"Professor," I said to Professor Dumbledore the following Monday before our lesson began, "there's something that happened to me in Diagon Alley last Friday."

When Professor Dumbledore did not react, I guessed, "You already knew?"

"Tom the Bartender contacted me that you seemed to be chased by three men but had made it back into the fireplace. Professor McGonagall waited ten minutes before she set off to search every fireplace in the castle. She met a friend of yours, Regulus Black, who assured you that you were inside the castle."

My jaw tightened at the mention of Regulus.

"Then, Madam Pomfrey contacted her to let her know you were at the Hospital Wing and that you seemed quite exhausted. Professor McGonagall, though happy that you are well, is also quite.. er… livid that you failed to contact her and I must warn you to be on guard when you next encounter her."

"Oh," I said, suddenly feeling abashed. "Right. Sorry."

"But Professor," I pressed on, "who were they?"

"As to that, I cannot be certain. However, their timing indicates that they were not particularly pleased with your sister's admirable progress in the Wizengamot."

"And my parents?" I asked immediately, Sola's letter flashing in my mind. I am aware that there will be repercussions that may possibly include you and our parents.

"Are safe," Professor Dumbledore said calmly.

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Merlin."

"Yes," Dumbledore agreed. "But it would be wise not to let down your guard, Ms. Kingsley. Dark times await us, it is best to be on the tip of one's toes in such times."


Having stayed up the entire night before, Dorcas and I entered the Great Hall quite early for breakfast, very nearly the first ones.

Her owl brought her Daily Prophet and she opened it and disappeared behind it. I poured myself some pumpkin juice and bit into my buttered toast. I looked up at Dorcas, munching contentedly.

Suddenly, my heart froze.

And I grabbed for the Prophet so viciously that it tore in half.

"Ray!" Dorcas yelped in shock. "What-?"

"This is from today?" I asked her frantically.

"Yes," she said, slightly startled and quite confused.

"Ray?" Dorcas asked and then a little more impatiently, "Ray, what're you on about?"

"You see that?" I said fiercely, pointing at the article.

"What?" Dorcas asked, craning her neck to see the article at the bottom of the page. "The Wizengamot attacked in session-? Oh!" His eyes widened and she whispered, "Sola."

Dropping the newspaper, I immediately shoved back my bench and ran out, now having to battle the incoming crowd of Hogwarts students.

"Stop shoving me!"

"Sorry!" I shouted desperately as I moved through the throng of grumpy morning students heading towards breakfast. "Please let me through- ouch!"

Somebody had tripped me by stepping on my foot and pushing me down onto the ground.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Mudblood," a voice sneered. Even though I was staring down at the concrete floor, I recognized Yaxley's leering voice. "Didn't Mummy ever tell you now to shove? Or do Mudbloods not even have those manners? I suppose not, seeing as you Mudbloods shoved your way into our society."

I was on my feet now and immediately began to run again when Avery, besides Yaxley, reached out and grabbed my wrist, jerking me back.

"Let me go!" I snarled impatiently. When he didn't, I pulled out my wand and slashed, "Relashio!"

Avery let me go with a yelp of discomfort, rubbing his wrist where an angry red line puckered up. I immediately raced through the corridor and up the gargoyle statute, "Chocolate Frogs!"

But the gargoyle didn't move.

"No! Why-?"

"What're you doin'?" Filch's unpleasant voice crawled into my ear.

"I have to see Dumbledore," I said firmly.

"The Headmaster ain't here right now," Filch replied, leering at me as he scratched Mrs. Norris behind her ears. She purred contentedly.

My heart was about to burst with frustration.

"Move it, get to class," Filch said to me and he followed me to make sure that was where I was going to go.

When I attempted to turn towards the Great Hall to make a break for the Owlery, Filch stopped me. "Skivin' off on class, are we?"

"I have to-" I began furiously, but Filch cut me off, "Rules are rules. Get to class."

I swallowed back the spit I wanted to spit in his face and marched up the stairs as ordered, but in my mind, I was thinking rapidly.

Was there another way to check on Sola, other than sending a letter with an owl? Something more certain would be preferable because if Sola was injured and unable to reply to my letter, I wouldn't even know until a lot longer.

I didn't know how to Apparate yet, but there was the option of Floo Powder… but who? Who would have Floo Powder in Hogwarts? The Professors wouldn't let me go and Dumbledore isn't here.

James, I thought, he's my best chance at having something so unexpected.

I sprinted as fast as I could to Slughorn's dungeon for Potions, since I knew James had Potions just before I had Alchemy. I spotted him there with Sirius.

"James!" I said, quickly making my way up to him.

"Ray! Has Lily sent you to profess her love for me?" he said with open arms and a broad smile.

"James," I said in a low voice, "have you got any Floo Powder?"

His smile faded to a confused look as he answered, "No."

I blew out an exasperated breath and tugged at my hair. "Damn it," I muttered through gritted teeth.

I started to turn away again, half-considering climbing down the vines creeping up the exterior of Gryffindor Tower when James grabbed my arm, wrenching me back a little.

"What? Why do you need something like that?" he asked me. Seeing my frantic eyes and pale face, his grip on my arm tightened, "Something's happened, hasn't it?"

"The Wizengamot was attacked," I said, distraught. "I'm worried about my sister. I don't know what's happened to her."

"Come with me," James said immediately and he pulled me down the hall.

"Prongs!" Sirius called out.

"Tell Slughorn I forgot my homework and I'll be there!" James shouted back, and we began racing down the staircase.

"James, I-"

"Trust me," he said and led me all the way down to the kitchens.

The kitchens?

"Tilly, where are you?" James asked, scanning the crowd of extremely busy house-elves, who were busy receiving dirty dishes sent down from the plates above.

A female house-elf with bright, sparkling eyes came forth and squeaked happily, "Master James! How is Dusky?"

"Dusky's great," James replied, speaking fast. "But listen, Tilly, I've got a favor to ask you. It's really, really important."

She cocked her head curiously at him as she listened.

"Can you take my friend and Apparate her out of Hogwarts? Take her to…"

"145 Ashbury Lane, on the outskirts of London," I recited Sola's address.

But Tilly shook her head frantically. "Sorry, sorry, but Tilly isn't supposed to take students out of Hogwarts. Tilly isn't allowed-"

"I know," James said, "but this is really urgent. Please, Tilly. I'm begging you."

"Oh no, no, Master James, please do no beg, please! Tilly doesn't want that."

"Then take my friend there. For me. I'll take any responsibility if you get in trouble, Tilly."

Tilly hesitated but looking into James' face, she finally nodded. She held out her hand to me. I grasped it. And she turned.


We were sucked into that terrible vortex of compression before it spat us out again.

Taking a deep breath, I looked up at the row of apartment complexes on Ashbury Lane.

"Thanks, Tilly. You should go back, this might be dangerous," I told her. She nodded and Disapparated again. Wand out, I walked up to number 145 and climbed the thin metal stairs to the third floor. With my heart thundering and my hand trembling, I knocked.

Nothing.

My heart sank.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"Raylynx?" my sister hissed.

"Sola!"

"Sh!" she grabbed me and shoved me both inside before closing the door and locking it with a variety of different spells.

I looked at her closely when she turned around. There was a deep gash on her cheek but she seemed otherwise unharmed.

But then she turned her wand onto me.

"So you're her Mudblood sister, eh?" she sneered at me.

"S-Sola?" I choked out, unable to hide my startled fear.

"Avada-"

Crack!

"Stupefy!" two voices roared.

Sola dropped to the ground with a loud thud!

Ted Tonks and a man with blonde hair whom I couldn't identify stepped forth.

Ted turned to me as the other man roughly pulled up my sister by the scruff of her robes.

"Don't!" I shouted. "What're you doing!? That's my sister!"

"No, she isn't," Ted said, laying a hand on my shoulder. "That's an imposter."

"Imposter?"

"Yes, your real sister's with us. She's a bit bruised after the attack, but she's all right," Ted said. The other man rummaged through my sister's robes. Even knowing that it was an imposter, it was uncomfortable to see.

The man pulled out a flask and sniffed it. "Polyjuice Potion, Ted."

"You take him to Auror Headquarters, I'll take her to my home for now," Ted said, and the man nodded.

"Take my hand," Ted told me.

But I drew back. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"I'm Ted Tonks, married to Andromeda Tonks, who is currently pregnant. You stayed over at our house after your brother was hospitalized and I told you that story about your brother, Mrs. Norris, and the suit of armor after your nightmare. You also preferred to eat toast with butter."

I nodded and took his hand. He turned on the spot, and we Apparated.


We appeared in front of his home and he knocked on the door.

When a voice whom I recognized as my sister's asked, "Who is it?", Ted replied, "Phoenix," and the door opened.

"Raylynx!" My sister embraced me tightly. "Thank Merlin you're all right! Ted, what happened?"

"Well, Moody and I were on watch over your parents and then Dumbledore sent word about what happened at the Wizengamot. We set off, found you, came here. But then when you said someone had grabbed at your hair, I figured there might be an imposter waiting at your home. I went and there was, Moody's taken him back to Auror Headquarters now."

Sola nodded. "Thank you, Ted. Thank-" Suddenly, she froze.

"Sola?" I said hesitantly. "Sola, what's wrong? What is it?"

"Did you say you were on watch over my parents?" Sola asked, her voice fearful.

"Yes," Ted said, uncomprehending.

"And who's there now?" Sola half-whispered.

"Nobody, but- oh." Ted's eyes went wide.

"Raylynx, you stay here!" Sola said to me fiercely. "Don't open the door to anyone unless they say 'phoenix'!"

"Wait, Sola! I have to go too!" I shouted, grabbing her arm.

Sola shook her head frantically. "It's too dangerous."

"They're my parents too!"

"You're underage. You'll only get in the way. Stay here!"

And she and Ted Disapparated.