So, here are the next two chapters. Like it? Review, please! I didn't get any on the last two chapters…

Now it's getting exciting…

Star and Lightning

5th Chapter- The First Meeting and Trouble Ahead

After two hours of running all through London, Starlett was feeling tired. She hadn't seen any suspicious persons for over an hour and after she had gotten rid of her cloak and stolen a bag to put the books in, she looked like a usual teenager again. She had reached an area, she usually avoided: one of those suburbs, where there were only neat little detatched houses and well cared-for gardens.When she saw a little tidy park at the end of the street, she decided to go in there and rest for some minutes. There, she could think about how to get back into the city and what to tell Garry. As it was a nice summer day, most benches were occupied by old pensioners or mothers with young children. On one bench, a boy around her age with black hair and a funny scar on his forehead sat reading. Starlett decided to sit down next to him. She stood in front of him and asked: "Excuse me. Can I sit next to you?"

Harry, who had become absorbed in his book, looked up startledly, then nodded and slided to the side in order to make room for her to sit. Starlett took off her bag and let herself drop on the bench. As she realised, that Harry had stopped reading and was looking at her, she turned her head and said: "My name's Starlett. And you're…?"

"Harry. Harry Potter." he answered.

"What are you reading?" Starlett asked curiously and tried to grab his book. Harry quickly put it away and muttered: "ehm, nothing. Really."

In order to change the topic, he quickly asked: "Are you new here? I've never seen you before."

Now it was Starlett's turn to block the question. She didn't want to tell him, that she lived on the street. "uhm, well… actually, I'm only visiting a friend."

They sat in silence for some time and no one dared taking out his/her books they were dying to read, afraid of what would happen, when the other read its title. Harry watched Starlett and noticed her scar. For some reason it fascinated him. He felt something around her that felt oddly out of place. He couldn't specify it at first, but then he realised that it was something he usually felt only at Hogwarts or in Diagon Alley: A lot of magic in the air. But this girl couldn't be a witch. She certainely didn't go to Hogwarts, he would have noticed her, but she had a London accent, so it was unlikely she would attend Durmstrang or Beauxbatons. And though Harry Potter was famous in the wizarding world, she hadn't reacted at all upon hearing his name.

Harry's train of thought was disrupted by his cousin Dudley's slimy voice: "Hey guys, look. Potter's got a girl-friend! What did you pay her to sit on that bench with you?"

Harry got up and growled: "Leave me alone. And to your information: no, she's not my girl-friend."

"And I decided to sit next to him on my own free will." Starlett added, now also standing and glaring at Dudley menacingly.

"You'd better be carefull, doll." Dudley said, trying to sound impressive and manly, but failing terribly. "He's a freak. You'd be better off with me."

"No thanks. I can asses people on my own." That said, Starlett turned around and grabbed her bag, ready to go. But Dudley's fat hand, forcefully seizing her shoulder, stopped her. She turned around and then things happened so fast, that afterwards nobody could say what really happened. In the end, Dudley lay whining on the grass and Starlett was gone. But Harry had clearly felt the magic that had been freed that moment. This girl was a witch. But, Harry wondered, had she really never heard his name before or just decided to act as if she hadn't? And why had she done magic out of school? He doubted, that she was already 17 and therefore allowed to do magic whenever she wanted. This girl was a complete mystery to him.

Starlett re-appeared in the middle of a crowded underground and let out the breath, she'd been holding. That had been close. She looked around her. Nobody seemed to have noticed her sudden appearance. She hadn't intended to arrive here, in fact, she had only thought about getting away from that fat pig that had been holding her. When she checked where this underground was headed, she realised how lucky she was. It was only ten more minutes to ride and five minutes to walk on feet to their place. This teleportating took a lot out of her and she wouldn't be able to do it again for some time. But because she luckily appeared in this underground, she would be still on time for the gathering. But she hadn't thought about an excuse, yet. Starlett frantically tried to think of an excuse, dreading the encounter with Garry.

She got off the underground at a nasty and grubby looking station. She climbed up the filthy staircase to reach a street that was just as dirty and grubby as the station. Slowly, Starlett made her way through the streets to the gang's meeting place. A knot of fear was forming in her stomache. She had already seen Garry's wrath and felt like running and never coming back. But if she didn't turn up now, he would take it out on Zaza; she was always made responsible for what Starlett did. Now Starlett wished, she hadn't gone to explore Diagon Alley. It would have safed her and Zaza a lot of trouble. Was having these books in her bag really worth facing Garry's rage? The last time, she had disappeared from a raid, he had made it clear that he wouldn't accept such behaviour again. But Garry couldn't really hurt her, could he?

Earlier than she had expected, Starlett arrived at the gathering place. When Zaza saw her, she dashed towards her and hugged her. Then she said soflty, so the others, who were already there, couldn't hear her: "You are in a lot of trouble this time. I've hardly seen Garry this angry. The raid went terribly wrong. The cops caught some of the boys and Garry himself got hurt. You'd better be very careful this evening not to anger him anymore."

Starlett gulped and nodded. This was worse than she had expected. Zaza took her bag to put it away safely. When she realised how heavy it was, she asked: "What do you have in here? Bricks?"

"No." Starlett shook her head and looked around nervousely. "Books. I've finally found what I've been looking for. I will tell you more later."

Zaza looked at her surprised but then turned her head to see Garry and the gang's beaters arrive. When Garry saw Starlett, he smirked threateningly and motioned Zaza to move away. Starlett got up to stand in front of him even though her legs felt like pudding.

"So, the miracle-girl is back." He said quietly. "Too bad, your miracles didn't help us today. I've told you, I don't want you wandering around anymore. Where have you been?" When Starlett didn't answer, he asked again, with anger in his voice: "Tell me, where have you been? Or do you want me to force the answer out of you?"

With this, he slapped her hard and Starlett fell down. She hadn't erected her protection field because she didn't want to anger him even more. Her cheek was burning but nevertheless Starlett got up again and stood in front of him proudly. She didn't realise that it was her way of standing up to him even though on the inside fear was eating her up, that enraged him so much. He burst forward and punched her forcefully but this time she had erected her field and he was pushed backwards. Furious, he attacked her once more but again couldn't reach her. Usually, he would have stopped then because he was afraid of what she might do with her powers, but all common sense had left his brain. So he kept attacking and his beaters joined him. Starlett was having problems fighting them off and panted heavily. They had managed to throw her down and were beating at her shields violantly. She knew, that if she let down her shields now, they would probably clobber her to almost dead. This couldn't go on forever. She had to fight them off. Starlett concentrated and let her magic flow to her hands. Then she set it free, to do whatever it did; she didn't try to control or direct it. Most of her attackers were blown away and landed up to ten meters away where they lay without stirring. At those who were still standing, she shot yellow flaming beams that made them stumble back and fall down. A bright shining light flashed upon the scene, bathing everything in an unreal blue light. Then it was over. There was a stunned silence and in the twilight of sunset nobody dared to move.

The quiet was interrupted when Zaza got up with Starlett's bag in her hand and quietly said: "Come on, Starlett. Let's get moving." They left the place and headed towards Zaza's little one-room apartement.