"Master, the adolescents who you are after are no longer on location. It seems as though Dumbledore has interfered again."

Voldemort sneered his snake like face as his small circle of followers. "There is no excuse. There is no way that foolish old man could know about this prophecy yet. Those girls need to be Death Eaters, and the sooner we turn them the sooner we can use them to take down his little Order."

"Yes milord." They chorused before one by one apparating out.

"Lucious, you have connections with the school, I need you to make sure that those girls are miserable and are willing to give it all up for someone who, cares, about them. Even if they are just trying to get them on our side."

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For the longest time it seemed as though the storm was never going to pass. Normally it would circle around the mountains instead of just staying in the center. I sighed, today wasn't a normal day, so why not let the weather have it's own way? I shifted slightly in the old wooden swing outside my bedroom window with the letter still gripped between my trembling fingers. For a summer day each drop of fresh water sent chills up my spin. Well it was either that or the letter. I had read it over four times and still couldn't accept what it was saying, it was just too real.

Dear Miss Rose,

I am pleased to inform you that you and five other students from American Institute of Magic will be attending Hogwarts for the following term, 1st of September to the 24th of June. We have taken the top students out of A.I.M's sixth and seventh year class in order to provide extra protection for security reasons with the recent arise of Lord Voldemort.

Since he has yet to make headline news we are asking all students informed to please refrain from telling your guardians of this reason. Instead, we're using the front as a Quiditch Scholarship to safely bring you to our school. There will of course be positions available for you and your classmates on whichever house you will be sorted into.

I am aware that though these two schools are very similar in the educations they provide, there will be slight differences in the books used. I am providing a list of all materials you will need to begin the school year and having your banking account moved to Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

You will not have to worry about any means of transportation because I will be sending a few of our highest qualified wizards and witches to ensure you a safe travel. All that I ask is that you show up at exactly 11:40am on the 20th of August at the local muggle school in your town. That is where the other students are scheduled to be also. Enclosed is also a copy of the Hogwarts rule book, and even though many students do not bother to open it, it will be easier to fit in if you read it. I wish you safe travels.

Albus Dumbledore

My parents never even mentioned the possibility of transferring schools. Come to think of it, neither did Headmistress Volts. This was just too unreal, I only had two years left until graduation, why not transfer the younger students, or the older ones. The ones with more experience. Not to mention here I didn't even have to leave my house often, a simple swing from my closet door and I was in the halls of A.I.M. I pushed myself slightly against the railing, letting the now empty swing drift in the moist air. I folded the letter gently and tucked it in my jeans pocket, my parents wouldn't be home for another two days, and I had to leave in four hours.

I locked the door behind me, despite the fact my house was in the middle of the woods and the chances of anyone being near where slim to none. Voldemort was back…

I closed my bedroom door and sank back upon it. Half of my clothes were already strewn across the floor, but that was just due to being slightly un organized over the summer. My black trunk with silver lining and metal coverings was still laying open at the foot of my bed. I hastily walked over to my CD player and pushed play, not really caring what was in there. Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge started playing. The rule book for Hogwarts laid on my bed, but I wasn't going to bother with it, I never really cared about rules, but never broke them, so I should be fine.

I started grabbing handfuls of black T-shirts, jeans, socks, and underwear, folded them and placed them in the bottom of my trunk. A side note to the Headmasters letter warned that there was going to be a ball despite the dark times, and to bring something formal because all students were required to attend.

I only owned one dress so it got tossed in there as well. I didn't bother to pack very many of my spare notebooks. It had been years since I had time to write a decent story, so the only extract writing materials I packed was my diary and favorite pens. I also packed up my special laptop, meaning that magic didn't affect it. A little charm I picked up when it kept going haywire around school. It had all my music and picture files saved, something that I couldn't live without.

It almost scared me when the phone rang at exactly 8 o'clock.

"Hel –"

"El, did you get a letter to?!"

I didn't even get a chance to finish my sentence before she started a rant again.

"Yeah but –"

"How can they expect us to just up root and transfer school when we had no idea?! I mean they can't be allowed to do this! And what about You-Know-Who? Is he really back?"

"Olivia!" I was screaming into the phone as my friend finally stopped to breathe. "Just calm down ok?" I heard a slight grunt on the other end and continued. "Yes I got a letter, but you've heard about Dumbledore. He's the most powerful wizard in the world, there's no way we can just ignore this.''

"Yes but we were going to win the Quiditch cup this year. It was our year to be the heads on our team."

"I know Liv, but it doesn't look like we've got much of a choice."

"But Hogwarts? That's half way across the globe, why not Canada, or even South America?"

"Do your parents even know?"

"Yes, they were furious that the letter arrived this late because they're going to be over in Oregon today visiting with my grandparents. What about yours?"

"They're not even here."

"Do you think they'll even care?"

"Probably not. I was thinking about leaving them a note, but then they might just think I ran away or something."

Another grunt was heard from the other end and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny Elena?"

"Nothing, just that in situations like these, I always thought that I would be the one freaking out, not the other way around."

"Yeah well, this is just, un justified!"

"Have you even packed?"

"Sorta, I was hoping that you would be some what finished and come over here to help me."

"You haven't even started have you?"

"Not really. I can't find half my stuff, and I'm really mad and can't think straight."

I sighed, my room was almost empty at all the stuff that was filling up my trunk. It was defiantly going to be different not being able to sleep in my own room anymore.

"I've got a few more things to do, including writing a note to my parents before I can leave. Just give me half an hour to finish up and I'll be over by 9am ok?"

"Ok, I'll get us some breakfast ready so maybe I can find my head."

"See ya in a bit."

"Bye El."

I heard a small click and hung up my phone. I grabbed my CD's, a few books, some movies, and my broom and small make up bag and tossed them all in my trunk. I placed my hands on my hips, eyeing my room to see if I forgot anything. I felt something brush up against my leg and almost screamed before I realized that it was my black cat Sugar. After my breathing became normal again I reached down and picked her up.

True her name was a bit on the strange side for a black cat, but I got her for my 14th birthday after having a ton of cake, ice cream and candy all day. It was the only thing that was on my mind and it fit her perfectly. She was the sweetest animal anyone could ever ask for, unless I told her otherwise, then she would make all your nightmares come true.

I had completely forgotten to see if pets were allowed at Hogwarts. They weren't at A.I.M. But that was because all the 'red-necks' liked to play the muggle sport known as hunting in the hallways.

With Sugar in my arms I closed the lid, latched it shut and grabbed my wand off my dresser and levitated it out into the living room where I started bagging up a few supplies to get her through a couple of weeks until I had time to go by the store.

With a simple flick of my wand my trunk disappeared through the wall and outside in the back of my Chevy 93 black pick up. I cradled Sugar in my arms as I turned off the kitchen lights and headed towards the stairs without looking back. This house, and everything in it was behind me, it never was a part of me, nor was it something that I was going to dwell on remembering.

So many terrible things happened within these four walls, and despite the fact it was my home, I never felt as though I belonged with the family that lived in them. I was always the outcast. See, no other person in my family is of wizard decent. They're all muggles, and they all despise magic. Normally I wouldn't be allowed to do magic around the house, but in this case, no one is here, it's raining, and I'm in a hurry.

There's a term that they call those like me, but I don't like the sound of it. I've only heard it twice in my life, once from my father, and once from a teacher. Each time's were devastating and left me scared.

Before heading out of the door I grabbed my keys off of the mantel along with a small black box that held my absolute prized possessions. I tucked them in my pocket along with the letter, wrapped my jacket around Sugar and myself and dashed for my truck.

It was only a 15 minute drive to Olivia's house, but with the rain, I was praying that the bridges weren't completely washed out. I quickly whipped my glasses off on my long sleeved black T-shirt before shifting the gear into drive and tearing out of the drive way. No need to worry about leaving skid marks, I wasn't going to be here to have to deal with them.

Sugar curled up in the passenger seat, purring almost in tune with the radio.

I never could have seen this far…. I never could have seen this coming…. It seems like my worlds falling apart… Why is everything so hard, I don't think that I can deal with the things you said… Just won't go away. In a perfect World…

Ironic that one of my favorite songs that had the exact meaning to my current condition started playing as soon as I turned it on? I don't believe in coincidence, but sometimes I just have to wonder about it.