A/N: This chapter has just been fixed because what I had originally written sounded as if it had been written by a two year old. I hope I have at least advanced to sounding like a six year old now as I like what I have written. This fic is AU so it is different and similar to the books in different ways. My character is completely my own and she has not been made to be liked because there are some parts of my character even I don't like. Please read this story and leave a review on ways I could improve or ways in which you liked or disliked my story and I will try to sort them out. This might be the only chapter that has been fixed so if you read the next chapter and I sound like a two year old again you'll understand why. Also there may be small plot holes or differences in the next chapters from the first because I have added or taken away from what I had originally written.

If you have read this far I wish for you to enjoy my story and please review, favourite or subscribe. It makes me very happy when someone does.

Chapter 1: Fighting Exhaustion.

I made my way slowly up the stairs. Dragging my trunk behind me and carrying my beautiful and tiny white cat across my shoulders. I looked up at the door in front of me and as I started to push it, it swung open and a mass of frizzy hair engulfed me.

"Thank god! Are you alright Brandy? You look terrible! You're all…" Hermione Granger stopped talking as she had obviously thought better of what she was going to say. Instead she just led me to sit down on one of the twin beds in the disgusting room.

My cousin, Ginny was lounging on a bed opposite the one Hermione had showed me to and her brother (and one of my best friends, along with Harry Potter and Hermione) Ron was sitting on the floor at the end of it. He got up as I came in and sat down beside me on the bed. I squeezed his knee in thanks and laid my head on his shoulder. He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders.

"Hi," I said to my friend and cousins.

My whole body was shaking and I couldn't look anyone in the eye. Ginny made no attempt to even look at me but I saw Hermione nudge her and she got up and gave me a brief hug. We had fallen out last term and she was still being incredibly difficult.

There was a loud CRACK and two more redheaded Weasleys appeared beside the bed; twins, Fred and George. They sat down on the floor across from me.

"Right Nactorn," Fred said eagerly, "spill it." George punched his arm in response to his non-sensitivity but I smirked at his attempt at lightening the mood.

"Fine," Fred glared at George and pretended to be in pain while trying to look apologetic making me snort in approval. "In your own time, dear Miss Nactorn."

"From the beginning?" I asked them.

"We don't need to know the way in which your mother gave birth to you but, in a way, yes, from the beginning." George said cheekily and I shook my head at him.

"Right, so, on the way home from King's cross I didn't say anything," I began my story quietly so that everyone had to move closer to hear. I plucked up the little energy I had left, tucked my jet black hair behind my ear and continued a little louder, "My dad kept looking at me. He knew Harry would have already told me what happened in the graveyard with You-Know-Who and he knew I would have believed every word. He also knew I knew he was there so when I got home he locked me in my room and wouldn't let me send any letters. He kept trying to get information out of me by torturing me so I stole my family owl and sent a letter to Draco..." Ginny let out a small, quiet sound that sounded like a hiss and the rest of the Weasley's faces showed a look of disgust, Hermione did stay straight faced, though, I'm sure she was feeling the same way as the Weasley's. We had started going out last year (the main cause of Ginny's bitterness) and none of them were in any way keen on him. "he replied pretty quickly..." I continued and launched into my story.

I looked around my bedroom and shoved as many of my books, clothing and valuables as I could into my trunk. I read over the letter on my bed that I received this morning.

Brandy,

I wish I could be there with you. It kills me to think that all I can do is write. My mum and dad just found out that we're together and they are not particularly happy. I'm on lockdown. I can't even leave my room without one of the portraits running off and getting my parents. I feel like a bloody two year old. Anyway you need to get out, if that much wasn't already clear, see if Granger or Weasley will let you stay with them, I don't like the thought of you spending your summer with either but it's better than staying at home. I'll write to you soon. Be careful what you send to me I can't be sure my parents aren't reading my letters.

Draco.

P.S I'd prefer if you stayed with Weasley at least he's family and you'll be with wizards and not with muffles that can't defend themselves.

P.P.S. Please don't ask Potter, the thought of you being "looked after" by muggles is revolting (which is why I'd prefer Weasley over Granger.) Sorry but it is. Especially the muggles he stays with. I don't think you would ask them but just incase.

I put Draco's letter in my back pocket just as I heard the sound of boots clumping up the stairs. I shoved my trunk back under the bed and grabbed an old Daily Prophet off of the floor and lounged on my bed pretending to read it. I made my mind as blank as possible but kept the disgraceful article from the prophet floating about in my thoughts and I made my opinions of it clear.

CRASH!

"Brandy," My father's voice was calm and held an air of power about it. However his eyes were blazing with anger, "What were you doing?"

"Reading," I restrained from adding the "obviously" to the end of that statement. I could feel him entering my thoughts but I kept my mind clear and thought: "Dumbledore: mad or Bad" and then "stupid Fudge, too blind to see that Dumbledore is telling the truth."

"Was it your mother who taught you Occlumency? Did she tell you it was harder after being weakened? Answer me idiot! CRUCIO!" he pointed his wand at me and I felt a searing pain rush through my body but I refused to scream. I grinded my teeth together and clenched my fists and focused on keeping my mind blank.

"I'm not showing you anything!" I said through my teeth to my father, "So don't even try! Don't blame Mum either, she didn't teach me!"

"Your mother is dead! So I'll blame her if I want to and I don't care who taught you," my dad snarled. He pointed his wand and muttered "CRUCIO!" at me again before leaving my room and bolting the door. The locks weren't a problem but it was where to go if I left that was and how would I go anywhere? I can't use the flew network because I'll risk getting caught! Obviously I can't apparate and my trunk's too heavy to fly with. So I pulled out some square parchment and wrote on four different pieces of it:

Help. Please. B.

I folded them up and addressed them to: Draco, Ron, Hermione and Harry. I attached each of the letters to the leg of my family's tawny owl, that had been hidden in my wardrobe, and let him fly out of my window. My cat Buttons jumped up onto my bed as I joined him he climbed up to his favourite resting place – across my shoulders - and purred softly to calm my nerves.

My dad made a few more trips into my room that night leaving me horribly exhausted and sore.

I woke up later, lying on my bed. I was so weak I could hardly move. Buttons was perched on my windowsill along with Draco's eagle owl, Ron's small extremely excited owl, Harry's snowy owl and each of them had a letter attached to its leg. I slowly made my way to collect them and Button purred as I brought them back to my bed to read.

First I opened Draco's:

Brandy,

I said you should get out! Please just leave. Use the Knight Bus, go anywhere! I wish I could be of more help, I'm sorry.

Draco

The Knight Bus! What kind of witch forgets about the Knight bus! It was just a matter of somewhere to go after I got on it. Next I opened Harry's letter which was scribbled on a piece of old parchment that had one of last year's herbology essay's on it. Obviously he'd forgotten to buy new parchment for over the holidays.

And I thought I was having a bad holiday. It must be really bad for YOU to ask for help. That's almost as rare as Hermione admitting she's wrong. Unfortunately your cry for help to me is not successful although I'm sure that didn't come as a surprise to you. All I've been getting told this whole summer, even ironically from Snuffles, is to stay out of trouble and to "watch what I put in writing." Not much help. Sorry. I've a feeling Ron and Hermione are together though so you'll probably be in luck with them.

Harry.

I smiled at the letter and I agreed with him, I didn't have much hope. Really I just wanted to be able to read a letter from someone having a summer almost as bad as mine. I opened the last letter that I had expected would be from Ron or Hermione but I was surprised at the neat scrawl that covered the page that didn't belong to either of my best friends.

Dear Miss Nactorn,

Mr Weasley and Miss Granger have shown me your letter and we have agreed that you should get out of your house.

If you can manage to get on the Knight Bus to The Leaky Cauldron, a familiar face will meet you there at three o'clock tomorrow morning and he/she will bring you to the same place as Ron and Hermione.

Please don't write back, we will know if you are having trouble if you don't make it by three. Leave a note to tell your father you are safe even though he probably won't care and I presume he will get rather angry.

Bring with you your trunk (packed for school as I assume you won't be going back to your house before then) and your cat which — I have been informed — is called Buttons try and disguise him a little though as he is white and theat may stand out a little.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore.

P.S Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley have asked me to remind you of the "muggle hairpin trick" I am assuming they mean the very useful trick that allows you to open doors.

I re-read the letter, put it in my pocket and rounded up the last of my belongings into my trunk. I looked at my watch; it read twenty-five minutes to two. I watched the owls as they all flew away, I would reply to Draco and Harry's letters when I got to wherever I was going to stay. I scrawled a quick and emotionles goodbye on a piece of parchment and took two hairpins off of my dresser. I used them to unlock my door the way Fred and George Weasley had shown me when I first started Hogwarts and I heard the door unlock. Slowly I pushed it open. I threw on my black travelling cloak (which helped by my black hair successfully cover the whole of Buttons, who was still across my shoulders) and picked up my luggage from the floor. Quietly I made my way down the stairs and out the front door of my massive, prison-like house. I hauled my trunk out along the driveway and onto the road at the end of it. I pulled out my unusually short wand from my pocket and held it out onto the road. Luckily there was not a spell you had to say or I'd be stuck. As I put it back there was a BANG and a purple, triple decker bus came to a halt right in front of me.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, I'm Stan and I'll be your 'ost for tonight!" the man — well boy — looked up at me, "Oh, sorry, may I help you with your luggage beautiful?" Stan Shunpike sauntered down from the steps of the knight bus to pick up my trunk. His voice was cocky and jeering and Buttons hissed in my ear.

"Thanks," I smirked. Secretly, inside I was grateful that he had offered though because I struggled enough pulling it down the drive never mind up the stairs. I took out fourteen silver coins from my pocket and handed them to Stan.

"Where you goin' then?" Shunpike asked sitting himself down on a bed as the large purple bus shot off full speed again. The beds and luggage started to fly about but I was smart enough to get a hold of one of the silver bars attached to the window of the bus before it started moving. Buttons hissed in my ear as we started moving, he hated travelling by Knight Bus almost as much as he hated Stan.

"The Leaky Cauldron," I replied and pretended not to see Stan patting the bed next to him. "please." I added with a smirk. My body was telling me to sit down but I didn't want to seem as weak as I felt and also, Stan creeped me out, so I fought the urge to collapse and stayed standing.

"Alrigh'. Ern! The Leaky Cauldron for Miss Nactorn, please?" Shunpike shouted to the driver then turned his attention back to me, "We jus' 'ave to make a quick stop to St Mungo's to drop a young lad who 'ad a small problem wiff a cursed top 'at."

I raised an eyebrow in amusement and sipped my hot chocolate (which my fourteen sickles had bought me.)That sounded like the kind of prank Fred and George would like to play on someone.

"So — you runnin' away then?" Stan asked.

"No," I said sarcastically, "I'm just going for a butterbeer at half two in the morning!"

"You don't really believe all this stupid stuff 'arry Potter 'as bin sayin', do you?"

"'Course I do," I glared at him.

"Well, I fink it's a load of rubbish." Stan said with a shrug. I shook my head in silent frustration.

There was another BANG and the Knight Bus stopped still in front of the small store that I knew was the entrance to St Mungo's wizarding hospital. A man or boy, I couldn't tell, made down the stairs with a bit of trouble, due to the fact his head was completely covered in a black top hat. He stumbled out onto the street and the bus sped away. We flew through London and in practically no time at all we were stopped outside The Leaky Cauldron.

"Bye, Miss Nactorn I 'ope I'll see you soon," Stan winked at me as I stood up to leave.

"Don't count on it," I muttered and Buttons purred in approval.

I stepped off of the bus, lugging my trunk behind me and it sped away as I walked into The Leaky Cauldron Tom, the barman, came rushing towards me as soon as he noticed me, with a butterbeer in his hand, already knowing my order, I paid him and sat down at my usual table. I checked my watch and as the second hand ticked onto the twelve and it turned three o'clock the fireplace lit up emerald green. Out of the fireplace stepped a hook nosed, greasy haired man in black robes. Severus Snape. I breathed a sigh of relief that Dumbledore hadn't sent Uncle Arthur or Aunt Molly, though that would have been less suspicious. He approached me slowly and when he was close enough he slyly handed me a small slip of paper.

"Don't read it until we are outside." Snape hissed into my ear. "Have you got everything?" his voice rose to a normal tone when he asked this question and I nodded. Even though I knew Snape could see through my "mind barrier" and honestly I didn't mind him being in my head, I still kept my mind nice and blank. "You're getting good at that but remember it was me who taught you Occlumency." Snape said this casually but I heard a hint of something that felt like pride in his voice. I smiled slightly.

As we got outside I read the piece of paper, on it was three words in the same writing as on the letter that was delivered by Ron's owl.

It read; 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Memorise it! Then give the paper to me," Snape whispered. I handed over the paper and it burst into flames in his hand. "Grab your trunk and tell your cat to hold on in side the cloak."I've seen you fly before but do you feel strong enough to fly tonight? We might be flying for over an hour?" I thought about it and then nodded, flying came naturally to me do I nodded. I was positive I wouldn't pass out while flying. "Well then get out your broom — good." I watched as Snape attached my trunk to his broom.

"Okay, when you're ready mount your broom and stay on my left at all times."

We kicked off from the ground and began our journey. We flew off over fields and roads and houses having to change course occasionally to make sure no Muggles could see us and to make sure we weren't being followed. By the time we reached Grimmauld Place I could feel my exhaustion taking over. My aunt Molly greeted me warmly and though she thanked Snape there was a wary tone to her voice as though she still didn't trust him.

"...and you know what happened next." I finished my story.

Ron gaped at me, Hermione started muttering under her breath, Ginny was glaring into space and trying desperately to look un-interested in me and Fred and George were taking it in turns to make a ball of string appear at either side of Buttons who was beginning to look slightly dizzy. I hit them both in the back of the head and Buttons made his way back under my curtain of hair.

"So what's going to happen to Malfoy then?" Hermione asked handing back the letters I had passed her. At this everyone looked up (including Ginny) my friends and family very rarely brought up the fact Draco and I were together, my aunt and uncle plainly ignored it, Hermione was the most comfortable with the topic though.

"Well, he'll have to stay with his parents for the time being," I answered carefully, "his father is slightly different from mine and will probably pay no attention to him at all. His mother loves him though so she will probably just pretend I don't exist."

I could feel my voice breaking at the thought of Draco being ignored by his family but I was pretty certain he wasn't being tortured. Fred and George came and sat down either side of me.

"We'll leave you to get some rest," Fred said.

"Yeah," George said, "Did anyone tell you that you look awful?"

"It may have been mentioned," I smirked, "but thanks for telling me again."

"No problem," the twins said in unison and I shook my head in exasperation.

"Before you go," I said to them, "what is this place?"

"This is headquarters of The Order of The Phoenix. It's a society that was formed back when You-Know-Who first became powerful. It fights against him and the Death-Eaters. The actual house though, was Sirius' family home." Ron answered.

"I thought it might be something like that. It has that typical pure-blood feel to it. Sort of like my house. In fact it's very like my house."

Everyone had left as I finished talking and I watched the door as it closed behind Ron.

Then the exhaustion finally took over my body.

A/N: Thanks for reading the first chapter of my fic and again I'd like to say sorry about my next chapters if I haven't updated them yet. I'm sure there are still type-os in my writing but I hope you understood what I meant to say.

If you could make me a cover for this story I would greatly appreciate it.

Please review, it means the world. Thanks. Cora.