𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦

The screen opens on a scene of a group of teenagers sitting at a lunch table in a cafeteria. A brunette looks noticeably uncomfortable as they bustle around her.

“Why are we watching a bunch of muggles?” Draco scoffed quietly, yet loud enough to be heard.

Narcissa sniffed. “They must be important to what we’re about to learn, Draco.”

Two girls sitting around her are talking, however she seems to have zoned out as she catches sight of a group of people outside the window.

“Who are they?” The brunette, Bella, asks.

The girls, Jessica and Angela, look over, sharing a look. “The Cullens.” Angela says.

A few eyebrows raised at the tone used. Clearly there was something special about this family.

“Do you think the Cullen’s are why we’re watching this?” Hermione questioned in the direction of the Professors.

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. “They could be.”

Jessica lowers her voice. “They’re Dr. and Mrs. Cullen’s foster kids. They moved down here from Alaska, like, a few years ago.'

“They kind of keep to themselves.” Angela adds as they glance over as the door opens.

“Yeah, cause they're all together. Like, together, together.” Jessica mutters.

Hogwarts listened and watched intently. They had a feeling this information would be important.

The camera focuses on the first couple to enter, a gorgeous blonde and a buff dark haired guy. Both have dark eyes and pale skin. Their hands are joined together.

A number of adults sat up, exchanging glances. While it was hard to tell through a screen, and the eyes were the wrong colour, their inhuman beauty was a telling sign of what they could be.

'The blonde girl, that's Rosalie, and the big dark haired guy, Emmett, they're, like, a thing. I'm not even sure if that's legal.' Jessica explains.

“But they're not actually related, right?” Someone questioned.

“Jess, they're not actually related.” Angela tries.

“Yeah, but they live together, it's weird.'”

The next couple comes into view. A short, pixie like dark haired girl with short hair and a tall, well built brunette. Like the others, they too have pale skin and dark eyes.

“Okay, and the little dark haired girl's Alice. She's really weird. She's with James, the tall brunette. We think he’s got some kind of french accent, but we’re not sure.”

As they take their seats the final couple came in. A tall honey blond whose hair came down to his collarbone and a dreamy looking dirty blond with long hair. They have the same dark eyes and pale skin.

Chaos erupted in the hall, particularly from the area where the marauders and co sat, with most of the adults in the room looking shocked.

“What the hell!”

“How is that possible?”

“Is it really her?”

Their disbelief sounded throughout the room, while the kids, except Luna who looked more surprised as she looked at the girl with wide eyes, looked confused.

Harry’s own eyes widened as he recognised the woman from his parent’s photos. The woman who had been named his godmother even after her presumed death. “Oh, Grodric.” He whispered.

“Can someone please explain to the rest of us what’s going on?” Ron questioned the adults around them.

James was the one to answer, voice shaky. “That's Athena Lovegood. Well it looks like her. Apart from the eyes. But she's supposed to be dead. And she's definitely not supposed to be that young.”

Comprehension dawned across the hall. Now the students got where the adults were coming from.

“Let’s keep watching.” Dumbledore advised. “It may not be her, but if it is it could be why we are watching this.”

“The dreamy blonde, that's Athena. She’s got some kind of English accent. Apparently she’s Dr. Cullen’s niece from England.”

Jasper twirls Athena around as they walk.

The people in the hall exchanged glances. Surely the same name and accent couldn’t be a coincidence.

“She's with Jasper, the blonde one who looks like he's in pain. He’s like, very protective over her. It’s kinda sweet.”

“He does look like he's in pain, doesn't he?” Luna commented.

The marauders and Xenoplilius, on the other hand, didn't look so pleased. Athena hadn’t dated much in their Hogwarts years, but when she had they’d been very protective over her.

“Jasper and Rosalie are the Hale twins. Apparently they’re related to Mrs. Cullen somehow. Dr. Cullen's like this foster dad/matchmaker.”

Bella looks back at the window as the last person comes in. He has the same pale skin and dark eyes with bronze windswept hair. “Who's he?”

“That's Edward Cullen. He's totally gorgeous, obviously, but apparently no one here's good enough for him. Like I care, you know?” Jessica rambles.

“She totally cares.” Ginny laughed.

“Definitely.”

Dumbledore was frowning. They had to be vampires, didn’t they, despite the odd eye colour? Of course they weren't normal muggles if Athena was with them, looking like she hadn't aged a day in over a decade.

Bella glances over at Edward as he sits down, Jessica still talking. “So, yeah. Seriously, like, don't waste your time.”

“I wasn't planning on it.” Bella murmurs as she looks back at the Cullen's. The couples sit close together, talking quietly, but Edward looks back at Bella, a frustrated expression on his face.

“She likes him.” Pravati whispered to Lavender.

“Yeah. What's with that look he's giving her though?” Lavender replied.

Bella and Mike walk into the Biology classroom. 'Mr. Molina.'

'Hey, Mike.'

Mike pats Bella's shoulder and goes to take his seat. When Bella walks in front of the fan on her way to the teacher, Edward stiffens up, his hand going to cover his nose. 

“What's up with him?” Dennis Creevey questioned.

Bella frowns, confused as she reaches the teacher. “Hi. Welcome to the class. Here's your stuff, okay? And I got a seat for you right here, so come over. The last one. Just follow along till you catch up.”

Bella takes the seat next to Edward, putting down her stuff. As Mr. Molina begins the class Edward stiffly pushes one of the containers over, the Cullen crest visible on his wrist. 

“Hey, wasn’t Athena wearing a necklace with that on it before?” James murmured to his friends, getting nods of confirmation in return. It reminded him of the family crests the Potters and Blacks had.

Edward takes his hand away from his nose as Bella frowns, sniffing her hair discreetly.

“Poor girl. Why is he acting like that?” Ginny said, sympathetically.

The adults shared looks. More evidence.

Edward glares at her as she glances at him. This continues throughout the lesson until he hurriedly picks up his stuff, getting out of his seat and leaving the room right as the bell goes. Bella sighs, packing up her books.

“Weird.” The word was muttered around the hall at the Cullen’s odd behaviour.

Bella opens the door to the office, only to stop when she sees Edward already standing at the desk.

He’s arguing in a smooth voice with the receptionist. “There must be something open. Physics? Biochem?”

“No, every class is full.” She glances up as she sees Bella. “Just a minute, dear.” She turns back to Edward. “I'm afraid you'll have to stay in biology.”

Edward stands back from the desk, looking annoyed. “Fine, I'll just..just have to endure it.”

''Endure it? What is this guy's problem?” Astoria scoffed at the Slytherin table. She may not be one to like muggles, but she also didn’t appreciate guys being assholes.

He brushes past Bella, leaving the office.

The next day. Bella leans against the front of her truck in the school parking lot as her voice sounds over the footage. “I planned to confront him and demand to know what his problem was.”

Rosalie's convertible and the jeep pull in.

A low whistle came from the hufflepuff table. “Nice cars.” A muggleborn commented. “I can’t wait for them to look like that.

Arthur Weasley looked just as excited. “Molly, look at the cars in the future!”

“Yes, dear. Very exciting.” Molly murmured. Her husband really could be endearing. As long as he didn’t try to fill their garden with these cars when they were made.

“But he never showed.”

The Cullen's get out of the cars, the couples meeting up as they walk into the school, looking over their shoulders at her as they go up the steps.

The marauders and Xenophilius perked up at the glimpse of Athena. After 18 years they were drinking in any glimpse of her they could get. Although they did frown slightly at her closeness to Jasper. No matter what version of her, they would always feel a sense of protectiveness for her.

Bella walks into biology, Edward’s spot empty.

“And the next day, another no show.”

Bella sits down in what looks to be a literature class, when none other than Athena takes the seat next to her.

“Athena.” Xenophilius whispered. He was desperate to hear her voice again after all this time. He had always been close to his sister. Her presumed death had devastated him.

Bella hesitates before speaking quietly. “Hi. You’re Athena, aren’t you?”

Athena looks at her for a moment, causing Bella to rush out that Jessica told her. “I’m sorry, I..”

Athena smiled slightly. “It’s all right. She is one for gossip, isn’t she? Isabella, isn’t it?”

Those who knew her savoured the sound of her voice. Despite the new bell-like tone, it still had the same accent and the same dreamy tone they’d been used to.

“It has to be her.” Sirius breathed. “No one can fake being her that well. Not her voice.”

“Or her smile.” Remus added, a smile of his own on display.

“Bella.” The brunette mumbles. “I like your accent.” She blurts out.

A look crosses the blonde’s face but she quickly shakes it off. “Yes, I’ve lived in America with my uncle for some time now, but I never could shake it off.”

The adults shared looks. It certainly had been some time.

Bella smiles slightly, but continues, looking nervous. “Um, I don’t know if I offended your brother somehow, but…”

“You mean Edward?” Athena shakes her head. “Don’t worry about him. Family emergency. It has him a bit out of sorts is all.”

Just then the teacher comes in and the blonde turns away, leaving Bella to think.

“Weird.” Neville commented. He wasn't the only one. What was going on with this family?

The Grisham Mill is shown. A security guard is shown running from something, terrified for his life. The silhouettes of what look like two people are chasing him. As he runs outside one of them lands in front of him, blocking his path. He turns but two more have come up behind him. He screams he is thrown to the ground as they attack him.

The hall sits in stunned silence. “What was that?” Colin stutters. “Were those people?”

Dumbledore nodded gravely. “I believe the more accurate term would be vampires.” He suggested gently, hearing gasps from around the hall.

His theory seemed to be proven correct. He could only hope his former student wasn't one of the ones chasing the man.

The next morning the roads are wet as Charlie, Bella’s dad, parks her truck outside the house. Bella comes outside and almost immediately slips on a patch of ice with a grunt.

There were a couple of snorts as well as sympathetic winces.

Charlie hurries over and helps her up. “You alright?”

“Yeah, I'm good. Ice doesn't really help the uncoordinated.”

Neville nodded in agreement.

“Yeah. That's why I had some new tires put on the truck. The old ones were getting pretty bald. Well, I'll probably be late for dinner.” Charlie starts walking to his car. “I gotta head down to Mason County. A security guard at Grisham Mill got killed by some kind of animal.”

“The vampires.” Dennis Creevey whispered.

Bella frowns. “An animal?”

“You're not in Phoenix anymore, Bells. Anyway, I figured I'd lend a hand.”

“Be careful.”

“Always am.”

Hermione frowned. “I hope her dad doesn't get hurt.”

Later, Bella walks into biology, stopping as she sees Edward sitting at their shared desk.

“Oh, this'll be good.” Mutters Sirius. He always was one for the drama.

She walks over and takes a seat, glancing at him before facing the front.

To her surprise, he speaks first. “Hello. I'm sorry, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself last week. I'm Edward Cullen. You're Bella?”

“He's so polite.” Lavender sighed dreamily. A couple of people looked at her in disbelief.

She frowns. “How did you know I prefer Bella?”

Edward looks taken aback for a second but quickly recovers.

“Athena told me.”

“Oh. She seems nice.” Bella comments.

Edward smiles as Mr. Molina explains the task in the background.

People close to her leant forward, eager to hear any information.

“Yes. She is.”

They sighed in disappointment that that was it.

Edward pushes the microscope towards Bella. “Ladies first?”

Lavender squealed.

“You were gone. Athena said there was a family emergency. Is everything okay?” Bella talks as they work on the task.

“Yeah. I had to go out of town for a couple of days to help our cousins in Alaska. Everything’s fine now though.”

After class they walk down the hallway. Edward looks confused.

“What is it?” Bella questions.

“I'm sorry, I'm just..I'm just trying to figure you out. You're very difficult for me to read.”

“What does he mean by that?” Hannah Abbott questioned.

She got no answer.

Bella frowns as she notices that his eyes are golden, unlike last time she saw him, changing the subject. “Hey, did you get contacts?”

“No.” Edward looks confused.

“Your eyes were black the last time I saw you, and now they're, like, golden brown.”

“She's right.” Neville pointed out.

“That’s a vampire thing, right? Their eyes change colour?” Hermione questioned.

“Correct, Miss Granger.” Minerva approves.

“Athena’s eyes did the same.” Harry commented. “They were black in the lunchroom, then gold in the classroom the next day.”

“Yeah, I know, it's the..It's the fluorescents.” He frowns and abruptly turns, walking back down the hallway, leaving Bella confused.

“Talk about a bad liar.” Sirius scoffed. “We always did better than that.”

“You mean Athena and I did better than that.” Remus corrected.

“That’s not something to be proud of.” Lily scolded lightly, but she’s smiling slightly.