A/N: This is like my first Harry Potter fic, ever! Alright, well, I have a RENT/HP crossover, but this is my first non-RENT HP fic. BE NICE! But review. Reviews make me smile!

BOLD is an author's note (only at beginning and end of chapter)

Italic for less than a sentence is emphasis.

Italic for an entire sentence is Allysa talking to any feline. No other characters can understand what is being said.

'Text surrounded by apostrophes is thoughts.'

Allysa Lies

Chapter 1

There were new neighbors, Harry noticed as he arrived at Privet Drive with his aunt and uncle. There was no longer a small grey car sitting in the driveway of the house next to Mrs. Figgs's. The plain white shutters were gone; they were now a pale rose color. There was nothing else noticeably different, but Harry detected a small change in the air.

More magic was present.

The thought of another wizard on Privet Drive was mind-boggling. There was no need for there to be another wizard around, especially since he would leave in a couple of days. He had no idea who the wizard would be, or whether he would be an auror, or a Death Eater for that matter.

Petunia Dursley caught him glancing, er, staring, at the house and snapped at him, "Stop staring, boy! That house has a whole bunch of creeps. A woman who speaks a different language, a foreigner no doubt."

Harry didn't entirely believe her.

Harry stared out his bedroom window that evening, planning his escape from his aunt and uncle, and trying to figure out how exactly he would get to Godric's Hollow in the first place. He was still deep in thought when a small, furry animal jumped onto his windowsill.

She looked cat-like, but her ears were much larger than those of a cat's in proportion to her head. Her tail was slightly plumed, like a lion's, and her fur was tan with muddy brown speckles. Her eyes were large, round, and amber. She reminded Harry of Crookshanks.

The kneazle crept closer to Harry, as if she were afraid of him. Her pink nose twitched. She was almost nose to nose with Harry when a strange purring sound floated through the window.

What do you think you're doing up there?

The kneazle rolled her eyes and turned toward the window, and replied in the same language. Saying "hi" to the only other wizard in a ten mile radius.

There's another wizard here?

Yes.
I'm coming up.

Harry watched, perplexed, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. He was just about to shove the kneazle out the window when a young woman poked her head over the windowsill. Harry screamed and jumped away.

The kneazle walked, purring, up to the woman, who smiled and tickled her behind the ears.

Did you catch his name? The woman asked.

No.

Well, I'll just have to ask him myself.

Harry was backed against the door of his room by now. The woman smiled warmly and said to him, in plain English, "Why are you so scared?"

Harry didn't reply.

"Um, yeah, sorry to drop in like this," the girl said, blushing. She pointed at the kneazle. "It's Halley's fault! I told her to stay and watch Nikki, but did she? No! So I had to find her. I'm sorry."

Harry stared even more blankly at her. He had no idea who Halley was, or Nikki, or the woman talking to him, for that matter.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't introduce myself! I'm Allysa. Allysa Hartson." Allysa held out her hand for Harry to shake. Harry grudgingly took it.

"Harry Potter," he grumbled.

There was a slight change in Allysa's facial expression. "Nice to meet you." She turned to the kneazle. "This is Halley."

The kneazle bent her knees in an unmistakable bow.

Harry gaped at her.

Allysa laughed. "What?"

"You talk about that cat as if she were your little sister or something," he chuckled.

The hair on Halley's back stood up and she hissed.

Hush, murmured Allysa, he didn't know better.

He called me a cat!

He doesn't see the difference. Shh…

Lemme claw at him, just once! Please?

Let me handle this.

Harry watched them blankly. "What was that?"

"You don't know?'
"Know what?"

"I'm a felinofarius. I can talk to cats."

"Wha?"

"You talk to serpents, yes?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, this is the same thing."

Harry looked at her blankly (again) for a couple seconds. Then it dawned on him. "OH!"

Alyssa laughed. "Yeah, it usually takes people a while to figure out."

"Now, where do you live?" asked Harry, warming up to her.

"With Mrs. Figg," she replied. Harry was perplexed. "She's been a friend of my family's for years."

"Ah," said Harry, and then he asked, "Who's Nikki?"

"I really need to get going," Alyssa said quickly. "We'll talk more tomorrow, 10:30, at the park."

"I look forward to it," he said honestly.

"Well, bye," Alyssa said, climbing back out of the window. Halley followed her, hissing at Harry as she jumped onto a nearby tree branch. Harry just laughed.