I had been to a headmaster's office before in primary school. On a spring day that happened to land on my eighth birthday, I was called into his office. He was an old man with an addiction to sweets. And even though I had punched Melanie Walters in the face for bullying a friend of mine, he was kind. His eyes twinkled whenever he spoke with such genuine care. Of course, I had gotten a month's worth of detentions for the fight, but the man almost seemed proud that I had stood up for the girl.

Head Mistress McGonagall reminded me of that strange and whimsical old man from so long ago. Her eyes were filled with only kindness and a need for understanding. However, something told me that if I ever got on her bad side, there would be no place in heaven or hell where I could hide from her wrath.

"Miss Ellison, have a Biscuit." She offered me a plate of biscuits shaped like little flowers and I grabbed one unsure of what else to do.

"Thank You."

She sat down behind a wooden desk, presumably made from the best that money could buy wood. She poured herself a cup of tea and offered some to me. I nodded and gladly took the cup from her. "I wanted to inquire on how you are feeling, mentally that is." She said, "You've undergone quite the ordeal in the past few days."

"I'm not sure exactly how I feel."

She nodded and took a sip of her tea. She scowled at the taste and added a bit more sugar to the cup. She offered some to me, but I shook my head. Tea was the best when you could taste the bitterness. The headmistress stirred the cup. "That is only natural, Miss Ellison. You are welcome here at Hogwarts, of course. You have nothing to fear behind these walls."

I smirked, "Harry stated the same thing."

Her eyes glimmered, "You can depend on Potter, I want you to know that." She set her teacup down on its saucer with a clink."His department has assigned him to oversee your protection. You couldn't be in safer hands.

The fact that Harry was protecting me was daunting, but also, for some odd reason, exciting. I wanted to learn more about the mysterious man. He had been painstakingly cautious with his words in the dining hall I understood why. But a part of me wanted to know every single detail about him. There was so much I didn't know. I didn't like not knowing things.

"Another thing, Miss Ellison. I'm certain this is exceedingly uncomfortable to talk about, but I need to make sure you are alright." She broke off and I held my breath. I wasn't entirely sure why. "That night, Clay Carpenter assaulted you." Her words were blunt and to the point. But I appreciated it.

I didn't want to think about it, but It was true. And it made me want to vomit. I had been assaulted by the man. It didn't matter it hadn't gone any farther. I still saw the way his eyes leered over me in my nightmares. He would in perpetuity haunt my memory. He would be etched in stone. The carving might fade with time, but it would forever be there haunting me.

The woman continued and her eyes were soft and gentle. "You must be feeling quite terrible at the moment. You should know, it is not your fault. He is a monster."

"Thank ma'am. I think I'll be okay." For the first time that day, I really, honestly, was okay. He was a monster under the bed. He thrived under the pain and suffering of the people around him. However, the moment someone turned on a light. He would inch away back into the depths from once he came. If only I could find a switch.

"If you ever need to speak to me, my door is always open." She said. I hoped I never had to, but it was the thought that counted. The woman continued, taking another sip from her tea. "Harry should be done with his meeting by now. He will help you get settled in. Lemon drop?" She gestured to a small bowl of sweeties at the edge of the desk.

I chuckled. She was quite similar to that old man from long ago. I wondered what could have happened to him. Surely, he had since passed on. He was rather old when she had met him.

"What is it, Miss Ellison?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing. You just remind me of someone."

"Oh?"

"An old headmaster of mine, he offered me lemon drops too."

"Did he?" There was a glimmer of something in her eyes that I didn't understand. It was a type of longing and nostalgia. She smiled and motioned to the door. "You better get going, Potter will want to talk to you about your protection, I'm sure."

I walked out of the room, but almost turned around when I heard the musical lilt of her voice. It was quiet and didn't make much sense to me. "Oh, Albus."

I continued walking out of the office and down the eagle staircase. The staircase was a bit much, but it made me smile anyway.

Harry was waiting for me outside with a grim expression. His eyes were so bright and for a moment I thought I might get lost in them. What was it about Harry Potter that made me so nervous and curious? He was average-looking, nothing extraordinary, but still. There was something about him. Maybe it was his goofy smile or the way his hair always stood out at odd angles. God, I adored his hair. It wasn't fair the man had better hair than myself.

"I thought perhaps we might go outside." He said, offering his arm. I took it with a smile. "I bet you're feeling a bit claustrophobic."

I snickered. "You have no idea."

Harry steered me out to the grounds and I could help by marveling at the lush landscape. I had seen it all before when I initially arrived. But, I had been exhausted, then and every part of my body hurts. Presently, the fragrant wildlife filtered all around me. I could smell lemon and lavender. There was also something else that I couldn't discern.

We stopped in front of a rather large and ancient tree. "That's the Whomping Willow," Harry explained. "Terrifying thing. After all these years, it still puts me on edge."

I elevated my eyebrows and tilted my head to the side. "What's so scary about a tree?"

"This tree needs an attitude adjustment." He murmured.

"Right." This school was getting odder and weirder as every second passed.

Harry went rigid for a moment and exhaled loudly. " Crap. I'll be right back, Beth." "I completely forgot to do something." He looked at me with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Don't wander off."

He smirked at me and ran up the hill towards the castle, leaving me to my own devices. I looked around and sat at the base of a mangled tree far away from the Whomping Willow. I wasn't in the mood to find out what harry meant by 'attitude adjustment.'

I sat under the tree for minutes and basked in the glowing sun that rained down light. My body melted against the bark of the tree. It was so pleasant and comfortable. It would be so easy to fall asleep here. What must it have been like to go to school as whimsical as this? I could imagine a youthful Harry sitting outside in a circle of friends completing assignments in the grass.

What must it have been for Harry to grow up with the Dursleys? They were never the nicest of people and always seemed to have permanent scowls tattooed on their faces. I remembered one time, Petunia Dursley yelled at a scrawny kid in their front yard for not weeding properly.

I recalled Harry more than I thought I did. As the days passed, more memories flooded into my head of the slight boy. He was six years older than me, but I still had the vague recollection of a young boy with clothes twice his size.

Every once in a while my mother would bring the family pie or cookies to be polite. Petunia would grab the container of deserts with a gentle and almost sinister smile. She would hand over the container to a sixteen-year-old boy in dire need of a haircut.

My heart hurt at the thought of my mother. It had been a necessity to make her forget, but it didn't calm my regrets. It thumped in my chest so much I thought I might explode. When all was said and done, maybe I would be able to share these secrets with her. Eventually, I would let her know, and everything would be alright. I only hoped she would forgive me when it happened.

"Hello." A Voice said, breaking me out of my trance. I looked up to see a petite girl around the age of seventeen scowling down at me. Her eyes scanned me, and I suddenly felt very self-conscious under her gaze. "Who are you?"

"Beth Ellison. You?" I recognized her. She was the girl that had been glaring daggers at me all throughout lunch. Her scowl deepened, and she rolled her eyes at me. What was this girl's problem? Was I sitting under the wrong tree or something?

"Why are you with Harry Potter?" She asked and suddenly everything clicked into place. Was this girl seriously jealous? No, that would be absurd.

I sighed and stood up from the shade under the tree. "It's none of your business." Her eyes flashed, and she quickly pulled out her wand from under her robes.

"Seriously?" I asked. I didn't move. The horrors of the night before came rushing into my head. Breathe, I told myself, Breath. You'll be okay. He's not here.

"What is a Muggle like you, doing with him?" Her eyes were laced with clipped anger.

"He's a…" I broke off. What were we? Were we friends? Or was he just a random guy who happened to save my life, several times? "He's a friend." I clarified for her.

Her eyes narrowed at me. "You don't sound so sure."

"I only met him a couple of days ago." I told her, "I mean, we kinda knew of each other growing up-" I stopped and shook my head at the girl. "I don't have to explain myself to you."

She released a thin laugh that held no happiness behind it. "Don't get any ideas of a future with him. He deserves to be with people of his kind and status."

I gave her a slack expression, "His own kind?"

"Wizards." She said it, as if it was blatantly obvious. But, I was new to all this. The idea of wizards was still hard to believe.

"Of course, how could I forget?" I said passively. This girl was ridiculous, much like many things in this castle.

Her eyes twinkled and she smirked at me. "Muggles should stay in their world, and we should stay in ours. That's how the world works. It's how it is. Nothing to be ashamed of darling." She walked closer, her wand still outstretched towards me.

Before I had time to even register what happened, the small girl said something, and a red light came out of her wand. I Threw my body to the ground. Dirt flew all around me and my knees burned from the impact.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped at her.

"You are." She said and threw another spell at me. I rolled out of the way with a squeak. My muscles burned as I pushed myself up from the ground. The new clothes I had gotten were covered in dirt and the jeans ripped at the knee to reveal red stains leaking through the cloth. Great. I was bleeding…Again.

"If you have such an issue with it, why don't you talk to him?" I asked her, wincing. The sticky blood began to pool down my leg.

She sneered at me and threw another spell. This time, I wasn't fast enough, and it hit me square in the chest. My feet left the ground, and the spell threw me across the grass to the ground in a heap.

My breath left me and I coughed spastically. I tried to stand up, but my ankle gave out under the weight. Shit, I think I sprained it. Hopefully, it wasn't any worse. The girl kneeled next to me, and her voice was hushed. "Stay away from him."

My eyes met hers, and I stared at them without wavering. "Make me."

Her face turned red and she let out a loud breath of air. She raised her wand towards me again and I flinched.

A voice roared behind us. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I turned around to see Harry behind us fuming. His eyes were wild, like a thunderstorm. His face, however, was like steel and ore. It was terrifying.

"Harry." The girl said, "It's not what it looks like."

"No? It looks like you just stunned a defenseless woman." Harry helped me up from the ground and brushed off some dirt from my arms. My skin tingled, but I ignored it. Harry turned back to the girl. " And it's Auror Potter to you, Elaine."

Her face paled and the tough girl that had been there moments before disappeared. In her place was a frightened teenager. "Of course, I'm sorry, Auror Potter."

He pulled out his wand and muttered a spell under his breath. Instantly, the small cuts and bruises that littered my arms disappeared and stitched themselves back together. Relief flooded through me. Goodness, I love magic. "I'm going to talk with your head of house. A week's detention should be sufficient."

She nodded, her voice was strained and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Of course, Auror Potter."

Harry gently gripped my arm and escorted me away from the girl. "Beth, I can't leave you anywhere for five minutes can I?"

"I'll have you know. This was completely not my fault."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Oh, I know. Elaine Creevey has a tendency of trying to scare of any woman I've ever known."

My lips upturned, "She has a crush on you." I could understand why. Something about Harry drew people to him. Add to the fact that he was a war hero, and you had yourself a teen heartthrob in the making.

He nodded, "She was in her first year during the battle of Hogwarts. I saved her and a couple of her friends from being killed my Fenir Greyback. She hasn't forgotten."

I looked at him, dazed. "Why on earth was a first year fighting?"

He ruffled a hand through his unkept hair. I noticed that no matter what it was Harry did, it always seemed to return to it's ruffled and askew look. "They weren't supposed to, but some of them managed to sneak into the battle anyways." He grabbed my hand. His face was plastered with his boyish grin. "Come on. I'll show you where you'll be staying while your here."

I couldn't help but to smile back at him. We traversed back to castle, all the while his hand was still in mine. I wasn't sure if he even noticed but I felt myself smile. I shook my head. I had no time to be thinking of anything like that. I was quite literally being threatened by an evil lunatic. I had other things to worry about.

We arrived at the painting of flowers. It was filled to the brim with vibrant colors of purple, greens and yellow. "Lily." Harry said, and the portrait opened up to reveal one of the grandest bed rooms I had ever seen in my entire life.

The room was a dark red color. In the middle of it was a giant canopy bed with plush impenetrable curtains all around it.

"The washroom is through there." He said, pointing to a door off to the side. "You might want to clean up. There are some clothes for in that cupboard. You'll find that should all fit you fairly well."

"Thank You Harry.'

For a moment, neither of us moved. There was a connection between us, a thread we weren't willing to break. I felt my face redden under his gaze. How could he manage to make me turn twelve just by a look? I hated feeling that way.

Harry cleared his throat and shifted his gaze. Suddenly, I was missing the connection and felt empty. "Just yell if you need anything." He said., "I'll be back in an hour and we can get some dinner."

I nodded to him and watched him retreat through the doorway.

The moment he left, my body slumped against the door. It had been a wearisome day and an even longer week. The canopied bed started to look more and more appealing as the seconds rolled on. But I shook my head and made my wash to the washroom.

There was a copper tub with a shower curtain around it and a shower head. More than anything I wanted to soak in some hot water and wash away the days troubles.

Off to the side it was a platter filled with different stones and rags for cleaning, as well as a multitude of soaps. I turned on the water and lowered myself into the tub with a sigh. My muscles relaxed against the heat. I heard somewhere, that ice cold water was better for treating soreness. But, it didn't matter, the heat seemed to wash away all of my troubles.

If I focused, I could abandon all of my troubles and just focus on the water that enveloped my body. I grasped one of the cloths from the tray and scrubbed myself from head to toe until my body took on a vivid crimson hue. I had been sitting in the tub for at least 45 minutes. I needed to get out.

I went to stand up. But then, everything halted and my head exploded. I dropped the cloth and soap to the ground in a clatter and slammed back down in the tub, sending water and soap flying through the air. A searing pain burst through my skull and I screamed. Voices whispered through my head. Some of them where soft, but others forced themselves into my consciousness. "Beth." One of the voices said. I had heard that voice before. The deep huskiness would be recognizable anywhere. I could be the middle of a hurricane and would still be able to discern it.

It was Clay Carpenter.

"Beth. Beth. Beth." I felt my body sink lower into the water until my head was submerged under the depths."You can run but you can't hide."

"I will have you. You are mine." His voice said, almost like a song. His voice was lyrical and if he was saying any other words and if he wasn't a complete menace I would have swooned. "They can't shelter you forever."

A vision flashed into my head. All around me people were dying, screaming for help. There was nothing I could to do but to watch as one by one, Clay went from person to person and obliterated them to dust with his wand.

"You can stop it," The voice said again. His voice was closer as if it was right next to my ear. I could imagine his hot breath against my flesh and shivered involuntarily.

My lungs burned like someone had poured lava down my throat. What was going on? Why did everything hurt and why couldn't I breathe? Everything felt so warm, like a hug or a warm blanket.

"That's it, Beth," Clay said in my ear. "Go to sleep."

The voice was a melody, and it was singing me to sleep. The longer I listened to it, the more everything started to fade away. I could feel my eyes dropping lower as every second passed. Until there was only oblivion.

Hello everyone! Thanks so much for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it.

What do you think is going to happen to Beth?

Is something else going on with Elaine?

Does Harry have feelings for Beth?

As always, don't forget to review! I would to hear any and all constructive critisism. I look forward to hearing from you!

Cutecutie