"Let's get going, 'Mione!" Amisty urged impatiently. "The Knight Bus is dreadful and we need to get good seats!"

"We just got out of lunch, Amisty!" Hermione retorted, purposefully dragging her feet as they headed up to the Gryffindor tower to grab their things.

"Yes, and seats fill up quick!" She shot back, seizing her wrist and pulling her along.

Hermione rolled her eyes and shook her head, but followed. They grabbed their trunks and their pets and followed the crowd of students heading down to Hogsmeade station. The Knight Bus was already waiting for them, shocking violet and puffing out little clouds of smoke.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this afternoon," The familiar face grinned down at them, stepping to the side and helping them lift their trunks onto the contraption. "Number 12, Grimmauld Place?"

"Yup," Amisty smiled, claiming a seat and immediately covering her ears with her hands.

"How does this bus -- " Hermione began, making the mistake of gazing around. There was a loud boom and the bus was on the move, sending Hermione crashing into her seat.

"Work?" Stan finished. "Apparition magic."

"Huh..." Hermione replied softly, clutching the railing for dear life.

Amisty stifled a giggle.

Towns flashed by until they reached the dingy neighborhood the Black household was in.

Stan stared out the window, one eyebrow raised, "This is where your heading?"

"Looks better on the inside," Amisty shrugged, grabbing the railing as the bus skidded to a stop. Hermione and she lugged off their trunks and animals and waited until the bus was gone for sure before walking up to the door.

"As much as I want to see them all, I am not ready to see that damn painting again," Amisty sighed as they walked up to the door.

"I don't think any of us are," Hermione replied.

"Fair enough," Amisty laughed, pressing her finger to the doorbell and stepping away. Thankfully, the door was soundproof.

It opened with a soft click, revealing a very tired but still bright-eyed Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh, Hermione, Amisty!" She beamed, wrapping her arms around them. "How lovely to see you both again. Come in!"

Lupin and Sirius were standing at the doorway, most likely the ones who had shut up the paintings, grinning.

"Hi, Professor Lupin," Amisty smiled, giving a small wave. "Hi, Sirius."

"Hello," They replied in unison, stepping outside to take their trunks.

"Harry is upstairs in Buckbeak's room," Mrs. Weasley informed them, continuing in an undertone. "He hasn't been very well, he hasn't been down in days."

"Hermione! Amisty!" Ginny came tiptoeing down the stairs, her brown eyes bright even though her freckled cheeks were pale. Ron, Fred, and George were close behind.

"Hey, Gin," Amisty grinned, throwing her arms around her. "Guess you're stuck with me for Christmas again."

"And we thought we'd get a break for once," George teased, ruffling her hair.

"Guess not all Christmas wishes come true," Fred added, shouldering her.

The twins headed off to the kitchen.

"Ron, Ginny, Am, can you go up to Harry's room?" Hermione whispered. "I'll talk to him."

"Yeah," Amisty nodded.

"Wait," Mrs. Weasley held up a hand, hurrying to the kitchen and reappearing with a trayful of sandwiches and water glasses. "He hasn't eaten."

"Good thinking, Mom," Ron nodded, taking the tray. "He hasn't been down since the hospital. The three of them headed back up to the room Harry and Ron had shared over the summer.

"We did a bit of eavesdropping with the twin's Extendable Ears," Ron whispered as they walked up the steps. "You-Know-Who's looking for a weapon, and they think Harry's being possessed. He saw Dad get attacked through the eyes of the snake."

"Oh, Amisty, you would've loved St. Mungo's!" Ginny exclaimed once they were in the safety of the room. "It was full of Healers and potions and everything."

"Wow," Amisty breathed.

Hermione pulled open the door, a very skinny Harry trailing behind her looking as if he wanted nothing to do with what was happening.

"We came on the Knight Bus," Hermione explained as Amisty leaped up and enveloped Harry in a bone-crushing hug. "Dumbledore told us what had happened first thing yesterday morning, but we had to wait for term to end officially before setting off. Umbridge is already livid that you lot disappeared right under her nose, even though Dumbledore told her Mr. Weasley was in St. Mungo's, and he'd given you all permission to visit. So..."

Amisty sat back down, a little hurt by how he refused to return the hug.

"How're you feeling?"

"Fine," Harry replied, his voice stilted.

"Oh, don't lie, Harry," Hermione snapped. "Ron and Ginny say you've been hiding from everyone since you got back from St. Mungo's."

"They do, do they?" Harry asked sharply, sending a frigid glare over at Ron and Ginny.

"Well, you have!" Ginny retorted as Ron looked down at his feet. "And you won't look at any of us!"

"It's you lot who won't look at me!" Harry shot back.

"Maybe you're taking it in turns to look and keep missing each other," Hermione offered, fighting down a smile.

Amisty snorted softly.

"Very funny," Harry growled, turning away.

"Oh, stop feeling all misunderstood," Hermione scolded sharply. "Look, the others have told me what you overheard last night on the Extendable Ears -- "

"Yeah?" Harry snarled, glaring out the window as snow started to fall. "All been talking about me, have you? Well, I'm getting used to it..."

"We wanted to talk to you, Harry, but as you've been hiding ever since we got back -- " Ginny began.

"I didn't want anyone to talk to me," Harry muttered.

"Well, that was a bit stupid of you seeing as you don't know anyone but me who's been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels," Ginny seethed.

Harry froze, pausing, and then turned to face them again.

"I forgot," He replied weakly.

"Lucky you," Ginny's eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry," He let out a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "So... so do you think I'm being possessed, then?"

"Well, can you remember everything you've been doing? Are there big blank periods where you don't know what you've been up to?" Ginny asked.

"No," Harry shook his head.

"Then You-Know-Who hasn't ever possessed you," Ginny replied with a strong air of finality. "When he did it to me, I couldn't remember what I'd been doing for hours at a time. I'd find myself somewhere and not know how I got there."

Harry didn't look entirely convinced, "That dream I had about your dad and the snake, though -- "

"Harry, you've had these dreams before. You had flashes of what Voldemort was up to last year -- " Hermione cut in.

"This was different," Harry protested. "I was inside that snake. It was like I was the snake... What if Voldemort somehow transported me to London -- ?"

Hermione gave a very impatient, very exasperated noise.

"One day," Her voice as a tad higher than usual, "you'll read Hogwarts, A History, and perhaps that will remind you that you can't Apparate or Disapparate inside Hogwarts. Even Voldemort couldn't just make you fly out of your dormitory, Harry."

"You didn't leave your bed, mate," Ron added. "I saw you thrashing around in your sleep about a minute before we could wake you up..."

Harry paced the room, his face twisted up in concentration. Amisty almost didn't fight down a smile in time as he took a sandwich off the tray and ate the whole thing in three bites. Slowly, a smile spread across his face. She beamed.

»»————- ♡ ————-««

Dear Mom,

Hi. I don't really know why I'm writing this, considering you'll never be able to read it. I suppose it's because the thought of you reading it makes me feel better. I miss you. Very much. I wish I could see you in person instead of when I'm half awake and you're nothing more than stars and mist. Not like that form isn't beautiful, it is, but it feels like a vision rather than reality.

Life is much different than for me than I think you wished. But I'm sure you already know. If what people say is true, what Draco says is true, you're watching from the stars. I spent a lot of it in orphanages and on the road until I was eleven. It wasn't very pleasant, it wasn't very fun, but it has made me the person I am today. I learned how to take care of myself, how to survive. Even though I got a few scars and scrapes along the way and had to grow up really quickly. I guess I kinda miss it, not too much, but a little. I missed out on a lot of what kids are supposed to. I'd hope you'd be proud of me if you were here. Now that I'm at Hogwarts and I'm learning about anything and everything magic, I'm falling in love with this world, even if I don't quite understand everything in it. I want to become a Healer when I grow up. So I can help people like me who don't really know what they are. Of course, I'll have to figure out myself for a bit first, considering I barely know anything at all. I wish you were here with me to explain this all, to explain how everything works and why it happens. But I don't really know if you knew any more than I ever will.

I also really wish I could've heard your side of the story of everything that happened when you fought during the Wizarding War. It's very frustrating to hear only bits and pieces that don't quite fit together because some people think your a hero, and others a villain. I'd ask Dad, but I'm worried he wouldn't want to say. The Wizarding War was so hard on everyone, and I'd hate to bring back bad memories he doesn't want to relive.

I'm scared it's going to happen again, though. I'm really scared that we're on the brink of another Wizarding War. Voldemort is back. I have no doubts about that. Cedric Diggory died by his hand in the process of coming back to life. You and Dad protected me for so long when I was born, and even when you were gone you left me in the care of Haven, and she was the most brilliant aunt I could ever ask for. I don't want that to all go to waste. I don't want more people to try and protect me and fail and get hurt in the process. I've made so many friends, such close friends, and I don't want to lose them because of my heritage. My blood. I love them all so much. Draco Malfoy, possibly my best and worst mistake simultaneously, is directly tied to all of this. His father is a Death Eater, the same Death Eater that killed Aunt Haven. I know that it's a foolish decision to be with him, to even speak to him, but I really do care about him. I don't want him to get so tied up in it all and get himself hurt. He's smart and he's sly, a Slytherin through and through, but everyone trips up and makes mistakes. Especially in a time of war.

I'm so confused. I don't understand why he hates Wolf Borns. We're not pure of blood, I understand that, but even then, the level of hatred and determination to kill me is terrifying. And I know in no way does it compare to how Harry is probably feeling at the moment with Voldemort inside his head and all and now knowing the man who killed both his parents and almost him without a shadow of a doubt, and I feel almost idiotic for being so scared when he's in such a worse place than me. Why Wolf Borns, what had we ever done that deserved this? I guess I'm asking questions only he would have answers to, after all.

Mr. Weasley, one of my closest friends' father is in St. Mungo's right now, healing from a snake bite. Everyone says he's been doing fine other than the fact that whenever they unravel his bandages he ends up bleeding uncontrollably. They say it's probably some side effect from the snake venom, something that won't let the wound close and heal properly. It's given me something to think about in the meantime of all this chaos and horror around us all. I'm not one hundred percent sure yet what I'm planning on doing here, but I'm going to ask Mrs. Weasley about his symptoms to see what I can do. Hopefully, and I don't know how well everyone is coping so I might have to wait a while, I'll be able to figure something out. Something at least temporary, so that they don't have to worry so much. Madame Pomfrey let me borrow a few of her books and journals over the break so I can do some research about everything.

We all miss you very much. Everyone I've talked to whose opinion matters to me has said you were one of the most wonderful people they've ever met, and that you were beautiful and kind and radiant and someone I should be very proud of. Professor Lupin told me once, when he was helping me with my shifting, that the Order won't be the same without you. I hope, even though I'm not allowed to take part in any of the meetings or any of the really important stuff, that I'll be able to fill that gap. Even just a little.

I want to see you again soon, so if you're really up there and you're watching me, maybe pay a visit tonight? Or whenever you have the strength to take it. Draco did say it was really impressive that you were able to take a physical form, so I'm glad you're strong enough to do that. I know it's hard to do, but I'd really love to hear your voice again. Goodluck, Mom.

I love you, I miss you, Amisty

Hello! I'm exhausted and probably going to stay up all night editing a birthday gift, so... short author's note is short. Amisty is just as rambly and easily distracted as me when she writes letters. Thank you very much for reading!