Disclaimer: Anything you recognise belongs to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing, make no money from anything, and am writing this purely for personal enjoyment.

"Hi! My name is Serenity Clearwater!"

Harry turned around to see a delightful imp of a vision. Her hair flowed down her back like sticky treacle, her eyes were perfect orbs of brilliant Spessartite, and her teeth were a miniature ivory stonehenge.

"Err, Hallo. My name's Harry."

"Oh yes, my Uncle, Severus Snape, told me about you. And you must be Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. I was told to stay with you while they sort out where I'm supposed to be."

"You're related to Snape?" squeaked Ron.

"Well, not really. Biologically, I'm a female clone of Neo. I was smuggled from that dimension into this one when I was just a baby, and given to Uncle Sev's sister Mary-Beth to raise in America."

Ron looked at her as if she was one of his brothers' latest concoctions, but Harry had gotten lost in her deep mesmerising eyes. He was jolted out of his worship by a movement on her shoulders.

"What's that?"

"Oh, this? It's a fire-lizard. They're like miniature telepathic dragons."

Hermione piped up, "I'm afraid unusual familiars are against school rules."

"Oh, they're making an exception for Tiddlyworm. You see... oh, I'm not supposed to tell. Promise me you wouldn't tell anyone?"

"Cross my heart."

"There's a super-secret prophecy that Tiddlyworm and I will defeat Voldemort and go on to destroy the Machine World. But should Tiddlyworm and I get separated, it will leave the way open for Sauron to invade."

After a few heart beats of stunned silence, Hermione coughed politely. "Well, let's be off to class, then."

They walked together into their next lesson, Potions. Malfoy caught sight of her and was instantly besotted. He moved seats so he could be closer to the shimmering goddess.

"Quiet, everyone. This is the new student, Henrietta Puddleswamp."

"Uncle Sev, you know I prefer to be called Serenity," she whined.

"I don't care if you'd prefer to be called "Creator of the Universe", Miss Puddleswamp, we use real names at Hogwarts. Twenty points and a detention for disrespect to a teacher."

Harry and Ron stared at each other.

"Henrietta?"

"Puddleswamp?"

With that, they both broke down into helpless laughter.

Parvatti threw them a disgusted look. "Don't worry about him, Serenity. We'll use your real name."

"Of course we will, Placidity," said Malfoy, trying to sound comforting.

"Serenity."

"Yeah, right. Serenity."

"Twenty points from Gryffindor! Now settle down and get out your books!"

After classes, Harry stopped Serenity in the corridor outside the Great Hall. He shot a nervous glance at her, and then scuffed his shoe awkwardly on the flagstones.

"So, want to get together then?"

"What? You laughed at me in Potions!"

Harry shrank back and justified lamely: "well, it was pretty funny..."

Serenity seemed to swell up in anger. On her forehead between her eyes a silvery quarter-moon began to glow, and a wind started to swirl around her.

"Ahh, Henrietta," came Dumbledore's calm voice. "A demonstration of your excellent weather-mastery, I see."

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Does Serenity get in trouble? Does she decide to forgive Harry, or is she charmed by Malfoy? Will Hermione feed Tiddlyworm to Crookshanks in a fit of jealous rage? Stay tuned!