Oh, man. Thanks for the reviews, guys! Honestly, they were all really nice, and actually...I've decided to respond to reviewers at the END of the chapter because I don't want to hold you up. I wanted this up yesterday, but my computer was freezing up on this site and...ugh.

And also: Really just...it keeps cutting off words that I actually did type, and :( the struggles of not being good at operating technology...

Oh, and I don't own.

Chapter Three-Saved by the Bottle

Magic. It was magic. I'd only seen one person who associated with magic-Harry. And now this man had done it. He'd teleported.

"Magic," I whispered, frozen for a moment. And then it hit me. I jerked my wrist from his hand. "Where have you taken me?"

"Feisty," The man grinned, and I stepped back, repulsed by the yellowing teeth. "Tell me, girly, are you a witch?"

"Yes," I hissed, taking a look at my surroundings. It was another dark, damp alley, but this time I was standing with my back to a brick wall. "Take me back."

He licked his lips. "What's your name, girly?"

I kicked him. He yowled, the scream inhuman, and bent over to caress his ankle. I shoved him, panicking, and ran, dropping my drink on the ground. It fell with a clink.

A hand wrapped around my ankle and yanked. I felt my feet trip each other, and I slammed my shoulder against the cement, hard. My breath quick and heavy, I curled up, my shoulder throbbing with pain.

"I said," The man jerked me up by my collar. I twisted furiously, terror coursing through my veins. "What's your name?"

"Rowan," I gritted my teeth as he slammed me against the wall. Blinking the blood out of my eyes, I slid to the ground.

"No last name?" He snarled, eyes wild and exhilarated. I shook my head, flinching away from his snarl.

"Who are you?" I panted, my legs kicking out uselessly. He leaned closer, smiling at me. I leaned against the wall, repulsed.

The man licked his lips. "Greyback," He shook his head, his matted grey hair dripping sweat. "Fenir Greyback." He drew something out, and I squinted, confused by the stick-like shape he held in the air.

He muttered something, the tip of the stick pointed at me, and I felt my back stick to the wall. Even when he let go of my arms, I couldn't move my back.

A wand, I realized. That was a wand, used to do magic.

"Why don't you have a last name, girly?" He squatted, saliva dripping. I tried to lift myself in vain.

Where was accidental magic when I needed it? I shrugged. "I never knew my parents."

"Even better," Greyback bared his teeth again, and moved even closer. "No annoying parents to call muggle authorities to save their poor little mudblood."

I swallowed, my throat dry. Behind Greyback, the Snapple bottle I'd bought earlier rolled close to me. Please, please...I stretched my hand to the side, straining. "What are you?" I demanded hoarsely.

Greyback threw his head back, howling with laughter. "What am I, she asks?" He threw his head back down. "Girly, I'm a werewolf. Do you know what werewolves do?"

"What?" I asked nervously, my heart beating in my throat. I could touch the tip of the Snapple bottle. A little closer, PLEASE…

Greyback grinned at me. "We bite people." He jerked the sleeve of my shirt up, and my fingers closed around the bottle.

With another howl, he drew back and swung his teeth down to sink them in my arm. I swung the bottle, hard, and shut my eyes.

There was the sound of glass hitting something hard, and Greyback's yelp of pain, and then silence. My heart still thudding, I cracked my eyes open.

Greyback was unconscious on the floor, but judging by his breathing, he wasn't dead. The bottle in my hand was cracked slightly, but not broken. I drew the bottle close to me and shuddered in a breath, I still couldn't move.

What Harry would be thinking when I didn't come back...I could imagine him, waiting at the window as it grew dark, worried sick and waiting for the food I promised I'd bring back.

Harry, I shut my eyes. I'm so sorry.

O-O

"Wake up, girly."

I opened my eyes instantly, on edge, scrabbling for the bottle. My back was still stuck to the wall, and it seemed I wasn't getting away from it anytime soon.

Greyback swung the bottle in front of my eyes angrily. "Thought you could hurt me and get away, girly?"

"I-I just-" I stammered, drawing my knees up and shrinking away. With the bottle gone, I had nothing. It was early morning, the crack of dawn. I could see the sun peeking up from the alley opening.

Greyback howled with laughter again, nursing the side of his face with one clawed arm, the left side of his face bruised. He turned to me, eyes hard and determined.

To define just exactly what I was thinking throughout this entire thing is very difficult, but I've been able to express it through much thought.

I was thoroughly, undoubtedly, screwed.

I kicked at Greyback, and he barely missed my heel driving into his rib, which would have given me some time to stall. But he dodged aside in a grey blur and caught my ankle, baring his teeth. My breath caught, and I kicked my legs as violently as he could, flailing them and jerking them.

He snarled and reached for my other leg with his left hand, nails digging into my skin, and I screamed. "Get away from me!"

What I didn't expect was a voice to echo my words. "Step away from her!"

Before Greyback could obey, assuming he would have, the same voice said something like stuperfly and a jet of light slammed into Greyback.

He didn't even have time to howl; the light threw him into the wall, hard, and he crumpled to the ground.

I watched, my knees drawn up again, shaking. Craning my neck, I watched the shadow who had helped me come closer.

He could be another werewolf, fighting for someone to bite. Panic seized my body, and I looked for the bottle again.

"Stay away from me," I whispered, my voice a croak.

The person stepped closer, and I looked up at the face of a man with bright, orange hair that thinned over his balding head. He smiled at me gently, and pocketed his wand. "It's okay now," He assured me. "I'm Arthur Weasley. What's your name?"

I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath. "Rowan," I said, my voice clearer. "Um, could you unstick me from the wall? That Greyback person did something with his wand."

blinked at me. "You're not a muggle?" He murmured. I watched him point his wand at my back, "Finite Incantatem."

I leaped to my feet. smiled at me, though his wand was up and his eyes were wary, scanning the area.

"What would a young girl like you be doing out here in a dodgy place like this?" He asked curiously.

"Got lost," I said simply.

"Parents?"

"Don't have any," I said curtly.

"Well," he said gently, stifling a yawn. "You're welcome to come home with us for the time being; it's late now. I have a little daughter at home named Ginny."

I don't know what made me trust him, but suddenly all I wanted to do was curl up in a bed and sleep. I nodded, exhausted.

shifted his arm up, and offered it to me. Yawning, I took it, and the world flipped upside down again, my insides squeezing. As soon as the world stopped spinning, I dropped to my knees, gasping, completely unprepared for the second teleportation.

"Oh!" helped me up guiltily. "I just thought you would know, since you're a witch-"

I stumbled, slightly sick, and Mr. Weasley led me the rest of the way to his house. I looked up.

It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic. Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW . Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.

"Welcome to the Burrow," Mr. Weasley smiled, still using the cautious, soft voice of his.

O-O

Mr. Weasley led me to the living room. "You'll have to sleep on the couch, I'm afraid," he said regretfully. "But I can transfigure a bed for you."

"Trans...figure." I said slowly. "Um, it's okay. The couch sounds great. Thanks."

Mr. Weasley smiled. "If you need anything, just ask. I'm going to go tell my wife about the new changes for the night." He left the room, and I collapsed on the couch.

I wanted to sleep. I needed to sleep. But something was nagging me...something I had temporarily forgotten-

Crap! Harry!

I leaped to my feet and went to the dining room, standing hidden at the doorway, peeking my head.

"Oh, Molly dear...the girl we'll be housing tonight..." Mr. Weasley said, oblivious to Mrs. Weasley's angry features. She took a deep breath and turned around.

"Where is she? Arthur, we need to introduce ourselves and the kids-" her face darkened. "-who will have QUITE a story to tell afterwards."

"Blimey, Dad, you brought a little girl home? This is a step up!" A boy with curly orange hair grinned. Oh, who am I kidding, everyone there had curly orange hair. He was tall and stood next to his twin.

Mr. Weasley wiped his brow. "No, Fred, she was being attacked by Greyback."

Mrs. Weasley gasped. "Oh, the poor dear, bring her in! She must be traumatized!"

I stepped in, trying to say "Hello" but yawning instead. Mrs. Weasley and the rest turned to me.

"Oh, you poor girl," She hurried up to me and embraced me. "Arthur, who was attacking her?"

"Greyback," Mr. Weasley said wearily. "I sent a notification to the Ministry."

I yawned and smiled tiredly at Mrs. Weasley, who turned at once and began to make me a light meal. I turned to the Weasley kids.

"Bloody hell...attacked by a werewolf. I'm Fred." One of the twins said.

"George," the other twin waved cheerily.

"Behind you is Ron, dear," Mrs. Weasley gazed fondly behind me. "And next to him is another guest we'll be housing."

I turned around, nodding back at the boy with freckles and curly red hair.

The next person, with the familiar green eyes around the round, wiry glasses...and the thin frame of his body with uncontrollable black hair-

"Harry?!" I gasped. Harry stared, slack jawed.

"Rowan?!" He demanded, stepping forward. "You were attacked by a werewolf?!"

"How did you get here?" I demanded back.

"Wait...Harry, you know her?" Ron asked. Realization dawned.

"You're the Rowan Harry was talking about!" Fred declared. He frowned. "Didn't you abandon him?"

"Yeah, that was cruel." The three Weasleys were beginning to look a little angry. I frowned, confused.

"I-what?"

Mrs. Weasley took a plate and set down some scrambled eggs. "Now, what is going on here?" She crossed her arms.

"Rowan here was at the Dursleys with Harry. When she found out he couldn't help her find someone to figure out why she didn't go to Hogwarts, she tricked him into lowering her out of the house, promising to come back with food, and never came back." Ron glared at me.

I turned to Harry, furious. "You told them that?"

Harry opened his mouth, then closed it. He paused. "Well, how was I to know? I thought you ran away!"

"Well, if you think so little of me-" I stopped abruptly, remembering where I was. I turned to Mrs. Weasley, who had mercifully been silent. Her husband watched, bewildered and trying to understand what was happening. "Thank you for the food, Mrs. Weasley, but I've lost my appetite and I think I'll just go to sleep." I turned and left the room.

O-O

I could hear Harry come up to me, and I drew the blanket I'd been given closer.

"After you left, Ron and the twins drove up to my house at night in a flying car and we came here. I thought you had realized I couldn't help you much and ran away."

I was silent, angry and frustrated. "Well, I'll try to be faster next time while getting you FOOD."

"You never had to. I don't need your help," Harry snapped, upset himself. "It's not my fault you went missing."

I sat up, furious. "I didn't go missing. Why do you have to assume the worst about me? And then you told the Weasleys how I had left you without knowing the facts!"

"I was angry!" Harry exclaimed. "You took my cloak and Dudley's money and the Dursleys assumed I had done something freaky and stolen his money!"

I stood up, pulled the cloak out of my back pocket, and flung it at him. The rest of the money, which had been in my other pocket, was pulled out too. I slammed it on the couch's arm. "Take your stupid stuff and leave me alone, Potter." I rolled back onto the couch, pulled the covers over my head, and closed my eyes, bubbling with anger.

I heard footsteps. "Harry, mate, what are you doing?" Ron.

"Nothing," Harry mumbled. "She's upset at me," he added as they left.

"Maybe she made it all up-the Greyback thing. She could have just wanted to meet the famous Harry Potter." Ron suggested.

"Do you think?" I strained my ears as they went upstairs.

"Doesn't it make sense?"

Harry said nothing.

And for that, I promised myself I wouldn't ever be friends with someone who wouldn't stand up for me.

O-O

"Mrs. Weasley, I don't think I should stay," I said over breakfast. The Weasley children exchanged glances. They'd obviously been up talking about me. I wasn't sure this was the end of the Weasley children. Percy, a boy who looked slightly older than Fred and George had appeared for breakfast, though he ate rather quickly and excused himself very formally. I'd heard him close the door to his room, I assumed. There had also been talk about a "Charlie" and a "Bill",

"Good idea," Ron murmured under his breath. I stiffened, and pushed a slice of waffle in my mouth.

"Ronald!" Mrs. Weasley said, aghast. "How dare you! Apologize!"

"It's alright, Mrs. Weasley." I pushed my chair back. "If you'll excuse me…"

"Yeah, and don't come back."

"RONALD WEASLEY!"

I closed my eyes, my back turned to the Weasleys, and couldn't help but say something back. "At least I don't talk about people behind their backs."

"At least I don't abandon people just to get attention," Ron shot back.

"I didn't abandon him!"

The glasses of orange juice on the table shattered at the same time with a loud CRASH!

Silence.

I turned around, slowly, and stared at the broken pieces of glass scattered everywhere, orange juice dripping onto the floor.

Harry found his voice. "That wasn't my accidental magic," he said slowly.

"No," I croaked. "It was mine."

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, flushing. "I'll clean it u-"

"No, it's alright, dear," Mrs. Weasley clamped a hand down on Ron's shoulder, hard. "Ronald will."

Grumbling but knowing not to cross his mother when her voice grew frosty, Ron fetched a rag and began to mop up the mess.

There was a hoot. I looked up, in time to see a large owl swoop in. It dropped a letter that fell to my feet, and I picked it up.

Ignoring Ron's protest-"Now she's opening our mail, Mum!"-I turned the letter over.

"What does it say?" Fred asked.

"To Ms. Rowan…." I stopped.

"What is it?" George leaned forward.

"Your last name," Harry said in shock. I swiveled around. He looked at me, emerald eyes piercing my own black ones. "Your last name's on it, isn't it?"

I have discovered this really nice looking break line that I will probably be using for my A/Ns, because my Harry Potter glasses break lines is for the story O-O.

.ravenclaw-YA KNOW WHAT? I THINK YOU DESERVE A REALLY BIG HUG AND LOTS OF CHOCOLATES BECAUSE THAT WAS THE SWEETEST THING ANYONE'S EVER SAID TO ME. Honestly, that review was so overwhelmingly nice...thank you so much for that, it really made my day :).

WildLilys-Why thank you, ya little Slytherin ;)

Alpha Death-Thanks for reviewing :) and haha, I wasn't even thinking when I typed that. Changed it just for you if you wanna have a look XD

siriusblackrose-who doesn't?

Christineoftheopera-You've really been very supportive of my writing for both stories, and...yep. Just wanted to really thank you for that :)

And thats the end of today's Hall of Reviewers! Please, please review, favorite, follow, or do whatever you want with this fanfiction ;) I do answer questions and shtuff, and thanks to you all!