Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I only own Elizabeth Maris, her family and a few other characters.

Dark Clouds Rising

Elizabeth Rose Maris

Chapter One

Ten year old Elizabeth Maris sat on her bed, her head bopping to the music blaring through her headphones. She was singing loudly as she read the newest Twilight saga book.

"ELIZABETH GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE NOW!" came the scream from downstairs.

Elizabeth contained to read, not realizing her step-mother was calling her. Turning the page as the song ended. She reached down and flipped her I-Pod over. With a tap of her fingers on the screen another application came up. She then scrolled through the list of playlists. She settled onto one list and activated it and clicked Pantera and the first song came on and she started singing with it.

Reverend, reverend

Is this some conspiracy?

Crucified for no sins

An image beneath me

Lost within my plans for life

It all seems so unreal

I'm a man cut in half in this world

Left in my misery

The reverend, he turned to me

Without a tear in his eyes

It's nothing new for him to see

I didn't ask him why

I will remember

The love our souls had sworn to make

Now I watch the falling rain

All my mind can see now is your (face)

Well, I guess you took my youth

And gave it all away

Like the birth of a new found joy

This love would end in rage

And when she died

I couldn't cry

The pride within my soul

You left me incomplete

All alone as the memories now unfold

Believe the word

I will unlock my door

And pass the cemetery gates

Sometimes when I'm alone

I wonder aloud

If you're watching over me

Some place far abound

I must reverse my life

I can't live in the past

Let me set my soul free

Unto to me at last

Through all those complexed years

I thought I was alone

I didn't care to look around

And make this world my own

And when she died

I should've cried and spared myself some pain

You left me incomplete

All alone as the memories still remain

The way we were

The chance to save my soul

And my concern is now in vain

Believe the word

I will unlock my door

And pass the cemetery... gates

The way we were

The chance to save my soul

And my concern is now in vain

Believe the word

I will unlock my door

And pass the cemetery gates

Gates

Gates

Lyrics by Pantera Cemetery Gates Lyrics

The door flew open and the lights were flipped off as Jenny Maris screamed again.

Elizabeth jumped and yanked her headphones off as she shouted, "What the fuck?"

"Bethy I have been calling you for ten minutes to come eat. Now get your butt downstairs, your lunch is ready," Jenny snapped as she flipped the light back on and turned away.

"I told you not to call me Bethy! You're not my mom… and go screw yourself, you slut," Elizabeth shouted as she got up and walked to the door, Grabbing it, she slammed it closed and locked it.

Taking her chair out from under her desk, she set it under the doorknob and went back to the bed and sat down. Fury was building up in her as she opened the night table by her bed, and pulled out a bag of Doritos. She opened them as the pounding on the door started.

Leaning back on her pillows, she pulled her headphones down, and picked up her book. She started reading again as the lights went off in the room.

"Bitch!" Elizabeth screamed as she sat up, turned and opened her window shades. With the light flowing into the room, she turned and started reading again.

Downstairs:

Jenny paced the living room, her anger building towards her ten year old stepdaughter. She had called for her to come down and do her chores, and she ignored her. She called her down to eat and she ignored her. Bethy would insult and debased her every chance she could. She was uncontrollable and she knew not what to do except call her father.

Walking over to the phone she picked it up and hit speed dial.

"What is it, Jenny?" Edward Maris said into the phone.

"Your daughter won't do as I have told her. She won't clean, she won't eat and now she's locked her door and is ignoring me," Jenny replied.

"Did you happen to notice what today is?" he asked.

"What about today?" Jenny asked.

"It's the day before her mother vanished five years ago. I told you yesterday that she'd probably be testy. If your mom had vanished the night of your birthday with no note or anything you'd be the same," he replied, and then added, "So just stay away from her and I'll deal with her when I get home."

"I will. Love you," she said.

"Love you too. Now what's for dinner?" Edward asked.

"Baby's head is for dinner," Jenny replied.

"WHAT?" Edward gasped out as Jenny laughed.

"God you're so easy. I am kidding, we're having lamb with kidney pie and for dinner I made a lovely bread pudding I think you'll like. So be on time," Jenny said as she hung up the phone.

With a sigh, she looked up the stairs and then at the clock. She then headed for the kitchen to finish dinner.

Upstairs:

The buzz of the phone in her pocket had Elizabeth digging it out. Opening it up, she saw it was her father. With a sigh, she shut her I-Pod off, pull the headphones off as well as she accepted the call.

"Hi daddy," she said with a sweat innocent voice.

"Don't hi me, baby. Go downstairs and apologize to Jenny."

"Daddy, I can't. You didn't see what she did…"

"I don't care what your stepmother did. You will respect her out of your love for me. Now get up, put your music…"

Elizabeth had been staring out the window as she talked with her father and saw movement. That was when she shouted out, "MOMMA!"

"Elizabeth, what's the matter?" Edward shouted through the phone and he heard it hit something.

Elizabeth stood staring out the window for another second and then she was running for the door. The chair flew across the room and she had it open a second later. She was running down the stairs for the front door when Jenny came out of the kitchen.

"Bethy what's wrong?" Jenny said as the door was flung open and her stepdaughter was gone. She ran for the door when she heard Bethy shout about her mother.

Elizabeth ran across the yard, tears flowing down her face as she chased after the woman she hadn't seen in five years, she knew that walk as she remembered it from watching her mom leave her at her neighbors while she would go to the store. She screamed once more and her mom continued to walk away from her.

Jenny looked out the door, and saw Bethy running down the street yelling. About fifty meters in front of her, was a woman walking fast.

Beth was running all out, she saw her mom walk around the corner and she was right behind her. Turning the corner she came to a screeching halt as she looked at the empty street.

"Mom…" she said as she started shaking and collapsed to her knees.

First Edit by Bill Lewis

Second Edit by Deenra2000

Final Edit by