So this is in Lara's POV now. I'm uploading the second chapter to start. Please review :)

Chapter 2 – Before We Go to Hogwarts

"Freak!"

"Half-breed!"

"Filthy animal!"

"I can't believe I was ever your friend!"

"I hate you!"

She started crying as the rocks were thrown at her from her so-called best friends. More taunts and insults came from their mouths.

"Being a witch was weird enough, but this is just disgusting!"

"I trusted you! A filthy animal that will just kill me in my sleep!"

"You're not even human!"

She felt the impacts of the rocks but they didn't really hurt. In fact, they felt less like rocks, than…

"Hair ties?" Lara Wood groaned as she opened her eyes to see her brother Atticus flicking hair ties at her to wake her up. "Really, Tic? What happened to gently shaking someone awake?"

"Nothing," Atticus grinned. "I just never do it to you."

"I hate you," she mumbled, sitting up and yawning. "Why'd you wake me up, anyway? It's holidays."

"Your letter came today!" Atticus exclaimed.

Lara was suddenly wide awake.

"Holy Quaffle!" she exclaimed. "My letter!"

She jumped out of bed, not bothering to change out of her pyjamas, and raced downstairs after her brother. Her mother, Katie, was the stove making pancakes.

"Hey Mum!" she said, kissing her mother's cheek. "Where's my letter?"

"On the table," Katie said, smiling at her daughter. "And good morning."

Lara didn't bother to reply and instead bounced over to the table, where her father Oliver was sitting reading the newspaper. Her letter was lying on the table beside his coffee.

She squealed in excitement and grabbed the letter.

"Morning, Lars," Oliver said, hugging her daughter. "Excited, much?"

"Yes!" she said, jumping up and down still in his embrace.

"Whoa. Knock my chin out of place, why don't you?" Oliver chuckled, leaning back and going back to his newspaper. "Just try and keep the squealing to a minimum, yeah?"

"I'll try," she said, not really listening. She tore open the letter and grinned.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Joshua Fellcrest

Dear Miss Wood,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

We have made exceptions for your case, and if you would please go to the Potions professor (Tameka Lacey) every full moon she will provide you with a Wolfsbane potion. Please feel free to spend the day afterwards in the Hospital Wing as well. You will not be required to catch up in class or homework.

Yours sincerely,

Neville Longbottom
Deputy Headmaster

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
sets of plain work robes (black)
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

"What?" she whined. "Why aren't first-years allowed broomsticks?"

"It's been there since before I was at Hogwarts, love," Katie said, coming over to the table with pancakes. "It's just a safety precaution."

"I know, it sucks," Oliver said, "but, look on the bright side! You can still try out next year."

"But next year's so far away," Lara moaned.

"It'll be here before you know it," Katie said. "Eat up."

Lara carefully laid the letter out on the table, as if throwing it down roughly would damage it somehow. She ate several pancakes – her mother's pancakes were the best – and then just sat there, staring at her letter.

"When do you want to go to Diagon Alley?" Katie asked. "We could go today, if you like."

"Yes!" Lara squealed, jumping up and down, causing Oliver to groan.

"Not so high, Lara," he said.

"Sorry Dad," she said dismissively. "But, can we go to Diagon Alley today? Can we? Can we can we can we?"

"Yes," Katie laughed, "Go on, have a shower and get dressed. We'll leave in an hour."

Lara ran upstairs at full speed. She showered quickly and changed and then bounded back down the stairs.

"All ready to go?" Oliver asked.

She nodded. "Where's Tic?"

"Here I am!" he shouted, running down the stairs and skidding to a halt beside her.

"You two have mastered the art of muggle dressing," Oliver said, shaking his head fondly. "I could never master it."

"They got it from me, Ollie," Katie said, grinning. She was dressed as a muggle. Oliver had mastered the jeans, but he was wearing a frilled cream jacket that was all-too obviously meant for girls.

"Oh Oliver," Katie sighed, taking the jacket off him and throwing it on the couch. "That's a woman's jacket. Just go in what you're in." Oliver was wearing a black muscle shirt that showed off his muscles, even now when he was in his late thirties. He still played Keeper for Puddlemere United. It was no wonder Katie didn't mind him not wearing a jacket. Katie and Oliver were so soppy sometimes, it disgusted their children. Secretly, though, Lara wished that when she was that age, with her kids going off to Hogwarts, she and her husband would still be as deeply in love as Katie and Oliver so obviously were.

"Let's just go," Lara said impatiently.

The Wood family walked over to the fireplace. Oliver went through first, shouting out "Diagon Alley!" before stepping into the green flames.

"Me next!" Lara exclaimed, grabbing a handful of Floo powder and Flooing to Diagon Alley before Katie or Atticus could stop her.

When Lara straightened up she was in the Leaky Cauldron, a pub that separated Diagon Alley from muggle London. She found Oliver chatting with a family of three, and Lara's eyes widened as she recognised the man Oliver was chatting with.

It was Harry Potter!

With the famous man was his fiery-haired wife, the famous Ginny Potter, a former player for the all-girls Quidditch team the Holihead Harpies. The Harpies were Lara's favourite team – apart from Puddlemere, of course – simply because they were an all-girl team. And they were very good, of course. They also had one of their sons with them; Lara knew for a fact that they had three kids, James, Albus and Lily. All three were already very well-known because of their parents, both of whom were always all over the media. Lara had never met them before, but she knew for a fact that James would be starting Hogwarts this year. It had been a headline in Witch Weekly last month. Apparently he was going to be a heartbreaker, according to the witches at the magazine.

Grinning, Lara walked over to her father, silently screaming that she was about to meet the famous Potter family. She looked up at Oliver until he noticed her. It didn't take him long.

"Lara!" he said. "This is my daughter, Lara," he explained to the Potters. "And these are –"

"The Potters!" she grinned. She'd never been very shy. She loved meeting new people. She turned to Ginny. "You're Ginny Potter!"

She looked a little startled. "Yes, I am," she said. "It's nice to meet you, Lara."

"Can I have your autograph?" she blurted out, and then immediately blushed in embarrassment. Of all the things she could've said when she finally met Ginny Potter, and she said that?

Mrs Potter smiled. "Of course."

"Well that makes a change," Lara, using her heightened senses, could hear what James was saying to Mr Potter. "Someone asking for Mum's autograph before yours. I like her already."

"James!" Mr Potter admonished his son.

As Mrs Potter was signing a piece of parchment for Lara, Atticus came bounding over and Katie came walking with him.

"Katie!" Harry said. "It's great to see you."

"Hey there Harry," Katie said. "Hello Ginny."

"Hey Katie!" Ginny said, handing Lara her autographed parchment. She carefully put it in her pocket. She would cherish that piece of parchment forever. Perhaps she'd even get it framed. "How are you?"

"I'm great!" Mrs Potter said. "Is this your son?" she gestured to Atticus.

"Yes, this is Atticus, and I assume that Oliver has introduced Lara," Katie said.

"Yes," Ginny said, grinning. "Yes, he has."

"Wow, you're Ginny Potter!" Atticus said, practically repeating the words Lara had said before. "Can I have your autograph?"

The whole group except for Atticus laughed.

"What's so funny?" Atticus asked, frowning.

"Oh, nothing," Oliver said, smiling as Mrs Potter signed her name on another piece of parchment and handed it to Atticus. "I've raised you two well. Quidditch first priority."

"Of course," Lara nodded seriously. "Can we go shopping, now?"

"Yes, of course," Katie said. "Harry, Ginny, are you two…?"

"Yeah, we're here for James's stuff," Mr Potter said, gesturing towards his eldest son.

"Well why don't we shop together?" Katie suggested. "We can have a chance to catch up, and the kids can get to know each other. James and Lara are both in the same year. It'll be nice for them to know someone when they get there."

"Sure!" Mrs Potter said. "You guys cool with that?" she asked her family, and they all nodded, grinning. Lara heard James whisper to his mother, "I already know half the school, Mum, since I'm related to most of them…"

Mr Potter led them out the back and tapped one of the bricks on the wall. It opened up to reveal the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley.

None of the kids were listening, but the adults decided that it would be best to split up; Katie, Lara, Mr Potter and James would go and get all the essentials off their lists except for books, which Oliver, Mrs Potter and Atticus would get for them.

Lara and James fell into step behind Mr Potter and Katie, who were catching up and reminiscing about their Hogwarts days.

"So, you're Lara, then?" he grinned at her.

"So, you're James, then?" she mimicked him, her grinned matching his.

"The one and only," he said, his grin widening.

"Not really. I happen to know a muggle called James," Lara said. It was true. Before they'd moved into the Estate, the Wood family had lived in a nice little town house, and a nice little muggle family had lived across the road from them. They'd had a son called James who had been Atticus's age.

"Same thing."

Lara laughed. "So, you into Quidditch?"

"Uh, duh!" he gave her a look like he thought she was stupid for not thinking so. "I play Chaser. What about you?"

"Chaser as well," she said. "I wish we could try out this year."

"I know right!" James whined. "It's so not fair. And I don't get a new broom until next year, when I can actually take it to school."

"I dunno about getting a new broom…I'll probably only get one if I make the team. Since I'm not spoilt, like you," she teased him.

"I am not spoilt," he said indignantly. "My parents are just…nice."

Lara snorted. "Because my parents are such bullies."

"You know what I mean," he said dismissively.

Lara rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. She and James would get along just fine.

They went to Madam Malkins' to get their robes fitted first.

They were taken away by different assistants and taken to different parts of the store to be fitted. Lara didn't understand why that was; why couldn't everyone just be fitted in the same place?

The assistant made her stand on a stool; there was a boy, around her age, being measured right now. He looked rather bored.

He had platinum blonde hair that had the bangs spiked up. His skin was pale and creamy with not a blemish in sight; it seemed to let off some sort of glow that instantly drew the eye. His features were aristocratic, perfect, flawless. He was extraordinarily good-looking already, despite being only very young.

Blushing slightly, she kept her head down as she was lead over to the stool. It was a mere two metres from where the boy was. This was a time when she was a little nervous to meet a new person. This boy looked rather intimidating.

"Hello," said the boy. His voice was smooth and even. It sounded like it had broken already.

"Er – hi," she stuttered, her heart pumping at a million miles an hour, sure that the boy could hear it.

"Hogwarts too?" he asked.

Lara nodded. "Uh – yes. I'm a first-year."

"So am I," he said. He turned to look at her and she chanced a glance up at him. His eyes were blue – but not the bright, sky-blue that some people had. His eyes were dark and cold, they were almost black. They were like the night sky without the stars; an incredibly dark blue. They were entrancing and Lara found it hard to look away. "Are you pureblood?" he asked.

Lara shook her head robotically, finally tearing her eyes away from his entrancing gaze. "Um, no. My dad is pureblood and my mum is a muggleborn. So I'm a half-blood."

He shrugged indifferently. "I'm the same," he said, "half-blood. My mum was the muggleborn too. She's dead now though."

"Oh," Lara frowned. "I'm sorry."

"That's fine," he shrugged again. "I didn't really know her anyway."

"That's it, you're done," the assistant attending to her said.

"Well – bye," he said.

Lara bit her lip. "Y-Yeah. See you at Hogwarts," she said, before slowly walking out from behind the shelves and back to the counter, where Katie and Mr Potter were chatting with the shopkeeper, and James was standing there looking bored.

"There you are!" James exclaimed. "We were waiting for, like, forever!"

"Took a while to measure me," Lara mumbled, and walked out of the shop with the rest of the group.

The Wood/Potter group had been wandering around shopping for three hours by the time they only had one item left on the list: a wand.

James and Lara walked into the shop eagerly; this was what they'd been waiting for all day.

"Ah, Harry Potter, Ginny Weasley, Oliver Wood, Katie Bell," a creepy old silver-eyed man said that Lara presumed was Ollivander said when the group walked into the shop. "I remember –"

"Yes, Mister Ollivander," Katie said, a touch impatiently. "Two of our children would like to purchase wands, please. And it's Katie Wood and Ginny Potter now."

"Ah," Ollivander said, his silver gaze falling on the two children. "Okay…we'll start with you then, Mr Potter," Ollivander said, and a tape measure began measuring everything from the length of James' pinkie to the distance between his nostrils. Lara found it very bizarre.

"Let's try this," Ollivander suggested, handing James a dark brown wand. "Mahogany, unicorn hair, eleven inches, reasonably pliant." James had barely touched the wand before Ollivander snatched it away. "No!" he took out another wand.

James had gone through at least ten wands by the time he produced a positive result.

"Silver lime, unicorn hair, good for Transfiguration." James waved the attractive silver wand and he made an apple that sat half-eaten on the counter start tap-dancing.

"I believe this wand is for you, Mr Potter," Ollivander said to an excited James.

Harry paid for the wand and then Lara stepped forward.

"Miss Wood," he said, eyeing her through narrowed silver eyes. The tape measure started measuring Lara.

It soon had its measurements and it set itself back on the counter. Ollivander handed her an unusually short light brown wand.

"Rowan, coral core, seven and a half inches. Good for Charms," Ollivander said. He let her wave the wand, and a window exploded.

"Not to worry," Ollivander said breezily, waving his own wand, making the window repair itself immediately. "Perhaps this: hazel, dragon heartstring, ten and a quarter inches. Springy." He gave the wand to her, but then immediately snatched it away. "No, definitely not!"

She went through almost twice the number of wands that James did by the time the wand handed to Lara looked promising. It was pitch-black and it felt warm in her hands. "This is a rather experimental wand," Ollivander whispered, "it is the first time I have used this particular core, but I think…" he paused. "Ebony, twelve inches exactly, vampire fang. Good for curses." Lara swallowed nervously at the mention of a vampire fang core.

She waved it once and a bunch of pretty flowers burst out of the end. She grinned and grabbed them. All of a sudden this dark-sounding wand was perfect.

"Perfect," Ollivander said happily. "Now, that will be eight Galleons…" Oliver handed over the money.

Lara grinned before carefully stowing her new ebony wand in its box and putting it in the bag Ollivander was holding out for her.

The Potter/Wood clan went back to the Leaky Cauldron, all too tired to do anymore shopping, not that anything else was needed for Lara and James.

"I'll see you at Hogwarts, then, Lara," James smirked as he stood beside his mother by the fireplace.

Lara smirked identically. "I guess you will, James," she said, emphasising his name, just as he had done for her.

With that James took a handful of Floo powder and followed his mother through the fireplace, shouting out "Potter Manor!" and disappearing in a whoosh of emerald flames. Mr Potter left last; then Atticus went through, shouting out "Wood Estate!" followed by Oliver, then Lara, with Katie coming through last.

"Now, Lara," Katie said sternly, "I'll be locking away your wand and everything except your textbooks until the first. We don't want any explosive underage magic. Feel free to read your textbooks though."

"Aw, Mum," Lara whined, "can't I at least see my wand?"

Katie shook her head. "No," she said. "Do you want your textbooks or not?"

Lara pouted. "I guess I'll take them," she grumbled. Then her eyes lit up. "I get to keep Mirror out though, don't I?"

"Of course," Katie said.

Mirror was the owl Oliver had bought for Lara earlier that day in Diagon Alley. He was pitch-black with wide silver eyes that reflected like a mirror; that was where she'd gotten the inspiration for his name from.

Lara took Mirror in his cage up to her room, Katie floating her textbooks up after her. But Lara didn't start reading; she instead lay down on her bed, her limbs feeling heavy and her bed feeling comfortable. She hadn't realised how tired she actually was. She closed her eyes, reflecting on how lucky she was that the Headmaster of Hogwarts had accepted her into his school, even though she was a werewolf.