Disclaimer: All characters, except for Ebony, are owned by J K Rowling.

Author's Note: The title of the book, plus the chapter titles are all based off of tarot cards. If you visit my livejournal page (link is my homepage at my profile), you can see images of the cards from the tarot deck I'm using for the story and some descriptions. Also, additional information can be found about each chapter there. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions concerning the story, feel free to put them in your reviews. I will try to reply to every single review I get, most will be answered at my livejournal account and some will be answered at the end of a chapter.

Chapter 1

Nine of Swords

Ebony's mind raced as she woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmare. Her eyes darted around the room as the phantom pains in her back died away. She just had to get out of that house. Being anywhere near her parents made her have horrible flashbacks and anxiety. She was supposed to be leaving for school tomorrow morning anyway. Sure, it was getting dark, but she could survive until then.

She ran around her bedroom, gathering up all that she hadn't yet packed for Hogwarts. She had already purchased and packed away all the books and supplies she would need for the coming school year, so all she really had left to do was throw a couple of last minute clothes in there and then she could find someplace to stay for the rest of the night. The Leaky Cauldron was maybe three kilometers away from her parents' house.

As she threw on a jacket and strapped her trunk to its cart, she called softly to her cat, Ailura. The cat stretched as it crawled from under the bed. Ailura was used to Ebony's anxiety in this house, so when Ebony motioned for her to follow, she trotted along in a brisk pace to keep up as Ebony headed out the door and down Connaught Street. Ebony didn't even slow her pace until they had made halfway down Oxford Street. She was about halfway there and the familiar muggle-ridden area around Oxford Circus gave her some comfort as she knew that even if her parents did hear her and try to come after her, she could more easily hide in the crowds. That made her stop, even for just a second, thinking that maybe muggles might actually be useful, even if just to serve as camouflage.

As Ebony continued on, she finally allowed her pace to slow to a brisk walk. Tons of muggle stores crowded this street. Muggles crowded this street with intensity every single day and well into the night. Some trees lined the street on either side in front of the tall buildings, making it look slightly less imposing. Ebony kept checking over her shoulder periodically just to assure herself that she wasn't being followed. Every loud noise made her jump, reflexively. After some time, she finally reached Charing Cross Road, where an impressive Muggle fountain was situated. Farther down, she looked through the unlit windows of a rather large sized Muggle bookstore. Less muggles crowded this street, causing her to look behind her even more. Ailura still kept pace beside her.

Ebony calmed as she reached the door to the Leaky Cauldron. She sighed in heavy relief as she walked into the dark, familiar room. The many times that she had decided to run away had led her here. It was almost a second home to her during the summer months. At this time of the night, there was only a small handful of witches and wizards still awake. As she walked up to the bar, she asked the owner, Tom, for a glass of butterbeer, which was handed to her.

"Do you need a room?" Tom asked, nodding towards the trunk towing behind her.

"I don't need it. I just have to wait a couple hours before heading to King's Cross. Would it be alright if I just waited here?" She asked. Tom replied with a simple nod and went back to cleaning the same glass as before. Ebony turned away and settled into a comfortable chair next to the fire where Ailura jumped into her lap to lay down. Ebony absent-mindedly stroked the cat's long, soft hair as she allowed her mind to go blank as she stared into the fire.

Tracey waved goodbye to her parents as she jumped onto the Hogwarts Express. She made her way down the central isle, searching every compartment as she went, looking for her friend. Eventually, she caught a glimpse of the black hair that was pulled back into its usual loose bun. Ebony was fast asleep with her head against the window, Ailura curled up next to her. When Ailura heard Tracey step inside, she stretched and walked towards Tracey, trying to get attention. Tracey sighed as she sat across from Ebony then asked, "Run away again?"

Ebony stirred and opened her eyes. "Spent the night at the Leaky Cauldron," she stated, stretching to wake herself up. Tracey was used to her constant anxiety over her family – especially her father. Every summer ended similar to this.

"Nothing happened like last year, right?" Tracey asked, concerned.

"No..." Ebony replied, grim. "Thankfully."

Their conversation was interrupted when Blaise walked in. "Hey, girls," he said with a smile. He was another good friend of Ebony's but knew very little of Ebony's family problems.

"Hey, Blaise," The girls both replied in unison.

"How was your summer?" Tracey asked.

"It was alright. Nothing really notable happened," he said in a very bored tone. "My mother found yet another young, rich, handsome suitor, so I'll have a new step-father soon."

"Sounds exciting," Ebony responded in sarcasm. Her and Tracey both knew how much Blaise despised his mother's marriages. He didn't even bother asking when the weddings were anymore. He had even stopped bothering to learn the guys' names. Then again, being at home was never enjoyable to him. He still hadn't gotten up the courage to come out of the closet to his mother.

"So what happened with you guys?" Blaise asked, continuing the conversation.

Tracey went into an explanation about her trip to South America and visiting the ancient Aztec, Mayan, and Incan ruins. Ebony, though, was staring out of the window, where the last of the stragglers bade farewell to their parents. She paid careful attention as one boy who must have been a first year hug both his parents tightly before running towards the train. 'I wonder what it must be like,' she thought 'to be part of a family where the parents and children love and respect each other?'

"Well, if it isn't the group of rejects." Came a voice that Ebony absolutely loathed.

"What do you want, Parkinson?" Ebony asked, not even bothering to turn from the window. "You know very well that if there is a reject here, then it's you."

"Then why was I the one made Prefect this year?" Pansy gloated, sticking her chest out so that they could see the green and silver badge pinned to the front of her robes.

"Because everyone feels sorry for you since your such a git." Ebony answered, still looking away from the girl. "I even feel sort of sorry for you. It must be hard going through life with such a mental handicap."

"I don't have a mental handicap." Pansy argued.

"Yeah, just keep telling yourself that." Ebony said. "Maybe one day it will come true." She finished sarcastically.

"Better watch your tone, Moray," Pansy warned angrily.

"Or you'll do what?" Ebony snapped, finally turning towards the girl.

"I'll -" Pansy started.

"I don't really care. Just go!" Ebony yelled, standing up. She pulled out her wand, pointing it straight in the girl's face. This finally gave Pansy the motivation to finally leave to go to her Prefects meeting. After she was a good distance away, Ebony spoke again. "Finally!" Ebony sighed. "I though that pest would never leave."

"You have a gift for getting on her bad side," Blaise stated, "but she did make a good point. It's probably not a good idea to get on her bad side when she has Prefect power behind her now."

"What is she going to do? Dock points from her own house?" Ebony mocked. "I know she's an idiot, but I doubt that even she'd do that."

"No, but she does have the ability to give you detention," Blaise responded.

"Like I really care about a damn detention," Ebony argued. After punishments at her house, a detention was a dream to her. Detentions gave you time to do a mindless task so that you could have the time to actually examine your own thoughts.

"I'm just warning you." Blaise stated. "She could really make your life a living hell with that Prefect badge attached to the front of her robes. I'm just trying to look out for you, Eb."

The nickname made Ebony soften slightly. "Alright. I'll try to behave. I'll only say stuff about her behind her back this year."