* Remember: Thoughts, Mental thoughts exchange, Dreams, Past events, etc. are ITALICIZE.

Chapter 2: Defying Laws & Magic

[Houa's POV]

Within the private office of the Muggle Studies Professor, the two brown eyed women sat across one another on mustard armchairs separated only by a low coffee table with green tea and cookies in the center.

Now that Houa is officially enrolled at Hogwarts, the two of them can proceed forward.

Drinking her tea, Aunt Songly was the first to mentally inquire, "Now then, Houa tell me what it is that you know about you being here?"

Inhaling the rising vapor from her tea cup on her lap, the chestnut hair girl replied likewise, "I was only briefly informed that I have interfered with one of the worlds during my dimensional class travel. Everything happened so fast. My mentor said the most crucial step was transporting me here before everything becomes irreparable."

She made eye contact with her Aunt who nodded, "I would have to agree with your mentor. You see Houa, if you had gotten here any later after your interference, time here would have shifted too drastically for you to fix what you have changed. Our home realm Xellarius has sent me instructions to aid you in settling here as your mission unfolds since I am currently stationed here to study the wizarding and human world."

"I understand. Thank you for helping me Aunt Songly. I cannot fathom how I would be without your help, truly I am."

The older woman smiled gently, "Well then do you remember anything about what you have done to affect this world?"

"I'm afraid not. I'm sorry, I am still trying to recall since I traveled many realms with my classmates that day as well as engage in those realms thoroughly therefore, I didn't even know this was the world my actions have impacted."

A pregnant pause held the moment before the researcher stood up and walked towards the window eyeing the full moon. "June, that is the last month we can stay here until we must return to Xellarius. Let us hope you remember and mend everything long before our time is up."

Houa felt her stomach drop at the time constraint, fear seizing her heart, mind, and body at what would happen if she failed, "Y-Yes."

Turning back to Houa, the muggle teacher eyed her, "Now listen very carefully to what I have to say. Everything in your file mentioned earlier in the Headmaster's office was forged by me. The Ministry of Magic was not involved and does not know of our existence. We are going to disappear from this realm soon and would like to leave traceless."

Houa eyes widened in shock as Aunt Songly continued, "There is also no protection charm from the Ministry of Magic. You and I are dimensional travelers and therefore defy the laws and magic of this realm. A protection charm is the closest thing I could refer to 'this' as to prevent further speculation on our ends when any spells do not affect us. This means we are protected from all spells, good or fowl, including the Unforgivables."

"Unforgivables? What are those?"

"You will know soon enough if you do your studies. However, seeing as this is a school campus and you are just a student, I don't see why anyone would cast such upon you. Going right along, although we have managed to convince the Headmaster of your desire to discover more about your magical lineage, you are in fact NOT taking any courses requiring you to cast magic."

Houa sighed in relief at this while listening to her Aunt continue, "I have placed you into classes which require skills and abilities similar to our realm. Nonetheless to convince the Headmaster of your determination, you must seek to excel in the majority if not all courses."

"Alright."

"Importantly Houa, you must not draw any unwanted attention to yourself while we are here and I need not tell you how catastrophous it will be should anyone find out we are not of this realm. You are to notify me immediately of this if it is known and we shall abort our mission if need be. It is far greater to leave than to add more to the ripple effects of what is already done. Is this clear?"

"Perfectly."

"Lastly, our missions are vastly diverse. I am here to study the world between humans otherwise known as muggles and the magical beings known as witches and wizards here. I am only tasked with helping secure your stay here so that you may carry out your own mission as well as report your progress to the higher ups. You may come to me for anything mentioned above or if there's a need of a parental guardian, however your mission must be fulfilled on your own if you wish to return."

Houa had known all along that she would be handing this by herself yet hearing it from the only other person who truly knew her situation and could ever understand her, made her feel even more alone and a stranger to this world. She nodded.

"Alrighty then, all your school materials have been purchased already as well as your uniforms. I will have house-elves escort your belongings with you to the Hufflepuff dormitory. Do you have any questions before we retire tonight?"

There were probably a hundred questions Houa wanted to ask, but none her seemingly Aunt could provide answers for and instead replied, "No m'am. Thank you very much for all the preparations. I will fulfil my mission."

And return Home, no matter the cost, she silently added to herself.

Home, the word echoed more in her heart than her mind and is the only thing that gave her hope.

Little did she know just how much she would end up sacrificing for that singular word.

It helped that the room she was placed in is as cozy as it was alive since sleep had evaded Houa. Gazing around, she found that she liked the windows best. They caught the early sunlight and were framed by various floral and plants waving back at her while draped with yellow and black curtains.

Making her bed, the young woman began planning her day as she hopped into the shower. She had just finished drying her hair when her two roommates woke and joined her, happily accepting her as their third roommate.

Estelle Louiebourg is an adorable brown eyed girl who adorns two yellow bows on either side of her auburn hair. She gave off an aura of naive and innocent, too sheltered for her own good. Perhaps because of her overprotective parents, Houa noted as her roommate hugged her in excitement.

Lovely Vivienne Travis sported dark wavy hair accent with eyes that shined like emeralds. She was definitely the smarter of the two and carried an air of rebel and confidence as she pat Houa on the head.

Turns out they were seventeen years old like herself and are cousins of esteemed pureblood families which explains why in a room meant for five girls, the two of them took up double the space for their own closet and accessories.

Houa was grateful for their welcome and was only too relieved they paid little attention to her fabricated background as the two ladies dolled up for the first day of school.

She on the other hand had only combed through her brown hair and tied it with a teal ribbon while letting her bangs fall on her forehead and sides framing her face.

There was a knock on their door just as Houa finished slipping on her school robes and began gathering her school materials.

"If you can get that please Houa," muttered the two girls.

"I will," she opened the door to find a tall slim girl with beautiful freckles across her face with cobalt eyes and short brown hair ending at her shoulder.

"Good morning. You must be Houa," the taller girl stuck her hands out, "I am April Sullivan, one of the Hufflepuff Prefects. I have been instructed by Headmaster Dippet to show you around campus and direct you to your classes."

Houa felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulder as she had no idea how she would get around campus with zero map or sense of direction. She was going to ask her roommates for help.

"Thank you April I—," immediately as Houa shook the prefect's hand she found herself pulled into a trance.

The scene dancing before her eyes showed the girl before her now arguing with an older man in his fifties.

''I don't want to marry. I want to continue my studies and become a researcher!''

The sound of a slap echoed off into the room as the brown hair girl lay on the floor in tears.

"You will marry whoever I chose for you. Do not disobey me again," seethed the older man.

As he walked off the vision began to fade, only the sobs of a broken hearted teenager remained before vanishing all together.

"Is everything ok?" April asked in concern.

"Oh—yes," recollecting herself, Houa let go of her hand and had to fake pulling her bangs behind her ear instead of placing it on her now stingy cheek, "Thank you for coming to get me."

I must have accidentally absorbed April's memory of the pain.

"Seeing as you just transferred here, it would be difficult however, with time you will find it quite easy to navigate. Shall we get started with breakfast?" April grinned.

"Yes, breakfast sounds good," Houa smile softly into the ocean eyes of a young woman who dreamt of a life beyond the limited view of her patriarch.

By the time dinner came, Houa was still going over the school locations and her schedule with April. The Xellarius looked up as Estelle and Vivienne plopped down across them.

"Hi April and Houa. How did the first day go?" Estelle reached for some cornish pasties.

"Fabulous. Reunited with my love for potions again," April sat up holding up her cup of pumpkin juice like a mixture she just concoct.

"I managed somehow," laughed Houa, "How about the both of you?"

"Pretty good. Vivienne got a few guys eyeing her," Estelle nudged her cousin.

"Too bad, I have Cal already," Vivienne drank her cranberry juice.

"Yea, too bad indeed…you have Cal and not him..." Estelle muttered looking past April's and Houa's head with her mouth open and eyes dreaming.

Houa looked around the hufflepuff table to see that nearly every other female had either tilted their head up or looked over their shoulder, touching their hair and giggling in a particular direction.

Confused, she looked over her shoulder and saw that girls from other houses had done the same and asked, "Did something happen?"

"Ohhh...something indeed happened. He just walked in," Estelle said her spoon playing on her lips.

"Gotta admit he's still a catch," Vivienne joined her cousin.

"Ignore them Houa. They're just referring to Tom," April continued eating her chicken and mashed potatoes.

"Tom? Who's Tom?" she tried looking over her shoulder again, but they were blocked by a hoard of girls attempting to get closer, intensifying the field of shyness, admiration, and infatuation from what Houa could make out.

Moments later it seems this Tom has exited the Great Hall as the cluster of female students began dispersing back to their tables in murmurs of disappointment.

"Ohh Houa I forgot you don't know Tom do you?" Estelle smirked.

"Here we go again," her cousin started picking at her dish.

"If we must, I suppose," April began, "Tom Marvolo Riddle is the Slytherin Head Boy selected by the Headmaster to be in charge of all the House Prefects as well as any other duties needed to regulate the student body. He's painfully responsible and dedicated in all that he does to perfection. Something he expects of us Prefects as well."

"April here, gets to spend more than enough time with Tom during prefect meetings every week. Something every girl can only dream of, but I know I would dread it too if I were a prefect," laughed Estelle to which April rolled her eyes.

"I heard he scored O's in all twelve classes on top of all his prefect duties last year," the black hair witch joined, "I mean who does that? We're only required to take like seven classes?"

Houa looked at her own schedule and low and behold, she had the minimum seven classes total indeed.

"Not only is he extremely intelligent, he is also handsome, completely charming and polite, super respectful and willing to lend a helping hand to all when he's available," Estelle's smile faltered, "Unfortunately he has zero interest in dating and can send girls scattering the opposite direction just as easily. Me and a group of girls tested it out when asking him to tutor us on arithmancy."

"Why did so many girls huddle around him today then?" Houa asked feigning interest and dug into her mashed potatoes.

"Probably hoping he'll reconsider since it is the final year. But even I get tired of a man who shows no interest," Estelle munched on a piece of steak.

"Says the one who was just drooling at him earlier," muttered Vivienne.

"I can still admire him, but honestly I know we're incompatible," her cousin replied, "And I don't want the Head Girl going after my head too. Hence the title 'Head' ."

"He's also an excellent spell caster and duelist. No one has beaten him in DADA or Charm class," April sighed, "Or Potions for that matter. Professor Slughorn practically adores him, if not all Professors. Wait-maybe except Professor Dumbledore? Dumbledore treats everyone the same I believe."

Be interesting to hear Professor Dumbledore's take of this Tom. I wonder if my Aunt has met Tom yet? Houa continued eating while listening to the conversation.

"Word has it that his entire Slytherin House listens to and follows his every order too," Vivienne eye her new roommate, "I wouldn't want to get on his bad side."

"He is a trustworthy person though," Estelle said, "If you want something done right, on time, and fair and square, just assign Tom. I heard it from the Professors themselves and I have to agree."

"Yes, we mustn't forget what he did for the school last year," April's voice became softer.

Houa stopped chewing seeing the downcast faces of her two roommates. A disheartened aura engulfed the three of them as if they have broached a disturbing topic.

Estelle was the first to speak, "I am truly grateful for Tom. It's because of him we were all able to be here now."

The other two girls nodded in agreement.

Houa's mashed potato dropped from her spoon at April's next whispered words, "Tom was the one who caught the culprit that killed a girl last year."

TBC

Note: My main lead comes from Xellarius, a realm I made up. Mental communication with her Aunt and seeing vision through touch are some of the abilities of people from Xellarius. More will be reveal later.

The reason why spells and curses including Unforgivables won't work on her is important for the sake of this plot! Just go with the flow for now.

Also Tom opened the Chamber of Secrets in his 5th Year, however I am making it 6th Year. They are now in their 7th Year.

Thank you to my first 3 followers. It makes my day! Thank you for all those who stopped by as well. See you all in the next chapter.