

Breena was even worse, curling into a ball, batting her paws at her ears.

'It hurts-' Breena whimpered.

"I'm sorry, Breena," Mara said, her voice quieter than she thought it should be. The sound was still ringing in her ears.

Once it stopped, she looked around at the mess the house-elf had left. The Pots and Pans on the floor, on the counters, thrown everywhere like there had been a hurricane.

"Oh, bollocks," Mara groaned. She looked down at her wand, her untraceable one with a pale face.

Wizarding Households had difficulty determining underage magic being cast due to so many magical in one place. They regulated it with the trace cast on all wands.

Except for this one.

If Mara had cast that magic with her regular wand, no doubt either she or the Weasley kids would get in trouble. And an investigation would quickly reveal which wand was the culprit. She could've been expelled for underage magic, not to mention the fine slapped on the Weasleys for allowing it.

Mara swallowed heavily. No doubt Dobby knew that. Hence why he had done it in the first place. Luckily for her, Harry had thought ahead.

She got lucky this time but knew Dobby wouldn't be giving up, especially if this terrible plot he mentioned is truly happening.

'What do we do?' Breena whined, still curled up.

"Fix this mess and then go back to bed," Mara sighed, "We're still going to Hogwarts."

"What about the bird?'

"Bird?" Mara asked and then swung around to see right on the banister to the stairs, was perched Aura, looking at them curiously.

'How long have you been there?"

'Barrier,' Breena deadpanned.

"Oh, right," Mara said, then thought, 'How long have you been there?"

But then she remembered Aura couldn't speak still. She'd only said a few words to Harry but not much since then. Harry hasn't had any luck with getting her to talk either.

Mara facepalmed then looked pleadingly at her brother's familiar, 'Don't tell Harry, please. Let me handle this on my own.'

Aura tilted her head and then gave a low chirp.

'Please. Harry kept secrets from me. Give me this.'

For a moment, the two stared at one another, locked in a battle of wills but then Aura chirped and took off up the stairs.

'She agreed,' Breena muttered. 'Now how are we going to fix this?'

"With magic, of course," Mara twirled her wand.

Relief settled in her chest knowing that Aura would keep her secret. She didn't have time to feel bad about it, either.

Harry wasn't the only one keeping secrets anymore.