The Witching Hour (Harry Potter/Twilight Crossover)

Chapter One:

CHAPTER ONE:

I stroked Griselda's silky feathers as I worried my lip with my teeth. The sooty owl was perched on the edge of my windowsill, looking bored the way only an owl can, as I tried to make up my mind- like I had been for the last hour. In front of me was a piece of parchment, folded in half, with the letters X.L. inked across the front. I'd written the letter two days ago, right after hearing about the disappearance of my best friend, my sister in all but blood- Luna.

The letter was for Xenophilius, or Xeno as he had invited me to call him- Luna's father. He was... an eccentric man, to say the least, but he loved Luna, and I was desperately hoping that he had some information, any information, on whether or not she was alive.

I should be excited- tomorrow, at exactly 7:07pm, I'd be seventeen years old and able to use magic for the first time in months. I'd been looking forward to this day ever since I'd first learned that underage witches and wizards couldn't use magic outside of Hogwarts, and especially with my current circumstances- a.k.a. being on the run from a corrupt government; my need to have the Trace lifted was increased tenfold.

Come tomorrow evening, I'd finally be able to defend myself and the ones I loved against the monsters hunting me down- hunting me down all because of the fact I was a witch born to non-magical parents, and as 7.07pm hit, I'd finally be able to use the wand I kept in my sleeve everyday without fear of activating the Trace.

The sudden humming of my magic prompted me to turn and smile at the doorway to my room, where my boyfriend now stood. My frustration at my indecisiveness momentarily vanished as wonder took place. Even after three months of knowing him, our love still felt like something out of a dream.

He appeared by my side quicker then I could blink, and bent over, pressing his lips gently to mine. I reached up, winding my arms around his neck to hold him close, pushing all other thoughts from my mind, but how much I loved him. The sound of flapping told me that Griselda had fled out into the night sky, like she always did when Edward came near; her automatic, instinctual reaction to the predator he was by nature.

"You seem frustrated," Edward noted, as we broke away. I sighed, and gestured to the unsent letter.

"I don't know what to do," I admit, blinking fiercely, determined not to cry. "I have to know if she's alive, Edward, I have to know if he knows anything! But what if Xeno's being watched, or if Grizzy's somehow traced back to here?"

"If you're going to send it, at least wait until you can use magic," Edward said, his face as worried as it always was when the topic of the war came up. "Bella... please... be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Funnily enough, I don't want me to get hurt either." I snapped at him, before raking a hand through my hair. "Sorry, sorry, that was uncalled for. I'm just..."

"Worried? Frantic? Stressed?" Edward supplied, with a small smile.

"Like you wouldn't believe!" I sighed. I pushed away from the desk and stood up, balancing expertly on my bulky boot cast strapped onto my broken leg and leaving the letter lying where it was. "Okay, I can't do anything about it tonight, anyway- Grizzy's gone and I don't know when she'll be back, so I'm not going to think about it." I decide. Edward's lips twitch slightly as he tries to hide his smile. I scowl. "What? I am completely capable of doing that!"

"Of course you are, love." He says, amused, "you absolutely will not spend the rest of tonight's waking hours agonizing over what to do."

"You're awful." I grumble, poking my tongue out at him, before flopping down onto my bed. I pull the blankets up over me, then pat the space next to me. "Be a man and spoon with me," I order, with a yawn. Edward laughs as he gracefully lowers himself onto the bed beside me, pulling me against his chest. The thick blanket between us is an annoying necessity thanks to the fact his temperature is similar to that of a snow cone.