Harry Potter And The Delinquient.

Author's Note: Featuring Edwin McCain's I'll Be and Evanescence's Bring Me To Life performed by a very special duo. More detailed notes at the end of this chapter.

Hunter and Katie made it down to the Great Hall for dinner and found that only three other students had remained. One was a Ravenclaw first year Hunter had seen during his time as the Phantom. He had scared her so bad that he could have sworn she needed a change of panties.

The other two were a couple of Hufflepuff fourth years. The two boys had like wise had a run in with the Phantom and had come dangerously close to catching him. He had barely managed to duck into a girls' bathroom in time to avoid detection.

Sitting down at the only table in the room he and Katie sat next to each other between Professors McGonagall and Sprout. Professor McGonagall had given them an approving smile when they had entered the room holding hands.

Because it was the Holidays the school rules had been suspended and Hunter received no detention for still not wearing his robes. After they had all eaten Professor McGonagall asked Hunter if he would play them a song.

Hunter thought about it for a moment and agreed on the condition that Katie played with him. She agreed and he called their guitars to them.

Hunter decided on a song he had taught Katie the previous week and they took their seats away from the others so their audience could watch them clearly.

The strands in your eyes that color them wonderful. Stop me and steal my breath. Emeralds from mountains thrust toward the sky, never revealing their depth. Tell me that we belong together. Dress it up with the trappings of love. I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips. Instead of the gallows of heartache that hang from above.

A faint smile tugs at the corners of Hunter's mouth as he sees the other students' reaction to his performance. He knew they'd recognize him the minute he started playing. He just finds it funny how they're sitting in their chairs as stiff as statues.

I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be your love suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your life.

The Professors also notice the students' reaction and aren't surprised since they had known that these three had encountered the Phantom. Not overly concerned at the moment they sat back and enjoyed the rest of the performance.

Rain falls angry on the tin roof, as we lie awake in my bed. You're my survival, you're my living proof. My love is alive not dead. Tell me that we belong together. Dress it up with the trappings of love. I'll be captivated, I'll hang from your lips. Instead of the gallows of heartache, that hang from above.

I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be your love suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your life.

All of the Professors present enjoy the performance but none so much as the Headmaster. Listening to not only the words of the song but also the emotions behind them the wise old wizard knows that young Mr. Catiar is once again among the living. They've found the happiness that they'll need to see them through these dark days.

I've been dropped out, burned up, fought my way back from the dead. Tuned in, turned on, remembered the things that you said. I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be your love suicide. And I'll be better when I'm older. I'll be the greatest fan of your life.

The end of the performance was greeted by a round of applauds that they accepted with matching smiles. Hunter and Katie returned to their original seating positions and received many compliments on their performance.

"YOU'RE THE PHANTOM MUSICAN." One of the boys yelled once the initial shock wore off. He instantly turned beet red as everyone at the table looked at him. "I... sorry I didn't mean to yell." He shrunk back into his seat wishing he knew how to become invisible at the moment.

Hunter laughs warmly at the boy. "Guilty as charged." Hunter reached across the table offering the boy his hand. "The name's Hunter Catiar."

The boy sat up and shook Hunter's hand, "Bryan Green." Sitting back in his seat he indicates the other Hufflepuff boy. "This is my best mate Roger James." Roger grins and gives Hunter a quick two-finger salute.

Hunter smiles to Roger and returns the jester. Hunter then looks at the little girl who looks just as scared as she did that night she encountered his spectral alter ego. "And who might you be?" He asks in a soft friendly voice."

"Car... Carla Baker... sir." She stutters so softly that he barely heard her. Her voice has a distinct American accent, Southern to be more accurate. His eyes widen in shock and his face reveals the horror that entered his mind at her last name.

It can't be. He says nothing as he looks her over far more closely then he had before. Her hair and eyes are almost exactly the same. And that accent, god I'd know that accent anywhere.

His reaction has the others worried and the Carla about ready to start crying. Katie's hand on his shoulder finally snaps him out of his thoughts as he tries to compose himself. "Did," he begins fighting the lump in his throat. "Did you know a girl named Erica Baker?"

Her eyes, like his widen in horror as her jaw drops in recognition. "You're Hunter..." He can only nod as she jumps out of her chair and runs around the table and throws herself at him. She buries her head in his chest as she begins crying uncontrollably.

Hunter wraps his arms around her gently and holds her as she cries. "I'm sorry," he says softly. "I should have done something to help her." He confesses his greatest sin to this young girl. Although they had just met, they knew the other's pain. "I loved her but I failed to save her."

Carla looks up at him through tear filled eyes. "You couldn't save her," she told him sadly. "No one could save her." She begins to cry again as she once again clings to him tightly. "She loved you too, she told me so." she sobbed into his tear soaked shirt. "It's all my fault," Carla said. "I'm the reason she's gone," she confessed to him. "She tried to protect me from him and he killed her for it."

Hunter's body tensed up at her words as his hate rose up inside him. "It's not your fault," he tells her. "Don't ever blame yourself for what the bastard did." He fights back his rage as he gently lifts her chin up. He looks into her eyes and smiles at her. "Erica loved you," he began. "She told me so every night at school. She swore that she would never let him hurt you the way he had her." He gently wipes away her tears and pulls her up into his lap.

"I loved your sister but I couldn't protect her." He brushes the hair out of her face and looks at her face. So much like Erica our first year. "I can never take her place but I know she would like for me to look after you."

Carla smiles and nods. "I would like that too." She hugs him and doesn't let go for along time. Carla returns with him and Katie to Gryffindor Tower and spends the remainder of the holidays there. She and Hunter swap stories about her sister and even though Katie has none of her own she doesn't mind hearing her boyfriend talk about his late love.

Over the remainder of their time together Katie and Carla become close and actually adopt each other as sisters. At first Hunter felt bad about leaving Katie out of his conversations with Carla but his concerns were soon put to rest as he watched the two of them bond. She really is far better then I deserve.

On the last night before the others return Carla asks them to play a song for her. "Erica and I always listened to Evanescence when she was home from school. We loved Bring Me To Life the best. Could you two play that one for me?"

They both smile at their little sister and agree to play the request. Katie naturally takes the lead vocals with Hunter providing the male vocals.

How can you see into my eyes like open doors? Leading you down into my core. Where I've become so numb. Without a soul, my spirits sleeping somewhere cold. Until you find it there and lead it back home.

Carla curls up on the couch pulling Erica's old jacket tightly around her as she listens to her big brother and new big sister perform for her. She smiles as she listens to them but in the back of her mind she knows that he will have to be told every thing that happened that night.

[Wake me up.] Wake me up inside. [I can’t wake up.] Wake me up inside. [Save me.] Call my name and save me from the dark. [Wake me up.] Bid my blood to run. [I can’t wake up.] Before I come undone. [Save me.] Save me from the nothing I’ve become.

As they play Carla begins to drift off to sleep and Hunter smiles at her. Sweet dreams little one.

Now that I know what I’m without. You can’t just leave me. Breathe into me and make me real. Bring me to life.

[Wake me up.] Wake me up inside. [I can’t wake up.] Wake me up inside. [Save me.] Call my name and save me from the dark. [Wake me up.] Bid my blood to run. [I can’t wake up.] Before I come undone. [Save me.] Save me from the nothing I’ve become.

Bring me to life. [I’ve been living a lie... There’s nothing inside.] Bring me to life.

Frozen inside without your touch. Without your love, darling. Only you are the life among the dead

[All of this I, I cant believe I couldn’t see. Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me.] I’ve been sleeping a thousand years it seems. Got to open my eyes to everything. [Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul.] Don’t let me die here. [There must be something more.] Bring me to life.

[Wake me up.] Wake me up inside. [I can’t wake up.] Wake me up inside. [Save me.] Call my name and save me from the dark. [Wake me up.] Bid my blood to run. [I can’t wake up.] Before I come undone. [Save me.] Save me from the nothing I’ve become.

Bring me to life. [I’ve been living a lie.. There’s nothing inside.] Bring me to life.

Author's Notes: No one saw that one coming... Hunter now has two women in his life he cares about. His little sister and his new girlfriend. Things seem to be turning around for the troubled teen and for the first time in along time it looks like things are finally looking up. But looks can be deceiving. What exactly is Carla hiding from Hunter? What really happened the night Erica died?