Well, I'm very glad for the response this is getting! Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, and thanks to my friends. You guys are great! MoonPrincess, Telex, this one's for you guys!

Unexpected turns await us. Someone is dead, and that person has thrown off a little too much for Angel and David's liking. Geez, I think David's making himself just a little too perspective.

Disclaimer: We don't own Harry Potter. We don't make money from this.

Actually, as you read this story, you'll get to know myself and David a little more. All of the "past events" that we talk about actually happened. Enjoy!

***

Chapter 3: The Treasures Untold

When I awoke the next morning to the sun's bright rays, I was surprised to notice that it was precisely six o'clock. Old habits die hard, I suppose. (AN-I (Angel) wake up at five every morning for school. I wake at six during the holidays out of habit.) The house was silent, but I was glad to see that there was light coming from the kitchen, which I could see from my third-floor guest bedroom.
The trunk I had "brought" with me lay open at the foot of my new bed. Inside were all the small treasures and pleasures that I had had when David and I had been just two ordinary kids in a whole different world.

I dug through the neatly-packed trunk. Aeolus must have known our personal tastes, because David had pointed out that his trunk looked as though he had packed it himself. It was extremely messy.

Pulling out some clothes (my typical black jeans and a blue shirt), I closed the trunk again and tip-toed down the hall. Quiet as a mouse, I snuck into the kitchen. Sam (Hermione's mom) was there, cooking breakfast.

"Good morning!" I chirped happily.

"Look who's up early," she smiled. I walked over and started setting the table, seeing that she was almost done making the flapjacks. At first my opinion of her had been rather distant, but she had turned out to be a lot like my own mother. She cared about her family and could really cook well and always knew how to make me laugh.

When the boys and Hermione came down later, it was a joyful thing. Although this wasn't my real family, I suddenly felt as though my other brother (Matthew) had been replaced by Hermione and we were all one happy family. She was more like a sister than I had ever thought possible.

"We've got to get to work, kids, you need anything?" Sam asked as she cleaned up.
"That's okay," I smiled and David nodded. Hermione agreed justly as well.

David immediately went to Ken's (Hermione's dad) computer and played games until after he got home. Hermione and I went upstairs for some girl time.

"What's in the shoebox?" she asked, pointing to it inside my trunk.

"Little treasures," I answered with a smile. Inside was my locket, my stories, a little photo album, and several books. If no one has guessed yet, yes, I am a book worm. I love to know stories. I showed each to Hermione, glad to see that I had pictures of my real family and my "fake" family inside. I could just tell her that my real family was my aunt's or uncle's or something.

"So why did you come?" Hermione asked. That question stumped me for a moment. After all, I was here for a reason that Hermione didn't know anything about and wouldn't until she finished reading her books. And I still couldn't tell her that I was here to stop Voldemort. On top of that, I had promised not to tell anyone about my true identity. But what could I tell her?

"Well..." I murmured, trying to think. "I'd heard a lot about Hogwarts and...I...um..." I was stumped for maybe the first time in my life on what to say. Why would anyone come nearly four thousand miles (or so it seemed) to go to a school they'd only heard in rumor and books? Why would I?

"Yeah, I heard a bit about it, too, actually," Hermione said, laughing and pointing at her room, where lay many books. "I meant how did you come to be the first American transfer?"

"I guess because I didn't like Kansas," I answered. This was totally factual. I had hated my home in Kansas, mostly because there was nothing to do. "I've always wanted to see something out of the ordinary, and I guess I got my wish."
"You can say that again," Hermione chuckled. "The things you can do in such a school! It's a castle, you know, and it has so many secret rooms and passageways, its a wonder how the Founders built it."
"What were their names again?" I asked, knowing full well. I had always loved the charismatic names Rowling had given the Hogwarts founders.

"Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Griffindor, and Salazaar Slytherin," she answered promptly.

"Is there anywhere you can play video games or anything?"

"No. All electronic equipment that Muggles use shorts out upon entering anywhere near Hogwarts' grounds," Hermione answered, just as immediately.

"It figures."

"So, have you learned anything from our Potions book?"

"Yeah, a lot," I smiled brightly, glad to change the subject to something else. I listed off a string of potions that I figured we would be doing this year (some of which I knew). Inwardly, though, I grimaced at the pictures that flew through my mind. These thoughts were mostly of the snake-like Snape, our soon-to-be Potions teacher. I had a mind to tell Hermione to steer clear of him, but held my tongue.

"Hey, Angel!" I heard my brother call. "You've got to see this!"

"Coming!" Hermione and I ran down the stairs to the second floor, where Ken's computer area lay.

"What's up, Dee?" I asked. I have so many little nicknames for him, I hardly ever notice them anymore.

"Take a look at this," he said gravely. An owl sat on the shelf beside him, and in his lap was a letter bearing the Hogwarts school crest. It was sealed with red wax, but had been opened.

I took the letter from him, a stone lump forcing its way into my stomach. My teeth felt like they would chatter off if I let them, but I clenched them tight until I read aloud:

To the Students and the Parents thereof of Hogwarts:

Due to the recent death of our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirrell, it is recommended that students study their books for the first two weeks of this class. We will keep you updated on developments concerning this case. Hogwarts urges all students to remain calm during this time. Remember, the Hogwarts Express leaves September 1st and will not hold for anyone.

Deputy Headmistress

Minerva McGonagall

David and I exchanged a worried glance. This was not good. Not good at all.
"Oh, dear," Hermione whispered. "What rotten luck."

"I agree," I gave a weak smile. "Not much we can do on the matter, though."

"Yes, I suppose you're right," Hermione nodded, and looked as though she felt much better. She headed up the stairs. David and I exchanged one final glance.

"Meet me in my room tonight," he whispered. I nodded, then followed Hermione back up the stairs.

"This is your family, back home?" Hermione asked as I arrived back at the door. She was holding up the fake family. "You have another brother, right?"

"Yeah. His name is Matthew. He isn't a very good person," I winced a bit at the reminder of my other younger brother (he had been fifteen, whilst I was sixteen). "Unfortunately, the two of us haven't seen eye-to-eye in years. I was always the better student, but he was always a more...honest friend. To anyone who would listen."

"Ah. I understand," Hermione nodded. She gave a small laugh. "He's cute."
"David's cuter," I said immediately. Hermione laughed again.

"You're lucky, you've got brothers," she smiled.
"Nah," I shook my head. "You're lucky, you've got a great pair of parents and no brothers to hassle you."
"It's not always so easy to be alone."
"You can say that again," I sighed and fell back on my bed. "I remember a really long period of time where I had no friends and my brothers had disowned me and my parents seemed to be ignoring me. I know that feeling.

"But remember, there is always a treasure close by, a treasure untold. A treasure of life and a treasure to live and a treasure to give."

Hermione smiled and nodded once.

***

"We're home!" Sam had slammed the door behind her in light of the rain, which had begun to fall only moments ago.

"Welcome home!" I answered her as Hermione and I finished coming downstairs. Her arms were carrying huge bags of McDonalds.

"We won't have time to pack up again in the morning, so make certain you have everything tonight," Sam told the three of us sternly. We would be leaving the next morning for King's Cross again, not to return for a long time. My heart gave a flutter of anticipation; the Hogwarts Express, for real this time! I wondered who we would meet first.

Ron Weasley? With his red hair and hand-me-down robes and wand and all? Fred and George, his twin older brothers? I'd even settle for Percy, as terrible as that sounds. Or maybe we would meet the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, if they'd found a replacement yet, though I doubted it.

Or maybe some Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws? It would be interesting to meet Cho or Cedric. Or maybe Neville Longbottom, and would he be fat, like the books, or only chubby, like I'd been?

Would we meet someone new?

I could go on forever!

The only person I really wanted to meet, however, was our wonderful star. The boy who had bedazzled the nation of England, the whole world of witches and wizards, simply because he was protected by the love of his beautiful mother Lily. The boy who could simply be called by his rightful name, which was, of course, Harry Potter.

As I was packing everything up, Hermione and I were stowing away the books we wanted to keep, doing simple spells and charms we had learned. David was frantically trying to learn a spell I had told him about, which changed objects different colors. I think he was trying to help out Ron if he happened to meet him.

"Hey, Angel, how did the wand movement go again?" David asked.

I sighed. "Like this." I gently brought the wand in one arc, then two, then flicked it at a nearby lamp. "Azula!" The lamp changed to blue. "And keep in mind the color you want it." I returned the lamp to its rightful white ("Blanca!").

"Okay," he nodded, taking a deep breath. I finished packing up my things, including a large amount of underwear (oh, thanks a lot, Aeolus), and sat on my bed.

"Hey, Angel, are you finished?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, I am."
"Have any more room?"

"You have more books?"
"Yeah," she nodded sheepishly. "Just two. Think they can fit?" She held up two books of fairly moderate size and I nodded.

"Well, I'm ready," I smiled. "David?"

"Yeah. I'll pack away my books later, I'm going to read up on a few more spells."
"David, you've got to go to bed," I glared at him sternly. Besides, I added, we still need to talk about what we're going to do. Quirrell dying was no accident.

***

After everyone else had gone to sleep (it was seven-thirty), I entered David's room, where he was reading another spell.

"Babe, this isn't good," I sighed, sinking on his bed.
"Definitely. Who would kill Quirrell, though? Unless they knew Lord Voldemort was sharing bodies with him," he frowned, staring at Keiko. I was still a little afraid of her, because I'd never seen a real owl before. "But how, unless they knew what we did?"

"I dunno, babe," I answered. "I don't think there would be anyone else who knows what we do...but I do think its possible someone knew Quirrell was helping Voldemort."

"Yeah, that seems more likely."

I toyed with the dark blue sheets on his bed, thinking. Who would know? Snape had obviously known later on in the story, but how early did he know at all? Or even suspect? Those questions shot around my head.

There were still more possibilities.

Too many more.

"Let's wait a while. We're leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow," David said grimly.

"I agree," I nodded slowly. "There isn't much we can do right now, anyway."

"Right. Well," he yawned, putting his Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 in his trunk and shutting it. "Good night. Maybe we'll get more answers tomorrow night."
"Maybe...good night."

With that, I left his room and dropped into my bed, clothes on. I was asleep before I hit the pillow.

**********************************************************************

David really wants to impress Harry and Ron, but it's up to me to do all the work. Yes, that really is the way it is. It's a surprise first encounter for the both of us! Neither of us really expected to meet this guy!

You'll start seeing some startups to a small conflict, too. All part of the plot!

Ja ne!