Disclaimer:

This Story is based upon the works of J.K. Rowling and the amazing world that she created. Please don't sue. The character are hers with the exception of Rayne and Phoenix, they are mine. Hope you all enjoy.

Please read and review.

Authors note: This story is a colaboration between my brother and myself. I have about 12 chapters written so far, but I would like reviews on this first one so I can improve them before I post them. This story is completely H/OC, R/Hr, and maybe some other character pairings along the way. I am a Harry/Hermione fan myself, but it just didn't work for this story, so Ron won out this time. I think you will really like Rayne's character though, so please give her a chance.

Chapter 1: Introducing Rayne

A young girl named Rayne sat staring out of the airplane window. The plane ride had been long and rough. She was sitting toward the back of the plane in a window seat that gave her an amazing view of the clouds that were scattered underneath the plane. Her favorite part of flying was the view, the unbelievable blue sky above her and the fluffy clouds below her. The world looked so different from up above. Not even flying on her broomstick could compare. She loved the way the sunlight flickered off the tops of the clouds and with every time zone they flew through, the mergence of day and night became more and more spectacular. She felt peaceful for the first time in a long while. Part of her wished that the flight would never end, but the rest of her couldn't wait. She was sore from sitting for so long. Her mind drifted back to reality. She let out a heavy sigh.

Only a few more hours till she would arrive at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in England. Only a few hours until she had to begin to fulfill her mission. She thought to herself remembering the conversation that had led her to this point. She had only arrived at school the night before last. She had been looking forward to her last year. Then things suddenly changed. She had received a visitor last evening, by the name of Albus Dumbledore. She had been sitting alone, as usual, in the Lounge of her dormitory reading on of her textbooks for Defense Against the Dark Arts class. He gently interrupted and her asked her to come to Hogwarts, in order to help him with a specific task. She had been taken aback by his abruptness. She had asked him why he had chosen her for this task, but all he would say was that no one else could accomplish what he would be asking. She had informed him of her past experiences working with others and he just smiled and claimed he already knew that and that it had no effect on his decision to choose her. He also told her that he was coming for her later that very night at precisely 7:30pm. He had given her two hours to pack and leave after she had agreed to help him. And here she was hoping no one would be suspicious of her quick move. How could they not be. She couldn't believe she was sitting on this plane when she didn't even know what Dumbledore wanted from her. She knew the second war had begun last year, and she knew there were long struggles ahead of her. She knew she had to do her part in fighting this war. She knew she was about to be dropped in the center of the war she dreaded, because Hogwarts was home to the one person who could end it, Harry Potter. Part of her wanted to run away, reject Dumbledore and his request, and live safely in hiding. The rest of her knew that the world's fate rested in the hands of those she was about to join, and she knew that she had to join them. She could feel the weight of the burden she was now forced to carry, this impossible task that Dumbledore had so graciously chosen her for, she had a feeling everyday it would get heavier and heavier, harder to deal with. She knew of Dumbledore and his part in the war. She knew what those who were close to Dumbledore went through. She felt good about the fact that there were so many people who believed in Dumbledore and were loyal to him. Something about this felt right. She had been sitting there thinking it through for about thirteen hours now, which was about how long she had been in the air. Sure she could have just apparated, but Dumbledore thought it would be safer for her to travel by normal means. She was afterall only just seventeen. Apparating that far could have deadly consequences for the inexperienced. "I can't understand why he chose me, I would be the very last person to come to in this situation, but I suppose, She thought to herself. "I am the only person in the world Harry Potter might actually relate to, and if he relates to me, I guess he would listen to me. Maybe that is what Dumbledore wants me to do, that would be the only thing that made any sense."

She still wasn't exactly sure of the details of what Dumbledore was asking, he only very briefly went into the reason it was so urgent for her to drop everything and move to Hogwarts. She was sure that no matter what he asked, she could accomplish it, after all, she had been asked to do more difficult things in her life. Then all of a sudden her insecurities started running like a flash through her mind. What if that is exactly what Dumbledore wants her to do. He wants her to train Harry Potter.

"How do I approach him, what do I say, I can't just go up to him and be like Hello Harry my name is Rayne and I am here to save your ass. Not likely to go over well. Harry, I know something you would really like to know, but you have to agree to one little detail before I'll tell you.....Ummm probably not the best approach besides he would never believe me anyway. Maybe I will let him come to me, he always has been the curious type. I bet I could get him to notice me. I could start slow after all I have never been the outgoing type at first. Maybe I should try to get used to the school first and establish myself. I should make friends and allies. I will bide my time, that way I have a little while to get my thoughts and plans together. Everything is so complicated. I have to have a well thought out plan. I will listen first, find out all I can and then make my move." There, her mind was made up; she would wait a little while before acting. She put on her headphones, and laid her head back on the airplane pillow and continued staring out the window.

Finally, the plane landed in London, Rayne gathered her things and began what was going to be a very stressful journey through the terminal. People around her were pushing and shoving each other in order to get off the plane. Rayne figured that it was due to the amount of time they had spent in the air. When she finally walked down the platform and into the terminal, she noticed that she had about 45 minutes until the train for Hogwarts left. She was looking around for a map to the Train station, when she heard a rather loud voice calling her name. She turned around and noticed a very large man dressed in rather funny tattered clothes. He had a long bread and a round kindly looking face. He looked as if he were a giant, and though she had read about giants in her classes at her old school, she had never seen one in person.

"Over here sir." She responded politely to the giant.

"Ah, you can call me Hagrid." The giant told her.

She nodded and the giant man spoke again

"We best be gettin' along, we don' want you missin' yer train now."

"Thank you Hagrid" she said as she turned to follow him.

When they reached the train station, Hagrid handed her a ticket and told her that she was to find Platform 9 ¾ in order to get to the train. She remembered having heard about the platform from an old friend a long time ago at her old school. She had told Rayne about the first time she had to walk at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. She had been so afraid he was going to hit the wall she nearly decided she didn't want to go to school at all. Rayne found the platform easily and when she felt no one was looking, she pushed her cart and herself through the wall. It was a wonderful feeling to see the train to Hogwarts for the first time. They didn't have things like this back home. She looked at all the family's waving goodbye to their loved ones, and her heart felt a twinge of sadness. She remembered her mother and her first day at school. Rayne remembered the way she felt getting on to that first plane that would take her to her new school when she was just 11. She remembered waving goodbye to her mother, a little bit sad but a lot more excited. She sighed and climbed into the train. She went looking for an empty compartment, but they were all nearly full. She was hoping to avoid meeting anyone until she had arrived at Hogwarts. Unfortunately for her, she realized this would not be possible. She was afraid of the way people react to new students, especially ones as old as her. It was her seventh year after all. They would ask question. Who are you, where do you come from, and all that stuff. She did not want to answer any of it. She finally found a compartment with what looked like two nice quiet people in it. She opened the door and quietly asked if there was room for one more.

"Of course" they responded to her and she found herself sitting next to a very curious Blonde Girl who seemed to be reading her magazine upside down.

"Hi, My name is Luna Lovegood." The blonde girl spoke enthusiastically. "And this is Neville Longbottom."

Rayne looked across from her and noticed a very homely looking young man, who seemed to be looking around nervously as if trying to escape from the situation he currently found himself in.

"It's nice to meet you", Rayne said to them and decided that before they had the chance to say anything else, she would try to get their minds off of learning her name. "I was wondering, if you two could tell me a little bit about Hogwarts."

As soon as she said that both of the teenagers faces seemed to light up. They began to animatedly tell her about everything that had happened over the last six years. They filled her in on the war and all the details about the fights they had been a part of.

"You sound like good fighters, but like better friends." Rayne told them as they recounted the battle their fifth year.

"Could you tell me about the teachers and classes? What are they like." Rayne asked trying to keep the conversation going.

"Well, watch out for Professor Snape," Luna started. Neville shuttered at the mention of his name as Luna went on. "He hates anyone who isn't a Slytherin, especially Harry."

"Yeah", Neville agreed. "He will do anything if he thinks it will make Harry miserable."

"Why would he do that?" Rayne asked.

"Well, when Snape went to school, he was in classes with Harry's Dad and they didn't get along very well." Neville informed her.

"Oh I see." Rayne said.

Luna cut in and asked the question Rayne had been dreading. "Listen to us, how rude we are! Here we are telling you our lives stories and we haven't even asked you your name."

"My name is Rayne."

"Where are you from Rayne?" Neville asked.

Rayne hesitated, should she answer them, they had spent so long telling her everything she could have wanted to know about Hogwarts. She felt like she could trust them after all they had told her. She decided to answer their questions carefully. "Actually, I am originally from New York USA."

"What school did you come from?" Neville asked.

"I am from Aurora School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in California USA." Rayne replied.

"Do they have houses there?" Neville asked.

"I lived in a dorm if that is what you mean." Rayne responded.

"No, I mean what House did you belong to?" Neville said looking at her as if she were crazy.

"The same one as everyone else I guess." Rayne replied pretending to not know what they were talking about.

"You mean they didn't sort you into houses?" Luna asked in amazement.

"No, I have never been sorted. What is sorting?" Rayne asked back trying to get them off the subject of her.

"Well at Hogwarts we have four houses. When you come to Hogwarts you are sorted by the sorting hat, and he places you in the house you fit best in. There are different qualities to each of the houses luna cut in. Hufflepuff is kind hearted and gifted at healing. Ravenclaw is for the smart ones. Lots of book worms there." Neville told her.

"Slytherin is for those who crave power more than anything else. There have been many a witch or wizard gone bad that has been from Slytherin, the worst one of all being You Know Who" Luna continued for Neville.

"Oh you mean Voldemort?" Rayne said nonchalantly.

Neville and Lavendar both cringed at the mention of the name and started frantically looking around as if he might walk through the door any minute.

"Tell me about the fourth house." Rayne broke the silence.

"That would be Gryfinndor. My house." Neville said proudly. "Gryffindors are known for there bravery, loyalty and courage."

"What house do you belong to?" Rayne asked Luna.

"I am a Ravenclaw." Luna said.

"Oh right, I should have guessed. When I first walked in, you had a book in your hands!" Rayne smiled.

"What house does Harry belong to? Rayne asked trying to keep the conversation on someone else.

"Why Gryfinndor of course. There is no one braver than him, well at least that is alive." Neville said.

"Now Neville, you don't know if that is true or not." Luna said to him.

"What about Dumblodore?" Rayne decided to put her two sense in..

"No, he is just the greatest wizard ever, but I still think Harry is braver." Neville said in reply.

Luna just looked at him and rolled he eyes. Rayne noticed that the train had suddenly slowed down, she figured they had finally reached there destination. Luna noticed too.

"We had better put on our uniforms Neville, we are almost there." Luna told him.

"Right." Neville replied.

Rayne suddenly realized that the only Uniform she had was the one from Aurora.

"Well it will have to do." she thought to herself.

Just as they had finished getting ready, the train arrived at Hogwarts. There was a lot of noise and hustling around when they first stepped off the train, Rayne joined Neville and Luna in one of the Thestral drawn carriages.

"Aren't the Thestrals beautiful!" Luna asked Neville.

"Er..I guess they are OK." He replied. "Poor Rayne probably thinks we are crazy," Neville said looking over to her.

"No, I don't. I am just surprised you can see them." she whispered quietly.

"You have heard of Thestrals?" Luna asked.

"I can see them too." She whispered.

"Well, Luna said in a dreamy voice. Do you agree, aren't they beautiful?"

"I think it is wonderful that you find beauty in something that can only see if you have witnessed death." Rayne said with a smile.

"They really are amazing creatures, we studied them fifth year in Care of Magical Creatures class. There are only a few students at Hogwarts who can see them." Luna informed her.

"Thank goodness." Rayne replied. Neville agreed.

They continued to stare out the windows. Rayne was taking in the sight of the castle she was about to make her home for the next few months. It was beautiful. The lights shining from every window of the huge towers that protruded from the rooftop. It looked like a castle that one would imagine in medieval fairytale. When they had finally come to a stop atop the long winding uphill path, Rayne said her goodbye's to her newfound friends. They went with the rest of there houses to get ready for the evenings feast. Rayne was left to find her way to Dumbledore on her own. She knew she had to be sorted before she could settle into a house, but first she needed to meet with Dumbledore in his study. She needed to be filled in on exactly what she had to do for him.

She managed to find her way to Dumbledore's office, but not without taking some pretty strange detours along the way. She had had an unfortunate run in with the moving staircases that no one had warned her about, and found herself face to face with Fluffy the three headed dog, who still lived in the castle in the third floor corridor on the right hand side. Finally she broke down and asked one of the portraits for directions. And now here she was. She said the password, chocolate frog, and was admitted into Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was waiting for her inside.

"I was wondering when you would find you way here, Rayne" Dumbledore smiled.

"Well, if the place wasn't completely booby-trapped at every turn, I would have been here a lot sooner." She said seemingly amused.

"Well, we have to keep you on your toes now." He replied with a sparkle in his eye.

"Lets get down to business as we are running out of time. What exactly do I have to accomplish here." Rayne got straight to the point.

"Rayne, I need you to help Harry Potter figure out the secret of the power he will need to vanquish Voldemort. I need him to unlock the one thing Voldemort hates more than anything and therefore does not understand and underestimates." Dumbledore began.

"How do you plan on having me do that?" She asked him skeptically.

"Well, I need you to train him and not just in fighting techniques. How you do it I will leave up to you, but I need him to unlock the power. You know exactly what I mean. You have to help him search and you are the only one who really understands exactly what needs to be done after all you have the most experience, and I only want the best teaching Harry." Dumbledore stated with seriousness in his voice that let Rayne know he meant business.

"I understand." She said with a newfound determination in her voice realizing the seriousness of what he was asking. "I will do my best to fulfill your wishes."

"Wonderful, now lets get you downstairs. There is a feast about to start and you need to be sorted." Dumbledore said.

Rayne sighed and followed Dumbledore out of the room. This was going to be a long year.