"She is perhaps the prettiest baby I have ever seen," the Medi-Wizard said softly, so as not to disturb the little bundle cuddled in its mother's arms.

"Thank you. She is gorgeous, of course, she is my daughter," the proud father said haughtily.

"Oh, you," the young mother said smiling. She looked up at the Wizard. "Thank you for such a compliment. We're so glad she's finally here with us now. Our little girl…Alexandria Rowena…"

The dream ended with a sudden slam, as the door to her room flew open. "You insolent BRAT! How dare you offend my guests."

"But sir, I didn't do anything…I swear. It wasn't me!" Alexandria tried to move away from the man, but it was no use, his brutish hands slapped her across the face.

"Don't you backtalk me! I am the head of this household, and you shall obey me!" He slapped her again, this time hitting her across the nose and drawing blood. "One more false move and it will be back to the state for you!" He slammed the door shut behind him. Alexandria forced the tears back, remembering the promise she had made to herself to never let that man see her cry. Instead, she climbed out the window to her room and up onto the roof. It had been a horrid day from the moment she had climbed out of bed. She had been excited. Today was her eleventh birthday, she was nearly a teenager, and that thought had her excited. Sure, she was an orphan technically, but unlike a lot of the kids she had left behind at the Center, she at least had a roof over her head, a chance to live a life, even if it was a miserable existence.

Alexandria Rowan, as she had been called for as long as she could remember, had been abandoned at birth, and in her tenth year of life, was adopted as help for a wealthy man in London. She would live under his roof and help the cook serve dinner. In return, Mr. Cullum would serve as her guardian and make sure that she attended school, was clothed and fed. That was about all he ever did for her that was any good. For any little transgression, she was hit, though he always tried to stay away from her face, so that his guests couldn't see any of the welts he was leaving behind. No, in her heart of hearts, Alexandria knew that things could be a lot worse, but even further down, in the depths of her soul, she knew that things could be a lot better.

Her eyes gazed up at the stars above her, making her feel even more insignificant. Alexandria Rowan would always be a nobody, someone who blended in and was never anything special, and she would blend in, if it weren't for one fact: she was beautiful. Everyone who saw her noticed her beauty first. Alexandria had long blonde hair that was curly enough so that the ends fell into soft ringlets, without being overpowering. Her skin was Sunkist, so as to give the effect of a slight tan. Her most striking feature, however, was her eyes. They were quite large pools of icy blue. Around the outside, a ribbon of golden brown, giving a golden effect. Yes, she was beautiful, and sometimes Alexandria thought it was a curse. When she was younger and in previous foster homes, many of her foster fathers had tried to do unspeakable things to her because of her beauty. So, as she grew older, she did her best to dull her beauty, so men wouldn't take such notice.

The stars twinkled up above, as Alexandria closed her eyes. "Okay, whoever is listening to me…here's my one birthday wish. I wish that someday I will be special to someone. And that someone will love me for who I am inside, rather than just for what I look like on the outside…just for being me." She opened her blue eyes, "That's all I really want." Hoping that the heavens got her message, she stood up to climb back down. From behind her a voice sounded.

"Well, this may be your lucky day, Alexandria Rowan." She jumped and turned around. Behind her stood a tall, dark haired man with the most startling green eyes she had ever seen.

"How did you get up here? Who are you?"

"I've come to tell you what you really are, and to take you to my world."

"Your world? I don't want to go someplace where people are going to stare anymore than they already do. Who are you?"

"My name is Harry Potter, and I'm a wizard. You're a witch."