Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Harry Potter. All fictional characters are mine. This plot is mine. Nothing is yours – beside the privilege of reading this masterpiece.

Author's Note:

Got interested in writing Harry Potter fanfiction again…which is cool. This time it's because of this really good author on Quizilla – MonoxideLullaby. The 'quizzes' were so good…they inspired me.Go check it out.

This story is slightly AU…partially because it works better this way and mostly because I'm too lazy to reread my books to make it more accurate. If you want to correct whatever I do, go ahead.

Slightly shorter first chapter. It's basically an introduction. Okay, it's really short, for what I usually write (see Manipulating the Beast Within to know what I mean), but it introduces my main character. She's an OC, but don't worry, no Mary Sue here.

Dang, it's….really short. You'll survive, no doubt about it.

Summary: She disguised her inner brilliance with an outer façade that no one saw through. In the last year of Hogwarts, she wants something to change in her life. After all…it is her last year among the living.

Forever Untrue, Time Will Tell
Tai-Mei Yang wasn't sure why she was in Ravenclaw, even after six years of belonging to that house. Maybe the Sorting Hat had never looked past her innate intelligence when it had made its decision. For six years, she had wondered why.

She didn't feel like she belonged.

This situation inspired no loyalty whatsoever for her house. At Quidditch games, she would stay silent, quietly analyzing each player's strengths and weaknesses. She didn't care about who won the Quidditch Cup – or the House Cup – or any of the competitions that existed in Hogwarts.

She didn't care about much.

And she didn't care about magic. Oh, she did care about what ran through her veins, but not for wand waving and incantations. That was basically what Hogwarts was about…Tai-Mei didn't care for Hogwarts. It was full of fools.

She was only there because she had to be.

Because it was necessary for her to be the vessel of learning for her 'parents'. For this reason, she didn't try making 'friends', or sucking up to the professors like so many of her peers. Good grades would do nothing for her life, because she had no future. So, she worked just hard enough to pass, just hard enough to get into the classes they wanted her to get into.She didn't need any extra attention.

Tai-Mei Yang always held the teachers and headmaster in scorn. They didn't know what she was, and let her stay in their midst without any guards or any other safety precautions. They were ignorant fools.

Even the Harry Potter boy everyone wouldn't shut up about. 'The Boy Who Lived' and other similarly ridiculous names were given to him. And there was nothing special about him. She had passed him several times, and had tested him too, as they wanted her to. He had had no reaction to any of it.

"Mei, it's time to go shopping!" An oddly cheery voice drifted up the stairs.

"Coming."

At the same time, the Boy Who Lived was entangled with Ginny. They hadn't planned on this happening, but with the way the Weasleys' house was designed, it was inevitable.

Ron stepped out of his room, blinking sleepy eyes. His hair was standing up comically.

"Harry? Ginny!" He had gotten used to his little sister and his best friend being together the year before, but had been told that they'd separated. Now, they were in a pile outside his door…doing what? This instantly woke him up.

"Ugh, Ron, don't get any ideas." Harry groaned, gently lifting Ginny off of him. "Your damn stairs need better railings."

"Why would I be getting ideas about my own sister!" As Ron gagged, Ginny stood up, still flaming red. She had tripped, for the first time in years, going down the stairs. Harry had been conveniently located, and had made an excellent pillow. She wasn't embarrassed about landing on him; she was remembering what he had said before. 'Stupid boys, thinking that they could use distance to protect the one s they lo-cared for,' she thought, continuing downstairs.

"So…school starts soon." Harry said lamely, trying to cover up his own awkward feelings. He was very unsuccessful, and turned a brighter red when Ron chuckled.

"Y-eah." Ron replied, still smirking. He went back into the room and curled back up under the blankets.

"C'mon, get up. I smell breakfast already." Harry said, walking into the room they shared and kicking the lump under the covers.

"…."

"We're going shopping today."

"…."

"I'm going to break your wand." Harry joked, looking around the room for it.

"….good, then I can get….nnngg, a better one…but later….puh-lease."

"You're hopeless. I'll be downstairs."

There were mudbloods everywhere.

'You would think, with Dumbledore gone, that they wouldn't be so stupid as to actually let more into our community.' Draco Malfoy thought half-heartedly. Ever since he had failed in his task, it had been on his mind constantly. It had taken a little toll on his physical appearance, and he appeared leaner than before. Fortunately, it didn't take away from his attractiveness. In his opinion, physical activity was the only way he could escape.

He decided to cross the street and pay a few visits before returning home.

Around the corner, he bumped into a distinctly Asian girl. There was something perfect about her features that intrigued him, but she glared and disappeared before he could say anything.

'Great day today, isn't it?' He thought morosely.

He turned around, seeing his mother waiting for him. His mouth quirked into a small smile, and he slicked back his hair. His mother didn't know what ran through his mind – didn't know if anything had changed.

Author's Note:

Any guesses on why Tai-Mei's outlook on life is so bad?

Review please.