Title: Twisted Reality

Author: Tigergirl

Rating: PG / PG-13

Disclaimer: I'm getting really sick of these things. I do not own Harry Potter and everyone knows it. I only own Katherine and her family.

Summary: Her sixth year started out wonderful with old friends and new stuff to learn about but one day everyone turns on her. She finds her family missing, her friends and professors against her, and a white owl in her dorm room. Little does Katherine Connor know of the adventure that awaits her at Hogwarts with new friends, new enemies, and a new adventure that will lead her to new discoveries.

WARNING: There will be a brief mention of a gay couple so if you have a problem with it then skip your eyes over that part because I personally don't have a problem with it.

Chapter 1 - The Beginning of My Story

You know how life is just perfect the way it is and you never realize how good you had it until something disrupts that dream world of yours. Well, I know how it is. Hello, the name's Katherine Connor. But my friends and family call me Katie. I'm 16 years old and I attend Salem Witch School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Oh, did I forget to mention I was a witch? My bad.

I'm not exactly a pureblood but I'm not a muggle-born either. I am what people would call a half-blood. My father's a pureblood wizard and my mother's a muggle. They met at a muggle football game and he asked her out. Of course, he didn't tell her about who he was until after they were married. Needless to say, it gave mum quite a shock.

Seven years after they married, I was born. At age three I started displaying magic and it was then that my parents knew I was going to be a witch. I loved reading books from the wizarding world. Especially books about different types of charms. I began going to muggle school upon mom's request but when my eleven birthday had passed, I was sent a letter from Salem Witch School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where I currently attend school.

My father is the Flying Instructor for Brook Adams Academy for Young Witches and Wizards. A real snooty private wizarding school. Thank Merlin I don't attend there! My mother is a muggle doctor at Brenner Children's Hospital. She works with kids that have epilepsy. I guess I should tell you where I actually live. My family lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Up to January, I was an only child but then he came along. The 'he' I'm referring to is my 6 month old baby brother, Edward Leroy Connor. Little Eddie is my nickname for him. He's not that bad to have around but can sure be loud when he wants to be. Mom takes him with her to work everyday. Little Eddie stays in the daycare and she sees him every hour. Take about baby withdrawl!

Our family has two pets, a dog and a cat. The dog is a three year old golden retriever named Jake. That lovable pooch is my mom's pet dog. The cat is a magical black cat named Smokey. He happens to be my pet and goes to school with me every year. He's my constant companion.

Salem Witch School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a wonderful school to attend. It has all sorts of students in it and things that are out of this universe! Just last week, I was confronted by a ghost that could eat. Boy, was that a hell of a shocker!

At Salem Witch, I have all sorts of friends. This one friend of mine, Alan, has a total crush on me but is hyper like you would not believe. Sometimes I have to petrify him just to get him to eat. Another one of my friends is Luke. He's pretty unique and what some people would call a disgrace to human kind. You see, he sort of doesn't like girls but guys instead.

It was quite a heart attack when he told me. Especially when he said it a month after we had dated! But I learned to accept it and all of our friends were okay with it. Even though Alan insulted him at first and Luke sent him to the infirmary with a black eye, a fat lip and one heck of a headache. I accept my friends for who they are instead of judging them.

Everyone at school calls me the kind, perfect, smart teen. It's sort of true. I am kind, sometimes even to jerks like Ethan Crusten Malony III, and I pass through all my classes with flying colors. However, I don't see myself as a perfect person. I mean I have nightmares often, no matter what I do my brother always manages to chuck a toy at my head, and I mess up on a potion at least twice a week.

Now it's time for me to get back to the story. It was the middle of August and school had started on August 3rd (stupid Ministry board had to change the stinking date!). I was eating dinner and chatting with Alan when I felt it. It was a strange feeling that I can't really explain. It was like something had changed yet everything felt fine.

I left dinner early that night and got into bed as soon as I got into my dorm. Smokey climbed onto my stomach and stared at me with his big blue eyes. I sighed and pulled my collar out to reveal my hidden necklace. It was a silver chain with silver serpent on the end of it with its long tail wrapped around a small emerald green orb.

Uncle David had given it to me when I was seven. Well, he isn't really my Uncle David. That's just what everyone calls him. He's an old friend of my dad's that lives in London. Uncle David gave me the necklace but gave me this one piece of advise: "Katherine, whatever you do always wear the necklace under your shirt and never take it off. There will be dire consequences if you do not do what I say."

He never did tell me what he meant that day. I never got a chance to ask him. Uncle David rarely visited after that and then he was found dead in his home one day when I was twelve. I've been listening to his words the whole time. My friends and family don't even know about the necklace. I've kept it well hidden all these years and that's what I intend to do for the rest of my life.

I stared at the necklace that night. The moonlight shined in from the window next to my bed and I thought I saw the orb glow for a quick moment but I dismissed it as a trick of the light. I hid my necklace back under my shirt and pulled my covers up, slowly starting to fall asleep. Smokey laid down at my feet and fell asleep. Little did I know that the next few days were to be the worst time of my ever loving life.

End of Chapter 1