-1Okay, first, before anyone freaks out about this story being in the wrong section, this is a cross-over. MarieAntoinette713 and I have collaborated on this, combining her knowledge of the HP universe with my knowledge of the Teen Titans to make this wonderfully odd creation that we believe will turn out quite well. As a side note, MarieAntoinette713 wishes me to add that this is our first collaboration and thus all should bow before our greatness -- yes, she's crazy as I am. This chapter is my doing, and I know it's not very Harry Potter at all, but the actual story will be, so read this and then go on to chapter two, where the HP you're probably here for comes in. Thanks for bearing with my little intro thing, be aware that I love reviews (hinthint), and I hope you'll all enjoy!

Chapter 1

"Out."

"In."

"Out."

"In."

"Out."

"In." The short words echoed slightly in the hallway as the two teens argued. It wasn't a heated argument, by any means -- nor was it a particularly important argument, actually. It was sort of just -- well, an argument.

"Oh, come on! What's wrong with eating out? We'll go to the pizza parlour! You like the pizza place! Why can't we go there?" The boy whined slightly, deciding to leave the back-and-forth behind.

The boy was quite a creature to behold to any who didn't know him. He wasn't particularly tall, and he was thin, but quick and seemingly athletic. He had an average build; the oddest thing about him, really, was that he was green. Green and furry, with hair a darker shade of green; long, expressive imp ears; and fangs, one single one poking out when he closed his mouth. He was wearing his usual get-up: tight black shirt with a thick, dark pink stripe down the chest and back; equally tight pants, the pink on them looking like a pair of shorts before switching to black down the leg; black sneakers; a silver belt with a black 'T' on the yellow buckle; and grey gloves. His long ears were currently angled a bit down, showing something akin to annoyance -- or perhaps amusement. The suspicion of amusement was confirmed when one looked at his jade eyes; large and expressive, they shone with the light of a carefree and unending joy. He was a trouble-maker, he was a prankster, he was the residence's 'class clown' -- he knew how to have fun, and he made sure he did so as often as he could.

His companion seemed, at first glance, his polar opposite. Where he shone with light and joy, she brimmed with darkness and mystique. She was perhaps an inch taller than him, and looked pale as sea foam when matched to the darker colours around her. Her hair was a deep shade of violet, and her eyes were violet pools to match, deep and dark. There was an air of mystery about her; an odd grace to her movements, a strange silence to her step. Her clothes were simple: a black leotard was her covering of choice, shielding her arms but revealing long legs -- though, they were often hidden by the ankle-length, hooded blue cloak she always wore. The cloak was fastened by a dark crimson broach, and her belt was circles of deep jewels to match, linked by a golden chain. The same dark stone formed the diamond-shaped chakra on her forehead. She was beautiful and at the same time unnerving, for something about her -- some feeling she seemed to emanate -- just seemed, for lack of better term, creepy. But seeing her now, one might hardly notice. Her eyes sparkled with a tiny light, and though she barely glanced at the boy she walked beside, it was obvious he had her full attention. Her lips were graced with the barest hint of a smile, and her hood did not hide her face but instead hung loose down her back, a sure sign that she felt relaxed and comfortable with her current company.

"Because, Beast Boy, we went there yesterday. And the day before. And on Tuesday." Her voice, though not unpleasant, was nearly a monotone, revealing little to nothing of her feelings on the matter; she let the words fall and be taken as they were. "Three times in four days is more than enough." A bit dryly, she added, "Much more."

Though his ears drooped further, Beast Boy's eyes showed neither sadness nor defeat. "But Raven! C'mon! Pizza's like… a staple food! It covers all of the food groups: you got your bread, dairy, fruit -- did you know tomatoes are a fruit?" At her nod, he continued, undeterred. "Oh. Well, yeah, your dairy, fruit, veggies…"

"Meat?" Raven questioned a bit coyly, her eyes showing the beginnings of a mischievous glint.

"Oh, ewww!" He balked at the thought. "No meat. You know I don't eat meat!" He shuddered. "I've been most of those animals."

"Hm. No pepperoni, then," she commented, and he shot her a look, which she effectively ignored. "Look. No one else is going out. You want pizza, order in, or go out yourself, but I'm staying here."

He sighed -- in defeat, certainly; exasperation, perhaps; but annoyance, not in the least. He had expected to lose this argument, but it wouldn't be right for them to have skipped over this delicate part of their odd relationship.

Their friendship was an enigma to all who knew them. He was light, joyful, funny, and social. She was dark, cynical, sarcastic, and a loner. He loved movies; she read books. He played video games; she liked chess. He got excited; she got annoyed. How two such different people could ever become such close friends was a mystery wrapped in impossibility, but Raven dealt in mystery and Beast Boy hardly knew the word 'impossible', so somehow it just worked out. "Fine. But you aren't sitting in your room all alone. It's Friday night! You know what that means!" He gazed up at her impishly, and she rolled her eyes.

"Movie night?" She sounded about as excited as one might be to watch a snail race, but Beast Boy was not discouraged.

"Yes! You finished that book earlier -- c'mon, I saw you on the last chapter; I know you did -- so come watch the movie with the rest of us." As soon as he saw the beginnings of a glare forming, he made use of his unique ability, and by the time Raven turned to face him, she found herself looking down into a pair of large puppy eyes, directed up at her by the little green dog at her feet.

"You know that doesn't work on me," she pointed out, earning a little whimper for her trouble. She sighed heavily and crossed her arms. "…No scary movies this time," she finally declared. The dog hopped up excitedly onto her arms to lick her face; she dropped him unceremoniously with an order of "Quit it," and in a moment Beast Boy was clambering to his feet, his normal self again and wearing a grin so large it looked as if it might break his face. The earlier defeat was easily forgotten in the face of such a victory.

But in the face of pure strangeness victory might be forgotten too, as the case happened to now become. The strange, shimmering circle appeared before them out of nowhere, stopping both teens in their tracks. It was a window of light, framing a hazy, distorted image in the centre; an unfamiliar location to both of them, and a curious appearance as well.

"What the…" Raven started, stepping away from the image that had shown up right in front of her.

"Dude! Did you…" Beast Boy questioned, and when she shook her head, stepped back as well. "It's… kinda cool!" He decided after a few seconds of watching the image shimmer and shift. But then it suddenly locked, opening wider to fill the whole hallway. The sound of wind filtered through, followed by shouts and screams, growing louder by the second -- and then the pulling began; a light sideways pull on him, but a very firm, powerful pull on Raven. It dragged her towards the circle before she had time to move, and she would have been pulled into it in mere seconds had Beast Boy not leapt forward to grab hold of her arm. "Okay, not cool, not cool! Raven!"

A commotion in the hallway tends to attract attention, and this occasion was no exception. A nearby door whooshed open, and a redheaded girl poked her head out, quickly followed by her entire body as she saw the scene, and the pulling current trying to take both of her friends into its strange picture. Starfire's movement was swift, aided by flight, and she had her arms wrapped around Beast Boy's waist and was pulling up and away before her door had even closed. "What is happening?" She shouted over the rush of noise.

"I don't know!" Raven called back, a bit frantic. She'd been pulled off her feet, half inside the shimmering window. Beast Boy had a tight hold on her wrist with both hands, and Star had a firm grasp around him, and slowly they'd managed to move almost a foot backwards. But the pull retaliated, growing even stronger, and now they too were swiftly being drawn into it.

Footsteps echoed down the hallway and a second later a masked boy burst around the corner. "Robin!" Star exclaimed, panicky. He took in the scene before him and then rushed without hesitation to help, catching hold of Starfire's legs and joining the resistance. But by that time it was a useless endeavour. He had nothing to grasp for an anchor, and could only be pulled in along with his team mates.

The second the portal had enveloped Raven it began to close, though still drawing the other four in at an alarming pace. There was a pounding behind them as the last member of their team dashed up the stairs, but another five seconds and Beast Boy was gone, and Starfire after him. Cyborg had no time to deduce what was happening, only to lunge forward and grab hold of Robin's cape. But it was too little, too late as the fabric slipped from his grasp and the portal snapped shut, leaving a confused and despairing Cyborg behind, alone in the hallway that only moments ago had housed nothing more daunting than simply a playful argument between friends.