Warnings: Mentions of prostitutes, drug dealers, gypsies, all around general fluffiness.

Disclaimer to the two quotes: Will of Fire does not belong to me, it's to who ever does Naruto. Strength Grows Out of Our Weakness belongs to Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Christmas was…strange. Don't get her wrong, it was great, she actually got presents and had a group of people she could see were actually getting rather fond of her, and vise versa.

Aunt Petunia- whom had insisted that now that Vernon wasn't around that Ivy call her Mum- had agreed to accompany her to the Weasley's for Christmas Holidays, especially when she learned about Ivy opening up to the Twins. Dumbledore had even, with Bill and Charlie's help, fixed the house. Now instead of there barely being room for everyone, there was enough room for everyone, and the house didn't look like it would fall over. It had been re constructed with in a few hours to look like a manor of sorts, though it kept the inside look for the most part, just only had two stories now.

Ivy had taken a liking to sitting in the garden and watching the gnomes blunder about, laughing at them with her newly dubbed Mum and enjoying being able to actually show their affection in public. Until one bit her, then she gladly helped with throwing the little wrinkly things far over the wall.

She still thought Percy a bit of a prick, but also saw some of the pressures he had. His father was crazy on muggle things, not a widely accepted thing, and their family didn't have as much money as others. So he had to work exceedingly hard to make it to where he wanted.

Her apology to Ginny had been…spontaneous, in a way. She'd come across the red haired girl sitting off alone near the pond not far from the orchard throwing rocks dejectedly.

"You ok, Ginny?" The girl had nearly jumped out of her skin.

"How did you do that? Your so quiet, nearly scared me shitless!"

Ivy arched a brow, "And does Molly know you curse like that?"

Ginny blushed, "No…you won't tell her will you?"

"No, I curse worse."

"Why are you out here?"

Ivy held up a letter, "I was wanting some peace and quiet to read a letter from some squib friends of mine."

"Really? What are they like? I've never met a squib before." Ginny asked curiously.

"Just like everyone else. They haven't had the best of lives though. Well, Hanna Diaz was from an Italian pureblood family, but was left at an orphanage when she was eleven. She couldn't make it through muggle high school, some guy got her drunk and pregnant. She had to drop out and gave the baby up for adoption because she lived in a place she didn't want her baby to live in, gave her baby boy to a good family. She couldn't find a job, so she had to turn to something bad. Ginny, do you know what a prostitute is?"

"Uh huh, my friend Luna says that her Father sends her over here sometimes when he gets lonely and brings really pretty woman over. I saw one in Knockturn Alley once when I got lost, she helped me find my way back to Mum, and Mum gave her money so she could get herself dinner, and told her that there was a good office in the Ministry that helped people like her. Luna and I asked her Father what Mum meant and he told us what it all was." Her face flushed again.

"That's really good of Molly. Anyway Hanna had to become one, still is. Her best friend Shane is a drug dealer, but he quiet using years ago. It's the only way to live around there though, or you might get hurt because of gangs. I still talk to them rather often, they were my best friends as a child, still are."

"Oh…well they sound really nice."

"They are. So, why are you out here, Ginny?" Ivy asked, plopping down beside the younger girl. "I figured you'd be in there trying to accidentally magic a hex at your brothers again."

Ginny looked down, "I'm the only girl…Don't get me wrong, I love everyone, but it's hard sometimes. My brothers don't get it sometimes, and it gets a bit lonely."

"…I know how being lonely feels…before Fred and George I was pretty lonely myself. I'm sure your Mum told you about that.""Mhm, I'd say I'm sorry about it, but pity doesn't help anyone."

"That's a good rule, Ginny, I go by it to…How about I make you a deal?" Her eyes turned mischievous, "You can talk to me anytime, and I'll even teach you stuff, if you'll accept my apology."

"Apology? For what?"

"The things I said when we met. Your brothers…they're really smart, Ginny. They helped me a lot in such a short time. Before, I would have told you to suck it up, to quiet being such a child. I would have closed myself up even tighter and in future years probably would have snapped from all the bottled pressure. Now though, I can laugh for once, I can really smile, and I'm even slowly, very slowly, learning to forgive Albus. I know now, that I do need some friends. And I think I'd like that in you."

And that was that. So everyday, when no one but Molly, Petunia, and the twins noticed, the two would sneak back to the pond with the acoustic guitar Petunia had gotten Ivy years ago and one Petunia and Molly had made a trip for and gotten Ginny, and Ivy would teach Ginny how to play.

It eventually evolved once Hermione-who'd convinced her parents to let her come for the last week of the Hols- and Luna joined in. The three picked it up surprisingly well, and though neither Luna or Hermione could carry a tune, both Ginny and Ivy could. Before long, the twins, Bill and Petunia would sit in the bushes and watch as Ivy even taught them how to dance gypsy style. When the three asked her, she simply said Hanna had taught her.

It wasn't long that Hermione sent Hedwig to bring her violin- the day after she arrived actually- and Luna went home to get her castanets. And that was how the four became friends.

Christmas morning- before both Luna and Hermione had appeared- had been fun, and odd. They'd opened presents, though most everyone mainly got clothes or books on things they were interested in. Until an owl arrived with a package wrapped in brown paper with a note attached.

The note was rather simple: Inside are five objects, one belonged to your father, Miss Potter, the other three are something's that came into my possession a long time ago when I studied the Clans of Sun and Moon, I believe they'll come in handy. -Albus Dumbledore

The object of her father's turned out to be a invisibility cloak, which she couldn't help but smile over. She only had things of her mother's- just the journals which she hadn't finished yet, a necklace and a lullaby and picture- and now she had something of her father's. The last three were really…pretty and almost simple.

Inside were four cuffs, two with a scorpion, two with a phoenix. Each were made of a black soft leather, with the scorpions embroidered with silver, surrounded by the phases of the moon. The phoenix was in gold, surrounded by flames, and a sun above it. Each also had symbols that they somehow understood under each little embroidery. The phoenix's said: The Will of Fire. The scorpion read: Our Strength Grows Out of Our Weakness. The neat thing was simple: they moved. The phoenix would flap it's wings about and move it's head. The scorpion's tail would flex and it's pinchers snap. A second note had come with them.

They, supposedly, can strike out at attackers. They will let you know if each other are in danger, I added that little detail. Always where them, anyone who knows of the legends will know of what you are, and the strength you possess. - Albus

They'd put them on without a second thought. They all knew he wouldn't do anything to them that would harm them.

George looked up sometime after dinner a day before they were set to leave to return to Hogwarts. "Ivy, did we ever open that package from Flamel?"

She blinked, looking up from the chess match she was having with Ginny, slapping the girl's hand away playfully when she tried to cheat. "Ahh…no, but it's in my trunk, I think. Guess now is better than later." She knocked over her king and bounded up the stairs, coming back seconds later with the long, heavy clothe rapped item.

The adults and children gathered in the living room as she settled on the floor at the twins feet, curious as to what it was that Nicholas Flamel could have given her.

She carefully undid the string, gently pushing the clothe to the side and went wide eyed with a gasp as it fell away. "M-Manga-"

Petunia gawked, "A-are those-"

Bill leaned closer with a slight grin as he inspected them from the couch. "They are! Old Elf made-"

Cliff hanger, Muwahahahahaha!