EVEN IF NIK DIDN'T HAVE SIRIUS LIKE SHE thought she did, at least she somewhat had her friends.

Notice the somewhat.

She had made a new one in Neville, and she had Hermione and Fred still, they all each had their own friend groups. Which seemed like an impossible coincidence yet here she was.

Neville had Seamus and Dean, Hermione and Harry and Ron, and George had Fred and Jordan.

Speaking of Harry,

The boy had started making notable effort to speak to Nik. Like walking her to class, offering to help carry her books, striking conversation with her in the common room, stuff like that. At first she assumed he was just being nice, but after consulting with Heka, (in which the bat stared at her as rambled) she began to think maybe he had a goal in mind.

Like getting information.

True it may seem silly, but Nik had been raised around criminals. Did he know about Sirius? Did he just want to know what she knew about the dark arts? She wasn't sure.

Today was one of those days where Harry insisted on walking her to class. He was surprisingly calm around Heka, which Nik appreciated.

Their pathway was blocked by professor Dumbledore and a blonde haired man with blue eye's. They seemed in deep conversation, in which only Dumbledore seemed happy with. The blonde man glanced down at them and his face twisted in disgust.

"Kids," He grumbled, like they were dirt beneath his shoe.

Harry gave him a funny look and Nikita tilted her head innocently.

Dumbledore spotted them, "Ah! Ms Vane, we were just about to come looking for you," His blue eye's twinkled.

"You were?" Nik hugged her books closer to her chest.

"Yes. Oh, but I see you're on your way to class. Not to worry, it can wait,"

"Dumbledore-"

"Patience, Mr Harper. They have lives too," Dumbledore moved out of their way. "Do apologise to Minnerva for me, will you?"

"Er- sure," Harry muttered, "No problem,"

The two adults watched them go. "Is it her?" The blonde man asked, "Is she actually-"

"I don't know," Dumbledore cut off calmly.

The blonde grumbled, "Well why don't you just get a blood test and find out? What's with the dramatics?"

"Trust, Alexavier. A concept I know you struggle with, but I do not. Besides, even if she is her daughter, tell me, what will you do?"

Alexavier Harper straightend his jacket, like that was a question he'd been avoiding. "My job," He answered with finality.

"Which is?"

"To track down her biological father and make him take responsibility,"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, look the idea was so funny he could actually laugh. "Oh really? And... know who that is?"

"I have an idea."

"I'd wager it's wrong,"

"And I'd wager you're a cannibal, doesn't make me right."

***

"HERMIONE JEAN GRANGER!"

"Ah!"

Hermione's book dropped from her hands as she turned. George laughed and she resisted the urge to throttle him by picking them back up.

"What was that for, Weasley?!"

"I needed your attention."

"And you couldn't just ask?"

"Well if that thought had occurred to me at that time, I might've done it. But it's too late and I haven't invented time travel yet. So we're stuck with what we already have, which is me yelling 'Hermiome Jean Granger' and you dropping your books,"

"Time travel has- oh never mind," She massaged her temples tiredly. "What do you want George?"

"Nik's birthday is in a couple days, I wanna do something. Maybe a surprise party,"

Hermione sighed, "George, she hates parties,"

"Cake?"

"Doesn't like sugar,"

"Doesn't like su- what about we sneak her into Hogsmeade?"

"George no!" She hit him with her book. "No rule breaking! I won't allow you to taint her!"

"She was literally raised in- uh... earth?"

"What?"

"What? I know, how about we get her another bat?"

Hermione was going to murder him.

George just laugh at her, "Oh chill out, Granger. Stop trying to make everybody like you so much, you're not Nik,"

"Not everybody likes Nik,"

"WHAT?"

Hermione glared at him. "Stop yelling!"

"Who doesn't like Nik?" Asked George. "Names Hermione, I need names."

***