Disclaimer- Alas, I am still not Jo Rowling nor do I own Harry Potter. Like you didn't already know...

Chapter 3

Skye sat cross-legged in the Dursley's front yard, her eyes closed in meditation. It had been a couple days since the kitchen outburst. Steadily she was learning more about Harry, though she could sense an overwhelming sadness about him. Yes, he never knew his parents, but it seemed there was something more to it than that. There was a deeper sadness lurking behind his emerald eyes. Skye took a deep breath, she heard the front door open. Someone grabbed her arm and began to drag her backwards in the direction of the house. Startled, her eyes shot open, meeting the gaze of her very angry Uncle, Vernon Dursley. He didn't speak until they were safely within the privacy of the house, the door securely closed. "What do you presume you were doing?" Skye was mystified, she had no idea there were so many shades of scarlet, Vernon's face proved that there in fact were.

Skye bit her upper lip to hold back the smirk that so desperately wished to be released. She stood before her compulsively conservative Uncle in her hole ridden blue jeans, tie dye tank top and thick black, oval framed glasses. Not to mention that she had dyed the ends of her in a variegated mess of blues. "I was merely sitting in the yard, I really don't see what the problem..."

"You don't see a problem with displaying your freakdom for the whole world to see." Vernon interrupted.

"Freakdom." Skye whispered. "Freakdom! Excuse me, I see nothing wrong with simply sitting in the yard." Skye argued, fuming. "I presume it's not illegal."

"Don't you give me lip. This is my house and as long as..."

"Who say's I want to be here." Skye interrupted, drawing her wand and pointing it in her Uncles face. He became nervous and fidgety, he couldn't tear his gaze away from her eyes.

"Y-You c-c-can't do magic o-outside that freak school." Vernon nervously stuttered.

"What makes you think I am." He remained silent. "What makes you think I care." Skye's eyes flashed red for an infinite, instantaneous moment; they reverted back to their usual green, she replaced her wand. "I'm out." Skye walked out the door and down the street, into the glorious sunrise.

•◦•

Harry walked down the street and entered the abandoned park. It was the same mess it had always been, thanks to Dudley and his dopey gang of ruffians. They only stuck by Dudley for the sake of their own health, that and their equal thirst for others deep and utter misery. The lot of them bask in others continued pain, the inner turmoil they constantly caused.

"I thought I might find you here. I always come here to think." Harry said walking over to the old oak tree which stood in the center of the rundown playground. Skye was seated at the foot of the tree, her legs crossed and eyes, once more, closed. "You sure caused a ruckuses back at the house." Skye laughed silently.

"My temper gets the best of me sometimes." Skye smirked. Harry sat next to his cousin. The two sat in comfortable silence, enjoying each others silent company. Harry broke the silence.

"I leave for the Weasley's tomorrow, you should come with me." He offered.

"I wouldn't want to intrude." Skye answered, she desperately wanted to go, yet at the same instance she truly didn't want to be a nescience or tag-along.

"You wouldn't be, trust me, Mrs. Weasley won't mind." Harry answered as though he had read her mind.

"If your sure..."

"Of course." Harry answered before adding as an after thought, "Unless, of course, you would rather stay cooped up with the Dursley's." Harry smirked but his eyes remained painfully emotionless, bordering depressed.

"NO! No, absolutely not. You can count me in!" Skye answered waving her hands before her person and scrunching up her face. The sun was beginning its decent into the horizon. "S'pose we should head home." Skye commented, not really caring about the prospect of what going back to the house meant. "Or back to purgatory, if you rather." They shared a small laugh.

"S'pose so." Harry easily got to his feet, however, Skye tripped over herself. It was thanks to Harry she didn't become alarmingly acquainted with the lawn, for which she was very grateful. Skye and Harry walked side by side down the shadowed sidewalks back towards the Dursley's oh so perfectly kempt home, the loathsome lair of gloom.

"Do you feel like we're being watched?" Skye asked, turning around to find empty darkness. "I feel like we're being watched."

"That's because we are." Harry answered, his voice dull, hollow and void of emotion. Skye stopped, turning to him and raising a curious eyebrow, Harry shrugged.

"Comes with being The-Boy-Who-Lived-And-Just-Won't-Die." Harry's humor was dark, slightly sadistic. The duo continued their walk in silence, each resigned to their own thoughts.

•◦•

The Dursley's were tense. Each encounter with anyone associated with the wizarding world had been more unpleasant than the last. They awaited the arrival of whomever it was who would arrive to relieve them of their wretched relatives with apprehension. They had been informed earlier that morning that not only would Harry be leaving, but Skye would accompany him. Two thorns from their side in one blow. The door bell rang and no one moved, Harry stood from his seat at the bottom of the stairwell, and upon opening the door he was greeted by the friendly face of his former professor, friend, and the last of the infamous Marauders, Remus Lupin. "Hello Harry, ready to go?" Harry nodded, allowing his former professor into the house. The Dursley's squirmed, Dudley scampered out of the room, his hand grasping his bum. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Dursley." He said, attempting to be friendly. The Dursley's each gave a curt nod in return, keeping their eyes glued to the magical intruder.

"Professor, I have someone for you to meet." Harry broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Harry, I'm not your professor and haven't been for quite some time now. Please, call me Remus." Remus said as he followed Harry upstairs.

"Ok Pro...Remus." Harry opened the door to his room. "I'd like you to meet..."

"Rose?"

"No sir. My name's Skye, Rose was my mum though." Remus's brow furrowed. He couldn't believe the sight before his eyes, how could this be possible. Rose's daughter, Rose had a daughter? But didn't Rose.. Lily always said... "Did you know my mother?" Skye asked. Remus absently nodded his head, unable to speak, he looked as if he'd been accosted by a ghost. This was close enough anyway, he couldn't believe how much she resembled Rose.

•◦•

The many locks of Grimmuald Place unfastened in quick succession and the door slid open. The trio slipped in, the door was secured behind them. The landing was dark, and the stairwell immediately demanded attention, there was a row of mounted house elf heads. "This is eerie." Skye whispered to Harry as they began down another set of stairs. They entered a quaint, dimly lit kitchen, the air was abuzz with chatter, in one corner two red heads were playing wizards chess, the older of the two seemed to be wining, rubbing the news in his opponents face. Another red head, an older woman, was cooking supper.

At the long table placed in the center of the spacious room sat three older wizards. Skye first noticed the woman seated at the head of the table whose hair was a vivid bubble gum pink, her eyes a pail blue; her robes were a psychedelic mixture of overlapping circles and squares. Seated to her left was a haggard, older wizard, his one eye larger than the other and swiveling in its socket. To her right was seated yet another redhead, whom was currently speaking as the others avidly hung onto his every word.

They hadn't been standing there long before they were spotted in the doorway. Skye stood back as Mrs. Weasley hurried over and engulfed Harry in a motherly hug, everyone was up out of their seat greeting Harry and Lupin, only Mad-Eye Moody remained seated, his attention fixed on Skye. She stood uncomfortably in the doorway, painfully aware of his microscope gaze. Despite how uncomfortable she felt she mustered up the gull to stare him straight in the eye. Each silently challenging the other.

"This is Skye Evans." Remus said, indicating Skye and causing her to break her eye contact with Moody. Each of the faces turned to her with equal curiosity; an Evans.

"Hey ya'll." Skye gave a slight, nervous wave; flashing a small smile. Mrs. Weasley was the first to step forward and engulf Skye in a motherly hug.

"Nice to meet you Skye." Mrs. Weasley murmured.

•◦•

"What is your problem?" Skye shouted. Rose flinched.

"Skye please." Skye took a step forward, Rose inched backward.

"Mum, what's wrong? Why are you acting this way?"

"We have to leave, we have to." Rose nervously rung her hands, taking quick glances out the window.

"I don't understand." Skye pushed her glasses to the top of her head and squeezed the bridge of her nose, rubbed her tired eyes. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong..."

Rose approached her daughter. "I can't, Skye. It's just... you wouldn't..."

"I'm not stupid, mum." Skye brought her fiery gaze up to meet that of her mum. Rose retreated, her eyes glistening with tears. "Mum, why were you packing just now? Why do we have to leave, what aren't you telling me?" Skye growled in frustrated anger, trying to comprehend the situation.

"You're eyes...they remind..." Rose's voice was trembling. "Skye." Rose pitifully whispered from her opposing end of the cerulean couch. A single tear slid down her cheek as her green eyes dulled considerably.

Skye's eyes shot open, hot tears flowed down her flushed cheeks. Silently she pushed back the covers, slipping stealthily downstairs; destination Kitchen. She left the lights off, preferring the calm, soothing qualities of the dark. Skye took a seat at the table, absently outlining its many grooves with the tip of her pointer finger. She stared hard at nothing, allowing her eyes to loose focus and wiling the fog surrounding her thoughts to clear slightly. "You knew they were coming." Skye whispered into the abyss of night, a solitary tear graced her cheek and she didn't bother to fight it away. She allowed her head to softly drift down to meet the surface of the table.

She shot up from her seat when she heard a distinct clunk of wood against wood approaching from the door way, her gaze fell upon the man with the eccentric looking features, the most intimidating being his magical electric blue eye. "Constant Vigilance." He spoke in gruff tones. "Constant Vigilance."

Skye never took her eyes off of Mad-Eye Moody, Harry had told her quite a few things about this particular wizard. "Never let your guard down." Skye answered, Moody nodded. "Up late aren't you?"

"The same could be said for you." Moody answered, eyeing Skye suspiciously. Touché. Thought Skye. "Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me as to why you are up at this late, or perhaps early hour?" Skye looked down at her watch. Holy Pluto, its four in the morning!

"Or perhaps," Skye began cheekily. "I'll keep that fact to myself." Skye strode from the room, self-conscious of Moody's magical eye watching her every move. Once he knew she was back in her rightful room he took her seat at the table and began to stare into a far corner of the room. Lifting his hip flask he sniffed the contents nervously before raising it to his lips and taking a long drag out of it.

•◦•

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