A/n: Hi everyone. I know I've been away for a very long time, but I'm back now and ready to work. And I do mean work. See, I have this idea in my head that this story, while minimally good, is sorely lacking. I mean, there's no intrigue, no mystery, nothing to keep you guessing. So, I've decided that there needs to be a few changes. Hopefully, you'll like this just as much as the first version, if not more so. Thanks for being so patient with me. Enjoy! Eboni.
Prologue: The Future in Erised
Night had fallen once again on the gleaming stone towers of Hogwarts. The moon cast its eerie glow into the darkened hallways, splaying wavering shadows over the dreary gray walls.
The hour was late and all sane persons, excluding over-zealous poltergeists and savvy-eyed cats, were all abed and sleeping peacefully. That is, of course, except for one slightly peeved prefect whose duty it was to patrol the upper, more uninhabited floors of Hogwarts, grumbling the entire way even as she found it necessary to look over shoulder from time to time.
This wasn't exactly her idea of a grand ole time, and had it not been for the skittish nature of her prefect partner, she wouldn't have had to do this alone. All alone in the darkest parts of Hogwarts without any protection whatsoever. She winced at the dark turn of her thoughts, and she shook it off, telling herself she was just being silly. Of course she had protection, her wand pocketed safely in her robes should she need it...
Fat load of good it would do if her hands were shaking too badly to use it.
Luckily, she only had four more rooms to go before her shift was over. Let the next idiot search for boogeymen (or boggarts) in the shadows; she had homework still to finish. If ever there was a truer sign of disliking one's job, it was this instance. Otherwise, looking forward to finishing her scroll and a half long assignment from Professor Snape might seem a bit off.
A glint of light caught her eye as she cautiously stuck her torch in the last room. Intrigued, she crept closer... only
to yelp in fear and surprise as she leapt away from another body moving around in the room.
Only when her back was against the wall in the corner of the room, hand over her erratically beating heart did she
realize she was staring into a mirror, at her own reflection. Calmed significantly, she took a tentative step closer,
curious as to why a mirror would be in here of all places, as this floor was likely the most deserted in all the
castle. She moved until she was directly infront of it, reached out a hand to touch the cool glass surface.
Amazement and wonder littered her features as she watched things happening on the mirror's surface, activated seemingly by the mere proximity of her hand. It was almost like... like wizard photographs, or like scenes of those moving picture-shows that muggles liked so much... scenes, she noticed, playing from her own life.
She saw great things, her house team winning the Quidditch cup, scoring high on her N.E.W.T.S, graduating at the top her class...
But the last scene stole her breath, stood out from all the rest, and in it...
There she stood in the arms of Harry Potter...
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