Hello, all!

I just wanted to thank you all for reviewing, it really means a lot, especially when I was certain that the last was a pretty crappy chapter. So, THANK YOU!

Please, enjoy this chapter- the next is on the way, and I can't wait!

Hari

She was running through the forest with Luna again.

Hari had always loved their midnight ventures- the feeling of freedom as the wind brushed through her hair, no shoes, no fears, and no worries.

The moon was bright that night, its rays flickering across their faces as they rushed through the trees, an image so serene that it was almost unreal. Luna laughed, then, and it was such a pure sound that lifted her spirits until she, too, let out a peal of delight.

The scene changed.

Their laughter disappeared.

Luna seemed to flicker and vanish. Hari was alone.

A shuddering gasp…

What?

A muffled sob…

Why… why was she running?

The slicing of flesh…

No. NO! She didn't like that. Stop… STOP!

An agonised scream…

"Baby Potter's awake… and here I thought that I broke you…"

W-what? No… why did it hurt? Oh God help, please…

"I'd say I'll get a bite or two…"

Nononono please, no… it was over… please not again…

"Funny, isn't it, Baby Potter… how the mudblood bleeds the same colour as the rest of us… Would you like to see?"

No, please! Not her… never her…

The slash of a blade…

A tortured shriek…

The mad cackle…

The angered shouts…

Then, silence.

What happened? Why… why couldn't she move?

"Harielle Potter." The silken words brushed across her like a lingering torment.

A flash of green…

A moment of panic…

Then nothing.

Emerald eyes tore open viciously as the girl dove to the floor in a dazed terror.

Clutching the wand and dagger she kept under her pillow, Hari surveyed the room for any traces of a threat, ready to kill anyone that would dare try and harm her or her two friends. Glancing around her room, however, it slowly came back to her where she actually was.

She was not in a tent- nor was she near said two friends. She was as safe as she let herself feel.

Slumping against the side of her bed exhaustedly, Hari put her knife back under her pillow and her wand into its wrist holster. She stared out into the forest, not even bothering to check the time. She knew it was still too early to be awake (by normal standards, at least), but she would rather have tea with the toad than go back to sleep now.

So, she simply stared out into the trees as the sun rose, a majority of its light blocked by the dark clouds harbouring the sky. It was raining, a fact that Hari was thankful for. The teen loved the rain, often finding solace in the way that it could seemingly wash away all of her problems, leaving her with a sense of peace for as long as the drops hit her face.

She would start school today, and Hari could tell that it was going to be horrible. She would be gawked at, interrogated and would be forced to put up with incessant babbling that she couldn't care less about.

They will say; 'Oh, my God. You're British!', and, 'What's wrong with your face?', not to mention the god-awful rumours that would no doubt spread like a wildfire in a small town like this. She would have no choice but to smile and nod, tactfully change the topic and put up with all the small-talk under the sun- she owed it to Charlie. Hari knew that it would have to be hard on the man to take in two teenage girls after having lived alone for so long. Not only would it affect his bank account (and no matter how many times she protested, he still wouldn't take any money for her), but for such an awkward being that her uncle was, he would surely be at a loss on how to act. It was the least she could do to act like a normal girl, and not embarrass herself and, by extension, Charlie and Bella.

Startled from her thoughts by a knock on her door, the witch jumped to her feet and rushed to open it. She was met with Charlie, already in his uniform and ready to start his day.

"Hey, Ellie. I was just making sure you were up. How'd you sleep?" Hari hesitated for only a fraction of a second before answering with a smile.

"I slept just fine, Charlie. Are you off to work, then?" Charlie frowned at the teen, obviously having seen her brief falter- not to mention her still pale face and dark circles under her eyes. He had held off from saying anything to her for the past few days, not wanting to upset her, but he was worried. This wasn't his niece. His niece was cheeky, enthusiastic- alive; not this shell of a girl trying to pretend that she was okay.

He put a hand on her small shoulder, ignoring the way she tensed at his touch.

"Ellie… you know you can talk to me, right? I may be a grumpy old man, but I can see when you're hurting." Seeing that she was beginning to close off again, he tried to change the topic, he sighed slightly, removing his hand. "I've gotten your school books, they'll be on the kitchen table along with a bag. I didn't know which one to get, but hopefully it's okay. Just… try to have a good day, Ellie. I really think this'll be good for you."

Hari, now feeling like an absolute cow, reached up and hugged the man with everything she had, wordlessly thanking him for all that he was doing for her. Understanding, Charlie clutched her tightly. He had missed her so much over the years, and he had been ready to fly over to England when she hadn't mailed him for over months at a time last year. Seeing her now, so downtrodden- so broken, had him hopelessly questioning what in the world had happened. Did it have to do with all of the terror attacks in London (and if he hadn't sprouted some greys over that, he'd be lying)? Was his Ellie involved in all of that? Of course, he would never ask her. Charlie wasn't stupid- despite being desperately useless in social situations, he knew where the boundaries were. All he could do was be there when she was ready to talk, if that time ever came.

Bella watched the scene with a small twinge of jealousy. She knew that she and her father had never been as close as they could have been, had they not have both been cursed with the Swan family awkwardness. She would not let this get to her, however. Bella knew that her cousin needed her father- and vice versa, and she wasn't idiotic enough to make problems where they were unneeded. Who knew- maybe staying with her father could bring them closer, as well, if she made more of an effort. With that final thought, she slipped into the bathroom to prepare whatever scolding she would give Edward Cullen if he decided to show today (not that she would ever go through with such a confrontation, but it made her feel a little better either way).

Breaking her hug with Charlie, Hari smiled a little- a real smile, she noted with shock. When had she last actually smiled like that, even if it was small?

Rather than saying anything and ruining their meagre progress made, Hari kept her smile up and made to close her door again (it wouldn't do to show up at school in her pyjamas). Charlie grinned in a way that seemed to light up the hallway and practically danced down the stairs, chuckling slightly.

The witch was then hit with one of the most horrifying realisations known to a teenage girl.

She had nothing to wear.

It was her first day of school, and she had nothing to wear.

The next twenty minutes was filled with clothes being haphazardly thrown about the room as they were discarded as 'too depressing' or 'seriously slobby'.

Eventually, she just decided on black jeans, a plain top and Sirius' old leather jacket (which was what she wore basically every day, and she found herself wondering why she fussed so much). Of course, she didn't forget her fingerless gloves which, although she hated wearing, were a necessity, because she didn't want anyone seeing the evidence of Umbridge's detentions forever engraved upon her hands. That would lead to questions she didn't need. It was strange to not have to wear a uniform, though she was extremely grateful that Hogwarts had one, rather than her having to wear Dudley's hand-me-downs every day.

She made her way into the kitchen to see Bella making some toast, and was surprised when the girl handed the plate to her.

"Oh, um, thanks! Isn't this yours, though?" Bella smiled somewhat shyly at her cousin, who tilted her head curiously as she took the plate from her, eating it swiftly. She had barely eaten dinner last night, and unless she wanted Kreacher to pop in and scold her, she needed to eat something.

"No, uh, I already ate. So, are you okay to ride with me to school? It's not very far, and I can show you to the office if you'd like."

"That'd be great, thanks!" Hari paused for a moment, slightly nervous. "How… uh, how bad will they be? The students, I mean… they won't eat me or anything, will they? It doesn't seem like a very good way to go." She said this almost hesitantly, but Bella could see the faintest twinkle of mirth in her eyes, so small that she thought she had imagined it. When her cousin's words finally sunk in, Bella let out a snort before blushing heavily at the noise she made. The image of Eric, in all of his excitement trying to maul her to death, came to mind and she let out a snicker.

"I um, I don't think they'll try to consume you, so you're pretty safe in that regard. Although, maybe watch out for Lauren, I wouldn't put it past her to have a nibble." Once her words registered in her mind, Bella turned, if possible, even more red as she covered her mouth, horrified. Did she really just say that? Oh god, she did. Wow.

Hari raised her eyebrow, amused, and decided to ease the girl's embarrassment.

"Well at least that's something to look forward to. Should we go?" Bella nodded in relief, glad that the conversation was over- she had humiliated herself enough for one morning. Hari, however, was glad that they had manage to ease some of the awkward tension that hung between them- if only slightly. Grabbing the nearly overflowing brown bookbag Charlie had gotten her, she followed her out the door, nodding in thanks for her holding it open as she passed. It was practically pouring rain outside, and both girls pulled their jackets closer to shield them from the early morning cold that settled over them. Some of the puddles had even frozen over, and Hari was anxious about being in a car on such slippery roads- especially since she didn't know what kind of driver Bella was.

She was surprised to see Charlie drive in with Bella's truck, having thought that he'd gone to work already. Walking down the frosty steps, Hari instinctively caught Bella by the elbows when she slipped over. It seemed that she would have to look out for this one.

"T-thanks. Ice doesn't seem to help the uncoordinated." Making sure the girl was stable, she raised her eyebrow one more.

"Apparently." Charlie was quick to rush over and check on his daughter, shaking his head slightly.

"I put some new tyres on the truck, Bells. Hopefully it'll stop it from slipping as much as you seem to do. The others were nearly bald." Bella seemed strangely touched by the gesture, thanking him enthusiastically.

"I'll be late for dinner, girls. I've got to head down to Mason County. A security guard at the Grisham Mill got killed by some animal." Charlie looked at the two apologetically, slightly upset that he would be late to hear about Hari's first day. The girl in question had her mind on other matters, however.

"An… animal? I wouldn't think that some wild beast would happen to wander into a mill, of all places. Strange." She told herself to stay out of it, to simmer down. She was taking Moody's advice too close to heart, even though it had saved her life many times before.

Constant vigilance indeed.

"Well, it's not the city anymore, Ellie. These things happen. Anyway, it's been in the area for about a week now, so I thought I'd lend a hand." Hari looked at her uncle sternly.

"You had better be careful Charlie Swan- otherwise you'll have me to deal with." Charlie chuckled slightly and held his hands up in surrender, before leaving with a nod of goodbye to each of them.

Bella and Hari left soon after in a mostly comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts on the day to come.

Hari didn't know how she felt about Forks High School.

With her previous school being a castle, the small collection of matching (were those houses?) buildings seemed rather lacklustre. It all looked so… dull, lifeless. She should have expected it, though. You can't easily top having a castle for a school. Still, it just looked so small- even compared with what she remembered from primary school. She wouldn't complain, though- at least she didn't have to climb a ridiculous number of stairs to get to her classes.

Bella dropped her at the office then left to park the car, wishing her a nice day in case she didn't see her again before classes started. Entering the small building, Hari had to blink from how brightly lit it was, and she absently noted that she would miss classes-by-candlelight.

Walking straight up to the desk and to the only person in the cramped room, she awkwardly cleared her throat, standing stiffly and waiting to be acknowledged.

The rather plump red-haired secretary looked up, and Hari was instantly reminded of Christmas jumpers, laughter and a lingering warmth that she always associated with the Weasley matriarch. Shutting those thoughts away, she once again focused, only to see the woman looking at her, concerned. Hari composed herself before looking up at the woman blankly.

"I'm Harielle Potter. My uncle called on the weekend about my enrolment?"

"Of course! I should have known. Was that an accent I heard? You've certainly come a long way, haven't you?" Hari nodded with a tight smile, wanting this to be over already. "Well, I've got your schedule right here, as well as a map of the school." She handed the teen several sheets of paper, taking the time to highlight the best ways to get to her classes. Before Hari (finally) left, the woman gave her a slip that needed to be signed and brought back at the end of the day. Wishing her a good first day, the woman waved the teen out before rushing to call her sister with the new gossip as soon as the coast was clear.

Hari looked down at her map, quickly committing it to her memory- she didn't want to have her head in a sheet of paper all day. Taking what seemed like the quickest route, she headed to her first class of the day.

As she walked through a more populated part of the school, she could feel the curious stares burning into her back- hear the whispers start up. Keeping her head down, her hair shielding her face as she tried to slow her rapid heart rate, she rushed into 'Building 3' just as the bell went, hoping to Merlin that it was the right one.

Thankfully, it was.

Walking to one of the doors, she opened it, only to be faced with an already full classroom and a male teacher that most certainly wasn't 'Miss Payne'. Quickly apologising, she spotted Bella in the back row looking worried for her- apparently, she looked as good as she felt.

"I'm sorry, sir. I was just looking for Miss Payne's classroom. I seem to have made a mistake, excuse me." As soon as she spoke, the class quieted in surprise before whispering excitedly to one another. The teacher wasn't much better, practically stuttering in his enthusiasm that the class she wanted was across the hall. Briskly thanking the man, she strode across the hall in a huff. It was like her first year all over again.

Stopping to compose herself, Hari opened the (hopefully correct) door and surveyed the room warily. It was already full of students who were apparently all too eager to start their day, if the noise level was anything to go by. The silence as soon as she walked in, though, was deafening.

She silently stepped up to the young blonde teacher and cleared her throat. She was taken aback, a little, at having such a young teacher. Hari was used to her professors ranging from near forty to well into their hundreds (give or take a few years). But no, Miss Payne seemed barely older than Hari herself, and was clearly attracting some appreciative stares from the more obvious students in the class. The teen somewhat pitied the blonde- if she had to deal with that as well as teaching all day, she would go mad.

"Excuse me ma'am, are you Miss Payne?" The woman visibly brightened upon seeing Hari, grabbing the paper from her outstretched hand.

"Yes, yes, you've come to the right place! Welcome to English. You must be Harielle." Hari nodded and shook her hand tensely, wanting to just sit down and be done with it. "Good! Now, how about you introduce yourself- we'd all love to hear about you!" Hari let out a string of harsh expletives in her mind, praying to anyone who was listening that she wouldn't have to go through this with every class. She steeled herself before facing the class, who, even by now were still openly gawking at her, spiking her temper slightly. Why would they not stop staring?

"Ahem, well, I'm Harielle, but please, just Hari is fine. In case you failed to notice- yes, I'm British, please note it and move on. I like smooth jazz, long walks on the beach, and unlike most, actually care about the oxford comma. Anyway, it's nice to meet you all. Can I sit down now?" The last part was directed at Miss Payne who, like the rest of the class, was openly gaping at her. Hari felt a sort of smug satisfaction run through her. If they thought that she was going to stutter her way through a measly introduction, they had another thing coming.

"Well, uh, yes- there's a seat at the back of the classroom on the left. And, on behalf of all of us, I'd like to welcome you to Forks High." Hari nodded in thanks, glad that it was in the back so she wouldn't have to worry about anyone being behind her. She felt the eyes burning into her as she walked past, bet kept her head held high. She wasn't to be cowed by their stares, and they would soon realise it.

This bravado faded slightly when Hari remembered that this was only her first class.

Of her first day.

In the entire year.

She was lucky enough to not have to sit next to anyone in this class, but what about next? What if they tried to force their friendship upon her? Hari knew that she most likely wouldn't respond well to that- she got her mother's attitude, she'd heard. Yet, wasn't it her goal to fit in? Of course, she could never truly fit in, but it was a nice sentiment.

Hari stayed lost in thought for the remainder of the class, absentmindedly taking notes in her neat cursive, marvelling at how long it had been since she had used anything other than a quill to write with. She was jolted out of her mind by the shrill bell, and was out of the door before anyone had the chance to try and speak to her. The witch's steps faltered slightly when she felt the snow on her skin. Unlike the rain, Hari hated snow. She hated the memories it brought forth- of lonely Christmases when she feared the day she faced before she was allowed back inside, of snowball fights and laughter that she cursed, knowing she would never hear that innocent sound again. Shaking her head slightly, the black-haired teen fastened her steps to whatever building her maths class was in, glaring harshly at anyone who even thought about pelting a snowball in her vicinity. Naturally, this attitude drew even more whispers from the students, about how she was 'frostier than the ice-queen', or how they would gladly 'do her'. Not happening.

Her next class started almost the same as the last- sarcastic introduction and a thankfully empty table at the back of the class. Of course, she should have known that her luck would run out- she wouldn't be Hari if it didn't.

She had only been at her desk for ten minutes, and she was already bored out of her mind. This was too similar to Arithmancy, and she had learned most of these equations back in her fourth year. So, she was simply sitting with her head on her desk, waiting eagerly for the bell to ring so she could get herself some juice for lunch. Completely ignoring the door opening paired with a muttered apology to Mr Graves Hari kept her head on her desk, wishing she was anywhere but at school. That was, until someone sat next to her. Stiffening up entirely, she kept her head down, peeking through her hair stealthily at whoever was next to her.

The witch wasn't expecting to see some sort of supermodel practically sneering at her, as if she was a speck of mud on her thousand-dollar shoes. Feeling her indignation rise (because she hadn't even met the girl and she was looking at her like that), Hari raised her head, ready to scold the girl viciously. That was, until said female saw her face and started looking at Hari like she'd turned into Voldemort and was asking for financial advice.

"H-Harielle?"

Hari's blood ran cold as she started assessing everything she could about the female, knowing that her life could be on the line here.

She didn't like what she saw.

Golden hair- too golden to be normal, soft curls, no split ends, not a hair out of place; pale skin- again, too white to be considered ordinary, no pimples, blemishes- hell, there wasn't even a freckle. It was the eyes that gave Hari the chills, however.

They were gold.

The witch tensed herself even more, if possible, ready to defend herself and the muggles if necessary. Throwing up a silent, but no less effective muffliato, she turned harshly to the vampire next to her.

"Who are you, and how the hell did you find me?"