Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight and Harry Potter. All characters of both stories, along with their storylines, belong to their respective owners, Stephenie Meyer and J.K. Rowling. However, all unfamiliar characters and storylines do belong to me.

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

East Anchorage High

Year 2000

A swirl of sky blue paint glinted across a canvas, providing the atmosphere of the landscape a brighter effect. Before the easel sat Kaylee, her focus solely on her painting, her eyebrows pinched with concentration as she immersed herself on her piece, letting her paintbrush lightly dance across the canvas to create the image of Hogwarts Castle and its surroundings. As she worked, she remembered all the good times she, Hermione, Harry and Ron, along with the twins experienced within its walls. The sorting. The many adventures, even though every year were more dangerous than the former. She remembered the pranks she joined in with the twins when she had nothing to do. And Merlin, she remembered all the food. Subconsciously, she smiled as she painted the beautiful castle where her friendships with the others blossomed.

She frowned when she noticed her blue paint was running out. She checked the clock above the blackboard of the art classroom and saw she had about another fifteen minutes before she and the rest of the class were to finish their paintings. Reluctantly, she stood up and took her palette to re-fill her paint but as she turned around, she came face-to-face with Alice who grinned happily at her.

Gasping in surprise, Kaylee stumbled back, blinking at the pixie. "Alice, w-what?"

Said pixie laughed in that wonderful bell-like voice she owned. "Sorry, Kaylee, but I was just watching you paint seeing as I've finished mine and had nothing else to do. Your painting is lovely by the way!" she replied, then she gestured to the blue paint she clutched in her hand. "I noticed you needed more so I went and got it for you."

"Oh," Kaylee said silently before brightening. "Well, in that case, thank you. And because you went and fetched the paint, you are more than welcome to keep watching." Kaylee took it from her and poured a reasonable amount on her palette. She smiled at Alice before sitting back down and began to work on the water.

Alice pulled a chair beside hers and watched in awe at the masterpiece her new friend was creating. The other paintings she had observed from around the room paled in comparison to hers, including her own, as rare as it sounds. Though that did not bring her mood down because the more she watched, the more she discovered Kaylee's traits and abilities. Creative. Careful. Unexpected.

"Where is this place? Is it even a real place?" Alice asked quietly.

Kaylee continued to paint as she replied. "It's a real place, a real castle. It's where I studied before I moved here." she smiled. Alice noticed the way her eyes lit up just from talking about it. It must really be something dear to her, and Alice wanted to find out why it was even if takes her longer than she was used to.

"Really?" Alice said in surprise, her eyes flitting back towards the easel. "It's beautiful. I can only guess it's somewhere in England."

Kaylee's smiling eyes met Alice's. "Yeah, you can say that." she paused, deep in thought. "You must be wondering why I painted the castle—" Alice's raised one of her perfectly lined eyebrows, wondering if Kaylee had some kind of ability to read people's mind, like her brother. "—It's not that hard to guess, Ali. I could read it in your eyes, see the unasked question in them."

Alice chuckled, happy she was going to get the answer or answers she sought from her. "Well, aren't you just smart? But yes, you got me. I want to know why you painted this specifically for today's task. Why is it important to you?"

Once again, Kaylee turned to her art and continued as she replied to Alice's question. "It holds so many happy memories, including the ones when I was too reckless and problematic to all my peers and teachers. However, Hogwarts is mostly important to me because it's where I found my best friends, who I know will always be there for me. And this is the place w-where…" she stumbled, her hand shaking slightly. "Where I-I found out who…who my father was."

"Is that a bad thing?" Alice wondered. This time when Kaylee looked at her, she was alarmed to find the girl with tears in her eyes. Immediately, Alice felt bad for breaching her new friend's personal life.

She shook her head. "No, it was far from terrible. It was a beautiful moment when we reunited. You see, I'd been separated from my father for reasons I didn't understand at the time. It was on the same year I had lost my mother from an accident. Therefore, I was forced to live with my father's relatives—his hateful cousin to be more specific—and from then on, I didn't have contact with my father until I was thirteen years old."

"That's definitely a good thing but why the tears?"

Kaylee bit the inside of her cheeks, wondering if she should disclose the disheartening revelation to Alice. She searched her eyes, for what she wasn't sure of. Maybe it was to look for malice or something that would warn her she couldn't be trusted, something that she could recognise as being unworthy of such information. Information which greatly affected her emotions as it concerned her father.

Alice smiled in understanding. "It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you're not ready. Although, someday I would like to know the reason for those tears."

At that moment, Kaylee knew that Alice was the kind of person who did not wish any ill will to fall on another person by her own hands. Because for someone who could understand the reason for another's hesitation was surely someone who have gone through a lot of pain and obstacles in life. She only hoped Alice did not suffer worse than she had. That would truly be saddening as Alice was really kind and compassionate, and she surely does not deserve anything of the negativities and the sort.

"My father is in a comatose condition since two years ago." and I'm still trying to figure out how to wake him up, Kaylee thought to herself.

Alice gasped. She was not prepared for those words to come out. Sorrowfully, Alice grabbed the hand Kaylee was not using, and squeezed gently. "I'm sure your father will wake up one day. You're his daughter and I'm pretty sure you got your strength from him. And if you received that trait from your father, then he'll be okay."

Kaylee smiled. "Thank you."

Alice smiled back, however, a part of her wanted to understand why her father was in a coma in the first place. The other part just wanted to leave it until she can reveal that too in time. She followed the latter and kept her question to herself, and judging by how Kaylee's eyes softened further, Alice could tell Kaylee was silently thanking her for not questioning her more on the situation.

The rest of the class was spent in silence. Alice was still beside Kaylee, watching her finish the last thing that was needed. The reflection of the castle and its surroundings on the water. As she followed the movements of Kaylee's stroke, Alice came to realize that she was full of mystery. Edward was going to have a field day trying to extract all her hidden qualities and memories. She hoped he will be ready for a challenge. Kaylee was very reserved, if she was not coaxed into action. But because she loved her brother as much as one would love a sibling, she would help in every way that was needed to unravel her.

Far away from the classroom, Edward was thinking how he was ready for anything that involved his mate. He couldn't wait to further their relationship. The attraction was already there, sizzling whenever they were both in each other's presence. All that was needed was time. Though, in his part, Edward was already in love with her to an extent. He knew that as days pass, he would come to love her more. How could he not when he was matched with the most wonderful being in the world.

~O~

It was during her P.E. class that Kaylee saw Edward again. Now, they weren't exactly in the same class, the only reason why she saw him was because his teacher, a woman with an average build and flaming red hair, had led her class outside for the period. Edward had been among them, slightly bored as they went and sat at the benches that stood at the edge of the field. They were within view of Kaylee's class who surrounded the ice-hockey coach as he discussed the sports and other activities, as well as the theory classes, they were undertaking throughout their senior year.

It was always during English classes that Edward grew restless and bored, mainly for the sole reason that he did not have any of his family, cousin or his best friend with him during the hour. However, upon their arrival outside and the field in their view, he found that he did not mind his class at the moment as he spied the already familiar dark wavy hair of Kaylee standing beside Daniel and Emmett. In fact, this completely woke him up as he now had a reason for some form of entertainment even if it will only be for a day.

Though Kaylee, however, was not the first one who sighted Edward. She only became privy to the knowledge that he was near from her cousin. Apparently, his English teacher—Mrs. Hamilton—was someone who enjoyed the nature, was really enthusiastic when it came to her subject, her area of expertise, and the animals. Of course, she only figured that this was the case from the way her arm was flapping up and down so fast it became only a blur of movements. This was an imitation of a bird's wings, which was later received after the teacher pointed to a tree where only her and her class could see a small pretty blue bird resting on a branch.

For some strange reason, Daniel and Emmett took this in delightedly, amusement clearly shining in their eyes. Kaylee did not know why and she did not even want to know why Mrs. Hamilton's actions were entertaining them so. Instead, she focused on Edward who had begun to flick the pages of his notebook.

Edward knew Kaylee was watching him, and he let out a smile grace his pale pink lips at the thought. Although, he wanted to know what she was thinking at this moment, he knew that not having this ability towards his mate was of a positive effect. Who knows what she would do if she ever found out that he could read her mind. Even though he does not yet know her very well, he could sense that her attitude was shy yet confident, and strong and fierce, and he knows she can be deeply offended shall the need ever rise. He slightly cringed at what her response would be if he could indeed read her mind. Her attitude would have flipped, a new side to her being switched on. Innocent and completely harmless one second and the next, she would have been like the hulk, minus all the green and the masculinities, if angered. At least, that's what he was getting off from her.

"I want you all to write a one-page poem of anything in particular," Mrs. Hamilton started. "To be handed by the end of the class."

An idea had already formed in Edward's mind and with this piece, he begun to write, his creativity flowing from his mind all the way to words that were already being written by his hand. Of course, when one had such an inspiration as to the beautiful girl he waited a century for, anything can easily be written.

In the field where Kaylee, Daniel and Emmet watched, a certain teacher was growing frustrated as he eyed the trio that completely ignored him and the instructions he had just set out.

"To be able to pass the subject, people of course have to pay attention to what is being said." he said tersely.

Kaylee immediately turned her attention away from Edward, blushing at being caught out. However, Daniel shrugged and Emmett grinned good-naturedly, taking it in stride. Coach Knapp rolled his eyes at the three before moving on. And they were soon playing a game of soccer. In the snow. Although it was not yet a thick sheet, she wondered why Coach Knapp even bothered to make them play in the snow when it was all wet. She was in the other team against Daniel and Emmett, and she couldn't count how many times she had already slipped from the snow. Probably for the challenge, she deduced. And durability.

Nevertheless, Kaylee was having fun competing against her cousin and her new friend, running back and forth around the oval, kicking the ball as much as she can. Though it was not Quidditch, she could pretend that it was. Having the soccer ball meant she was in her chaser position, and her defences when she didn't have the ball being the role of the beaters, trying to get them off the course of those seeking for a score. It was all fun.

Later, when she stood in front of the goalie, the position of a keeper if this was Quidditch, with the ball in front of her feet, she kicked the ball and hoped it would shoot through the net. However, she underestimated the wind and her strength, and thus, it veered to the right towards the benches. Kaylee watched in horror as it came hurtling towards the direction of Edward, her breath stopping every inch it got closer. It was luck when he bent down to retrieve something that must have fallen from his occupied table, and she was able to breathe once more. She cringed when the rounded ball hit the back of a girl's blonde head instead. A shriek of pain followed, which attracted everyone's attention to her.

Kaylee heard gasps behind her, and she knew without a doubt that nothing good will come out of it.

"Uh-oh, it had to be Brianna." Daniel muttered.

"She's the one I hit, isn't she?" Kaylee asked with guilt pouring from her voice.

"Yeah, that's her." he replied.

"Someone who also doesn't take kindly to being attacked." Emmett added.

She shot him a piercing look. "But I wasn't even trying to bloody attack her. It just happened."

Emmett shifted on the balls of his feet. "I know but just a fair warning though, she'll probably hate you."

The girl—Brianna—turned around, eyeing the soccer ball that was now in front of Edward with hatred before looking up and spotting Kaylee, who stared at her with guilt-ridden face. And from there, Brianna knew who instigated what she thought was an attack on her person. It just had to be her!

Without anyone having to say so, Kaylee hurriedly walked towards her as everyone in both classes watched her. Brianna's two best friends, who stood comforting her, glared as Kaylee approached them. Mrs Hamilton walked forward and stood in front of Brianna, crossing her arms as she stared at the girl who disrupted her class.

Kaylee stopped near them and looked over the teacher's shoulder. "Hey, I'm so sorry for the ball hitting you. I didn't mean to." she apologised profoundly.

Brianna and the other two girls just kept on glaring at her.

"Girls, take Brianna to the clinic and have a nurse check on her to make sure she doesn't get a concussion." their teacher ordered them. She waited until they were gone before she turned back to her class. "Continue with your poems. Time is ticking." then she looked at Kaylee, thinking of ways she could punish her for what she had done to one of her pupils. "As for you, Miss Gardner, detention after school."

Kaylee's shoulders slumped. Great. First day as a muggle student and she's already getting in trouble and earning detention. Hermione would be so disappointed, she thought to herself. But the twins would be proud. She met the teacher's eyes and nodded in resignation. She was just about to leave to head back to her class when she spotted Edward standing. She dared not meet his gaze, fearing what she would see in those wonderful golden eyes of his, and continued on her way.

"I don't think that's fair, Mrs. Hamilton," Edward started to say. Upon hearing that, she stopped and turned to face him, wondering what he was doing. "It was only an accident. Kaylee didn't kick the ball to hit Brianna on purpose. I think it's unfair she has to spend time after school hours for something she didn't do intentionally."

"I agree with Mr. Cullen, Gloria." Coach Knapp announced as he bounded over to my side. "It was because of the wind and some unknown strength that her aim went slightly off. There is no reason to give out detention slips."

"But she harmed my student!" Mrs. Hamilton cried in outrage. "Did you not see the ball that landed on the back of Brianna's head?"

"I did and I'm sorry that it happened. However, it's no one's fault."

Mrs. Hamilton glared at the ice-hockey coach for a full minute and glanced at Kaylee's face full of guilt. She let out a sigh. "Fine, but make sure it doesn't happen again. If it does, she'll definitely be getting a detention." And with that, the redheaded teacher turned and made her way back to where she sat before any of that drama started.

Coach Knapp gave her a look before he left. As for Kaylee, she strode towards Edward and touched his arm. "Thank you," she whispered, gratefully. Edward smiled back gently and watched as she left his side, jogging over to Daniel and Emmett, who patiently waited for her.

Afterwards, Edward turned to look at the direction Brianna, Amber and Clara had gone, and pursed his lips. Subconsciously, his eyes had narrowed and his golden irises took on a darker topaz as he remembered the three girls' thoughts and conversation way before the ball had hit Brianna. They were not at all any good, and their main subject had been on his mate. All because he had paid attention to Kaylee on her first day, whereas he never gave Brianna a second glance. That was the reason why he dodged the ball and did not stop it from colliding with her head. He thought she needed a bit of an impact to her breain that could somehow affect her in a way that she can actually think twice, and become mature.

That was, obviously, wishful thinking. Which did not work if Brianna's plans of revenge in her mind were anything to go by.

Edward wouldn't stand for it.

~O~

"How are you, Lia? Everything all right? You haven't gotten yourself into something, have you? How's school going? Are you at school now? What are the subjects you're taking?" Hermione asked a mile a minute once she answered her call. It was now lunch time and Kaylee stood with Daniel in the line as they waited to get food.

"Hey, Herms," Kaylee greeted, cheekily. "Actually, I'm not at school at the moment. Now, before you go off and yell at me through a phone, I just want to say that I'm having quite a fun time skiving off classes. Please, don't ruin the vibe. And before you get a heart attack wondering where I am currently, I'm waiting in line for my turn to go rock climbing. Fun, right?"

Daniel choked on a laugh from beside her and she winked at him playfully. And because Hermione's her best friend, she knew what will come next. She just knew her that well.

3…2...1.

"WHAT?!" Hermione shrieked through the phone. "What do you mean you're not at school? Are you out of your bloody mind? For Merlin's sake, Lia! You moved and signed up for school to educate yourself! How will you learn something if you're not at school?! Here you are instead, bloody galivanting through town or something!"

Kaylee chuckled, stepping forward as someone walked off from the line. "Hermione, chill, will you? You can be so uptight sometimes and—"

"Chill?" Hermione questioned in frustration. "You want me to chill? How can I relax when my best friend doesn't seem to know what the definition of the word 'school' means? How can I relax when all she wants to do is become rebellious? 'Ooh, lookey here, my name is Kaylee Gardner and I'm skipping school just so I can bloody climb a freaking mountain. Or a stupid wall to look cool, and because I'm lazy!'"

Kaylee let a laugh which resounded throughout the whole of the cafeteria. It was very contagious, and the Cullens and the Denali sisters watched and listened in amusement on the far side of the room as Kaylee shoved the tray in her cousin's arms and bended, clutching her stomach as she laughed out loud while still holding the phone to her ear. Others, however, stared at her as if she lost her cool and went insane.

"Hermione, calm down." Kaylee said between her laughter.

"No, I will not calm down!" she snapped. "Maybe I should take the next flight over to America, take another plane to get to Alaska so I can retrieve you and take you back with me to England. This way, I can actually watch over you and your education."

"There is no need, 'Mione." Kaylee chuckled, wiping a tear that escaped from her eye as she straightened up. "I was just pulling your leg. And can I just say that wow, that was one heck of a successful impromptu prank."

"Kaylee, you can't just—wait, what?" Hermione asked, befuddled. "Prank? What do you mean by that?"

Kaylee snickered, gleefully. "I meant it as it is. This whole thing was a prank, one that I didn't plan on until you called," she paused. "Damn, Fred and George would be so proud of me. But no, Herms, I'm actually at school, lining up to get lunch at the moment as I talk to you."

Silence came on the other line.

"You are so, argh!" Hermione lost it. She shrieked again. Then she called me names. Referred my attitude to being almost like the twins. Told me I am my father's daugher like that's anything new. And went back to calling me names so vulgar that my eyes had widened with surprise. Where did all that just come from?

"I think you'll need to wash your mouth with soap, Herms. Or a really effective mouthwash. It's just so…dirty. Either way, one of them would do the job to clean it out." Kaylee stated, sincerely. "Has Ron been influencing you with his language a lot? What was it this time?"

Hermione sighed and ignored her jab. "Sometimes, Kaylee…sometimes I wonder why I am even friends with you." she retorted, of course, jokingly.

"Aw, you'll miss me too much if you get rid of me now. You know, now that I think about it, I'm like the glue."

"A glue?"

"Yes, a glue. I'm like that sticky substance that glues all of us together. If you get rid of me, the group falls apart, and I'm not being conceited or anything. Good thing is, I have no intention of ever letting you and the others fall to pieces."

"Kaylee?" Hermione started.

"Mhm?"

"You are such a dork! But your reference is accurate. Merlin only knows how many times I thought of killing Ron, and you were always there to stop me." she chuckled, amusedly. Kaylee smiled, and then heard a faint chatter coming from Hermione's line. "Anyway, I have to go. Kingsley needs to talk me."

"Okay," Kaylee paused. "Wait, Hermione?"

"Yes, Lia?"

"I have Math, Arts, English Literature, P.E., Chemistry and Music," Kaylee told her, answering some of the questions she had originally asked about. "And I'm doing fine here so you have nothing to worry about."

She knew Hermione was smiling wherever she was. "Yes, it seems like you are." she murmured. "All right then, I'll leave you to it. I'll call you again soon. Love you, Lia."

"I love you too, 'Mione."

Kaylee flipped her phone shut and placed it back on the back pocket of her jeans. Then she glanced at Daniel and grinned while she collected her tray back from him.

"I guess that she's still the same Hermione Granger you talked to me about five years ago." her cousin commented.

"Still the same one." came Kaylee's cheerful reply before she bounded over to the food aisle when their turn came.

Daniel, although being the youngest out of the two of them—Kaylee being twenty years old though she appeared younger, and him being only eighteen years old—fussed over his cousin, telling her all the food that were actually edible and those that she needed to stay away from. In the end, Kaylee followed Daniel to where the Cullens, Tanya and Kate sat at, a tray piled with two slices of pizza, a plate of lasagne, chips, chicken and a bottle of water. She had a little more than what Daniel had on his tray and as soon as she sat down between Alice and Kate, she tucked right in.

Kaylee did not look up at anyone as she ate, focusing solely on her food to tame the growls that originated from her hunger and the emptiness of her stomach. She glanced up, self-consciously, when she realised she was eating portions of food that were not really normal for a girl to eat that much. It was a little embarassing especially in the presence of beautiful people. However, playing soccer earlier with similar vigour and enthusiasm she only gave out towards Quidditch games used up a lot of her energy, which in turn made her in need for sustenance. To recharge.

A faint pink blush rose on both sides of her cheeks as she received all their attention, their foods untouched. Even her cousin was among them. She swallowed the last piece of lasagne she was chewing and stared back at them. Edward had a small smile on his face as he watched her eat, somehow finding it amusing. Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Kate were expressionless, blank looks switched on. Rosalie and Tanya, however, stared at Kaylee's tray in disgust. As for Daniel, his jaw slightly dropped.

"What?" Kaylee asked them, raising an eyebrow. "A girl's got to eat when she needs to."

"Nothing, it's just…" Alice was speechless.

"It's just that it was a surprise." Emmett finished for her. "Who knew someone so small can pack that much of an appetite."

"I am not small!" she cried. "I'll have you know I am five foot eight! That's way above average."

Emmett snorted, and Kaylee gave him the stink eye. "Exactly my point." he contested.

She huffed. "Just because you're all bloody huge and buff does not mean you get to make fun of people who are smaller than you." she turned from him when he was about to say something back, and met Alice's eyes with a smile.

She was still a little hungry.

"Alice, are you going to eat that sandwich?"