Once again I do not own the characters. Except Raya.

Chapter 3

Dumbledore Explains

Harry slept restlessly that night. He kept dreaming about Sirius, and that stupid weapon. He knew that that weapon was what Voldemort wanted. He knew that Voldemort would do anything to get it.

Harry awoke with a start at the same place he did every night, with him almost being able to see what was in the bundle in Sirius's arms. He pounded his fists on his sheets. He drew back the hangings from around his bed and saw that it was late. Luckily it was a Saturday and there was no school. Ever since 6th year they had found that it was better for everyone to arrive on Friday and get situated over the weekend and go to classes that following Monday.

Harry slowly got out of bed and walked over to Ron's bed. There Ron was mumbling something about doing elephant impressions. Harry frowned for he had no idea what this meant and he shook Ron awake.

"Huh! What!" said Ron as he slowly got up and out of bed.

"C'mon!" said Harry, "lets get going before Draco does, I don't think I gonna be able to stand seeing him in the morning and at night."

Ron nodded his head, they both got up and walked to the common room where the found Hermione and Ginny talking concernedly in one corner.

"What's going on?" asked Ron as they reached Hermione and Ginny.

"Oh!" started Ginny, "well. It's about Raya."

"What about her?" asked Harry taking a seat next to Hermione and Ron next to Ginny.

"Well," said Hermione, "last night. You know I share a dormitory with her. And well. When she thought no one was looking, she crept out of bed and just stood by the window just looking out over the distance. She wept, not aloud, but she wept and she just sang, 'somewhere at little boy cries. Somewhere a werewolf is alone. Somewhere a traitor regrets. And somewhere a man is reunited with his best friend.' And then she just walked out of the dormitory."

"That's when I saw her. She walked past my dormitory. And then Hermione and I met and watched her from the top of the stairs. She stood in front of the fire and just stood there all night. We finally fell asleep on the stairs and when we awoke she was gone."

"Let's go see if Draco is in the dormitory," said Harry, "maybe he knows where she is."

Yet when the four of them went to check his bed he was nowhere to be found.

That night Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny kept a look out for Raya or Draco but neither returned to their dormitories.

The next day Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were sitting by the tree but who should come along but Neville.

"Hello Harry!" said Neville, "Hermione, Ron, Ginny."

"Hi!" everyone answered back in unison.

"Have you all seen that girl around?" asked Neville sitting down next to Ginny.

"You mean Raya?" asked Harry, "no I haven't."

"I wanted to ask her about that wound, see if see was feeling any better," said Neville, "but she almost seemed to vanish."

"Yes," said a voice behind Neville that sounded light and airy, "I wish I knew where."

There stood Luna. Pencil in her hair, and (of course) an issue of "The Quibbler" in her arms.

"Why?" asked Ginny.

"She seemed very interesting and would be nice to talk to," said Luna sitting beside Neville who cast her a nervous glance.

The six of them talked underneath the willow tree until about noon.

"We better be getting in for lunch," said Harry standing up.

The six of them walked in to Hogwarts together. But before they could reach to pull open the doors to the Great Hall they opened from the other side and they stood face to face with Dumbledore.

"Ah," said Dumbledore, "I was looking for you."

They all exchanged glances.

"All of you come with me," Dumbledore said.

The six of them followed Dumbledore through the hallways to his office. They all stepped on the bird staircase.

"Every flavor beans," said Dumbledore and the bird staircase began to rotate upwards.

Then they got up and opened the door to his office. The office looked like it always had. Still messy and unorganized (much like Harry's own room) with beautiful possessions placed throughout the room that gave it a regal touch.

Dumbledore motioned for them all to take seats. They all sat and Dumbledore stood behind his large desk looking at them all keenly.

"How was your summer, everyone?" asked Dumbledore as he took his seat.

"Good," they all murmured, for they were still not sure why they were here.

"I have called you here on account of Raya and Draco," said Dumbledore, "you all have questions, and I am willing to answer them."

Everyone's ears perked up.

"First we will start out when Raya was just a baby," said Dumbledore. "She was born into a happy home with loving parents. Her parents were in the Order of the Phoenix so from the start they knew she was in danger. They had a family friend take her from their home and take her to a deserted house in a glade in the very center of the forbidden forest."

"Now," said Dumbledore, "Raya was born with strength beyond the strength of men. She was powerful beyond reckoning even at birth, yet she did not know how to harness her strength. When the family friend found that her parents had died he took action. He trained her when she was near one years old. He trained her in how to connect her special powers. Then when she had almost turned two, the family friend was found guilty for a crime he never committed and was taken away to Azkaban. They would have taken her as well, had they been able to find her or even knew she was there. They never knew she lived there. They presumed that she was dead like her parents and that only her sibling survived."

He paused and took a sigh.

"From there her life grew worse," said Dumbledore, "for three weeks she was one and learning to take care of herself. She fed herself and clothed herself and continued her own training into the long hours of the night. Only she could ever find the strength and knowledge to do this at such an age. Then, her fortunes changed. On the eve of her second birthday Death Eaters had been tipped off that she was still alive and living in the house. They planned to storm the house to search for her. Yet, one Death Eater made a terrible mistake. He brought along his son, Draco, who he hoped would follow his footsteps and become the greatest of Voldemort's followers."

Harry took this time Dumbledore paused to look around at everyone else. They all seemed very deep into the story, like himself, almost like the story was a trance.

"Yet, Lucius did not know that Draco had no intention of being what his father wanted him to be. Even at the age of two he could tell that his father was a bad person that did bad things. He hated his father, though he knew if he ever let his father know this, that his father would kill him," said Dumbledore, "when the Death Eaters broke through the door Draco asked his father if he could go around the house and look at what toys were there. His father let him. When Draco went upstairs he went in the first room he saw and found Raya trying frantically to find a hiding space.

(flashback)

"You're the one my father's looking for," said Draco.

"He can't find me," said Raya looking at him desperately.

"I won't let him," said Draco, "Here!"

He pulled her inside a large wardrobe. He quickly shut the door and found a small toy to pretend to be playing with when Lucius opened the door.


"Was anyone in here son?" asked Lucius, "did you see anyone?"

"No father," said Draco, "its too quiet in here. I would tell you if I saw that nasty girl you were talking about."

"That's my boy," said Lucius, "we leave soon."

"Alright father," said Draco and Lucius shut the door.

"Come out," said Draco and he helped Raya out of the closet.

"What's your name?" asked Raya staring deep into his gray eyes.

"Draco," he said, "what's yours?"

"Raya," said Raya.

"My father wants you dead," said Draco, "I won't let anything happen to you."

"DRACO!" he heard his father yell from the hall, "WE LEAVE NOW!"

"Yes father," he called back then turned back to Raya, "I will come back tomorrow and see you. And the next day, and the day after that. I'll come everyday!"

"But be safe!" said Raya and Draco slipped out of the room.

Raya drew her invisibility cloak around her and when she heard them all leave she ran to the window and looked out. As the Death Eaters walked she could see them still peering into the windows.

(End of Flashback)

"And so Raya and Draco grew to be like brother and sister to each other," said Dumbledore, "they were inseparable. It seemed that they were bound together. Until it came time for Draco to come to Hogwarts. Raya could not remember a sadder day than that.

(Flashback)

They were in the room that they had first met.

"Draco, you cannot leave me here all alone," said Raya sobbing.

"I will still see you!" said Draco, crying as well.

"When," asked Raya, "you will have homework and other friends. No time for me."

"Nobody could ever replace you in my life," said Draco and he hugged her.

"What if you forget me," said Raya quietly through silent tears that fell like rain from the sky from her eyes.

"No one could ever forget," said Draco, "someone like you."

"Please write to me," said Raya, "promise me we will never be apart in spirit."

"I promise you," said Draco, "I will ask Dumbledore if I can see you during summers and weekends."

"Draco," said Dumbledore from the hallway of the deserted house, "we must leave now. We must put you in a private sorting so your father cannot harm you. We will be late, please hurry."

"Coming," said Draco, and he turned to leave.

Raya grabbed his hand.

"Draco," she said desperately, Draco could never remember her eyes ever bearing fear, "please."

"I must," said Draco.

He placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Good-b," Draco started but Raya sharply covered his mouth with her hand.

"Don't," she hissed sharply, still sobbing, "don't ever say good-bye to me."

Draco placed his hand on top of hers, "See you in my dreams."

"Not if I see you first," sobbed Raya (a little joke they had between them) and with that Draco turned and departed.

Dumbledore was walking with him swiftly outside.

"You will see her again," said Dumbledore after watching Draco peer over at the house five times.

"Over weekends?" asked Draco hopefully snapping his head around to look at Dumbledore.

"I am afraid not," said Dumbledore, "it would look to risky if you were off every weekend and no one could find you."

Draco looked at him as if someone had told him that he was sentenced to death by torture.

"You father suspects that you don't want to follow him," said Dumbledore explaining more thoroughly, "he is sending two spies to act as your followers but they are really watching you Draco. Be aware. They have ways of telling if you are being false or sincere, so you must act like a Death Eater. They are not the only way that you will be watched at Hogwarts that I am sure of Draco."

Draco looked like he was having a hard time taking this all in so Dumbledore paused. When Draco looked up at him expectantly he continued.

"There are certain people you must be mean to if you are to pull the wool over you father's eyes. Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, him you must be especially cruel to. Your father hates him for he is the only one that escaped his master's grasp. And anyone who closely resembles a friend to him, yes, be mean to them too. You also will automatically be put into Slytherin when you put the hat on tonight. That is why we are having a private sorting with you this afternoon," said Dumbledore.

"I will be able to see her during summers won't I?" asked Draco as they reached the Hogwarts doors.

"Yes," said Dumbledore, "we have arranged it so that your father has agreed to send you to a camp that is based here at Hogwarts for the most intelligent students to continue their learning so they will continue to perform above their other peers. You father has signed the forms."

"It's not a real camp is it?" asked Draco as they made their way through the Hogwarts halls to Dumbledore's office.

"No," said Dumbledore, "you will be staying with Raya at her house the whole summer and you will be able to catch up on events there."

(End of Flashback)

"Draco had no choice," said Dumbledore, "you must accept him into Gryffindor as a Gryffindor would."

"What else happened?" asked Ginny who was at the edge of her seat with excitement.

"Draco and Raya saw each other only during the summers from then on, only one or twice a year if something important came up where they had to see each other. Yet dark times spread over the end of the sixth year and Raya and Draco where kept apart. Raya grieved heavily over the loss and as did Draco though he could not show it openly. Everyone here hates Draco for some reason or another. But please keep him safe, his father now knows of his son and how he betrayed him. Keep Raya safe to for a shadow ever follows her footsteps as Voldemort gets closer and closer to finding her. She is never safe. He must never find her."

"Dumbledore," said Luna, "why must he not find her?"

"Because, if he did he could cover all the lands in darkness and bring both wizards and muggles under his control," answered Dumbledore.

"How?" asked Ron.

"If he had Raya under the imperious curse there is no telling of the damage she could inflicted. You saw what she did at the feast, image if they were aurors," said Dumbledore.

"Why is she so powerful?" asked Hermione.

"I should not tell you," said Dumbledore and he paused, searching each of the young faces, "and yet I still feel it is right. Raya is the weapon. She is the weapon he seeks. He is ever on the lookout for her. He will never stop hunting her. He will never rest until she is brought under his spell and helps him cast away the good world into shadow and flame. Protect her as you would yourselves."

"Yes," said Ginny.

"Depart," said Dumbledore, "you will not see her today. Yet you will see her during classes tomorrow. Sit by her, make her feel welcome."

Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Luna, and Neville all got up and walked out.

"Harry," called Ron, "aren't you coming."

"Yeah," said Harry, he got up from his chair, "Coming!"

"Harry," said Dumbledore and Harry turned around, "remember. Raya is the weapon."

"Yes professor," said Harry and he walked out of the room.

That night Harry the same dream, and yet not so. Now it was the opposite. His dream took place as though he was the bundle being carried around in Sirius' arms.

He saw Sirius come in front of it and yet never saw his face. It seemed to be just a shadow.

He awoke with a start. He was close, so close. All he had to do was piece the dreams together. But there was still too little seen to know anything for sure. He got dressed and went down to breakfast. Neither Draco nor Raya was there. He walked down to his first class, which was Potions. Everyone was settled in their seats. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville all left seats open near them and they all sat somewhat together. Then Snape walked in.

"Settle down everyone," said Snape, but there was no need for as soon as he walked in the class fell into a hushed silence.

"Now will everyone," started Snape but then everyone heard the door open. Raya and Draco walked in through the door. Draco was in his normal robes, but now with a Gryffindor patch rather than a Slytherin one.

"Sorry we're late," said Raya, "we have a note from Dumbledore."

She walked up to him and handed him the note.

"Sit down, both of you," snarled Snape.

Harry tried to get Raya's attention to sit by him. She and Draco took seats by Ron and Hermione and they gave Harry the thumbs-up sign.

"Today we will be working with Lizard tails, a very dangerous chemical, so be careful when using them," explained Snape. "The instructions are on the board, GO!"

With a flick of his wand the ingredients and quantities appeared on the large blackboard. Draco and Raya started immediately. From the looks of it, she was very good. Harry, who wasn't paying attention, was paired Neville. They worked very hard to perfect their potions, but it still needed a little work. Raya looked over in Harry's direction. She looked into his cauldron quizzically then looked over at Snape you had just closed the door to his office.

Raya dashed through the isle separating their seats and went to Harry and Neville's caldron. She added a couple of ingredients and muttered a few words and ran back to her seat right before the door opened and Snape stepped back into the room. Snape walked up and down the isles peering into people's caldron's a giving them grades.

"Thomas and Brown, I have no idea what's in your pot so I am forced to give you a failing grade," remarked Snape.

When he said that his lips curled into an evil smile that made Harry shiver with hate.

"Wealsey, Granger," said Snape passing by their spot, "good. ("Unfortunately," he said under his breath) an Outstanding."

Hermione looked as though she had just won a full size library for her home. Ron just looked amazed.

Harry gazed down at his pot, which lay still. His wasn't doing anything Hermione and Ron's was doing.

"Malfoy and, (he paused, he didn't know her last name) Raya," he said finally, "your pot looks."

He peered into the pot. His face expression changed from a evil grin to an astonished, almost faint look.

"Your pot looks, excellent," said Snape astoundingly, "Outstanding."

He walked over to Harry's.

"Well Potter and Longbottom, quite a match I would have to say," said Snape peering into the caldron.

Then the caldron began to look like normal.

"Potter, Longbottom," sighed Snape, "it is my great displeasure to give you an outstanding."

Harry almost fell to the floor. Snape. Outstanding. He had never heard those words in the same sentence with out a word like, no or not, in it.

"Wow!" Harry breathed as Snape walked away to look at other students caldrons.

Harry noticed that once Snape went away his pot looked like it had before, like just plain old muck.

"Class is over, you may leave," snarled Snape and he slammed the door to his office shut.

Harry quickly found Raya in the crowd. Unfortunately Draco was with her. Though Harry had heard the story, he still had a hard time believing Draco was on his side.

"Raya!" called Harry and Raya spun around to look at him with her dazzling eyes.

Harry caught up with her.

"I wanted to thank you," said Harry, "for what you did to my caldron. What did you do?"

"Well," said Raya, "I did not have enough time to complete the potion for you. I would not have done it otherwise, but I see you have the talent and are not motivated properly. So I cast a spell upon the caldron to do whatever Professor Snape wanted it to do. He wanted it to bubble and in the bubbles a small gold glow in the shape of an orb."

"Thanks again," said Harry.

"You are welcome, Harry," said Raya.

"Wait, I never told you my name," said Harry just remembering, "how do you know it."

"Everyone knows your name, Harry," said Raya, "even the ones that live in the middle of nowhere."

With that she walked of.

Draco started to follow.

Harry grabbed his wrist.

"Draco wait," sighed Harry.

Draco raised an eyebrow and looked at him curiously.

"I know all about you and Raya," said Harry ducking his head down.

"ALL about Raya?" asked Draco looking stunned, "who told you?"

"Dumbledore," said Harry, "I know everything!"

"Well you're certainly taking it well," said Draco in astonishment.

"Well," said Harry, "why wouldn't I. I mean it's not like anything really big."

"What do you mean?" asked Draco, "of course it's big!"

"Not really," said Harry smiling, "it'll just take some getting used to."

"How can you say that about her," said Draco.

"Say what?" asked Harry.

"Wait," said Draco, "what are you talking about?"

"About how you and Raya have been best friends since you were like two. And how you really do belong in Gryffindor," said Harry.

"But nothing about her family?" asked Draco.

"No. Why?" asked Harry.

"Oh, nothing," said Draco, "we were talking about different things."

"What were you talking about?" asked Harry eyeing Draco curiously.

"I thought that Dumbledore had told you about, um, her family," said Draco, "being the great people that they are."

"Yeah," said Harry slowly.

"Well I gotta go," said Draco and he dashed off after Raya.

"Well, that was kind of weird," said Harry aloud.

Draco caught up with Raya.

"And where have you been?" asked Raya smiling.

"Oh," said Draco, "just talking with Harry."

"Oh," said Raya slowly, "him."

"Yeah," said Draco, "apparently Dumbledore told them pretty much everything except, well, the BIG thing."

"Oh," said Raya nervously, "you're sure he left that part out?"

"Yeah," said Draco, "positive."

"Alright then," said Raya smiling. "Well, there is a long line of homework calling my name."

"Wanna do it together?" asked Draco.

"Yeah, sure," said Raya, "but not in the library. I hate all of the fascinated stares that I get from every corner of the room."

"Where then?" asked Draco, slightly amused.

"In the room of requirement," said Raya with her voice a little softer. "We can just think of a library ideal of the types of homework we have to do."

"Alright," said Draco smiling.

"That way I could avoid the stares," said Raya.

"Well," said Draco giving her a soft nudge with his elbow. "I couldn't blame them for staring."

Raya smiled and blushed and they walked to the Room of Requirement.

Well, what did you think? Sorry I lied in the last chapter. I said that you would find out what Draco was talking about when he said "He'll find out soon enough." Big secrets being unveiled next chapter I promise! Please review!