A Different Path

Rating: PG-13
A/N: Okay, I am totally sorry it took so long to update… I had family over for the holiday and then car trouble and an entire mess of problems, but anyways… The chapter is finally finished, I hope you like it! Remember, reviews are most welcome!!! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: What’s a Wizard to Do?

The rest of the morning Harry spent in a daze, trying to get acquainted with this new life. A new life in a new school, in an entirely new country with very different customs and ways of talking. He felt like he a completely different world. One where things were the same, but different; a mix of the old and the new and where he had absolutely no idea of how to just be normal.

Harry went from class to class, trying to find anything that felt familiar to life at Hogwarts, but there wasn’t much. The small collection of brick buildings that made up the school was a pale comparison to the ancient and overwhelming beauty of Hogwarts Castle. The old flagstone that littered the school grounds, the quidditch pitch and stadium where he spent countless days training and just playing for fun with friends. The Black lake, where during the spring and early summer, the students would gather and enjoy the sun’s warm rays and the cool breeze drifting off of the lake nearby.

Nothing here could ever compare to his time at Hogwarts, his home. He knew he only had to wait and he would find something so much better than even Hogwarts, he would find a family, a mate. However, the overwhelming disconnect he felt at the strange new life was hard to ignore.

There were several times where his fellow students made an attempt to get to know the new student. He was something of a mystery to them and they tried very hard to figure him out. Being a seventeen year old emancipated British orphan who moved to a small back water town in the middle of nowhere and lived alone was at the very least something new to them. There were rumors circulating about him, things he overheard from conversations nearby. Many made him snort in amazement at the things people could make up… many thought he was a rich playboy who had needed to get away from a scandal back home. Others thought that he was on the run from some the law, wanted for murder or the like. It was hilarious what outlandish things they had come up with really.

In his first period, which happened to be English, he met a blonde preppy girl by the name of Jessica.

“You’re Harry potter, right?” Jessica asked she looked at him with an undisguised curiosity. The girl spoke quietly as the class was supposed to be writing a short essay on a recent book they had read. The teacher sat at the front of the class, head down in a stack of papers, grading the previous class’ essays.

“Yeah.” Harry replied, not much for talking.

Jessica, not getting Harry’s reluctance to divulge his life story to a complete stranger, continued asking questions. “So, it’s just you? That’s weird, I mean you’re only seventeen; don’t you need an adult to live with you or something? I think that the law!”

With a heavy sigh, Harry turned to the annoying blonde and said, “Yeah, usually, but I am an adult in the law’s eyes, I was emancipated a while ago. So, now it’s just me.”

“Wow, you must love it. I mean being able to stay up as late as you want, drinking and partying, doing whatever you want… that’s so cool!”

“Yep, it’s kegger, all day, every day!” Harry responded, the American phase rolling off his tongue sharply.

The blonde had a dreamy glazed look in her eyes that Harry found a little unsettling. Obviously she had a thing for bad boys… Harry was never happier than to be a “goody-goody” than at that moment. After years of Draco teasing him about his hero complex and his “goody-goody” nature, Harry finally found a perverse pleasure in seeing it used for something other than getting into the pants of every willing bird, or so Draco had always put it.

“Actually, it’s pretty boring really; I spend most of my time at home, alone… reading and such.” Harry retorted, he couldn’t help but barely contain the smirk that wanted to spring up as the twit came out of her Bad-Boy induced fog.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sure you probably have way too much time too yourself; alone and all. Probably spending it brooding and thinking about better times…” The glazed look was back on her face again. Gods, who did she think he was, bloody Heathcliff brooding as he walked the moors, waiting for Catherine… Harry snorted in amusement, he had heard the English teacher talking earlier about them just finishing up Wuthering Heights. Good book, but not exactly great characters to base a relationship on.

“Not really.”

The glazing disappeared for a final time as the blonde frowned in disappointment and then returned to the essay in front of her.

For the next few hours, Harry found each new class went about the same. It seemed that the students of Forks High School were very interested in Harry and tried at every moment to hear his life story or become his new best friend. By the time lunch rolled around Harry was on edge and wasn’t dealing with the questions as nicely as he had in the beginning of the day. He had never liked the attention he had received as the Boy-Who-Lived and was finding that the attention as the new student from England was just as annoying.

After going through the cafeteria line and paying for his lunch, he turned around and sighed. Since this morning he hadn’t had too much time to think about the fact that he was friendless for the first time since that day on platform 9 and ¾ seven years ago. He had been so happy when Ron and he had become best mates, his first friend ever and Hermione had followed not long after. Now, he was in a completely foreign place and feeling alone.

“Hiya, I’m Eric!” said a pale and thin boy with black hair. He held out his hand for Harry to shake and so Harry did so, if a little reluctantly. The boy reminded Harry a little too much of Colin Creevy, he hoped he didn’t have another obsessive fan/friend on his hands.

“Er… I’m Harry.”

“Oh, I know, the whole school’s been talking about you for a few days. Ever since you moved here all by yourself, everybody hasn’t been able to stop talking about you…” Eric spoke animatedly as he led Harry, if reluctantly, towards a lunch table located in the center of the cafeteria. The table was populated with a number of kids, all talking and laughing. The guys were shoving each other playfully while the girls giggled and watched on as the boys acted like complete Neanderthals.

Harry saw that Jessica, the blonde from his English class was there.

“Guys, this is Harry… Harry meet the guys!” Eric greeted. “That’s Jessica there; beside her are Lauren and then Angela.”

The three girls waved at him and gave him various flirtatious looks, ranging from all out fluttering of the eyes to just plain blushing. Harry couldn’t understand it; he had never considered himself a very handsome guy. Back at Hogwarts he had always had girls trying to be with him because his was Harry Potter, hero of the wizarding world; not because he was anything special to look at, now he couldn’t help but blush in embarrassment at the interest they were giving him.

“And over here, is Mike and Tyler.”

“Hello.” Harry said.

“So Harry, how do you like Forks so far?” asked Angela after he sat down.

“It’s fine. The weather reminds me of back home, which is nice.”

Harry picked up his sandwich and took a bite as Angela replied, “Yeah, it pretty much is raining or at least cloudy here 99 percent of the time.”

Nodding, Harry continued to eat, he always was socially awkward… he never knew what to say, especially to people he didn’t know very well.

“You play any sports?” Mike asked from across the table.

“Not really, the boarding school I went to more… academic.” Harry answered, he played sports, but quidditch wasn’t a real sport; at least not to muggles.

Just then, from the corner of his eye, Harry saw five students walk into the cafeteria. One of them was the guy Harry had made an idiot of himself in front of this morning. Harry felt his breath catch as their eyes met for just a moment and then the tall dark haired Adonis moved on.

Watching beneath his lashes, Harry allowed his eyes to wander over the five in wonder. They were beautiful and alluring, a mixture of both hard and soft features. All were ghostly pale with amber eyes, moving with precise steps and confident in their bodies. They seemed as if they alike, but different at the same time. Each had dark bruising under their eyes and Harry wondered if it was hereditary or the like. None of them seem to be looking at each other; rather all of them were staring at different points in the large room. At times it seemed like they were speaking to each other as their lips moved, but far too fast to understand.

A massive dark haired guy, who looked like he could bench press Hagrid without any problems, sat at the far end of the table. Beside him sat a tall blonde girl, with soft lines and a figure that would make any man beg. To her left, sat another guy with pale blonde hair, sharp angular features and a pained expression on his face. As Harry looked, the blonde guy turned just a fraction of an inch towards the short pixie like creature beside him. She had short choppy dark hair and sparkling amber eyes, her mischievous smile only made her eyes glow even more in merriment.

Finally, beside her, sat the last boy. Nearly as tall as the other two boys, he was not overly muscled like the first boy or rail thin like the second, but a slim seekers built with a toned muscled arms and legs. He had a slight frown on his face as his lips moved again, speaking so quickly, Harry nearly missed the movement.

“They are the Cullen’s.” Jessica said suddenly, drawing Harry from his wanderings.

“Sorry?” asked Harry, still looking at the group sitting several tables away.

“I said they are the Cullen’s, the ones you’re looking at.” Jessica repeated. “They moved here last year, they’re like all together… I mean all together! The big one is Emmett and the girl next to him is Rosalie, they’re dating. Then bedside them, is Jasper and Alice and they’re together too. The only one who isn’t with someone is Edward, the one on the end. I guess he’s too good for anyone here!”

“Turn you down, did he?” Harry asked as Jessica blushed and confirmed Harry’s suspicions.

Harry saw a smirk on Edward Cullen’s face and frowned. Could he hear the conversation?
From so far away and over the dull hum of the rest of the student population? Weird.

“They aren’t very friendly; they don’t really talk to anyone, but the other Cullen’s.” Jessica said as she stared at the Cullen’s.

“They seem like a nice family.”

“Dr. Cullen adopted Emmett, Alice and Edward and then Mrs. Cullen took in Jasper and Rosalie, they are twins and are her niece and nephew or something.” Jessica answered.

“The Cullen’s sound nice. To take in so many kids, not everyone would do that…” Harry said softly visions of the Durley’s popping up in his mind.

“I don’t think Mrs. Cullen can have kids though.” Jessica said with an air of disdain. She spoke like the only reason they adopted them was because they couldn’t have their own.

“Do you really think that matter’s? They took in five kids that didn’t have a home and gave them a family… there are a lot of kids that don’t get that!” Harry spoke harshly.
Jessica looked properly chastised and started eating her lunch with fervor. The table was quiet for a bit, the tension palpable in the air.

“So, I hear you’re from England… why’d you move here?” Eric asked his blatant curiosity annoying.

“The usual, got thrown out of another boarding school for partying, assault and battery, oh and I think there was something about cannibalism mentioned somewhere…” Harry said sarcastically.

All eyes at the table widened in shock at Harry’s words, the tension back in the air. Harry heard a suppressed laugh from the Cullen’s and grinned. These people are idiots, cannibalism? Honestly!

Laughing, Harry exclaimed, “Honestly, you’re too easy!”

As everyone took a heavy sigh, Harry continued, “It was nothing big, just felt the need to get out of the UK. A friend of mine died a while back and I just needed a change, is all.”

Harry still felt the sharp pain from Ginny’s death and the guilt of it weighed on him. Even though his friends had tried repeatedly to persuade him otherwise, he knew he was to blame. If he hadn’t been so impulsive and listened to Hermione and Ron, Ginny would still be alive today! Since that night he had made it a point of listening to what his friends had to say and not just jumping in without a moment’s thought. If he was going to win and defeat Voldemort, he was going to have to be smart and change the way in the war!

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

“He is feeling sadness and guilt from his friend’s death.” Jasper said as he tuned into Harry’s emotions. “A lot of guilt.”

Edward heard pieces of Harry’s thoughts and they only made him more interested in to getting to know the younger boy.

‘Even… friends had tried…. persuade him otherwise….was to blame. If he hadn’t been… impulsive…listened to Hermione… Ginny would still be alive today!’

‘If he… to win and defeat… he was going to…be smart… in the war!’

He relayed Harry’s broken thoughts to his brothers and sisters, they all frowned in thought. Hearing him think answered some questions, but brought up more in their wake. Edward wondered who Ginny was and who she was to Harry… a girlfriend? Friend?

He wanted to go over to him and protect him, keep him safe, but he knew he couldn’t. Harry didn’t know who Edward was and from what he knew of Harry he could more than protect himself. EDwards instinct as his mate, nonetheless, cried out to be close to him, to ease his pain. His scent called out to Edward, but oddly not as food, but rather purely that of a mate. He knew that when vampires found their mates, they did so by scent, it called to them, leading them to the mate. However, he expected at least in some way for his blood to call Edward, he was a vampire after all.

“Does his scent smell different to you?” Edward asked while still gazing at his mate.
He heard them draw in breath, pulling in the scent of his mate, their eyes glazing over and turning a shade darker as they did so. The scent of the humans around them ever present for them.

“He definitely smells different… his blood doesn’t call to me like the others.” Jasper stated the all too present grimace on his face lessened a little bit. “Do you think it has to do with him being a wizard?”

“I don’t know, maybe. At least this way, if we don’t see him as food, he will not be in as much danger around us.” Edward replied, his family nodding in agreement.
Alice sat beside him, bubbling with excitement, nearly bouncing in her seat. She had a large glee filled smile on her face.

“Did you see something else?” He questioned.

“You will just have to wait and see!” Alice said in a sing song voice as the bell rang for the next period.

Frowning at Alice, he then took one last look at Harry and found his eyes meeting Harry’s startling emerald ones. If he had needed to breathe, he knew that his breath would have caught at the look in those eyes. Harry had a puzzled look on his face and a slight frown marred his face. Hearing his breath catch and then release after a few moments as his heart began a fast paced tempo. A flush crept along his face and down his neck and Edward couldn’t help, but wonder how far the blush went. It seemed as if time stood still and for just a little while, the world consisted of only Harry and Edward; Harry’s heart beating a drum beat that filled the silence. It was then Edward heard a few stray thoughts in Harry’s head.

‘Is it him… gorgeous… look away… please look away… you’re an idiot Potter… embarrassing yourself…’

Then, someone passed by in front of Edward and their connection was broken. Harry blinked several times and then the blush seemed to intensify as he hurriedly grabbed his things and left the cafeteria.

With a last look at his mate’s retreating form, Edward gathered his uneaten food, taking it to the trash to throw away and made his way towards Biology. As he walked he thought about Alice’s last comment; he hated when Alice was cryptic like that, it made him wonder what was going to happen…

Obviously, it was about Harry. The few visions she had seen of Harry told him a little about his mate, but not a lot. Edward wondered what kind of a person was he. Did he have anyone who he could trust? Did he have someone to love him? He knew that Harry’s life was hard, that he had been betrayed by those he thought loved him. Did he have anyone missing him from where he came?

His power, even if Edward hadn’t been told about it from Alice, was very strong and he could feel the pull of Harry’s magical strength. From the one vision Alice had shown him, it was apparent that at the end of the war many would be lost and he wondered if his mate would survive? Would his family survive? Would he? He knew this battle, this war, that had consumed the magical world was massive and countless lives had been lost so far and many more to come. A truly evil being was bent on killing Harry and had been doing so for his entire life. The entire war centered on Harry and what he did, who he trusted with his life. Everything rested on the shoulders of a seventeen year old wizard who happened to be Edward’s mate. Every single person in his family, his mate included, was in danger and threatened by a being that had a fanatical group of followers to do his every evil bidding… As a vampire, he was a feared creature, made to hunt and kill. He was a monster under cover of beauty and allure. Edward did not feel fear, rather he inspired it, but in that moment he felt fear for the first time since his death.

As he reached the Biology classroom, he tried to focus his thoughts on a less heavy subject. Sitting in his assigned seat at one of the lab stations, he opened his mind, allowing the thoughts of those around him to creep in. He searched their minds, trying to find his mate within them. Over time, he had found his gift of reading minds permitted him to, in a sense, view the person’s surrounding through their mind’s eye. Even if he wasn’t allowed direct contact yet, he could pacify himself with protecting his mate from afar. Not only was this his charge as Harry’s mate, but it was also a pleasure. Harry was a truly beautiful person and he was very willing to spend his time looking at Harry.

It was just as he was sifting through the mire in the minds of those within the school, that he saw his mate hesitantly walk into the Biology class and up to the teacher. He couldn’t help, but allow a smirk to glance across his face, seeing as the only free seat left in the entire classroom was the one right beside him.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

After lunch, Harry made my way towards his next class, Biology. After a few minutes of trying to find the class without luck, he checked the map given to him by the front office and headed in the right direction. He still felt the heat of the blush on his skin from the moment with Edward Cullen and he frowned. Was he Harry’s mate? When Harry had looked at him his breath caught and his heart had raced. He felt like the world stopped and they were the only ones in it. He was embarrassed really, he couldn’t look away; he just kept staring at Edward. Edward had too, but still he was embarrassing to think about. Still, he couldn’t help, but smile, the thought that he might be Harry’s mate made him blissful… Edward was very attractive. He was tall and well muscled with pale skin and dark wavy hair. His eyes, a captivating amber color, made Harry want to look into them forever. He had full lips that Harry found himself wanting to bite and lick; and that thought, up until a few days ago, would have made him blanch.

It was strange how just a few days ago he had been unquestionably straight. Of course it wasn’t like he had any experience with either sex, but he had always just assumed girls were for him. The few times he had thought about it, he had imagined that if he survived the coming war he would meet a girl, settle down, get married and have a family. Family was important to him and he had always wanted one. When he was little he had hoped that someday his dad and mum would magically appear and take him away from the Dursleys. He prayed that they weren’t dead, that it was all a lie and it would happen one day, but it didn’t. The only family he had left had been the Dursleys, much as they hated the fact.

As he grew older, he realized the only family he would ever have were the ones he choose for himself. After he went to Hogwarts, for a few years, he truly felt like he had a family, not by blood, but by choice. The Weasley’s took Harry in, they showed him affection, scolded him when he did something wrong or when he put himself in danger. Harry spent holidays with them and birthdays, he had many brothers, a little sister and two of the best mates he could have ever asked for. Then when Sirius and then Remus had come along, everything was even better. He had both a godfather and an adopted godfather, people his dad and mum had chosen for Harry with love, trusting them to care for him when they couldn’t. They were like an extension of his parents and if he tried hard enough, he almost felt like they were there with him.

Then, one horrible night made of impulsive decisions, Death Eaters and Voldemort, he lost most of his family. With Ginny, he felt the guilt of her death on his conscience; if he had listened to his friends and waited she would have still been alive. It was a mistake he would have to live with for the rest of his life. When the extent of what was lost came to light, he was blamed. By those he had once called family and friends. The Weasley’s blamed him for every bad thing that had happened to their family since he arrived in the wizarding world, he was a stain on their family, the cause of Ginny’s death. They shunned him and for a while he allowed them to; after all he was a danger to them, he always had been and he was to blame for Ginny’s death.

However, when they began spreading lies and telling Harry’s most guarded and personal secrets they went too far. Their spiteful vengeance on him had caused most of his friends and the wizarding world to be against him. Harry was blamed for so many deaths and dangerous events, many of which he had nothing to do with, and he was viewed as a dangerous threat to all those around him. From the ashes of his old family came a new one, a stronger one. With Sirius and Remus by his side, and soon Neville, Luna and Draco,he found out who he could truly count on to stay with him. Through thick and thin, through the dangers of his part in this war.

Now, he was on the verge of not only finding a family that he was denied as a child, but a mate as well. Someone to love him, care for him, protect him and help him in his fight; someone that he could do the same for. A mate that was just for him to love and be loved by in return…

Finally, he found the class and after taking a deep breath to steady his thoughts, he walked into the classroom. It was just before the start of class and so the room was filled with boisterous talking and laughing, the students were making use of the free time before class.

“Um, hello, i’m Harry Potter. I’m new.” he said to the teacher.

“Take a seat, class will begin in just a moment.” The teacher said curtly, not even
lifting his head from the papers he was currently grading.

He turned and after looking around, he saw the only open seat was right next to Edward Cullen. Nervously, Harry walked to the free seat and sat down. Setting down his book bag, he took out a pen and paper, waiting for class to begin. He was still getting use to using muggle writing utensils, after years of using quills and parachment. As he did so, he chanced a look to his left and saw Edward staring at Harry. Quickly he turned away, feeling a blush rush over his with embarrassment.

“Hello, I am Edward Cullen.” He heard from a deep melodic voice beside me. “I wasn’t able to introduce myself this morning.”

The blush that seemed to be every present around him, now grew deeper as Harry remembered his fall that morning and the lingering in his arms. Trying to keep from humiliating himself even more, he took a breath and then said, “Um, hello… I’m Harry, Harry Potter.”

He held out his hand to shake Edward’s and as their hands met he felt a spark of electricity shoot up his arm and into his chest. It felt like it went straight to his heart as corny as it sounds. He looked into Edward’s eyes and saw an amused twinkle in them and smiled.

“From what I gather, you moved here from England?” Edward asked as they released each other’s hand.

“Yeah, just got here a few days ago, actually.” He answered, turning to face him a little more. “You probably heard the gossip by now, everyone I have met so far has asked about it, so I might as well fill you in… Um, let’s see. I am seventeen, emancipated, I moved here alone after a friend died and I needed to just get away. I’m not terribly social and can be incurably rude when I am annoyed, so watch yourself… yeah, I think that’s it. Wait no; if you hear anything about cannibalism or assault and battery, it was just a joke…”

Edward sat there just smiling at Harry while chuckling; his laugh made a tingly sensation travel up Harry’s spine and it took all of his will power to not shiver.

“I will endeavor not to annoy you then.” He said still laughing. “I’d rather keep my body intact, if you don’t mind.”

Harry gave him a mock glare just as the bell rang for class to begin. For the next thirty minutes, they sat in silence while the teacher gave a lecture on mitosis, whatever that was. He really needed to brush up on his science apparently. After that the teacher had them look at slides with their lab partner to see the stages of mitosis. As they viewed the slides, Edward spoke.

“So, do you have any family back in England?”

“Um, I have a godfather Sirius and his mate-um, I mean partner, Remus.” Harry scolded
himself for the slip up. Talking about Sirius being Remus’ mate could bring up more questions than hecould answer right then. “Then there is Draco, he is like a brother… we’ve known each other since we were eleven and up until a year and a half ago, were bitter rivals. But, then things changed and he became my best friend, my brother by choice.”

“What do they think about you moving half way across the world?” Edward questioned as he looked at a slide in the microscope. “I imagine it was hard for them to let you go.”

“Yeah, I was kind of a… well, a last minute choice. They knew I needed to come and so they hopefully understand. Sirius and Remus will keep them all strong. I know Luna and Neville, my other friends, will have a hard time, they weren’t able to be there when I said goodbye.”

He frowned, a heavy pain clenching his chest. He hated that he had to leave them, not being able to say goodbye was even worse. They were all no doubt worried if he was alright, wondering when he would return. Harry missed them, but he knew that coming here was important. He was getting a mate and a family, as well as achieving the rest of the prophesy. In meeting his new family, he would somehow have his power increased seven times. Which was astounding to him, he had no idea how that would happen, but anything that gave him a better chance of winning was a plus.

“How long are you staying in Forks?” He asked.

“I don’t know… I have something to do here and I guess I am staying until it’s finished.”

Illyantia hadn’t given a time frame on how long he needed to be here, just a vague understanding that he wouldn’t be found until he was ready to fight. Harry guess it had something to do with his power increase and his family. Since the night at the ministry at the end of fifth year, he had realized that he wasn’t ready to fight Voldemort yet.
So, in an effort to get ready, Sirius and Remus with Dumbledore’s interference as well as Snape, started to train Harry. He tried again to learn Occulmency, but not as well as he could have, Snape was his teacher after all. They butted heads at every turn and he found the lessons less then helpful. He was better, but he still hadn’t learned to completely protect his mind. Also, he learned advanced Transfiguration, Charms, DADA and wandless magic. He was significantly more prepared then the last time he faced Voldemort.

“What about your family? I heard you have a couple adopted brothers and sisters?” Harry asked, wondering about him. His family sounded nice, his parents adopting so many kids said a great deal.

“I have two brothers, Emmett and Jasper and two sisters, Rosalie and Alice. My father, Carlisle, is a doctor at the hospital here in Forks. My mother Esme, is a painter and a homemaker.” Edward answered. “We moved here from Alaska about a year ago.”

The bell rang just after he spoke and they began gathering their things and made their way out of the class.

“What class do you have next?”

“Gym.” Harry answered.

“So do I.” He replied and led the way towards the gym. As they walked, two of Edwards siblings, Jasper and Alice he thought, began to walk with them.
Alice, the bubbly pixie-like girl, took the spot beside Harry and held out her hand. “Hi, Harry, I’m Alice and that’s Jasper over there. We’re Edward’s brother and sister.”

Shaking her hand and he said, “Hello.” As he did so, he lost his footing and nearly tripped, Alice catching him before he hit the ground. Quickly righting himself, he gave her a thankful smile. Her cold hands made him shiver as they touched. It was late September and fairly warm, even if it wasn’t sunny and he wondered why she was so cold. Maybe she was sick?

“You’re adorable, you know that!” Alice said excitedly and he blushed.
Edward laughed and he gave him a glare. “She has a point.”

Rolling his eyes, he continued walking. They made it to the gym and after changing clothes they entered the main part. The coach had Harry sit in the bleachers as he didn’t have a change of clothes. Sitting on the bleachers, he watched Edward, Jasper and Alice play volleyball with the rest of the class. Everyone was busy trying to keep the ball in the air, bouncing back and forth over the net. He smiled as Mike, one of the boys he met at lunch, tried to send a ball flying off towards Edward. It was obviously meant to do damage, but Edward sent it flying back over the net with ease, bouncing off Mike shoulder shaprly. Edward smirked in amusement and continued to play.

As they played he began to think about Edward and his family and whether or not he could be Harry’s mate. Harry’s instant connection to Edward was something and Edward’s father was a doctor; Illyantia had said his “adopted” father had been one when he was younger. It made sense. One part he didn’t understand was the part about t being taken in by the dead and them being the living dead and such. It was oddly phrased and Harry tried to think what it could mean…

Were they vampires?!

Alice was really cold and thinking about it Edward had been too; he thought it was just the cold for the early morning air, but maybe not? They were exceptionally pale and they hadn’t eaten their lunches. The climate there was usually either rainy or cloudy, so hardly any sun. Were they really vampires? Sucking the blood from people, killing them? They seemed to be alright with humans right now, but about the rest of the time?
He never heard of a vampire that was very nice. Last year when he had met Sanguini at Slughorn’s party; the vampire had made him uneasy. From the little he read of them, they were considered dark creatures and very dangerous.

Would he be safe with them? This made him question everything…

The class soon ended and Harry gathered his things and started to leave. This was his last class and he needed to get home and think. Maybe talk to Illyantia.

“Harry I was talking to Edward and we thought maybe you would like to come over and meet them rest of our family. Since you are by yourself here in Forks. What do you think?” Alice asked excitedly as she nearly slipped over to him.

Oh my gods! Were they serious? Him go and meet an entire vampire coven?

Edward frowned as he walked up to them and he wondered if Edward could smell his fear. If it was possible the frown deepened.

“Er… I actually need to get home, things to do you know…” he said as he began walking backwards, edging his way away from them. “Um, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He quickly walked away. Do it calmly! Don’t run, they will notice you’re scared! Vampires were the family Trelawney had prophesied about? He needed to get away from them. Glancing back, he saw Edward still frowning and talking to Alice and now Jasper beside her. They all looked at him with confused expressions on their faces.

What was going on? How could he possibly have them as his family? They were VAMPIRES! He’s in just as much danger with them as he would be with Voldemort!

He needed to talk to Illyantia… it didn’t make any sense.