Note: I do not own 'Harry Potter' but do own my own characters...if anything doesn't seem to jive with the books, it's not meant to...Hope you enjoy it...

Pyx was coming along with her magic and even used it to charm the candles on Harry's birthday cake. Much to everyone's displeasure, Severus Snape had been visiting Grimmauld Place to teach Potions to Pyx. She was able to master the 1st and 2nd year potions but the others were getting tough. Snape ordered her to practice and if she wasn't able to keep up, she would need extra tutorial time.

Their trip to Diagon Alley was like a 5 year old in a candy store. Pyx could barely keep her curiosity in check. She kept wandering off to look at the different things. Since she already had a wand, she only needed robes, her books, and an animal. They stopped first for the robes and bought a couple of them. She was still used to her Muggle clothes so she didn't wear them out of the store. Pyx was already getting looks for being herself (bold but excited and bordering on hyper) and for being with Harry Potter.

Their second stop was at Flourish and Blotts to pick up everyone's books. Even though she was older, Pyx was registered as a 5th year so she could remain with her friends. And she was going to need all the help she could get since they had OWLs that year. She even bought all the previous years' books to study from so Hermione could have hers back.

"So, we'll get Pyx an animal and then we need to go back. I'll cook us lunch there," Mrs. Weasley said.

"What's down there?" Pyx asked, pointing down the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

"No place a respectable witch or wizard would be. Now come on, dear. Let's find you an animal."

Pyx was steered away from Knockturn Alley and into Magical Menagerie. She looked around while Harry picked up more treats for Hedwig and Hermione got a new toy for Crookshanks.

Fred began to bug Ron about Crookshanks but Pyx wasn't paying attention. She was trying to find an animal that she wanted. She had joked that morning saying she wanted Sirius in his Animagus form as her animal but that idea was quickly squished by Mrs. Weasley.

Near the back of the store, Pyx found a cage covered. A piece of parchment stated clearly not to lift the drape. She turned to the wizard behind the counter and inquired about what was underneath.

"It doesn't keep quiet unless its cage is covered. A falcon isn't normally tamed for wizard use but a few years ago, a wizard was able to but only once. When he died last year, he had bequeathed the bird to us, saying that it would find its new owner eventually."

Pyx thought it would be perfect. A unique bird for a unique girl.

"I'd like to see it."

"Are you sure that you don't want to go for an owl?"

"If it doesn't pick me, I'll take two owls. Is that good enough incentive to lift the bloody drape?" she retorted.

The wizard went to the back with the group of teens. He grasped the edge of the drape and pulled it off. The falcon started to make noise but Pyx stepped forward. She stared into its eyes and the noise got quieter. Against warning, she held out her hand to the bird and slipped it in through the slit in the cage. It rubbed its head against her hand and stopped making noise.

"Well, I'll be. He's never done that before."

"I'll take him. Does he have a name?"

"No. The wizard just called him 'it' so I guess you have the honor to name him."

He went to the front to get the papers that were left with the bird and Pyx reached for the latch.

"If I let you out, will you promise to stay here with me?" she asked the falcon.

The bird cawed so Pyx released the latch and held out her arm. He climbed on and she proceeded to the front. She dug out the coin purse that Sirius had given her, hearing the jingle of the money inside.

"Here's the information that was left. Didn't you want the cage?"

"No. Even if he's been tamed, a bird like him shouldn't be locked up. How much?"

"One hundred Galleons."

Pyx heard the objections of her friends so she looked at the wizard. She shook her head.

"That sounds a bit steep especially for a bird that has been a pain in your arse for a year and hasn't selected anyone else as its new owner. Ron, how much is that owl over there?"

"Ten Galleons."

"OK. Either you accept my offer of 19 Galleons or you're stuck with a pissed off falcon."

The clerk finally agreed and Pyx paid. Mrs. Weasley was shocked to see a large black bird on her arm. They headed towards the Leaky Cauldron so they could Floo to the Burrow before Flooing to Grimmauld Place. Pyx stroked the bird and ignored the stares.

"If I let you fly, will you be able to find your way to me?"

The falcon cawed again so she lifted her arm. It flew off and she followed the others into the tavern. Pyx was the third through and was able to look around the Burrow a bit. She was fascinated with the charmed clock on the wall.

"Ron, are these your other brothers?" she asked.

"Yeah. Bill works at Gringotts, Charlie's in Romania working with dragons, and Percy's left the family to work for Fudge."

"Sore spot, eh? At least you have siblings. I would kill to have siblings. I can remember Mum going o a total of 3 dates my whole life."

When they arrived back at Grimmauld Place, Sirius and Remus were waiting. Her uncle didn't seem pleased.

"Care to explain why a falcon flew in through the window and straight up to your room?"

"Because he's mine. You told me to get an animal and I did. So sue me if he's different. I'm going to go pack my stuff into Dad's old trunk."

Everyone left Pyx alone for a bit. She unpacked the trunk and looked through the thing Regulus had left in there. She came across some photos and asked her father to explain the stories behind them.

"Have you named him yet?" Harry asked, standing in the doorway.

"I want something unique like him. He's all black with some gray flecks but anything to do with his coloring isn't special. I had a fish once that I named Cat but nothing weird goes. I've always been into Ancient Greece so maybe something from that."

Harry waited while Pyx thought of a name. He didn't understand how she was acting so calmly after everything that happened to her. His eyes wandered from his friend to the dark bird sitting on the back of a chair.

"Thanatos. He's the God of Death. What else would be perfect for a bird like that?"

The falcon screeched and seemed to nod its head.

"I guess you have a name for him. Mrs. Weasley sent me up here to tell you lunch was ready."

"Thanks but no thanks. I'm not hungry."

"I was nervous too my first time going to Hogwarts and now I see it as home. You won't be alone. We'll be there."

"Dad was in Slytherin and Mum was in a house similar to Slytherin at Beauxbatons. What'll happen if I'm sorted there? Surely a snake and a lion have never been friends before. Dad told me about how he and Uncle Sirius were distant and they're brothers. What's going to keep us together?"

"We'll deal with the sorting when it happens. After lunch, we were going to go through Transfiguration. Are you still up for that?"

"Yeah, I just need to think some things over."

Harry left and Pyx closed her door. She went over to Thanatos and ran her fingers over his feathers. She wasn't normally worried or afraid of anything but possibly being separated from her only friends did that. Her parents were brave for standing up against others so she would have to be too.

"I need to send a letter. Do you think you can take it for me?"

Thanatos screeched so Pyx wrote the letter. All she wrote was 'If it wasn't for you, your sister would still be alive. I hold you responsible.'

"Take this to Lucius Malfoy and go straight to Hogwarts. No rush though."

Pyx opened the window and Thanatos flew out. She watched as her animal got smaller in the sky before she heard someone talk to her.

"What are you doing?" Regulus asked.

"Being who people expect me to be. I'm not going to let anything scare me anymore. You weren't afraid to die and Mum left the only world she knew to protect me. As soon as my name is called, there's going to be talk and if I show no emotion to it, they'll stop."

She left the room and waited for her friends to finish with lunch. They practiced Transfiguration for the evening before the girls helped Ron and Harry pack. The twins apparated to their room and did their own packing. They had a bunch of new tricks and didn't want anyone to see them before they were ready to use.