Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, all recognizable parts belong to J.K. Haley Elizabeth Smythe belongs to me. Oh, and I am also using the first chapter as a guideline to match timelines. Enjoy :p
Heat, I hate the heat. Anything over sixty and I am ready to rip somebody's head off, and just to make it better my family thought it would be great to send me to someplace in England called Little Whinging. All because "You need to visit your family" which is just code for "We don't want to deal with you anymore because you are a freak." Loving parents I tell ya, just because when I get mad things-that aren't so good- happen.
Late to my next class I hurried down the halls of my old school, the 6 hours of hell I have to endure every day. Out of nowhere something shoved me, sending me crashing into the lockers causing the lock to dig sharply into my side.
"Got any tricks for me today Haley?" a taunting voice asked me. I knew that voice with out having to see the face; it was the voice that was branded into my memory like the hot iron that brands cows hide. The very voice I heard before I feel asleep every night, Jackson.
Closing my eyes and taking a calming breath I looked up at him sarcasm dripping from my voice. "Don't you get tired of bouncing me off lockers everyday?" The second I said the words I wished I could take them back, he scared me but I wasn't gonna let him see it. "Wait! I know why you do it, I'm a girl! You'd get your ass kicked if you tried doing this to anyone else let alone a guy." My smirk faltered when his expression started to darken. Backing me into the locker he put his arms on either side of my head trapping me in.
"Well you see Haley, I choose you because you have no friends to back you up. I mean you're like the sick animal in the pack you get left behind. You're the freak of the school and every one knows it" his last words bounced around in my mind echoing like it was shouted into a cave. "You're the freak". He had struck a nerve.
"Leave me alone" I ground out through clenched teeth, my hands balled into fists. He slowly smiled.
"Nah, I don't think I will." He took a step closer "Freaks don't deserve to be left alone"
He had done it, the words that I hate to hear set me off. I saw red and the hairs on my arms stood up. "I said. Leave. Me. ALONE!" as soon as the last word had left my mouth there was a great bang and Jackson went flying across the thirteen feet and into the lockers. The impact bent the locker door; his head jerked back and made a tremendous crack.
Within the next few seconds doors went flying open along the hallway, students and teachers flooding out trying to figure out the source of the noise. They all stopped shocked when they drew near, a few of the kids noticing their friend on the ground unconscious looked up concerned expressions gone, turned into a glare when they turned to look at me.
"What the hell happened?"
"Did she do this?"
"Dude there is NO way she could have done that"
"Is he okay?"
"What a freak"
I got expelled, simple as that. My parent's home schooled me for the last couple of months that were left in the school year, and just sent me here. To my cousins house in merry 'ol England, where the summers are hot and the winters are lame. I do the exact thing I hate doing, stand out, the way I dress and the way I speak are different then everyone else. I get stared at when I go to the store with my Aunt and soon got sick of it when the eyes that followed me never ceased. So for the past month and a half I spent my days inside and I took evening walks. Nothing says leave me the hell alone like a black hoodie and the right attitude. Not even the neighborhood bully Dudley bothered me.
Blowing my bangs out of my eyes I rolled off my bed and went down stairs to watch TV, I still had to find a program that I liked, everything is too different here. Walking in I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, the sound of the 7'oclock news filled my ears. Shrugging I settled deep into the seat and stared blankly at the screen letting the reports wash over me uncaring.
"Record numbers of stranded holidaymakers fill the airports as the Spanish baggage-handlers' strike reaches its second week-"
"Gay." I muttered as I flipped off the TV and tossed the remote on the couch. Writing a quick note that I was going on a walk I left it sitting on the kitchen counter, in case my relatives come home early. Throwing on my favorite sweatshirt and converse I walked out the door into the evening light and made my way down privet drive, kicking a stray can across the street making a tinny clanging sound.
I was just coming up on number four, the one with the "problem child" Sounds like what I was back un the states when I heard the bang like a gun shot. I dropped to the ground defensively and scanned the area, nothing. The next bang was different; there was the sound of rattling glass included with it.
Looking up I saw the older, more obese version of Dudley with his hands wrapped around an overly skinny boy around my age. He was struggling against the fingers around his throat; I couldn't help but notice what was in his right hand. A stick. Dudley's dad was saying something into his ear and the guy looked like he was trying to tell him to let go. What happened in the next seconds didn't make me feel so alone for some reason.
It looked as if he glowed for a second and Dudley's dad dropped him like he was electrocuted. Heads along the street were peeking out through windows trying to find the source of the noise, the black haired guy hastily stuffed his stick in his pocket trying to look innocent.
"Lovely evening!" Shouted the whale, waving at some lady in number seven who was glaring at him. "Did you hear that car backfire just now? Gave me and Petunia quite a turn." Assuming that turn was scare, I laughed in my mind at all the different expressions these people in England have.
He continued to grin in a twisted sense and waited until all the onlookers went back to what they were doing. I on the other hand went and sat on the bumper of the car close to me, trying to catch what they were saying, watching them out of the corner of my eye.
"What the devil do you mean by it, boy?" asked the whale in a croaky voice that trembled with fury.
"What do I mean by what?" said the kid coldly. He kept looking left and right up the street, as if he was still hoping to see the person who had made the cracking noise.
"Making a racket like a starting pistol right outside our –"
"I didn't make that noise," said the kid firmly.
Horse lady's face now appeared beside the whale's wide, purple one. Like she sucked on a lemon, and it bit her tongue off.
"Why were you lurking under our window?"
"Yes - yes, good point, Petunia! What were you doing under our window, boy? "
"Listening to the news," said the kid in a resigned voice.
His aunt and uncle exchanged looks of outrage.
"Listening to the news! Again?"
"Well, it changes every day, you see," said the kid.
"Don't you be clever with me, boy! I want to know what you're really up to - and don't give me any more of this listening to the news tosh! You know perfectly well that your lot-"
Your lot? What does he mean your lot?
"Careful, Vernon!" breathed Horse face, and the whale lowered his voice so that I had to strain my ears to hear them, "-that your lot don't get on our news!"
"That's all you know," said Harry.
The comical couple goggled at him for a few seconds, then horse lady said, "You're a nasty little liar. What are all those -" she, too, lowered her voice so that I had to lip-read the next word, "- owls doing if they're not bringing you news?" Owls, what does she mean owls?
"Aha!" said the whale in a triumphant whisper. "Get out of that one, boy! As if we didn't know you get all your news from those pestilential birds!" News by owl? What the hell is going on here.
The skinny boy hesitated for a moment. It looked like it cost him something to so say his next words, like the thought of it twisted his gut.
"The owls… aren't bringing me news," he said tonelessly.
I knew that voice, that voice was disappointment. I hadn't heard from my parents since they sent me here it sucked.
"I don't believe it," said horse lady at once.
"No more do I," said the whale forcefully.
"We know you're up to something funny," said the horse.
"We're not stupid, you know," said the whale.
"Well, that's news to me," said Harry, his temper rising-almost as fast as mine-, and before the Dudley's parents could call him back, he had wheeled around, crossed the front lawn, stepped over the low garden wall and was striding off up the street.
I decided to follow him, what else was there to do anyways? I kept to the shadows because of how he was looking over his shoulder every few steps. It made me think he was used to being followed. Just the way he moved looked as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
We soon came up on the park and I kept my distance, sticking close to the shadows. I watched as he vaulted over the locked gate with ease, following him with far less grace I leaned against the gate and watched him go sit in the swings, wrap his arm moodily in the chain, and stare at the ground. I couldn't figure out why, but I was intrigued by him. Like I knew he was different, deep down.
I didn't know how long we were there but, soon night was falling over us, but the sudden sound of voices derailed my thoughts. I looked up at the same time he did. The streetlamps from the surrounding roads were casting a misty glow strong enough to silhouette a group of people making their way across the park. One of them was singing a loud, crude song. The others were laughing. A soft ticking noise came from several expensive racing bikes that they were wheeling along.
Great, just what I need when I am out by my self. The neighborhood bullies, I felt the need to suddenly run. I heard stories from my couple months here, and the occasional cries from the kids running home after a couple punches from the gang. They were terrified of him.
I glanced over at the kid on the swing, his expression when he had his gaze focused on them looked as if he was mentally begging them to spot him. Like he wanted them to come over and start something. But he stayed seated there as their voices faded. He got to his feet and stretched, that was my queue to leave. I climbed back over the fence and started heading back.
Pulling my hood up I made my way to the entrance Magnolia Crescent, stopping when I came up on Dudley and his friends.
"Evans really squealed like a pig, didn't he?" The biggest muscle head of the group said earning laughter from the group.
"Nice right hook, Big D." The wiry prep with the pinched faced said.
"Same time tomorrow?" Dudley asked.
"Come round one my place, my parents will be out." One of the others grunted.
"See you then" said Dudley.
I heard movement behind me and retreated into an alley nearby.
"Hey, Big D!"
Dudley turned.
"Oh," he grunted. "It's you."
"How long have you been 'Big D' then?" said Harry.
"Shut it," snarled Dudley, turning away.
"Cool name," said the kid, grinning and falling into step beside his cousin. "But you'll always be 'Ickle Diddykins' to me." I took the chance and followed them as silently as I could.
"I said, SHUT IT!" said Dudley, whose fat hands had curled into fists.
"Don't the boys know that's what your mum calls you?"
"Shut your face."
"You don't tell her to shut her face. What about 'Popkin' and 'Dinky Diddydums', can I use them then?"
Dudley said nothing. The effort of keeping himself from hitting his cousin seemed to demand all his self-control. I silently prayed that he would stop, knowing the outcome wouldn't be good. You never taunt the bully, I knew from experience all too well.
"So who've you been beating up tonight?" the kid asked, his grin fading. "Another ten-year-old? I know you did Mark Evans two nights ago -"
"He was asking for it," snarled Dudley.
"Oh yeah?"
"He cheeked me." Cheeked? What did he show him his ass or something?
"Yeah? Did he say you look like a pig that's been taught to walk on its hind legs? Cause that's not cheek, Dud, that's true.". Oh… He meant sassed him, damn brit terms.
A muscle was twitching in Dudley's jaw. It seemed to give the cousin enormous satisfaction to know how furious he was making Dudley I knew I was enjoying it, even if it was dangerous it put the bully in his place sometimes.
They turned right down the narrow alleyway where Harry had first seen Sirius and which formed a short cut between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. It was empty and much darker than the streets it linked because there were no streetlamps. Their footsteps were muffled between garage walls on one side and a high fence on the other.
"Think you're a big man carrying that thing, don't you?" Dudley said after a few seconds.
"What thing?"
"That - that thing you are hiding."
"Not as stupid as you look, are you, Dud? But I s'pose, if you were, you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time."
He pulled out his stick . I saw Dudley look sat it like he was afraid, should I be afraid of it?
"You're not allowed," Dudley said at once. "I know you're not. You'd get expelled from that freak school you go to." What school?
"How d'you know they haven't changed the rules, Big D?"
"They haven't," said Dudley, though he didn't sound completely convinced.
The cousin laughed softly.
"You haven't got the guts to take me on without that thing, have you?" Dudley snarled.
"Whereas you just need four mates behind you before you can beat up a ten year old. You know that boxing title you keep banging on about? How old was your opponent? Seven? Eight?"
"He was sixteen, for your information," snarled Dudley, "and he was out cold for twenty minutes after I'd finished with him and he was twice as heavy as you. You just wait till I tell Dad you had that thing out –"
"Running to Daddy now, are you? Is his ickle boxing champ frightened of nasty Harry's wand?"
My mind went spinning, what did he mean wand? Did this kid honestly believe there was magic?
"Not this brave at night, are you?" sneered Dudley.
"This is night, Diddykins. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this."
"I mean when you're in bed!" Dudley snarled.
He had stopped walking. Harry stopped too, staring at his cousin.
From the little he could see of Dudley's large face, he was wearing a strangely triumphant look.
"What d'you mean, I'm not brave when I'm in bed?" s aid Harry, completely nonplussed. "What am I supposed to be frightened of, pillows or something?"
"I heard you last night," said Dudley breathlessly. "Talking in your sleep. Moaning." My face went into a shocked expression, moaning? Ew!
"What d'you mean?" Harry said again, but there was a cold, plunging sensation in his stomach. He had revisited the graveyard last night in his dreams.
Dudley gave a harsh bark of laughter, then adopted a high-pitched whimpering voice.
"'Don't kill Cedric! Don't kill Cedric!' Who's Cedric - your boyfriend?"
"I - you're lying," said Harry automatically.
I had stood frozen listening to the conversation, I knew it wasn't my place but I couldn't stand it. I started walking towards them not saying anything until I got close enough.
"Dad! Help me, Dad! He's going to kill me, Dad! Boo hoo!"
"Shut up," said Harry quietly. "Shut up, Dudley, I'm warning you!"
"Come and help me, Dad! Mum, come and help me! He's killed Cedric! Dad, help me! He's going to - don't you point that thing at me!"
Dudley backed into the alley wall. Harry was pointing the stick directly at Dudley's heart. The way he was looking at his cousin made it seem like he could kill, or even cause pain with the wand. What is this, the school? The wand? What are the connections.
"Don't ever talk about that again," he snarled. "D'you understand me?"
"Point that thing somewhere else!"
"I said, do you understand me?"
"Point it somewhere else!"
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"
"BREAK IT UP, NOW!" I shouted, the voice I didn't know I possessed. They were both scaring me I didn't fear for myself but for Dudley and his cousin. It reminded me of the times Jackson would corner me. I didn't want Dudley to get hurt, or Harry. It had to stop, and fast.
They ignored me; Harry barely glanced at me and directed his focus back to his cousin.
"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM -"
Dudley gave an odd, shuddering gasp, as though he had been doused in icy water.
Within the next moments I couldn't see a thing, the lights went out. Almost as if a blanket were covering the sky, blocking out any light source. I couldn't hear anything except the heavy breathing coming from the tub of lard against the wall. That wasn't the worst part, it was cold. Like the winter, but it wasn't just outside, my insides were chilled.
I was afraid, and confused what had just happened to cause that I looked around, unseeing. I couldn't find the source, but had found someone to blame for the time being when Dudley spoke next.
"W-what are you d-doing? St-stop it!"
"I'm not doing anything! Shut up and don't move!"
"I c-can't see! I've g-gone blind! I -"
"I said shut up!"
Making my way to their voices my steps muted I spoke, my voice trembling. "What's going on, why is it so cold?" Harry jumped and looked at me.
"Quiet, just shut up the both of you."
Harry stood completely still turning his head left and right. The cold was so intense we were all shivering.
Why was he suddenly acting like something was going to attack us, the answers were right in front of me. I knew it, but I couldn't figure out what all the connections were.
"I'll t-tell Dad!" Dudley whimpered. "W-where are you? What are you d-do—?"
I wanted to hit the kid myself, he didn't know what 'Shut up' meant.
"Will you shut up?" Harry hissed, "I'm trying to lis —"
But he fell silent.
There was something in the alley other than us, something that was drawing long, hoarse, rattling breaths. I shouldn't have gone on the walk and played spy on the neighbor kid. I felt in my gut that I should be running right now, but my legs were to shaky to handle it.
"C-cut it out! Stop doing it! I'll h-hit you, I swear I will!"
"Dudley, he isn't doing this!" I said at the same time as Harry started to tell him to shut up.
WHAM. It was the sound of flesh meeting flesh, he hit him. The little fucker hit him. Watching Harry's form fly back a few feet from the force of the punch made me back away from Dudley, in case he sent a few more fists flying.
I didn't expect him to run away though.
"You moron, Dudley!" Harry yelled, it was no use. He kept going stumbling and tripping over things.
"DUDLEY, COME BACK! YOU'RE RUNNING RIGHT AT IT!" The question was, what was he running at?
There was a horrible squealing yell and Dudley's footsteps stopped. At the same moment, I felt it get even colder. I moved closer to Harry, hoping he knew what was going on.
"DUDLEY, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! WHATEVER YOU DO, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! Wand!" Harry muttered frantically, searching the ground for his wand.
"Where's - wand -come on -lumos!"
When he said the word, and the wand lit up my jaw dropped. "Impossible" I muttered, he scrambled to his feet and turned around. Turning with him I screamed at what I saw.
It was horrible, like something from a haunted house only loads worse. It had torn robes, and it floated towards us like a ghost its breath rattling as it inhaled. Like it was sucking all the happiness away.
Stumbling backwards, -Harry grabbing the sleeve of my sweatshirt and dragging me back-, he raised his wand.
"Expecto patronum!"
A silvery wisp of vapor shot from the tip of the wand and the monster slowed, but the glowing shield like force didn't work; tripping Harry let go of my sleeve and backed away further as the monster drifted closer
A pair of grey, slimy, scabbed hands slid from inside the, reaching for us. A rushing noise filled my ears and all the bulling of my past seemed to play across my mind.
It all mostly revolved around the same thing, my accidents and the word freak played over and over. Just different voices, and all bad memories.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
As soon as the bad feelings came, they passed. An enormous silver stag erupted from the tip of Harry's wand; its antlers caught the creature in the heart; it was thrown backwards, weightless as the night, and as the stag charged, the Dementor swooped away, bat-like and defeated.
I sank down against the nearest wall, sweating and cold. I was beyond confused, I watched, expressionless as Harry ran towards his cousin calling for the glowing animal to follow him. He didn't have to go far, Dudley was curled up on the ground, arms covering his face in a feeble attempt to protect him self. The creature slowly pried his arms off his face as Harry commanded the animal to attack it.
"GET IT!" Harry bellowed, and with a rushing, roaring sound, the silver stag he had conjured came galloping past him. The face was barely an inch from Dudley's when the silver antlers caught it; the thing was thrown up into the air and, like the other, it soared away and was absorbed into the darkness; the stag cantered to the end of the alleyway and dissolved into silver mist.
Lights and sounds all came back to existence, the warmth came back and I stayed there confused. Feeling wetness on my hand I looked down, tears. Using the back of my hand I wiped my eyes and stood shaking, slowly making my way towards Harry wanting answers.
As I approached him, I noticed his shirt was drenched with sweat and he was looking up and down the alleyway in disbelief.
Dudley lay curled up on the ground, whimpering and shaking.
"Harry?" I said tentatively. "Wh- What was that?"
"Dementor " he muttered. "Nasty things they are, suck all the happiness away, make you re-live your worst memories." He glanced at me. "What's up with your accent"
"I'm from the states, parents sent me here I'm a freak you see. Having accidents when I get mad, those types of things" I trailed off "I have been following you all afternoon, I did something like what you did to your uncle this evening. The whole shock thing, except it was a bully." I drew a look of confusion from him.
"What do you mean?" He asked "You saw that, and did that?"
I laughed without humor. " Look, I wouldn't have said it if it weren't true." I paused and deliberated on telling him about what I did to Jackson. "One time, I had a bully" I glanced at Dudley. "A lot like him, and he cornered me one day I told him to leave me alone he wouldn't. So the next time I told him to leave me alone I got really angry I see red, and he is launched across the hall into some lockers. I got expelled for it, been doing stuff like this my whole life. It's the reason my family sent me away, to my relatives in England" I said in a sour voice.
He studied my face for a little bit before saying slowly. "Look, I don't know if this is true I'll have to talk to some people. But I think you might be a witch, accidental magic happens all the time but you should have gotten some type of letter when you were eleven."
I shook my head. A witch, there is no way they are mythical. A nagging voice in my mind said 'How do you explain what just happened? He does have a wand'
"How do you know I am what you say I am? Couldn't it be some genetic problem with my mind?" I stopped speaking my face turning red when he smirked at my musing. "Okay that was stupid, I admit it. Let's start over" I held my hand out.
"Haley Elizabeth Smythe, Girl Whom is Completely Confused" He extended his hand and grabbed my hand to shake it.
"Harry James Potter, Boy Who is Going To Help You." He shook my hand and looked at his cousin. "But first I better take care of him." I nodded in understanding.
Harry bent down to see if Dudley was in a fit state to stand up, when we heard loud running steps behind us.
Instinctively raising his wand again, Harry spun on his heel to face the newcomer just as I yelped and ducked behind him to hide.
Mrs. Figg, their batty old cat lady, came panting into sight. Her crazy hair escaping the hairnet that was placed sloppily on her head, a clanking string shopping bag was swinging from her wrist dangerously and her feet were halfway out of her slippers. Harry hide his wand but-
"Don't put it away idiot boy!" she shrieked. "What if there are more of them around? Oh, I'm going to kill Mundungus Fletcher!" She seemed to have noticed me for the first time. "And who are you?"