The next morning it was raining, a bad storm had started during the night. Louisa sat at her window looking outside. She knew very well that there were Dementors out there. She could see them flying around in the clouds. She wore only her long white nightgown, barefoot, and her long wavy brown hair loose. Kirley was taking her to Hogwarts today, but she didn't have to be up and around for quite a while. The door opened. "Breakfast!" a high, excited voice said and Louisa turned finding Sissy there. Sissy was one of their younger House Elves. She had just started working. Louis remembered when Sissy was born. She had always been fascinated by baby House Elves. They were just so cute and tiny and usually with these tiny delicate ears that would grow much bigger and a little faster than the rest of their bodies, the same with their little button noses, they would grow too. There was something uniquely beautiful about each House Elf, Louisa thought watching the little one move about with the tray. Sissy had this long, shiny white blonde hair and these big blue eyes that would make some lucky House Elf crazy someday. She wore what all the House Elves here wore, a pillow case, but they were allowed to fix them up however they wished. Sissy's looked just like a dress with a cinched in waist and little apron and cap over her head.
"Hello, Sissy, you're looking well today." Louisa said unfolding herself from the window seat and coming over to the table.
"Thank you," she said smiling. "Your mother approved of the apron design when I showed it to her." She turned in a circle so Louisa could admire it.
"It's beautiful. You certainly have a knack for it. You could start a store for House Elf fashion."
"Do you think I could?" She asked wide eyed.
"Well, mother could," she amended. "But you could definitely do all the uniforms. There's no reason that House Elves can't have nice things just because they have to have uniforms made out of pillow cases and tea towels."
"You're right, there isn't." She said with a definitely nod of her head. "We aren't slaves, we work here."
"Which says to me in your downtime you could have regular clothing," Louisa ventured. "Not clothing given to you by us." She said to make that clear, she didn't want a waterworks show from Sissy by insulting her or any of the other House Elves. "I mean clothes made by you that all of you could wear."
"I'd love to do that!" Sissy loves clothes, but wouldn't dare ask for any or mention it. They all knew she was a little odd for a House Elf, but no one really minded. McCormack Elves and Avalon Elves in particular had always been a little odd. Probably because they had interbred with other species, so they were a bit more head strong than the normal House Elf. Things were a little more lax around the family. For instance Louisa could give Sissy clothes to wash and she had no problem with it. She'd never do that with some of the others. It was different talking about giving her clothes though.
"You know what? Why don't I ask Kirley to take us early to Hogsmeade to look at fabrics and you could work on it while I'm at school?"
"Okay!" She nodded excitedly. "I'll go get cleaned up and changed." She paused, "Unless you need something else?"
"Nope, everything I need is packed. I just need to get ready for the day. Go on. I'll call Henny to pick up the dishes when I'm done."
With that Sissy was out the door and Louisa had to smile as she ate her breakfast. Not long after Hinny came in to pick up the dishes, Noddy was with her. Noddy was Sissy's father and Henny her sister. "Louisa?" Noddy asked a little unsure. "Did you give permission for Sissy to make us clothing?"
"I did," she nodded. "I thought it was all right if she made it. It's not a dismissal," she said quickly. "I just thought you might like something to be in when you're alone together or if you have parties or guests…"
"It's highly irregular." He said thinking about it. "But we've always been more progressive than the others. I think it's time we did wear other things besides our uniforms, so long as it's just in private."
"Good, I'm taking Sissy to Hogsmeade to look at fabrics, if that's all right."
"It is. It will keep her out from underfoot." He hadn't wanted her to start working yet. He felt she was too young and flighty for it. "And so will making some new clothing for us."
When they left Louisa got dressed and went downstairs with her trunk. Kirley was waiting for her. "Windy told me about your plans." Windy was Sissy's mother. "This should be an interesting day to say the least."
"You don't mind chaperoning?"
"You and Sissy? No," he said shaking his curly head. "But, do not expect me to model the fabric, I won't do it." He warned her smiling.
"Yeah, right, you'll do whatever we ask."
He pretended not to hear her because he knew very well that was the truth. Sissy met them only slightly out of breath. Kirley took both of their hands and disapparated. They appeared at the train station at Hogsmeade. The station wizard took Louisa's trunk for them so it would go to Hogwarts with the rest of the baggage when the train came in later. And the three of them went into town to shop for fabric.
In London things were a little more hectic. The Ministry had picked up Erin, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Felicity (she had been staying with her mother's aunt and come the previous night to go to the station with them since her mother, Emmeline Vance, had been killed earlier in the summer not long after Amelia Bones), and Mira. Sirius, Remus, Mrs. Weasley, and Fred came with them to see them off. The Ministry Cars just went down the road (even though it was a one way street in the opposite direction) and right to the station. The guards were all tense as they watched the sky and all around for any attempt at an ambush. They parked right in front of the doors and told the kids to go in. They would take the trunks in. The adults each took one or two of them. Sirius had Harry and Erin. Remus took Hermione and Ginny. Mrs. Weasley had Ron and Felicity, and Fred took Mira. Donovan had tried to get off work to take them too, but he hadn't been successful, neither had Mr. Weasley. They got to the train and on it without incident, thankfully. Felicity thanked them and smiled shyly before going to find some Ravenclaws to sit with. Mira said goodbye to Fred with a tight hug before she and Regulus got onto the train to find their own seats with the Slytherins. Hermione and Ron left to go sit with the Prefects leaving Harry, Erin, and Ginny to find a seat together. Ginny had hailed some of her friends only to be rebuffed when they turned away or stifled giggles.
"Don't worry about it." Harry said leading both her and Erin to a compartment with Neville and Luna in it. They greeted them amiably enough and Luna even asked Ginny how married life was. That was at least bearable to the stares and whispers. They weren't just staring at Ginny either. They were staring at Harry too because of what happened at the Ministry at the end of last year. They were staring at Erin because they knew she had been missing most of the summer as well. Erin at least was pretending not to notice.
"Are we still having DA meetings this year?" Luna asked.
"I don't think so, Umbridge is gone." Harry pointed out.
"Oh," Neville said disappointed. "I learned loads with you helping me."
"Yes, I like them as well, it was like having friends."
"You do have friends," Ginny pointed out. "We're all your friends."
"I don't remember," Erin said, "But if I did I have a feeling we would be."
Luna actually smiled at that. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."
"You're welcome." Erin told her smiling.
Harry wasn't even sure what to think about that so he said nothing. They looked up when they noticed a bunch of fourth-year girls outside their compartment all whispering together daring each other to talk. "I'll do it," one of the girls said, a tall girl with long curly brown hair and dark skin. "Hello, Harry, I'm Romilda Vane," she said giving him a dazzling smile. "Would you like to sit with us? You don't have to sit with them." She said looking distastefully at Luna and Neville and then giving Ginny's mid-section a pointed look and just a look of disdain at Erin. Erin's eyes narrowed.
"In case you weren't sure, Romilda," Erin said. "Harry is MY boyfriend, not yours. And these…people you don't like…or think you're better than? They're our friends. If you had shown a little civility you might have been asked to join us, as it is, you won't be."
Harry smiled. "You heard her."
"Oh…" the girl said looking just a little embarrassed. "Okay…" She stepped back closing the door behind her.
"Does everyone know?" Ginny asked putting her arms around herself.
"It's probably just a rumor." Harry assured her.
"That doesn't make it better." She murmured.
When Ron and Hermione arrived Ron announced that he was starving and then, "Malfoy's no longer a prefect, neither is Parkinson. They made the Monson's prefects instead. You know what's funny? We passed through the Slytherin carriage to get here and all Malfoy did was nod to us when Kaeli and Dean sat down with him. The others had a lot to say, but he didn't. He's been acting strange."
"Maybe Kaeli is a good influence on him." Harry said. He couldn't knock the guy right now knowing that he had saved Erin (even though he took her in the first place) and the look on his face when Kaeli had fainted in Madame Malkin's.
The door opened again. "I have something for Harry Potter, Erin Black, and Neville Longbottom." A slight third year girl said gazing at them a little scared, but thrilled too. She gave them the scrolls she was holding and quickly scampered out.
"What's that?" Hermione asked.
"Invitation," Harry said sighing. "Professor Slughorn wants us to have some lunch with him."
"Who's Professor Slughorn?" Neville asked clearly bewildered.
"New teacher," Harry sighed again. "Guess we have to go. Unless you're too tired?" he asked Erin a little hopefully.
"No, but I am hungry." She told him.
He nodded and helped her up. "We'll be back," he told them. "Come on, Neville. He's not going to bite. You can help me get Erin through all these people." There seemed to be a lot in the corridor waiting for the trolley.
Neville nodded and took Erin's other hand so he wouldn't be left behind. When they had maneuvered through everyone to finally get to the compartment Slughorn greeted Harry almost forcefully pumping his hand vigorously. "Harry! So good to see you! And this beautiful young lady must be Erin Black! I hear the two of you are quite an item. I am so glad you are all right, my dear!" He said actually taking Erin's hand and kissing it. "Your mother was quite a favorite of mine! Her and Lilly."
"Thank you…" she said not quite sure what to say.
"And this must be Neville Longbottom! Wonderful to meet you! Please, sit down, sit down and we'll introduce everyone!" He said ushering them to seats. "We have Blaise Zabini, Kaeli and Dean Monson, all from Slytherin." Kaeli and Dean smiled at them nodding, Blaise did not. "Marcus Belby, he's in Ravenclaw…"
"Hey," Belby said waving a bit.
"And Cormac McLaggen is in Gryffindor…"
They didn't know each other, but they gave friendly greetings. The door opened around then and Ginny came in. "I'm sorry I'm late."
"No need to apologize, sit down, sit down," Slughorn said. "And this is Ginny Weasley, I met her just a little bit ago when she performed a complex hex on some students outside the washrooms."
Slughorn began to talk about why they were there. Belby's uncle had invented the wolfsbane potion, but seeing as Belby's father and uncle did get on he was almost immediately dismissed from the conversation. Then McLaggen had a famous uncle as well, but Slughorn never mentioned why, but he knew Scrimgeour and a few other wizards as well, so that was something. Zabini had a beautiful mother who had been married seven times and got rich because they had all died…mysteriously. Neville wasn't happy about the ten minutes speaking about his parents, neither was Erin when talk turned to her mother and father. Kaeli and Dean weren't happy about it either.
"Now, if I recall correctly all the Monsons, except the two of you were killed in a fire when you were little," Slughorn was saying.
"That is correct." Kaeli said tightly.
"Such a shame. The Monsons were well known for their magic. I assume you were too young to inherit any wisdom from your parents?" He asked hopefully.
"We have inherited much from them." Kaeli told him. "Whether or not it would be useful remains to be seen."
"Of course, of course," he nodded and sensing Kaeli's ire rising he went on to Ginny regaling them on the hex she had performed.
"I had to throw up," Ginny said in a low voice to Erin and Harry. "They were taunting me about it."
Then he talked about Harry. That wasn't uncomfortable at all as they attempted to eat cold pheasant, pies (Belby was left out of the pies, but Erin had snagged two and gave him one), cheeses and crackers, and several other things came out. "The Chosen One they're calling you now!" Slughorn said joyfully. "Of course there have been rumors for years. That terrible night that Lily and James, well yes, that you must have had some sort of incredible power—" he asked while everyone looked at him almost gaping.
Zabini gave a snort of amusement turning it into a cough. Erin's head turned to him immediately, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Like you're good at anything, but posing!" Ginny hissed at the boy. He was about to say something and then Zabini pushed as far away from the table as he could eyes on his plate gasping.
"You'll want to be careful," Slughorn said not getting why he had done that, thinking he was afraid of Ginny. "I saw this young lady perform the incredibly difficult Bat-Bogey Hex this morning."
Erin's eyes were like fire, but no one was paying any attention to her and her attention was on Blaise as he stared at his plate and then flicked up seeing Erin looking at him. "Stop it!" He said voice wavering. "Stop it! Turn it back!"
"Turn what back?" Dean asked looking at Blaise's plate. "There's nothing there."
Zabini backed against the wall. "What is going on?" Slughorn asked.
"Please, stop! STOP!" Zabini screamed and then broke away rushing to the door of the compartment and out.
Erin's eyes turned green once more and she continued eating as if nothing had happened. Harry glanced at her, "What did you do?"
"It's not my fault he saw something that scared him." She said putting a piece of pheasant into her mouth.
"Right…" Harry said. "Remind me never to make you mad."
"Now, what was that all about?" Slughorn asked.
"Maybe there is illness in his family." Kaeli suggested.
"Perhaps, you're right." Slughorn nodded before serving them big plates of ice cream. "Oh, it's getting dark already! I didn't notice they had lit the lamps. You'd all better hurry back. I hope to see you all again soon like this. Off you go."
They all made their way back to their compartments. Kaeli and Dean came into the Slytherin car to find Zabini scrunched up in the back eyes flicking back and forth. "What in Merlin's name happened to him?" Draco asked as Kaeli sat next to him, he pulled her close to snuggle since he had barely seen her during the ride.
"He insulted Harry Potter," Dean told him.
"And Erin Black made him see things that weren't there." Kaeli continued. "He needs to learn decorum when meeting with others he may not like."
"Especially when they're more powerful than you are," Draco nodded in understanding as he tightened his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. His mother was always telling him he had to play nice and not reveal your true feelings. He had never listened to her until now…right now he was all wound up and trying not to show it. With Kaeli there it helped. He didn't want to kill Dumbledore…but what choice did he have? The Dark Lord was going to kill him if he didn't and he had threatened his mother and Kaeli as well. She was the only thing keeping him sane, the mark she had put on him was helping as well. He liked looking at the dragon and moonstone on his arm. He had put the ring she had given him on his hand as well. He could actually feel it calming him. Moonstones were known for their calming, peaceful effect on people. Kaeli herself was a calming presence, probably had to do with the fact that her family had always used the moonstone as their symbol of choice and in their coat of arms. He sighed. The year had barely begun and he was already grateful for her in his life.