A/N: This chapter is so exciting and the longest chapter I've wrote and it has more than a 1,000 words than a chapter usually would have! Oh my Merlin! I was like Ah! During part of this chapter I was like fight fight fight! Can you guess which part (it's obvious!)? And in this chapter, we're off to the best place in the world, Hogwarts!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, HOGWART SOR ANY OTHER CHARACTERS/THINGS YOU MAY RECGONISE IN THIS FANFICTION! HOWEVER, I DO OWN SOME THINGS YOU DON'T RECGONISE FROM THE BOOKS/FILMS LIKE GRACIE! THANK YOU!

-CONVERSATION OF THE CHAPTER-

ME: ALICE!

ALICE: HIYA!

ME: Are you looking forwards to going back to Hogwarts?

ALICE: Of course! I can't wait to see all my friends again!

ME: Yeah, letters isn't the real thing is it?

ALICE: No.

ME: So… are you also looking forwards to seeing a certain someone.

ALICE: A certain someone?

ME: Yes… a boy, who's a Gryffindor 2nd year… brown hair short hair…, likes Herbology… ring a bell?

ALICE: Uh...

ME: Don't worry, I won't tell anyone your secret.

ALICE: Phew, thanks.

ME: No problem! This is so exciting! You'll get married and you'll have a son named Neville and-

ALICE: Neville? That's a nice name.

ME: It is. You better go now, don't want to miss the train!

ALICE: Now I don't want to miss it. Bye!

*Alice disappears*

ME: Well for future reference if anyone asks who named Neville Longbottom, you can all just point your fingers at me. ON WITH THE STORY!

5

James ran through the wall the enter platform 9 and 3/4; nearly bouncing with excitement.

Ah!

It's good to be back!

He thought as he looked around the crowded platform.

Families saying goodbye, students getting on to the train, Gracie and Remus hugging…

GRACIE AND REMUS HUGGING!

James seriously hoped Sirius wasn't watching and nothing was going between Gracie and Remus because if there was…

Bye bye Remus.

And-

Sirius says hello to Azkaban.

Azkaban- the wizarding prison. And the worst place on earth to be.

James shuddered.

Dementors.

Dementors, who suck all the happiness out of you and even worst, give you the Dementors Kiss and suck out your soul.

Not many people deserved Azkaban. Not many people at all.

Sirius didn't deserve it. (A/N: !)

'Right boys, I need to take a picture!'

He hadn't noticed his mother, father and Sirius enter the platform.

His mother reached into her bag and took out her camera.

The same camera from last year.

'C'mon boys; stand next to each other.' James's mother ordered them and held the camera up.

James shuffled uncomfortably while Sirius beamed and slung an arm over James's shoulder.

FLASH!

Mrs Potter pocketed her camera and grabbed both of them into a tight hug.

'I'll miss you. Don't get into any trouble. Okay?' she fretted, smoothing their clothes down.

'Now sons-' Mr Potter started.

'Oh Charlus,' a male voice interrupted. 'Since when has my son ever been your son?'

The man that had spoken was dressed in the poshest clothes James had ever seen. The man held himself like he was above everyone else.

James knew this was Sirius's father.

A women, who wore expensive clothes and carried herself the same way as the man stood next to him. She was sneering and looked upon James's family and others with disgust.

This was Sirius's mother.

A boy was also there and James guessed he was Regulus, Sirius's younger brother who they were going to prank later. He looked very much like Sirius, but Regulus was shorter and less handsome (not that he thought Sirius was handsome) than his elder brother.

'Oh since during the middle of this summer, Orion. Didn't you know?' Mr Potter said his voice falsely polite.

Orion Black's lips turned into a frown and his eyes narrowed.

'No, I didn't know. Since he is are son and-'

'Your son? You've never been a father to him Orion, so how is he your son?' Mr Potter asked.

'He has been a good father to him. We both have brought him up in the proper way-' Mrs Black said.

'Walburga!' James's mother interrupted. 'Your son does not want to…be like you.'

James knew his mother had been a Black. She no longer spoke to her familyand the only reason she wasn't disowned was because she married into a respectable- even if they were classed as Blood-Traitors- family.

'We can still change him.' Walburga Black hissed.

Mr Potter shook his head.

'You can only change him if he wants to change.'

'You dare! We will do what we want! He is our son! The Heir to the Black family! It's in his blood!' Orion Black shouted, grabbing people's attention.

'Yes,' Mr Potter agreed, nodding his head. 'He is the Heir to the Black family and your son. However, he is our son in everything but blood.'

Both men stood glaring each other.

The whistle blew, signalling students should get on the train as it was going to leave soon.

'This isn't over Potter.' Orion Black warned and turned and walked away with his son and wife in tow.

'Right, we'll see you at Christmas.' Mr Potter said speaking like the conversation between the Blacks' never happened.

'Thank you.' Sirius said so quietly, you could barely hear it.

James's mother and father smiled.

'Sirius we were speaking the truth back then. You are our son in everything but blood.'

Mr Potter clapped him on the shoulder.

'Thank you.' Sirius repeated more loudly this time.

The whistle blew for the final time and James and Sirius hopped onto the train.

It started moving and they waved until Mr and Mrs Potter were out of sight.

'Let's go find the others then shall we?' James paused and nudged Sirius in the ribs. 'Dear brother.'

James and Sirius had wondered the train only for a short while until they had spotted Remus in a compartment all to himself reading a book that looked a lot like their new Defence against the Dark Arts text book.

'Remus!' hey both yelled and quickly hugged their friend.

James and Sirius took seats across from Remus.

'What are you reading?' Sirius asked conversationally as he tore open a chocolate frog.

'Dumbledore. Ironic, when we're going to Hogwarts.' He muttered.

James and Remus chuckled at him.

'It's the new Defence against the Dark Arts book for 2nd year,' Remus answered Sirius's previous question from earlier.

James had been right.

'I wonder who we'll have this year.' Remus finished of thoughtfully.

James shrugged.

'Where's Peter?' James questioned.

'Dunno. I wonder if he had fun in Poland.'

'He went to Peru.' James corrected Remus immediately.

'No he didn't,' Sirius protested. 'He went to Japan.'

'No he didn't,' a new voice joined in. 'He went to Australia.'

'No I didn't,' a second new voice joined in. 'I went to Portugal.'

Gracie and Peter walked into the compartment, Gracie having been the first to speak and Peter the second.

'Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure you told me you were going to Japan…' Sirius trailed off.

'I'm sure.' Peter replied and sat down next to Remus.

'So what's this about you being on first name terms with the Minister of Magic Gracie?' Remus questioned; he placed his book down to hear the story with no distractions.

'Gracie's on first name terms with the Minister of Magic?'

'Oh we didn't tell you Peter…'

James quickly explained to Peter about their meeting with the Minister of Magic in Quality Quidditch supplies while they were in Diagon Alley over the summer buying school equipment.

After that, everyone turned to Gracie for answers.

'I have always been a curious and mischievous child from the minute I was born,' Gracie started. 'I always wanted to know everything and have lots of fun. I always wanted to know and do things other people didn't know how to do or know about. It really started, well the Ministry part of it, when I discovered my dad worked at the Ministry. I must've been around 7. I asked him what he did, he wouldn't tell me… he said I was too young or something. So I decided I would find out what he did by myself. When my father had left for work one day and my mother and sibling weren't around I flooed to the Ministry. I spent hours looking around that place. It was so fascinating. That day, I vowed I'd make my way around the Ministry, go everywhere I could and find out everything I could.'

'Were you caught? The Minister said something about being caught.'

'No Sirius I wasn't caught, not at first anyway. A few months later, after my first secret trip to the Ministry I finished going everywhere. Except for one place.'

'Where?'

'The Department of Mysteries.'

James had heard about the Department of Mysteries. It certainly was a Department full of Mysteries. No one, apart from the workers in the Department knew truly what went on down there. There were rumours of course, things about them messing with time and stuff.

'As you know no one knows what goes on down there completely. I think it was the 4th time maybe I was down there when I was caught… I was questioned and forced to confess what I had been doing. I was lucky, very lucky I wasn't sent to Azkaban. Very lucky.'

'You were nearly sent to Azkaban?' Sirius whispered.

Gracie nodded.

'Yes. Instead the Ministry decided I could be useful. I had told them I had secretly made my way around literally the whole Ministry so they knew they had to tighten up security. I was blackmailed into agreeing to try and get past their security wizards and charms and all of that.'

'Wow…'

'You were blackmailed?' Remus asked.

'Yes. To be honest it was a good deal. It worked out for both of us. I would not get sent to Azkaban; I would be allowed to get my wand earlier than the usual age and unknowingly to them, I would be improving my charms and spells and afterwards I would be in the Ministry… ears dropping, talking to people and more… They would be tightening their security. If a very smart underage witch that hadn't even started Hogwarts yet could get past a Dark and/or powerful wizard could.'

'Did you get past their security?'

'Yes. Most of the time I did.' Gracie confirmed.

'Most of the time?' Sirius asked with raised eyebrows.

'I can't do everything.'

I can't do everything.

'Why did you tell them you had been sneaking about anyway? How come this wasn't in the Daily Prophet? Shouldn't everyone know a child can get into the Ministry?' Sirius said frowning.

'Shh,' Gracie said quietly, checking no one was outside listening. 'I'm not allowed to say this kind of stuff. You lot are an exception.'

'Sorry.' Sirius mumbled.

'To answer your questions, I was under the truth potion in court so I had to tell the truth. It wasn't in the Daily Prophet because the Ministry were embarrassed.' She answered.

'You were in court?' Remus said shocked.

She looked at him.

'Of course. Breaking into the Ministry is a very serious matter.' She huffed.

'Have you… you know… broke into anywhere else?' Sirius lowered his voice.

'Of course,' she said brightly but quietly.

'I've snuck into Knockturn Alley is that counts, Gringotts I don't steal anything just look at things and papers… they keep Dragons there you know?… it's a personal favourite of mine… I got into the Quidditch world cup final… oh! I went to Beauxbatons once as well… that was funny. And-' Gracie listed.

'Beauxbatons? That's in France!' Remus's mouth hung open.

'Yeah, it was only once though. Did you know the French Ministry isn't as big as ours? Now you know.'

They all gaped at her in shock for a minute.

'Did you ever get into Hogwarts?'

'I didn't ever try to Peter. I didn't want to ruin it for myself.' Gracie gave him a small smile.

'Did you go anywhere over the summer?' Sirius asked eagerly.

'Yeah… did you know they keep Dragons in this place in Wales yeah… went into Gringotts again…'

'Oh Dragons…' James said with wide eyes.

'Yeah…' Gracie mumbled.

'Don't any of you try it though.' She said suddenly.

'Why not?' Sirius groaned.

'Sometimes curiosity's a bad thing… that it can take you to bad places… to bad people.' Gracie winced.

'What do you mean?' James asked slowly.

Gracie sighed and closed her eyes.

'On the 5th of September 1970 I asked my mum if I could go out flying around on my broom.'

James, Peter, Sirius and Remus exchange glances.

Where was this going?

'She agreed and told me to be back by 11 for and in case I forgot or the like; she gave me a Portkey that would take me home as soon as the clock stuck 11. She told me not to go too far and to stay out of sight. I didn't really listen to her.' Gracie said sheepishly.

That's not really surprising.

Remus looked ready to scold Gracie but they shushed him, waiting to hear the rest of the story.

'I flew for a long time and landed in a field for a break. I had no idea where I was and it was getting dark. I spotted a cabin around half a mile away and went over. No one seemed at home so I went in to just sit down ya know? It was creepy I admit. It was very old and dusty… I heard people talking.'

The 4 of them held their breaths.

'I was confused about what they were talking about… they were talking about killing… and Muggles… power… Pure-Blood… I was outside listening for about 5 to 10 minutes before a snake came slithering in the hallway where I was. It slipped into the room where the people were talking and said something to one of the men. He spoke to the snake.'

'Parseltongue.' Sirius said.

Gracie nodded.

'Yes. I was so shocked and so scared… I didn't have chance to do anything… the door opened and I was dragged into the room.'

Gracie bit her lip.

'7 men were in the room along with the snake. The snake was being held by one man- if you could call him a man- who was sitting down and judging me.'

'What do you mean "if you could call him a man"?' Peter frowned.

Gracie shivered.

'His eyes were red and were shaped like slits. He was bald and his skin was like pale blue. He was like a skeleton. I wanted to be sick.' Gracie cringed.

'What happened next?' James spoke softly.

He knew by the way Gracie was speaking and acting that this must be hard for her to talk about.

'He asked me my name. I lied but he knew I lied. He said that my name wasn't that. He said it was Grace Prewett. He could read my mind, it's called Legumency.' (A/N: Wrong spelling sorry…)

'He asked me what I was doing here. I explain what happened and he laughed at me. Then he decided to tell me who he was, who the others were and what they were doing. I don't know why he wanted to tell me. They were planning to attack and take over the whole of the wizarding world and kill Muggles, Muggle-Borns and Blood-Traitors. It was horrible what he was telling me. The way he was talking about torturing people and killing people like it was fun. The others were laughing along as well. He then told me they were his Death Eaters and that his name was Lord Voldemort. I said that was an odd name to be born with. He didn't like that.'

'You did what?'

'Well I decided I wasn't just going to stand there while they were laughing about Muggles and all of that. Voldemort told me his name was to be feared and all that. I started laughing at him. He didn't like that.'

'I don't think he would've.' Remus muttered weakly.

Sirius, James and Peter nodded in agreement.

'Before I knew it, the Cruciatus Curse was being cast on me. I may have started calling him names after that like Mouldy-Voldy and how he wasn't going take over, that I wish he would die and all of that stuff.'

James face palmed.

'You don't tell someone who's planning to kill people that you want them dead Gracie.' Sirius told her off sternly.

'I was like 10!' she protested weakly. 'The Death Eaters joined in then but they just did very different and strong versions of cutting and stinging hexes and kicked me around. My arms broke.'

'How did you get away?' James wondered aloud.

'The Portkey.' Remus answered.

Gracie nodded in confirmation.

'Yes, it was the Portkey. Luckily, no of them were holding on to me at the time or they would've been taken with me. I told my mum that I had flew into a tree and fell of my broom. She brought the lie because of my broken arm and cuts and plus, I didn't have my broomstick with me anymore.'

'Did you tell anyone what really happened?' Sirius asked.

'No,' Gracie shook her head. 'They would've thought I was crazy. I was so confused about what happened myself to be honest. You see when we were in Diagon Alley and I said the attack in Liverpool wasn't the first to happen, just the first to be in the paper what I meant was that I was the first to be attacked.'

'You should talk to Dumbledore. He'll believe you.'

'Maybe I will Sirius,' she smiled at him. 'You can't speak of this to anyone. Any of it.'

'We won't.'

'Thank you.' Gracie stood up. 'I better go find the girls. We've been here for hours.'

'We have.' Remus agreed.

'But he and his following didn't stop you from still being curious did it? It didn't really teach you a lesson.' Peter said thoughtfully.

'No it didn't teach me a lesson and no, it hasn't stopped me from still being curious. You know what Voldemort said to me when he put me under the Cruciatus Curse?' she opened the door to leave and without waiting for an answer said, '"Oh, what was that Muggle saying again? Curiosity killed the cat." And after words I said to myself, but Curiosity didn't kill me. Well not this time anyway.'