Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Twilight/Harry Potter characters or story.

The title of the story comes from the song "Beautiful" by The Parlotones. I totally recommend that you listen to it, it's a great song (weird music video, though).

This story is AU, so both worlds will be changed, even if it seems the Twilight one is very similar. The changes will be more obvious as the story progresses.

As I said in the preface, if you spot any mistakes, please tell me, English is not my first language. The same if you are interested in being my beta.

Chapter 1: First Impressions

Another day in High School, or purgatory, as Edward preferred to call it. Why did they have to repeat it again and again? He knew the reason, of course, but in that moment it was easier to forget about that and mentally vent.

Although Edward had to recognize that as far as boring days went, this wasn't the most boring. Everybody's thoughts were buzzing with excitement about the new girl, Chief Swan's daughter, who had begun that same day. It was so easy to excite small town kids these days.

He and his family were sitting at their table in the cafeteria, trying to look human but not really getting the act right. They never did. Going unnoticed wasn't easy for them, and they knew their looks and antisocial behavior didn't help, but they weren't going to give up on their privacy just to keep the rest of the world content. It wasn't as if they were actually interested in being friends with any of the other students, so this was for the best.

Emmett and Rosalie were sitting very close together (too very close… and what were their hands doing?!) and speaking in hushed tones; their thoughts making Edward cringe at what they were planning for later in the day. Rosalie giggled, and the mental images turned too explicit for Edward to stand.

"Stop it, will you?" – He said, trying to stay calm.

"Oh, come on, Edward. Don't be such a prude." – Said Emmet, not even stopping what he was doing to look at him.

"It's not about being a prude and you know it. Back home you are free to think whatever you want, but here I'm surrounded by teenagers one track minds and you don't need to add to it." Edward was getting angry; he hadn't fed in two weeks and had a very short fuse.

Before things could get out of hand, Jasper intervened, calming him down. Edward thanked him, and spared him a brief smile.

Don't worry, nothing will happen today. Alice told him mentally, no really looking at him while she played with one of Jasper's hands. She was replaying for him her latest visions, consisting of the new girl.

Oh, please, let her sit with us. That one came from the Newton boy, who already saw himself winning over the poor unsuspecting girl.

Everybody is looking at us! Thank God I decided to wear these jeans today, they make my butt look so good… Jessica Stanley, who else? Edward mentally cringed again, and decided to pay attention to Alice's and Jasper's thoughts, as they seemed the safest to listen to.

"Want to go hunting later?" Jasper, always so helpful, tried to distract him. It was a good idea, though. They both needed to hunt, and this way he would be far from the house and Rosalie and Emmett's so called 'plans'.

And then he heard her voice for the first time, her real voice, not her mental one, as the latest would remain a mystery for a long time. But he didn't know this yet, the same way any of them didn't know how that day would be the beginning of a new chapter in their lives.

"Who are they?"

Isabella Marie Swan Who had chosen that stupid name? was not having a good day, and it was only the first one there.

Living with Charlie felt strange, and it was very awkward. She couldn't make herself call him 'dad', not when she didn't even refer to her real father like that. And 'father' seemed out-dated for reasons that escaped her, so she went around calling him 'Charlie', mentally laughing at what her father would do if she ever dared to call him by his given name. Respect thy family, respect thy elders… If she closed her eyes, she could hear him saying that as if he was just in front of her.

The house was… quaint, and small, too small. She was used to having her own space, not a whole wing like her spoiled cousin, but her space nonetheless. Everything looked so cramped, and not at all what she was used to. But she had begged her parents to let her experience this, so she wouldn't complain, not on her first day there. It has been difficult enough to convince them, one small grumble from her now and she would be back home in no time.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you there? – Charlie interrupted her thoughts, and she quickly looked up from her breakfast to see him watching her worriedly. – "You didn't want that mobile phone, and I get you are going through a 'no-technology phase'" – she could almost hear the quotations marks – "but I would feel much better if I knew you have gotten there safely." He was pleading with his eyes, and she couldn't help but roll hers. As if something in that small town could actually hurt her.

"Don't worry, Charlie, really. I know how to get there, it's not that far." She wanted to make him feel comfortable, but she wasn't going to back down on this. She was 17 for Merlin's sake! She was legally an adult (back home, at least), and she wasn't going to be driven around.

He had offered to buy her a car, but she used the 'no-technology phase' as a pretext to turn it down. She had a driving license, but she didn't actually know how to drive. Technology and she didn't mix well, and driving around town would be an accident waiting to happen. Maybe not for her, but for any other driver or pedestrian… she wasn't so certain.

"Okay, if you are sure…" he conceded, looking less than convinced.

"I'm sure, Charlie. Nothing bad will happen. When you get home from work later today, you'll see me here and realize you were worrying for nothing." She used her most persuasive voice, and that finally seemed to do the trick.

He left soon after that, and she couldn't contain a sigh of relief. Her father being overprotective she could put up with, but a strange man being overprotective… Hell, no!

While walking to the school a bit later, she got lost on her thoughts again. She was pondering clothes, concretely, the clothes she was wearing in that same moment. She found them odd and unfamiliar, and so very uncomfortable. Still, according to the shop assistant, this was very 'in', and she would tolerate it if that meant not attracting much attention.

Entering the school and getting her timetable was easy, she even arrived to her first class with time to spare. And everybody seemed to be dressed similarly to her. Maybe today won't be so bad after all.

Of course, she had been too quick to think that, as a second later she was practically assaulted by a girl with curly hair.

"Hi! I'm Jessica, you must be Isabella, right? It's so nice to meet you. We were all very excited when we heard you were coming. Forks is very boring, you know?" – no, she didn't know… - "Nothing exciting really happens, not since the Cullens came here almost two years ago…" At this point, Bella disconnected and let the girl ramble on and on. Gossipy girls were everywhere, it seemed.

Three hours later, Bella and, much to her chagrin, Jessica, who had appointed herself as Bella's guide AND best friend, entered the cafeteria.

Jessica was looking very proud of herself with all the stares she was getting, and Bella followed, trying not to look as uncomfortable as she actually felt. The chosen table was already full of people when they got there, and everybody was quick to introduce themselves, the conversation centering around her.

She tried to be nice, she really did, but they were totally getting on her nerves with all their intrusive questions. Tuning them out, Bella distracted herself by people watching. And that was when she saw them.

"Who are they? – She said, putting a hand against Jessica's forearm to interrupt her chatter. She had gone rigid; still, she attempted to keep her face blank and not let her emotions show.

What were they doing there? Vampires, in Forks of all places? And daywalkers on top of that! This had caught her completely by surprise; to say she was not expecting this would be an understatement. What were the chances of this happening? Of all the stupid cities, she had to choose the one with vampires! Damn her rotten luck.

"Oh, those are the Cullens…" But Bella wasn't listening, busy staring at them, trying to make sense of her thoughts and remember what she had learned in class about their kind.

Impenetrable skin that shines in the daylight, beautiful features, red eyes, inhuman speed and strength… Wait a moment, red eyes? They didn't have red eyes, or was that a trick of the light? She couldn't see their eye color very well from there…

"… And they live together, can you believe that?..." Jessica was still speaking, happy to talk about this matter all day long if necessary.

Should she tell her parents? They ought to know… but they would insist she go back immediately, and she did not want that… what to do? In that moment, one of the boys… Or men, her mind supplied, you don't actually know their real age… looked up to her with curiosity, as if he was expecting something.

"… They're all adopted. The Hales, the blondes, are twins, and…"

She felt a small twitch against her mind that made her be even more alert, but it was gone quickly. She had probably imagined it. The boy's gaze, however, was not part of her imagination, it was very real and it was making her body react strangely.

They held each other's gazes, not even blinking, trying to decipher what the other was thinking. In the end though, it was the bell that interrupted their staring contest, both blinking and looking away. The boy, Edward, Jessica had said, looked confused, as if he was trying to solve a puzzle that made no sense.

Bella interrupted her 'friend' again and told her she needed to use the restroom. Before Jessica could answer or, Merlin help her, offer herself to accompany Bella, she got up and quickly crossed the cafeteria, the double doors closing in behind her.

She would not tell her parents, but her cousin, he was a safe choice… He would know what to do, and never betray what she asked be kept a secret…

Edward watched her leave the room, his mind reeling with confusion.

What the hell just happened?