Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize from the Harry Potter books and/or movies.

A/N: Second chapter - hurrah! Constructive criticism is welcomed. Flames are tolerated.

Pretend World

By: xScenex

Chapter Two: Turning Events

"Come one," Carey urged.

"I'm not flying through that window," Harry stated as calmly as possible, although on the inside, he was desperate to get out of anything that involved using his new wings. He was scared he'd fall over with them, and trying to squeeze through a window with them would be impossible. It wasn't every day that someone found themselves someplace odd with newly sprouted wings. He might have been brave, but making a total arse of himself in a muggle neighborhood was not one of his top priorities.

"But the Dursley's wont let you in! You know that!"

His eyebrows rose slightly, "I'm still not flying through a window."

"Aw," Carey pouted, her damp bangs hanging down into her eyes.

Harry sighed in unsure discomfort after a long moment as she stared at him with large eyes, "Carey, you can't just throw me into the house. Someone's bound to find out."

"No they wont, no one ever pays attention to me," she responded desperately. They stood there, racking their minds for any solution, then Harry came up with something rather ludicrous, and said the next phrase a bit jokingly.

"Look," the boy said, trying to ease up to the girl through the thick snow. "Why don't I just introduce myself as your long lost brother? It may save us a lot of trouble."

"They wont believe it," she stated, a tone of obviousness in her voice.

Harry gave a small groan and ruffled his wings. "I guess you're right. How am I supposed to explain these things?" he gestured towards the large black appendages on his back.

"Can you hide them?" the dark haired girl asked, walking over and tugging on the feathers of the right wing. Harry winced.

"Ow, stop that!" he turned around, pulling himself out of range of the girl. His cool demeanor was broken by the obvious hurt in his eyes. "They're much more sensitive than they look!"

She rolled her eyes. "Try to hide them."

"I don't know how," he countered, deadpan.

"How'd you sprout them in the first place?"

"I'm not sure!" Harry was getting very frustrated but at the same time, he felt as if he'd never be happier. It had been too long since he had been able to joke around with someone, and around this girl he felt as if he could just be himself. She seemed to just act herself, as well.

"Well, use magic! You're a wizard, right? Just vanish them or something."

"One problem," he told her, "I don't have a wand with me."

She sighed, giving up. "Fine, what will you do then? I don't want you to leave!"

"If I didn't have these bloody wings, this would be a lot easier," he mumbled, wishing he could just get rid of them. They were annoying anyway, as they kept ruffling up against his hair and arms. He was unused to them, and they were a bit much for his war torn mind.

At that moment, a shrinking, almost tightening sensation filled his back. He heard Carey gasp and he looked back at what she stared at. Which was nothing.

"They're gone!" she smiled. "I knew you could do it!"

Harry looked at the girl, who's emotions changed more than his. He must have had an odd look on his face because she slowly stopped smiling.

"Did I say something?" she asked, disappointed.

He shook his head. "No, it's just… you're so… different from the people I used to know. Not in a bad way," he assured quickly when she opened her mouth to protest. "I'm just… not used to the carefree atmosphere."

"Oh," she said. "Well, besides that, what are we doing now?"

She didn't even give Harry time to finish what he was saying. "Well, like I said before. I could be a… er, long lost brother?"

"How?"

"Uh." There was a long stretch of silence, in which the wind howled slightly. It was getting colder as the sky darkened. But Harry liked the feeling for some reason. The cold on his skin made him feel alive, as well as the crisp air around him. Winter… it was like the winter was in his blood now.

"Well! You could say that you were searching for your parents for a long time, because you grew up in an orphanage and didn't know who they were, until now when you traced the line back to me! You're not old enough to be a legal adult, so they can't just throw you out," Carey said breathlessly, eyes shining. "They'd have to take you in, as they're the only other relatives living!"

"But… I can't just appear out of nowhere."

"That's right," she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You were… uh. Homeless?"

"Education?" Harry knew he couldn't just appear out of nowhere with complete knowledge of the wizarding world if he were an orphan.

"Uh. You were… given to someone because mum was too young to take care of you in school? They hid you because they were scared dad would be locked up because of her being a minor?"

"They were the same age."

"So?"

Harry kept his face blank, but inside, he was unsure whether he should laugh his head off or to scream. It was so complicated!

"Fine, we'll use that, but if things get complicated, then I'll just erase their memories."

"You can do that?" she stared up at him.

"Yeah, but I only do it when I'm desperate."

"I thought you didn't have a wand."

"I can do some wandless magic," he stated with an air of distaste.

"Oh," she looked towards the door where from the small pane in the middle glowed with light from inside. "We best get it over with then, Aunt Marge is over and I doubt she'll be too pleased."

"Bugger," Harry cursed. "Why's she here?"

"She wanted to grace the house with her presence," Carey rolled her eyes. "But it's okay. Two Potters are more than enough trouble for all of them. Dudley wont know what hit him!"

Harry smiled at the thought of Dudley. The kid had been horrible before when they grew up, but before he was murdered, Harry and the boy had come to a kind of truce. "Well, then lets go."

They walked up to the door, Harry brushing snow off his newly acquired clothes with his hands while Carey tried opening the door but found it still locked. She groaned, giving Harry an apologetic look which he just shrugged at. He knew the Dursley's games, and it didn't bother him too much.

"Knock?" Harry provided and banged his fist against the wooden door four times in a rhythmic way. There was some mumbling inside and then some loud shuffling before the door was thrust open. The revealed face was splotched purple with anger.

"Why are you making so much noise, you stupid girl! You'll wake up the entire neighborhood with your freakishness!"

Vernon Dursely was about to continue ranting as the child began to back away when Harry cleared his throat loudly, causing the man's head to swivel around to him.

He sputtered a bit, "What is the meaning of this?" he asked angrily, eyeing the black clothing wearily. "Girl, did you do something you shouldn't have? If I found out you've been bothering the neighbors with your mischief, I swear I'll-"

"Actually, sir," Harry interrupted in the calmest voice he had. In the past years, he had learned to calm himself instead of letting his temper rise. It was part of his training that Hermione gave him - to keep his cool. "Carey here, didn't bother anyone. She's been quite a host, in all honesty."

"Then why are you here?" Vernon hissed.

"I'm here because…" he looked unsurely at Carey. "Because I finally found my family."

Harry thought Vernon would pass out. "W-what is this?"

"Well," Harry looked around as if it were obvious, "It looks like two children on a porch, with an angry Uncle shouting at them?"

"Wh-" the man's face nearly turned green. "What do you mean, 'uncle'?"

"I'm Harry Potter, sir," he replied as respectfully as he could to the man he hated. Practicing on Snape had paid off a bit.

"I don't know any Harry Potter!" he shouted, looking at Carey, "What are you playing at, girl? If this is another one of your mumbo jumbo tricks, you'll be sorry!"

"Actually, no, this isn't," Harry rolled his eyes and brushed his hair out of his eyes. He then stared intently into Vernon's, allowing him to see the seriousness in them. "I've been searching for my family since the time that I found out who I was. I quickly left the orphanage to find them, but it took a while. But I kept searching, snd I finally found my… baby sister, and my Uncle, Aunt, and cousin. Will you not greet me as I have you?"

After he said that, Vernon fainted.

"Oh no," Harry moaned. Carey looked like she wanted to laugh but clasped her hands to her mouth.

She mumbled between giggles, "You're a great actor."

Harry smirked a bit, "But we need to get someone out here to move him. He's like a blockade."

"Yeah…" Carey looked down at the man with distaste. "I suppose we should… AUNT PETUNIA! HURRY! UNCLE VERNON'S FAINTED AND IS BLOCKING THE DOORWAY!"

Harry wanted to clasp his hands to his ears at her shrill yell, but decided against it. Moments later, the floor shook as a woman made her way towards the pair of children - but it wasn't Petunia. It was Marge. Harry mentally groaned.

"What have you done, you good for nothing bitch?" she shouted at Carey as she waddled up to Vernon. From behind her you could see the faint figure of Petunia hurrying down the hall.

When Marge cursed at Carey, Harry felt his blood rise in temperature. "Excuse me," he said coldly, the words piercing the air like knives. "But you will refrain from calling Carey that. It's disgraceful."

"And who are you?" Marge asked, her face blotched up in anger, much like Vernon's had.

"I'm Harry James Potter," he replied. "Carey's brother."

"She has no brother," the woman laughed. "Isn't that right Petunia? She's the only runt born from those mongrel Potters!"

But Petunia, who had stopped at the doorway in horror, now looked up at Harry, and the boy saw a spark of fear and recognition in her eyes. Marge took this as an affirmative to her question and continued to rant.

"See, now get off this property before we call the police!"

The woman grabbed at a rather startled Carey and began to drag her into the house. Marge's pudgy fingers gripped tightly onto the girls upper arm, leaving white and red marks around it. She whimpered at the pain and tried to pull away. Her eyes were large and they found Harry's after mere moments. Harry couldn't let Marge win this one.

"You listen here," Marge said angrily. "Stop your whining and get inside. You - I will call the police if you do not get off Vernon's property!"

Harry glared at the woman as she pointed a finger at him, "I will not leave with you treating my sister as such. You could get in trouble for child abuse and neglect for the way you're treating her right now. So get your hands off of her before I call the authorities myself," he said angrily.

The woman didn't get the message and spat at him, "I wont listen to you! Get off this property, this instant!"

Harry had had enough. He rose his right hand up, "I'm warning you. Let go of her."

"And if I don't?" Marge sneered nastily.

The wind picked up around them, and without warning, Marge found herself flying back into the house as if something had just slammed into her. Petunia screamed, waking up Vernon who sputtered and blinked violently.

"You- You're one of them!" Petunia screamed in distress.

"Define them," Carey snapped at her Aunt. Harry could tell that she'd hit a soft spot.

Petunia ignored her and backed away while helping her husband up. "Vernon," she whispered, but Harry could hear the faint words. "That boy looks just like… just like him!"

"Who?" he mumbled, disgruntled and a bit confused.

"That Potter!"

"Your sisters-"

"Yes!"

There was silence. Harry could feel a drainage in his body's energy. That magic had taken too much out of him. He stood as tall as he could, his lean figure shaking slightly from the creeping exhaustion.

Finally, Vernon turned to face Harry, "What do you want with us? You're one of them - we want no more business with your kind."

Harry ran a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. There was just so much to do with these people.

"Don't talk to Harry like that," Carey said before Harry was able to stop her. "You wont talk to my brother that way - you have no right!"

"What did you say you-"

Just as Vernon reached out for Carey much like Marge had done, Harry moved forward in a blink of an eye using his Quiditch reflexes to move in front of the girl. He held an arm out in front of him, stopping his uncle from moving forward anymore.

Harry's bright green eyes bore into dull ones as he stared at the man. They were unnerving. "Don't. Touch. Her. Understand?"

His Uncle eyed his hand for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. He backed away a bit before saying, "I don't see what you want with my family."

"I was hoping you'd take me in." he paused for a moment, the words taking effect in the others.

Petunia scuttled over to her husband, terrified. The fear shown in her eyes as she looked around her, and Harry couldn't help but smirk slightly.

"You see, I'm only seventeen, and too young to be on my own. You're the only family I have, and I was hoping that you would be just as glad to see me as I with you. But I have yet to see your kindness."

Vernon sputtered momentarily, "One of your kind is enough for me! You'll just have to march yourself right back to that orphanage! If it hadn't been for that blasted wizard at that mumbo jumbo school of yours, girl, you'd have been sent to one as well!"

Harry glanced distractedly at Carey. There was a pained expression on her face. Harry didn't like that. So the next thing he said came out of his mouth after a determined thought.

"If you believe such things," he stated quietly, almost as calm as the silence surrounding them. "Why don't you allow me to take Carey and we will be out of your lives forever."

Stunned silence met his words. Carey gasped and Vernon's beady eyes shined with a disgusting satisfaction.

He grinned madly, "You will take her?"

"Yes," Harry told him. "I'm a man of my word."

"Take her then," he let out a snort of amusement. "Let them be gone! Girl, get your things and get out!"

Those were the last words uttered to them as the man waddled down the hall to his sister. Harry didn't even wait for his Aunt to move from the doorway before he rushed inside, grabbing Carey's hand on the way.

Petunia stared unsurely at him, and as he passed her, his eyes landed momentarily on hers. He gave her a small smile, then turned away. The visible relief in her eyes were unseen by either.

The next half hour passed quickly as Harry helped Carey gather her things together. The room was much like his had been, but there were more girly accessories around. And more books. Much, much more books.

By the time they had packed everything, and Harry shrunk it all by using Carey's wand, it was completely dark outside.

"Where will we go?" she asked, breathless.

Harry paused in pulling a makeshift bag over his shoulders. He stared out of the window for a moment before saying, "I don't know. But I have an idea."

"An idea?"

He nodded. "Have… uh. Was there ever a man who escaped from Azkaban?"

"Escaped from that prison?" she questioned, astonished. "No one could escape from there!"

"But… it's liable to happen," he gave her a small, amused grin. "I knew someone who did."

"Who?"

"My Godfather."

"Who?"

"Sirius Black, was his name." At the sound of his name, Harry's eyes narrowed with sadness. His heart felt like bursting at the mere thought of his deceased Godfather.

"Sirius… Black? The man who killed mum and dad?" her voice trembled. "He escaped?"

Harry's green eyes flashed violently again. "He was innocent!"

"He killed them! How could he be innocent?" Carey nearly shouted, eyes filling with tears.

"He was framed," Harry leaned limply on the windowsill. His body ached and hurt from all the activities. But his energy was slowly coming back.

"Framed by who?" she spat.

"Peter Pettigrew."

"He's dead!" Carey cried out. "He died when Black killed him, you know."

Harry shook his head disbelieving. He had been there and done that. "Never mind, then. I have an idea of what to do."

She sniffed slightly and picked up the other shrunken bag and swung it over her shoulders. "What?"

"It's a surprise," he whispered. His eyes sparkled mischievously and he gave her a smile. Then, he thought of his wings and how he needed them. The pain wasn't as horrible as the first time around, but as they sprouted from his already sore back, small flecks of red spattered against the walls. Maybe he shouldn't do that more than once in a few hours, he thought sourly. "Do you have everything?"

Carey nodded, concern in her eyes. "What are you doing?"

He smiled and lunged forward. "This!" he cried out loudly as his arms clasped around the girls' shoulders. He spun her around then held her in a tight embrace right as he turned on heel. They began falling backwards to the floor and with a sound much like that of a light, musical note, they disappeared. The tinkling sound echoed throughout the room, along with the ringing laughter of the Angel.

And then, the room was completely empty, with the exceptions of shadows and dark light that danced about with the falling feathers left in place of the Angel.

The night had only begun.

"Been there and gone tomorrow without saying goodbye to yesterday. Are the memories I still hold valid? Or have the tears deluded them? Maybe this time tomorrow the rain will cease to follow and the mist will fade into one more today. Something somewhere out there keeps calling. Am I going home…?Will I hear someone singing solace to the silent moon?" Wolfs Rain theme, Gravity. I do not own this song.

A/N: So, I guess this chapter is decent. The chapter was originally completely different, but I thought that it was going too fast and slow in places for my liking. So I kind of revised it, so there might be places that don't fit. If anyone who reads this sees a place that doesn't go well with the rest, please notify me so that I'm aware of it. I'm not that great at re-editing, so yeah. Although this one is a bit boring, I rather liked it. It helps steer the story into a different direction compared to the first time around.

Anyways, thanks to those who reviewed and read the first chapter! I was quite surprised to find that nearly twenty-five people were reading this when it had only been posted for a day and a half. That's never happened with any of my stories before. -- Min