A/N: ok, so here's chapter 4. This is slightly longer than what I usually write, and I hope that you like it… after you read this, please review…

Tammara woke up and looked at the sunlight streaming in the open bay window. She saw butterflies fly past as she stretched and sat at the window, looking at the softly rolling morning clouds.

No matter how she tried, she couldn't help the growing unease that spread over her, not because of her steadily-growing-worse nightmares, but because of her parents' surreptitious arguing the night before. She had never heard them fight before, at least not with that intensity. She knew that all marriages had fights, but she also knew, with growing panic, that marriages were broken up even by the most trifling of arguments.

She had seen it all before. She remembered everything, down to the pink pyjama bottoms that she was wearing. She remembered how she had begged and begged Mark and Jeanne to allow her to go to that sleepover. She had been 11 years old, for goodness sake, and Chloe had lived only two houses away.

Two girls, huddled on the bed, as parents argued in the next room, not bothering whether they could be heard or not. Tammara's best friend, Chloe, crouched next to her, her hands over her ears, tears flowing down her face, and her whimpered cries of "I just want it to stop… Make it stop… please…" Then, the sound of a slap rent the air, doors slammed, and tortured sobs came from the next room, as the two girls lay huddled on the bed.

A week later, Chloe turned up on Tammara's doorstep, tired and scared, and she had a bag of clothes with her. She had asked to stay the night, and was immediately taken in.

Chloe's mum had been hospitalized due to massive injuries. She had to endure extensive reconstructive surgery on her face, and took months and months to heal. Chloe would not talk about what happened to her mother, only that 'she had slipped and fallen down the stairs'. Chloe's father, on the other hand, disappeared without a trace. In the end, Chloe had moved with her mother to America, and Tammara hadn't seen her since.

Tammara jerked out of her reverie and swiped at the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"I'll never let that happen!" she vowed to herself, and hoped that, somewhere, Chloe was safe.

She stepped into the shower and took a short bath, scrubbing herself thoroughly before stepping out and pulling a pair of jean shorts and a T-shirt out of the walk-in in her bathroom.

Exiting the bathroom, which adjoined her bedroom, she walked to the dresser and pulled a brush towards her, and began to brush her long straight black hair, the (natural) reddish brown highlights flashing in the morning sun.

Just then, a knock came, muffled by the thick oak door.

"Come in!" she called.

Jeanne opened the door and stepped in.

"Oh. You're up already…" Tammara grinned.

"Good morning to you too, mum!" Jeanne smiled as well.

"Hey, look, when you're done, come downstairs, there are some people I want you to meet."

Tammara looked at the clock on her dresser. It read 9:24.

"At this time, mum?"

"Never mind time… You'll like them, I promise…"

"Any of them my age?" Tammara asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.

"Three of them, actually."

"Ok, give me a few seconds…"

Jeanne left, and Tammara took a few seconds to put her hair into a high ponytail. She examined herself in the full-length mirror, then rushed into the bathroom to change into a pair of cut-offs.

"Ok. I'm presentable now." She thought to herself, and left her room, heading down the stairs.

Tammara headed down the stairs, and Jeanne met her, obviously on her way up. Jeanne looked slightly flustered, something Tammara immediately noticed.

"Mum, what's wrong?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing… Listen, love, whatever you think down there, about those people, please don't show it, alright? They want to talk to you, and it may seem a little fantastic, but I swear, on my life and Mark's, it's all true."

"But mom--"

Jeanne gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

"Just go, love. Good luck…"

Tammara made her way cautiously into the living room. Nothing seemed out of sorts though, except the 5 people in the room. They all stood up when she came in, and looked at her as curiously as she looked at them.

Tammara surveyed them warily. There was an old man, whose beard nearly touched the floor, a middle-aged woman, who, strangely gave out a 'don't mess with me; I'm lethal' aura, and three teenagers on the couch.

"Hi, I'm Tammara." She said, taking another step into the living room. "Mom said that you wanted to talk to me?"

"All in good time…" said the old man, rising from the squashy purple armchair near the fireplace.

'That's strange' Tammara thought. 'I don't remember seeing that armchair before…'

"Introductions first." He continued. "I'm Albus Dumbledore, but you can call me professor Dumbledore, and this is Minerva McGonagall, who you may also call professor."

"Hi…" Tammara said cautiously, moving to shake their hands. "I'm Tammara."

'These are strange people… And, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE? What kind of name is that?! I mean, really…' she thought to herself.

"And these," Professor Dumbledore kept on, gesturing to the teens on the couch, who had stood up self-consciously, "I'll let them introduce themselves to you, then…"

There was a slim girl with wavy brown hair, and two guys.

The redhead looked gangly and he was nearly all limbs and flaming red hair.

"I'm Ron Weasley," he said, his ears turning red to match his hair.

The other two laughed.

"Ron!" the girl said, elbowing him in the ribs. He swatted her hand away sheepishly.

Turning to Tammara, the girl introduced herself. "I'm Hermione Granger!" she said. "Y' know, I've a feeling, we're going to be such good friends… Know what, my favourite subject is Maths, what's your favourite subject? Hey, do you like reading? I LOVE reading, I could just sit and read all day! What's your favourite book? I'm not sure what mine is though, I like way too many books to choose just one… What's your favourite animal? Oh, do you have a pet? You know, I just love cats! I have a cat named Crookshanks myself, beautiful marmalade cat, absolutely adorable, and very friendly." She said this all very quickly, but cut herself off when the redhead muttered something under his breath, something that sounded like "friendly my--"and the girl shot him a death glare.

"So, anyway…" she took a deep breath and extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Hermione."

Tammara took an instant liking to that Hermione girl. She was inquisitive without being simpering, and friendly without reserve.

"All right, Hermione…" said the other boy, who had so far been gazing amusedly at the actions of his friends.

He looked at Tammara, and extended his hand. "I'm Harry Potter."

"Nice to meet you." Tammara said, shaking the offered hand. She took a milli-unnoticeable-second to look him up and down, as she had done to the redhead. Messy jet black hair, glasses, tall lean frame. Totally regular teenager, except for the eyes… There was something mysterious about his eyes. They looked almost… almost old…

Tammara shook herself suddenly, bringing herself back to reality.

"So…" she said, as everyone took their seats once more.

"There was something you wanted to tell me… um, Professor?"

A/N: yup, that's chapter 4. Please tell me whether you like it or not by clicking the little purple button and telling me your opinion.

That's it till next time!!! Thanks!

TaMi

A/N2: please tell me in your review if I should put disclaimers at the start of every chapter or not… Thanks!!!