Runaway

Me: Hello, I'm back! I noticed a lot of people are favoriting this story but not reviewing. To which I plead - please review! Anything from encouragement to suggestions to criticisms is deeply appreciated! I don't bite! Please review!

I do not own Harry Potter! Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Animageus, Hogwarts

"Everybody ready?" Claire asked as her friends were gathered around. With the nod they began chanting the spell, and there was a flash of light.

Claire blinked as she slowly morphed into her form, she looked down at herself and was delighted. She was a large specimen of Arctic Wolf, a tenacious survivor and a clever fighter. 'Wonderful,' she thought happily.

A moment later, Luna came to join her. She was a swan, with beauty that belied her power. She ruffled her white feathers and said mentally, 'I like this new form'

'Wow, you're beautiful Luna, not that you aren't very pretty as a human.' that comment came from Draco. He had become a slender but powerfully built fox. If Luna had been in human form she would have blushed.

Last came Ginny. Claire was amazed, she had turned into a beautiful, snow white Pegasus. She trotted up to the rest of her friends and said through their new mind-link, 'it's weird being taller than you guys."

Draco went bug-eyed, "oh that is just cheating!"

"How? I can't help my personality makes me a Pegasus." Ginny replied teasingly. Draco uttered a false indigent bark while Luna gave a musical caw. Claire simply padded up to her friend and rubbed against her leg. Ginny uttered a snort of pleasure and stamped one hoof, her powerful wings flapping once in a gesture of dominance.

Then they focused on duelling. Traditional duelling was fairly easy to master, what proved to be more complicated was using their inherent talents within their spellwork.

Claire had to grind away many frustrating hours to channel her magic through music offensively, she'd need to put an anti-silencer spell on herself before she did anything. Her music could leave people in trances, send them running screaming or just incinerating them on the spot. She also had the power to access people's memories, which she had subconsciously done the night her parents had died, which was how she knew Sirius was innocent.

Draco's subtle Persuasion power also took a lot of headaches to master. It wasn't the same as Imperious as it wasn't him directly controlling people, he could merely give them ideas or slightly push them in certain directions, they would think the ideas were all their own unless they noticed the irregularities in their behaviour.

Luna's power turned out to be future-sight. She could have short visions of the future, and she just had to learn how to sense when a vision was coming.

Ginny made out like a bandit once again, she discovered that she was also an Empath, but to a different key than Claire. Claire could influence and alter people's emotions, Ginny could strengthen and dampen them. It was potentially a very devastating power but Ginny like Claire couldn't imagine deliberately putting an innocent person in a position like that so they would hold their powers back until they had someone who deserved that wrath.

They learned each other's strategies and how to fight well back to back. Dobby and Kreacher had to take great pains repairing the duelling room over and over, but it was all worth it.

Time Skip

With their Hogwarts deadline approaching, their plans still going smoothly. "Draco, I want to start selling my music. With no one working and nothing but rents coming in the Potter Vaults aren't bottomless. Shall I go sell one of my recordings?"

Draco, Ginny and Luna all thought about that before Draco said, "you have a good point, but if anyone asks you're a recluse and all your music comes through the mail. Right?"

Claire had to roll her eyes, "of course Draco. I wouldn't forget."

Claire sent her album 'Bleeding Love' to a record studio, not knowing exactly what to expect. But she certainly hadn't expected what had would happen.

She became immensely popular, in a few weeks she was selling all around both the muggle and the wizarding world. It was crazy. Money started pouring in, Claire was flabbergasted, she hadn't thought her voice was that nice but clearly her fans thought so.

"Maybe you can make stage appearances, but under a glamour." Ginny suggested. Claire smiled and nodded, Ginny always had answers that made her happy.

She could envision them getting married on the balcony of this house, love was a strange and powerful thing and it kept her close to Ginny. She was sure of it at this point, she loved Ginny, it wasn't like a stupid crush like from those silly muggle teen romance flicks they watched for laughs, it was too deep to casually talk about, nor could she just think of it lightly. She thought all that in absolute seriousness.

Her correspondence with Remus had continued, and honestly Claire was glad of it. She loved talking to Remus about the things he was doing and who he was seeing and meeting. He was funny and smart and nice, he'd swung between jobs but was more worried about part-time ones now, the money he got from Claire was enough to support him without him having bigots breathing down on his neck. He was also starting to see a young auror named Nympadora Tonks (thought she hated that name, and went just by Tonks or Nym), she was very funny and sweet, not to mention she was a metamorphius. It was nice to have someone to talk to outside her friends.

They had come up with a name to refer to their group as in case they had to go undercover, they came up with the Runaways, which Draco complained sounded like a muggle boy band but went with it after the girls voted for it.

Claire wanted to meet him when she had to go to Britain, she would tell him about Pettigrew when she got there. She didn't tell him before because she was worried Remus might jump the gun when he found out and she didn't want to get him in trouble, they didn't have evidence until they got Pettigrew. Maybe he'd even start visiting her in Norway when she was sure he knew she was taking good care of herself and her friends.

Claire had also gathered up her nerve several months ago and had sent a letter to her godsibling Neville, telling her that she was so sorry about his parents (and about just about everything else while she was at it, Draco said that she still apologized way to much) and that she wished that she could have known him. To her mingled surprise and delight, she got a letter back, although some of the content made her stomach fall.

Neville was so happy to have a friend because he had none, so far his magic was weak and his grandmother made sure he never forgot that he was a failure and didn't live up to the impossibly high bar she had set him, that of his auror parents. She had thrown him out a window to get him so show signs of magic when he was very little, as well as having other 'magic-inducing' abuse heaped on him by her along with his grandfather and uncle.

It made her so mad, great heritage be damned as far as Claire was concerned Augusta Longbottom was no better than the Dursleys.

Unfortunately for Neville, Augusta was too smart and competent for him to run away from home like Claire, Ginny, Luna and Draco had, if he was going to escape he'd have to be far away from her when he made a break for it. He was totally miserable and lacking any bit of self-esteem.

Claire immediately decided that she would rescue him when they went to Britain, Ginny and Luna were immediately on board, Draco complained that he wasn't running an orphanage but his resistance was weak, he didn't actually mind Neville coming with them. Especially due to being the only boy in the group, he'd appreciate having another guy around.

Claire wrote him another letter telling Neville to keep his spirits up, and that she would keep in touch with him. It wasn't enough, but it would have to do for now.

Now when she wasn't practising her magic Claire was working on her music and painting, it was a wonderful pastime and she and Luna made literal buckets of money off it. Ginny and Draco helped out too but they weren't in the forefront as often as Luna and Claire. It restored almost all the money they'd spent and was more than enough to support them.

Whenever she was feeling indulgent she and her friends would have pseudo – fashion shows and mock operas where they would dress up in some of their best clothes and pose, take pictures and pretend to be Juliet Capulet. Their plays were probably one of the first times Romeo had been played by a girl. personally Claire thought Ginny made a good Romeo, though hopefully the two of them would be more careful than the Shakespearean lovers.

Now decidedly more informed and confident, Claire Lily Potter, Draco Regulus Black, the future Ginny Molly Potter and Luna Celeste Black faced their year at Hogwarts with their heads held high and ready for anything that came their way.

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Dumbledore was uneasy, the first year of Hogwarts was about to start and he was at the end of his rope, if the school letter didn't reach Claire Potter nothing would, and he had too much staked on her for her not to appear.

Where had she gone? What had she been doing all this time? What had she learned? Dumbledore didn't have answers to these questions, he hated not having answers to things. He liked being in control of other people's destinies, but Claire had escaped him once. Now he felt like he couldn't control anything, he hated that feeling.

The girl better show up, he thought. Or the Light side will be in serious trouble.

Time skip

Hermione Granger was both excited and nervous as she stepped onto the Hogwart's express. She'd always known that she was different, but she hadn't known exactly what she was until Professor McGonagall appeared on their front doorstep. She was finally going to a place where she would belong, hopefully she'd actually be able to make friends there, she'd never had one before.

The train was long and full of many other students, some her age and others older. Hermione felt distinctly out of her element; where would she sit? Who would she talk to?

Suddenly she got shoulder-rammed by someone, causing her to drop her books. The culprit was a red haired boy with freckles; he was wearing second-hand clothes and hadn't been looking where he was going because he'd been searching the compartments for someone. He glared at her and said, "Watch where you're standing mudblood!", and stalked into a nearby empty compartment.

Hermione focused on gathering her books, stung. She wasn't familiar with that word but from the tone of it she was sure it was meant to be some sort of insult. Great, she hadn't even gotten to school yet and people were already insulting her. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

Suddenly, someone else was next to her, picking up her remaining books. Hermione stood up and saw a girl with long red hair that was darker and closer to brown than the boy's had been, her eyes were a bright blue and she was wearing the same first-year robes that she was, she was about Hermione's height too.

"Here, these are yours..." She handed Hermione her other books. Hermione accepted them quickly with a shy smile, something about this girl made her want to flee into the back of her father's car and never, ever come out. Perhaps it was just her nerves; she'd never talked to another witch before. "I'm sorry about him, he shouldn't have called you that." She shot a glare at the closed compartment door.

"Hey Su, train's filling up fast, we should probably find a seat." Hermione glanced over her shoulder and saw a blonde girl and a boy with dark hair who'd obviously been walking with the redhead, the boy was carefully holding onto a small toad.

The redhead nodded and turned to Hermione, "Do you want to sit with us?"

"S-Sure!" Hermione could hardly believe her luck.

They walked further back and found a compartment, the blonde closed the door and they all sat down. For a moment, an awkward silence fell over them before the redhead decided to break the ice, "Hi, my name is Susan Bones. What's yours?" She offered out her hand.

"Hermione Granger." Hermione shook her hand and managed a smile, "Thanks for helping me."

"No problem. This is my friend Hannah Abbot," she nodded to the blonde girl, "and this is Neville Longbottom."

Neville smiled shyly, "Hi," Hannah was also full of energy and gave Hermione a dizzying grin.

"Are you a first generation witch?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah." Hermione said, she'd read some basic books about wizarding society before she went looking for her school stuff, and it explained that a first generation witch was a witch who had been born to muggle parents. "Is...is that okay?"

"Of course! Totally fine. I just figured we should get this over with, because some pompous idiots have it in their heads that having pure blood is more important than, well, anything. It's absurd. I'm a half-blood, myself."

"I'm a pureblood, but only in name," Neville sighed, "My magic feels so weak, I'm practically a squib."

"I-I'm sure you'll get better," Hermione offered awkwardly. "We're all here to learn after all."

"I'm a pureblood too, but in name only," Susan said. "I don't care about the philosophy at any rate; neither does my aunt and she's the one who takes care of me."

"Her aunt is Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Hannah explained, "takes her job very seriously. She's one of the only ministry members who can confidently state that she's never accepted a bribe."

"You mean all the others have?" Hermione asked uneasily, she didn't like the sound of that. What was the wizarding government like? She hadn't even thought to ask that, if it wasn't a steady government this might not be a very good idea after all.

"Some have. The government still feeling the after affects of the last great civil war that happened here." Hannah said.

"You mean the war against Voldemort?" Hermione asked, then looked confused when the other kids flinched, "Did I say something wrong?"

"N-Nothing major. We're just not supposed to say his name," Neville explained hastily. "In the war it was taboo, it could tell him where you were when you said it."

Hermione winced, "I'm sorry, I didn't know that."

"No harm done, he's dead now." Susan said confidently. "Yeah, from who-knows-where this guy showed up and became one of the most powerful dark wizards in recorded British history, dethroning the last one, Gellert Grindlewald. He wanted to take over the world and clean it of all 'undesirables' which basically meant anyone who wasn't of pure wizarding blood."

Which meant everyone else. Hermione swallowed. "But they defeated him, right? He's gone now."

"Yeah. But there's the spooky part," Susan said, "You-Know-Who went to try to kill two of the strongest members of the Order of the Phoenix, James and Lily Potter. Somehow he managed to find them, and he killed them. But when he tried to kill their daughter, Claire Potter, his curse backfired and killed him instead."

Hermione's eyes widened. "But the Killing Curse is unblockable."

"yeah, no one's ever survived it before and no one knows how she did it. And it gets worse, after Claire defeated him she disappeared from the wizarding world. Our headmaster, Albus Dumbledore said he would provide for her, but when the day came that she'd turn eight, she just...vanished. The ministry's underage trackers dissolved and they still don't know what happened." Susan said, eyes looking around conspiratorially.

"They know she's still alive," Hannah put in, "because the Potter Bank Vaults haven't been liquidated. But they have no idea where she went."

As it's said, speak of the devil and she may appear. At that very moment, the door slid open.

Four students stood there, and honestly Hermione was a little starstruck. The lead one was a girl who looked, quite frankly, angelic, with pale skin long black hair and ethereal green eyes. Next to her was a sharp-looking blonde boy the same height as the first girl. Next to him was a dreamy-looking blonde girl with blue eyes, and on the left of the first girl there was a firey redhead with brown eyes.

"Hello," the black haired girl said softly, her voice was very lovely too, "I'm sorry but do you mind if we come in here? Everywhere else is full."

"Or has a prat in it," the blonde boy muttered under his breath, eyes darting to the left in the direction of the boy who'd insulted Hermione.

"Sure! Come on in." Hermione said, she wasn't about to turn down company. She couldn't believe how lucky she was, first she had made three friends before she'd even entered the school and now more people were coming into their compartment, it was a little overwhelming to be honest.

They scooted over to make room, it was a little crowded but it wasn't that bad. The black-haired girl and the redhead sat next to each other on Hermione's side while the blonde boy and girl sat next to Hannah and Neville.

"Hi, my name is Hermione Granger, this is Susan, Hannah and Neville," Hermione decided to introduce herself this time, looking hopefully at the newcomers.

The black haired girl smiled shyly, there was a bit of sadness and unease in her eyes but she spoke before Hermione could ask her what was wrong, "My name is Claire Potter, this is Ginny Weasley, Draco Black and Luna Lovegood."

Susan, Hannah and Neville's eyes widened in tandem, "You're Claire Potter," Hannah stammered, "We heard you disappeared."

"It's complicated. I didn't disappear, I ran away." Claire explained, her eyes somewhat downcast.

"We all ran away." Draco added helpfully.

"Wh-Why?" Hermione asked, baffled. These people treated Claire with reverence, why could be so horrible that she felt the need to run away?

"Because it wasn't safe here." Ginny responded. "And honestly, it still isn't, but we're here as an obligation to Claire's godfather, who's been falsely imprisoned."

"Falsely imprisoned?" Susan's eyebrows shot up, "My aunt Amelia is the head of Law Enforcement, she's very careful to make sure she doesn't put innocent people in prison, especially because that prison is Azkaban."

"He was locked up back just as the War was ending, he wasn't given a trail they just tossed him in Azkaban like they were doing with other suspected Death Eaters." Luna explained placating.

Hannah blanched, "He was accused of being a Death Eater?"

"He was framed for treason and murder by an actual Death Eater, who escaped." Claire replied. "We're the only ones who know the truth, so we had to come back and save him."

Hermione was deeply impressed, Claire and her friends looked like they really didn't want to be here but they were coming back to save her godfather, it was so noble and loving, she wished she had someone who'd do that for her.

Susan frowned, the gears in her mind already turning, "Do you have any evidence that he was framed? If you have it I could take it to my aunt, she'd be perfectly happy to reopen the case if it's clear he was framed."

"So far we only have the words of a Dream-Weaver," Draco nodded to Luna, who was staring out the window and murmuring something about crooked fairy wings. "And the identity of the death eater who framed him and did the real killings. Unfortunately for us, he faked his death so we're going to have to grab him ourselves."

"That's really dangerous!" Hermione said shocked, they came here to go after Death Eaters?

"He's a rat animagus, he's been hiding in that form for 11 years now." Ginny said, "he's also a huge coward, we just have to put him in a jar and take him to the Ministry. He doesn't put up a fight if he isn't completely sure he can get away scot-free."

"Besides," Draco went on with a tinge of smugness to his tone, "We'll have the element of surprise, and we're pretty well-prepared for this endeavour."

Susan had been studying him for a long moment before eventually saying, "You used to be Draco Malfoy, am I right?"

Draco's shoulders tensed; in everything regarding their identity these four runaways got light on their feet like they were ready to make a break for it at a moment's notice. "'Used to be' being the most important words in that sentence, Susan." He said. "Lucius Malfoy has done something I cannot forgive. I made sure he would disown me, I'm shot of him and I disown everything he stands for. I'm free of the poison he filled me with, and I mean to stay that way."

Hermione was amazed to hear such a passionate and powerful speech from another eleven year old, especially one who by his own admission had used to be a spoiled, proud brat. She shivered a bit, those dark eyes had seen too much, even she who usually had a hard time reading people could tell that this Lucius Malfoy had done something truly terrible.

"You misunderstand my intention, Draco," Susan said with a smile, "My aunt wanted to thank you for what you've done. Without the Black fortune to fall back on Lucius and his wife are on strained finances, the power they held over the government has weakened dramatically."

Draco smiled at that, though there was a definite feral edge to it, "Did they charge him with the murder of Theodore Nott?"

Susan sighed, "Not yet though certainly not for lack of trying, Lucius still has political friends and Dumbledore keeps meddling with the DMLE's business. But he's living on borrowed time, my aunt's closing in on him and soon there will be no where left to hide." She said that with satisfaction.

Draco smiled coldly, "I'm glad to hear that."

Neville looked at Claire, then stared at the floor and muttered, "Thanks for the letters Claire, it was nice to have someone to talk to who didn't insult me on every other breath."

The escalating bad news was making Hermione increasingly uneasy about wizarding Britain, it was almost enough to make her want to reconsider going to Hogwarts but the train was speeding forward, bringing her there anyway. What kind of world would allow people to treat their children this way? Maybe she should have taken up Beaubaxon's offer.

Claire reached out, took Neville's hand and squeezed it gently, "It's okay Neville...I'm glad I'm getting to meet you. It's always nice to have friends."

Hermione smiled at Claire, who smiled back, it was nice to meet someone so genuine and kind, before taking a nervous breath and asking the question that had been nagging at her since they'd entered their compartment, "You said it wasn't safe for you, here. W-What exactly does that mean?"

Claire's deep green eyes took on a haunted, sad look and said, "It's too dark here, Hermione. No one cared what happened to me. I knew something terrible would happen if I didn't escape."

Hermione and her new friends shivered, and she asked what was on her mind, "Is...is it not safe for us either?"

All four runaways regarded their new friends, and their expressions didn't fill her with hope. "I don't want to frighten you." Claire said softly.

"I'm already scared."

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Hermione, Susan, Hannah and Neville walked in step with Claire, Draco, Ginny and Luna, apprehension and unease having sunken in where excitement and wonder had previously been.

Oh, they were very nice friends, and Hermione didn't regret talking to them, getting to know them, but that didn't change the sense of dread that had come over them from what the runaways had told them.

This place was not safe. Those words kept echoing in her head, like a mantra. I am going someplace where I will not be safe.

Hermione could tell that they hadn't told them the full story, and while she could understand that now she was scared. Susan, Hannah and Neville had all decided at once that they'd help look for this rat animagus; Susan was already penning a draft of a letter to her aunt. The Sirius Black case was a sore spot for the Ministry, it would take some persuading and definite hard evidence.

But despite all this fear Hermione had one thought that kept her from running straight back to the train and demanding to be taken home.

They would help their friends. Maybe everyone else in the British wizarding world had failed the runaways but they wouldn't be a part of that, Hermione hadn't waited eleven years to make a friend to loose them. If the runaways needed to escape they would help them escape, they would hide them from anyone who was looking for them.

Ginny was wearing her hood up, scraping her red hair behind it and keeping her head down. She had said she didn't want some of her old family to see her, though she wanted at least some of her older brothers to know that she was okay she needed to do that on her own time. The other runaways were making similar concealment, they wanted to delay the expression of their identities for as long as possible.

Claire sat perched on her boat, looking skyward. As if in response to a thought, four massive dragons flew overhead, to the shocked exclamations of the other students. They circled over head for a few moments before flying in the direction of the castle.

Hannah took this moment to gape across the water to the boat next to them where Claire and the other runaways were sitting, saying, "you have dragon familiars?"

Luna nodded, "oh yes, they're quite friendly actually. We could introduce you later."

Neville was floored, having a dragon for a familiar was a powerful symbol. Claire and the runaways weren't just strange, they must be powerful, too, for the dragons to choose them.

That's why those runaways seemed to ethereal and distant, they had found old magic after they had run away. Hermione couldn't help but wonder where they had gone, Germany? America? Norway, maybe?, each place as unlikely as the next. She wouldn't pry without asking, no. They would tell her if they wanted to.

Hermione hoped that whatever had driven the runaways out of Britain the first time wouldn't come back to haunt their friends, she wasn't sure if her parents would be ready to move if something bad came this way. Because where they went, she'd be following. Someone had to make a stand, even if they had to leave to make their point.

They were going to have to play it by ear, and watch the Headmaster carefully. This didn't bode well for anyone if that was the case.

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They were eventually brought to Professor McGonagall. Claire, hood up, had lowered her eyes to the floor, her hair hiding the scar that identified her as the girl-who-lived. All the runaways had hoods, Hermione wondered how they were going to keep the other students off their backs after their names got announced at dinner. It wouldn't be a nice experience for shy, privacy-loving group.

Sorting was going to be interesting. Professor McGonagall began to call out names, "Abbot, Hannah!" Hannah smiled encouragingly at her friends before going up to get sorted. Without even thinking Hermione offered Claire her hand, to her surprise Ginny had done the same.

"Thank you," Claire murmured. The group twitched apprehensively, watching the other students get sorted. Hannah had gotten into Hufflepuff.

McGonagall stared at her paper, her eyes must be deceiving her, slowly she called out, "Black, Draco."

Draco grimaced as shocked gasps and whispers ran through the crowd. Slowly he walked forward and sat down on the chair, where the sorting hat was placed on his head. A boy at the Slytherin table was waving furiously in an attempt to get his attention. Draco smiled absently in his direction, before the hat eventually called out "SLYTHERIN!"

Draco got up and walked over to the Slytherin table, his eyes on Luna, Ginny and Claire. He sat down next to the boy who had been waving and started a conversation with him, looking distinctly uncomfortable as the other kids swarmed around him trying to get his attention.

Dumbledore felt like someone had splashed hot water in his face, Draco Black? So that's why Lucius had been in so much trouble over the last few years, obviously much of his money had belonged to the Black family, which he had inadvertently made Draco the head of when he disowned him. Irony was a cruel entity.

It was strange that the hat had taken so long to put him in Slytherin, where else would a dark family scion go to? Those kind of people didn't change.

"Bones, Susan!" "HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted. Susan smiled at Hermione and the others before scampering over to that table.

Claire was getting worried about her placement, she knew that there was a chance they'd be put in different houses but it would be very frustrating, they wouldn't have a lot of time together and she'd be left at the mercy of the other housemates. Claire disliked big crowds, she much preferred it to be just herself, her runaways and her new friends.

"Granger, Hermione!"

"Good luck," Claire whispered. Hermione smiled and nodded and ran up to the chair. She sat there for a long minute before the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!" Hermione took off her hat and went to sit at the Ravenclaw table, where she was immediately greeted by a pretty, friendly Chinese girl named Cho Chang. She shook hands, her confidence growing.

Slowly the names continued before a now very puzzled McGonagall shouted, "Lovegood, Luna!"

Dumbledore was bewildered, "But McGonagall, isn't little Luna too young to become first year?"

"I'm magically ahead of my age." Luna said, so softly she could hardly be heard. She refused to look at Dumbledore, Claire knew she still blamed him for not saving her parents. "It said I could enter early." She sat down on the stool and had the hat placed on her head. After a moment the hat shouted, "RAVENCLAW!" Luna smiled brightly and went to sit at the Ravenclaw house next to Hermione.

Claire smiled, her mind made up, Hufflepuff represented loyalty and family, there couldn't be a better house for her.

"Longbottom, Neville!"

"Remember, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, where ever you go must be right for you." Ginny told Neville, who nodded, squared his shoulders and walked up to the stool. He sat down and had the hat placed on his head. After a few seconds the hat shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

There were more gasps of shock as Neville took off his hat and went to sit next to Draco. The young Black heir smiled and offered him a seat.

"I admit I'm surprised, Neville. I was expecting to get stuck here all by my lonesome." Draco remarked, shaking Neville's hand again.

"I want to show everyone I'm smarter than I look, I won't be pushed around any longer. I'll let my cunning take me to where I need to go." Neville said determinedly.

"That's the spirit," The Italian boy who had waved to Draco earlier said, "A lot of people automatically leap to the assumption that we're all Death Eaters in training, but cunning can be used for good too and we're going to prove it." He offered Neville his hand. "Blaise Zabini, welcome to the Slytherin house."

Neville took the outstretched hand and shook it, this year was just getting better and better, "Neville Longbottom, I hope to have a good first year."

Dumbledore looked like he'd swallowed a wasp, Neville's parents had been firm aurors on the Light side, why was he sorted into Slytherin? That must be a mistake, he had almost been the chosen one, he should have been in a Light house! What was going on? His controlled world was spiralling into chaos and they hadn't even reached the most important name yet!

Claire and Ginny were the only two runaways who hadn't been sorted. "No matter what happens, stay next to me," Claire whispered, she didn't want Ginny anywhere other than right by her side.

"Potter, Claire!" A great silence fell over the massive hall. Everyone stopped and waited to see the destroyer of the Dark Lord. Dumbledore had leaned forward. Ginny squeezed Claire's hand, transmitting her courage and her love, as Claire slowly let down her hood and walked towards the stool.

Professor McGonagall was watching her with a combination of relief and worry as Claire sat down and had the hat placed on her. "Hmm..." she heard the hat speak in her head, "plenty of courage and nobility, good for Gryffindor...cunning, too, wouldn't go out of place in Slytherin...and oh, my, you're a very intelligent girl, Ravenclaw would love to have you...and loyal above all else, prime Hufflepuff material...I admit, I'm a little stumped! You'd do well in all the houses...are you one who will break down the walls created in this community?"

"There's already a lot of expectation placed on me," Claire responded mildly, "and honestly, I don't feel safe here, but I can't leave without saving some old friends and family who are here."

"Hmm...I see...well, in that case, better be HUFFLEPUFF!"

There was a moment of shocked silence before everyone at the Hufflepuff table sprang to their feet and started cheering, smiling shyly Claire got off the chair and walked over to where Susan and Hannah were waiting.

"Oh wow, I can't believe you're on our house, I mean no one important EVER gets sent to our house!" One girl said.

"You're so pretty, how do you keep your hair like that?"

"Now, now, let the girl breathe!" A nearby boy said. "Don't swamp her, I know you're excited that the girl-who-lived is here but give her some space!" He smiled at her and said, "Cedric Diggory, glad to have you Claire."

"Thank you." Claire said, her voice still soft. She looked across the table to where Ginny was still standing in the hall. She locked eyes with her friend, "Ginny, no matter where you're sorted, we stand with each other first, I know you miss your older brothers, don't be afraid to talk to them."

"I know Claire but I'm scared, I love daddy and Fred and George and Bill and Charlie, but I don't want to leave you and go back to the Burrow! What if they hate me for running away?"

"They love you Ginny...they won't force you, but don't ignore them. You're lucky to have living family members who care about you."

"She's got a good point," Draco said, "Can't really argue with that Ginny, besides what's the worst that could happen? You have to run away again? I'm sure Lucy will get you out of that just fine."

"We'll never abandon you Ginny." Luna finished firmly. Ginny smiled brilliantly at them and took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Weasley, Ginerva." Ginny's smile immediately turned into a scowl when she heard her full first name being used.

"Ginny?"

"Ginny!" There were shouts from the Gryffindor table, Claire looked over to see two identical redheaded boys yelling Ginny's name, they must be Fred and George, she thought. The other redhead simply gaped, not calling her name and not even looking particularly happy or relieved. That must be Ron.

Ginny walked up to the hat, which was placed on her head. A few seconds later it shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" There was a cheer from the lion's table, Ginny looked wistfully at her friends before walking over to the lion's table.

Ginny had been bracing herself, immediately she was swept up in Fred's arms (or was it George? It was a bit hard to tell them apart, especially after she hadn't seen them for four years). "Ginny! You're alright! You've been gone for so long, we missed you!" Fred said happily.

"We're so sorry about what mum did, we are, dad and Bill have been furious almost consistently since you vanished, it's kind of scary actually." George added.

"Where the hell have you been?! Mum's been going berserk! And what the hell was up with those pictures? Who's paying for those clothes? How could you buy that stuff for yourself and just leave the rest of us behind?" Ron demanded indigently, "we deserve nice things too-"

"Shut up Ronnikins." Fred and George said fiercely at the same time in that uncanny ability to speak together. Ron shut up. Fred finally put her down and ruffled her hair, "Dad'll be glad to hear from you."

Ginny smiled weakly, "I know."

End Chapter

Well? How was that? I wanted to see what could happen if the runaways made more friends in the other houses. After all, Claire isn't the only person Voldemort causes pain for. As I said, I won't know unless you review!

Review please!