Unexpected Changes

Chapter Two

Hallows Eve the night that any self respecting witch or wizard would celebrate. And for these students in Hogwarts years five and above gladly celebrated this night. Dumbledore was going to allow a ball to be held in the Room of Requirements for the fifth, sixth, and seventh years. The day they found out about the The Hallow Eves Ball the student went costume crazy. Even Harry had been excited about it. He knew what he planned for that night he was going to let his Glamours down and dress accordingly. No would know who he was and for that he was immensely grateful. Ron and Hermione were constantly begging him to tell them about his costume but he was not spilling. He didn’t even confirm with them that he was going to be attending the Hallow Eve Ball.

He had yet to tell them his secret and he didn’t know if planned on doing so. He had yet to quite figure out if he could trust Hermione or if she was another pawn of Dumbledore's. Ron he knew he could not trust he had failed him so many times in the past but that isn’t even what hurt worse. It was the fact that Ron was being paid to be his friend by Albus Dumbledore. Hermione was a complete mystery to him but he planned on solving that soon till then he was going to keep his silence.

Week before the ball Harry had finally had his costume ready. He had designed and sewn it together himself. He put to use the years his aunt Petunia mad him patch up his clothes and take out some of Dudley's clothes to good use. As for the designing the costume it was just a creativity streak he hand recently discovered. But he had to admit his own handy work was impeccable and that wasn’t meant in an arrogant fashion, no pun intended.

The day before the ball Dumbledore surprised the students by telling them that he had invited seven other schools to attend the ball. Among them was Beauxbaton and Drumstrung. The other schools were The Founders Academy Witch Craft and Wizardry in the States, Shuang School of Witch Craft and Wizardry in China, Horus School of Sorcerers in Egypt, Yaroslav School of Witch Craft and Wizardry in Russia, and Itzel School of Witch Craft and Wizardry in Spain. He went on to explain that the schools were coming to Hogwarts to participate in some Pureblood events that were being held in the United Kingdom this year. The other schools would be arriving that night and will be staying till the end of the school year.

But Harry could careless about these schools staying it gave him a chance to completely hid his identity for the Hallows Eve Ball. He could let his guard down and finally be himself well the self that he had been hiding since the accident for the past ten months. For one night he would allow himself to be seen as a girl which is ultimately who he was now. The potion accident left the damage permanent but she wasn’t going to complain this was her way out when she wanted to disappear from the Wizarding World on England which she planned on doing as soon as her seventh year ended.

Over the last half year Harry had made a new identity for the person he had become. Legally she even existed and had full control over all of his accounts at Gringotts and his possessions. He had even chosen a new name for himself in Kalista Lilia Pavens. Remus had told her that her parents wish to name their daughter Kalista if they ever were given the chance to have her which sadly they weren’t. So she was going to do this for them. When she ready to leave England behind she had a life and home waiting fore her in the United States.

She was going to use the night of the Hallows Eve Ball to finally seduce the boy she had been pining after over the last five years. She just hoped he would be receptive to her advances. She had already taken two days to talk herself into this current mindset she didn’t know if she was going to get a chance to be with him after she had finally left England and this was her only night to be able to show herself. She would be forever crushed if he did not wish to be with her. Because of the attendants of other students it was going to be easier for Kalista to blend in with the other students so she could achieve her goal. But her real problem were with Ron and Hermione and how to convince them that she would not be going to the Hallow Eve Party tonight because she was sick.

“So Harry will you be going to the ball now that there are many more girls that may catch your eye?”

“Mione with the way I feeling I don’t even think the site of pretty girls could make me attend the ball” Kalista said as she laid her head down on the table. Sometimes she wished that she told her them about her accident but then she remembered she didn’t trust them as she once had.

“What's the matter Harry?” Hermione asked her voice laced with concern that Kalista hoped was genuine.

“My head is killing me and I really don’t want to see Poppy again or down another potions. I think I am slowly becoming immune to their healing abilities.” Kalista mumbled as she continued to feign he illness.

“Do you need to go back to your room? I’ll walk you.” Hermione said as she begun to put her books away.

“Why is it that you have your own rooms any way Harry? Are you too good to sleep in the dorms with the rest of us now?” Ron asked him coldly.

“RONALD!” Hermione yelled at him in disbelief. “You know why Harry has his own rooms! Sleeping in a room with a bunch of hormonal boys could cause him to have an episode. How dare you be so cold to him!” Hermione said chastising him and he didn’t even have the decency to look embarrassed or concerned about his behavior.

“It is okay Mione. Could you just help to my rooms please?”

“Sure Harry.” Her eyes soften for the their glare she had saved specifically for Ron when she turned to face Kalista.

On the way up to her rooms Kalista figured it was as good a time as any to find out if Hermione was a true friend to her. When they reached the rooms Kalista heavy warded them so they would have no interruptions or anyone over hearing them.

“Hermione can I ask you something and please be completely honest with me because you know I can tell if you are lying to me.”

“Anything Harry.” Hermione said as she set next to Harry on the couch. She hadn’t seen her friend this serious in a long time which meant that whatever he need was very important to him.

“Are you a true friend to me?” Kalista asked her. To Hermione she looked completely Vulnerable that it almost made her heartbreak.

“Always Harry.” Hermione answered without any hesitation.

Harry was the one of few people that she knew her as more than a bookworm or a insufferable know-it-all as she had been dubbed by Severus Snape. When would be thankful for that till the end of time and remain a loyal friend to Harry till she drew her last breath.

“Thanks Mione.” Kalista said as a big smile graced her lips then faltered when she thought about what she was about to say and show to her friend.

“What is it Harry?”

“Well it is a little easier if I showed you then explain everything to you.”

“Show me what?”

“What's under all of my glamours.” Kalista said as she reached for her wand. “Just please don’t freak because it is still me.” then she flicked her wand. She could feel the tingling sensation as each glamour fell from her body. When they were all gone she shifted nervously form one foot to the other as she looked up at Hermione.

Hermione thought Harry looked vulnerable before now it was worse. He..well she looked so lost Hermione could tell Harry was waiting on her answer but she was floored. Her best friend wasn’t a guy! Why had she lied to me? Hermione thought but then she looked back at her very vulnerable and nervous best friend and she realized she couldn’t hold it against her.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Hermione asked her voice slightly hurt there was no accusation in her voice.

“It happened from a potion accident a while back. Do you remember those two days that I was in the infirmary and no one was allowed to see me not even Dumbledore?”

“Yes I remember.”

“Well the two days before that I had this potion fall all over me when the a cauldron slipped from my hands. The damage done by the potion was permanent. I will be forever a girl now.” Kalista told her. She was still a bit nervous about this but she wasn’t and most definitely couldn’t go back now. “You don’t hat me do you?” She asked Hermione. Her eyes were so big in their innocent vulnerability Hermione felt as though she was going to cry.

“No Harry I don’t Hate you. You could have been turned into a werewolf of a vampire and I would still been by you.” Hermione said as she hugged the girl.

“Thanks Mione.” Kalista said holding on to Hermione as she cried in relief.

“You don’t ever have to hid things from me Harry. I’ll always be here for you.”

“Thank you Mione.”

“No need Harry. These are the things friends are suppose to do.” Hermione reassured her as sh led them back to the couch. She had some questions of her own that she wanted to ask Harry. “Why did you feel the nee to ask me if I am a true friend to you Harry?”

“Because I know Dumbledore has placed some people in my life to spy on me. Ron is one of them though I am not to sure about the rest of the Weasleys. Even with Voldemort gone he is still trying to control me.”

“I had hoped you haven’t idolized the old coot anymore. I went to him one year to tell him about you cutting yourself and the abuse from your family. But he didn’t care. He threw my concern for you aside like it was irrelevant one of his students were being abused! Never trusted him since but for you I kept up the pretense.”

“I've went to him too Mione. Severus and Remus went to him as well he didn’t care. Even Poppy went to him with he concerns and still they were ignored.”

“Does he know about your change? Is that how you got these rooms?”

“No he doesn’t. And I hope that it stays that way for a very long time. This new me is my escape from the English Wizarding World. I have a life set up for me in the States after I graduate. As for these rooms curtsey of Severus blackmailing Dumbledore. The bastard was quaking in his shoes. You should have seen it Mione. Severus was completely reeking of hatred and malice towards Dumbledore that it was almost enough to make me feel sorry for the bastard, almost.”

“I do wish I was there to see it. But at lest these rooms served more than just the purpose of hiding your new identity but allows you peace of mind so you don’t have to experience anymore breakdowns.”

“I know. I am over most of it but sometimes its just too much to take. But I'm getting there Mione.”

“I know you are Harry.” Hermione said as she grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze in reassurance. “Mind if I ask you another question?”

“If I said no would it matter?”

“No not really.” Hermione chuckled. “When you leave for the States can I leave with you?”
Here in England Hermione didn’t have much. Her family was dead. The Death Eaters had seen to that before the war was over. All she had here was Harry and where ever Harry was going to go she would to.

“If you really want to. You probably want to have your name changed and have your accounts placed under your new identity. Severus or Remus could get all the paperwork done for you.”

“Good. Then I’ll talk to Snape after class Monday.”

“Just make sure you have the room warded before you ask him. And have a name ready for yourself as well.”

“I already have one.”

“What is it?”

“Krista.”

“That's pretty. Mine is Kalista Lilia Pavens.”

“Hmm...Maybe we could be sisters. I could be Krista Lillian Pavens.”

“I'll like that.”

“Awesome. Now what are you wearing for the ball?”