This chapter has drastic changes done to it but not so much that it screws up the rest of the story.

For people who haven't read past this point yet, the future chapters aren't going to fit properly with what you just read but it shouldn't be unreadable I'll fix it all later and it'll be worth it!

Harry lead BJ and Alix past a group of about six kids to the back room of the Underground. The back room wasn't large but nor was it small. There was a row of medical beds set on either side of the it and there were a few tables with tattoo machines and piercing needles, set around the room. In the center was a large black tarp that separated it in two.

"There are some chairs over there." Harry pointed to a place near the tarp where four leather, cushiony chairs sat facing each other.

"Ookies."

"I'll be right back." Harry left the room returning moments later with a boy tailing along behind him, he looked nervous, but had a determined air in his walk.

"Ok, could you sit over there?" Harry motioned to the medical bed closest to BJ and Alix. The boy sat. Harry smiled reassuringly before going over to a cabinet against the wall and taking out a couple sheets of paper from it.

"Im just going to have you fill this out before we start. If you have any questions just ask and try not to leave anything blank." Harry said in a professional voice handing the boy the sheet and a pen. When he finished Harry took it and looked it over.

"It says your fifteen, anyone under sixteen has to have permission from a parent/guardian."

"I have a note, is that ok?" the boy seemed to lose his confidence slightly but dug through his pant pockets and withdrawing a note. Harry took it and read it. He looked back at the boy and then back at the note.

Harry was soon convinced that it was real as Harry noticed the boy was right handed and the neat handwriting on the note slanted in a way only someone left handed could achieve. Harry smiled and set the papers in a pile on the desk next to the bed. "Ok. So do you have your design?"

"Yeah." the boy handed over a photo of a dog. "It's the best pic I have of him, is that ok?"

"Yup. The page says you want it four by four inches and on your right shoulder blade?"

"Yes."

"Then could you please take your shirt off and lay on your stomach for me?" the boy tentatively stripped down his torso and lay face down. Harry pulled the light on the side desk low so that he had lots of light.

An hour and a half latter Harry was explaining the after care to the boy, having finished his work.

"I'll put my shirt on out there, I want to show this off first." The boy said with grin. As he walked towards the door he caught sight of Amy, the other girl who worked with Harry, finishing up the boy friend's tattoo. He winked and went back out into the lobby.

Harry turned back to BJ and Alix. "Feel free to leave if you want. This must be boring as hell." Harry said putting the file for the boy that had just left back in the cabinet.

"No, this is a vary educational experience." Alix said holding up the magazine he was reading. The mane head line was, 'What ten things not to do when piercing someone's nipple.'

Harry rolled his eyes, "My boss insisted on buying those. There useless, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know not to goggle at your clients breast while piercing it."

Four hours later Amy and Harry had managed to finish tattoos for the four remaining boys.

Harry, Alix and BJ exited the Underground with relief.

"That wasn't fair. Its Sunday, your boss shouldn't have dropped four hours on you like that!" Alix said with indignation.

"Yeah well that's Anthony for you." Harry said with a shrug.

"We've got three hours before the show starts, I still need to spiff up." BJ said consulting his watch.

Alix snorted, "Spiff up?"

"What? Yes ok, you sure?"

"Huh?"

"What?"

"What?"

"Reality slipping away for you two?" Harry said looking at one then the next and back again not unlike one would watch a confusing tennis match.

"No idea."

They decided to go back to Harry's place, where Alix and BJ could have a shower and get 'spiffed up', what ever the hell that meant.

"Ok, all spiffed up!" BJ came back down after his shower. His dark brown hair was spiked and he had a dark purple t-shirt with a scull over a black a white striped long sleeved shirt. He had a pair of long black jeans. The tips of converse shoes could be seen.

"Like the shirt." Harry said looking back down at his book that he had been reading, it was called 'Theories of Relativity' a truly in credible story.

Five minutes later Alix came in, 'spiffed up' like BJ. Alix's black shag, that had a white streak in the bangs, was placed carefully so it curled at his ears and his bangs lay strait across his forehead. He had a black muscle shirt and a fishnet top on underneath that. He had black pants not unlike BJ's but his had a long silver chain hanging all the way down to his knee. He had a pair of motorcycle boots on his feet.

"Ready?" He asked.

"No, I still need to get clean myself up a bit." Harry said heading up the stairs. "Make it quick." He heard Alix's voice as he reached his bedroom. Harry jumped in surprise as he entered his room.

'Oh jeez I forgot.' He looked at his wall for a second before moving across his blackened floor to his closet. He didn't really have to do much, he was happy with the clothing he was wearing but he added a few accessories like a studded collar around his neck and a few spiked bracelets. He popped open the medicine cabinet and searched through Petunia's make-up until he found what he was looking for. Eye liner. He put it on laying it on thick but expertly. He examined himself in the mirror and tucked some of his hair behind his ears so the piercing's were more visible, then happy with himself, he went back into his room and popped a pill he had hidden in a box in his closet then he went back down stairs.

"That's spiffy." BJ said looking Harry up and down.

"Ok! If you say 'spiffy' or 'spiffed-up' spiff-anything! Im going to shove your head up your ass!" Alix said turning on BJ laughing despite.

"Uh-oh! Your gonna anal me with my own head, you anal!"

"Lets go!"

They had to walk to the older part of town because their was no bus service at this time of night. The ground was still damp from the rain that had fallen earlier that morning and the nearly full moon reflected off the puddles that lined the curb.

"Can't wait till we get there Im fucking freezing." Alix said hugging himself and shivering. Just then, the first few rain drops fell. "Fuck."

Harry was thinking that he should have grabbed his trench.

They were way to early for the show and Alix said his girlfriend was supposed to meet up with them at a nearby coffee shop so they hurried into the warm rich smelling building. The mere smell of coffee was enough to warm Harry up. They ordered and looked around for Alix's girlfriend. There were lots of other people who were going to the show here as well. Places like this were always packed before a show.

"That's her." Alix said pointing at a pair of girls siting at the far corner. "Common." and he led the way. "Hey Dev." Alix bent and kissed her before plopping down in the seat next to her. Harry and BJ sat on either side of the girl who sat across from Dev and Alix.

"Dev, Shea this is Harry." Alix said nodding at Harry. "Dev do you remember him? He was in our class since kindergarten till before we went to Stonewall."

"Yeah, I remember you." She grinned at him through a curtain of long black hair that in front of her face. "I see you've changed quite a bit."

"As have you." He said. "Hello." Harry said now staring at the girl who sat next to him. She was the most curious looking girl he'd ever set eyes on. She had bright pink, short hair which complimented her almost yellow eyes. She wore an odd assortment of clothing. Underneath an electric blue and black corset top she wore black fishnet and a variety of necklaces. She had a pair of blue bicker gloves on her hands with a chain that had been wrapped around her wrist a number of times. She had a short blue and black plaid skirt with purple fishnets on her legs and knee high lace-up platform boots.

Harry quickly looked away, embarrassed that he may have stared at her a bit to long.

"Hey." She said back, though he didn't notice that her gaze linger on Harry just as long as his had on her.

"Harry this Shea, Shea this is Harry." Dev said introducing them, "She's in one of the bands playing tonight."

"Yeah, I was telling you about her earlier remember?" BJ said.

"Oh, this is your cousin?" He said giving Shea another quick glance.

"Yup." He turned to talk to Dev and Alix leaving Shea and Harry to an awkward silence. Her eyes found the scar on Harry's forehead, they widened.

"My sister told me about you." She said in an undertone so the others wont hear. "You're a wizard." matter-of-factly.

Harry grimaced a bit but nodded. "Who's you sister?"

"Her names Luna, she's a year younger then me."

"Loony Luna." It was out before he'd realized he'd said it. He grimaced again. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." he said at her icy stare. "She was one of the few people who stood by me last year, not only that she risked her neck and fought along side me."

"She told me and dad all about that. Dad published the stories she told about it this summer. Not only that but the news papers are printing about it to." Shea whispered back. "For the first time Im glad im not a witch, with all the stories about you-know-who, it seems to frightening to stand." She said with a shiver.

"Yeah, its crazy." Harry wanted to change the subject because the others were starting to remember Harry and Shea were there.

"When does your set start?" Alix asked Shea.

"It's the third band in so not for an hour and a half probably." she looked at her watch and downed her coke. Harry tried to hide the fact that he couldn't keep his eyes off her, but their eyes kept meeting. "They'll be opening the doors now, shall we go?" at that they stood and left the warmth and light for the dark wet streets.

The crowd in front of the doors to the FreakZone had by now diminished as most people were now inside. They went through the small entrance room where they payed and received wrist bands. They followed a small group of teens heading off down a hall to the back where the show was held. There was a large stage set up at the other end of the room, the multi colour stage lights illuminated a band setting up there gear and getting ready for a sound check.

There were a couple of chairs set along the wall of the black and white checkered floor. It was unbelievably crowded, there must have been three hundred people, more people then Harry was used to seeing here. It was not surprising since it was the best line up seen in awhile.

The first band introduced them selves as Undamaged Insanity and began their first song of the set. The band was unbelievable! It was fast and heavy but well written and every song had a baffling uniqueness to it. A mosh pit had started in the center of the room. Alix and BJ and Dev left to go join but Harry stood by the stage with Shea and watched the band play, appreciating every bit of it.

A number of songs later, the band had finished their set and pointed the crowd to where they were selling cd's a t-shirts then began hauling all there equipment off the stage. The next band was Amy's band. Amy was Anthony's second favorite money maker (most people call them employs), she and Harry got along quite well due to all the hours they'd spent on shifts together talking, laughing and speculating what Anthony's last name could possibly be.

Harry caught Amy's eye and waved making playful cat calls at her. She waved and winked as she plugged in her foot pedal. She hoisted the strap of her guitar up her shoulder and lowered the microphone to her height.

Harry didn't miss the crest fallen look on Shea's face as she watched the display between Harry and Amy. He nudged her lightly and asked if she'd like to go with him to pick up a cd from the last band who played.

"Sure Harry. You enjoyed them too?" Then she looked back over her shoulder at Amy as they made their way through the crowd to the back of the room where a table was set up and Undamaged Insanity sat behind it selling cds and grinning and joking with a tight circle of friends.

"Hey." The lead singer said as he noticed Harry and Shea approach them.

"Hey." Harry pulled some money from his pocket. "Two cd's please." Shea started pulling money from her wallet. "Don't bother." Harry grinner at her.

"Yeah sure man." The singer handed the cd's over to Harry who handed one to Shea. Once they were paid for Harry led the way outside to have a smoke before the next set started.

"Who was that Harry?" Shea asked.

"Who do you mean, the chick on the stage?" Harry asked even though he knew that's exactly whom she meant. She nodded trying to seem casual as she took a drag of the cigarette they shared.

"That was Amy, I work with her at the Underground tat place, she's ok." Harry said taking a drag and handing the cig back to Shea. "Wanna take a little walk?" Harry asked her pointing off down the street.

"Sure." She fell into step beside him. There was a silence, but there was no awkwardness this time. "Have you know my cousin and Alix long?" She asked.

"Not really. We met up yesterday, we hadn't seen each other since grade school before then." a pause. "I wish I got along with my cousin like you do with your's."

"Me and BJ are more like brother and sister really. What's you cousin like?"

"Think of a wale with capability to be a complete violent asshole and you've got my cousin to a tee. Well he's dead now so it doesn't really matter." Harry had almost forgot about what happened yesterday.

"Im sorry. I don't want to pry, but what happened?"

"He had a little accident yesterday. A big accident actually; he and my aunt were hit by a truck." he gave vague detail but still she looked politely sickened. She looked awkward about showing sympathy, a problem Harry had too.

"Only yesterday?" though she did seem genuinely sorry for him. "Shouldn't you be with your uncle?"

"Shit no. This is the time I should stay out of his way, as long as im out of sight im out of mind and that's a good thing with that bastard." he looked at the ground bitterly for a moment then grinned. "You know what? I prefer it be like that. Im almost glad he never gave a shit about me because I sure as hell never gave three shit's about him. Never."

"I have a sort of similar relationship with my mother, we don't hate each other we just don't really care about each other, I don't know anything about her really and she doesn't know shit about me. We never made an effort to lessen the awkwardness between us. It was the same with her and her mother I think." a pause, "I guess its not like you and your uncle, but you know what I mean right?"

"Yeah. Do you ever think about what it would be like if your mother cared about what you were doing or gave you curfews or whatever?"

She crinkled up her nose in disgust. "Id hate to have one of those parents who always breath down your neck. BJ's mother, my aunt, is like that. She some super control freak, and I think she's like some psycho bipolar too. Now that I think about it, im sort of glad I have freedom and independence, I mean it sucks that I don't have a mother or someone to talk to about woman things with." she giggled and continued. "But still I don't have to pull stunts like BJ did to night, he told his mother that he was sleeping over a Alix's so she doesn't know he's here, she'd have kittens if she knew. She tries to pry into his personal life but that just draws her further away from seeing who her son really is." She looked sorry again, but for her cousin this time.

Harry looked thoughtful for a minute. "It's the same thing isn't it? My uncle, you mother and BJ's mother. My uncle hates everything about me but hedoesn't know anything about me. Your mother doesn't care to know anything about you, and BJ's mother needs to know him to control him, but she doesn't know him at all." he was silent for a moment, trying to think about how to word what he was trying to say. "All our families live on a constant function and that's dysfunction."

They were silent taking in the truth of those words, the irony. Suddenly Harry gave a small laugh and said, "We'd better get back to the show, the set will have started by now." Harry felt comfortable talking to her. He didn't go through the motions of picking a version of himself and acting out, there was no awkwardness and no dishonesty. She seemed to accept him and listen to him just as he had accepted and listened to her.

He liked her presence, it seemed almost calming, soothing. She had an aura about her that could do that to him, not many have that. Its what his frantic mind needed. He'd forgotten about the insanity of his mundane summer life as the heat and music burned his boredom away leaving him feeling, feeling alive. He really felt for the first time in a long time, he no longer felt like stone but a person again.

When the show was over Harry walked slowly home enjoying the cool night air, he held a suppressed grin the whole way.

Shea's band was after Amy's, Shea played bass and lead the vocals, she in fact ran the whole show, her beauty and shear talent left Harry and rest of the audience breathless. They played so intensely that everyone in the crowd went silent in order to watch. Each song had a climax that left you winded and wanting more. Shea's singing could have made Amy Lee run for her money. they played melodic, almost celtic, gothic music but it was somehow heavy and fast at the same time. Harry had never heard anything so incredible in his life! Shea gave him her bands cd plus a tape she and her brother had recorded in her basement, and to his surprise and great pleasure she had said yes when he tentatively asker if she'd like to go out with him. He wanted to talk to her again, he wanted to who she was. She gave him her phone number and made him promise he'd call her as soon as he could and he said call sooner then that.

It was three a.m. when he arrived back to the empty Dursley house. It was dark inside but he didn't bother turning any lights on, instead he made his way through darkness by memory, finding the couch in the living room, he threw himself down and lay silent in contentment.

He couldn't wait to see her again. In fact he couldn't wait to see any of them again. He wasn't a major social person but he had gotten used to having friends during the year and he just now realized that boredom was not the only thing bothering him, loneliness had been getting at him too. Now he was no longer alone.

Alrighty then, another chapter completely re-written, what I had before sucked arse so I redid the entire concert thing and added a knew character, gave him a girlfriend and made Dev less important. I hope you like it better. Still lots of mistakes but the story is getting a bit better.

-Nikki