Sailor V's Summer Vacation

Little Whinging, Surrey, London, Summer of 1995

Aino Minako was bored, almost painfully so. She had just finished capturing the famous jewel thief The Lioness for MI6, and her handlers told her to take a break. “Don’t come back for a month, Mina. You need to rest.” So she wandered into this suburb, and bumped into a boy at the park on Magnolia Crescent. He was short, even shorter than she was, dressed in clothing three sizes too large, with huge green eyes hidden behind round black glasses held together by tape and wishes, and seemed friendly enough.

“Hello, you’re new around here, aren’t you? My name’s Harry, Harry Potter.” Harry glanced around furtively. “Have you run into Dudley yet?”

Mina shook her head, intrigued. “No, I just got off the plane. My… guardian..., he told me to go amuse myself for a while. I’m Aino Minako, but my friends call me Mina. Who is Dudley?”

Harry seemed a little scared. “Dudley Dursley is the leader of the gang around here.” He sighed, a faint look of resignation crossing his face. “And my cousin. His favorite game is called Harry Hunting, for obvious reasons. If he sees you speaking to me, it won’t go well, for either of us. You should go, before he notices you.”

Mina frowned, following his gaze to a huge lump of a boy, trailed by four or five much smaller ones. “What do you mean, it won’t go well? I can take care of myself.”

Dudley noticed them chatting and stomped over to them. “Hello, Freak. Who’s your girlfriend? Did you finish Mum’s chores yet?” He cracked his knuckles menacingly, his flunkies behind him sneering and laughing. “Do I need to tell Dad you’re out here again?”

Harry sprinted off without a word as the rat-faced boy lunged at him suddenly. “Awe, Piers, you missed. Let’s go!” Dudley pinned the foreign girl with a look, “Don’t let me see you with him again, stranger. You’ll both be in trouble.”

The gang moved off after Harry, whooping and hollering, as Mina stared after them, scowling and muttering under her breath. “I think I should stick around and help that poor boy.” She stealthily followed them down an alley, keeping back as the members of the gang all closed in around Harry.

“Did you get over Cedric so quickly, then, Freak?” Dudley and Piers chortled as Harry stared at them, spluttering. “Think he’d be sad that you’ve forgotten him already?”

Mina’s eyes widened as she watched Harry whip a stick from his pocket and jab the smaller end into Dudley’s neck. “You keep Cedric’s name out of your fat mouth, Dudley, before I hurt you!”

Piers and the others laughed, but all color drained from Dudley’s face, “Y-you can’t! You’re not allowed to used that thing outside of your Freak School! Dad said they’ll expel you again!” Suddenly shadows engulfed the street and the gang except for Dudley and Harry ran off screaming.

Harry’s eyes narrowed as the shadows loomed. Mina ran over to them, ignoring Piers and the gang as they ran off into the night, “What’s going on, Harry? How can I help?”

Suddenly two figures emerged from the shadows, heading for the three of them. Dudley screamed incoherently as Harry fell on the ground, dropping his stick. Mina shook from head to toe as they approached. “Harry, what the hell are those things?”

“Lumos!” Harry yelled and snatched up his stick, which had rolled a few feet away, lit up. He grabbed it and stood up as the creatures closed in, one of them grabbing Dudley by the collar.

Mina shrieked ”Venus Power Make Up!” and transformed into Sailor V. “Harry, tell me what to do!”

Harry stared at her a moment, then gulped and shouted “EXPECTO PATRONUM!” as an enormous glowing stag erupted from the end of his stick. “Prongs, protect!” The stag, seemingly made of light, ran at Dudley and the two monsters. “Mina, they’re Dementors, they eat souls. Help me scare them off!”

Sailor V nodded and went into her stance as Prongs chased off one of the Dementors, lunging at it with his antlers. “Venus Love Chain Encircle!” she shouted as a chain of linked hearts, made of pure energy, lashed out from her finger and wrapped around the one which had hold of Dudley, yanking him away. “Venus Love and Beauty Shock!” she chanted and the Dementor was squeezed until it exploded into a shower of hearts. The shadows lifted and Sailor V sagged against the wall, energy spent. “Harry, what?”

Harry shook his head and tried lifting Dudley, ducking under one slack arm. “No time, Mina, help me walk him home.” She nodded and silently propped Dudley from the other side as they limped their way around Wisteria Walk.

An old woman with ratty house slippers and a carpetbag ran up to them. “Harry, what in Merlin’s name did you DO? And who is this girl?”

Harry gasped out as the three teens went down the sidewalk, “Dementors, attacked, Mina killed one.”

The old woman gasped. “Dementors, in Little Whinging. Whatever will be next. Don’t put your wand away, boy, there could be more! The Kneazle’s amongst the Nifflers now, we’ll have to get an Auror Squad around for your little friend, Muggles aren’t supposed to know, other than your family.” She turned as a loud crack was heard and a shifty-looking man appeared out of thin air. “Mundungus Fletcher, you absolute fraud! Harry here was attacked on your watch! Go tell Dumbledore and the others, NOW!!! I don’t care what pulled you away, you go report your failure!” Mundungus winced as she hit him around the head with her bag, which sounded to be full of food cans, and disappeared again without fighting back.

Harry grumbled, “You know, I’m getting really sick and tired of all these secrets and slinking about, Mrs. Figg. How in Merlin’s beard do you know about all this anyway?”

Mrs. Figg shrugged, “I’m a Squib, Harry, was born a MacMillian. Now, you run inside and stay put until Dumbledore or someone else from the Order contacts you.” She shuffled down the street to her own home, chunnering under her breath about phoenixes and idiots and cat food.

Sailor V shook her head as they turned up the path to Number 4 Privet Drive. “No, I can keep a secret. After all, I have several of my own.” She knocked on the door with her free hand.

A tall, thin woman with a horse-like face opened the door. “Duddy, why did you kno—” She screamed as Harry and Sailor V pushed past her and deposited Dudley on the couch.

A walrus of a man glowered as they entered. “What happened?”

Dudley muttered, “Freak,” but didn’t say anything more as he rocked.

Harry leant against the back of the couch, breathing hard and shaking his head, as Sailor V collapsed into a chair. “Dementors, Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, attacked us. Tried to Kiss us. Mina helped fight them off.”

Vernon turned purple and started shouting his head off, “That’s it, I’ve had it. You can leave now, boy, and take your freaky little friend with you. I won’t stand for any more freakishness in my house!”

An owl flew through the open window and dropped a letter on Harry’s head. “Dear Mr Potter, We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of two Muggles. The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling on your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand and Obliviate the Muggles in question. As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 A.M. on August 12th. Hoping you are well, Yours sincerely, Malfalda Hopkirk, Misuse of Magic Office.”

Harry laughed hysterically, the parchment sheet slipping through his fingers as Sailor V looked at him, concerned. “Are you quite alright, Harry?”

Petunia pushed Harry away from the couch and sank to a seat next to Dudley, wrapping her thin arms around him and hugging him tightly, glaring at Sailor V, “I don’t know who you are, girl, but you shouldn’t be here.”

Sailor V glared right back, “Are you insane? I just saved the life of your two boys. A little gratitude is in order, you hag.”

Harry laughed in spite of himself, “Hag, not bad, but hags have warts on their face, a hump on their shoulders, and fingernails like the talons of that owl. Thanks, Mina, I owe you one.” A glow surrounded them both as they accepted the life-debt.

Another owl appeared while they were chatting, releasing the letter and flying off, “Harry, Dumbledore’s just arrived at the Ministry to sort this out. Stay put. -Arthur Weasley.”

Vernon bellowed, “This is not a forest, I shan’t have those ruddy owls flying in and out! Shut that ruddy window, boy, and go pack!”

Harry yelled back, “They’ll deliver anyway, Uncle Vernon, you know that!”

A third owl flew in and delivered his message, “Harry, Dumbledore is at the Ministry trying to fix this. Stay inside and don't do anything rash. -Sirius.”

“Don't do anything rash. He's one to talk.” Harry groused as he sat on the arm of Sailor V’s chair.

Owl Number Four appeared, dropped a small red scroll in Petunia’s lap, and flew away, “Remember my last, Petunia,” it howled at her, before burning itself up. She blanched.

“Vernon, the boy will have to stay.” She gulped. “Besides, what will the neighbors think.”

Sailor V spoke up again, “Can someone please explain to me exactly what a Dementor is?”

Vernon glowered again, “Yes, what’s a Dementy-whatsit, anyhow?”

“They guard the Wizard’s prison, Azkaban.” Petunia looked shocked at the words coming out of her own mouth. “I heard, that awful boy, telling her about them, years ago. Besides, Vernon, the neighbors will talk if we turn him out now. He’ll have to stay here.”

“A Dementor is a creature who feeds on despair, hopelessness, you name it. The Patronus Charm has been, until now, the only defense the Wizarding World has against them.” Harry glanced at Sailor V. “You power it with the happiest memory you have, and they only repel. Which is why I’m surprised your little whip worked as it did.”

Sailor V chuckled a bit at this, “I’m Sailor V, short for Venus, Guardian of Love and Avenger of Justice.” She waved a hand and pulled out her Transformation Wand, reverting to street clothing, then removed a wallet from her pocket and flashed a badge. “And I work for MI6. Pretty sure some of my higher-ups probably already know about this… folderol, but it hasn’t crossed my own path before.” She turned to Harry, who looked at her in shock, “My power is love, plain and simple.”

Vernon and Petunia, who had been shuffling Dudley to the stairs, turned and looked at the small blond girl with wary eyes, “Government, at your age? You must be… special.” Petunia doesn’t quite scoff the word out, but it was said with a definite disparaging tone. “Harry, we’re going upstairs, see your little friend out.”

Harry just rolled his eyes at her, “Yes, Aunt Petunia. Anyway, Mina, tell me more about this Power of Love thing. It sounds fasci—” His voice trailed off as a knock was heard at the front door, which he stood and opened. “Kingsley, you’re on the Obliviation Squad? And Tonks? What is this?” He stepped back to let in a tall bald black man wearing purple and gold robes and a shorter woman with pink hair and a cheeky grin dressed in a leather bomber jacket, who tripped over the threshold as they entered.

“Harry, are you alright? We heard about the scuffle, and that there were Muggles.” Kingsley got straight to the point, glancing at the blond girl with interest. “I volunteered to come out, and Tonks asked to come with me.”

“Kings, she’s Government. Muggle Government. I think there might be a bit of a to-do if you Obliviated one of the MI6’s agents.” Harry turned and gestured for the three of them to follow him, “Come on, Mina and I need chocolate after that encounter. We’ll explain in the kitchen.” Kingsley raised an eyebrow as Harry led them through the sitting room and started pulling ingredients from the fridge and cupboards, starting the stove and pouring milk in a saucepan. “Well, it started with Mina approaching me at the park down the way. You know the one, I’m guessing.” He glared at Kingsley and Tonks, who smirked and suddenly turned into a seven year old girl with blond hair and bright blue eyes, in a blue floral dress, which Harry recognized. “Yeah, I saw you last week. Thought you were stealthy, pretending to be another kid, but you didn’t have a parent waiting for you. Mina, these are Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, though she prefers to go by Tonks only.”

Tonks transformed back to her adult visage and chuckled at Mina’s awestruck face. “I’m something called a Metamorphmagus, I can change my appearance. It’s a very rare family gift. I’m guessing magic is known to you already?”

Mina stared at her a moment, then laughed, “I suppose my own history is just as unbelievable. My name is Aino Minako, I’m a superhero, code name Sailor V, and as Harry said, I work for MI6. You could say I use magic of my own to take down the bad guys.” She smiled, “Harry says this Patronus thing is powered by happy memories, and as the Sailor Scout of the Planet Venus, my powers come from Love.”

It was Tonks’s turn to stare in shock, “You’re Sailor V??! I had no idea you were still in school!” She pulled out her wallet and showed the other three a Trading Card. “You’re, like, super famous. Even my pen-friend at Mahoutokoro knows who you are.” Mina blushed.

Kingsley chuckled as Harry served all four of them mugs of cocoa, “Dora, easy, don’t overwhelm her. Mina, it’s nice to meet you, although I wish it would have been under better conditions. In any case, since you already know something of magic we won’t need to Obliviate you, though we may need a Vow of some sort from you to not disclose information.”

Mina nodded, “As long as it doesn’t interfere with my Oath to the Crown.”

“Kings,” Harry interrupted, “she destroyed the second Dementor, the one that had ahold of Dudley. Not just chased it off like I did. I… I acknowledged that Dudley and I owed her a life-debt, and we glowed. Not him, maybe he doesn’t have enough magic? But definitely the two of us.” Harry looked a bit confused.

Tonks put the Trading Card back in her wallet sheepishly and picked up her mug of cocoa, trying to stay quiet, as Kingsley looked between the teens and sighed, smiling, “A life-debt, Harry? Those are difficult to manage. And you’re probably right, I don’t think Dudley has enough magic for him to be bound to the terms of one. This means, in a sense, that you serve Mina until magic is satisfied that the debt has been repaid. Only you, Harry, could find the one girl in the world who’s not a witch but has magic, and she saves your life.” He laughed at them, like a big brother.

Mina blushed at the laughter, “I’m only here for about a month, Mr. Shacklebolt, and then I go back to arresting thieves and preventing spies from taking our country’s secrets. How does this magical life-debt thing work? I’ve never had one.” She shrugged, “I suppose you could say you don’t see them in my line of work. Or at least my handler has never said anything about it.”

Harry blushed also, “Kings, do you think we can show her around the Alley?”

“Harry, you’re basically on house arrest. You can’t go anywhere.” Kingsley sighed at the crestfallen look from both teens. “I’ll talk to the Headmaster and see if we can’t manage something. Miss Minako, would you be willing to testify at his hearing?”

Tonks piped up before Mina could answer, “Minako, did you even see them before Harry pulled out his wand?”

Mina nodded, “Yes, of course I saw them. Felt the chill first, obviously, but then I saw the creatures gliding towards us, like a floating bedsheet. Sort of reminded me of that one Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty, where the owl and squirrels dress up in the prince’s coat and boots, except much scarier. Dudley got the worst of it. They…” She glanced at Harry, who was finishing his cocoa.

Harry took up the story, “One of them, the one she killed, had actually gotten ahold of Dudley by his collar and was starting to Kiss him.” He fiddled with his empty mug. “I should take him some cocoa as well. He was nearly kissed, and it’s all my fault.” He grabbed a tray and put three empty mugs on it, filled them with the last of the cocoa and marshmallows, then left the kitchen to the other three and took it up the stairs.

“I see that Harry also has a tendency to blame himself for others’ actions.” Mina spoke quietly after he had gone out of earshot. “I’m the same way, unfortunately.”

“Now, now, don’t. Not your fault, or his, or that ruddy boy Dudley, that the Dementors arrived. Thank you for my cousin’s life.” Tonks grinned at Mina suddenly. “I’m so glad you’re here, honestly. Harry needs more girls in his life. Other than Hermione and Ginny, he’s mostly with Ron and the twins, or Dean-and-Seamus and Neville, and sometimes little Luna.”

Mina looked at Tonks quizzically, “Cousin?”

Tonks nodded, “His great-gran was first cousins to my own gran. It’s all terribly confusing, but suffice to say most of us old families are related. Which means everyone but Hermione and Dean-and-Seamus are related. Seamus is from the Irish Clans, Hermione’s parents are both dentists in Luton, and Dean’s the son of a nurse in West Hampshire.”

“My Mum was adopted in York, but I'm not sure where her birth family was from.” Mina looked into her empty mug, as if the dregs of the cocoa would provide answers. “And Father was a businessman from Hokkaido. He gave me to Alan’s parents when I was 5. Alan is my handler with MI6. I was given a month’s holiday after my last mission.” She laughed bleakly as Harry returned to the kitchen with empty hands, chocolate staining his shoulder as if it had been thrown at him. “Today was the first day, and I’m already in trouble.”

Tonks reached out and took her hand gently. “Minako, Mina, you’re not in trouble. You did an amazing thing.” Kingsley and Harry nodded. “In fact, Kings, can you put in a good word with Madam Bones after Harry’s little problem is cleared up, maybe get her an Order of Merlin? No one’s ever actually killed one of these demons before, after all.” Mina looked up at her in shock. “Yup, you accomplished the impossible, Sailor V.”

Kingsley cleared his throat, “First we have to get through the hearing, but yes. You’ll actually be a more… reliable witness to the events than Arabella around the corner.” Mina’s gaze slid to him. “She was born into a wizarding family, but didn’t have enough magic to warrant any sort of schooling. Sadly, most of these Squibs are forced into the Muggle, or non-magical world, with the rare exceptions like Argus Filch up at Hogwarts herself.”

Mina’s eyes widened, “I’ve actually heard of Hogwarts, sir.” She suddenly blushed, “I had accidentally eavesdropped on one of Alan’s superiors. No one knew I was in the conference room at Downing Street.” She twisted the mug in her hands. “It was last year, someone mentioned importing a lion and some flying lizards from other countries for some sort of game to be held at the school called Hogwarts.”

Harry scowled, “That ‘game’ nearly killed me and six other people.” He sagged into the empty chair, “My friend Cedric did die, just when we had tied for First.” He broke out into silent sobs as Tonks stood up and swept him into her arms, knocking the table and causing the mugs to crash to the floor. “He’s dead, and it’s all my fault! I told him to take the Cup with me, Tonks. I told him we would share!”

“Kings, I think we should take him now. Damn Dumbledore and Moody and their plans. He can’t be left alone.” Tonks made eye contact with Kingsley over Harry’s head and he sighed. “Would you run upstairs and fetch all his things, please? I don’t want to leave anything here with those people.” She sniffed, her face morphing momentarily into Petunia’s, then relaxing into her own more cheerful mien, though it was still sorrowful, and stroked Harry’s hair softly as she calmed him down.

Kingsley nodded stepped out of the room, whispering “Expecto Patronum,” then two silvery-white King Charles Terriers exploded out of his wand. “To Sirius Black: We have two teenagers arriving within the hour, chocolate already applied but Remus and Molly may wish to verify emotional status.” One terrier dashed off, melting through the wall, and he turned to the second one. “To Amelia Bones: First Muggle from Little Whinging Incident cousin of Potter, Second Muggle knowledgeable about magic, no need for Obliviator Squad. Will explain more in person.” The second terrier disappeared after its mate, running in a slightly different direction. Kingsley continued up the stairs and entered the smallest bedroom, waving his wand and brushed everything belonging to Harry into the trunk, then picked up the trunk and the cage with Hedwig and returned down the stairs.

“Harry, Kings is getting your things from the bedroom. Anything else in the house that’s yours?” Tonks leaned back and brushed the bangs out of his eyes, wiping away some of his tears at the same time, as Mina busied herself cleaning up the small amount of dishes from their cocoa.

“Cupboard… under stairs.” Harry whispered softly. Kingsley overheard and opened the small door, then scowled as he removed a few more items.

“Ah, Miss Tonks, did you mean I was coming with you?” Mina turned from the sink and looked blankly from one adult to the other.

Kingsley handed her the cage in answer, and she eyed the owl warily. “Yes, she meant it, we can’t leave you here. You need Wizarding supervision for a while after surviving those Dementors, and I don’t think St. Mungo’s is the best place for you. Molly will be happy to see another girl, even under these circumstances. Come on, we need to get out of here before anyone else turns up.” Mina nodded and gripped the cage tightly, Hedwig hooting inside softly.

“Harry, sweetie, we’re leaving now. Come on, you never have to come back here.” Tonks led the semi-catatonic teen out the front door and down the sidewalk, Kingsley following with Harry’s trunk. Mina shut the front door and then dashed after the three of them. After walking around the corner, Tonks stopped. “Think we’re far enough away from the house now, Kings?”

Kingsley looked around, then nodded. “Yes, we can leave from here. Harry, Tonks is going to Side-Along you. Mina, take my elbow, and hold on tight to both me and the cage. I’m going to Apparate, most Muggles would call it teleporting, I think.”

Mina blinked at his words, but nodded and took his arm as a white cat loped along a garden wall leapt across the gap, landing on her shoulders with a grunt. “Leaving without me, Mina? Shame. You know what happens when I get left behind somewhere.”

Mina laughed at him. “Artemis, shush.” At the flabbergasted looks from Kingsley and Tonks, she stopped laughing, “Explanations later, didn’t you say we were in a hurry?”

Kingsley nodded and waved his wand, taking Mina, Hedwig, and Artemis from Wisteria Crescent to the park at Grimmauld Place. Tonks followed close behind with Harry, who stumbled as they arrived. “Quick, the three of you read this silently, then get inside.”

The two teens and the cat looked at the scrap of parchment, which read, “The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix can be found at Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London,” and then a house appeared to pop out of existence and sort of elbow the other two houses aside. “Fascinating. None of my magic does anything like this.” Artemis on her shoulder chuckled as the scrap of parchment went up in flames.

“Now, the five of you, and yes, that includes Hedwig, stay quiet as we enter. We don’t want the portraits waking up.” Kingsley gave Tonks a wary look, then strode up the steps silently and opened the door, ushering all of them inside and swiftly closed it behind them.

Tonks shuffled to the side, tugging Harry with her, and knocked over an umbrella stand. Immediately, red velvet curtains on the far wall of the entry hall flew open and a crazy-eyed old woman started shrieking vitriol at them. “How dare you defile the Ancient and Noble House of Black! Mudbloods, halfbloods, and…!!!” She looked at Mina, shock written all over her face. “What in Merlin’s holy name is that??!”

A tall, scruffy man with long, tangled black hair entered the hall and tugged violently at the curtains, “Shut up, you old bag! You’re dead, so you have no say in who I invite into MY house anymore!” He grunted, managing to finally close the curtains, then turned to the visitors with a manic grin. “Hello, Harry and friend, I see you’ve met my mother. Come on through and down to the kitchen, Molly has supper waiting for us.”

“I can’t stay, Sirius, but I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kingsley let go of the trunk and nodded around, then waved his wand and Apparated away.

Tonks pushed Harry towards Sirius, who gathered him into a big hug and led him down the stairs. Mina followed, carrying the cage and Artemis. “Uh, lady, should we really be bringing a wild animal inside with us?” Artemis asked Tonks, as Hedwig ruffled her feathers indignantly.

Harry murmured, “Cage locked, Hedwig needs to hunt.”

Tonks waved her wand at the cage saying “Alohomora” and the lock fell off, the door opening for Hedwig, who flew out and feinted at Artemis before flying out the nearest window. Mina set the cage on a table and followed the rest downstairs

“Harry, finally! Come, sit and eat something!” A doughty woman with grey-streaked red hair smiled and took him forcefully from Sirius’s arms, guiding him to a chair. She smiled as Mina and Artemis came shortly after, “And who is this lovely witch?”

“Oh, no, ma’am, I’m no witch, just a garden variety superhero.” Mina blushed as she sat down, Artemis jumping off her shoulders and onto the chair next to her.

“Any chance of a bowl of that stew for myself, Mrs. Weasley?” Tonks piped up hopefully, as she sat down unprompted. “Rescue and retrieval is hard work.”

Molly Weasley raised an eyebrow as she ladled out three bowls of stew and set a plate of fish in front of Artemis with her wand, “Not a witch? My husband will want to meet you, miss. Eat, you’ll need your strength. Both you children are so thin.”

“Thanks, but I’m not hungry, Mrs. Weasley.” Harry pushed the bowl away, sighing.

Another man with light brown hair and a scarred face entered the kitchen as he spoke and nodded, “Dementors can steal the appetite of even the hungriest of people, Molly. Go easy on him.” Harry turned at the sound of his voice and smiled wanly. “My name is Remus Lupin, miss, I hear you know magic but you’re not a witch?”

Mina swallowed her soup and nodded, “Yes, Mr. Lupin. Pleased to meet you both. My name is Aino Minako, my friends call me Mina, and I work for MI6.”

Tonks burst out, “She’s Sailor V, Remus!” and bounced excitedly, putting her elbow in her stew as she grabbed the Trading Card from her wallet.

Remus’s eyes widened in shock, “Sailor V? You must be quite--”

“Yes, Mr. Lupin, I know I’m young.” Mina cut in acerbically. Artemis scowled from the chair next to her.

“I was about to say strong, miss Mina. I have learnt that age, or lack thereof, is no indicator of character.” Mina blushed as Remus nodded between her, Harry, and Tonks, whose hair had turned an interesting shade of purple. “And I know of MI6, they don’t recruit just anyone into their ranks. Your parents must be proud.”

Mina looked at the stew, “I wouldn’t know, Mum died when I was a small child and Father left me when I was five with guardians.” She shrugged as Artemis jumped into her lap and curled up, glaring at Remus.

“I’m sorry, I know what it’s like to lose a parent at a young age.” Remus sighed and sat down across the table from them. “And I’ve heard of your alter ego as well, you have an impressive catch list.”

Mina shrugged as she petted Artemis absently, “Crimefighting is all I know. That, and looking for the Princess.”

Artemis hissed at her, “Mina, are you sure we should be talking about that? It’s so top-secret not even MI6 knows.”

“Oh, hush, Artemis, who else can we discuss it with?” Mina looked around the room and took a deep breath. “I’m, well, I’m not quite human. I’m the reincarnation of the Princess of Venus, bodyguard and bodydouble of the Princess of the Moon Kingdom. I am searching for the Princess of the Moon, we were all sent to Earth by the Queen after a great battle long ago. Sailor V the superhero is my cover as I fulfill my true mission.”

“Mina…” Molly gazed at her with a mother’s eye. “How old exactly are you, child?”

“I'm fourteen, I’ll be fifteen on my next birthday, in October. But my age doesn’t matter. Nothing matters except my quest.” Mina stared down at Artemis’s pure white fur.

A gasp of shock circled the room through the four adults and Harry. “You’re even younger than I am, I just turned 15 three days ago.” Harry snickered bleakly. “And I thought I had it rough, what with people attacking me constantly year after year, for almost my entire life.” He grinned darkly at her, then glanced at the adults, “Think her Love Magic will take out Voldy-shorts?”

Everyone but Molly burst out laughing at this. “I would pay good Galleons to see that happen, Harry. And the look on Cousin Bella’s face would be amazing.” Sirius fell off his chair at this, still chortling and crying.

“Yeah, Auntie Bella would totally go postal if V-Voldy-shorts went poof.” Tonks agreed.

“Her Chain of Love is one of the most powerful things I’ve seen in my life, you guys. It turned a Dementor to… well, hearts. Basically, it got hugged to death.” Harry sniggered. “Best thing ever.”

Molly blinked, “You killed a Dementor? Is that what happened?” She gasped, “Did they try to Kiss you again?”

Harry shook his head, calming, “No, this time they went for Dudley. Prongs chased off one, but the second had grabbed him. That’s the one Mina made explode.”

A redhaired man wearing glasses came down the stairs, looking tired, “Any more stew, Molly-love? And who made what explode?”

“Oh, Arthur, this is Harry’s new friend Mina. She’s… well, sort of magical but not one of us.” Molly waved her wand and a bowl of stew slid onto the table in front of an empty seat, where Arthur sat and started to eat. “And she rescued Harry from a Dementor in Little Whinging earlier tonight.”

“Merlin’s beard, I saw that minimal report, but it said Obliviators were being sent because Harry cast a Patronus in front of Muggles, no explanation why.” Arthur dropped his spoon on the table and stared at Mina, who squirmed. “What sort of witch are you, Mina?”

“As I was telling the others, sir, I’m not a witch, I’m a superhero and the Princess of Venus.” Mina stated firmly.

Artemis snorted. “Mina, why do they keep calling you a witch when you’re clearly not?”

Remus eyed the talking cat warily, “Because, most of us don’t know any other magical humans. She’s clearly not a vampire, werewolf, veela, merfolk, goblin, centaur, or dryad.” He looked at her curiously, “Are you a dryad? A tree spirit? And what are you? I’ve never met a talking cat before, only animagi.”

Mina shook her head, “I’m no tree spirit. And Artemis is… complicated. I think he used to be human, or at least humanoid, but he’s… I’m not quite sure, honestly.”

“All you need to know is that I am here and you can’t get rid of me.” Artemis glared around the room, “What’s an animagi?”

Sirius spoke up from his place on the floor, “I’m an animagus, plural animagi. We are wizarding folx who can turn into an animal after years of training. It’s very difficult to do, and not many of us accomplish it fully. Myself and two friends,” he scowls at the word two, “managed to do it so we could help out Remmy here. My other form is a big black dog, Harry’s dad was a stag.”

“That explains why the… spell? made a stag, when we were fighting.” Mina yawned, very tired.

“Oh, goodness, it’s late and we’ve been chunnering on keeping you awake. Tonks, dear, why don’t you and Mina take the third door on the left on the fourth floor. I don't want you Splinching yourself. It’s down the hall from the Twins and Remus.” Molly smiled maternally at them all and picked up the dishes, except for Arthur’s, waving her wand to clean things. “Go on up, we can chat more in the morning. Hermione and Ginny are on the third floor, across from Ron. Harry, dear, you’re in with Ron, just like always.” Tonks nodded and led the two teens up the stairs, Mina carrying Artemis. “Artemis, we have another cat in the house, his name is Crookshanks, but I don’t think he’ll be any trouble to you.”

“Famous last words, Mrs. Weasley,” Harry muttered as they left. “Remember the Rat.”

Tonks guided them past the landing and up the flights of stairs, stopping on the third floor to leave Harry. “I think you and Ron are in the first door on the right. Kreacher won’t let anyone into Regulus’s room, it’s the one at the back that’s locked. Up we go, Mina.” She dragged the near-asleep girl up the last flights of stairs and turned into the third door on the right, the pair of them collapsing onto the bed and passing out almost instantly. Harry nodded and entered the room with Ron, sighing as he closed the door behind him and laying down on the empty bed.