Title: Made of Lightning
Author: Meissa6
Summary: Haley Potter was expecting a nice vacation when she travels to Forks, Washington to learn more about the elusive Cullen Clan. Instead, she discovers she is the focal point of another prophecy that will determine the fate of the entire world. Only this time, her enemy isn't an insane Dark Lord thirsty for revenge. Her biggest enemy is herself.
Disclaimer: I do not, nor will ever, own Harry Potter, nor the Twilight Saga, or any of their characters and plots.
My immortality drove a wedge between myself and the Wizarding World.
With Voldemort vanquished, there was nothing left for me in Britain. My friends grew past their teens, finding their soulmates and starting families, whilst I remained stuck at seventeen. I had always wanted to travel, so, one day, I picked up what little belongings I adored (namely my invisibility cloak, my wand, and the shard of mirror that stayed vacant) and left.
My wanderlust led me all over – the Americas, Brazil, China, Australia… once, I even ended up in the Antarctica, unbothered by the freeze that should've had me shuddering. I studied magic, pushing past my ideals of 'light' and 'dark' that had been drummed into my head. Magic was magic, and it all could be used for good or evil.
I helped people, and I took risks, and I fell in love a few times with both magicals and muggles. Eventually, my curiosity brought me to the States, to a vampiric coven who I'd only heard whispers about. The Cullens, they were called, but they were far from the vampire nature one would expect.
They were humane, choosing to feast on animals over people. They were kind to those who didn't raise a threat to them. So, just over eighteen years after my departure from my old life, I found myself crouched on a tree branch, overlooking the clearing in which a battle was taking place.
Charms combined with my cloak kept me hidden as I watched the Cullens destroy the younger vampires. It was nearly three against one, but they kept their upper hand… until they didn't. As another group of younglings entered the clearing, and the Cullens began to slip, I jumped down from my perch.
My cloak evaporated at will, and I canceled the charm hiding my heartbeat, but not my scent, immediately drawing the younglings' attention with my heartbeat. As one, they spun around, venom dripping from their lips as they snarled.
"Run!" The matron of the vampire coven, Esme, shouted at me, true fear ringing in her voice.
"Mine!" The nearest youngling snarled, lunging towards me, and the dance begun.
A smile played on my lips as I danced across the clearing, leaving vampiric ash in my wake. The Cullens were stunned as they watched me.
"Hell yeah!" The largest one, called Emmett, finally shouted, and joined me.
That seemed to wrench the others from their stupor, and the younglings were taken care of in a matter of minutes. I turned to them when the last of the younglings was turned to ash, glancing over their vast range of emotions from suspicion to amusement to fear, oddly enough.
"Erm, hi." I said awkward, tugging on a strand of my long, red hair. "I'm Haley."
Alice, the Cullen with short, black hair, and an interesting gift similar to one of my school friend's, gasped.
"You're the lightning!" She exclaimed, excitement filling her eyes as she darted forward, grabbing my hands.
Her skin was cold to the touch, but I found that the chill was somewhat comforting.
"Am I?" I asked, curious as to what she meant by that.
She smiled, and the action lit up her entire face, but she didn't explain, instead turning back to her coven.
"Welcome, Haley. I'm Carlisle." The leader of the coven spoke, his eyes kind despite the confusion on his face.
"I know." I admitted, flushing a bit as he smiled at me.
As much as I loathed it, their unnatural beauty was affecting me just as easily as it would a muggle.
"I met some of your friends in Ireland, and they told me of you and your family."
His smile turned less practiced, fonder at the mention of the Irish coven.
"Ah, Liam and Siobhan… I've heard they've gained another member – little Maggie – but I've yet to meet her."
I blinked, dragging my eyes away from him. I knew that he wasn't doing it on purpose, but there was an aura around him that was far too intriguing for my own good.
"What are you doing here, though?" He asked, his voice returning to a professional tone.
I opened my mouth to respond, but then, another Cullen, Edward, ran into the clearing, a brunette girl in his arms.
"Alright, put me down!" She giggled, sounding very familiar.
It was only when I got a look of her face that my heart dropped.
"Thalia?" I blurted out, having the least amount of tact as usual.
She looked up at me, all right, but there was no recognition in her eyes.
"Um, Bella, actually." She said, obviously confused. "Who are you?"
She instinctively stepped closer to Edward, who was staring at me. I lifted my chin defensively.
"My name is Haley." I said, my tone less than friendly.
I didn't believe her act for a moment. From the way the Cullens all shifted towards her protectively, I realized I had made a mistake.
"Who is Thalia?" Carlisle asked.
Well, that was unfortunate. Of course, Bella really did resemble her. They had the same heart-shaped face, the same dark eyes and hair, and the same pale skin and dark circles under her eyes. Then again, her posture was more relaxed. She looked like an innocent muggle – something I could never see Thalia being.
"An old… acquaintance." I said slowly, and forced myself to look at Carlisle. "Pardon my intrusion, but Liam suggested I could learn a few things from you and your coven. I am learning about the ways of vampires, you see, and he thought I wouldn't be giving the species a fair shot if I didn't take all views into account."
"Hell yeah! You have to let her stay, Dad. She's almost as badass as I am!" Emmett exclaimed, to which Esme replied, "Language!"
He smiled sheepishly at her before beaming at me.
"Almost?" I repeated, pretending to be scandalized. "I could kick your arse any day!"
His grin was so wide, it looked like it was going to split his face in half.
"It would be nice to have another girl to dress up." Alice put in, smiling angelically at me.
Her husband, Jasper, put his arm casually around her shoulders, observing me with an intense look in his eyes. I wondered if he knew what Alice meant by me being the 'lightning'.
"Where are you staying?" Esme asked, a hint of concern in her eyes.
I shrugged.
"If Carlisle is okay with it, I'm going to find a place in Port Angeles, or Seattle where I can crash for a few months." I replied easily, and her concern seemed to double.
She glanced at Carlisle, who was still observing me, and then said, "Nonsense! A young girl like you, alone in the city?"
I opened my mouth to remind her that I'd just killed at least ten newborn vampires, and she lifted her hand, a fierce look on her face.
"You will stay with us. We have more than enough room."
Her tone booked no arguments, and Carlisle winked at me when I looked at him, amusement on his face. I tried to hide my flush, but I knew all of them, sans Bella, could hear the sudden racing of my heart. I was all too glad when something crossed the ward, I'd set up out of hearing range from us.
"They're coming!" Alice gasped; her eyes were focused on something behind me.
"Haley, go!" Carlisle mouthed.
A chill ran over my skin, and when I looked down, I was completely invisible. I replaced the charm hiding my heartbeat, stepping back against a tree. Though the cloak hid those things naturally, it was better to be safe than sorry. I didn't want to end up starting another war because I couldn't keep my mouth shut.
The interaction between the four royal vampires and the Cullens went smoothly. In fact, they only stayed for a few minutes before they left, a threat hanging in the air regarding Bella's humanity. It seemed that she had a deadline to be changed into a vampire, or else she was going to be killed.
I wondered why they hadn't changed her yet. Why were they putting their own lives at risk to protect hers? The situation reminded me too much of my past life.
"That's so cool, how you disappear like that." Emmett remarked when I revealed myself.
"Oh, um, thanks." I responded, a bit taken off guard with the eagerness in his eyes.
The blonde girl, Rosalie, stepped closer to him, glaring at me.
"I'm… confused." Bella broke in, and I looked at her, trying to hide my apprehension. "You're not a vampire." She stated, shifting a bit as she studied me. Her eyes were far too expressive to be hiding something.
"I was born a witch." I clarified, and her eyes widened in surprise, but it seemed genuine.
She looked like she hadn't ever considered the idea of magic existing – even when she knew that vampires did.
"Wow, seriously? That's pretty cool."
She didn't ask me to prove myself, nor did she have a glint of disgust in her eyes.
"So, that's how you got rid of those newborns." Jasper spoke for the first time, and I heard a hint of respect in his voice.
It was a bit unfair how easily the blood rushed to my face with his almost-compliment.
"Yeah…" I said quietly.
I was relieved when Carlisle suggested we head back to their house.
"Jazz can give you a lift." Alice said brightly, nudging her husband, who didn't seem at all surprised by her suggestion.
He did hesitate, though, glancing at Carlisle, who was looking at Alice, a little crease between his eyebrows.
"Hey, it's alright. I'm sure I can-."
I didn't get to finish before Jasper had darted forward, lifting me effortlessly and taking off at the speed of a racing car. My yelp of surprise was lost in the wind. I heard Alice giggle from somewhere on my left, but I didn't want to take the chance of twisting to see her and making Jasper drop me.
Not that I'd be extremely hurt by it, anyways, but it'd really suck to have our visit cut short because I cut my leg open on a branch.
"That was… fun." I said when Jasper finally set me down again.
The house in front of me was large and looked like something I'd see out of a HGTV magazine or something. It was elegant in a way that wasn't posh.
"And your house is lovely."
Esme beamed at my words.
"Thank you! I built it myself, back in the twentieth century." She spoke.
"Speaking of the twentieth century, Bella, you and I need to have a talk." Alice said, moving from my side to loop her arm through Bella's.
The brunette seemed surprised, but Alice motioned for her to keep quiet, giggling as they went into the house. Esme smiled at me.
"Come, love, I'll show you where your room is going to be." She said kindly.
I stepped from Jasper's arms, a bit startled to realize that I hadn't noticed him still holding me and followed Esme towards the house.
To put it plainly, I was utterly enchanted by everything that was the Cullens. Their house was gorgeous, of course, but it went further than materials. I found myself trusting them – even Rosalie, who was still giving me the stink-eye – and I wanted to know them more than anyone I'd ever met.
Perhaps it was their vampiric charm (it most definitely was), but they drew me in. The room Esme showed me was between Edward's, and Emmett's and Rosalie's, directly across from Jasper's and Alice's. It was colored in neutral blues and grays, but I adored it.
"By the way, where are your things?" Esme asked when we entered my new room.
I smiled at her and pulled out the miniature suitcase in my pocket. I sat it on the bed and, immediately, it grew to its normal size. She looked amazed.
"That's very convenient!" She exclaimed.
I laughed a bit.
"Oh, you wouldn't imagine the confusion I cause when I go into airports."
She laughed with me, and the sound was as gentle and musical as her voice. She reached her hand out, touching my arm when I stepped towards the suitcase.
"Please, just let us know if you need anything."
Her expression was so genuinely compassionate, that I found myself tearing up a bit.
"Thanks, Esme." I replied, and she gave me a final smile before she turned, walking from the room at a normal pace.
I knew she did that for my benefit, and it only made my respect for her grow. I unpacked my things manually, quite enjoying the few moments alone.
One would think, after months of being alone, that I'd be downstairs, surrounded by people, but there was something soothing about being by myself. I found myself relaxing, not having to put up a charade. I wasn't being ingenuine with the Cullens, but I found myself moving back into a façade whenever I interacted with them.
It was almost like being back at… well, back in my past life. Of course, the Cullens didn't seem to have any big expectations of me. I hoped Alice's 'lightning' thing wasn't another prophecy-like deal. I might just return to the icy desert of the arctics if that was the case.
I finished unpacking, stowing my clothes in the beautiful dresser in the room, and took a much-needed loo break before I rejoined the Cullens downstairs.
"Mom's making human food, if you're interested." Emmett said to me when I entered the living room.
He was sprawled out on the couch, his eyes focused on the large television. Jasper sat next to him, his eyes flickering to me. Two identical controllers were in their hands, and, when I stepped further into the room, I saw that they were playing some sort of shooter game.
"You want to play? Beware, Emmett gets way too competitive." Jasper asked, his eyes back on the television.
"I do not!" Emmett complained, and then shouted with joy when a screen came up, proclaiming himself as the winner.
I laughed at them, escaping to the kitchen whilst I still had the chance. Rosalie and Esme were flitting around the kitchen, cooking what looked like a meal to feed a very large family. Alice and Bella sat at the table, seeming to scour over hundreds of catalogs, and Edward and Carlisle sat at the counter, muttering to themselves.
"Is everything alright?" I asked quietly, stepping up next to them.
Edward just buried his face in his hands, and Carlisle gave me a tense smile.
"The creator of the newborns we took care of this afternoon is gone." He admitted. "Edward tried to track her down, but the scent was dissipated when he finally got back to the area."
I frowned, stepping up to the counter and looking over the map they had spread out. I tried to ignore Edward's arm brushing against mine when he lowered his hands from his face, sighing heavily.
"Can't Alice See her?" I asked, running my fingers over the place they had circled.
Carlisle shook his head wordlessly.
"No, because the wretch isn't making her own decisions. She's having a pawn do it for her." Edward hissed.
Esme clicked her tongue.
"That's enough of that. Bella, Haley, I hope the two of you are hungry."
It felt odd to have her mother me, but I just smiled lightly, pushing aside the wrongness of the situation.
"Of course, we are, Esme." Bella beamed, seemingly at ease.
I joined them at the table, trying not to intrude on what her and Alice were giggling about.
"Thank you." I said, looking up at Esme when she sat a plate full of colorful, delicious food in front of me.
She smiled at me, her kindness evident in her eyes. A shiver ran down my spine when she touched my shoulder as she passed.
"You're quite welcome." She said softly.
It was entirely unfair how tingly I felt with just a brush of their skin against mine. I needed a distraction, so I quickly filled my mouth with food before I could say something embarrassing or incriminating. Alice looked up, her eyes shining with amusement when she saw me.
"What do you think, Haley? Blue or green for the dress?"
She held up two different swatches in front of Bella, giving me time to swallow before I replied, "Blue."
Bella grinned, as in a told-you-so type of way, sticking her tongue out at Alice, who was still watching me, a smile curving her lips. I meticulously ate every last bite on the plate, answering Alice whenever she'd ask for my opinion on something.
I gathered, by the time I was finished, that they were planning a graduation party in Bella's honor, since the rest of them had already finished high school countless times. The idea of them attending school intrigued me, but I didn't ask any questions.
Esme swept my empty plate away and shooed me from the kitchen when I asked to help clean up. Emmett laughed at my expression when I entered the living room.
"Don't take it personal, Haley. She doesn't let Bella clean up either." Jasper remarked, barely looking away from the television.
They were still playing the shooter game.
"Do you want to play?" Emmett asked hopefully, but I declined.
"No, thanks. I think I'm going to go for a run."
Almost on cue, thunder broke overhead, and the light rain outside began to get heavier. I rolled my eyes.
"On second thought…"
I joined them on the couch, and Emmett passed me a spare controller.
"You're going down, magic girl." He threatened with a boyish grin.
I just laughed at him.
For the first few games, his words were absolutely correct. They demolished me, to the point where I barely managed to revive myself before they were gunning me down. Over the next few hours, I slowly got better, but as the sky darkened, I began to lose progress again as my eyes grew heavier and heavier.
"I think it's time for Haley to go to bed." Jasper said when the controller slipped from my fingers for the sixth time.
"No, no, this is…" I blinked open my eyes, not realizing that I'd closed them. "Fun." I finished.
They laughed quietly, and I realized that Jasper's laugh was deep and smooth, whilst Emmett's was slightly higher-pitched and melodic. I blinked at them, not quite understanding the joke.
After a bit of back and forth, I finally gave in, leaving the controller behind as I went up to my room. The stairs felt like climbing a mountain, and by the time I actually got to my room, I was barely keeping my eyes open. I raised silencing charms instinctively before I collapsed into the bed, curling up under the heavy, warm comforter.
For the time being, I allowed myself to relax into the warmth.
