Chapter One:

Disclaimer: I do not own HP or anything recognizable

Gracelyn Green had grown a great deal in the 15 years following her birth. All in all she had a great life, the youngest daughter of a mother, who was secretly a witch, and a wonderful man who had married her shortly after Gracelyn was born . In this regard Gracelyn had taken after her mother, neither of her sisters were magical, and Gracelyn and her mother had decided to keep Gracelyn's abilities a secret between the two of them. Her mother had said it had to be that way so her sisters didn't feel bad about themselves for not being magical.

Gracelyn had lived happily with her mother and her step father until 3 weeks ago. They had been on a trip to see Gracelyn's oldest sister Annalismel, when the car had hydroplaned. Gracelyn, who had been sleeping in the back seat, was thrown from the car, and managed to not get seriously injured, her parents however, had been. Her step father had died almost instantly from the first impact. Her mother had been rushed to the hospital, and despite medical efforts, had fallen into a coma that the doctors said she'd never wake from.

The doctors were right 2 days ago her mother had slipped from coma to the eternal sleep. Gracelyn had been prepared for her mother's death, but nothing could have prepared her for the pain she felt. She had hurt when her step father died, but this was different. This was deeper, and Gracelyn felt as though she could never smile again.

Yesterday her mother's favorite cousin had come to call. Gracelyn liked Lisa, because Lisa was a witch like she was, but when Lisa had told her the circumstances surrounding her birth, she felt nothing but hate for the woman who had sent her father away. All Gracelyn's life she had known the father of her sisters wasn't her own, her mother had told her that at a very young age, but her mother had told her that her father had passed away shortly before she was born. When Lisa had stopped explaining exactly who and where her father was Gracelyn had locked herself in her bedroom. Two hours ago her sisters had arrived. Shortly there after a shouting match had begun. Gracelyn didn't even need to open the door to hear what was being said, it came through the walls clear as day.

"What the hell do you mean my sister isn't coming home with me!" That was her oldest sister, the one she affectionately called Lissy.

"You have no say in this Lisa, she's our sister and we're the ones who're going to take care of her!" That was Bettena, Gracelyn's other sister, known commonly as Betty.

"You couldn't take care of her even if I let you Betty you're only 19! You can barely take care of yourself." Lisa's voice roared back, angry at being questioned by the younger women. "And you Lissy, you're no better, you're only 21. You have no idea how to take care of a child."

"I'm not a child." Gracelyn muttered under her breath, but no louder. She didn't feel like a shouting match at the moment.

"Gracie ISN'T a child. She's 15 years old, she can dress and feed herself. If she was 7 then I'd have no problem with you taking responsibility for her, but she's not. She's more than capable of helping herself. Besides no one understands Gracie like we do." Betty said, and Gracelyn smiled.

"It doesn't matter how old she is, or how well you'd be able to take care of her. Gracie is going to live with her father." Lisa's voice had softened and Gracie had to strain to hear her. The last thing she heard before the entire conversation had become inaudible was Lissy stating that Gracie's father was dead and that it was cruel of Lisa to torture Gracie with hopes that he was alive.

Gracie sighed. She knew different. She remembered how Lisa had told her about her father. A brave man, who fought a dark wizard in England. Lisa had explained why Gracie's mother had done what she had done, but it didn't comfort Gracie. She went back and forth between a secret joy at her father being alive, and terrible anger for being lied to her entire life. She was supposed to be up here packing her things for her journey. When she paused for a brief moment, she found herself pondering over the fact that she was to be going to England. She had never been anywhere really, and now she was going to a whole different country to live and go to school. School… that was something that had interested Gracie very much since Lisa had told her about it. She would be attending a school for magic, called Hogwarts. Apparently her father taught at the school, potions, and she would receive a fine magical education, if she passed all the tests required. She would be spending the entire summer learning what other witches and wizards had 3 years to learn. Gracie sighed again.

"Here I come father, whether you're ready or not…"