I'm so happy to be writing regularly again! This is awesome. However, there's only one chapter left, unfortunately. So... yeah. All things come to an end.

Owning Harry Potter would be lovely, but unfortunately... no. Sad.

"Sit down Miss Leto," said Dumbledore soberly.

June sat down nervously.

"I have a letter from your father which says he needs to see you urgently."

"Does it say anything else?"

"No, I'm afraid not," said Dumbledore.

"What do I do?"

"We can send you, of course. With an escort."

June thought about it. "I think I'd like to go by myself."

Dumbledore's blue eyes scanned her once. June felt like he was X-Raying her.

"Alright," he said. "However, someone will be sent to your house by six o'clock to see what's wrong."

"Thank you," she said.

"And June?" June turned.

"You have friends behind you, I hope you know."

June nodded.

"How am I supposed to go?"

"We rigged your father's fireplace to the floo network."

"Right," said June, taking a deep breath.

She stepped into the fire. "Thanks for everything, sir," she said.

Dumbledore shut his eyes.

"Come back soon, June. I have a feeling Mr Black isn't going to take it lightly if you don't return."

"Right," said June. And with a whoosh of yellow and orange she was gone.

The house looked desperately deserted and silent. There were bangs and crashes from the kitchen, she had no idea why. She looked around the desolate house.

It looked so desperately empty. She remembered every corner, she knew exactly where she could find the best hiding spots, she knew where the quiet places of the house wouldn't be disturbed. She remembered when Maria and she had hidden in her room. Maria had been something from another world.

"Come on Leto, get a grip!" she would say with her eyes crinkling.

And June would scramble to her feet, trying to keep up with her.

Maria had been the first one to teach her that she was worth something to people. June had promptly forgotten all her lessons as soon as she left.

She had been such a nice person. June wondered if she liked America. She wondered if she was happy.

There was another crash from the kitchen. June made her way slowly.

"There ya are," said the man. There was a deep gash on his face which looked fresh.

"What happened?" asked June impassively.

"We're leaving the country. Had to send a bloody owl to you. Damn annoying thing."

"Why?" asked June quietly.

"Because I say so."

"No," said June.

He narrowed his eyes.

"What did you say?"

"No. I am not going anywhere."

"You bloody well are."

"I'm really not."

He advanced towards her.

"Don't even think about it," said June.

"Who's going to stop me?" asked the man.

"Me," said June. "I am going to stop you."

"Got a little gumption, did you, girlie?"

June just looked at him with a determinedly defiant expression.

He lunged at her, but June dodged. She knew that this was it.

"You can't hurt me. I shan't let you," she said.

He growled and grabbed her skirt. June didn't scream, she kicked him in the face.

He fell back dangerously. This only served to anger him further.

June fell back a little. She knew this house better than him anyway.

He swiped at her again, getting her squarely on the jaw. June felt blood and spat it out. This wasn't the time.

"Come on June, you can do it!"

June had looked down the building and across. Maria had jumped to the rooftop without hesitation. She really didn't think aggravating those boys had been a good idea, but now that it was done, they had to run.

"I ca –can't" she whispered.

"Yes, you can. You're the most brilliant mind of this century, and you aren't going to be deterred by a building."

She scrambled out of his grasp and tripped on the stairs. He was coming closer and closer.

"But it's too high!" she yelled.

"And the world's too round!" Maria grinned. "You don't see us all falling off, do you? Come on, just one jump."

June shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

June punched him with as much strength as she could muster. Her tiny fist came in contact with his jaw and socked it hard. He fell back.

June jumped.

The wind whistled in her ear for a few seconds, the whole world was on standstill. June was flying.

"That's the spirit," said Maria.

June breathed heavily. "Let's do it again," she said.

Maria laughed. "Easy there Leto," she said. "Your rebellious side is showing."

June blanched and hid her face.

"But I like it," said Maria. And she grabbed her hand and they ran – the boys who played football were coming after them.

She went to hide up in his room. One of the walls was weak and June had found the plaster crumble into a tiny hole. She pressed herself inside.

"Here girlie, girlie, girlie, girlie," she heard him.

June felt his shadow pass into the room and she could almost feel him bend under the bed. She whipped up and grabbed a plank to whack him thoroughly across the head.

He screamed for a bit and fell into a haphazard pile.

June ran out of the room and locked it. There. Done. Thanks for everything, Maria.

Professor Dumbledore found her sipping tea in her kitchen while there were loud thumps from the bedroom upstairs.

"Miss Leto," said Dumbledore in greeting.

"Hello professor Dumbledore," said June serenely. "Would you like some tea?"

"Let me out you little bitch!" came a scream from upstairs. June paid it no attention.

"I'd be delighted, Miss Leto," said Dumbledore with a smile.

June had made him some tea and given him some stale biscuits. They sat and spoke about knitting patterns while the man upstairs kept screaming.

"Well, Miss Leto," said Dumbledore. "As much as I like finding an equal in knitting patterns, I wanted to ask you about what you intend to do now."

June smiled peacefully. "I have all my stuff here," she said. "I was thinking we could go back."

Dumbledore said he liked the idea. "You should be glad I managed to convince Mr. Black not to come," he added.

"I am," she said seriously. "He might mistake me for a psychopath."

Dumbledore laughed.

"I don't think that would be your biggest issue, but yes, he would. In fact, if I hadn't known better, I might have mistaken you for a psychopath."

"Hmm," said June. "I may be a bit sociopathic though."

"I can see that," smiled Dumbledore.

"But whichever the case, I wanted to ask you something sir," said June.

"Fire away," said Dumbledore.

"My father's part of a very intricate drug gang. I have reason to believe there are some death eaters involved as well – I think they may be getting their funding out of it."

Dumbledore stirred his second cup of tea.

"Why do you believe so?"

"Because I saw one of the death eaters come to the house," said June frankly.

"I see," said Dumbledore.

"I think I could recognize a lot of them," June added.

"Hmm," said Dumbledore. "I shall speak to the Minister about it. Heaven knows they must be stopped.

They were silent for a moment.

"Do you think it's going to be alright, sir?" asked June.

Dumbledore X-Rayed her for a bit. In that moment, June was asking him as an equal, a friend. In many ways, he felt like the girl was a bit too precocious for her good, but there it was. She was asking him if everything involving the new death eater organization was going to be okay, if she was going to be okay and if her father was going to be okay. "Yes, I do believe it is going to be alright," Dumbledore said.

June sipped her tea again. She supposed that was good enough for now.

When June returned to the Castle, all her friends were waiting outside Dumbledore's office. She stepped out, stumbling under the weight of the boxes she was carrying.

After a collective cry of "June!" she was pressed to death by an all encompassing hug from everyone.

"Goodness!" said June, "You'd think I was gone for centuries."

"What happened?" asked Lily.

"Oh, I just hit my father over the head with a plank and locked him in his room," June said cheerfully. "The usual."

There was a silence. "You did what?" asked Sirius.

"I hit him with a plank and locked him. Did you call these people?" she asked Sirius serenely.

"Yes…" he said. "They got worried when I said you may not return."

"Misplaced notion," said June happily. "Here I am."

"I can see that," said Sirius. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked her.

"Absolutely marvelous, thank you for asking," said June. "Dumbledore and I had a lengthy conversation on knitting patterns. It was fun."

"That's not very normal," pointed out Marlene.

"I'm not a very normal person."

"I have known that since day one," said Marlene solemnly.

"Likewise," said June. June and Marlene shared a look which somehow just said, "I'm glad I got to see you."

"So what did you do to your father, Leto?" asked James.

"I hit him on the head with a plank and locked him in his room. Gosh, pay a little attention," said June, loading him with one of her boxes.

"Why'd you do that again?" asked James as he balanced the box and June began to pile one onto Lily.

"Cause he used to physically abuse me," she said. "That wasn't very nice of him."

There was a silence.

"Was that why you turned up during Christmas?" asked James silently.

"Yes," nodded June. "Sirius happened to have stumbled on my home, invaded my privacy and walked out with me. Rude."

There was another silence.

"Come on then," said June. "Those boxes need to be taken to the dormitory."

They walked behind her.

June led the procession behind her with a deathly serenity – there was nothing wrong with her, she said, just the shock of having finally understood why she was in Gryffindor. Sirius, after initially being terrified out of his life, now felt in a very odd sort of way – amused.

It really made sense that he was amused by every part of this girl – she was extremely amusing. She tumbled through the orange fire in a haze of yellow hair and yellow eyes, proclaiming her grievances – that is, her father beating her black and blue (Sirius grit his teeth). After which, she casually explained that it was all alright, she had, in fact, whacked him on the head with a plank.

Trust June.

Marlene, like Sirius, was amused. She grinned at him and they both silently laughed at June explaining patiently that planks were very good for hitting people, and she intended to keep one with her at all times.

"There is one problem though," she frowned.

"What's that?" asked Lily, anxiously. Lily loved June, but Lily had a tendency to worry too much – as opposed to Marlene, who understood people and kept a sarcastic head.

"I have nowhere to go for the summer," June explained.

James smacked his head. "June, you realize all of us have homes and all of us wouldn't mind inviting you over. Me, I say you come to my place. My mother's already looking forward to baking you cookies."

"Fie fie," said Marlene. "Come over to my place," she said. "I have a mother – fresh off the market, makes the best pies in all of England."

"Rubbish," said Lily at once, "She's going to come to my place – I have a mother who can cook the best fried chicken. And I have a father who can build stuff. Double bonus."

"And what about the fact that you don't have the room?" asked Sirius. "No, she's coming to our place."

"You want her for other reasons, I know you," said Mary. "She'll come to my place."

"People, please," said Remus. "June, you're welcome to my home as well, I hope you know. You're not alone anymore."

"I think I may have to spend a month by myself here in Hogwarts," she said thoughtfully.

Everyone looked alarmed.

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"Because I have a feeling Dumbledore might ask me to stay. And, I'd like some time to myself."

Marlene nodded, almost immediately. "I can understand that. But you're going to have to tell Annie about it. She's gotten pretty attached to you, I must say."

"He what?!"

It was around seven in the morning when June had wandered into the great hall and found Annie sitting there, eating breakfast. Deciding to break tradition, she went and sat by her.

June flinched at the sharpness of her voice.

"He did," she nodded. "Please don't scream, it's scaring me."

"What tosh," said Annie. "I have half a mind to go over and castrate him."

"I think that may land you in Azkaban."

"I'll plead not guilty on account of revenge," said Annie vindictively.

"That's very admirable, but not exactly needed."

"'Not needed'?!" said Annie. "He bruised your bloody eye!"

"And it's healed just fine."

"Oh, pfft," said Annie. "Fine, I shan't castrate him. But I am saying nothing about chopping him off with an axe."

"That's alright," nodded June. "You're too small to lift an axe."

Annie smacked her on the head. "Adrenaline is a wonderful drug."

"So is crystal meth. You don't see me trying it."

"You're waiting to get your hands on it," said Annie with relish. "You have your money in stock and life on the line. You plan to transform yourself into a squirrel and disappear into the darkness, to drag a bag full of drugs –"

"Drugs? Did someone say anything about drugs? I want drugs."

Sirius grinned and slid into a seat beside June. "Careful, Black," said Annie. "June's given me permission to chop people's heads – and preferably manhoods – off with axes."

"Not much of a threat, considering how small you are," said Sirius.

Annie huffed. "Excuse me – but why does everyone consider me to be small, I just don't –"

"Because you are," said Marlene, sliding into a seat. Lily and Mary sat down beside as well.

"Pish, posh!" declared Annie. "I'll have you know that –"

"'Pish, posh'?" came an amused voice of James Potter. "I haven't heard that since the Victorian Era."

Annie began again indignantly, "I'm sure you were alive and working in the Victorian –"

"You'll be surprised," said Remus sagely. He sat down. "I'm still not sure if they are from this world."

Annie threw her hands up in despair. "I give up," she cried. "It's impossible being friends with seniors."

The rest of them only sniggered.

June looked up into the sky. "Here comes the sun," she said softly.

Last chapter is next, you guys. See you next week :)