Disclaimer: I own Nothing to do with Harry Potter!
Remus Lupin looked at his watch, and then around where he was sitting. He was at Heathrow, waiting for the arrival of a young witch who was finally returning home to Britain. He had known several members of the McKinnon family, especially Marlene, who had been a member of the Order, and Lisa, who had been a prefect when he was at school, and had given the Marauders detention more times then he could count.
He heard the announcement that the flight from Washington DC had finally arrived and was beginning to disembark. That was the flight he was waiting for. He began scanning the passengers, and was slightly worried when he couldn't see someone who could be young Rachel. Then he stopped. A slender girl with copper, pixie cut hair had just come out. He couldn't believe it. She looked just like Allie Trent, who been married to Brad McKinnon and divorced over a year after their marriage.
He quickly walked up to her, "Excuse me, are you Rachel McKinnon?"
The girl almost jumped out of her skin, "Yes, I'm Rachel. I go by my mum's name Trent, not McKinnon. Er, are you the person the Order was sending to help me get to my mum's cousin's home?" she stammered, looking very on edge.
Lupin smiled. Rachel had definitely inherited her mother's looks, just none of her boldness. That could be an interesting change, hopefully for the better. "Yes, my name is Remus Lupin; I am an old friend of your mothers."
"You are one of the Marauders? She wrote so much stuff about what the four of you did in her journals. Did you actually turn Professor Flitwick's hair pink?" Rachel was stunned.
Lupin stopped short. They had done that when they were third years. How did Allison know that was them who had done that? "Yes, we did, and many more pranks besides that. Do you know who you are staying with?"
"No, just that they are related to my mum. Do you know them?"
"The Weasleys? Yes, I do. Molly Weasley is a niece of your grandmother, Elizabeth Prewett. She and her husband Arthur have seven children, the second youngest, Ron, is the same age as you, sixteen. Er, they had seven children. The youngest was killed when the Death Eaters assualted the Minisrty a few weeks ago."
Rachel was shocked. "I am so sorry to hear that. If it is too much trouble for me to be there, I'm sure I can crash in a hotel or something like that. Are you sure it is all right? I feel really bad about having to ask the Order for help. . ."
Lupin shook his head, "Yes, it is. The Weasleys know of your situation. They understand."
"That my back was against a wall and I had run out of options?"
Lupin nodded. "Don't worry, Rachel. They won't think less of you for asking the Order for help."
"Just why did they give me their help? I don't deserve it. I am no one special. I am just a Transfiguration geek with a talent for Quidditch and some slightly unusual abilities." She was more talking to herself than to him. Lupin stayed quiet, comparing her against her mother. "I always wanted to go to Hogwarts, but not like this."
"Rachel, your aunt was a member of the Order and a friend to us all," Lupin quietly interrupted her spoken train of thought, "We don't mind helping you, and never think you aren't worthy of it. Your grandfather was one of my favorite teachers, and your mother was a good friend. I think that is reason enough for me to help you. Besides, if I didn't, Allie would probably break my nose once I die if I didn't help you."
Rachel shyly smiled, "That sounds like her. So how are we getting to the Weasleys? Is the Knight bus taking us there?"
"No, we are using Side-along Apparition. It is a little faster. Do you have all of your things with you?"
"No, I checked my trunk. We will need to pick it up."
They did just that and then found a quiet area outside of the airport. Rachel grasped Lupin's arm and they quickly Apparrated to the Burrow.
Lupin quickly knock on the door, "Molly, we're here."
"Identify yourself," a woman's voice replied. Rachel started to tense up again. She hated doing things like this. This whole move had put her out of her comfort zone so much she was scared of never finding it again.
"It is Remus Lupin, bringing Rachel Trent."
The door opened, and a short, slightly plump woman who looked to be at her wits end with red eyes like she had been crying opened the door. "Oh, hello Lupin. You must be Rachel. You look so much like your grandfather Will Trent."
Rachel nodded, "Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Weasley."
"It is good to meet you, too. Come on in, I have some soup on the stove. Do you want some, Lupin?"
"No, sorry Molly, I have to get back." He turned to Rachel, "It was good meeting you, Rachel."
"Thanks," she whispered, looking at her shoes. He shook her hand, and then quickly Apparated away. Mrs. Weasley helped Rachel carry her things inside, and sat her down on the table, with a bowl of hot onion soup and a large slice of homemade bread.
"Now, where shall you sleep? Hermione and Fleur are in the guest room, which is way too small for three people. I was planning on putting Harry into the twins' room."
"I could just crash on the couch," Rachel sleepily suggested. Her jet lag was catching up with her, and the warm, delicious food was making her very tired.
"Oh, no, that won't do. You are a guest." Suddenly there was another knock on the door. "Oh, who could that be? I was expecting you and Lupin because your flight didn't get in until midnight. Dumbledore said that he was going to bring Harry, but I thought it wouldn't be until morning," she muttered, then called out, "Identify yourself!"
"It's Professor Dumbledore and Harry Potter," someone replied. It was a testament to how tired Rachel was that she didn't even react when she heard those names. Mrs. Weasley let them in, and talked with them for a second. Then Dumbledore turned his gaze on Rachel.
"I see Miss Trent has made it here safely. How was your flight, Rachel?"
Rachel didn't answer, due to the fact that she had fallen asleep at the table. Harry took a look at this girl. She wasn't someone who would catch your eye, actually someone who you could easily look right through, with the exception of the copper hair. She was kind of pretty, with pale skin, a few freckles and delicate facial features. Yet there was something different about her.
"Oh, dear, I guess I will go with her suggestion and have her sleep on the couch for the night. Harry, dear, Professor, can you help me?" Mrs. Weasley asked. The three of them moved her to the couch in the living room and then went back to the kitchen, where Dumbledore left after a few minutes of small talk, and Mrs. Weasley fed Harry before sending him to bed.
Harry had one question, "Mrs. Weasley, who is that?" It was much easier to ask about the new girl then any of the other questions running through his head at the moment.
"Oh, that is the granddaughter of my Aunt Elizabeth Prewett Trent. She was married to Professor Will Trent, who taught Ancient Runes at Hogwarts. They had one daughter; I think her name was Allison, who was about the same age as my brother Fabian. She was married to and later divorced one of the McKinnons and was killed when You-Know-Who attacked the family. Strange, I didn't know anyone had survived that attack until we received Rachel's letter informing us of the death of Lisa McKinnon and of her need for help to move back to Britain. She has lived almost all of her life in the western United States."