Chapter One

x..x

Though nobody seemed to able to remember why it had been so, it had been taken by a muggle camera, allowing the moment to be not only captured but frozen forever. The color had faded through the passage of time, and crests were running through the middle due to the many times it had been folded into a pocket or hugged tightly during the night. At some point it had probably been slightly abused by some sort of liquid since the right side of the photograph was quite blurrier than the left.

There was a man with jet-black hair and a scruffy face that said times had been tough and shaving had become unimportant but with a grin so wide that it assured everything would eventually be okay. The woman next to him was somewhat shorter, with a smaller body frame, and, between one of his arms covering tightly around her shoulders and a toddler's head resting near her face, was almost completely hidden from the camera. Still the sort of dance in her brown eyes and the way her red-head seemed to emit fire made it impossible for the viewer to miss her.

That photograph was the first and only one Regina Potter had ever had of her mother. Nanny had given it to her the day before she left to visit her grandparents for the first time about five years ago. She had taken Regina to her room in a hushed voice, locked the door as soon as they were inside, and stripped down her drawers till there was nothing left but the photograph that had been hidden underneath the garments. She knew she shouldn't be giving Regina anything her father would disapprove of, she had admitted, but 'a girl has to know who her mother was.'

Regina couldn't remember when or who had told her but the knowledge that no memories of her mother would ever be found in her house had always been present in her mind. Her father's orders, she knew though, again, couldn't remember from where. She often found it amusing how even though the man was forever locked up in his room, he could still control every single aspect of the house. Regina had never actually seen him hurt anyone but she imagined that, if he had this much control over people, he must be truly horrible.

Of course, it wasn't the only time Regina was ever to see her mother. Her smile was everywhere in her grandparent's house and in her uncles' as well. But she never took one of those photgraphs home, no matter how much her relatives lovingly insisted. She didn't want to risk her father finding out. But she always held on to that one, that first. For one thing, it was small enough so that folded it could fit anywhere and for another that photograph was good luck.

Now, as she took it off the mirror she wondered just how much luck she would need. None at all if, like grandmother often said smiling, 'all is good when one is young.'

Regina didn't know exactly what it was (maybe it was because her hair had rebelliously refused to collaborate that morning or because she had spilled orange juice all over her t-shirt -or maybe because both had happened the day she'd be starting a new year at Hogwarts) but something deep down inside, even as she dutifully folded the photograph and tucked it into her jean's pocket, kept telling her that luck was something she was going to need.

x...x

"God."

After making one last visual check that everything was in its place, Regina closed her trunk and smiled at her cousin. "Good morning to you too, Violet."

"Don't good morning me," said Violet, undoing Regina's bed and climbing into it. "You look so... ready. And it's so... early. It's sickening." She eyed her suspiciously. "I've seen it happen before. With Katie, you know. First, you start out being a morning person, eating breakfast early, making sure all your books are in their proper place and next thing you know BAM! There's suddenly a Head Girl badge shining on your uniform and the snuggest of smiles stapeled to your face."

"I'm much too careful for that," Regina assured her. "Now get out of bed. I don't want to leave a mess behind for grandma."

"That woman loves cleaning after us. It's like the whole cooking thing. Why do you think she spends hours on the kitchen?"

"Because this family eats like pigs?"

"Because it's her way of saying 'I love you'," Violet clarified but she got out of bed all the same. "Do you have a brush? I'm guessing not if you had to fall back to putting up your hair in a bun. And using that ugly clip too-"

"Bottom drawer."

"I can't believe you're not ready yet." Violet's older sister Katie snapped at her, walking into the room. "You told mum you'd take five seconds to get ready as soon as we got to grandma's house... that you were too tired to do it in our house. And since we had to pick up Regina anyways, mum obliged but, Violet, you're really not going to get there one time. Good morning, Regina," she added, her mouth instantly curving into a gentle smile. It was interesting to see how a smile could completely transform a face. "Ready to start your...sixth year, is it? Sixth year is always fun. No O.W.L.S. and no N. E.W.T.S."

"In other words," said Violet with a smile that was hidden by a yawn, "no stress."

"Hurry up and get dressed," Katie told her. "Everybody's already waiting downstairs. And mum's upset enough as it is with you for not making Head Girl..."

"Oh!" cried Violet, dramatically throwing her hands up in the air. "Enough with that! You were Head Girl and I was prefect that one year. Isn't that enough? Besides," said Violet, before Katie could speak again, "I'm already dressed."

Katie's eyes traveled from her sister's cotton, pink-bunny patterned shorts and pink tank-top (the same clothes, Regina knew, Violet had slept with), to the tennis shoes with the shoe-laces untied. For a moment she looked at Violet disbelieving and Regina couldn't exactly blame her. Of all people, Violet would never been seen in public in anything less than the perfect outfit. But after a while, Katie shrugged, too tired to argue. "Whatever. Let's go."

Violet turned to the mirror, running the brush she had been holding in her hand through her hair twice. She curled up her lashes, glossed her lips, and shimmered her cheeks. To Regina great amusement, that was all it took for Violet to look, despite still wearing her pajamas, better than any girl could hope for.

"You're insane," Regina commented as they made their way down the stairs.

Violet shook off Regina's hair clip, taking advantage of the fact that both Regina's hands were busy with her trunk and smirked, "I could teach you if you let me."

x..x

"Oh no." Violet's hand wrapped around Regina's wrist as she yanked her behind the ticket's booth. "It's Michael." She lowered herself all the way to her knees, brining Regina down with her as she did so and snapped, "Don't," when she raised her head to see what Violet was talking about. "He might see you. Then he might see me!"

"Who?"

"Michael Thomas. The Ravenclaw. The Ravenclaw Qudditch Captain," she tried again but Regina remained looking clueless. "He's standing right there with Maggie Stewart. And just look at the way she's all over him! That slu- Don't!" she said again as Regina attempted standing up. "I can't let him see me like this! Not in my bunny shorts! Now, hold still for a second and let me think. Maybe if we make a run for it, we can get on the train before he notices us and then I can quickly change in the compartment... Never mind that," she said crossly. "He's already going through the barrier... Look there's a rest room over there! You see it?" Before Regina could reply she went on, "Come on."

They hurried through the crowds of King's Cross until they reached a small, rusty door with the word 'Restroom' written on it with premanent marker in a scrawny handwriting.

"It looks really unsanitary," observed Regina.

"Doesn't matter. I'm not letting Maggie have the hottest guy in school. Not on my last year of Hogwarts, anyways. It's a one person bathroom," she added, as she opened the door and took a look inside.

"I was not going in there anyways," said Regina, wrinkling her nose as a rather sickening odor reached her.

"I'm just going to change into some jeans and a t-shirt. It won't take me long. Don't leave without me, okay?"

"Just hurry," said Regina.

Leaning against the wall, Regina tried to search for a face that would remind her of who 'Michael Thomas' was and failed miserably. Whoever he was, thought Regina moving away from the door to avoid the smell that seemed to now be imprinted under her nose, he was not worth missing the train to Hogwarts which she was sure they would end up doing if Violet took a second longer.

"I believe Platform 9 3/4 is that way."

Regina was startled to find that she had moved down the wall far enough to be side by side with a stranger sitting on the ground. "Sorry?" she stammered, looking down at him.

"You lost? " He stood up lazily and leaned against the wall just like she was. "I really can't think of any other reason why a girl like yourself would be all alone. Unless you're meditating or something."

"Meditating?" asked Regina confused.

"Sure. You can only mediate when you're alone. However," he dropped the cigarette he was holding into the floor, crushed it with one of his thick black shoes, and cringed when a three year old not to far from them burst into wails after her mother had taken away her lollipop, "London's King Cross isn't exactly the place to do that. Yoga might help or a warm scented bath. Never have tried either myself but-"

"I'm not mediating anything. And how do you know what platform I'm looking for?"

Regina wondered if they went to Hogwart's together and then dismissed the idea for two reasons. The first was that she would have remembered having seen him before. And the second was the he didn't have a trunk with him, just a backpack. Still, how could a muggle know about Platform 9 3/4?

"The wand. I figured you must need it for school." Regina looked down to see her wand poking out of her bag. So he had to be a wizard, right? No muggle would know about Platform 9 3/4 and about wands. Then he smiled. It was more like a smirk to tell the truth but it was the first time since their conversation had started that he let it be know that he wasn't exactly serious. And, for some reason, it suddenly made her feel very foolish. "Nice girls like you don't just play around with sticks."

"What are-"

"Regina!" She heard Violet's voice a few feet away and then it was next to her. "Come on, I'm finished. Let's go."

"Bye." Regina gave the stranger one last look before turning around and jogging up to her cousin, who was already a few steps away.

He took out a new cigarette and waved absently. "See you."

"What took you so long? The train's about to leave!"

"But I look better than Maggie Stewart, don't I?" said Violet, fluffy her hair in triumph. "Who was that anyways?"

"I don't know," said Regina. "No one, I guess."

x..x

After Violet refused to make a run for it because, as she impatiently explained, "I'd rather not get there at all than to get there all sweaty," and several parents in the platform stopped them to say hello, wish them luck, send Uncle Fred or Aunt Bessy or Uncle Charlie ("Did I ever tell you about the time your Uncle George and I..." started one man, to Regina's immense frustration.), make sure they come visit in the summer, etc., etc., Regina had been sure there would be no way they'd make it on time. But by some miracle of God, she found herself settled in an empty compartment, actually waiting for the train to get moving and looking out the window at all the tearful mothers and grinning fathers.

Uncle Ron and her grandparents had been out there as well, beaming and waving, advising and warning, every year since her first one, back when she was only eleven and they were still more strangers than family to her. However at yesterday's breakfast Violet had declared that, at seventeen, she was old enough to get herself as well as her younger cousin unto the train safely; Uncle Fred had laughed, Katie had scowled, but Aunt Hermione, being a Professor, had left to Hogwarts already and there was no one to object except Uncle Ron who could never say no anyways and so, once again, Violet got her way. Of course, Regina missed seeing the familiar faces outside her window but she couldn't say she was all that sorry for their absence. Having them present always made her think of the people that were absent; the one who could never come to hug her good-bye and the one who had never wanted to.

She took out a parchment and a quill and went as far as writing Dear Nanny on the top before she was interrupted by a "Hey, I've been looking for you." from the compartment's door, which had apparently been slid open without her noticing. For the brief second it took Regina to raise her head, she assumed it was her best friend, Larrie Barclay. It wasn't but it was close; it was Larrie's brother, Ashley.

Ashley Barclay was one of those boys even girls like Maggie Stewart, girls who were beautiful, who knew how to use their beauty to seduce, and who had no problems going through boys like they did ink bottles, would consider themselves extremely lucky to so much as go on a date with him. That is why, though he was her best friend's brother as well one of her cousin's best friends and had always been nothing short of polite to her, Regina found herself asking, her surprise ill-disguised, "You were?"

He nodded. "You and Violet... I was worried you'd miss the train," he explained and Regina could see that he truly had been. "You guys got held back?"

"Violet-," started Regina then stopped herself, not knowing how to narrate the story without revealing Violet's crush on Michael.

"Was being Violet?" finished off Ashley helpfully. When Regina nodded, he chuckled a bit. "Where is she, anyways?"

"With her friends."

Violet had invited her to stay but while to many sitting with the most popular crowd in school was nothing short of a dream come true, Regina knew it would be torture. Yes, it was true the most beautiful faces could be found in there but beautiful faces are the best disguise for cruel souls. Of course, she knew they weren't all like that (Violet and Ashley were prove of that) but if she could avoid the calculating, seizing looks she was sure to get from at least one girl in there, then she would.

"Oh," said Ashley and Regina suddenly got the impression that he had known that already. How could he have not? He had always sat with Violet and "her friends."

She anticipated a 'good-bye' now but it didn't come. He just stood there, looking at her as if they were still in the middle of a conversation even though Regina felt an awkward silence beginning to intrude.

"I tried finding Larrie but failed," she tried. "Do you know where he is?"

"He looked for you," said Ashley, running a hand through his perfect wavy blonde hair, "but a meeting for Prefects and Heads was going to start in the Head's compartment as soon as the train go on its way. He's didn't want to be late and I promised to make sure you'd get on on time..."

"He made Prefect?" She asked surprised that Larrie hadn't mentioned it in any of his letters. And then, realization sinking in, she started again before Ashley could answer, "Ashley, you're Head Boy."

"Yeah, I know." He smiled sheepishly. "Violet's going to kill me but-"

"Ashley?" She said, her eyes traveling from the badge to the window outside. "The train's rolling. You're meeting started already."

"Is it? It did?" said Ashley startled. A small blush crept into his cheeks as he stammered, "I didn't- I- Well, good-bye then."

He left in a hurry, and Regina soon heard him saying from outside, "I'm sorry, mate. Didn't see where I was going. Really am sorry..."

Regina smiled to herself, knowing no one could get mad at handsome, easy smile, blue-eyed Ashley.

And then he came into her compartment, straightening out his shirt (or wiping it, Regina couldn't tell), and muttering, "Bloody idiot."

There was something strange about him, something insulting and reassuring, offensive and defensive, harsh and charming all at the same time. A mess of contradictions, you might say. And it was all compressed in his sharp face. While Regina looked at him with more confusion than surprise, he took notice of her with neither.

"Long time no see, eh," was all he said, letting go of his shirt and untying the knot in the middle of his eyebrows.

"You don't come to Hogwarts," she said and instantly regretted it because he responded with one of his more-of-a-smirk-than-a-smile smiles. Finding out you hate feeling foolish is never nice.

"You're a bright duck. Now I suppose I have no option but to confess. I was so engrossed by your beauty back there that I kidnaped an innocent student, stole his uniform, and hopped into the train not caring that I was about to travel God-knows-how-many miles to a school that won' t let me smoke but will make me wear uniforms. What can I say? I'm a huge fan."

"Funny," she said resentfully. "Now that you're finished with your story, you can leave. I don't like riding with strangers."

"Strangers!" He cried with mock quiet indignation. "Why, we've know each other for a full thirty minutes now. Twenty, at least. We have a history. How dare you call me a stranger? Besides riding with strangers isn't quite so bad. It just depends on the way you ride," he finished meaningfully.

"We have no history," she snapped. "And I'm beginning to think you have a mental disorder."

"I'm not the one meditating in the middle of King's Cross," he pointed out. "Oh, there now. Don't be so touchy," he said as Regina stood up to leave. His voice had soften and he was standing in between the door and Regina in a gentle yet commanding manner. "I was only having a laugh with you."

"A laugh at me," she corrected. "You're a potential-mental-disorder-stranger who was having a laugh at me."

"I'm a transfer student," he relented.

She narrowed her eyes. "From where?"

"Home-schooled."

Regina contemplated this for a second and then went back to her seat, seeing that he was being serious and had left his sarcasm aside. For now, anyways. "Okay."

"So do we have names?" he asked.

It was a little funny to think you can converse with a random guy in a train station, find out your going to school together, be mocked by him, and then, after all of that, realize that names had not been given. It wasn't hilarious but it was a little funny. Enough to make her smile, anyways. "Tell me yours first.'

"Scott Carrow."

"It's nice."

"I had no say in it," he shrugged. "What about yours?"

"Regina Potter."

She waited for him to say something about her dad like most strangers did, but there was no 'Your dad is Harry Potter!', no 'Wait, so your dad's the guy with the scar?', not even a 'Sounds familiar, that name does.'

He just nodded thoughtfully. "It fits you nicely."

"As oppose to it not fitting?" She laughed.

"Well, sure. It happens all the time.". Regina looked at him disbelievingly. "I'll prove it to you. As soon as I see a case of Misfitting Name, I'll point it out so you can see."

He said it like it was some sort of official disease to: Misfitting Name.

It didn't sound logical to her, but she found herself nodding, ready to hear him babble on some more because while she thought most of what he said was nonsense, it was nonsense that made her think and argue. And that, surprisingly, felt nice though she would never admit it. Not even to herself.

x..x

By the time the compartment door was slid open again, the weather had drastically evolved from mildly cloudy to an intense thunderstorm. Regina hadn't noticed it, however, until a particularly loud thunder erupted at the same time that Maggie opened the compartment door, giving her appearance a sort of horror movie effect that caused Regina to gasp.

"Seen Ashley?" She asked Regina, remaining at the door.

Maggie hadn't even finished her two word question before Violet, with Larrie trailing behind her, slipped in between her and the door into the compartment. All three of them, Regina noticed with little alarm, were already wearing their Hogwarts uniforms.

"Have you?" insisted Maggie impatiently.

"Relax," said Violet with a smile. "He's probably hiding from you. Surely you're used to people doing that by now..."

"Hello," Regina mouthed at Larrie, not daring to interrupt the discussion with anything louder than a whisper.

Larrie grinned as he mouthed back, "Hey."

"Violet, I'm not in the mood right now. I need to find him. As Head Girl-"

"-you deserve to be warned ahead of time. Flaunt that title one more time and I'll flush the badge down the toilet." Violet kept her smile, so sweet it could've been in love, but Maggie promptly closed her mouth, which had remained open throughout the interruption. "Try Australia," she added as if helpfully. "I think Ashley mentioned it the other day. Say hello to all the Kangaroos. Bye-bye."

Maggie was far from ready to leave, her eyes having just fallen on Scott. She grinned brightly. "Hello there. I'm Maggie Stewart. How rude of me not to have introduce myself! You must be the new student they mentioned at the meeting. But of course you are! I think I would've remembered you otherwise."

"Stick out your tongue, maybe she'll remember then," muttered Violet but Maggie didn't hear, or she made a good job of pretending not to.

"Prefect?" mouthed Regina to Larrie.

Larrie replied with a shrug and a blush.

"I just want you to know," Maggie went on, "that as -Um," she turned around so that her face was completely away from Violet and whispered, "Head Girl," before raising her voice again to continue, "I want you to feel completely comfortable with asking me for anything."

"Anything!" empathized Violet, not bothering to mutter this time and making it better only by adding, "She's such a friendly person, Maggie is."

"And your name?" Maggie was successful in ignoring Violet once again.

"Scott Carrow."

"Nice to meet you. I need to go find my friend. It's urgent, unfortunately. But anything you need..." her voice trailed off.

Violet opened her mouth but Regina kicked her in the shins and she ended up yelping, "Ouch! What was that for?" she demanded, as Maggie slid the door shut.

"I'm not saying nice. I imagine that would be too hard," said Regina. "But is polite completely out of the question too?"

"Uh. Let me think. She flirts with the love of my life, and with one of my best friends, and she's gone out with all of my ex-boyfriends, and she's made Head Girl, which is only going to lead to my mum into thinking she's 'oh such a nice girl' to whom she's going to compare me for the first of my life because having perfect Kate as a sister isn't bad enough. So. Polite? Not even an option. And don't give me sass for it either. I saved you and Ashley. I'm a hero. I expect a trophy as soon as we get to Hogwarts. At the very least, I will have a cape."

"Sorry?"

"Do you look familiar or am I finally going insane." She tilted her head, looking at Scott.

"Yes to the first, and I would think so to the second," replied Scott looking quite entertained. "We briefly saw each other at the train station."

"This is my cousin, Violet Weasley," said Regina. "And this is Larrie Barclay."

"Nice to meet you," said Larrie lamely sticking out his hand. Scott shook it somewhat lazily, though if it was because that was just his way of doing things or because he instantly disliked Larrie, Regina couldn't tell.

"God, you look awfully familiar. Not from the station," she added when Scott looked at her pointedly. "Have I seen you from before? Are you sure?"

"Should I stick out my tongue and see if you remember then?"

"Cheeky," Violet said to Regina. "I like him. I need to go now. Michael and Ashley are in danger of Maggie's evil gigantic bra size. Don't forget my cape," she closed the door before Regina could protest, though Regina had given up quite a while ago.

"We're almost there..." Larrie informed, standing up.

"Oh," said Regina, getting the hint. "We should change, Scott."

"Change?"

"Into our uniforms."

"Oh well..." He said as if dreading the idea. He took out his uniform from his back up and began taking off his shirt.

"Don't!" cried Regina. She hadn't inherited the Weasley's ability to blush at the drop of a wand but she could feel herself turning pink now. "Not here. Find another compartment."

"There are no other available compartments. Come on, I'll close my eyes." But an undeniably wicked smile betrayed him and Regina soon recovered from her embarrassment and fell into frustration.

"I know where we can find a compartment," offered Larrie.

"I'll stay here, thank you very much."

"I know where we can find a coffin," offered Regina.

"So where's the compartment?"

x..x

"He's a bit..." Larrie searched for a word. They were sitting in the Gryffindor table, watching as one by one the first years were called in to place the hat above their heads, be sorted, and then received into a table full of enthusiastic applause. Scott was at the end of that line too. "Well, he looks a bit..."

"Cocky?" tried Regina, watching Scott twist his neck impatiently while a name was being called. "Sarcastic?"

"I don't know. He's just..." He trailed off again. Larrie had a habit of doing that when he had to make his mind up about something. He'd start voicing his opinion then stopped. Sometimes he'd finish off after a few seconds, sometimes after a few days, and sometimes he'd drop the subject all together. Katie had once said it was because he thought things too throughly and made everything so much more complicated, jumbling up all his thoughts.

"He's different," agreed Regina when she realized this wasn't going to be one of those 'after a few seconds' time. "From other boys, I mean."

"You say he was home-schooled? Maybe he's just not used to be social..." It was a bit ironic that he should bring it up considering that Larrie, who had been around people all his life and whose brother was one of the most popular boys, was really quite far from social himself. But he was observant, Regina had to give him that, and his way of analyzing was quite impressive. "He just seems so cold. Almost dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Regina turned abruptly towards Larrie, deciding at that moment that for once Larrie was wrong about someone. "What do you mean by that?"

"He's not aggressive... Not like that," he agreed . "He's not mean to you, is he?"

"No," said Regina without giving it a second though. Teasing? Yes. But mean? "Why?"

He shrugged. "Just making sure."

"You're mean," laughed Regina, eager to change the subject as a first year joined the Hufflepuff table, which had erupted in claps. "Not telling me about being Prefect. Honestly, Larrie, and I thought you were my best friend!"

"I wasn't proud of it," said Larrie. "I was actually kind of dreading it. My parents were expecting it, you see. Because Ashley was made prefect. It was a 'if he can do it, then you can do it too' sort of thing. They were disappointed because I wasn't made Prefect last year but I was relieved. And now..."

"The pressure is on again?"

The Gryffindor table stood up in a roar of applause as Wilton, Allen got up from the stool beaming.

Larrie nodded, his eyes quietly glancing over at his brother. Ashley was starting to take his sit again, a pretty brunette whispering something in his ear with a giggle and another blonde one laughing gentle as he blushed.

"Genetics are a real hit or miss," muttered Larrie. "Look it's the new kid's turn."

Regina looked up to find that Scott was sitting in the stool with the sorting hat on his head. He looked kind of silly, following all the little first years, and sitting there with his sarcastic look and the old battered hat on his head. The crowd had hushed, curious as to where this stranger -that seemed to belong nowhere, in most of their honest opinions- would end up in.

And then finally, "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Really?" said Larrie looking surprised.

Scott took of the hat, looking more excited about finally being able to step down than from being accepted into Gryffindor. He took a sit next to Regina, though Maggie had given him a hug and scooted herself to make space for him.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," whispered Regina with a smile as the Headmistress stood up to begin her speech.

Scott took a deep breath in and let it out quietly. "Indeed."