Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, that honor belongs to JKR. But the original character Avery Rose is my creation. Please don't sue, I am but a poor college student.
Warnings: AU, I am ignoring most of the events of OotP, and HBP and DH will be excluded in their entirety. Later chapters might have some sexual content. Warnings for flashbacks of Rape, dubious consent, domestic violence, and chan.
Summary: When Avery's mom moves the family to the UK she feels as if her life is over. But when she meets the Boy-Who-Lived she discovers that there is more than one way to save a life.
First Day - Chapter 1
Sweat was starting to gather above her brow and her breathing was just a notch below hyperventilation. She dug the dirt from underneath her fingernails as she waited outside the massive doors that would soon grant her entrance into yet another school. She hated it. She had finally had a few years of stability in her life, but it seemed that her mother couldn't handle settling down in one place for too long.
Why did Mom have to fall in love with a Brit, she thought angrily. Now I have to start all over again. Just like all those times before. But now it's even worse. Now I'm in the freakin' UK and I'm an American through and through for crying out loud. In like 5 minutes the headmaster is going to announce my presence and I'm going to have to put up with all those eyes picking apart every one of my flaws before they even know who the hell I am.
Needless to say she was nervous. 15 friendless years of life had done nothing to help her self-esteem. A slight creaking sound startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see the doors swinging open.
"Everyone I would like to introduce to you a new transfer student coming to us from the Salem Witches Institute in America," announced the white-bearded headmaster with a mad twinkling in his blue eyes. "Ms. Avery Rose will be joining us as a fifth year and I'm sure that whatever house she is sorted into will put forth their best effort to make her feel welcomed. Now let us see exactly which house she will be joining."
Avery could feel their stares. She wanted to snap at them to look at someone else; she wasn't some circus freak to be gawked at. She knew what they were looking at. At close to 6 feet tall she was pretty hard to miss, she had the body shape of a Botticelli, not fat but she would certainly never be a stick thin model. By far her best feature was her hair; it flowed down to her mid-back and was a soft brown color streaked by the sun with bits of red and gold. Frizzy though it might be, she had always been fond of the coloring.
A soft tap on her shoulder made her look up and then blush profusely when she realized that she had gone off in her own little world while everyone was waiting for her to sit on the stool, put the ugly hat on her head, and be sorted so that the feast could begin. She threw a weak smile at McGonagall, who wore an irritated frown yet had a soft and understanding look in her eyes, and sat down.
Hmmm…. A straight O student I see, and yet you do not actively pursue knowledge. No definitely not Ravenclaw material. You are ambitious but lack cunning, Slytherin is out. Where should I place you? Loyal to a fault and you possess a quiet courage. Difficult. I guess I'll just have to make it……
Gryffindor
Thundering applause broke out from what she assumed to be her new house's table. McGonagall took the hat off her head, gave her a small nod of approval and turned to head back to the head table.
Avery approached the Gryffindor table and looked for a place to sit, the table was pretty full but from the corner of her eye she saw a hand waving. A girl with bushy brown hair was pointing to an empty seat between her and read-headed boy. With a sigh of relief Avery walked over and took her seat.
"Hermione Granger," said the girl "nice to meet you, I'm in your year. It's so wonderful that you're from America. What is it like? Tell us all about it." The girl looked so enthusiastic, Avery hated to burst her bubble but she was tired and not in the mood to be interrogated.
"Um… It's nice to meet you too. You already know my name so I won't bother with that. But… do you think I can answer your questions a little later? I'm tired and quite a bit nervous. Must be the jetlag."
"Jet-what?" asked the ginger-haired boy with a confused look on his face.
"Jetlag Ronald," replied Hermione. "It a muggle term to describe the fatigue one feels after travelling through many different time zones on an airplane. You do remember what an airplane is right."
"Of course I remember, Mione," argued Ron "I'm not stupid."
Hermione smiled sweetly and replied, "I would never think you're stupid, just a bit unmotivated. Now where were we? Oh yes, It's no problem Avery. I understand completely. Let me just introduce you to my extremely rude best friends. This…" she said with a point in the red-head's direction "is Ron Weasley, a tad bit thick in the head sometimes but he has a good heart."
"Hey…" Ron started to say but was cut off by Hermione.
"And this…" with a point at a boy Avery hadn't noticed before "is Harry Potter."
Avery's eyes went a little wide at the proclamation. How could she have forgotten that the Boy-Who-Lived attended Hogwarts? She was such an idiot. Harry looked up at and gave a shy little grin. Avery's heart just about stopped. His eyes were the green of emeralds, but that wasn't what drew her to him. His eyes had a haunted look to them, as if they had seen things no 15 year old should face. Avery wanted to chase away those shadows and in that moment she knew that her life would never be the same. She would befriend the Boy-Who-Lived… No, she thought shaking her head…I'm going to befriend Harry.
