Harry and Amelia Potter

3.3

"Room 11." Tom informs us. We enter the room and see our owls.

"Hedwig." Harry says happily.

"Pepper!" I run up to her cage and rub her favorite spot on her beak.

"Right smart birds you got there, Mr. and Miss Potter. They arrived here just five minutes before yourselves."

Harry and I look further into the rom and see Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic standing there.

"As Minister for Magic, it is my duty to inform you, Mr. and Miss Potter... earlier this evening your uncle's sister was located... a little south of Sheffield, circling a chimney stack." We glance at each other as he says these words. "The Accidental Magic Reversal Department was dispatched immediately."

While the Minister talks, Tom, the troll looking man offers us biscuits. We politely decline.

"She has been properly punctured and her memory modified."

Tom then offers us a bowl of nuts, but we shake our heads.

"She will have no recollection of the incident whatsoever. So that's that... and no harm done." Harry and I look to each other and then back at the Minister. "Pea soup?"

"No, thank you." We politely decline, for the third time in a span of ten seconds.

"Minister?" I question.

"Yes?"

"I don't understand."

"Understand?"

"We broke the law. Underage wizards can't use magic at home."

"Come now. The Ministry doesn't send people to Azkaban... for blowing up their aunts. On the other hand, running away like that, given the state of things... was very, very irresponsible."

"'The state of things,' sir?" Harry asks.

"We have a killer on the loose."

"Sirius Black, you mean?" I state. "But what's he got to do with us?"

"Nothing, of course. You're both safe. And that's what matters.." he trails off. "And tomorrow you'll be on your way back to Hogwarts." He gestured to two stacks of books. "These are your new schoolbooks. I took the liberty... of having them brought here. Now Tom will show you to your room."

Harry and I grab our books and our birds, but as we're about to walk out the door, Fudge stops us.

"Oh, by the way, Harry and Amelia. Whilst you're here, it would be best if you didn't... wander."

As we walk through the hall towards our rooms, we see a woman knocking on someone's door with a mop and bucket. "Housekeeping." She says. The door opens and a loud monstrous roar is heard. The door shuts. "I'll come back later."

We drop our things off in our rooms and move towards the downstairs bar area to get some food. We didn't exactly finish our supper at the Dursley's and the current events left us rather hungry.

"I'm warning you, Hermione. Keep that beast away from Scabbers, or I'll turn it into a tea cozy." We hear a familiar red haired boys voice.

"It's a cat, Ronald. What do you expect? It's in his nature."

"A cat? Is that what they told you? Looks like a pig with hair."

"That's rich... coming from the owner of that smelly old shoe brush." Hermione kisses her feline and pets it's head. "Crookshanks, just ignore the mean little boy."

Ron looks up and sees Harry and I standing on the balcony.

"Harry. Mia."

Hermione turns around and her face quickly softens. "Harry. Mia."

We run down the stairs and give them each a hug.

"Are you two okay?" Hermione asks.

"Been better." I smile. "Actually our lives are always rather messy, so compared to that we're marvelous."

Harry laughs at my joke but Ron and Hermione just stand there, eventually stifling a fake laugh.

"Come on, Mia." She grabs my hand. "Let's go have a cup of tea."

She leads me to a separate table from the boys. I can only assume she wants to complain about Ron.

"So, what's he done this time?" I ask.

"What?" She questions, taking a sip of her tea.

"Ron. What's he done this time?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't that why you wanted to talk to me? To complain about him."

"No, thats not what..." she trails off, shaking her head. "No I wanted to catch up. I haven't seen you since you came to my house last month."

"Oh, that was so fun. Your parents are absolutely lovely." I say, then look down at my cup of tea. "I imagine that's what my parents are like, you know, if they were still alive."

"Mia, I'm sure they were all that, and then some." She says, grabbing my hand.

"Anyway," I try to change the subject. "You've got a cat?"

"Yes. Crookshanks. He's quite tame, actually. Despite what Ronald says."

"Can I hold him?"

"He doesn't usually like other people, but sure, give it a go." She hands the feline to me and he curls up in a ball, laying on my lap. I begin to let his him. Starting at the top of his head, all the way down to his tail. He purrs in satisfaction. "You're a natural."

"My neighbor, Ms. Rose, use to have a cat. His name was Pippin. He would always sneak out and climb over our fence while Harry and I were playing in the backyard. It would join in on the fun."

"That's so sweet. Is he still there?" She asks, interested.

"Well, he died when I was eight." I say, mixing more milk into my tea. "But I got four great years with him."

"I'm so sorry."

"He was my only friend growing up." I start to say. "Besides Harry, of course. But whenever Harry and I would get into a fight, that's who I would turn to."

"Well, Pippin is in a better place now." She smiles sadly at me.

"That's what I keep reminding myself."

Later that night, I laid in bed thinking about Sirius Black. Who was he? Why was he brought to Azkaban? Who did he murder?

And what was that black dog Harry and I saw just before we got on the Knight Bus? Why was it there? Why did it look like it was going to attack my brother and I?