Harry stared at the mirror with irritation. He'd been trying, for ten minutes straight, to try and re-style his hair. But, it seemed the Potter curse stayed true and his hair stubbornly stayed the way it was. Messy, long and all over the place.

He looked at the mirror one more time. "Might as well try again," he muttered, raising his hands to his hair once again. Then, he felt an odd, tingly sort of feeling that he'd never felt before. He looked at the mirror, and nearly passed out from shock. His hair, his black hair, had red streaks in it!

Mouth open with shock, Harry ran his hand through his hair. It felt the same, but it certainly didn't look the same. What the hell was he supposed to tell the Dursleys? Making a split-second decision, he rushed to his room and locked the door. Grabbing some parchment and a pen, he quickly scribbled a letter to the one person who would know what was happening.

Dear Hermione...

Research Unspeakable (R.U.) Carolina Manaus, a.k.a. Sparrow was frustrated. She had been poring over the mysterious tome Adonis had handed to her subsection nearly six months ago. She had nearly finished translating the runes, so that wasn't a problem, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that she had heard it, or seen it somewhere before. It was just so familiar and she had always trusted her instincts. She tapped the runes at the edge of her desk.

"F.U. (Field Unspeakable) Adonis, to R sub-section, Office C immediately. I repeat, F.U Adonis, to R sub-section, Office C immediately"

A few minutes later, a black cloaked figure came into the room.

"What is it?"

She held up a piece of parchment with the runes translation on it. "I need you to take this to the new recruits and see if they recognize this poem"

The man took the parchment from her and left the room while peering at it through his shrouded hood.

Carolina leaned back in her chair and waited.

Harry,

Your theory about being some sort of late- blooming metamorphmagus is somewhat correct. Do you remember what Helga Hufflepuff said to Godric Gryffindor about her abilities when they first met? That she was a 'level- 5' metamorphmagus? Well, I think you are a level 4. It's the only explanation that makes sense.

There are five different levels of metamorphmagus. A 'level-1' only develops their ability in their early twenties. The maximum they can do is change the length, texture and colour of their nails and hair. However, they can only stick to natural colours like brown or blonde rather than outrageous ones like pink or blue. They rarely ever lose control as their gift is pretty rigid in the first place and are the most common type. 'Level- 2's are only a little more flexible. There are no limits to the colours their hair can turn and they can also alter their eye colour. They generally get their abilities once they're of age, which is once they're seventeen. 'Level-3' metamorphs generally get their abilities at the age of eleven or twelve and can change their height, body mass and skin colour in addition to the above. I'm going from most common to least common, Harry, so bear with me.

'Level-5's can alter nearly everything about themselves, except internal organs. They can even physically change their gender though they stay the same on the inside. These people have the abilities from birth; the power isn't dormant for periods of time, unlike the other levels. Their powers are nearly uncontrollable during infancy and early childhood. Muggleborn 'level-5's are exceptionally rare, and when they are born, The Ministry of Magic sends Unspeakables to cast a temporary but powerful glamours on them to protect the Statute of Secrecy. The parents are informed, and the child is taught to hone his/her skills once they are five, usually by another metamorphmagus. The glamours are re- cast every year until the child is sent to Hogwarts.

'Level-4's are by far the rarest type there is, and are a source of curiosity for many magical researchers. Their abilities become active between the ages of thirteen to sixteen. They can do everything a 'level-5' can save physically change gender. However, while a level- 5 can often lose control of their gifts when experiencing strong emotions, even in adulthood, this is not the case for a level-4, who has supreme control over the ability from the moment it shows itself. People like this are often natural Occlumens, which explains why you picked the skill up faster than we did, Harry.

Since Metamorphing is an inherited ability, I suggest you ask Sirius about it. Maybe your ancestors had it as well. I've sent a book about it to you, so you can answer any questions for yourself. All you have to do to turn your hair back to normal is visualise what it used to look like. It should turn back to normal. I have to go eat lunch now, so I'll send another letter to you later. Tell me how it goes and what you find out as soon as you can, Harry.

Adonis sent a letter through the box. He wants to meet up with us tomorrow at the Leaky Cauldron, Harry. He said that Ron wouldn't be coming. Ron has been surprisingly tight-lipped about the whole thing. Anyway, I told my parents and they agreed to drop me there as they're going to London to meet up with a friend anyway. If the Dursleys are nasty about it, just call the Knight Bus or take a muggle bus. I'd say a muggle bus because then no one can trace you. Well, unless those pureblood bigots take their heads out of their arses for a minute. We both know how likely that is.

I really hope Sirius gets through this giant legal, political mess his innocence has created. I'm so excited for whatever he's going to train us in! Have you finished your homework? The runes one was particularly complicated wasn't it?

Your sister,

Hermione

P.S. Keep your hair that way. I want to see it for myself. And if they don't like it, it's the Dursleys' problem. It'll keep you from being recognised as well. And please buy some new clothes or so help me Harry, I'll drag you to the mall myself.

Dear Ginny,

How're you doing? I hope you're not having nightmares again. Ron was complaining about you helping the twins play a prank on him. From what I could gather, it involved paint, candy and chickens (?). Do I really want to know?

Anyway, I heard that Percy's got a job in Magical Law. I take it Mrs. Weasley isn't very happy about it? What's wrong with the job anyway? Anyway, as it's your birthday next week, I sent your gift early. I hope you like it. I'm sorry I missed all your previous birthdays.

Also, Sirius was telling me about this magazine called the Quibbler owned by one of your neighbour's father. I ordered a copy of it and... well, I guess it's better for you to see for yourself. If you turn it upside down, there's a code. The code is a muggle one, and pretty easy to decrypt if you have a muggle encryption book and a bit of common sense. Once you've deciphered it, a random word comes up. If you repeat that word three times in the crossword at the back of the magazine, you get the password to a programme that comes on the Wizarding Wireless every week at a different time. The timings are also given in the magazine, hidden in sneaky places. This letter has charms to prevent anyone but you reading it. If anyone else touched it, it would disintegrate. My mum invented the parchment before she died. Listen to the program and tell me what it says, because I have no access to a Wizarding Wireless of any kind.

Love,

Harry

HI!

It took so long to get this down on virtual paper and I'm so relieved and disappointed. I'm frankly, not very happy about the way it came out. Anyway, the Founders' conversation mentioned by Hermione takes place in 'How we met' which is on my profile. I couldn't update it because for some reason, when I was trying to save the document in the doc manager, it got deleted. What? Anyway, I'm redoing that, and next chapter will show Ginny's reply to Harry, a Daily Prophet article, the meeting between Adonis, Harry and Hermione and a giant surprise. I will first update 'How we met' because the next two chapters of this story have a lot to do with the next two chapters in that story. As I said in my long note previously, it's really hard to understand if you don't read both stories around the same time.

And my poll about what the name of the DA should be is up until 11:59 p.m., GMT +5:30 Indian Standard Time, 31st January 2015, so please vote if you want a good new name for Harry's Defense group. It is not going to be Dumbledore's Army, I swear.

Until next time,

Maya.