𝐀 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐

𝐀/𝐍: 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬.

Reese Sirion aka Hari Potter stepped off the airplane and found her way over to the baggage claim. She found her two large suitcases and loaded them on a trolley. Next, she dodged the pedestrians in the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and made her way to the car rental kiosk.

Her solicitor had contacted the branch office in Seattle. They had bought her a decked out Hummer. They had paid the car rental kiosk handsomely to hold her Hummer here for her to pick up.

"Hi," she smiled at the clerk. "Reese Sirion, you are holding my vehicle for me."

"You're awfully young. We don't rent vehicles to anyone under twenty-five."

Reese stared at her. "Then it's a good thing I'm not renting. I've come from England and my solicitor here in America dropped a vehicle off yesterday, I believe, for your company to hold the keys until I arrived."

"You're him? I mean her? I mean..." Flustered, the clerk tapped at her keyboard. "Yes Ms. Sirion. One moment, I'll get you the keys."

The clerk went into an office and retrieved a set of keys from a locked box on the wall. She brought them out and after checking Reese's identification handed her the keys. "Sorry about that. The Hummer is just outside those doors. You'll walk straight to the first intersection and take a left. It's a dark green."

"No worries. Thank you."

"No problem. And I have to say I love your accent."

Reese grinned. "Thanks. I like yours as well."

The clerk frowned. "I don't have one."

"To me you do."

The clerk laughed. "I suppose so. Well, enjoy your stay."

Reese waved and pushed her trolley through the doors and down the row hunting for her car. She wondered if it would have been this easy if they realized she was just sixteen. Her identification said she was twenty-two and from Reading, England.

She settled into the Hummer. Reminding herself to drive on the right side of the road, she set off on the four hour drive to her new home.

She hadn't had to worry about transporting a lot since she didn't have a lot. One of her suitcases was actually her transfigured trunk. Hedwig had started the journey two days ago after steadfastly refusing to be ported over with a sharp clack of her beak.

She found the disc the American branch solicitor had left under a disillusionment spell under the visor and popped into the player as she eased out onto the road with a grin.

Ms. Sirion,

Welcome to Washington. We have procured fifty acres in the forest around Forks, Washington. It's a small town of less than three thousand. The map enclosed in the glove box will give you explicit directions to your new home.

We have informed the local sheriff that you quite reclusive so there should be no issues arising. We inferred that you enjoy learning many different things and are financially able to indulge in this idiosyncrasy.

We have also informed the local wolf-shifter clan that resides in La Push and the local vegan vampire clan. They have been told that you are a young witch that wants to left alone to live quietly. They will most likely send a representative to speak with you. Neither set of beings are a danger to you as long as you do not start indiscriminately killing or giving away their secrets. They have co-existed in an uneasy truce for several years now.

Wards have been placed. They are subtle enough that they should not be detected from a distance. They won't deter everyone for that would be suspicious for an area to suddenly become off-putting. Muggles will tend to wander away rather than through them. The wards will alert you to anyone crossing onto your property and give a general direction. There is also shielding in place around the house and acreage to hide normal everyday magics. Strong magics will leak out of the shielding but still shouldn't be detected at any great distance.

The house itself is a two-story with a basement. There are three guest bedrooms with baths and the master bedroom with bath, a large airy kitchen, and a spacious library. There is an attached, covered pool as requested.

The electronics have been shielded against magic. The cupboards have been stocked.

Let me know if you have any issues and I'll send someone out.

Bryant Willoby

Reese pulled off the highway to get something to drink from the cooler in the back of the Hummer and to assimilate what Willoby just told her. Wolf-shifters? Was that American for werewolves? She frowned as she sipped her water. She sat on the tailgate, swinging her legs as she pondered that thought. No, not werewolves...a clan of weres would decimate a small town. There was no way there would be no incidences so some other type of wolf. Willoby didn't seem too worried about them. She'd have to wait to see.

And vampires.

She sighed. Only she would flee magical Britain to get away from violence and war and relocate right into the middle of wolf-shifters and vampires...vegan vampires. Did that mean they didn't take human blood or just didn't kill?

So, she could expect at least three visitors in the next few days: a sheriff, a wolf shifter and a vampire. She rubbed her forehead, hopped off the tailgate and got back into the Hummer. She pulled the directions from the glove box and noted that her turn off was before she reached Forks. Good, maybe she'd be there a few days before anyone knew she had arrived.

Three hours later she slowed and pulled cautiously off the paved road onto a gravel...road? Path? Trail? She shrugged it didn't matter. It was the path to freedom and she steadily drove up it.

Nearly twenty minutes later her home came into view. The split level house was made from a redwood that gleamed in the rays of the setting sun. Large picture windows took up most of the walls revealing wooden floors and overstuffed comfy looking furniture.

Reese got out of the Hummer and just stared a few minutes letting the peace of the forest seep into her. No one from England knew she was here. The Order of the Phoenix couldn't drag her back to fight their fight. Tom's Death Eaters' couldn't locate her and try to kill her. Here she was just Reese.

With a tired, but pleased smile she pulled the suitcases and cooler out of the Hummer and with a wave of her hand had them floating behind her as she approached the house.

Inside the front door was the open space living room with three groupings of dark grey and forest green couches and chairs around low tables. A large fireplace dominated one wall. Built in entertainment center with a wide screen television and a top of the line stereo system graced the back wall.

There was a counter with several muted multicolored chairs against the front window so people could watch the surroundings while eating. To the left of the large room was the kitchen with bar stools snugged up against a granite topped breakfast bar. Light wood cabinets lined the walls over the sink and stove. Dark grey stone looking tile covered the kitchen area.

Reese deposited the small cooler on the kitchen counter.

A hallway ran behind the kitchen and living room. To the right was stairs leading to a small landing with doors that opened up onto a deck. The stairs went on up to the second floor proper that had four bedrooms. She spied a recessed door to the left and opening it saw broad stairs headed down. Her potions lab and Defense rooms should be down there. She'd check them out tomorrow.

Each bedroom had its own private balcony. The one at the front of the house had a master bath with a Jacuzzi tub that you had to walk up three steps to get into and a walk-in shower that was large enough for four people to shower and not touch each other. Her room also had a walk-in closet that she could get lost in. It also had its own fireplace and built in book shelves.

There was a skylight over the tub and over the bed. She walked out on the balcony and saw several comfortable lounge chairs and small round tables. Huge potted plants were strategically placed around the edges of the balcony.

She put her suitcases down and walked back down to the patio. The patio had an outdoor couch and several chairs, a low table, a grill and a fire pit. She walked to the railing and looked out over her land. There was nothing as far as she could see, but woods.

Her land! She whooped out loud and spun around happily. She'd done it! She was free and this was her piece of paradise!

Spotting the stone stairway off to the side, Reese followed it down the side of the house. There she could go in a glass door to an indoor pool or she could turn right and go down a short flight to garden.

Suddenly, she yawned. Between the stress of planning and executing her escape, the long flight and the drive and the adrenaline rush of being in her new home wearing off, she was exhausted.

She entered the pool room and knelt to flick her fingers through the water before crossing the room and turning the corner spying an outdoor patio/bar area. Sliding doors led back into the house. She walked down the hallway. There was a study on the right just before she reached the kitchen she saw a door that nearly blended into the wall.

Opening the door she found her library. This was the only room without floor to ceiling windows since sunlight was harmful to aging books.

Seeing the plush cream colored carpet, she kicked her shoes off and sighed with pleasure when her feet sank into the soft carpet. The room stretched the entire length of the back of the house. Several groupings of chairs in dark red, olive green and chocolate brown dotted the room gathered around low tables. Three desks were placed strategically near the shelves. The shelves themselves were built into the wall and rose to the ceiling. A track ladder gleamed against the dark wood.

She pulled her shrunk trunk from her pocket and set it on the floor. Her wand dropped from her hidden holster and she tapped the trunk. It immediately returned to its full size. Opening the trunk, she pointed her wand down into it. "Books, sort." She flicked her wand toward the shelves and the books stashed in her trunk flew out and zoomed to the various shelves. The books currently on the shelves shifted to make room for the new additions.

"Library catalog."

A glow came from the large desk nestled against the far wall. She walked across the room and retrieved the heavy tome. Placing on the desk, she tapped her wand against it. "Update."

The book glowed. Then fell open. Reese flipped through the pages seeing the new entries glowing light blue. She grinned and closed the book putting it back in the drawer.

Next she retrieved a small rune covered rosewood chest. She carried it to her desk and placed it on the left-hand side. "Activate."

She hadn't wanted anything magical active during the trip since she wasn't sure what it would do to the airplane. She was surprised when the right compartment began glowing indicating the goblins had sent her something.

She opened the lid and saw a sealed envelope and a note attached to it.

A very unexpected visitor asked us to forward this to you. It has been checked for spells, charms, curses, et al. Nothing was found. A canceling spell was performed in case something very subtle was overlooked.

Hizel

Curious, Reese picked up the envelope and opened it. She nearly dropped it in shock and fear when she saw who had sent it. She stared at it for several minutes before sending her own scans over it knowing that if anything was attached to it she had already activated it.

She slumped in relief when her scan revealed nothing more than a letter. With shaking hands she opened the missive from the man who wanted her dead and began to read.

She blinked at the letter unable to comprehend at first everything he was saying, alluding to then it finally sunk in. He wasn't going to hunt for her! A terrible weight lifted from her and she slumped into her chair.

Voldemort was going to leave her be as long as she stayed out of his way. She grinned and took a deep breath. She just might pull this off; just might survive.

Another reading of the letter had her curious. Favorable? Did that mean he was going to go visit her relatives? She grinned a little coldly at that thought. The entire prophecy. Was he actually asking her to respond back? Would telling him the truth give her more security or less?

She folded the letter and put it in the secure correspondence section of the chest. She was too exhausted to think straight right now. She was going to go to bed and worry about everything tomorrow.

She made her way tiredly up to her bedroom. She paused in the doorway to take a better look. The thick carpet was a dark grey, the walls a light silvery color with leaves patterned to appear to be swirling everywhere.

The bed was a heavy sleigh bed with a soft green comforter and dark maroon pillows. A freestanding fireplace dominated the far side of the room and the wall beyond the bed was completely made up of large floor to ceiling windows and glass doors that led out to her balcony in a way that made it appear that her room extended into the outdoors. A large wardrobe and dresser stood against the inner wall. A vanity table and chair sat behind the bed facing the windows. A couple of comfortable chairs nestled near the fireplace.

A door to the left of the fireplace led to the master bath; a door to the right to the massive walk-in closet. Another door joined the bathroom to the closet.

Reese quickly found the linen closet, retrieved a towel and washcloth and took a fast shower, switched into pajamas and crawled into the most luxurious bed she had ever been in. Within seconds she was fast asleep.

FORKS

Sirius took heart in his best friend's quiet promise. Taking a deep breath he stood and headed toward the kitchen where chaos was reigning.

"How could you believe such things?" Molly was screeching while glaring at Fred, George, Tonks and Arthur.

"Of course they believe the brat." Snape drawled. "She has them fooled."

"So you didn't ignore James and Lily's wishes on her placement?" Arthur asked quietly.

"The blood wards kept her protected. They couldn't have considered that when making the will."

"Other places could have been made just as safe."

"Not in my opinion."

"And did you truly hide her heritage? How was she to take the mantle of Head of House with no knowledge?"

"There would have time after Tom's defeat. I saw no reason to divide her attention."

"Arthur, why are you questioning him? You can't possibly belief..."

"Hush, Molly. He is as accountable as anyone else."

Mad-eye Moody, Kingsley, McGonagall, Bill and Charlie were watching silently.

Ron and Hermione were glaring as well and nodding their heads in agreement with Molly.

"And of course everyone is rallying behind the insufferable, lying brat."

"Shut up Snape." Sirius ordered from the doorway. "Hari is not a liar."

Snape sneered at him.

Molly rounded on him. "How could you agree with her?"

"Well, he did let me rot for twelve years knowing I wasn't the secret keeper." Sirius snapped at the redheaded harpy.

Molly gasped. "Why you ungrateful..."

"Ungrateful," Sirius roared. "What am I to be grateful for? Twelve years of Dementors for company? A year on the run? Another three years hiding in this dreadful mausoleum when he could very well have gotten me a trial? Should I be grateful he left my goddaughter with abusive muggles? Or that he put her in danger every year just to prepare her to face a Dark Lord that no one else has the guts to face? Maybe...maybe I should be grateful that his secrets and manipulations have driven her away!" Sirius shouted, livid that this woman would defend the old coot.

"I am sure we all have grievances to air," Dumbledore said into the silence that followed Sirius' outburst. "The important thing is to find Hari."

"No," Moody said finally standing up. "We have dedicated ourselves to keeping Potter safe, teaching her to defeat Voldemort. If what she said is even partially true, if you were really going to sacrifice that child, then the important thing is keeping her out of your hands."

"Alastair, you don't understand..." Dumbledore began.

"Then perhaps the time for secrets is over. Perhaps you need to come clean about everything, Albus."

Dumbledore's face closed down. "Some of the information would be dangerous if it got out."

"Why would you want to sacrifice Potter, Dumbledore?" Bill asked sharply. "And don't be evasive about it. Trust works both ways. You want our continued support after this," Bill waved the letter Hari had plastered magical England with, "start being honest with us."

"Bill Weasley you will support Dumbledore." Molly shrieked.

"Not blindly, Mom. Not any longer."

Dumbledore looked around the table and saw most had determined mutinous looks. He sighed, "If this gets out,"

"It won't." Arthur cut him off sharply. "Stop stalling."

"Hari Potter is a horcrux. As long as she lives, Voldemort can return."

Stunned silence filled the kitchen not even Molly or Snape had anything to say.

"Merlin," Tonks finally murmured, shaken.

"My cub has a piece of that madman's soul in her and you've said nothing! Done nothing!" Remus growled, eyes glowing golden as Moony surged to the foreground.

"You let Lily's daughter keep a piece of that madman in her?!"

"I've researched as much as I could. I've found no other solution." Dumbledore said portraying sadness.

"Did you ever think to ask a curse breaker?" Bill asked acidly. "Or the goblins? We have rituals to deal with this type of Dark Magic! You don't need to sacrifice the girl. We could get it out of her."

The silence thickened as everyone stared at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore stood up. "I do not answer to you, Mr. Weasley. I am the Leader of the Order of the Phoenix. I did as I saw best for the Greater Good."

"Yes you do answer to us!" Charlie snarled. "You are not infallible!"

"The greater good. The greater good involves sacrificing a child without exhausting every possible method of saving her?" Arthur murmured, appalled understanding on his face. "Voldemort kills Hari removing his horcrux and leaving him mortal then you kill Voldemort and are honored for defeating a second Dark Lord. Is this the Greater Good you're speaking of?"

"Arthur!" Molly shrieked. "How can you accuse Albus of such a thing?! Apologize right now."

Arthur ignored his wife. He stared at Dumbledore. "Tell me I'm wrong."

Dumbledore glared at him.

Sirius jerked to his feet. Rage radiated from him. "Confri..."

Remus slapped a hand over his mouth and slammed him back into the wall. "He deserves to die, but you do not deserve to go back to Azkaban."

Sirius glared at Moony struggling to get out of his grasp, but Remus was channeling Moony and was too strong.

"You can't help Hari from prison."

Sirius quit struggling and Remus cautiously let go of him.

Sirius glared at the old wizard. "Albus Dumbledore, I revoke your right to be the Secret Keeper of #12 Grimmauld Place. I revoke the right of the Order of Phoenix to gather at #12 Grimmauld Place. Kreacher!"

"The blood traitor calls?" The little elf asked as he appeared.

"Remove Dumbledore from my home and from the wards neither he nor the Order are welcome here any longer."

Kreacher grinned and snapped his fingers. Dumbledore disappeared.

Sirius looked around those left. "When you leave you will be removed from the wards. I will add you back individually."