Chapter two – Amari
Finally, it was Saturday. They were all expecting Amari to show up around noon, in the Hospital Wing by floo powder. Hermione and Ron were beside Avila's bed, talking to her – Harry was taking a private lesson with Dumbledore.
"So, what does she like?" Ron asked Avila.
"Well, she started gymnastics last year and she can read just about any book." She answered.
"What are gymnastics?" Ron demanded, perplexed.
"It's where someone flips over and stuff… it's really cool, maybe she'll show you – she's really good." The injured Quidditch player said. A Slytherin watching jinxed her broom then an over-confident first year tried to fix her broken leg and demented it. There was nothing left in her leg – no bones, nerves, veins or muscles.
Madam Pomfrey had trouble fixing her leg. Her bones re-grew the night before like Harry's had in second year, but the other missing elements were having trouble coming back. So, Avila had to stay there for a while.
"Is she well behaved?" Hermione suddenly asked.
Avila looked away from Hermione and at the fireplace, "Look! There she is!"
Sure enough, a little soot-covered five-year-old girl stepped out of the previously green fire.
"Avila!" she screeched, running to her sister's side, "I'm all dirty now, but that was fun!"
"Yes, you are! Look at my sheets!" she said, laughing – there was a little black handprint on them now.
"What's this? Soot on my sheets??" Madam Pomfrey was rushing over. She performed a cleaning charm on Amari, who was as clean as if she had just gotten out of the shower.
"Thank you, ma'am!" she said, curtseying. She was wearing short pink shorts with a matching tank top, silver heart necklace and hair accessories. Her blue eyes and blond hair went so well with her attire, she looked almost angelic. She was fiddling with her locket; turning it around in her fingers, moving it along the chain, et cetera.
"Wow, Amari I like your outfit!" Avila said. "Oh! I almost forgot! This is Ron," she pointed at Ron, "And Hermione," she gestured toward Hermione.
Amari smiled, "Hi!" she rubbed her stomach, "I'm hungry!"
"We can bring you to the Great Hall – we have tons of food here," Ron said. Hermione's mood lifted instantly. Amari was too cute!
"Bye, Avila! I'll come visit later!" Amari called as she put her arms up toward Hermione. She wanted to be carried. Hermione lifted her up and settled her on her hip.
"Bye, Amari! Wow, Hermione, she must really like you!" Avila said, waving.
"So, I heard you could do gymnastics, huh?" Hermione said to the little girl resting on her hip, slowly bobbing up and down while Hermione walked.
"Yep. I'm the best one in my class! I have a trophy at home," Amari said proudly.
"What do you do in gymnastics, though? I don't get it!" Ron complained. Amari giggled.
"I can't do gymnastics on an empty stomach!" she laughed. Ron would have told anyone she was a little angel – an easy responsibility, he thought.
They settled at the Griffindor table and started eating.
"Ron, eat properly today, please?" Hermione requested, seeing as he always stuffed his face and made a complete mess of himself.
"Fine," Ron sighed, "What do you want to eat, Amari?"
"Um, can I have something healthy?" she responded, looking at everything with awe.
"Do you eat healthily because you're a gymnast?" Hermione asked sweetly.
"My teacher gave Mommy a list of food and it's on the fridge. Mommy always reads it so that I can eat healthy!" she said proudly. "I'll never get fat now – like him!" she pointed at Neville. Neville was a bit porky, but he wasn't really fat.
Neville, who was listening in, looked away, Hermione giggled and Ron coughed on his pumpkin juice. "That's not very nice…" Ron said, coughing.
After supper, Ron piggybacked Amari up to Griffindor Tower. "Password?" the Fat Lady asked.
"OOOH! Can I say it? Please?" Amari begged. Hermione told her the password in her ear. "Coffee Stain!" Amari told the painting.
They clambered through to find a Harry-less common room. "Tomorrow you can meet Harry, okay? He'll probably get back after your bedtime." Hermione told the little girl petting her cat. "That's Crookshanks, my kitty."
"Hello Crookshanks. I'm Amari, nice to meet you!" she said, shaking the cat's paw.
Just then, a bunch of Griffindor girls came in. When they saw Amari, they squealed with delight.
"Aw! She's adorable!" Lavender said.
"I see she got here without any problems! I'm so glad you guys are watching her!" Ginny told Ron. "Where's Harry?" she added.
"Lessons with Dumbledore" Ron said.
"Michael talked about her like a little monster, is she well-behaved?" Ginny asked Ron – Hermione was talking to Lavender and the other girls had already gone to their dormitories.
"She's been great! She's like a little angel! Maybe it's just because Corner's her cousin…" Ron reasoned.
Ginny shrugged and followed the other girls up the staircase.
When Harry got back, Amari was sleeping with Crookshanks, thumb in her mouth, by the fireplace. Ron was sitting on the couch with Hermione, listening to the magic radio quietly.
"Hey guys," Harry said, "I'm back."
"H-h-h-h-hey, Harry," Ron yawned.
"I'm tired, I'm going to bed – we should all go now. Where do we put Amari?" Hermione cut in, looking at Amari.
"Maybe we should put her in the boys' dorm – after all, we can't get into the girls' and she is my responsibility." Ron suggested. Hermione was too tired to object.
"I'll conjure her a bed, you bring her up." Hermione ordered.
"She's cute," Harry said quietly as she saw the sleeping Amari that Ron was carrying. He rather liked little kids and babies, too.
Hermione conjured up a bed between Harry and Ron's and Ron rested Amari under the covers.
"'Night, Ron, Harry." Hermione left. The boys changed into their pajamas and went to bed.
The next morning, Amari jumped on Ron yelling, "Ro-o-o-on! I'm HUNGRY!" and woke all the boys up.
"OW!! Geroff, Amari – It's six in the morning! On a Sunday!" Ron said, turning around and hiding his face under the pillows.
All the boys groaned as she screamed shrilly. When Ron got up, she smiled and went into the bathroom to change. The boys pulled their hangings back to change as she came out of the bathroom, through the dorm and into the common room.
Hermione was running down the stairs after hearing Amari's scream. "Are you okay?" she panted.
"Yea, I'm okay – Ron wouldn't get up then he said that I'm stupid!" she lied, eyes filling with fake tears, looking down and playing with her locket. She'd always do so when she was sad or embarrassed. Hermione looked shocked.
When Ron came down, Hermione went up to him and poked him in the chest. "You called her stupid?" she screeched.
"What? NO! I-I never called her –" Ron stuttered.
"Yes, you did! Don't lie! You hurt her feelings! She's five, for goodness sake! Go apologize or something!" she yelled, getting red in the face. Amari looked up and stuck her tongue out at Ron behind Hermione's back.
"But- but she just- I" he fumbled. He rolled his eyes and went to the newly sobbing Amari. "I'm sorry," he said through clenched teeth. She wiped away her 'tears' and smiled.
"I forgive you. Do you want to see some gymnastics?" Amari offered.
Ron glared at her. "Fine."
She started doing what she learned. She did somersaults, cartwheels, handstands, splits and a front flip. For a girl her age, it was really impressive! Ron understood gymnastics now, but wasn't excited for Quidditch, Harry was tired and irritable and Hermione was still angry with Ron.
Hermione wasn't watching the practice. She was showing Amari the castle. She was just passing the dungeons when Professor Snape came out.
"Miss Granger, what are you doing? Shouldn't you be outside?" he asked her.
"I'm showing Amari the castle, sir. I was meaning to talk to you about Thursday's essay…" She kept talking about the essay and they were talking for a while. While they were talking, Amari saw someone walking down the hall. Bored, she decided to follow the footsteps.
She kept following the person when, suddenly, the footsteps died around the corner. She looked around that corner and saw Draco Malfoy looking at her, wand raised.