Ren Neth

1/10/2009

"Ryoma, are you alright? Your fathers in the bathroom so it'll be a while till I can help you with these." Ryoma's mother pointed at the many cuts and bruises that littered her daughter's skin. "Here. It was sent to you this morning. I don't know what to do with it so here. Use a pen to respond. Also," Her mother was at the door but turned and looked back at the golden eyed girl. "I'd take this chance if I were you. Goodnight."

With trebling fingers Ryoma slowly opened her letter. It read

Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

Order of Merlin first class, High wizard on the wizen gamut,

Supreme mugwap, International confederation of Wizards

Dear Ms. Echizen,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witch craft and wizardry. We await your owl by no later the July 31. You are expected at platform 9 and ¾ on September 1 at 11 o'clock. Hoping you are well.

Professor McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Ryoma hastily whipped out pen and found a piece of paper. She wrote: I would love to come to Hogwarts but have no way of getting there. –Ryoma.

'Now how do I send the letter?' She thought to herself. There came a tap upon the window. He opened it to see an owl looking at her.

'You mind mailing this for me? Thank you.' The owl flew out of the window and into the gathering darkness.

Dumbledore was sitting across from Snape reading a small note that an owl had just delivered.

"Looks like Ms. Echizen is going to join us this year. I am worried about her in that home that abuses her, how will she get her supplies indeed."

"Professor, do what you always do in this circumstance, get a teacher to do it. She is one of those cases after all." He looked his teacher straight in the eye then shook his head. "NO! I will not. I won't go and heard around an abused girl who is afraid of everything."

"Severus, you'll be surprised how strong this girl is once you meet her. You will go with her to the Leaky Caldron. No arguments."

The door bell had just rung when Ryoma answered it. She looked up into the face of a man with greasy black hair. He looked at her before taking a deep breath.

"Are you Ryoma? I'm one of the teachers at Hogwarts." She looked at him than invited him inside. Her mother came around the corner and looked back over her shoulder. She shoved something into her daughter's hands.

"Professor Snape, please take care of her. She is strong and will become a bother if you don't ask politely. I'm sorry she get's it from me. Please take her while her father is out. It'll be safer for all of us that way." She hugged her mother and bid her goodbye.

"Darling don't close inn on yourself. Now you can be free." Ryoma was shoved into Snape's waiting hands as her mother slammed the door behind her. She looked at the man calculating him.

"Hold on, we have to disapperate. Your dad won't be able to find us." She only nodded. He quickly grew annoyed. "Can't you talk? Just say something I'm already nervous!"

She looked at him than when they had arrived at the Leaky Caldron she took out a notebook and wrote something down. She shoved into his hand and he looked down at it wide eyes.

I can't talk! Surely someone told you that!

He looked down on her and noticed she was trying to speak. He put a hand over her mouth.

"You will when you can. Don't force yourself to do something your bodies not ready for."

Thank you! I really appreciate you not yelling at me. Can you tell me about Hogwarts? I don't know anything about this at all. Sorry.

He than realized she had been completely cut off from everything. Friends, nice cloths and fun, how was she going to behave at school?

"Well, the grounds are massive. There is a gamekeeper by the name of Hagrid. You'll be able to make friends and have fun. Unless you break the rules, no magic in the corridors, No fighting, and do as the teachers say, you won't be scolded. No one is going to physically harm you. Detention is not that bad. Also there will be others from abusive families so you won't be the only one." He had been talking as they got all the necessary things she would need.

"I suppose you will be staying with another family until you have to board the Hogwarts express. Here we are last stop, getting you a wand." They entered the shop together.

"Ah, Severus, bring in a new student I see. He one of those cases?" Ryoma turned her head to the side and grinned at him stifling silent laughter.

"Mr. Olivander, Ryoma is a girl. Yes she is one of those cases." Mr. Olivander walked over to her and looked her up and down.

"Stick out your wand arm." She hastily wrote on her pad something and gave it to Mr. Olivander.

I can use both hands to write if that's what you mean by wand arm.

Snape read over his shoulder and his jaw hit the ground. He didn't want to admit it but he was growing attached to Ryoma. He looked from the note to Ryoma and back again before smiling a little.

"Wow. Who taught you that? Well, Olivander what are we going to do now?"

"We are going to get her a wand that will work no matter which hand she uses. Which hand is stronger, Ms. Echizen?" Ryoma held up her left hand and he measured it before switching to measuring the other hand. "Here try this one, Fox wood and Dragon heart string."

She waved the wand in a random motion and it almost exploded.

"NO. Here, Cherry tree and cat fur. Not just any cat fur but from a human boy who was turned into a cat. Legend has it that who ever wield that wand is his sole mate." She took it slowly hoping that it was not hers she waved it and a long smoky cat came out of the end. "Bravo, yes very good, that wand is most definitely yours. That will be eight gallions than, bye Ms Ryoma." Snape led her to the Leaky Caldron and told Tom to give her a room and then bid her good bye.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts than Ryoma; I know you will have fun." He turned on his heal and was gone.

One Week Later

A knock was heard on Ryoma's door, she got up from the chair she sat in and opened it. Outside was a man who had reseeding red hair and glasses.

"Hello, I'm Arthur Wesley. You must be Ryoma, I've been sent to retrieve you by Professor Dumbledore. Come with me and we'll meet my wife and children down stairs. I hope you don't mind but they may stare, you are famous you know." She looked at him sideways then followed him down to the rest of the red headed family, standing with them was a black haired boy with glasses, and he reminded her of her friend who was two years older than her. The girl next to her had long, bushy brown hair that was pulled into a pony tail much like Ryoma's was.

"Molly, this is Ryoma, Ryoma this is my wife Molly, My twin sons Fred and George and my youngest son Ron, the red headed girl is my daughter. These two are Harry Potter and Herminie Granger, friends of Ron's. Ryoma are you going to introduce yourself?" She felt her pockets and pulled out a notepad. Hastily using her left hand she wrote a greeting and gave it to Ms. Wesley.

"Dear, why don't you say it for yourself?" Arthur looked from Ryoma to the note and back again.

"Molly Dear, Ryoma can't speak. Sorry Ryoma, we didn't know."

"Oh dear! I'm sorry. You lot, she says hello and wants to ask Arthur why she is famous." They all looked at her in awe, even Harry had heard of her.

"Ryoma, dear, you are the prophesized soul mate of the cursed boy, chosen by He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named himself!" Arthur answered. Ryoma tilted her head and shrugged.

Harry stared at her. Ryoma had this quality around her that gave her this unbelievable trust worthy feeling.

"Ryoma, you ever heard of that prophecy?" Hermione asked her. Ryoma just shook her head.

"Well it was said that long ago a boy was turned into a cat by a dark wizard before he was born. That boy could still become a human when ever he wished but when sick, week, or confused he turns into a cat. The cat like abilities he was given gave him this aura about him that forced people away. It was said that a girl with a talent for magic would be strong enough to free him with only the love she had for him. To prove it a wand was made with the boys cat fur. That wand would choose the person able to free the boy from his curse. The boy who was cursed into becoming a cat was found thirteen years ago." Hermione had Ryoma listening to her every word. She was very interested in hearing about the prophecy.

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat.

"As much as I like to hear the prophecy we have to get to platform 9 and ¾ before it leaves." He motioned for all the children too leave the room they were standing in. they did so and found two cars waiting for them outside the Leaky Cauldron.

They got to the station without a hitch. Getting Ryoma through the barrier was harder until Hermione held her hand all the way through.

"Come on, Ryoma. We'll get you to a compartment where you can make friends." Hermione lead her down until they reached a compartment near the middle of the train. Hermione left her there while she went to say goodbye to the Weasleys.

"Now you three look after Ryoma. Let her know that she has you three if she needs you." Mrs. Weasleys voice drifted through the open window. Ryoma sighed; she did not need them to watch out for her. That was one of the reasons why she got so many beatings from her father. She fought back and had a black belt in karate.

She looked up to see a boy with spiky hair in the doorway. He held out his hand and spoke.

"Hi, I'm Takeshi Momoshiro. This is my second year here. May I join you while I wait for the rest of my friends?" Ryoma nodded, handing him what she had written.

Hi, I'm Ryoma Echizen. This is my first year here. Come on in.

He smiled and nodded. No sooner had he sat down did the door swing open to reveal a boy with red hair, followed by a boy with black hair, came into the compartment.

"Momo, there you are! We've been looking for you everywhere!" The red head said.

"Eiji, calm down. It's rude not to introduce yourself to someone you don't know." The taller boy turned to Ryoma, "hi my name is Shuuchiro Oishi. And the red head is Eiji Kikumaru. Mind if we join you." Ryoma shook her head and motioned them in.

"Ochibi you could introduce yourself." Eiji said bouncing around the compartment.

Ryoma looked at Eiji like he had an extra head before grabbing her notebook back from Momo and giving it to Oishi.

Oishi's eyebrow rose but he made no comment.

The compartment door opened again to reveal 5 more boys.

"Fuji, Tezuka, Inui, Kiado, and Taka, at last I've been waiting for all of you guys for a while. Oh and this is Ryoma Echizen. She's starting her first year this year.

Ryoma looked up and nodded in greeting at the other boy's now entering her compartment. The guy she was sure was called Tezuka caught her gaze and held it while she looked at him and her eyes widened in recognition. She stood and tried to get past them to the door but Eiji caught her arm.

Tezuka's POV

The girl, I think her name is Ryoma, looks familiar.

A girl covered in bruises is gasping for breath and looking at me pleadingly. I was so confused I turned into a cat. She looks up as a man grabs her and drags her away from where I am hidden and then she's gone.

Now I remember. I saw an older man beat her a few years ago. She must have recognized me as her eyes widened as she darted for the door. Lucky for me she was caught by Eiji.

Normal POV

"Naw, where is Ochibi going?" Ryoma looked back at Tezuka and her eyes showed pain.

He realized what was going on very quickly and he spoke.

"Eiji, Let go of her arm." He did so looking surprised. Tezuka walked forward and rolled up Ryoma's sleeve. His eye's got wide when he not only saw bruises but a cat that looked tattooed on to her skin.

"You!? You're the cat's chosen one!?" Fuji looked surprised but relaxed when Taka laid a hand on his shoulder. Eiji looked confused at him while sitting on Oishi's lap behind Tezuka. Kiado sat next to Inui, too tired to move. Momo, stared he had been the one to shout.

Ryoma reached for the pad of paper but Fuji held it above his head.

A Storm cloud formed above Ryoma's head, she pointed at the notebook to herself and tapped her foot. She wanted it back, now! Fuji shook his head.

"No. I want to here you speak, than I'll give it back." Ryoma stared at him than sighed, might as well try.

She opened her mouth and took a deep breath.

"…" nothing came out. She tried again.

"gi…" She stopped. She couldn't say a word after that. She started to cough long and hard. A hand went to her mouth and blood came out. She whipped her mouth before sighing again.

She looked up at Tezuka. He raised one eyebrow. She merely shook her head.

Motioning to her throat she shook her head. Tezuka caught her meaning. She could not speak without hurting herself.

"Fuji, give her back the notebook. She can't speak." Fuji looked at her, his eyes opening slightly.

She scowled at the brown haired male and held her hand out for the notebook, which was placed in her hand before grabbing her bag and running out of the compartment. Kunimitsu ran after her. He caught her arm and she turned to him. She sighed, annoyed. Holding up a pair of robes indicating she was going to come back after she had changed.

He nodded in understanding and walked back to the compartment. Inui opened the door for him.

"Where was she going?" Were the first words out of Oishi's mouth.

"She was going to change," was Kunimitsu's reply.

They sat for a while in silence before Ryoma, knocked on the compartment door. No one noticed. She knocked again, harder this time, still no one answered. She went for the handle when the door swung open knocking her backwards. Some caught her before she hit the floor. She looked up to see Kunimitsu holding her up. She flushed a brilliant red and pointed to the ground demanding to be put down but he chuckled and shook his head.

"No I don't think I will." Fuji chuckled at Kunimitsu's response to Ryoma's demand. The little group had already alloyed Ryoma into its inner circle, she was something special alright.

A storm cloud appeared above her head again, and she pointed at herself and to the ground again. Kunimitsu shook his head and she growled lightly. He smirked; it quickly dropped as he was met with a fist to the gut. He dropped her and bent over double. Momo laughed. Ryoma smiled and walked past Kunimitsu and into the compartment. Sitting down she took out her sketch book and continued a piece of art that she had started a few hours ago.

Eiji looked over her shoulder and his jaw hit the floor of the compartment.

"Oi, oi. Oishi look at what Ochibi is drawing. Come on Ochibi, show them." He said almost bouncing of the seat.

Ryoma blushed but gave the sketch book to Eiji to have a look through. Kunimitsu who was looking over Eiji's shoulder was stunned Ryoma was an amazing artist.