𝐀 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟗

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

Nov 30

Reese was running. It felt good feeling the stretch of muscles under her skin. The ground flying past her. Her nose twitched at the smell of rabbit. She ignored the cougar's instinct to pounce. She didn't like eating as the cat it made her queasy when she was human again.

Her wards rang in warning. The sense of where they were breached ringing through her senses. The cougar leaped, twisted and darted in the direction of whoever ignored the 'don't want to go there' compulsion in the ward. The fact that they ignored the compulsion meant it wasn't some muggle hiking.

Whoever it was, was headed her way. The next ward was closer to her actual home. That one would hold any magical until she authorized their entry. She jumped at a tree. Her claws dug in and she scrambled up to perch on a limb watchfully.

Four people came into view – two women and two men.

"Are you sure a Magical is around?"

"Didn't you feel the tingle back there?"

"I felt something."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Magicals put up wards to keep people out or to warn them people are nearby."

"So they know we're here?"

"The Magical knows someone crossed the wards – not who or what." The brunette woman smiled cruelly.

"They'll be no match for us no matter." The black haired man sneered. "By nightfall there will be less disgusting Magicals in the world."

Reese inhaled and felt her lips draw back in a silent snarl - vampires. The cougar shifted her weight to get better traction for leaping.

The blue haired woman looked up sharply. "A kitty," she murmured and leaped.

Reese leaped at the same time. They met in the air clawing and grappling at each other. She knew she was no match for vampires in cat form. She felt her wards signaling the Cullens, Jacob and Seth headed her way. She needed to survive until they got here.

She raked her claws down the woman's face and twisted, leaping away. The woman screamed in pain and fury. Hari landed on the ground as a human, wand drawn and spells flying.

Chains wrapped around two of the vampires holding them off long enough for a fast Immobilize ... Incendio to light the woman who attacked her on fire.

The remaining man tackled her; his teeth slamming into her throat.

Reese inhaled sharply against the pain.

Hari! Hari what's the matter?

Not now, Tom!

Damn it, Hari!

Hari fought to focus as the man gnawed rabidly at her throat. Searing pain streaked down her neck as flesh ripped and veins were torn open. Each shift of fangs was agony. Expulso! Her magic pulsed out flinging him off her into a tree. She clamped her hand over her torn throat and hissed healing spells rapidly while Tom railed in her mind.

She scrambled to her feet. Sectumsempra, she snarled at the male vampire coming at her again. He went down with multiple bleeding injuries. He twitched and twisted to his knees. He grinned at her as he stumbled to his feet.

The two chained vampires were struggling hard. Hari knew they wouldn't be held much longer.

Does the Avada Kedavra work against vampires?

Vampires?! Tom shouted in her head. She was fighting vampires? The phantom pain he could feel in his own neck...a vampire had latched onto her neck!

Does it?!

Yes!

"Avada Kedavra," she snapped and he fell to the ground lifeless.

"Bloody hell," she murmured as the other two broke free and moved toward her. Before she could cast again blurs hit the two vampires. There was a fast furious fight then everything stilled.

The two vampires were dead.

Seth stood over one growling. Jasper over the second. The rest of the Cullens stood round the area searching for more threats.

Damn you, Hari tell me what's happening! Are you alright? What the Bloody Hell is going on? How injured are you? Hari... talk to me!

Four vamps. Dead. Lost blood. Lots. Throat hurts. 'm passing out now. Friends here now. Safe.

Hari don't you dare.....

Hari slumped to the ground as blackness edged her vision. Nessie was there holding her. Hari blinked up at her. "House...potions..." she gurgled.

"Reese...Reese!" Nessie cried as her friend lost consciousness. Blood caked the side of her body from the horrible wound on her neck. The bleeding had slowed to a seeping trickle, but they had no idea how much she had lost.

"We need to get her to her house. She has potions that will heal her." Seth informed them as fear for his friend sliced through him. Her neck was ripped open and blood drenched her clothes. He gagged against the sickly sweet smell.

"Edward, Emmett get rid of the bodies. Jasper you should probably return home. Esme and I'll take her to her house." Carlisle looked at Seth. "You know where these potions are? Which ones to give her?"

Seth nodded. "I've watched her make and store them. She labels them clearly and has told me about them."

"I'll stay with Renesmee," Bella murmured embracing her daughter when Seth lifted Reese into his arms.

"I want to stay with Reese."

"Okay, we'll go with Carlisle and watch over her." Bella murmured smoothing her daughter's hair tenderly.

"Alice and I will run the area and make sure no others are around." Rosalie said.

"I'll run as well." Jasper spoke up. His eyes flashing with anger at the thought of other vampires hunting his new friend even as he struggled against the rich, powerful blood tempting him.

Seth handed Reese over to Esme at the house. "Her room is upstairs first left from the stairs. I'll get the potions."

Carlisle followed Seth down the stairs to the basement. He swiftly looked over the dueling room as he followed the worried young man into the next room. His eyes rose at the shelves of bottles and canisters containing ingredients of all sorts and the tidy pile of different sized...cauldrons?

Seth moved to a cabinet and pressed his thumb to it. The door tasted him with a tiny prick then clicked open. "It is set to recognize her and me. It won't open to anyone else. Here," he handed Carlisle two blood replenishers and a healing potion. "I hope this will be enough." He gnawed his lip before reaching for another vial. "Pain potion. That wound has to hurt."

Carlisle stared down at the vials. Potions. He was going to really give her potions instead of taking her to the emergency room or even his house and cleansing and stitching the gashing wound? He sighed. She was a witch. A powerful one from the way she took down two vampires and immobilized two others.

He and Seth found Esme and Reese in the bedroom. Esme had stripped the blood soaked clothes off of her and got her under the covers. A folded towel was under her neck and Esme was gently cleaning the wound with a wash cloth. The bowl of water beside her was red with blood. Esme was shaking and not breathing. Her eyes glowing. Magical blood was ever so more tempting than non-magical. Reese's was rich and sweet smelling...alluring with the promise of power.

Carlisle carefully took the wash cloth from her. "You did good, love. Why don't you go sit on the balcony and get some air?"

Esme swallowed and nodded. In a flash she was outside with the glass doors shut between them.

Carlisle watched her a moment before turning to the injured girl. Seth was gently pouring the potions down her throat and coaxing her to swallow.

"How long before we see if this is working?"

"Not long," Seth murmured.

"Is she going to be okay?" Nessie asked tearfully from the doorway.

Carlisle stared at the injured girl. The wound had quit bleeding and color was slowing returning to her face. The wound seemed to shrink a little before his eyes. "I believe so."

"What all did you give her, Seth?"

"A blood replenisher, a healing potion and a pain potion. I don't know what else to give her." Seth admitted helplessly.

"I should let Tom know." Nessie said shakily. Reese looked nearly dead. She couldn't lose her friend. She couldn't! She sobbed then caught herself and swallowed back the other sobs. "He'll tell us if there's something else we can do." She raced down the stairs to the library. She hesitated before pulling the glowing journal from the desk drawer. Taking a breath she opened it.

"Renesmee Cullen, what are you doing with her things? You don't pry into other people's journals."

"This is the journal she uses to write back and forth with Tom in England. He's bound to be frantic if he was aware of the battle. See," she pointed at the open journal.

Bella moved over to the desk and reluctantly read the page.

Hari Potter you had better answer me! Why the hell are you fighting vampires? How badly injured are you?

You had better wake up and tell me how you are right now!

Renesmee picked up the pen and with a deep breath wrote: This is Hari's friend, Nessie. She's still unconscious. We've given her a blood replenisher, a healing potion and a pain potion. We don't know what else to do. The bleeding has stopped and the wound seems to be slowly healing.

A minute passed then...

Tell me what happened and what her injuries are.

She was attacked in the forest by four vampires that were passing through. I arrived at the end so I don't know the details yet. She killed two. Uncle Jasper killed one and Seth killed one. The side of her throat was ripped open. She lost a lot of blood and she's bruised pretty badly. Without x-rays I don't know if she has any broken bones.

The handwriting when he responded wasn't as neat as before. He was obviously shaken up.

She should have a solicitor's phone number somewhere. Call him. He will be a wizard and can check her out and get a healer there if needed. Give her a second blood replenisher. It won't hurt her if she doesn't need it and will speed up the healing if she does.

"I'll see if Seth knows where she keeps her numbers and have him give her a second...blood replenisher." Bella raced from the room.

Mother is searching for the number now. I'll let you know as soon as I know anything.

Nessie shut the journal and placed it back in the drawer making sure the drawer was shut. She wandered back up to the bedroom and sat beside her friend being careful not to jar her. She held her limp hand in between hers. "I let your Tom know what was going on. I hope you won't be mad at me. He gave us some advice. He's really worried about you."

She cocked her head and heard Carlisle talking softly on the phone. From the sounds of it they found her solicitor's number.

Carlisle came back into the room. "Her solicitor is on his way. He said he would 'pop' right over..."

Five minutes later the doorbell rang.

"I guess that's him." Carlisle muttered dazedly then headed downstairs shadowed by Seth. He opened the front door with a questioning look on his face.

"Bryant Willoby, Ms. Sirion's solicitor." He indicated a tiny, frail elderly man beside him. "Healer Marshton."

"Come in." Carlisle stepped back to let him enter. He held out his hand. "Carlisle Cullen."

"Ah, the patriarch of the local vegan clan."

Carlisle smiled. "Yes. This is Seth Clearwater, Reese's very good friend. She has told him some about the potions she...brews. As I said over the phone, we've given her a couple blood replenishers, a healing potion and a pain potion, but now we are at a loss as to what to do next or if there are internal injuries."

Healer Marshton nodded in approval. "Very good field triage. Now if you'll take me to Ms. Sirion I'll check her over for any other injuries."

"This way," Seth turned and headed back up the stairs.

Healer Marshton moved immediately to Reese's side and drew his wand.

Everyone tensed and Seth growled warningly.

Healer Marshton looked around in surprised. "I am only casting a diagnostic charm. It will inform us of any damage to her body."

"Our apologies," Esme murmured from the balcony doorway. "Reese is very special to us and she just barely survived the attack earlier. We're still on edge."

"Completely understandable." Marshton nodded and turned to Reese. He cast the diagnostic and peered at the glowing script that appeared over the injured woman. "Oh my!" His gaze darted to her forehead.

"You are bound to secrecy, Marshton." Willoby reminded him. "She is aware of it and her options. It is her choice to keep it or remove it."

Marshton swallowed. "Yes...yes, it is. As long as she is aware and informed."

"She is."

The healer nodded and turned to the rest of the diagnostic.

"What is a horcrux?" Carlisle asked alarmed at the healer's reaction to the item listed in glowing golden letters floating in mid-air.

"It's her connection to Tom," Nessie murmured as Willoby stated, "A piece of someone else's soul stored within her scar."

Everyone looked ill. "Soul..." Seth gasped in horror. "How is that possible?"

"It is very foul magic." The healer snapped. "That is all that needs be said. The potions you've given her have sped up the healing. She does have several fractured ribs that could do with a dose of skele-grow."

He opened his bag and rummaged around before pulling out a bottle and a small measuring glass. He poured a dose out and carefully poured it into her mouth massaging her throat to get her to swallow.

"There. That should do her." He put the bottle back in his bag and snapped it shut. "If she doesn't wake up by the morning, call me." He handed a card to Carlisle.

"I will. Thank you for coming so quickly."

Dec 1

The entire Cullen clan was in her room when she finally woke up early the next morning, but they weren't the first to claim her attention.

Finally, thank Salazar you're conscious! How are you? Are you healed? I've had the goblins send you a port key. I want to see you are well for myself.

Hari groaned softly and rubbed her aching head. I'm fine...I think. Head hurts a bit. She raised a hand to her neck carefully.

Your neck, Hari. Tell me you are healed.

Feels healed.

Feels...feels...Harika Potter if you don't....

I've just woke up, Tom. I'm in bed not in front of a mirror. It feels healed. My ribs barely ache so they must be mostly healed. If you want better, I need time to get a mirror or talk to Carlisle who is patiently waiting for me to open my eyes.

Tom took a deep breath and struggled to contain the terrifying anxiety he was feeling. He had never felt such fear for someone else in his life. He had never felt so helpless since he became an adult.

Hari took the simmering silence as unwilling patience and opened her eyes slightly. She blinked up at the handsome blonde vampire. "Carlisle."

"You gave us quite the scare yesterday, young lady." Cool fingers stroked her forehead, feathered through her hair. "Those potions of yours are amazing. The wound on your neck is gone as if it never was there."

Hear that, Tom? All better.

Do not patronize me, Potter. Use the damn portkey before the day is out.

"We had to call in a...healer." Carlisle went on not knowing about the internal conversation. "We went through your numbers and called your solicitor on your Tom's advice. I hope that was alright."

"Mr. Willoby brought a healer?"

"Yes. He gave you something called skele-grow in addition to the potions Seth gave you."

She looked at Seth.

"Two blood replenishers, a healing potion and a pain potion."

"You did good, Seth. Wait...Tom's advice? How...?"

Renesmee edged up to the bed. "We didn't know what else to do. I...I wrote him..."

In the journal

"Are you mad at me? I didn't read any of it. I didn't know who else to ask for help."

"How can I be mad when you saved my life?" Reese reached out and took Nessie's hand. "That's what best friends do, right?"

Nessie gave her a luminescent smile. "Right." She leaned forward and whispered. "He was really worried."

"He still is." Reese whispered back wincing at the flash of embarrassed anger that whipped through their connection. Sorry.

Reese saw Seth hovering at the end of the bed and smiled at him. "Best friends whip vampire arse for each other too apparently."

Seth grinned. "You didn't do so bad yourself. You took out two before we got there."

"Jasper was a bit disappointed he only got to dispatch one of them." Edward interjected with a grin in Jasper's direction.

Reese shifted and saw Jasper leaning against the wall. "Thanks, Jasper."

He nodded abruptly. Alice hugged him hard and he wrapped himself around her. He didn't let himself care for many, but this witch had wormed her way in and she had almost died yesterday.

"If you all don't mind, I'd like to get a shower and maybe some breakfast. I'm starving."

"I'll cook something up for you." Esme herded them all out of the bedroom.

When they were gone, Reese swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. The room spun dizzily. She moaned and clutched and the posts.

Tom's voice was quiet in her head as he directed her. You're dehydrated from blood loss and healing. If you have a house elf, have it get you some water.

I don't have one here. They're at my estates. I'll get water in a minute. I'm not ignoring the portkey issue. Let me eat and I'll come.

The only response she got was the feel of lips brushing hers. She lifted trembling fingers to her lips. What was going on between them? Why was he so concerned about her health? Wouldn't her death make things less complicated or was it just the horcrux that he was worried over? But if that was it, why the mental kisses? Why not just yell about risking his soul piece?

Her head hurt too much to figure it out at the moment. She carefully made her way to the bathroom and into the shower. She leaned against the tiled wall and let the hot water revive her.

She finally left the shower, dried off and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. She padded downstairs barefoot following the wonderful smells of Esme's cooking.

"What happened yesterday?" Jacob asked when she appeared in the kitchen.

"Let her eat, Jacob." Esme reprimanded.

Reese slid into a chair at the counter and forked up a bite of fluffy omelet. Chewing and swallowing, she answered Jacob. "I was out running as a cougar when I felt my wards go off. I went to investigate. I was up a tree wanting to see who was on my land before revealing myself. One of the vampires knew the wards were indicative of a Magical. He felt the wards." She looked at Carlisle.

Carlisle nodded. "They tingle when we cross them."

"Odd. You shouldn't feel them." Reese muttered. "Anyway, they were planning on killing me just because I was a Magical. I shifted on the limb and they heard me. One of the women leapt at me. I responded to the threat."

Reese turned her attention to her breakfast practically inhaling the omelet and gulping down the orange juice. "Thanks, Esme. I hate to eat and run, but Tom is demanding to see for himself that I'm okay."

"He's in England, correct?"

"Yes."

"And you can instantly go there?"

Reese grinned. "It's called a portkey. Do you want to watch me use it?"

"Yes," they all responded.

Reese shook her head and waved for them to follow her to the library. "It isn't all that exciting. To you, I just disappear." She saw Carlisle eyeing her library. "Read whatever you want just don't take them from the house it wouldn't do for anyone not in the know to find them." She tugged him over to the section on Healing and Potions. "This is probably where your immediate interest is. This is the Index," she pointed to the book on the pedestal. "Place your hand on it and state your topic and related books will glow. Tap the titles and they will come to a table."

"Thank you," Carlisle responded.

She pulled out the journal and scanned the entries between Tom and Nessie. His usually elegant handwriting was messy as if his hand was shaking when he was writing.

She put the journal back and opened the rosewood chest. She picked up the short note. The portkey is attuned to your touch. It activates five seconds after you pick it up. TMR

"Usually a portkey has an activation phrase or is timed to activate at a specific time. Tom has keyed this one to my magical signature. Five seconds after I pick it up I'll disappear. When I leave the wards they'll shut the area down which means no one except you all who are keyed in will be able to enter until I return."

Tom, I'm activating the port key.

I am waiting.

Reese took a deep breath and wondered once more what was going on between her and Tom before picking up the dark stone. Five seconds later she felt the tug at her belly button and was squeezed through a tube then she was standing in an elegantly understated room.

She whirled in surprise since she expected to appear in Gringotts. Tom was standing before a huge desk. Dark blue eyes filled with emotion. He immediately crossed the short distance and grasped her chin tilting her head to each side examining her neck. Elegant fingers that trembled slightly traced gently over her smooth skin.

"Where am I, Tom?" Hari murmured as his touch sent shivers of pleasure coursing through her.

"Westmoor Keep," he murmured running his hands down her arms before stroking gently over her ribcage.

Hari shivered and leaned slightly into his touch. "And Westmoor Keep is..."

"My home." One hand delved into her hair tugging her head back gently. "You scared me, Hari." He murmured and drew her into his embrace.

Hari could hear his heart thudding in his chest as he pressed her head against it. "I didn't mean to," she murmured as her hands moved around his waist on their own volition.

"I want to kiss you."

She inhaled.

"I need to kiss you." He corrected before she could respond.

"Yes," she murmured lifting her head.

His mouth covered hers. She moaned as he plundered her mouth. Tom drew her even closer not quite understanding why, but needing to feel her alive and warm and healthy against him.

Hari kissed him back her hands clutching at the fabric of his shirt. She shivered as his hands continued to explore her body reassuring him that she was healed.

She whimpered when his mouth traced her jaw then trailed over her neck. "You were in such pain. I could feel you dying," he murmured. She could feel him shaking and was stunned at both his actions and her reactions to him.

He drew back suddenly, wrapping his dignity around him. "Your friend says four vampires attacked you."

Hari blinked at the sudden withdrawal. She nodded. Swallowed. "The vampires can sense the wards. They said they tingled which alerted them to a Magical nearby. They were hunting me for no other reason than I was a Magical. Apparently, we're historically enemies there."

Tom frowned. "They shouldn't be able to sense the wards."

"That's what I thought."

"Come with me." He strode from the room.

Hari arched an eyebrow at the curt command. Wanting information and assuming they were going to research the problem, she followed him out of the study and down several hallways and down wide, curving stairs.

Sure enough they ended up in a library. She stood in the middle of the room watching him as pulled book after book. Some he sent to a large table with a flick of his wrist; others he returned to the shelves.

He stepped back and frowned at the shelves. He swiveled slowly, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he pondered what to pull next. His intense gaze landed on her watching him. "What?"

She shook her head bemused. "This is the first opportunity I've had to see you being you and not the Dark Lord. I'm intrigued."

"I'm still the Dark Lord." He growled.

"But you aren't being all 'I'm Lord Voldemort, bow before me and grovel for your life'." She struck an exaggerated pompous pose.

He glared at her a moment then snorted in amusement. "Is that really how you thought of me?"

She grinned. "Yes."

He shook his head. "Most people actually fear me."

She waved her hand at him dismissively. "Most people fear dying and know you aren't squeamish about killing them. I quit fearing death by the time I was seven. I figured death was either ceasing to exist which meant no more pain or heaven was real and there was no pain there so death had to be better than living."

Tom stared at her a long moment before turning back to the shelves of books. With a sigh, he went to the book on the pedestal and placed his palm on the cover. "Find vampires, reactions to wards."

He removed his hand and the book flipped open and pages ruffled to a page with blue glowing text. Tom read the entry and nodded. He touched the book titles. "Retrieve."

Several books pulled themselves from the shelves and floated over to the table settling softly on it.

Tom waved Hari over to the table. He sorted through the stack and handed her a book. Taking one himself he sat across from her and started flipping through it.

After a few minutes, he glanced over to see her thoroughly immersed in the book. Her lower lip was drawn between her teeth. She was worrying it as she read.

:Find anything interesting in the book:

:It's been three minutes:

Tom grinned and returned his attention to his book. Finding several entries on locking vampires out but nothing on them sensing wards he closed the book and set it aside. He selected another.

It was another ten minutes before Hari exclaimed, "This book is in Parseltongue!"

"It is."

She stared at him. "You are amused that I didn't even notice at first."

"I'm amused that you were reading and speaking to me in Parseltongue without realizing it."

Hari shoved at his leg with her foot. "Prat."

Tom stared at her. "No one has called me a 'prat' since third year. Why are you barefoot?"

Hari grinned at him. "I keep telling you, you need someone that isn't afraid to treat you like everyone else." She shrugged. "I was more focused on food, headache relief and coming to see you than shoes."

Tom was torn between being appalled that she cared that little about being properly attired and pleased that she wanted to see him.

It took them another two hours to find a way to tweak the wards around her property so that vampires couldn't sense them.

Hari was also very interested in the entry she found for intent based wards. "Could you duplicate this book for my library?"

Tom took the book from her and read the title and the page she was on. He nodded and got up to retrieve a stack of blank parchment. He handed them to her and looked at her expectantly.

"I was severely injured yesterday, but that's okay. I'll do it." Hari huffed. She laughed softly when Tom just glared at her. She cast the spell to duplicate the book.

"Stay the night." Tom requested out of the blue.

Hari's eyes widened comically. "Pardon?" She squeaked as images flashed unbidden across her mind.

Tom's cheeks darkened slightly. "That is not what I meant. I have sixteen guest rooms for you to choose from."

Hari grinned and shook her head at him. "Okay."