Here you go, people. The long-awaited Prologue of Experience A New Life. Oh, also... I estimate this story to be around fifteen chapters or so in length. It's not too long but... Yeah. Maybe it'll be longer depending on what I do with the chapters and the ideas I get while writing.

I'm so sorry about this being later than I anticipated but I haven't been feeling well these past few days and yeah... But better late than never, right?

Enjoy,

Nick

Order of the Phoenix Headquarters

The members of the Order of the Phoenix were sitting around the kitchen table at 12 Grimmauld Place, discussing what they were going to do with the Voldemort situation. Ever since Angel Potter vanished three years ago in her Fourth Year, the Dark Lord had become bolder. No one had seen the girl since then and eventually she had been declared dead. It was after that when Dumbledore tried to access her vaults as her magical guardian. To his surprise, the Goblins told him that all the vaults that belonged to Angel Potter were under lockdown until she came back. When he mentioned that she was dead, the Goblins all but laughed at him.

"We have to find Angel Potter," Hestia Jones called out.

Dumbledore nodded his head thoughtfully "Indeed. But no one has seen the girl in years."

"We can't just rely on the brat," Molly Weasley huffed, crossing her arms "She abandoned us and now the girl is hiding like a coward."

Sirius glared at her "Don't talk about my goddaughter like that. She is no coward. I'm sure there is a pretty good explanation for her disappearance."

"She's gone Dark," Hestia shrugged "Maybe she joined You-Know-Who when he came back."

To the surprise of most members, it was Severus Snape who shook his head "The Dark Lord would have gloated if he had Potter on his side. I think we should accept that she's dead and move on." A few months after Angel's disappearance, the Potions Master had overheard a conversation between the Headmaster and Minister Fudge that only made sense when he overheard the two Marauders talking after an Order meeting.

Flashback

Most of the Order members had already left when Sirius and Remus had retreated to a room out of the way, talking amongst themselves quietly "Do you think Dumbledore knew?" Remus murmured quietly.

Sirius sank onto the couch, burying his face in his hands "I'm almost sure he did," he answered "Remember how he always insisted Angel go back to her relatives? She could have stayed with the Weasleys or with you but he always sent her back to… those people."

Snape had frozen on his way past the door, frowning in confusion. He had only wanted to go to the bathroom when the door opened a crack. What were the two of them talking about? Potters relatives worshipped her, didn't they? At least, that's what Dumbledore had told him before the girl started Hogwarts. His mind flashed back to the conversation he overheard the other day. The Minister had demanded to know why Dumbledore hadn't made sure that 'they' were doing a good job. At that time, he thought they were talking about something else concerning the Tournament but now that he was thinking about it. The Potions Master pushed the door open a little further, catching the attention of the two men inside "What did they do?"

"What is it to you?" Sirius demanded, no small amount of hostility to his voice "Don't act as if you care about Angel now. You never…"

"Oh for Merlin's sake, mutt," Severus rolled his eyes "I have a suspicion but I need to know what the Dursleys did."

Remus studied the Potions Master for a short moment before he sighed "Those bastards abused Angel. And I mean full out abuse. They beat her, starved her and she was doing all their housework for them." The werewolf paused "Would you care to share this… suspicion?"

"Just… Don't tell the Headmaster that I told you any of this. He doesn't know but I overheard Dumbledore and Fudge talking about people not doing their job. The Headmaster assured the Minister that he was sure they were doing as he told them," Snape rubbed at his temples. How could he have missed the signs? They were obvious now that he thought about it. Potter had always been shorter than her peers and the clothes she wore outside of class… The Potions Master shook his head, trying to get back to the topic at hand "I believe they also mentioned something about a marriage contract. But I could have misheard."

Sirius blinked "That…"

"Calm down, Padfoot," Remus murmured, his hand on Sirius' shoulder. The werewolf himself was barely holding himself back from ripping Dumbledore and the Minister to shreds "Thank you, Severus."

Snape inclined his head "May I ask… Do you know anything about Potter's whereabouts?"

"No," the Black Lord muttered "She isn't dead. I can feel it… But what if Voldemort has her?"

The ex-Death Eater turned spy flinched as the mention of the name sent a painful twinge through his mark "I don't know much but I believe that something happened in the Graveyard. Some Death Eaters were talking after a meeting and apparently, Potter vanished after duelling the Dark Lord. I haven't said anything because the Death Eaters in question weren't the most trustworthy."

"Vanished how?"

"Just… there one moment and gone the next," Snape shrugged.

End Flashback

"The Goblins were very clear on that matter," the Headmaster argued "Angel Potter is still alive."

"But then where is she?"

Dumbledore frowned at the people around him "I'm afraid I don't know."

Tonks rolled her eyes "You've been saying that for three years, Headmaster. The Minister sent the Aurors out to search for her. Don't you think she would have been found if she were alive?" She was part of the group within the Order who questioned Dumbledore. While the young Auror hadn't known the Potter girl personally, she became disillusioned by the Headmaster after he decided to do nothing against the increase of Death Eater attacks.

"Nymphadora," the old man chided with his typical grandfatherly tone "I'm sure that we will find Miss Potter soon.

"What is this about, Angel?" Elijah questioned, settling in the armchair.

As soon as Niklaus and Angel had returned from their honeymoon – a couple of weeks earlier than they had intended – the younger girl had immediately called a family meeting. Ever since Death had appeared in her dreams, the whole thing had been on her mind constantly. Enough so that Klaus decided to take his wife home early. Angel sank onto one of the couches, looking around at all the people gathered around here. The Salvatore brothers were on the floor in front of the couch holding Rebekah and Caroline, while Kol and Bonnie were on the third couch with Sage in Finn's lap on the second armchair. The Mistress of Death rubbed at her head and looked at Kol "I – I had a dream about Death," she sighed "He told me to go back to Hogwarts. Some shit about it being fated…"

"He asked you to go back and fight," Kol murmured with a small frown.

"Yeah," the red-haired girl nodded "Nik and I discussed this. I can bring some people, so I thought… Kol, Bonnie, do you want to come?"

Bonnie tilted her head in surprise "Me?"

"Well, I was thinking you might be interested in seeing what the Wizarding World was like and since Kol is the protector…" Angel spoke up "You don't have to come… It was just an idea."

The nature witch squealed happily, throwing herself at Angel "I would love to come. Thank you, thank you…"

Niklaus grinned at the two girls who were basically sprawled across his lap now "From what Angel tells me… It's not going to be a nice vacation."

"Definitely not," Angel grumbled, patting Bonnie's back "Would you get off me?"

"Sorry," the other witch laughed.

It was then that Elijah cleared his throat "Is it really a good idea to let Kol and Niklaus go with you?"

"Oi?" Kol huffed, crossing his arms.

"Well, he is right," Rebekah pointed out "I doubt anyone is safe from your wrath… Angel, don't take them."

Angel looked from her husband to Kol with an amused smile "They are coming… But Elijah? If you'd be willing to try and keep them in line…?"

"Why about me?" Damon frowned "You really think I want you to go without me?"

She looked at the others "I really don't want any of you in danger… There's bound to be attempts on lives – most likely mine. And Damon, you have Rebekah. I don't know how long we'll be and it would be unfair to just go."

Kol made a noise in the back of his throat "Yeah. There's no way that Bekah is going there. From what Death told me… No way."

"Angel actually wanted to go alone," Klaus rolled his eyes "Trust me, just accept and shut up about it before her stubbornness comes out again."

"Shut up, Nik," Angel hissed, poking his side in annoyance.

"I would be honoured to come," Elijah nodded, cutting in.

Angel looked at the others "I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Sage shook her head "While I don't know a lot about your world… I think we can all agree that we should trust your assessment." She shot a look at Damon "Right?"

"Yes, yes," the older Salvatore huffed, resting his head on Rebekah's lap with a pout.

It was almost a week later when the group of five were standing in a clearing not too far from the Mikaelson Mansion. Angel hadn't wanted to be too close to the house in case something happened and the others agreed. Klaus had told her to take Hero with them but since Angel still had Hedwig over there – and she was sure that the Snowy Owl was still around – she didn't think that Hero needed to come.

"So," the Mistress of Death drawled, looking around before her eyes stopped on Kol "How the hell do I do this?"

Kol shrugged "Just call him. He's bound to respond in one way or another."

"And what? Just say Death, come here, I need you?" Angel questioned sarcastically, jumping when the familiar dark cloaked figure appeared directly beside her "Holy shit. Don't do that." Klaus and Kol couldn't stop laughing, while Bonnie and Elijah tried to hide their grins from the witch "Stop laughing… Assholes."

"Are you ready to go, Mistress?" Death questioned, ignoring the two Originals who were desperately trying to hold each other up.

Angel grimaced "Don't call me that. Please…"

"But you are my Mistress," the figure pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Just call me Angel?"

Death tilted his dead "I will try… Angel. Are you ready to go?"

"Do I really have to go back?" the girl sighed, shifting uncomfortably. By then, Klaus had stopped laughing and wrapped his arms around his wife.

"I'm afraid so."

The red-haired girl closed her eyes for a moment "Okay… Bring us back?"