Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter.

Mere Memory 5

Phone Calls and Beach Balls

Lucius Malfoy stared at the man. Who was he and how did he know who he was? Lucius opened his dry mouth. "We really know each other?"

"Yes, Lucius," said the man, twisting his goatee around his finger. "We are united by the Dark Mark."

He pulled up his left sleeve to show him a tattoo of a skull with a snake protruding from the mouth. Because Lucius was too weak to check his own arm, the man had to do it for him.

"This…this is the Dark Mark?" Lucius asked. "I think…I remember now but how?"

"Must've been quite the confusing concoction you had, Lucius," the man said with a grin. "Yes, I found you lying in the desert here, about fifty miles away. Looks like you had a bit of trouble apparation because you're missing a few body parts."

Lucius gasped and turned his eyes to the covers covering his body. Were his legs gone? Was he missing a certain part of his male anatomy? Seeing the worried look on Lucius' face, the goateed man grinned.

"Oh, relax, Lucius," he said, "it was only your hair and left ear. I was able to mend your ear back but…I decided to leave your hair behind. I don't think you'll need that. Have you forgotten how to Apparate? Destination, Determination, Deliberation…did you have a destination in mind when you Apparated?"

"Who are you?" Lucius asked again, ignoring the Apparation recap.

"Lucius, it's me," he replied, "Igor Karkaroff."

Karkaroff? That named sounded familiar.

"You may need some time to remember everything," Igor mumbled, rising to his feet. "I'll bring you some food and then we must have a little chat about The Dark Lord."

--

As the summer continued on, Serena spent much of her time with Tom. They went for walks in the park, played video games in the arcade and watched movies. Within time, Tom adjusted to the fifty-year difference. Serena made it easy. Serena was pleased to see that Tom and Sammy were getting on all right. Sammy sort of looked up to Tom like an older brother. Serena and Tom spent time with Molly and Melvin and Serena felt a little guilty about not telling the other scouts about Tom's identity. She knew she couldn't keep the secret forever. She would have to tell them soon, but she was just having so much being with her new friend. She almost forgot all about Darien—until he called one morning—and Tom was the one who picked up.

Tom and Serena were the only ones at home that day. Tom was looking at the encyclopedias to catch up on everything he missed in the last fifty years and Serena was in the shower. The phone rang and Tom wasn't sure to do. He couldn't get Serena; the water had just stopped running so he couldn't just go get her. He was the only one that could answer it. Tom set the book down and went to answer the phone. He wasn't sure what to say: "Tsukino Residence?" "Tsukinos?" "Hello?"

He decided to go simple. He cleared his throat as he reached for the phone. "Hello?" he said.

"Sammy?" said a male voice. "Your voice sure changed!"

"This isn't Sammy," Tom muttered.

"You're not? I guess you must be one of his friends."

"Well, not really," said Tom, "who's this?"

"I'm Darien, Serena's boyfriend," said Darien.

Tom's hand tightened around the phone and Darien should be happy not to see Tom's lip curl into a sneer. "Oh? So you're Darien."

"Yes, that's right," said Darien, slightly confused. "Who are you? Why are you answering the phone?"

"I'm Serena's friend," Tom replied, sounding pompous. "I'm living with her."

"YOU'RE WHAT!" Darien bellowed. "Where's Serena? Put her on the phone!"

"Sorry, mate," said Tom, his English accent getting thicker by the moment. "I don't think I can dothat. She's in the shower."

Thousands of miles away, Darien straight up from is desk. Tom head the chair flip over and he had to hold back a laugh.

"The shower?"

"Yes, the shower," Tom repeated, "she always takes her morning shower at this time. Didn't you know that? Did you get confused with the time?"

"Serena's taking a shower with you there?"

"Yes she is."

"Well, the rest of the family must be there then. Serena wouldn't take a shower with a strange guy in the house."

"Actually, she would because she is," said Tom, "but I'm not strange."

"Where is everyone?" Darien asked.

"Out," said Tom, "Mrs. Tsukino is shopping. Mr. Tsukino is at work and Sammy is out playing with some friends."

"If you've touched, Serena…." Darien said threateningly.

Tom laughed. "Relax, mate, I'm just staying over here for a while. I'm a foreign exchange student from England."

"That explains the accent," said Darien, "look, buddy, what are you doing at Serena's?"

"I told you," Tom said, "I'm a foreign exchange student. I guess she just forgot to tell you about me."

"School hasn't started yet," Darien said, "you can't be there now."

"Oh, but I am," Tom insisted, "it's really nice down here in the summer. I'm having a lot of fun here with Serena."

"Look you—English muffin—I want to talk to Serena!"

Tom's dark hungry eyes narrowed dangerously. His blood boiled and the hand holding the phone began to shake. "What. Did. You. Call. Me?"

"You heard me!"

"No one talks to me that way!" Tom snarled and something over in Darien's room fell from the ceiling.

"What the?" Darien said in surprise.

"Don't call again, Darien," Tom said.

"I can call if I want to!" Darien yelled. "This is my girlfriend's house!"

"Well, Darien, Serena's busy right now," Tom muttered, "so maybe I'll tell her that you phoned."

"Maybe? Now just wait a second you---"

"Ta Ta, Darien!" Tom shouted in a not so friendly voice. He brought the phone down.

"Is that Darien?" Serena asked, entering the room. She was wearing a bathrobe and a towel turban style around her head. She looked so clean and fresh—smelled like it too.

"Serena," Tom mumbled, "er…you're done with your shower already?"

"Yes," said Serena, walking up to take the phone, "thanks for getting it."

"My pleasure," Tom murmured, stepping away so she could take the call.

"Hi Darien!" Serena said cheerily in the phone.

"Who was that?" Darien demanded.

"Who was what?"

"That British guy—is he one of Sammy's friends? Was he just joking?"

"Oh, you mean Tom?" Serena asked.

"Whatever," said Darien, "he said he's an exchange student."

"That's right," Serena replied, "he's very nice."

"What the heck were you doing taking a shower with him in the house?" Darien demanded.

"Oh relax, Darien," Serena said, "don't be so jealous. Tom's all right."

Tom shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked sourly away from the phone. It was lucky that Darien was in the States so he couldn't see how angry he made Tom. Things would've gotten very ugly if they were arguing in person. Tom already hated him and he had only just spoke to him. Why was Serena going out with that—that Muggle? There was someone much better for her right here.

Tom tried to read books and look at movies while Serena talked to Darien for hours. It wasn't easy how Serena kept talking to Darien, telling him to stay in school, wishing him luck all over the place, telling him that she missed him too. It was enough to make Tom sick. Finally she wished him goodbye and entered the room with Tom.

"Darien just wanted to tell me he settled in his new apartment fine," Serena stated.

"Good," said Tom.

"I guess he got quite a shock when you answered the phone," she said.

"I'm sorry," Tom murmured, lowering his book. "You were in the shower. Should I have let the machine get it?"

"Oh, no, that's okay," she said casually. "You're staying here now so you can answer the phone. I'm sure by the time school starts; it will be ringing for you!" She winked at him.

Tom smiled. "Yes, I'm looking forward to it."

"What do you want to do today?" Serena asked. "It's really pretty outside—how about we go to the beach?"

"The beach?" Tom asked, looking slightly nervous.

"Yeah," Serena took Tom's arm. "I think you could use some sun after those fifty years."

"Oh, Serena, I," Tom mumbled, "I've never been much of a swimmer. They never really showed us how in the orphanage."

"You've been to the beach though, haven't you?"

"Well, yes," said Tom, "the orphanage would take us there on some daytrips. But all I really did was just…walk around and read. I didn't like to go into the water."

"It's all right," said Serena, "you don't have to. It's just so nice out and it'd be a shame to waste it."

"Well, okay," said Tom.

"We'll have to get you a swimsuit," Serena said, "oh, but I guess I should've worn you—swimsuits are a lot different than they were in the forties!"

"How different?" Tom asked.

"You'll see,' Serena said playfully. "Oh, I hope I can still fit in my bikini."

"Bikini?" Tom mumbled.


Swimsuit shopping with Serena was plenty different than getting clothes. It was weird but interesting too. There were all sorts of swimsuits in the shops. The bikinis hanging on the rack shocked Tom half to death.

"This is a swimsuit?" he asked Serena, pointing at a black strapless bikini with white polka dots.

Serena laughed and put her arms around Tom's arm. "Yeah, but don't worry, Tom. They're not for guys! I won't make you try it on!"

"You mean…girls wear these?" he inquired.

"Yeah, I have a couple bikinis myself," she said, "they're called bikinis. Come on, the guys' swimsuits are over here."

She pulled Tom over to the men's department and pointed at the swimming trunks. "See?"

Tom wasn't sure what to think. They weren't so as outrageous as the girls' swimsuits but these sort of reminded him of underwear. Serena dragged him along, grabbing different trunks and pushing them into his arms.

"What's your favorite color, Tom?" Serena asked, pulling more trunks from the racks.

"Er…green," said Tom.

"Okay," said Serena and she looked for more green trunks. "Oh, and we should get you some flip flops too!"

"Flip flops, what, sorry?" Tom said through the mountain of swimming wear he was holding.

"They're shoes!" she said with a smile, thoroughly excited to be getting up-to-date swimwear for her new friend. It was so weird but so cool to meet someone from fifty years ago. It was like an adventure.

"Oh, look at these cool Hawaiian shirts!" Serena cried. "Tom, you'll look so cool in one of those!"

"What?"

After grabbing a couple shirts, trunks, flip flops and sunglasses, Serena pushed Tom toward the dressing rooms. "Now come out and show me, all right?"

"Serena, I--," Tom mumbled, "I don't feel right about this."

"Oh come on," she insisted, "I want to see what you look like in them!"

Tom sighed and entered the dressing room. How could the world's greatest sorcerer get stuck in a situation like this? Tom wished that this was just a dream. Nevertheless, he tried the clothes on but he didn't look in the mirror as he dressed. He didn't want to see how stupid he looked until he had them on. He dressed really slowly and he could hear Serena call for him.

"Come on out, Tom! Don't be shy!"

Tom groaned as he put the pair of trunks on and pulled one the shirts on him. He turned the mirror to look at himself. He backed up into the wall, staring open-mouthed at his reflection. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or scream.

"Oh Merlin…" he mumbled.

Slowly, Tom opened the door and stepped out of the stall of his dressing room. There in the hall was a guy wearing a suit and tie checking himself in the mirror and talking to his friend.

"Should I get it?" the guy was asking his friend.

"Yeah," said his friend dryly, sounding bored to death. He must've had to watch his friend try on clothes all day.

"What if I don't get the job?" the guy asked self consciously. "What if they don't like the color of my suit? Or…what if they asked where I bought it?"

"Come on man," his friend said tiredly, "they can't choose not to hire you just because of where you bought your suit."

"Maybe the jacket's too much…should I just wear a sweater vest?"

"I don't know," his friend groaned. "Look, it's for a sushi bar, not the FBI!"

The boys noticed Tom in his get up and chuckled. "Hey, you've got your trunks on backwards, dude."

"I what?" Tom asked, looking down. "Oh no!"

Tom gasped and went back in his room to turn his trunks back around, making sure that the tag was in the back. The two boys were still there.

"Hey, your girlfriend's asking for you," the one trying on the suit said.

"She's not my girlfriend," Tom scowled.

"She's not?" asked the other boy. "She's cute! What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem," Tom grunted, striding out the dressing room. The boys stood still and they heard Serena's squeal of excitement.

"Maybe I should ask her what she thinks of my suit?" the boy trying things on asked.

"Oh Tom, you look great!" Serena exclaimed, hugging the stunned and embarrassed Tom Riddle.

"Can we go now?" Tom asked nervously.

"No, silly, you still have to try on the others!" Serena giggled. "How about those purple and black striped one next?"

"Okay," Tom groaned, walking back to the dressing rooms as if he were on his way to be executed.


It took about an hour for Tom to model everything for Serena. She approved for nearly all the outfits he wore, though she got a little nit picky over one or two.

"Those just don't look right," she had said one pair.

They settled on two pairs of trunks, one shirt, a pair of flip flops and sunglasses. They went back to her house to collect towels and change into their swimsuits.

"I'll call Molly and ask her to join us," she said. "The more the merrier."

"Great," Tom said in not so excited voice.

As Serena reached for the phone, it rang. "Huh?" she mumbled in surprise.

Serena picked up the phone and answered. "Hello?"

"Serena, it's Raye," said Raye.

"Oh, hi, Raye," Serena said, "what's up?"

"It's been weeks since we found that weird book," Raye told her, "and you haven't told us anything. What have you found?"

"The book?" Serena asked.

"Come on, Serena," Raye said tiredly, "that book we found after fighting that witch and her little pets."

"Oh…right!" Serena chuckled, leaning back into the wall. "I forgot!"

Raye groaned. "You mean you didn't find out what it was about?"

Serena paused and looked down the hall where Tom had gone. She couldn't tell Raye and the girls about him now. She wasn't going to let them get in the way.

"I lost it," Serena lied.

"What? Serena! You used to be really good until now! What the heck happened?"

"Nothing," Serena said, "look, it didn't look like it was evil or anything. Anyway, I don't know where it is. I think maybe Sammy picked it up to use as a school notebook or something. Look, Raye, I've got to go. I need to call Molly."

"Serena!" Raye yelled. "We need to have a scout meeting!"

"No we don't," Serena said firmly, "we're not under attack. Bye, Raye."

"Serena, wait!"

Serena hung up on her, sighed and shook her head. "Sorry, Raye…"

Raye frowned at the phone and slammed it down. "What's your problem, meatball head?"

Serena picked the phone up again and called up Molly. "Be there, come on," Serena said as the phone rang.

"Hello?" it was Mrs. Baker.

"Hi, Mrs. Baker. It's Serena, can I talk to Molly?"

"Sure, Serena," said Mrs. Baker and she called for Molly.

"Hi, Serena, what's up?" Molly asked.

"Hey, Moll," Serena said, "Tom and I are going to the beach this afternoon. You and Melvin want to join us?"

"I do," said Molly, "but I'm not sure about Melvin. I'll give him a call."

"Yeah, bring him, bribe him if you have to," Serena said, close to giggles. "I think Tom would feel really weird with two girls. He'd want another guy to talk to, I'm sure."

"Okay," said Molly, "we'll meet you at the beach at three."

"Sounds good," Serena said, hanging up and hurrying to her room to change into her swimsuit. "Hurry Tom, we're meeting Molly and Melvin at three!"


Tom and Serena arrived at the beach and looked for Melvin and Molly. Serena was wearing her bikini under cut off jeans and a pink tank top. Tom was holding the the blanket and picnic basket and he was glad too. He had to use the items sometimes to shield his view from all the girls. He was nearly about to get a nosebleed with all the girls in skimpy bikins and two-pieces. He tried just looking at his feet. He'd never see something like this in the forties—never!

"Where're Melvin and Molly?" Serena wondered out loud. "Do you see them, Tom?"

"No, I didn't see anything!" Tom exclaimed, as if Serena had asked something else. His pale face went pink.

"Hey, Serena!" Molly yelled from a spot on the beach. She jumped up from a colorful blanket and went to greet them. Melvin was sitting under a beach umbrella reading a book on marine life, with sunscreen on his nose. Molly was wearing a yellow and purple striped one piece.

"Cute swimsuit, Molly!" said Serena.

"Thanks," Molly said.

"I hope you guys haven't been waiting long" Serena said, reaching for her tank top and preparing to remove it. Tom cleared his throat and set down the picnic basket.

"A—all right, Melvin?" he stammered, trying to act cool.

"Yeah," said Melvin, "nice to see you--whoa—you look great Serena!"

"Melvin!" Molly exclaimed, slapping in the back of the head.

With Melvin's outburst, Tom had no choice but to look. Serena definitely did look great in her bikini. It was pink with the straps tied around her neck and around her back. The bottom piece also had strings tied into loops on her hips. Serena had a nice stomach, arms, legs and everything. Tom couldn't stop staring. His tongue couldn't work.

"What do you think?" Serena asked Tom, posing.

Molly laughed. "I don't think he can right now!"

"I'll take that as a 'you look nice, Serena,'" Serena said, sitting down to pick up sunscreen. "Tom, come here, let me put some on your back. You could do mine later."

"Okay…" Tom mumbled walking over. Serena smiled and made him sit down. Serena removed his shirt, much under Tom's resistance.

"Tom, you'll need some sunscreen so you won't burn," she said mindfully, squirting a gob of sunscreen in her hands and rubbing them onto Tom's back. Tom flinched.

"You look like you need a tan," Molly said, "you'll have one before the day's over."

As Serena put sunscreen on Tom, Melvin talked all about marine life facts, seashells and the like. He even talked about stuff that made no sense.

"Melvin, monkeys can't swim," Molly said scornfully, "and they don't have scales instead of fur."

"No, these aren't ordinary monkeys, Molly," Melvin insisted, "they just look like them. And they drink human blood!"

"That does sound weird, Melvin," Serena said. "I've never seen those before."

"Hey, Tom, you believe me, right?" Melvin asked.

"Sure," Tom said, unsure what he was talking about.

"There you go, Tom," Serena said, patting his shoulders. "Could you do me next?"

"Er, all right," he said and they switched places.

Serena lay down on her stomach and moved her long tresses out of the way. Tom shakily squirted some sunscreen into his palm, rubed his palms together and put them on Serena's upperback. He moved his hands to one shoulder and to the other for a while until he got enough nerve to rub lotion on Serena's lower back.

'It's not so bad,' he told himself. 'It's you here with her and not Darien. Just relax.'

"Mmm, that feels so good," Serena moaned into the blanket. "Thanks, Tom."

"My pleasure," said Tom, feeling a little more confident.

Serena pushed herself and began lotioning up her arms, tummy and legs. "What do you guys want to do first?"

"Hey," said Molly, picking up a large beach ball. "Let's toss the ball around."

"Sounds like fun," Serena said.

They went to a vacant volleyball net with Serena and Tom on one side and Molly and Melvin on the other. Tom couldn't believe he was starting to enjoy himself. He almost forgot that he was a wizard. Here he was with Muggles (even though he knew Serena wasn't all-muggle), wearing Muggle clothes, playing a Muggle game. When he was at the Muggle orphanage the other orphans never included him. Tom really didn't care however. He had his magic to keep him busy. But it would've been nice to at least have one person in that whole orphanage he felt that he could talk to, spend time with. All the other orphans were the same. They hated Tom.

Being the tallest of the three, it was easy for Tom to hit the beach ball over the net. Every time he did, Serena cheered and jumped up into his arms. The game was going well until the ball hit Serena in the head.

"Ouch!" she cried, throwing her hands up to her head..

"Oh, sorry, Serena," Molly called.

Tom held back a laugh as he walked up to Serena, putting his arm around her. "Are you all right, Serena?"

"That hurt," Serena moaned, "I think that's enough of that."

"Let's go swimming," said Melvin, "you coming?"

"No thanks," said Tom.

"You two go on a head," Serena told Melvin and Molly. "Tom, you want to build a sand castle with me?"

Tom smiled. It sounded like more fun than swimming, throwing the beach ball around or anything else. "Yeah, okay."

"Come on," Serena said, taking him by the hand and leading him to a good sandy spot by the water.

"Oh, I should've brought pails with me," she said with a frown. "They make it easier."

"Hey, don't worry," Tom said with a grin. "I've got a great castle in mind."

Tom went on making the castle in his mind. It was a perfect sand model of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with even the greenhouses and the lake to go with it. Serena was very impressed.

"It looks so real!" Serena exclaimed.

'That's because it is,' Tom wanted to say. But he knew Serena would ask where the castle was and how he got there. He was surprised that even after all this time; he remembered exactly how Hogwarts looked. Though he knew when he first arrived at Hogwarts that he would never forget it. It was the only place that felt like home.

After making the sand Hogwarts, Tom and Serena went on a walk with Melvin and Molly. They picked up seashells and things as they went. They came up to a rocky ridge and they had to climb it.

"It's so pretty from here," Serena said once they made it to the top. "What do you think, Tom?"

"Yes, it's great," he said, though he didn't like it very much. "Let's go back down, shall we?"

"Okay," Serena replied, "I'm getting kind of hungry."

As Tom began climbing down, he slipped and fell into the water. Serena gasped and went to the edge.

"Tom!" she cried out. "Oh no!"

"I hope he didn't hurt himself on the way down," Molly mumbled.

"I'm going ot get him," Melvin stated, handing his glasses to Molly. "Hold these."

"But Melvin," Molly protested, "we need to get a lifeguard!"

"There's no time!" Melvin yelled, jumping into the water after Tom.

Serena sank down to her knees, hanging over the rocky ridge. "Tom, please be all right! Oh this is all my fault!"

"No it isn't, Serena," said Molly.

"I made him come to the beach with me," Serena said tearfully. "He didn't want to. Oh, if anything happens to him I'll never forgive myself."

Molly frowned and put her hand on Serena's shoulder. She looked out into the water and saw to heads break the surface. "I see them!" she called out.

"Tom?" Serena mumbled, bringing her hands from her face.

"Come on," Molly said, "be careful. We don't' want you falling in too."

They climbed back down with great care. Once Serena's feet hit the ground, she ran into the water after Tom and Melvin.

"Tom! Oh, Tom!"

"He's not hurt," Melvin said, gasping. "He'll be okay."

He and Serena pulled Tom onto the sandy beach. Exhausted, Melvin sat down on the ground. Tom coughed up water until he was able to breathe normally.

"Tom, I was so worried!" Serena sobbed, falling down next to him and throwing her arms around him.

"I—I'll be all right," he mumbled. "What happened?"

"You fell in," said Molly, pointing out to the water. "Melvin went out to get you."

"You…you saved me?" Tom asked Melvin.

"Hey, you would've done the same for me," Melvin said.

Tom frowned. If it had been Melvin who fell in the water, would Tom really go in after him? Tom didn't know what to think being in debt to a Muggle.

"Tom, I'm so sorry for dragging you to the beach," Serena said, "it's my fault you nearly drowned."

"Don't be like that," Tom said, "I'll be fine."

"You want to go back home?" Serena asked. "I'll understand if you don't want to stay here anymore."

"No, it's okay," said Tom, "we can stay for a little longer."

"Yeah, let's eat," Molly said, "didn't you guys bring a picnic basket?"

"We did," Tom mumbled, "let's go back to where we were and eat. Then we can go."

After they had a picnic lunch of sandwiches and soda, they got ice cream cones at the parlor. Tom was amazed with all the different flavors to choose from. They ate their ice creams, said their goodbyes and departed.

"Did you have fun, Tonm?" Serena asked on their way back home. "I mean really."

"Yeah, I did," said Tom, "really."

"I almost lost you again," Serena said sadly. "I'm sorry I made you come to the beach with me."

Tom stopped, dropped the picnic basket and turned to Serena. "It's all right, Serena. Listen. You don't need to apologize. I ought to be thanking you for bringing me here today."

"What?" Serena asked, confused.

"Being trapped in a book for fifty years isn't a lot of fun," Tom told her. "All I could do was just sit and wait. I couldn't do anything. I didn't have anyone to talk to. It was like I wasn't even alive. I couldn't eat and I couldn't even feel anything. But you freed me from my prison Serena and I feel alive."

Serena smiled faintly. "Oh, Tom."

"So even if I nearly drowned," said Tom, "it doesn't matter. It reminded me of what it's like to live."

Serena moved into his arms and sighed. "I'm so glad you're okay and that you're not mad at me."

"I've got no reason to be mad at you, Serena," he said softly, sniffing her hair. "Come on, let's get back home."


Though Sailor V had plenty to do by keeping both the Muggle and wizarding world safe, she wanted sneak a peek on Harry Potter. She always had a thing for idol and for guys. She traveled to Surrey to look for him.

As she hopped rooftop to rooftop, she saw a group of teenagers cornering a younger kid.

"What'd you say?" said a large blond boy. "What'd you call me?"

"I called you a fat idiot," said the younger boy. "So leave me alone, Dudley."

The boy named Dudley punched the kid in the face. The other boys around Dudley jeered.

"Nice going, Dud!"

"Dudley!" yelled a thinner teenager with black unruly hair and glasses. "Dudley, leave that kid alone!"

"Harry, you're not supposed to be out of the house!" Dudley shocked.

"Harry?" Sailor V said thoughtfully, squatting down on the rooftop. "Could that be Harry Potter?"

"So what?" Harry demanded. "Leave the kid alone or you'll have me to deal with. And you wouldn't like that, would you?"

The coast clear, the young kid scrambled to his feet and ran off. Grinning, Harry pulled a stick out of his pocket.

"What's that?" Piers mumbled, pointing at the Harry's wand.

"Uh oh," Sailor V whispered, "this isn't good. Harry could get in trouble again."

Before Harry could shout an incantation or Dudley could throw a punch, Sailor V jumped off the treetop and landed between Dudley and Harry.

"Hello," said Sailor V, putting her hands on her hips. "Mind if I cut in?"

"Oh my gosh!" Dudley cried. "It's Sailor V!"

"I didn't know she was real," mumbled Dennis stupidly.

"Well I am," Sailor V announced, "and I'm really going to kick your butt!"

She kicked Dennis and Malcolm across the head and punched Piers so he went flying into Malcolm. As she advance don Dudley, he cried and fell to his knees.

"Please don't hurt me!" he said. "I'm your number one fan! I want to be a sailor scout like you someday!"

Sailor V looked like she was about to be sick and behind her, Harry cracked up laughing. It took a while for Sailor V to find her voice.

"Well, it takes lots of hard work and training to become a sailor scout," Sailor V said, "only special people can be sailor scouts…"

"Oh, you mean only girls can be sailor scouts?" Dudley asked.

"What was your first clue?" Harry asked, walking up behind Sailor V.

Sailor V grinned and winked at Harry. "That's right," she said, turning her attention to Dudley. "But you can be a superhero by being nice to your cousin."

"Do I have to?" Dudley asked, crestfallen.

"Yes," Sailor V said.

"All right," Dudley mumbled, "I'll do it for you, Sailor V!"

Dudley grabbed Sailor V's hand and kissed it. She let out a shocked gasp. She quickly pulled her hand free.

"Er, good," she said awkwardly. "Bye."

She stepped away from Dudley then winked at Harry again before going away.

"Wow, I just saw Sailor V," Dudley said in amazement. "Isn't that cool, Harry?"

"Yeah, it is," said Harry, "you know she's magical—like me."

"No she isn't!" Dudley yelled. "She's not a freak like you!"

"Nah-ah-ah!" Harry scolded. "What was it that Sailor V about you being nice to me for now on?"

Dudley frowned and folded his arms. "Come on, let's get back home."

As Dudley and Harry returned to number four Privet Drive, Sailor V followed them from rooftop to rooftop. She jumped onto the rooftop of the Dursleys' household and sat above Harry's window. She could hear him reading his books and talking to his pet owl.

"You wouldn't believe what happened today, Hedwig," he said, "I saw Sailor V! I hope to see her again soon someday. I think she's brilliant."

Sailor V grinned. 'Maybe you will someday, Harry.'

A white owl flew from Harry's window, startling Sailor V. The owl looked at her with its amber eyes and flew around her. Sailor V sat back and smiled. She stroked its pretty feathers beore it flew away. Sailor V edged closer to Harry's window and peeked in. Harry was sitting on his bed polishing his Firebolt.

'He's so cute,' Sailor V thought, 'I wonder if I can get Grandpa to let me follow Harry to Hogwarts this year.'

Feeling someone's presence, Harry looked over at his window. Sailor V gasped and pulled herself up on the roof again.

"Huh?" Harry mumbled.

He walked over to the window and looked out of it. There was nothing or no one there. Sailor V had gone. But she would be back. Somehow.

TO BE CONTINUED