Nobody really understood why it had to be THAT girl.  Defenseless, thirteen year old Sara Whitney.  She never understood her past, nor her future.  She lived with her Aunt Mary, Uncle Clark, and her cousins, Trisha, and Peter.  She lived in North America in the small town in Rhode Island.  The capital is Providence.  She lived on number 2 on Clifornd Road.  She looked nothing like them.  Sara Whitney had blue eyes, short, blond hair, skinny, and a little short for her age.  Her aunt and uncle never liked to talk about Sara’s mom, Samantha, and her dad, Patrick.  They didn’t like to mess with THEIR sort, the magic sort.  Sara was actually half witch, half muggle, yet she didn’t know it at all.  “I CAN’T be a witch!  I’m just a teenager!”  Sara screamed.  “Ya better face it, Sara.  Nothin’ ya can do can change that!” said Hagrid, shaking his head.  “Why me?  Why me of all people?  I don’t get it!”  She hissed quickly.  “Your mum was a witch, so it’s simple to see yer a witch too.  Haven’t ya ever wondered why ya have always had that scar on your neck?”  Hagrid said, pointing to the lightening bolt scar on her neck.  “Uncle Clark and Aunt Mary have been saying I got it in a car crash that killed my parents when I was four months old,”  sighed Sara, trying to hide the scar with her shirt collar.  “CAR CRASH?!  Somebody horrible tortured yer poor muggle father...”  Hagrid started.  “Muggle?”  Sara said, sound curious to hear what they were.  “Non-magic type o’ person and killed your mum with his wand!  HE gave you that scar on your neck.  That LIGHTNING bolt scar.  Yer dad loved ya mum so much, when he found out she was a witch, he wanted to learn more ‘bout the magic world.  Ya should o’ known, Sara.  Ya should o’ known.  Here.”  He handed her a letter.  She opened it.

 Dear Ms. Sara Whitney,
 You have just been excepted to Hogwarts school of witch craft and wizardry.  You are to  be at Diagon Alley to buy your supplies and all your Hogwarts cloths.  You will go to   Platform 9 and 3 quarters and ride on the Hogwarts express.  Hope to see you there at   Hogwarts on September first.  Please buy the fallowing books to enter the fifth year at   Hogwarts for you’re classes.
                                                                                    Sincerely,
                                                                         Professor Dumbeldore

     Sara looked at Hagrid.  “Are you SURE I should go, Hagrid?  I mean, this IS my first year at Hogwarts, and I’m entering the FIFTH YEAR instead of the FIRST YEAR?”  She said, sounding amazed by the news of her being a witch.  “Well, we found ya late.  I shall take ya ta Britain...”  Hagrid started again.  “BRITAIN?!  I need to go to BRITAIN to go to Diagon Alley to buy my supplies and to go to Hogwarts?!”  She yelled.  “Ya got it, Sara.  Ya need training, so if ya come with me now, Professor Dumbeldore and I shall train ya ta be ready ‘or what lies ahead for ya.  What do ya say?  Will ya come or stay with these muggles?”  Sara looked at the ground, then back at Hagrid.  “Can you give me time to think on it?”  “Ya con take all the time ye need.”  Hagrid said.  She smiled.  “Thanks.”  He walked out of the house.
      Aunt Mary and Uncle Clark walked up to her.  Aunt Mary was a chubby woman, and Uncle Clark was a skinny, and bony man.  “Your NOT going to the school.”  Uncle Clark said.  She turned to them.  “ And why not?!  I might FINALLY make some friends there and you never know!  I could have people actually LIKE me there!”  Sara yelled.  Her voice was getting scratchy by all the yelling she’s been doing.  Trisha and Peter walked up behind her.  Peter was chubby, and Trisha was skinny.  Trisha was fourteen and a half, and Peter was sixteen.  “Who’d wanna be friends with you?”  Trisha said as she pushed Sara and she fell to the ground.  Peter kicked her, but she got up, even though she was in pain.  “Your NOT going to be a....a witch!”  Uncle Clark was outraged.  “When my sister, Samantha, got her letter of exceptence, my parents were so proud of her.  We had.....a witch in a family of non-magical people.  Luckily, she met a non-magical man, that Patrick guy, but they had you!  That Patrick guy didn’t even care if she was witch!  He didn’t have any brains in his head!  So your a half witch and half non-magical.  Now you know.  No niece of mine is going to that school!  No sir!”  He shook his head as he spoke.  “I’m going and that’s it!  Your not stopping me!  No one is!”  Sara yelled so loudly that the house started to shake, along with her foot being stomped on the ground.  “Your not going!”  Aunt Mary screeched.  “Yes, I am.  I don’t care if you are my Uncle and Aunt, I don’t care what you say or do.  I WANT to go!  What do you know?!  Your just....just....just MUGGLES!”  Sara screamed.  Uncle Clark slapped her across her right cheek.  “Shut up!  I don’t want to hear ANYTHING like that under MY roof of MY house!  You don’t know what your getting yourself into.”  He said, turning around.  They all walked away.  Sara stood up.  She put her hand on her cheek.  It was all red.  “I’m going and that’s that.”
     She walked up to her room.  She slammed the door behind her.  She opened her window to let some air come in.  She sat down on her bed.  “Why does all this have to happen to me?  I’m just one girl!  I can’t handle it!”  She put her head in
her hands.  “Harry Potter?  If you knew how I felt right now, being beaten by your uncle every two weeks, would you help me?  If you knew me, would you help me?  Please?”  A bird flew in, dropped a letter in her lap, and flew out.  She picked up the letter and unrolled it.

     Dear Sara
     I hope you will be able to come to Hogwarts.  Don’t let those muggles get you down.    This is one reason I don’t like them much.  Dumbeldore and I will be training you for  what will lie ahead for you.  Don't give a reply.  I don't want you to
    get into trouble!
                                                                                     Sincerely,
                                                                                       Hagrid

     Tears started to stream down Sara’s face.  “I WANT to go to Hogwarts.  PLEASE help me.  Please.”  She touched her scar on her neck.  Two tears touched the name ‘Hagrid’ on the letter.  Everything started circling.  Sarah’s eyes closed, and the next thing she knew when she opened her eyes, she was in a bed in another house with Hagrid sitting next to her.  She sat up.  “How’d I get here?”  She asked, as she looked around the room.  It was a room with two windows, a door, a closet, a dresser, and a bookshelf.  A desk was over in the corner, with all these magic books on them.  “Ya just Appaperated.  Yer in the wizard world.  Ya just need to touch your scar, have something to do with the place ye want to go to, like to me, and ya just appear there.  The only problem is, it was a long ways away, so yer’re probably really tired.”  He said.  “You got that right.”  She said, nodding.  Professor Dumbeldore walked up to her.  “You need to rest now, Sarah.  Your training will start tomorrow, and you need your rest.”  He said, putting his hand on her forehead and gently pushed her back down to the pillow.  Her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.
     That night, Dumbeldore and Hagrid were talking.  “She’s so defenseless.  Is ‘is the reason ya wanted ta train ‘er, Dumbeldore?”  Hagrid said.  “Yes, it is, Hagrid.  She can’t defend for herself out there.  It’s to dangerous and with the Dark Lord now back with his full powers, she’ll be in even MORE danger if this goes on.”  Dumbeldore answered softly.  “ ‘Ell, what if I can find ‘omeone who’ll protect ‘er?  Harry, Ron, and Hermione have dealt with ‘im.  I think they would be good for the job.”  He said, looking at Dumbeldore.  He smiled.  “Good then.  We’ll try to make them meet each other.  I think your onto something, Hagrid.”  Hagrid went pink.  “Thank ya, Dumbeldore!”  They looked back at Sara.  “I think she’ll do just fine here.  If she can Appearate, then it must mean she can do more then just that.  She MIGHT be the key that will help us defeat Lord Voldemort.”  Said Dumbeldore, sternly.  Hagrid flinched at his name.  “Maybe, but we have ta see ‘at powers she ‘as first.  We can’t jump ta conclusions, Dumbeldore.  She might not be ready ‘or this yet.”  Hagrid said, a bit unsure.  “Oh, I think she is.  I think she is.”
     Later that night, Sara shot out of bed.  She was sweating all over.  She put her hand on her neck and felt her scar.  “What’s wrong with me?  I haven’t been acting the same lately.  I’ve been speaking other languages to people, and I haven’t even noticed it, unless they say I have been!”  She whispered to herself.  Hagrid came in.
“ ‘At’s wrong, Sara?”  He asked, worry in his voice.  “A...a bad dream.  That’s all.  I’ve just....just been wondering, Hagrid.  Who killed my parents?”  She asked, looking up at Hagrid.  Hagrid sighed.  “I ‘ew ya would ask this question.  Sara?  Yer parents...well, let’s just begin at the begining, when yer mum was at Hogwarts.”  He began.  “As ya can see, yer mum, Samantha was a witch, but yer dad, Patrick, was a Muggle.  A dark wizard, we still don’t like ta say ‘is name ta ‘is day, was in the same house that yer mum was in.  Slytherin.  I better tell ya ‘is now.  Most dark wizards and witches have come out of Slytherin.  Ya don’t want ta get in ‘at house.  Yer mum, on the other hand, didn’t turn out like that.  She came out as a good witch.  O’ ‘ourse, ‘at dark wizard and yer mum were always against each other in school.  In their seventh year, they ‘ew more spells ‘en any other witch or wizard in the school, even Harry Potter’s Mum and Dad.  She was actually friends with James and Lily Potter.  Now, yer mum went ta North America, this ‘ere country.  That’s ‘en she meet yer dad.  After they were married, they came back ta Britain, and ‘ad ya.  O’ ‘ourse, it was dark times ‘ere.  ‘ERY dark times.  That dark wizard was out ta and get as many witches and wizards to join his little group.  But, when he came ta ya, he couldn’t touch ya because ya had the scar from yer mum and dad.  They left a scar ‘at can’t be seen ‘or ya, ta try and protect ya from ‘im.  It’s the ‘ame kind o’ scar that was left ‘or Harry.  Though, ya didn’t take away all ‘is powers.  But ya did take ‘way some of ‘is powers.  ‘Is powers backfired and hit ‘im.  He was able ta get out o’ the way, but he hurt ‘is arm, and some o’ ‘is powers were taken ‘way.”  He said, gently.
     Sara looked at the ground.  “So...that dark wizard gave me this scar?  The only thing that DID touch me?”  She asked, touching her scar.  “Yes, it ‘as.”  Hagrid nodded.  “What was the dark wizards name?”  “Like I said, we don’t like ta say his name, even ta taday.”  He told her.  “Could you write it down?”  “Can’t spell it.”  “Could you point it out in a book?  That way, you wouldn’t have to say it!”  “No, I think ya better hear it.  Alright....Lord Vo-Vol-Voldemort.”  He flinched.  “Voldemort?”  He flinched again.  “Shh!  We call ‘im Ya-Know-Who.  He’s back ta full powers now, though, so ya can tell way we still dread ‘im.”  He whispered quickly.  “Yeah, I can understand it.”  Sara said, nodding.  Hagrid sighed.  “Well, there ya have it.  Yer story on the reason ya don’t have yer mum and dad.  Ya were only four months old though, when they died.”  He put his hand on her shoulder.  He squeezed it.  “Well, ya better get ‘ome rest, Sara.  We start training tomorrow.  Night.”  He said, walking out of the room, closing the door behind him.  Sara was still  sitting up.  “Mom and Dad left me a scar that I can’t see?”  She thought about it for awhile, then understood.  “Well, at least I know they cared about me.”  She smiled to herself.  She laid down, covered herself up, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
     About three million miles away, Harry Potter had just woke up from a dream.  He did not know it, but he just had had a dream about Sara Whitney.  A dream she had sent him.  It was about something that had happened to her a few days ago.  None of them knew what was to happen in the future for both of them, but they knew what would come, would come.  They would have to be ready for whatever happened.  Still, they were both a little afraid of what would happen.  They were both to fear what would happen then.

     Harry lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling.  That girl.  Sara.  Sara...something.  The dream was still a bit clear in his head.  He tried to picture her again.  “A thirteen year old girl.  She had blond hair and blue eyes.  She also had a lightening bolt scar on her....neck.  On her neck.”  He sat up.  He rubbed his eyes to try and get some more sleep out of his eyes.

Flying with the Cannons  lay on the ground in front of him.  Players on brooms were zooming around chasing after the Quaffle.  He closed the book.  Even Quidditch, his favorite game in the world, couldn’t make him lose the picture of Sara being slapped by her uncle.  He looked at the clock.  It was three in the morning.  Hedwig was out hunting.  Her cage was empty.  He quiet look at age fifteen, but he felt it.  He picked up his glasses and put them on.  Everything came into focus.  He walked over to his window, and opened it.  A gentle, cool breeze came into the room.

September first was drawing closer, he could tell.  He had marked off the days until he would be leaving the Durleys to go to Hogwarts.  He had crossed off the 21, so today was the 22 of August.  He would finally be able to see his best friends again at Diagon Alley.  Ron Weasley, a blazing red haired boy, whom he had met when he was trying to get to Platform 9 and 3/4 for the first time, was his first and very best friend.  He and Ron had only had one fight in the entire times they’ve been at Hogwarts school.

In their fourth year, when Harry had been entered in the Triwizard Tournament by somebody else, and Ron got jealous and mad.  That was the only time, though.  Hermione Granger, a bushy haired, Muggle-born girl, whom he and Ron had met on their first time on the Hogwarts Express, was Harry’s second best friend.  She never really got jealous, but she did get mad at Ron a lot, but it started to wear off in their fourth year.  She was really thoughtful and always giving Harry and Ron a bit of a clue.

In their first year, when they ran into Fluffy, the three headed dog, she was like “Did you guys see what it was standing on?”  Ron didn’t seem to happy by this comment from her and said “We were more into the heads then the feet, Hermione.”  She got kind of snotty here and said “It was standing on the trap door.  That means, it must be guarding something.  Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed before you come up with another clever idea that will get us all killed....or worse, expelled.”  Ron was a bit surprised by what she had said, and said to Harry “She REALLY needs to sort out her priorates.”

Ron didn’t like her much, but they soon started to get along with each other, which Harry was thankful for.  He could tell what was going on between them.  Love for sure.  In his last letter to them, he told each of them he found out that they like each other.  He laughed at the thought of Ron trying to tell Hermione without going red so much that he looked like a red apple.
     He thought about what if his dream, wasn’t really a dream?

“What if...Sara was a real person?"

 Hagrid and Dumbeldore would be training her right now in America.

 "She’d be going to Hogwarts!”

He whispered in the darkness, then shook his head.  “This is nuts!  I’m talking about a girl I don’t even KNOW!  I can’t believe I’m saying all this, even.”  He closed up the window, and locked it.  He walked back over to his bed.  But before he could get in it again, rapping sounds came at his window.  He ran over to it.  Hedwig and Pig were there.  He unlocked it quickly and let them come in.  Pig flew in right behind Hedwig.  She had two letters on his legs, so did Pig.  Harry ran over to Pig and untied the first one, which had the name Harry printed on the front.  He quickly unrolled it, knowing it was from Ron, because Pig was his owl.  He quickly read it to himself.

     Harry was a bit surprised that Ron had had the same dream about her.  “This is getting just a little weird.  Why would we both have the same dream, when we don’t even KNOW her?”  He kept reading.

     Harry laughed at the thought of having Ron walking around red all day.  “A bit nervous, Ron?  You should be.  Fred, George, and Ginny might find out!”  He took the other letter from Pig.  He could tell it was from Hermione, because of the neat handwriting.  He untied it, unrolled it, and started reading.

 Dear Harry,
 How have you been?  I’ve been a bit busy myself.  I didn’t go to Viktor’s because...well,
 You know why didn’t go.  I DID get your letter, and just PROMISE me you won’t
 tell Ron!  Please!  I want to tell him myself.  Will you be able to come over to my
 house on the 21 and for the rest of the summer?  I would like to have some time to try   and tell Ron.  I had the strangest dream last night!  A girl, around the age of thirteen,
 was being trained by Hagrid and Dumbeldore.  I couldn’t believe it!  Have you had the
 dream yet, Harry?  The girl’s name was Sara...something.  I can’t remember the rest of
 her name.

     Harry wasn’t too surprised that she had had the same dream has himself and Ron.  “Not too surprising, is it, Hedwig?”  He said looking at Hedwig, who hooted in reply.  He smiled and kept reading on.

 I think I’ll do some research on her later this summer.  By the way, has Ron had the
 same dream, too?  Oh gosh!  I still have two pages of homework left to do in    Arithmancy!  I hope to see you on the 21!  Mr. Weasley is letting Dad barrow his new
 flying car, so Mum and Dad can have a little magic in their life, since they’ve never   seen any of it.  We’ll come to pick you up at night, so we’re not noticed!  Is that    alright?  Well, I better get my homework done before Crookshanks gets to it first!  Ron
 let me use Pig to send you this letter.  He’s so kind!
                                                                                                                                                                       Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                       Hermione Granger

     Harry now understood why Hermione liked Ron.  He was kind to her, most of the time, and he cared about her a lot.  He totally understood way Ron liked Hermione, also.  He could just hear Ron’s description of Hermione.  “She’s caring, a bit irritating, a tad bit of a show off, kind, thoughtful, and observant.  All those things are NOT me at all!”  He laughed at his own thought about it.  He looked back at the letters and smiled.  “Okay, Ron.  Just calm down about the whole Hermione thing.”  He took out his quill pen, ink, and a piece of paper.  He started writing.

 Dear Ron,
 No!  I haven’t told Hermione yet.  Why should I, if you like her?  I had the same
 dream tonight!  I woke up of course at 3 P. M.  I wasn’t too happy about that.  Anyway,
 Hermione sent me a letter, and she said she had the very same dream as well!  Think
 this Sara girl is a real person and she is going to be going to Hogwarts?  Wonder if we’ll  be meeting her in she’s a real person and is really going to Hogwarts.  Oh!  By the way,
 you’ll have three days to try and tell Hermione.  I’m coming on the 26.  Hope it goes   well for you!  Hermione mentioned in her letter that you let her use Pig to send me   her letter.  She said ‘He’s so kind!’  I think you might have an easier time trying to tell  her, then you think!  I’ve got to start writing to Hermione, so I’ll see you then! Until   then, bye!
                                                                                                                                                                      Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                        Harry Potter

     He folded it up and wrote Ron on the front of it.  He took out another piece of paper and started writing to Hermione.  He couldn’t wait to finally get to meet Hermione’s muggle parents at last.

 Dear Hermione,
 No, I haven’t told Ron yet.  Give me one good reason why I should.  I would be glad to
 come over to your house for the rest of the summer!  I might have to go against the
 muggle’s orders though.  Then again, Ron and I are always braking rules at school, and   I HAVE broken the rules at the muggle’s house.  Alright, the dream?  You had it   too?  So did Ron and I!  Unbelievable.  How do you think we all got the same dream at   the same time?  Well, let’s hope you get something up about Sara in your research.    Good luck!  Oh, by the way, would you like me to try and start pushing to tell you to   tell Ron?  I’d be glad to!  Well, I still have two other letters to read, so I’ll see you   then!
                                                                                                                                                                      Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                       Harry Potter

 P.S.  Mr. Weasley is letting your mom and dad fly his car?  Well, that should be  exciting!

     Harry looked back at Ron’s.  He quickly wrote:  P.S.  Hermione had very same  dream!  She said she’s going to do some research on Sara.  Don’t worry, I read your
letter first, since you ARE my best friend!  He couldn’t wait for the 26.  He wrote Hermione on the front of her letter.  He tied the letters to Pig’s legs and he took off.  Harry watched him go out of sight.  He then turned to Hedwig.  She hooted happily.  He knew one letter was from Hagrid and the other was from Sirius.  He quickly untied Hagrid’s letter first.  “Let’s see what Hagrid has to write, Hedwig, shall we?”  He unrolled it and started to read the messy handwriting.

 Dear Harry,
 How have you been?  I’ve been wanting to talk to you for awhile.  I haven’t really had
 any time to write to you because of something that Dumbeldore and I are doing at
 Dumbeldore’s summer house in the wizard world that’s been making me pretty busy.    You’ll find out on the 29 of August.  Your going to Diagon Alley with Ron and Hermione  that day, aren’t you?  I would like you to meet somebody that day.  She’s a little    nervous about going ot Hogwarts.  I was hoping you, Ron, and Hermione could help her  out a bit.  Well, I have to go!  You don’t need to write back.  I’ll see you then!
                                                                                                                                                                       Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                     Hagrid

     Harry thought to himself.  “Could this have to do with that Sara girl in the dream?”  He shook his head.  “No way!  It’s not possible.”  He said reassuringly as he untied the other letter from Hedwig’s leg.  He started reading.

 Dear Harry,
 How are you?  I’ve been doing pretty well.  I’ve been on the run for quiet some time
 now, and I’ve been saying to myself “I must write to Harry!” over and over again.  I
 finally got to it, as you can see!  Buckbeak and I have been doing well.  We’ve been
 living off rats, mice, and some birds.  Not a good feast to eat.  I’m looking forward to   hearing from you.  Your friend Ron sent me a letter about that dream he had about a
 girl named Sara.  I must say, I’m surprised.  I had no clue ANY of you knew about  her.  I’ve been talking ot Dumbeldore and he said that something special is going to   happen on the 29 of August.  You’ll see what it is then at Diagon Alley.  Good luck   guessing!
                                                                                                                                                                       Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                        Sirius Black

     Sirius knew what was going on.  He knew all along about what was going on happen on the 29.  “What is it?!  I want to know what it is!”  He wanted know what it was NOW!  He didn’t want to wait.  He quickly took out another piece of paper, dabbed his quill pen in the ink, and started writing quickly.

 Dear Sirius,
 You KNOW who the person is?!  Who is she?  Ron, Hermione, and I have been   trying to figure it out all this time!  Can’t you give us a little clue on who it is?
 Please?  Hermione is doing research on her to find out more.  We just had the dream
 about her, and were just wondering who she was.  A TINY clue!  Please!  We’re dying
 to know who she is!  PLEASE tell us!  Oh gosh!  It’s 4 P. M. here!  I’ve got to get to bed!  Next time you answer, I’ll probably be at Hermione’s or at Hogwarts.
                                                                                                                                                                      Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                       Harry

     He folded it up and wrote Sirius on the front.  He tied it to Hedwig and she flew off.  He watched her disappear into the night sky.  “Dudley’s birthday is tomorrow.  Another day to endure gazing at his presents and ‘ahh’ at them from the Durleys.  The day I wish would end within one minute.”  He sighed as he walked back over to his bed, took off his glasses, covered himself up with his blanket, and fell asleep.  He thought about that Sara girl and that if she was real, not just in his, Ron, and Hermione’s dream, he had finally found someone who had had the same lose he had had when he was one.  He thought about what would happen if Voldemort came to kill her, and that Dumbeldore and Hagrid had done all that work for nothing.  He hoped that that other thought would not come true.

     Sara came through a wall.  Hagrid stopped the muggle stop watch.  He clapped.  “ ‘Ery ‘ood, Sara!  It took ya ten seconds ta worp through ‘ree walls.  I’m impressed.”  He said, smiling.

“It’s a better time then I got last time.  Thirty seconds to worp through one wall.  Geez!  That was embarrassing!”  Sara said, going red.

“Well, let’s ‘ope it won’t happen again.”

Dumbeldore stood up from the table he was sitting at with Hagrid.  “You looked a little tired, Sara.  You could use a rest.  Come and sit.”  He offered her a seat.

“Thank you, Professor.”  She said, siting down.

“Think ya would like ta try ‘ome tea?  I ‘ave ‘is feelin’ ‘at ya’ve never tried it before.”  He said as he poured her a cup.

“Well....no.  I haven’t tried tea before.  But I guess, I’ll be drinking some at Hogwarts, won’t I?”  She said, looking at it.  at it.  “Yes, ya shall be.

‘Ere.”  He handed her the cup of tea.

She drank it, slowly.  “Hm....not too sweet, not too sour.  Nice!  I like it!”  She drank the rest.  She set her cup down.  “Hagrid?  May I go into my room?  I want to check up on some reading.”

Hagrid looked at Dumbeldore.  He nodded.  Hagrid looked back at Sara.  “Alright.  How ‘bout for.......ten minutes?”  He asked.

“Thank you.”  Sara said as she got up, walked into her room, and closed the door behind her.

“Well, she’s catching on.  She’s doin’ ‘ell in the training, don’t you think so, Dumbeldore?”  Hagrid said, smiling.

Dumbeldore smiled.  “Yes, I do, Hagrid.  She’s been trying her hardest in this.  She might have trouble sometime in school, but I think she’ll be alright.  We haven’t seen all her powers yet, though.  Remember that, Hagrid.  We don’t know what to expect from her next.  She might blow up the girls’ bathroom. if we’re not careful about her powers!”  He said, nervously.

Sara opened a window and a gentle breeze came into her room.  “Much better.  It’s less stuffy in here with the window open like this.”  She looked out her window, farther.  She saw the ocean.  “I’ve NEVER been to the ocean.”  She touched her scar.  The ocean breeze hit her face.  She closed her eyes, and started to spin around faster and faster.  When she opened them again, she found herself on the beach.  Her bare feet in the wet sand.  Water playfully hit her legs.  She walked down the beach.  She put her hand in and pulled out two shells.  One had zebra stripes every which way you looked on it.  She put it in her pocket.  She looked at the other one.  She noticed it had a chain on it.  Dirt covered all of it.  She washed it away in the water.  When she lifted it up, she saw the name ‘Sara’ was inscribed on the front of it.  It was a silver locket with a gold chain.  She opened it, which took awhile because it was jammed together.  When she finally got it open, she saw a moving picture on one side.  A woman, around the age 22, and a man, around the age of 23 waved at her.  A baby was being cradled by the woman.  “Mom?  Dad?”  They smiled.  Sara looked at the other side of it.  It was written in another language.  She started reading it.  She said, “Mort keept....rai me hatel levt.  <I am....never to hurt you.>  Mort keept me...termp merot levt.  <I am to...care for you.>  Mort keept me....inemt levt.  <I am to love you.>  Mort inemt levt,- <I love you,->”  There was no ending, no name.  “Where’s the ending?  The name?  Where is it?”  She realized something then.  “I’m reading CHINESE!!!”

She shook her head.  She closed it, put the necklace around her neck, and looked back at the house.  She touched her scar again and the clothes she was wearing that Dumbeldore had given her.  She closed her eyes and started to spin again faster, and faster.  When she opened her eyes, she found herself back in her room.  Dumbeldore and Hagrid walked in.

“We saw you down at the beach.  Did you find anything interesting, Sara?”  Sara nodded at Dumbeldore.

“Yes, I did.”  She unclasped her necklace and took it off.  “I found this locket in the water.”  She said as she handed it to him.

He looked at it and smiled.  “I don’t know anything about it, but it looks special if you found it in the water.”

 He handed it back to her.  She put it back on.  Fawks flew over to Sara and landed on her shoulder.  “Hello, Fawks.”  She was screeching out her words like a hawk, but she didn’t know it.

“Good day to you, Sara.”  He said in reply.

“You can understand me?”  Sara gasped.

 “Yes, I can.”  He said, nodding.  “I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but I’ve never talked to a Phoenix before.”  She said, pretty much trying to keep the stammering out of her voice.

“Well, your talking in hawk.”  He screeched.

“I am?!”  Sara said in a bit of surprise.

 “Yes, you are.  I’m talking hawk right now, so it’s simple to understand that you can understand me.”  He flew off.  Sara looked at Dumbeldore.  He was a bit surprised.

“I can.....talk hawk.  Oh!  And that reminds me, I’ve talked to a badger, a snake, a cat, and a dog.”  She said, now talking normally.

“Phoenixs are a type of hawk...so he can understand you.”  Dumbeldore said, still in amazement.  A roar came from outside.  They all ran to Sara’s window.  A lion was standing outside it.  He limped towards Sara.

“Sara Whitney!  Please!  Don’t be scared!”  He roared at her.  Sara jumped out her window and walked over to the lion.  “You look hurt.”  She was talking like a lion now.  “I AM hurt.  I have a thorn in my paw.  Can you help me?  Please?”  He said, in pain.

“I’ll do anything if it’ll help you!”  She said in concern.  He lifted up his paw.  Sara bent down and looked at it.  The black thorn was visible.  She touched it and quickly pulled it out.  She threw it off the cliff and into the ocean below.  The lion looked at his paw.  “Thank you, Sara Whitney.”  He said, licking his hurt paw.

 “Just call me Sara.  The Whitney part doesn’t belong when your saying my name.”  She sat, patting his back softly.

“Thank you again.”  He was about to run off, when Sara stopped him.  “What!  How’d you know my name?”  He laughed a huge roar.
“You're famous among these parts, Ms. Whitney!  Everybody I know knows you helped Harry Potter defeat the dark lord when he was one year old and you four months old.  He would be happy to know you!”  He said, and then he ran off into the woods.  Sara jumped back into her room.

 “Ya could understood ‘im?”  Hagrid asked.  “

Yes, I could!  Was a speaking....”

“Lion?  Yes, ya ‘re.”

Sara kind of shuddered.  “Weird.  These powers are unbelievable!  Um...I’ll be right back.”  She said, kind of running out of the room.  Dumbeldore looked at Hagrid.

“What?  Hey, when ya’ve got ta go, ya’ve got ta go!”  Dumbeldore sighed.  He looked at Hagrid carefully over the edge of his half moon spectacles and said, “She’s powerful enough to be able to talk to lions, snakes, hawks, badgers, dogs, and cats.  I don’t understand why she can do all of that, but still can’t control her powers without any problem.”

“She’s had ‘em ‘or probably ‘bout ever since Ya-Know-Who tried ta kill ‘er,” said Hagrid.  Dumbeldore didn’t looked too happy with this.

“We all know ever well that Sara is powerful enough to take care about her own powers, Hagrid,” he said slowly.

  Sara came back in.  Dumbeldore looked at her.  “Sara?  I’m going to ask you, what would you like to be trained for?”

“Quidditch!  I REALLY want to learn how to play it,” she said, clutching her hands tightly together.

Hagrid nodded.  “Alright, Sara.  I like ‘at idea.  Let’s go.”  She fallowed them out onto a field near a park.

A car was on the grass.  Dumbeldore handed her a broom.  “This is a Firebolt broom, Sara.  I think you deserve it,” he told her, handed the broom to her.

“A....Firebolt?”  Sara said in amazement.  “Are you sure?”  She took the broom from him.

Dumbledore smiled at her, and said, “I’m sure, Sara.  That Nimbus two thousand won’t go too well for a KEEPER on a Quidditch team.”

Sara looked at Dumbledore, a bit surprised.  “Keeper?  Ho-How did you kn-know I want to b-be a keeper on a Q-Quidditch?”  She said in amazement.

Dumbeldore laughed and said gently, “Let’s just say, the throwing of a ball and throwing it away from a hoop during your rest, gave it away.”

Sara went red.

“Okay, let’s see,” said Dumbeldore.  He sent the broom in front of her.  “Stand on the left side of it.”  Sara did as she was told from Dumbeldore.  “Put out your left hand and say ‘Up!’  Alright, Sara?”  Sara nodded at Dumbeldore.  “Try it!”

She nodded.  She put out her left hand.  “Up!”  The broom hit her in the nose.  “Ah!”  She fell to the ground.

“Sara!  Are ya alright?”  Said Hagrid, his voice in worry.  Sara sat up.  “Yeah, let me try again.”

“Alright.”  Hagrid helped her up.

Dumbeldore placed the broom on her left side and she put out her left hand.  “Up!”  It didn’t move.  “Up!”  It still didn’t move.  “Up!”  She said it more sternly now.  It rolled on it’s side.  “Arg!  Up!  Up!  Up, will you?!  Get up!  NOW!!  Up!”  She yelled, madly.

It flew into her hand.

“Whoa.”

It hit her in the nose.  “Ouch!  You are a VERY bad broom, you know that?”  It flew into the sky, her still holding onto it.  “Hey!  That wasn’t very nice!”  She swung her legs up onto the broom.  It started acting strangely.  “Stop it!  Stop it, now!  You evil little thing!”

It stopped.

She stayed up in the air.  “That’s better.  Thank you.”

It shuddered.

“Very funny.”

She flew down to Dumbeldore.  “Very good, Sara.  Nobody at Hogwarts ever had a fight to deal with a broom like that.  In fact, nobody has ever had to deal with a broom like that,” he said in amazement.

Sara went red again.

Hagrid dropped a box at Dumbeldore’s feet.  “Thank you, Hagrid.”

“Yer welcome, Dumbeldore.”  Dumbeldore opened the box.  “Sara?  This red ball here, is the Quaffle,” Dumbeldore started saying.  “It’s the Chasers job to throw them threw one of the three hoops you see over there.”  He pointed to the three hoops behind her.  “If they get it threw one of them, they get ten points for their team.  It’s the Keepers job to keep the Quaffle from going threw them.  They have to keep eye contact on them.”  He took the Quaffle out of the box and threw it at her.  She flew after it, and grabbed it so quickly that Hagrid dropped a pile of magic books on his right foot.  He didn’t even notice it.  Sara threw the Quaffle back at Dumbeldore.  He caught it.  “Well done, Sara,” he said, smiling at her.

“Ow!”

Sara and Dumbeldore looked.  Hagrid was sitting down on the ground, holding onto a dark red foot.  “What happened, Hagrid?!”

“Let’s just put it ‘is way, Sara.  ‘En you got ‘at Quaffle like that, it amazed me an’ I dropped a stack of books on my ‘er foot.”

“Will you be okay?”

“Yeah, just keep working on Quidditch, Sara.”  Sara nodded.

She looked back at Dumbeldore.  “Alright,” he said.  “Next, we have the Bludgers.”  He picked up a bat.  It was a bit smaller then a baseball bat.  “You might want to take this.”  He handed the bat to Sara.  She took it, looking a tad bit confused.  He let a Bludger out.  It flew into the air, then pelted down at Sara.  Holding onto the broom with one hand, Sara hit the Bludger away from her face, before it could hit her nose.  It flew threw one of the hoops.  “You’d make a good Beater, Sara.  That’s there job.  To hit the Bludgers....uh-oh.”  Dumbeldore stopped short.  The Bludger came straight at them.  Hagrid threw himself onto of the Bludger.

“Ta hit the Bludgers ‘way from the other seven players on the team,” he panted, wrestling the Bludger into the box.

“Now, the seeker, that’s Harry’s job for the Griffindor team,” Dumbeldore started again.  “Has to deal with the golden snitch.”  He took out a golden ball and handed it to her.

“What’s it worth when you.....” Sara stopped short, just like Dumbeldore had, but not because of the Bludger.  The snitch was starting to fly.  “Oh no you don’t!”  Sara flew after it so quickly, she looked bald.  You couldn’t even see her hair flying behind her.  She grabbed it.  “Catch it?”  She stuffed it back in the box.

“It’s worth an extra 150 points.  The game isn’t over until the snitch is captured.  The record, I think, is three months.”  Sara didn’t like the sound of that.  Dumbeldore quickly added, “They had to keep bring in people to take the players places so those people could get some shut eye.”

Sara sighed.  “THAT I’m glad for.”

    Hagrid looked up at Sara.  “ ‘Ell, why don’t we get ya inta practice?”

“Alright!”  She got ready.

“Alright, Sara.  We’re going to see how well you work with light things.”  Dumbeldore threw a beach ball into the air.  She started hitting the ball back and forth at least for five minutes, until it popped.  “Next?”

Dumbeldore clapped.  “Very good, Sara!  Now, let’s work on your defense moves.”  He let a Bludger out.  Sara hit it away with her leg.  Hagrid’s jaw dropped.  The Bludger went threw one of the hoops on the other side.

“ ‘At would be 10 points ta ya if ‘at were a Quaffle, Sar.”  She kept hit it away with her arm’s, legs, and the end of her broom.  Neither Dumbeldore nor Hagrid noticed the crowd that had gathered underneath them.

People started whispering.  “Do you see that girl?”

“She’s extremely good!”

“I can’t believe she can kick a Bludger away with screaming in pain!”

“Who is she?”  The whispers went on until Sara made it go back into the box.  She jumped off her broom.

Dumbeldore started checking her to see if she was hurt in anyway.

“I’m fine, Professor!  I’m not hurt in any way at all!”

 Dumbeldore stopped.  “It seems so.  I’ve never seen a person who could do that, Sara!  I’m impressed,” he said in amazment.  They then noticed the crowd of people.

“Mind if I ask you any questions, Ms. Whitney?”  A voice came from the crowd.

“Huh?”  More whispers started again.  “Whitney?  THE Sara Whitney?”  “The only girl to survive You-Know-Who’s attack?”  “The one who took away some of his powers?”  A woman came out of the crowd.  Rita Skeeter.  Dumbeldore didn’t look too happy with this.

“Ms. Skeeter.  I fancy seeing you here.”

“You flatter me, Dumbeldore.”  Sara didn’t like her atitude towards Dumbeldore.

“Mind if I ask you some questions, Sara Whitney?”

“It’s JUST Sara.”

 “Yes, yes.  Do you remember anything when you were little?  The death of your mother and father?”  She asked.

“No, I was only four months old.  How was I suppose to remember all that?”

“Do you like the idea of maybe getting to meet the famous Harry Potter in person?”

“No comment.  I’d rather go.”  Sara said quickly.  She was getting rather annoyed by Rita Skeeter.

Hagrid got in front of Sara.  “She’s goin’ ta Hogwarts School.  End of story, Rita.  Now, if ya don’t mind, we’ll be livin’ now.”
They all walked away.  Sara looked back at her.  Rita’s floating quill was writing feverishly away.

That evening, Hagrid and Dumbeldore were having a little talk.  “I don’ like ‘at Rita Skeeter woman.  She’ll make Sara known, alright, but she doesn’t deserve ta have all ‘er words pushed back at ‘er!  She’ll turn all o’ Sara’s words backwards!”  Hagrid yelled.

Dumbeldore tried to calm him.  “She deserve’s to be known, Hagrid.  And I agree with you.  Not by Rita, though.  Sara also needs to know this is how it feels to be a star.  Give her a little glory, Hagrid.”

“ ‘En give Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger some glory as ‘ell!”  Hagrid yelled so loudly that the house shook.  “Ron an’ Hermione ‘ave helped Harry through so much, but the most glory they’ve had is ‘or only ‘bout three days!  Ron tries ta help Harry at whatever he con, but even during the Chamber of Secrets, he was barely recognized at all!  Hermione is a smart and caring girl who’s been Harry and Ron’s friend since their first year.  She’s tried ta help them threw all kind o’ things.  Harry even told me ‘at she was the one ‘at found out ‘bout the snake ‘at made all the muggle-born students turn ta stone!  They deserve some glory ‘or what they’ve done ta help Harry!”  Hagrid yelled.  He took a deep breath.

Dumbeldore smiled.  “You’re right, Hagrid,” he said slowly.  “Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger have helped Harry threw so much together.  I think they DO deserve some glory.”

Hagrid looked like Christmas had just come early.  “Do ya really mean it, Dumbeldore?”

“Yes, I do, Hagrid.”

“Thank ya, Dumbeldore! This will mean so much ta ‘em!”

Dumbeldore smiled.  “Please, get me some ink, a quill pen, and some ink.  I want to get started right away.”

That night, Sara was caught in a nightmare.  Screams.  Screams filled the air.  “Please!  Spare my daughter!  Take me!”  There were high laughs and another scream.  A light green light flashed and a body lay dead on the floor.  A man in a black cloak stepped up to the baby on the floor.

“Time to join your parents, girl.”

He raised his wand.  “Avada Kedavra!”  Suddenly, the green light backfired on him and only left the baby girl with a lightening bolt scar on her neck.  The baby started crying, for she was in pain.  Deep pain.

Voldemort jumped out of the way, but the light hit him in the arm.  He got mad.  He set the house a fire.

“If I can’t kill you, your own house will.”  He fled.

A man with black hair, Sirius Black, ran into the room and grabbed the baby girl.  He ran out.  A fifteen year younger Dumbeldore was waiting out on a broom.

Sirius handed him the baby girl, who was now quiet and sleeping.  “Take the child.  Take her to her aunt and uncle, Albus.  Hurry!”  He said, his voice in panic.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright, Sirius?”

“Yes.  I’m sure.  Oh, please.  Let him not have gotten to the Potter’s yet!  Please.”  He ran off.  Dumbeldore flew into the sky.  He looked at the sleeping baby girl in his arm.  He looked at the scar on her neck, which was still bleeding.  “You’ll be safe from Voldemort now, Sara Whitney.”

 Harry walked down to breakfast.  His hair still out of place, though he didn’t care.  He started cooking the bacon.  “Don’t you DARE burn it!  I want everything perfect for Dudley’s fifteenth birthday,” Aunt Petunia yelled.

Harry gloomily said, “Yes, Aunt Petunia.” and walked over to the frying pan.

“Comb your hair!” barked Uncle Vernon.  Inside were five pieces of bacon.  The next frying pan had another five pieces of French toast, and in the next pan were five scrambled eggs.  Harry could tell which pieces were his.  They were the smallest.  “To think that our Dudley is YOUNGER then that boy!  Unbelievable!”  Uncle Vernon said, then Aunt Petunia added, “You can’t believe the reaction that Dudley had when I told him he’s actually twenty days younger then that abnormal boy!  Oh!  It’s so annoying!”

 Harry was used to being called “The abnormal boy” or “That boy.”  They never noticed him really.  Twenty days is NOT long! thought Harry. Just remember, Harry, in six days, you’ll be meeting Hermione’s parents and seeing Ron and Hermione again and you won’t get in trouble for saying something.  Remember that. he kept repeating in his head.

Dudley came downstairs.  He looked at Harry in disgust.  “I don’t understand why I’m younger then him!  Can’t you make me TWO years older then twenty DAYS younger?”  He yelled at his father.  “We all wish you were FIVE years older then this boy" (Harry was usually ALSO called “This boy” like they had no clue what his name was) "but we can’t change the past.  If we could, he’d be out of the house in an instance!”  Uncle Vernon said, putting his paper down.  This seemed to make Dudley feel better because he started counting his presents.

“How many are there?” he demanded.

“There are 45.  Counted them myself.”

“Good.  Three more then last year!”  Harry started to mumble to himself.

“What did you say, boy?!”  Aunt Petunia shrieked.

“Nothing.  Not a thing,”  Harry gloomily answered.   I wish I were back in bed, Harry thought to himself.  It’s better then being down here with these three.  He finally found Dudley’s plate from the table under all of the presents and he put two pieces of bacon, French toast, and eggs on his plate.  He put one on Uncle Vernon’s and Aunt Petunia’s and his small portion on his plate.  They all started eating. I’ll be so glad when I’m out of here, Harry though again. Ron and I can just talk and Hermione will be able to help me with my school homework.  No more Durleys for me, thanks!

They finished their breakfast and walked into the living room.  Harry had to help Uncle Vernon carry the presents into the living room.  His back ached when he finally got to sit down.  Dudley started ripping open the biggest present.  “All right!”  He yelled.  “A new video camera!  Yes!”

Harry thought to himself, ANOTHER camera?  He’ll just brake it in less time then he did with his last one!

Dudley ripped open another present.  “A DVD player!  Finally!”

Harry thought again, DVD must stand for Durleys vs. Dudley.  What a show that would be.  He then realized that Dudley’s voice was getting smaller, higher, and more squeaker each time he spoke.  Each time Harry thought of something rotten about Dudley and his presents, Dudley’s voice got smaller, higher, and more squeaker.  Harry was actually enjoying hearing his voice like this.  He thought of more and more rotten things each time.  Once when Dudley had gotten a new computer game, he thought, When will they learn?  Dudley’s just going to fancy having something that’s awesome!  Dudley’s voice was even higher now.  Uncle Vernon seemed to have noticed, as well.  He kept flashing dark looks at him.

Dudley kept opening his presents until he got to his last one.  “A Play Station!  Fantastic!”

Harry laughed to himself.  My Firebolt broom is better then that stupid play station, he thought.  When Dudley opened his mouth to speak and started talking, no words came out.  He tried to yell.  No sound whatsoever.  He looked at Harry.  Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia looked at him as well.

“What?!  I didn’t do anything!  I swear!”

“BOY!!!”

Harry looked up to see his uncle red in the face.  Aunt Petunia gave a little scream and she and Dudley hid behind the couch.  Uncle Vernon grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him into the kitchen.  “Give Dudley his voice back!”

 “But I don’t know.....”

Uncle Vernon slapped Harry across the face.  “Don’t lie to me, boy!  Now give him his voice back!  Now!!”

“I swear I don’t know how to.....”  He slapped Harry again.

“Come on, boy!”  He grabbed Harry’s shoulder and lead him up to his room.  He pushed him inside and closed the door behind him.  Harry heard a clicking sound and he knew he had been locked inside his room.  He walked over to Hedwig’s cage and opened it.  He took Hedwig out.  He sat down on his bed with her on his leg.  She rubbed her soft head against his burning red cheek.

“Why can’t I just leave right now, Hedwig?  I just want to leave this place forever!”

For about a week, Harry was locked up in his room all day, just like he was when he was twelve and was pretty much being starved.  He only got to go to the bathroom, again, once in the morning and once in the evening.  Harry was getting thinner and thinner by the minute.  And even worse, Uncle Vernon had been slapping Harry across the face each time he came home and found out that Dudley still didn’t have his voice back.  Harry kept track of when he would be able to go to Hermione’s.

“Just three more days.  Just three more days, and you’ll finally be able to see Ron and Hermione again and you’ll escape the Dursley’s,” he said over and over and over again after two days of being slapped, each on either cheek.

Aunt Petunia opened the door and brought in his lunch.  He looked at it, expecting to see a very soggy ham sandwich and milk that was a day old, but instead, it was a grilled cheese sandwich, he could tell it was hot, and ice cold apple juice.  He looked at his aunt, in surprise.

“Are you sure that’s......” he began, but she cut him off and said, in a true nice voice, the first time he had EVER heard her like this,

“Yes, it’s your's.  I’m showing a bit of pity here because I’m sorry for what Vernon has done to you.  He’s just upset about Dudley’s voice.”

She set the tray down and then pulled out a bag.  She left, without closing the door.  “If you want,” she called up to him, “You can come downstairs and eat it.  Watch a little T.V.  I’ll warn you if Vernon is coming home.”  Harry’s mouth dropped.  Aunt Petunia being nice to him?  The abnormal boy?  He was amazed.

   The next day, while Uncle Vernon was at work, Harry decided to ask Aunt Petunia if it would be alright to go to Hermione’s on the 21 and then stay there for the rest of the summer.  He walked over to Aunt Petunia in the kitchen, who was making lunch.  “Er....Aunt Petunia?  Um....My friend, Hermione Granger, from Hog- my school, wants me to come over to her house on the 21 and stay there for the rest of the summer.  Ron Weasley, the boy you met last year, will be there as well.  May I go?  Please?  I really would like to see them again.”  She looked at Harry, then, a small, real smile appeared on her face and she answered in a kind voice,

“You may, but I would like to ask you something.  Are her parents like Ron’s type or.....non-magical?”

“Their Mug- non-magical,” Harry answered, feeling like he was about to explode because he was so happy.  He was glad he didn’t let the word Muggle slip from his mouth.

“So, your friend, Hermione was her name?  She’s a witch, but her parents aren’t?”

“Yes, she is.  It causes her to be made fun of at school because of that.  But she is the smartest person in my year at school!  Takes school very seriously.”

“Good for her.  You may go.”

 “Thank you, Aunt Petunia!”  He ran up to the stairs and to his room.  He closed the door behind him.  “Yes!  I’m going to Hermione’s!  Hedwig will finally be able to fly around free without anyone yelling at her!  Hermione can help me with my homework and Ron can give me a few laughs!  It’s been awhile!”  He started jumping up and down.  He felt so immature, but he didn’t care.  He was happy.
     The next day, even after his slap after dinner, he was still excited.  He had all his things ready and packed.  His books, homework, school robes, clothes, Firebolt broom, Hedwig’s empty cage, and other stuff he needed all packed up.  Suddenly, something hit him.  They didn’t have a team captain anymore on his Quidditch team, Griffindor.  “How will we be able to play, then?”  He asked himself, sadly.  “Hey!  Maybe Ron will try out for team captain!  He’s pretty good!”  He said.  “He’ll need a new broom, though.”  Ron had an old Shooting Star broom.  The butterfly could out fly it.
 That night, Harry was in a strange dream.  Sara was back.  She was talking to him.  “Harry?  What your about to here from me is very important,” she said, slowly.  “I’m listening!”  Harry yelled.  Mist started to cover where they were.  “If I go to Hogwarts, you have to promise me, promise me, that you won’t tell anyone that I’m....”  “I’m what?  I’m what?!”  The pictures started to fade.  He woke up.  Somebody was rapping on his window.  He ran over to it and opened it.  Ron and Hermione smiled back at him.  “Hey, Harry!”  They both said.
 
 

                                                               Chapter-five
                                                            Hermione’s family

     “Great to see you guys again!”  Harry whispered.  “Same to you,” said Hermione, smiling.  “Are you going to let us in to help you carry the stuff in or not?”  Said Ron, smiling as well.  Harry moved aside and they jumped in.  Hermione grabbed Hedwig’s cage empty cage, and his Firebolt broom, and put it in the flying car.  Harry helped Ron carry Harry’s trunk with all his books, clothes, robes, Invisibility Cloak, and homework into the car.  “Have everything?”  Hermione asked.  “I think so.”  “Then let’s go!”  Harry, Ron, and Hermione jumped into the car.  It flew away.  Hermione’s parents looked almost just like her.  Her mom had brown hair, that was all bushy.  Her dad had her hazel eyes and her used-to-be big teeth.  Harry looked at Hermione.  “Were your parents upset about you using magic to make your front teeth smaller, Hermione?”  Hermione laughed.  “Ask them!”  She pointed to her dad, who was driving the car, and her mom, who was next to him.  They both look extremely nervous.  “We were a little mad, but not anymore,” Her mom said nervously.  Hermione had had her front teeth made a bit smaller because last year Malfoy had used a spell to make her teeth bigger then their normal size.  She used magic to make them smaller, and back to the normal size as Harry and Ron’s teeth.  “How are we going to be able to avoid airplanes seeing us, Ron?”  Her dad asked.  “Press the blue button on the dashboard and the car and all of us will disappear.  Press it again, and we’ll all reappear.”  “Alright.”
     Hermione looked at Harry’s cheek.  “Your cheeks all red!”  She touched it.  Ron looked as well.  “What’s the heck happened, Harry?”  He told them about what happened with Dudley’s missing voice.  “And I’ve been slapped every time Uncle Vernon comes home to find Dudley without his voice.”  Hermione looked at his cheek again.  “You should of sent me another letter!  We could of come and get you early!”  She said.  Ron’s mouth dropped behind her.  Harry decided to bump stuff in here.  “What about that thing you were going to tell Ron?  You said you wanted TIME to do it!”  He said, edging her on.  Hermione suddenly went red.  Ron looked at her.  “Tell me what?”  Hermione backed away from his face and said, in a bit of a shaking voice, “It’s nothing.  Really.  It’s not important.”  Ron eyed her.  “Oh, by the way, Harry,” he mentioned.  “Hermione’s prefect this year.  She got her letter two days ago.”  Mrs. Granger looked back at them.  “I’m so proud of you, Hermione!  Oh!  I could just come back there and give you a big hug!”  Hermione went even more red.  “Mum!  Your embarrassing me in front of my friends!”  “Sorry, honey.”  She turned back around.  Hermione buried her face in her hands.  “You okay, Hermione?”  Ron asked.  “Yeah!”  She said, in a very loud whisper.  “Just fine!  Just embarrassed!  Happens all the time!”  She kind of sank to the floor, her red face still visible.  Ron looked at Harry and told him, “She’s been acting this way ever since she got the letter and her parents embarrassing her all the time.  Mum’s always embarrassing me!  And looked how I turned out!  I’m just fine!”  “Yeah, but you have a little sister who’s looking up to you for everything!”  Harry laughed.  Ron’s ear’s turned red.  Harry could see Hermione laughing.  “Oh, Ron!  You take things way to seriously!”  She got back into her seat.
 Hermione looked at Harry.  “Have you had any word from Sirius lately, Harry?”  Harry’s mouth dropped and said, “Hermione!  You weren’t suppose to say that out loud!”  Ron looked over Hermione’s shoulder.  “Don’t worry, Harry.  Hermione told her parents about it all and they know all about it.  She just wants to have a little freedom of speech at her house, I guess.”  Harry sighed.  “Actually, I have.  I asked Sirius about the dream about that Sara girl, but he hasn’t responded yet.”  “I see,” said Hermione.  “Have you had anything like another dream about Sara?”  Harry shook his head.  “Nope.  Not one thing.  Have you been doing research on her, like you said?”  “Well, yes I have, and no I haven’t.”  Harry and Ron both looked confused.  Ron was the first to speak.  “What do you mean by “Yes I have, and no I haven’t”?  It doesn’t make any sense!”  “Do you have any idea on how many American’s there ARE that might be named Sara?”  Hermione said in her as-a-matter-of-fact sort of tone.  “There are probably at LEAST four or five Sara’s at Hogwarts, I bet!  I really have no clue what her last name is, though.  I forget and that’s why I can’t do research on her.”  Ron shrugged.  “I guess your right, but if this just isn’t a dream, why would WE, of all people, dream about her?”
     Harry, Ron, and Hermione just talked the whole way to her house.  Hermione yawned.  “Are we almost there, Dad?” She asked, trying to hold back another yawn.  “Just one more mile, Hermione.  Hermione?  Hermione?”  He looked back quickly.  Hermione had fallen asleep.  Her head rested on Ron’s shoulder.  Mr. Granger smiled and turned back to the wheel.  Ron was going red.  Hermione said sleepily, in her sleep, “Sorry Ron.”  Her hand rested on his chest.  Ron went even more red.  He looked at Harry.  Harry smiled, then looked at Hermione.  He yawned and looked at the clock.  It read 10:30 at night.  “It feels more like 12:30 then 10:30 at night.”  Ron was started to calm down about Hermione sleeping on his shoulder and her hand on his chest.  He still looked nervous, though.  Harry had to lower his voice to a whisper so Mr. and Mrs. Granger couldn’t hear and so Hermione wouldn’t wake up.  “Have you tried to tell her yet, Ron?”  Ron sighed and looked at Hermione.  “Yes, I have.  The words seem to always get caught in my throat and then I can’t say it to her.  Also, she keeps trying to tell me something, but the words get caught in her throat as well!  I’m starting to think I should just...give up on her.  What’s the point if I can’t even say the words to her, anyway?”  Ron went silent.  He took her hand away from his chest and placed it on the car’s seats.  He made her head rest on the back of the car’s seats.  He was quiet for the rest of the trip.  Not one word came out of his mouth.  He never even looked at Harry or Hermione.
     When they got to Hermione’s house, Mr. Granger had to carry Hermione up to her room.  The house had two stories and was white.  A swing was tied to one of the branches to a tree on the side of the house.  Mrs. Granger showed Harry the room he would be sleeping in, with Ron.  It was the family room.  Two beds, that had stuff to support it off the ground, were already ready for himself and Ron.  Ron helped Harry unpack.  “Are you SURE you just want to give up on trying to get her, Ron?  I mean, this might be a big mistake,”  Harry said, taking out his night clothes and setting them on his bed.  “Yeah, I’m......I’m......no, I’m NOT sure,” Ron whispered so quietly, Harry could barely hear him.  “I mean, I really care about her and all, but you know.  We’re just friends, right?”  “More then friends if you ask me.”  “Okay, MORE then friends.  We’ve had fights, we’ve had arguments, but somehow we always start to talk to each other one way or another.  We’ve been JUST friends for a long time, since we saved her from that mountain troll in the girls’ bathroom, but now.....pretty much ever since she went to the Yule Ball with Victor Krum, it just seems like I’ve had these feelings for her.  Besides begin jealous of her, because she’s smart, I really don’t know WHY I like her!”  He sat down on his bed and put his face in his hands.  “If you liked a girl a lot, you would know how this feels.  You can’t get your mind off of her, you can’t stop saying your name everywhere you go, you can’t do anything without thinking about her!”
     Harry looked down at Ron.  “Let’s think about the things you have in common for a second here.  Your kind, caring, brave, thoughtful, you look out for others, especially Hermione and Ginny, caring, and you CAN get mad pretty easily, like when Malfoy calls Hermione “Mudblood.”  You always try to punch him in the nose.”  Ron looked at Harry, who was now sitting on his bed, across from Ron’s.  “Hermione’s smart, kind, caring, she always makes sure we’re alright, she shows she’s not really afraid to do stuff that other people are, like face getting expelled because she hangs out with us or walk out on class, and pretty emotional.  Remember when Professor Snape called Hermione a Know-It-All?”  Harry asked.  Ron nodded.  “Yeah, I do.  That was in our third year.”  “Right, and YOU stood up for Hermione.  Hermione seemed pretty surprised by you when you did that.”  “That’s only because I had called her a Know-It-All about two times a week and I felt sorry for her,” Ron said, but he sounded pretty surprised by himself.  “You felt sorry for her.  And also, we were mad at Snape.  Doesn’t that show you that just maybe, just maybe, this might be the reason you like her, Ron?  Just a little bit?”  Ron thought for a second, then smiled.  “Hey!  Thanks Harry!”  He hit Harry on the back, making Harry’s glasses fall off his face.  He caught them before they hit the floor.  “Sorry.”
     The next morning, both Harry and Ron woke to up Hermione turning the lights on and off in their room.  “Hey!  Hermione!  Stop it!”  Ron yelled, throwing a pillow at her.  She threw it back, giggling a bit.  Ron scowled at her and threw it once more at her, so did Harry this time.  Hermione ducked both of them.  “Nice try, guys!”  Harry grabbed his glasses and put them on.  Hermione threw the two pillows back at them.  This was pretty much a whole new side to her.  She was already dressed.  Harry looked at Ron.  He seemed to be having fun doing this.  He was smiling.  This time, he got out of bed, picked up his pillow, and walked towards Hermione.  “Sorry about this, Harry.”  She took his pillow away from him.  “Hey!  That wasn’t very nice, Hermione!”  He took one of the couches pillows and walked over to Ron’s left side.  They started a pillow fight.  “Why are you doing this, Hermione?”  Ron asked.  “Don’t know.  I got tired of waiting for you guys to wake up, so I just did it myself and it worked.  Didn’t really expect to start a pillow fight with you guys, though,” she said, laughing.  Harry added, “Well, neither did we!  So we’re equal!”
     They soon stopped.  The group landed on the floor.  “Well, that was the weirdest wake up call I’ve ever had in my life.  We should do it more often!” said Ron, putting his pillow back on his bed.  “Yeah, when we come back to Hermione’s house!” said Harry, placing his pillow back on his bed, as well.  They looked at Hermione.  She was smiling and going red as well.  She put the pillow Harry was using back on the couch.  “Um....by the way, Ron?  About the....you know, when I fell asleep in the car?  When my.......head was resting on your shoulder and......my hand was....on your chest?”  She was going even more red then usual.  Ron looked at Hermione, like it was nothing at all.  “Yeah?  What about it?”  He said, calmly.  “Well....I am REALLY sorry about that, Ron.  I was just really tired and I guess....well, I really don’t....I mean, I.....”  Hermione had lost words, because she was so embarrassed.  Then, to Harry and Hermione’s surprise, Ron was smiling.  “I didn’t care.  I didn’t really mind it at all,” he said, so coolly, Harry thought Hermione was going to faint.  “You....didn’t?  Really?”  “Really.  Now if you don’t mind, I need to get out of these clothes or I don’t think I can go outside today.”  He took his clothes out of his trunk and walked to the bathroom and shut the door behind him.  Hermione looked at Harry, her eyes in shock.  “Is there something I missed, Harry?  I thought he was going to be really embarrassed!”  “Oh, he was, last night.  Got kind of nervous with your hand on his chest like that.”  Harry lifted an eyebrow.  “Well, I didn’t mean to!  I really don’t know what came over me!”  Hermione hissed, her cheeks going red.  Harry smiled.  “Well, you better get a move on on telling Ron, Hermione.  Oh, and by the way, here he comes.”  She turned around so quickly, you couldn’t even see her face.  Ron stood at the entry way to the family room.  “Your turn, Harry.”  He walked pasted Hermione.  “Uh....Hermione?  Why are your cheeks all red?”  Ron asked, looking at her face.  She quickly covered up her cheeks and ran out of the room.  Ron looked confused.  “What’s up with her?”  Harry shook his head.  “Nothing.”  They heard the her door close.  Ron sighed.  “I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately.  Yesterday, she nearly fell off the swing that hangs on the tree outside her window when I asked her why didn’t you visit Krum this summer, and she fell down four stairs when I asked what she was needed to tell me.  She’s starting to worry me.”  Harry shook his head.  He grabbed his clothes, walked into the hall, into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
     Later that day, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all talking about stuff like school and such.  “Mum and Dad have been pretty worried about you two lately because of You-Know-Who back in power,” she told them.  Ron’s mouth dropped.  “I’ve been more worried about you because your a Muggle-born!” he said.  Hermione smiled at Ron.  “Thanks for your concern, Ron.  But what about Harry, hm?  He’s the one You-Know-Who’s really going to be after, not me or you.  Harry.”  “Hey!  He can handle himself, can’t you, Harry?”  Ron slapped him on the back again, and this time, his glasses did fall off.  Hermione caught them and handed them back to him.  “Thanks, Hermione.”  He put them back on.  Crookshanks jumped into Hermione’s lap and started purring as Hermione started stroking him.  Harry decided to change the subject from Voldemort back to power, to Hermione being prefect.  “So, Hermione, are you going to try and stop us from doing more rule breaking?”  Hermione looked at him.  “Depends on what rule it is,” she said, slyly.  Ron starred at her.  “What?!”  “I’m not letting you guys break the GOOD rules, like going into the Forbidden forest, AGAIN!  Of course, that was in our second year, and you guys were just trying to help Muggle-borns, so I might let that one off if you have a good excuse- I mean reason for break it.”  Harry could tell she purposely let excuse slip.  She had been known to break a lot of rules, but it was always for a good reason.
     He remembered what happened in their second year so well.  The Muggle-born students were being petrified, along with Hermione.  Ginny Weasley had nearly been killed by Voldemort’s younger-self.  Tom Riddle.  “Also, nothing is going to change about me.  I’m still going to be the same Muggle-born Hermione Granger.  NOTHING like Percy.  So your in luck, Ron.”  Ron let out a sigh of relief.  “I REALLY don’t want one of my friends to become Percy-like,” he mumbled.  Harry looked at Hermione.  “Hey, Hermione?  Where IS Maine?”  Hermione smiled.  “Still wondering about Sara, aren’t you?”  “Does it look like it?”  “Come on.”  She pushed Crookshanks off her lap and onto the ground.  He hissed at her and walked away.  “Crookshanks is developing an audited with me,” Hermione told Ron, who look dumb-founded at Crookshanks, who usually didn’t care if he was pushed off her lap by herself.  “Come on.”
     She lead the way up to her room.  She opened the door.  She, Harry, and Ron walked it.  It was a bit larger then Ron’s room, but not by much.  Her books lay on the floor in the corner, her wand on top of them.  Papers were neatly organized on her dresser, under her school bag.  Her prefect badge lay on the dresser, facing down.  The board behind her dresser had moving pictures of herself, Harry, and Ron, Hogwarts, Crookshanks, and a few non-moving pictures of her parents and family.  It was a bit messy.  She was usually very neat and tidy.  She caught Harry’s eyes and said, “I haven’t really had any time to clean this room.”  Her bed wasn’t even made.  The window next to her bed showed the tree with the swing.  She rolled down a map marked “North America.”  She pointed to a state marked with a yellow star.  “THIS is Maine.  Sara, Hagrid, and Dumbeldore are probably asleep there right now, because their half way across the world.  It’ll take them awhile to even get to Diagon Alley, if she’s going to Hogwarts.”  She pulled down a map marked “United Kingdom.”  She pointed to place marked with a red star.  “This is where I THINK Hogwarts is.  And the place marked with a blue star,” she said, pointing to the place where a blue star was.  It was about three inches away from the red one.  “This is where I THINK Diagon Alley is.  It’s probably about....four million miles away for her to travel.  She probably won’t be going back after she get’s her supplies.”  Harry walked up to the map.  “Okay.  So...we’re probably right about....here.”  He pointed to a place right under Diagon Alley.  “So were probably about one hundred miles away from Diagon, am I right?”  “Maybe.  We might never know.”
Hedwig flew in.  A letter was attached to her leg.  “That must be Sirius’s answer!”  Harry quickly untied the letter and opened it.  Ron and Hermione looked over his shoulder and read it, as well.
 
 Dear Harry,
 No, I’m not telling you what’s going to happen and what’s going on at Hogwarts this
 year.  All I can tell you is that it’s NOT the Triwizard Tournament is not going to
 happen again at your school.  (“Few!  I glad that’s not happening again!”  Ron said,   relieved.)  I promised Dumbeldore I wouldn’t tell anyone, but then again, I
 could only tell you, Ron, and Hermione anyway because you guys are the only ones   who really know I’m innocent.
                                                                                                                                                                   &nbs Sincerely,
                                                                                                                                                                   &nbs Sirius

     “Darn!”  Harry said, folding the letter up.  “I was hoping he would at least give me a clue, besides that it wouldn’t be the Triwizard Tournament again.”  He looked at Hedwig.  “Your cage is in the family room, Hedwig.”  She hooted in reply and flew off.  “Hermione!”  Mr. Granger called from downstairs.  She walked out into the hall and yelled down the stairs, “What is it, Dad?”  “You might want to see this!  Harry and Ron I think might want to see it as well!”  She looked at them and shrugged.  “Well, I guess we better go take a look.”  They ran down the stairs.
     Mr. and Mrs. Granger were watching the evening news on television.  The group walked