/Cross-over/ All rights and respects to JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer for their works. I'm just building sand castles.

CHAPTER TWO: Chances

"Bella," Edward said softly, "Stop."

Bella snarled, her teeth already pressing down hard enough to puncture the skin and draw blood. Her eyes held no pupil and her face appeared completely demonic. Rene was again reminded of the monsters she lived with, the genetics by which she was doomed. Even from across the table, Rene could smell the metallic scent of Professor Brightwater's blood. The girl's mouth watered. She felt sick as her body demanded what she desired, but couldn't deny how tantalised she was by the heat radiating off the stranger, by the incredibly loud sound of the woman's heart racing under her ribcage.

She realised then that not at one point had she truly feared for her mother's life. Not enough to help her. Shame washed over her frame and she shivered. Rene had just stood there, stock still, as the witch had spat curses and magic at her mother. The scream ripped from her throat at the sight of her mother in such an unnatural state, collapsed against the wall - had it been in anguish, or had it been in joy?

Jacob picked himself up from the floor. There were several crunching sounds as bones that Bella had broken when she grabbed him, ground past each other and knitted back together. His regenerative healing ensured that he could survive unimaginable damage. Still sore, he padded over to Rene and thrust his muzzle into her hands, wanting to be reassured. She absently stroked his forehead and played with his tufted ears, her stomach roiling as she relived the split-second of agonising hopefulness that her mother's dominating presence was gone. She felt sick.

"Bella," Edward said softly again. Rene raised her head and studied the man from under her eyelashes. He was dressed well: figure-forming breeches, white doublet and wine-coloured vest. Rene was struck, as she was every time she looked at him, by his masculine beauty. Everything about him was inviting; the white of his teeth, his strong jaw-line, the deep and brooding eyes. The perfect predator, a creature so alluring that prey eagerly and easily allowed themselves to be drawn into the predator's web of compulsion. The girl slid her eyes off her father and the tentative web snapped; she no longer felt as if she would do anything to be with him, do anything to satisfy him.

It furthered her disgust. Not only were vampires super-human, with incredible strength and speed, but they were also so appealing to humans. They radiated a sort of attraction; in her studies, Rene could only compare it to how certain insects released pheromones to attract potential mates... or how some spiders could imitate those pheromones to seduce their prey into their sticky webs. Moreover, Edward was her father. Rene always felt nauseous by the stirrings of lust that coiled in her stomach when she looked at him; it made the visions her mother inadvertently revealed twice as forbidden, twice as fascinating.

The wolf by her side butted his head against hip and she banished the unbidden visions and twisted her hands in his fur, taking comfort from his warmth and presence.

Bella moaned, but launched herself from the table. She collided with the kitchen bench and the hard oak wood crumpled beneath the impact with a sickening crack sound. Shards and splitters scattered through the air. Edward was at his wife's side instantly, holding her tight in his arms, his hands petting and soothing the struggling vampire. Wisps of ash and burnt cloth separated themselves from Bella's form, leaving her almost naked as she struggled against her husband's hold.

Professor Brightwater clutched at her chest in relief so profound, her very eyes seemed to hold her soul. She gasped huge lungfuls of air, hyperventilating. Blood leaked from the pinpricks at her neck, the straining tendons only defining the delicious expanse of skin to Rene's hungry eyes. Rene stayed where she was, not sure what she should do, if she should do anything at all. Her mind catapulted from thought to thought; her mother, the magic, her father, the blood, the brief moment of wild ecstasy when she thought she'd be free. It all stemmed from her. It was all her fault, she had let the stranger in, she had revealed the secret, she had set the witch off, which in turn made her mother snap. And her father - he would despise her now because of what he must do. They would have to kill the witch, so that she wouldn't tell anyone else that a family of vampires lived in the forest of Forks. Eventually the witch sat up, her hand retreating slowly inside her robes.

But Edward's voice cut through the air, sharp and hard, "I wouldn't if I was you."

The witch jerked, startled, her wand slipping through her fingers to the floor.

"No, I'm not a wizard. Yes, I'm a vampire. No, not that sort. How can I read minds? First, you must either promise to never reveal what happened here today, or concede to dying. Yes, I'm serious, and no, I can't be tricked." Each sentence was fired rapidly as Edward invaded the woman's mind, reading her very thoughts as they appeared, effectively negating the need for the witch to hold a verbal conversation.

She sagged back, appearing defeated. Her eyes travelled from Jacob to Rene, from Bella to Edward. A quiet whisper escaped her mouth, "I don't understand."

"Renesmee," her father said, turning his dark gaze her way.

A shot of anger travelled up her spine. "I want to stay and listen," Rene cried, "She came because of me, she came to visit me!" No doubt she'd be controlled more strictly now, this may be her last chance of contact with the outside world.

Bella ceased struggling in Edward's arms, and Rene noted with mocking relief that her mother's features had settled back into the calm mask she normally wore. She must have let down the barriers of her mind and let Edward read her thoughts and intentions, because he released her and only watched as his wife near floated towards the table. She sat softly on a chair and offered the chair opposite her to Professor Brightwater. The woman clambered awkwardly to her feet and sat with a sigh. The two woman regarded each other for a moment; one ash-smudged perfect face and the other old, weary and wary.

"I'm sorry," Bella's voice was quiet and withdrawn, "I only acted in self-defence."

Professor Brightwater cautiously raised her head higher to meet Bella's eyes, "I too, thought I was acting in self-defence. You don't understand, vampires have such horror stories associated with them; the terror of their sudden attacks, groups of vampires acting as a coven, killing and sustaining themselves." There was fear in her eyes and a tremble of her lips, "The Alliance of Authority tracks magical creatures... the International Confederation of Wizards so decreed it when they passed the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy... but I was not informed there would be vampires here." Her eyes slid to Jacob, "Or wolves."

"And you will not inform this alliance of our presence," Edward said. Rene flinched when his penetrating gaze met hers, It's all your fault, the look said, And now we could be in danger from the Volturi.

"I don't understand how you have slipped past their system..." She recited in a sing-song voice, "'Each wizarding governing body will be responsible for the concealment, care and control of all magical beasts, beings and spirits. Sound any such creature cause harm to the Muggle community, that nation is punishable by law.'" She took a deep breath, "I researched Forks briefly before coming here, there haven't been any unexplained murders or disappearances for years - nothing that the Alliance could have used to pick up on your vampire activities, I don't..."

"We don't feed on humans," Bella answered, smiling slighting to reveal her teeth.

The disbelief was clear on Brightwater's face. Her hand seemed to wander to the indents of her neck of its own violation.

"Look at our eyes," her mother didn't blink for several seconds, allowing the professor to see the deep hues of gold. "I regret biting you, and I apologise. I did not pass any venom to you."

The professor's hand stilled at her neck. "The ageless skin, the flawless proportions of your body, yes, I did think perhaps maybe you had Veela blood. But never a vampire," realisation seemed to dawn on the woman's face as she turned to look at Rene, "And you... I don't understand... girls can develop well ahead of boys, but now that I look closely at you, past your childish clothing, you're surely older than fifteen." She looked positively agonised as her thoughts whirled to decipher the problem, "Why would the Headmaster send me here if you weren't eleven?"

"I'm eleven today, madam," Rene said, gritting her teeth. She thought back to the beginning of the day; her tussle with Jacob on the bed seemed unreal, as if it hadn't happened.

"I don't understand," it seemed to be the professor's mantra, something to say between silences.

"Renesmee is half vampire," Edward came to sit next to Bella at the table, "She was conceived when Bella was still human, before I turned her. Renesmee is gifted with an accelerated growth rate, this is her eleventh year, but her physical age is around seventeen." He paused, "Yes, you don't understand, I know."

"Accelerated -"

"She's a dhampir, not human, not vampire, but a half-breed," Bella interjected, "There are others like her, but most mothers do not survive the birthing, or kill the child in the womb."

Rene shuddered as they talked about her as if she wasn't there. Bella's last sentence stung. Yes, it would have been a much neater life for her mother if she was aborted, killed in the womb. She wrapped her arms around herself and fingered the lace of her dress. Jacob whined beside her, but not even his soulful eyes could distract her.

"Half-breeds are of course a common, if not frowned upon occurrence in the wizarding world, but I don't understand -"

"You don't have to understand!" Rene screamed, "I'm a freak, a monster, that's all there is to it." The last few words were almost whispered into the shocked silence. Bella and Edward shared a glance; Bella's face was clouded. Rene couldn't tell what her parents were thinking, but the relief, the amazing relief of finally saying the words she had kept to herself since what had seemed forever felt as if a huge burden had been removed from her shoulders. She felt almost lighter, almost better than she had in years since she hit puberty. She sagged against Jacob's side until she sunk to the ground. The wolf nipped at her shoulder, licked the side of her face and then settled his long body around her.

Professor Brightwater's eyes softened as she regarded the girl, "So am I correct in assuming that Renesmee's condition is somewhat of a secret to your society, due to the... peculiarities of the situation?"

"Yes, we've home schooled her since she started to read and write," Bella shot her daughter a glance, "We've done our best. We have avoided contact with other vampires, who would be able to smell the blood that runs in her veins. We're not sure if she is as indestructible -" Brightwater flinched, " - as we are... not sure if the venom from a vampire could kill her."

The witch straightened in her seat and withdrew a slightly crumpled envelope from within her robes, "Traditionally students join the Augury Academy on the year of their eleventh birthday. Renesmee will have to be placed in 4th or 5th year so she is not ridiculed by the older or younger students due to her appearance." She floated the envelope over to Rene. They watched it cross the distance as if on invisible wings.

Rene took it without hesitation and gently swatted Jacob's nose away as he took a curious sniff of the letter. A school, a chance at a life away from the confinements of secrecy? An escape from this emotional hell of a family?

"Dear Miss Cullen, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at the Augury Academy of Warcraft and Sorcery." Rene swallowed and looked up at the witch, thoughts swirling. Finally she asked a safe question, "But if you didn't know I was a dhampir, why would I be chosen for this school?"

"Wandless magic," Professor Brightwater cocked her head to the side, "Have you ever made something... happen? When you were angry, or scared?"

Rene didn't have to think long before recalling how sometimes she could cause glass to shatter, or flowers to bloom when accompanied by Jacob on her walks through the forest. She attributed these occurrences to random acts of nature or the universe. Could she really have magical powers beyond her telepathy? It didn't seem to be as far-fetched as she thought it would be.

Edward frowned, "Miss..."

"Professor Brightwater."

"Professor, some vampires have latent abilities that manifest when they are turned. Renesmee can break through the barriers of the mind and communicate telepathically when in contact with another. But this is vampire magic, inherited by Bella and myself, I don't know why this would have registered as... wandless magic when our own use of it has not."

"Well it's quite obvious, isn't it?" The witch said, "Renesmee was clearly born with her talents, whereas you and, er, Edward only received your abilities upon turning. We only track wandless magic performed by underage witches and wizards." She fidgeted restlessly in her chair for a moment before asking, "Excuse me if this is too personal, but I've never heard of vampires having magical powers..."

"Mine is a little opposite from magical," Bella replied, "I can shield my mind and body from magical attacks."

"Amazing," the stranger cooed, the implications settling her fears that all vampires were as strong as Bella, "A sort of... in-built Portego..." she trailed off, "Though surviving the Killing Curse - it can't be blocked..." She waved her hand about, "Something I'll have to research though I imagine it has to do with having no soul -" Edward's face collapsed in on itself in pain, but the professor didn't notice. She looked at Bella searchingly, "Whilst you may be too old to teach (though I imagine our researchers would do anything to study your remarkable talent), Renesmee's telepathy could be refined with lessons of Legilimency and Occlumency at our school."

"Renesmee is dhampir," Edward said quietly, his face still haunted, "She still has blood cravings."

She seemed taken aback by this statement, "There have been exceptions in the past... the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans may have some bearing... though vampire students - very rare... but werewolves and other such dangerous magical creatures are welcome at our school as long as the proper precautions are taken."

The girl's head snapped up at the mention of werewolves. "That means Jacob could come!" Rene's childish grin and quick hug of the wolf by her side almost brought a smile to her parents face, but the words caused Brightwater's brows to draw close. The woman's eyes stared at the wolf. Jacob stared back, his tongue lolled to the side in a sort of grin.

"Only students and teachers are permitted on the school grounds; students are allowed to bring a familiar, but nothing as large as a full grown wolf."

"You just said werewolves were accepted!"

The teacher drew back in shock, her eyes once again round with fear. She pressed a fluttering hand against her chest, "Th-that's a werewolf!"

Jacob took the liberty of transforming back into the tall, dark haired man. His grin as a human was just as wolfish. He cocked his head at her, "Hi."

"Vampires and werewolves!" The woman cried, "What next, hobgoblins and faeries?"

"You said werewolves could attend the school."

Professor Brightwater attempted to regain her composure. She drew her robe closer about her, trying to avoid Jacob's eye, "Only if they are controlled by the Wolfsbane potion... It is the only sure way a werewolf can retain his sanity, intelligence and memory while transformed."

"I need no potion to keep my sanity," Jacob growled. Even though he was sprawled on the ground, his long arms and legs surrounding Rene in a protective embrace, he still had the same dangerous aura that clung to him when he was in wolf form.

"Then he is not a werewolf."

"I've discussed this recently with the Quileute tribe... Jacob and his pack are not true Children of the Moon - they are descendants of them, however." Edward's sudden contribution to the conversation caused a slight pause. Jacob nodded slightly to acknowledge this claim.

Professor Brightwater frowned, "Do you transform on the full moon?" She shook her head, "Last night was a new moon..."

"The members of my tribe can transform at will, regardless of the lunar cycle," Jacob replied evenly, "We communicate amongst ourselves when in wolf form; I can assure you that we are quite sane as wolves." Another one of his wolfish grins slid across his face.

"A type of animagus magic then," the professor said, "Unregistered of course, otherwise we'd know of them." She drew a breath, "Unless he has any magical ability beyond the talent for shape-shifting, he cannot be accepted at Augury Academy." She looked at Jacob for confirmation.

He shook his shaggy-haired head, "I possess no other magical abilities that I know of."

"But I can't leave Jacob." Rene's heart squeezed painfully in her chest at the idea of a life without Jacob.

"She's his and he's hers," Bella said gently, answering the woman's unasked question, "The closest thing I can think of that you may understand is... betrothal... perhaps a magical bond that cannot be broken."

The witch's face spasmed briefly with an identifiable emotion as she looked at the young man who looked just shy of twenty, and the underage girl he was wrapped around. While arranged marriages still occurred in the wizarding world, Brightwater could not help thinking of Renesme's mental age underneath her physical appearance. She said eventually, "I... I have learnt much today. If you'll allow me to return to the Headmaster, I'll converse with him about Renesmee's education and what rules could be bent for Jacob's attendance."

"You remember the offer I made earlier," Edward said calmly, "You must either promise to never reveal what happened here today, or concede to dying." He shot a withering glance at Rene, "We will not disrupt the balance of our lives and the Quileute tribe due to a nosy witch. So choose. Life, or death."

/Author's Note/ Thanks to those of you who have reviewed so far!