Disclaimer:I don't own anything you recognize from the Harry Potter series.

A/N: For all intents and purposes the Harry Potter series hasn't been written, because our story takes place in the world that contains the actual Harry Potter.

Chapter One: The Past, the Truth, and the Visit To A Grave.

Christina Hathaway eyed herself in the bathroom mirror. She didn't like the way she looked. In the past she had always wished she could have been one of those thin but muscular girls, with curves in the right places. Now she gazed at the body that had lost too much weight too quickly. She shook her head and came out of the bathroom. Her stepfather was sitting in the living room waiting for her. She and her step father had never really gotten along, until that horrible day, when her world was stopped in an instant.

Moving to stand next to the door she said quietly "I'm ready."

Standing in front of the headstone Christina was lost in her memories. The day of the accident replayed itself over and over in her mind. Listening to the radio as they traveled down the road, her step father asking which band was playing, and then laughing when she got it wrong. Her mother making passing comments on the trip, her best friend beside her, laughing at the jokes her stepfather was telling. Christina had drifted off to sleep. She woke up seconds before it happened. The car jerked, and then they hydroplaned, her step father yelling for them to hold on, her best friend screaming, then the driver's side of the car slammed into the guardrail, and bounced back. While the car was swinging back around the car bumped into something. The force of the bump picked Christina right up off the car seat, the momentum of the swinging car carrying her to the back of the station wagon, she had a few seconds to realize what was happening before she was thrown out the back hatch of the car. She skidded across the road and into the ditch, the car bounced off the guardrail again and then slid into the ditch as she had. Looking up she could see the car coming straight for her head, and she knew she was going to die, and then the car veered and hit her ankle instead, instantly breaking the tibia, and rupturing the ligament in her ankle. Pounding on the driver's door and seeing her step father's face, he looked so scared she knew something was wrong. Then she heard her best friend screaming, screaming about her mother, and then the world went dark, as she blacked out.

Christina's head jerked as she came out of her reverie. She drew in a deep breath to steady herself. She touched her mother's headstone then turned away, wishing she could have had just one more day with her.

When they got home that day, there was a man Christina sorta recognized standing at the door, it took her a moment to place him. It was Mike Farber, her mother's lawyer.

"Mr. Farber" She said as she opened the door, went inside and waited for him to follow. He took a seat on the couch.

"Miss Hathaway, as you know when your mother had the double bipass last June, she drew up her will. She also put into my care, a letter to you, to be delievered when she passed away. As you were consumed with your own recovery and physical therapy, I decided to wait until you were fully recovered to deliever it. I'm truly saddened by her passing. She was a wonderful woman." He said, and she believed him because she could see the sadness in his eyes. He handed her the envelope and bid her good day. She stared at the envelope, not wanting to open it, and knowing she had to. She took it to her room, turned on her favorite cd, a burned compilation of Beatles and Rockapella and opened the letter.

Christina,

My darling daughter, I'm sorry that you would have to read this letter, not only because I'm gone, but because what I have to tell you will be hard for you to take in, and I wish I had the guts to tell you myself in person.

I will not beat around the bush, or sugar coat it, the man you have thought to be your father all your life, is in fact not. He's your sisters' father. Your father is a man I met one night after William and I had fought. I was pretty beat up, and the man kindly offered me comforting words. He is not American, he comes from England. I can't lie to you and tell you that I loved him because I didn't, nor do I hold any false ideas that he loved me. It was simply a matter of comfort. I know this will hurt you, because of all that you suffered at the hands of the man you thought was your father, but I feel better knowing some of the pain will be eased because I hope you will no longer question how a man could do that to his own child. I never told William he wasn't your father, but he knew somehow. It was the main reason he left, and I thank God every day for that. Your real father wanted you to be protected, so he couldn't be apart of your life, he made me swear on Granny's life that as long as I drew breath I would never tell you, but as I am no longer drawing breath I feel that that oath has been fullfilled. I'm going to tell you his name, and his last known address, I want you to take your inheritence and search him out. I want him to know your accomplishments, and the beautiful person you are. I love you, and will always watch over you.

Love always,

Mommy.

Tears coursed down Christina's cheeks, and she stared at the name and address of the man who was her father. She knew she was going to do as her mother asked, and go to England. She was going to show her father what he had been missing, and she was going to make him love her.