Thanks reviewers! I got some feedback, which every writer needs.

Princess Prongs: For the record, I like your name. Happy I am, that like this story you do.

hp&gw: I looked over the part you mentioned, and I suppose you're right. The thing is, Harry didn't know much about his powers then. It only needed to be mentioned then, and I'm going more in-depth with his emotions on it later on. I'm glad you like London Streets a lot. I should be updating that soon . . . if my editor hurries up.

Disclaimer: Don't we all just wish we could be as good a Jo?

Chapter 2

Benita (Ben for short) was – figuratively of course – floating in space. Her mind was contemplating the enigma that was Harry Potter while her body was on cruise control. Vaguely, Ben hoped that Kaede knew how to get back to the orphanage. That brought up another problem: Ben should probably take her own advice. If Harry could get out of his hellhole, why couldn't both she and Kaede leave theirs? "That's it." Ben said firmly, stomping her foot and coming to a standstill.

Kaede raised an eyebrow, "Yes, this is where we live." Ben looked up and saw that they had, in fact, reached their orphanage.

"No, that's not what I meant. I meant enough is enough. I can't be a flippin' hypocrite and tell Harry to do what he wants without listening to my own advice. We're running away." Ben said determinedly.

Kaede nodded absently, "Sounds good."

Ben gave Kaede a slightly incredulous look, wondering how she made friends with such an odd person.

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Harry was almost positive that his bag was getting steadily heavier. He didn't know how far he'd walked, but it was almost dawn. The sun was just peaking over the horizon and Harry couldn't remember a better sunrise. Though, it was entirely possible that the rush of his new freedom was sending thrills of ecstasy through his body. Sighing, Harry dropped his bag and sat down at the corner he had reached. There were one or two cars passing, but it was only Sunday and everyone would be sleeping in – including the Dursleys.

While pondering what to do next, Harry failed to see the two girls that had recognized him and were now rushing to greet him. Ben snuck up on his right while Kaede was on his left. Both girls plopped down and Ben whispered, "Boo," in his ear.

Harry jumped a foot, moving to whip his wand out but remembering the fragments were in his hands. He quickly decided to raise his hands in a fighting position, but when he saw who it was, he put them down and sighed. "What are you two doing here?"

"We ran away." Kaede replied, inspecting and buffing her nails on her shirt as if it were an every day occurrence.

Harry blinked, "Why?"

Ben grinned and stood so she was up to Harry's height, "I decided to take my own advice. Kaede just joined for the ride."

"Gee, thanks," Kaede replied, voice dripping sarcasm, "Don't I feel welcome."

Ben rolled her eyes, "Kaede hasn't had her coffee."

Harry and the girls agreed that they'd go together – wherever they were going. They carried their bags to the nearest fast food restaurant and took turns freshening up. They bought a small breakfast with the money Kaede was smart enough to filch from their warden. After they hit the road – quite literally as Ben had tripped on the pavement – Harry brought up the topic of magic.

"So you're both witches, then?" Harry asked. When Ben nodded, Harry continued, "Why didn't you transfer to Hogwarts?"

"My mom taught us both." Ben answered, "No one ever realized Kaede had any powers and my mom took me off the roster as soon as I was born so no one could find us."

"Ah," Harry understood their lifestyle a bit more, "So that's why you don't tell anyone your last name. You're in hiding from someone." Ben nodded and they fell into a comfortable silence.

Harry took the time to look at both girls better. Kaede was tall and average weight and had large hazel eyes. Ben was thin, too, if not a bit on the short side. Harry was probably an inch taller than she was and he was only about 5'6'' or 7. She had auburn hair that was perfectly straight to just below her shoulders. It was cut in odd jagged layers that framed her face beautifully. Her eyes were a clear twinkling blue color that triggered something in his memory.

While the girls looked angelically striking, they'd added piercings and tattoos that made them look almost rebellious. Kaede had three earrings on her right ear and two on her left. Harry was also pretty sure her tongue was pierced because she was constantly tapping something against her teeth. Ben had two piercings on each ear and a third on her left ear that was up on the cartilage. She also had a red and silver pole through her right eyebrow. The most noticeable feature on Ben's face was the crescent moon tattoo on the side and almost below her left eye.

Ben caught Harry looking at her piercings, "Like 'em?" She grinned, "We should get you a few, too."

Harry grinned, eying the pole in her eyebrow, "Does it hurt?"

Ben shrugged, "Only a little at first."

Kaede stopped dead at yet another of the dozens of intersections they'd gone through and looked to a group of signs that directed cars to the highway. "Are we walking the whole way to London?"

"We're going to London?" Harry shrugged, answering his own question, "Sure, why not? We could probably find someone who'll take us the rest of the way." He also assumed that Voldemort and the Death Eaters would never expect him to travel like a muggle. This way, no one would be able to find Ben, Kaede, or himself. For an extra precaution, Harry waved his hand over the three of them, shielding them from any magical being trying to reach them. That way, Voldemort wouldn't be able to send any creatures either. He also added an untraceable charm for good measure before they turned to the highway and began their trek to London.

As they walked down the highway, Harry told his life's story to Ben and Kaede. He told them about the stone and the Chamber and even about Sirius. He told them things that Ron and Hermione hadn't ever known and poured his soul to the two girls he felt he knew forever.

Harry was just telling them what Vernon did to him when the dark clouds that had been threatening them all day decided to let out some rain. He looked to the girls, who had tears in their eyes and gave them a weak smile. "We should try and flag down a car before it starts really raining." For the next ten minutes, they continued walking through the peppering rain trying to flag down a car. Eventually, a blue mini-van slowed down and Harry hurried to the passenger window. A woman in her late thirties rolled down the window and looked at him worriedly as the girls caught up.

"Hello." Harry said with a disarming smile, "Could we have a ride?" There was a cry of agreement from the back, but the wife turned to her husband in the driver's seat. "I promise, sir," Harry said, leaning down so he could see the man, "we have nothing in our bags but clothes and necessities. We mean you no harm. We just need a ride to London, or as close as you can get us."

The man inspected him for a moment before nodding cautiously. The woman smiled and pushed a button for the side door to slide open automatically and Harry thanked them profusely. One of the two captain's chairs held a car seat housing an energetic 4-year-old with bushy brown pigtails. "Hi." She said with a smile, showing off a missing front tooth, "I'm Anna. I'm four." She held up three fingers, "Who are you?"

Harry chuckled, the girls reminded him of Hermione. "I'm Harry," he said, climbing into the back, "These are my friends Ben and Kaede." He added as Ben sat in the back with him and Kaede took the other captain's chair. Harry sat without buckling his seatbelt or leaning back so he didn't scream in pain. The father pulled back into the traffic and the mother turned to look at them. "I'm Rachel and this is my husband Daniel."

"I'm Harry," He replied, giving introductions again, "This is Ben and Kaede."

Rachel smiled, but then frowned at Harry, "You need to sit back and buckle your seatbelt."

"Can't," When Rachel gave him a look; he sighed and continued, "I have recent whip marks on my back and chest, so I can't lean back."

Rachel gasped and began digging for something under her chair. "I have a first aid kit somewhere around here." She mumbled to herself, before finally pulling out a box. "Can you take off your shirt?" She asked kindly.

Harry diverted his eyes as he carefully pulled off his top. All four girls gasped and Daniel's eyes flickered to the rear-view mirror. Rachel turned back to her first aid kit and began to pull things out, passing them back to Ben and Harry. "Will any of this prevent scars?" Harry asked quietly.

Rachel looked back, confused at Harry's odd tone. "Yes, that one in your left had should help."

Harry nodded and passed the paste back to the front. Ben shot his a worried look and Harry muttered, "I want the scars." No one could find anything to say to this, so Harry allowed Ben to clean the welts in silence.

"You ran from home, then?" Daniel asked in his deep voice.

Harry looked up and met his eyes in the mirror. "Yeah. My parents died when I was a baby. I finally got the guts to leave my aunt and uncle's. Ben and Kaede are in hiding and running from their orphanage."

Daniel nodded and turned his eyes back to the road. The rest of the trip went by in silence until they hit the minor streets of London. "Where do you want to go?"

Sooooooooooo . . . how was it?