Chapter One

"Parvati! Wake up, please wake up!" a distant voice pleaded, someone was shaking me softly.

"Hrmph…" I managed to groan, rolling onto my back and slightly cracking my eyes open to glare at the voice's owner.

"Padma?" I whispered, lifting my head up to properly face my twin sister.

"Come on we're leaving today!" Padma could barely hold in her excitement.

"Are we leaving for good?" I replied hopefully, adjusting my clothes in an attempt to hide last nights beating.

"After this year, we'll be graduating, there'll be no more parents and we can take out our trust fund today!" my sister squealed, jumping up and down and began searching for something.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go let's go let's go!" Padma bounced around the room, collecting items to stuff into her trunk for the last week of the holidays and school.

"Let's see she go after being battered last night…" I grumbled bitterly, struggling to stand as I begun to pack and get changed into some suitable clothes.

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"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" demanded a voice as I entered the kitchen.

"Well speak up you pathetic piece of scum!" my so-called father sneered, standing up to his full height of 6'8", and glaring down at me.

"We're going to Diagon Alley, we'll be staying at the Leaky Cauldron father." Padma spoke boldly, entering the kitchen followed by our mother, who was carrying both Padma's trunk and broomstick.

"Then let me say goodbye to both of you." Our father, Peter Patil said kindly, kissing the top of my sister's head as our mother, Paullina Patil hugging her tightly.

When Padma was finally released from the embrace, I saw her holding a large bag, presumably filled with Galleons.

"Now Princess Padma, why don't you call the Knight Bus whiles your father and I bid farewell to your sister?" my mother's voice was like icy water, trickling down my back.

I wanted to shout 'Don't leave me' to Padma but I knew as I saw her bouncing off, that is was too late.

"Now we won't be seeing you for a while, but we'll visit…" Peter snarled, his eyes menacingly glinting.

"So what did we tell you to asked Dumbledore?" he continued, grabbing my hair and lugging me over to the kitchen sink.

"To tell him to put me in Ravenclaw?" I whimpered, tears stung my eyes from the unbearable pain.

"Correct. I'm. Surprised. Your. Stupid. Worthless. Gryffindor. Head. Managed. To. Understand. Us." Paullina grunted, talking slowly to emphasis her point.

I couldn't see what she was doing, I was forced to stare at the soapy hot water, knowing what was going to happen next.

'Let's put the Unmarkable Charm on her, people don't know what they can't see, Paullina." That bastard hissed, yanking my head back and forth. My tears fell into the steaming water, disappearing into the massive swirl of bubbles.

"They won't ask questions, but we must be careful, so don't damage her face." My mother insisted, why is she sticking up for me?

"Fine, let's just beat her around the stomach then. That always works well." My father spoke like, as if I wasn't there, picking up a frying pan and pushing me onto the marble floor.

"Parvati the Bus is… Aaaarrrrrrrhhhhh!!!!!" Padma yelled right behind the kitchen door as our father hit me repeatedly on my already damaged back and stomach. My body went straight into defensive mode, curling routinely and covering my head with my arms.

"Peter?" my mother smiled sweetly at her husband beating me with her pan.

"I'll be done in a moment darling." He grunted in reply, still mauling me. I was so numb from the pain since my body was used to it.

"No, we'll see her soon, but now I need the pan to make breakfast for you." Paullina chuckled, prying the pan from her husband's grasp and leading him away.

"Well, I am hungry…" Peter muttered thoughtfully, ignoring my existence.

They didn't say goodbye as I stumbled away, dragging my trunk and collecting Padma on the way out.

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"All of at the Leaky Cauldron! Come on we haven't got all day!" the ancient bus driver 'Ernie' yelled, stopping suddenly in front of the old, shabby little pub.

"Thanks." I stuttered, waking up my sister, dragging our trunks and entering the stuffy inn.

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It was midnight before I got to bed. I spent the whole day with Padma, spending at least half of the five-hundred galleons in the bag, our bitch of a mother gave her. We bought bag after bag of clothes, accessories and make-up to hide the bruises and cuts that my wretched excuse for a father gave me.

I collapsed onto the too-soft-to-be-true bed in my new pajamas as a smile played my lips.

After this year at Hogwarts, I never have to return to the place I'm meant to call home again. I thought as I drifted into a deep slumber.

DREAM

"Get up you worthless whore!" ordered one figure, kicking me in the process.

"GET UP!" he screamed, I struggled to get to my feet, I didn't look up, my eyes were too busy watching my hands. They were bleeding and I didn't stop it.

"You have shamed your own family! That is betrayal!" hissed another figure, materializing from nowhere. It pointed its thin, withered finger at her.

"No! The Sorting Hat put me in Gryffindor! I couldn't help it!" I protested, raising my bleeding hands in front of my face.

"The only way to restore honor is for the criminal to die through an honor-killing!" the first figure whispered dangerously, both figures raised their wands and began cursing her.

"Avada—"

END OF DREAM

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" I screamed, still thinking I was asleep.

"No…" I whimpered, feeling the beads of sweat on my neck as I tried to catch my breath.

"Parvati, what in Merlin's name is wrong?" Padma said, immediately racing over to my bed.

I glanced quickly around the dilapidated old room, as if to search for the murderous figures.

"Bad dream…" I replied, avoiding my sister's grasps.

"I'll say…I think you woke up half of the people on this floor!" Padma murmured, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Glaring at her, I rolled out of bed, landing onto the floor with a soft thud.

"Hrmph." I groaned, standing up and grabbing my slender wand.

"Where are you going Parvati?" Padma inquired, still seated on my bed, propping her arm onto the flat pillow.

"Walk." I grunted, changing quickly into my black jeans and a loose white tank top.

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I wandered through the corridors, I had accio-ed my box and a large canvas to come with me as I tried to find a place to paint. Painting was the only thing that helped me express my pain and feelings publicly. Finally upon entering the empty lounge area I found the perfect spot. A window seat, the moonlight shone in the misty shadows as I sat down and set up my canvas.

"I didn't know you painted?!" whispered a shadow, the human eventually emerging from the darkness.

"You don't know a lot about me Harry." I replied coldly, continuing my base sketch.

"Well Parvati Patil, I can see that you're a great artist…" I could see out of the corner of my eye that Harry was edging closer.

"Look Harry why don't we leave this conversation until the morning?" I sighed, trying to remain calm as Harry noticed my box.

"It's already morning Parvati…" Harry said innocently, I knew he was attempting to get a smile out of me. I saw him reaching out for my box, as anger rose from me, my body jumped into a defending mode.

"Don't even try Harry Potter." I hissed, wand drawn, and stepping between him and my secrets. Now that left us only centimeters apart.

"But you said I didn't know anything about you, so I saw the box that probably held some secrets and so I guess my curiosity got the better of me…" Harry whispered quickly, I knew he was making excuses.

I looked defensively into his eyes, they sparkled mysteriously jade green with tiny flecks of emerald scattered in them. I had never noticed Harry's eyes before like that, even at the Yule Ball when we danced. But of course that was in the Fourth Year, things have changed.

Silence surrounded us as the morning light replaced the moon and the soft fluffy clouds hid the stars. I thought I had to be the one to break the silence but instead, Harry's stomach did it for me. It rumbled loudly as Harry chuckled.

"I don't know about you but I'm famished!" Harry yawned, stepping away from me and smiled cheekily.

My eyebrows rose as I studied him. Harry had grown a lot since our Sixth Year, his hair was blacker and messier than ever but his fringe covered the top of Harry's eyes and framed his face. I noticed beneath the baggy clothes he wore that he's body was now very muscular. I guess Quidditch had helped him a lot.

My thoughts were interrupted by my stomach growling.

"Hrmm… Well Miss Patil, judging by your growling stomach I say you're due for a large dose of breakfast!" Harry joked, imitating Madame Promfrey, Hogwarts own school healer.

"What do you have in mind?" I said, smiling.

"Bacon? Eggs? My Place? My treat." Harry replied slyly, holding his arm out like a gentleman. "Why Mr. Potter! You surprise me!" I laughed, it was a weird sensation laughing.

Linking arms with Harry as he led me to his room for breakfast.