Welcome to my first story everyone! Please let me know what you think and review! Have fun reading and I hope you like it! Warning mild language in this chapter... I'm getting off to a good start right?

Ginny screamed in pain as Bellatrix shot her with the cruciatis curse. Maria growled furiously. "You bitch! Get the fuck away from her!" Her stark American accent was easily identifiable in the rage of the battle. The men holding her fell to the floor unconscious as she leapt forwards shooting hexes and jinxes at the crazy deatheater.

Bellatrix cackled and turned to face her completely, relishing in this duel with a semi-worthy contender. "Finally the little self proclaimed Black comes forward." She sneered. "Welcome to the family, dear cousin."

Maria snarled at her and raised her wand challengingly. "Glad to be here, cousin." She smirked and added mockingly. "I feel such pride in this family, you know, toujours pur and all."

"You filthy mudblood!" Belatrix shrieked in anger as her face contorted into one of pure loathing and hatred. "Avada kedavra"

"No!" Maria screamed as someone jumped in front of her, pushing her out of the way forcefully, a smile on his face. He froze, the light draining from his eyes as his body fell backwards through the veil.

Maria jerked awake, sweat and tears rolling down her face. She could hear people rushing towards her, feel their hands, feel the winds rattling the house and the rain and hail breaking the windows. The lights flickered and lightning flashed, but Maria was detached from it all. Her eyes were swimming with memories, her brain immersed in the flashbacks.

A small girl with wild curly brown hair giggled as she played with the fox, which was acting much more like a harmless puppy than a fox. The colors begin to blur and everything loses its shape as the memory speeds up and suddenly her parents are sitting bewildered as a very confused and frustrated kindergarten teacher is explaining that their daughter somehow turned her teachers hair blue. Her parents were so confused they forgot to argue with each other over whose fault it was that she was acting out.

The blur comes again as quickly as it stopped, like the view out of a high speed roller coaster that's constantly starting and stopping. The little girl is older (aged 10) and her mother had just died, leaving her and her brother with their father. She sobbed and cried when she heard the news, and screamed and lashed out when they informed her that they couldn't hold a funeral because her mothers body was mangled beyond recognition as even the remains of a human. She cuddled her younger brother (aged 7) and murmured that it would be alright, that she would take care of him.

The blur comes yet again, even faster and more confusing than before. Now the little girl is eleven and she is fierce. She is the buffer between her father and her brother and she is proud. She had always been the shield but now there is no one for her to run to. She fights tooth and nail to protect her brother and takes the brunt of his anger. She is cunning, she is brave, she is loyal, and she is smart. Strange things happen to her that no one can explain and then someone does. A strange woman from Alaska comes to her door. She explains that she is a witch and that her brother is too. The girl's heart jumps as she's offered an escape, but one look at her brother and she knows she can't bear to leave him. She wants to accept, but her father is terrified and he throws the kind women out. For a few weeks, she hears nothing and she gives up hope. She chides herself for believing in the nonsense this woman was spouting and she continues her life as she always did. But then the woman returns, this time accompanied by an old man with a kind smile. His beard, it seems goes on forever, and he offers her a real escape. He offers her England, an exchange program. Specifically for witches and wizards and he has a wonderful woman who can take her in. Her heart yearns to accept, she desperately wants to escape but one look at Dylan, her young brother and she knows she can't accept. She opened her mouth, wishing desperately that she could accept, then firmly declined. The woman looked shocked, her warm brown eyes clouding with confusion. She turned to the man as if pleading with him to do something. He didn't speak, he just sat, staring at her with his blue eyes piercing her very soul, assessing her. Then he did something wonderful. He offered her something better than an escape, better than the world, better than anything anyone had every offered her. He offered them an escape, he offered them the exchange program. Dylan was included as well, he would be saved. The girl was on her feet before the man finished his sentence, packing their things and making dinner for everyone. Her father grew angry and tried again to throw the kind people out but the man chuckled at his antics. He, it seemed, would not be as easy to remove as the woman was, for he was prepared for her father's anger.

The memory flashes by and she can barely keep up. Her head is spinning when it stops. The girl is yelling happily as a kind but stern woman with warm eyes watches her carefully. She runs with Dylan and blows bubbles, she is one day away from leaving to Hogwarts. The wonderful witch that took her in teaches Transfiguration there, and though for the first time in forever she won't be with her brother, she's excited. The witch caring for them is only doing so temporarily, when she teaches Dylan will be sent to another woman who they've already met. She and her husband are kind and the girl is confident that Dylan will be safe. She likes them quite a lot and they have a daughter that is only two years older that Dylan can play with, and four other boys that will go to her school. For the first time in forever she is truly happy.

The shapes blur once more and she feels nausea come with it, it is her first day and she is being sorted. The hat upon her head says many things, scary things. The girl with her fiery nature, that much like her hair can't be tamed, is a mix of different traits. She is ambitious and cunning. She fights with her wits and tricks her way through life so she can protect her loved ones. Slytherin the hat says would be wonderful. But the girl is confused and she is scared and she wants to be with the woman who cared for her, the head of Gryffindor.

The wretched blur comes, leaving her feeling faint and her head spinning with confusion. The colors are moving so fast that she feels like she's on the fastest roller coaster of her life, going down hill, and she can't get off. It's now her third year. Dylan is at Hogwarts and doing well. The kind transfiguration teacher is as motherly as she's always been. She looks out for the two of them and never fails to help them. The girl is troublesome and mischievous but her high marks more than make up for it. Her best friends and she have gotten into a lot of trouble in their adventures over the past two years, as they fought a dark wizard, defeated a giant snake, and managed to win the house cup for their house. She, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have lost and gained the most house points, all thanks to their troublesome adventures. They are chasing after a man, a murderer, or so they thought. When they find him they get the real story and the kind werewolf and the man with the gray eyes adopt her. The girl is a Black now, and she is happy, she has a family. Dylan is a Black as well and he is happy. They are in bliss even though the man is on the run. She goes back to the woman who took over caring for them, the one with many children and she is happy.

The colors blur so quickly you can't even register the change anymore until again it stops suddenly. The girl is in fifth year and she is fighting for her life. She is battling against the deatheaters and she is protecting her friends. Dylan is gone, she lost him in her fourth year. She's determined not to lose anyone else, she hears a scream and turns. It's one of her best friends, Ginny, and the girl is furious. She turns the tormentor on her and is relieved until the laughing man with the grey eyes pushes her out of the way. The girl screams, everything stops.

Maria screamed again and jerked herself away from the horrible memory. She suddenly became aware of the chaos and stared with wide eyes as the storm and wind slowly calmed as she herself did. As she calmed, she remembered again, his eyes, his smiling eyes, once so warm and full of life, dead as he fell. She screamed again, or maybe she had never stopped, either way she was farther from calm than she had ever been. She was filled with a terrible urge, an urge to see him. She had to see him. She's crying now, her eyes full of life and pain. Different than the dead eyes, full of dull numbness that everyone normally sees. She's clawing at the ground, searching for something that can't be found. The wind howls and the hail grows to the size of baseballs. Lighting and thunder crash, the house shakes and moans, and the smell of smoke wafts through the windows as a tree catches fire outside. The chaos reflects the one within her, all her pain, her horrible memories, it's all channeled into the storm. She's lost in a stormy sea and there's no one to guide her. Until she feels a firm hand on her shoulder, another under her chin lifting her head to stare into bright green eyes. She holds his stare, transfixed by his bright, vibrant eyes. They hold the same pain, the same yearning, the same despair. They are just as lost as she is, but hold one thing she hasn't found yet, calm. She drinks in the calm as she holds his steady stare. There is nothing but his eyes, and they're like a lighthouse, guiding her safely to shore. The storm quiets, the flames no longer eat the wood of the tree, slowly the whirlwind inside her calms to a lazy breeze. The silence is deafening and as she gazes around the room Maria can feel her face burning. A small whimper comes from Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley is sobbing. Ron is leaning on the wall, his mouth open in shock. But of everyone, it's Harry that she can't stand to look at. His hands are still on her, one on her chin and the other on her shoulder. She stares determinedly past his ear and glares at a speck on the wall. His hands travel to her waist as he lifts her off the floor. Maria tries to pull away but his grip is a vise. He holds her close to his chest and she is forced to raise her head and look at him. Brown eyes met green and it was as if the world froze. They seem to have a silent conversation that ends with Harry carrying her downstairs and placing her on the counter. He makes them both a cup of hot chocolate and stands between her legs. They haven't spoken a word but to the outside eye it seems as if all the words needed were spoken. She opens her mouth to speak but a small whimper comes instead of words. Her face is burning with shame and embarrassment. His touch comes once again, calming her. His fingers dancing over her skin, barely touching her, caressing her cheek. This is how it always is between them. His featherlight touch brings her an odd sense of serenity and intimate fondness and her firm mothering touch brings him a sense of protection and love.

He breaks the silence with a small whisper. "I miss him too. If I hadn't had been tricked by that fake vision…" He trailed off trying to compose himself.

Maria's arms wrapped around his neck tightly as she pulled him into a hug. "Shut up Potter." She mumbled. "It wasn't your fault alright." She pulled back and sighed, her fingers tracing his scar as she avoided his eyes. "I'm the one who went and got him killed aren't I."

His eyes narrowed, glinting with anger. "You didn't kill him. He saved you and went down fighting like he would've wanted. He gave you a chance at life and you need to stop blaming yourself."

She glared at him, her eyes burning with fury. "Take your own advice you dick." She scowled but the anger soon passed, she never was good at being angry at him. "Stupid Potter and his hero complex." She grumbled.

He smirked at her and tugged a strand of her wild curly hair. "At least it's not a narcissistic God complex."

She gasped and fanned her face as her eyes widened comically. "How dare you Mr. Potter." She cried in a horrible attempt at a southern drawl. "I am the finest sign of southern belles and humility."

"A fine sign of southern inbreeding more like it." He joked.

"You're going to get it Potter." she growled. She ruffled up his already messed up hair before smiling sweetly at him, then threw a marshmallow at him. The expertly thrown marshmallow hit him in the eye and he leapt back trying to snatch his glasses back, (it seems Maria had stealthily taken them from him, where they rested on top of his head like a headband, while he was making fun of her.).

"Bring it Black!" He shouted rushing to the pantry where he could grab his own bag of ammo. With a jolt Maria remembered the events only ten minutes prior. The flashbacks and memories, the storm and chaos. She felt herself slip back into the dull sadness that had consumed her, that is, until Harry nailed her in the eye with a marshmallow. "Payback!" He screeched.

She quickly chucked one right back at him and spun off the counter to hide behind the table. She pushed the sad thoughts of Sirius to the side, instead remembering when he would join in on their little marshmallow fights. He always took her side and helped her ambush Harry, while Remus eventually got roped into helping Harry, if only to even the playing fields. "Wish Padfoot was here to watch me destroy you." She called tauntingly, ducking one thrown at her head.

"Yeah right," He yelled back, lobbing another marshmallow at her. "You just want him to help you not fail."

Hermione and Ron walked down the stairs, seemingly resigned to not being able to go back to sleep with the antics of their two best friends. Quite used to their shenanigans, Hermione sighed. "At least let me past to make breakfast."

"Don't worry 'Mione." Maria yelled determinedly. "I'll protect you." She leapt out from behind the table shrieking her war cry and blocked the volley of marshmallows being pelted at them as Hermione crossed to the stove. Harry it seemed, had camped by the marshmallow hoard in one of the cabinets and had unlimited ammo. Ron yawned and sat at the foot of the stairs, seeing as the table had been flipped over to use as a blockade.

"Impedimenta!" Hermione said firmly, waving her wand so that all the marshmallows froze and dropped to the floor.

"'Mione!" Harry whined. "I was just about to win!"

"Like hell you were Potter." Maria growled as she quickly grabbed a marshmallow and chucked it at his face. Hermione glared at her and hit her on the arm. "Ow what was that for 'Mione?" Maria wailed. "And to think I took all those hits for you."

Harry grinned and threw another marshmallow. "I win!" He shouted in glee. "Even 'Mione knows I win."

Maria glowered at him. "Over my dead body. For Padfoot! For honor!" She uttered a guttural battle cry and tackled him.

Ron jerked awake as Hermione screamed shrilly. A white light enveloped Maria and Harry and as quickly as it had come it left taking Maria and Harry with it. The order members still staying in Grimmauld Place rushed to the kitchen, wands drawn, only to find a hyperventilating Hermione and a perplexed Ron.

"But they- but how- they just- the light-" he stuttered, holding his wand loosely in his hand, as he pointed slack jawed in the direction of where the flash occurred.

Immediately the order jumped into action. "Someone owl Dumbledore." Remus ordered firmly. His eyes reflected the fear and worry he was feeling, even if his face was stony.