"You are truly from the future?" Her voice was faint, and for a second I thought that maybe she was going to change her mind and hex me, but she just sank further into her chair. It was at this moment that I realized just how old Professor McGonagall was. I blamed it all on Voldemort for he was the one that was the reason for everyone aging so quickly.
"Yes, Headmistress McGonagall. I'm from the year 2016. My parents sent me back here because I'm to help kill Voldemort. You see what most people think is that my dad is the savoir of the wizarding world, but as my mum is constantly telling me I'm my dad's savoir."
"What? How? When?"
"I'm not allowed to tell you that." I cringed even as I said it for she gave me her patented you'll be cleaning the trophy case with no magic every night for a month look.
"So, Harry does marry Ginny then?"
"What, Aunt Ginny? Oh no," I said choking at that thought. Aunt Ginny and I had never gotten along, and the thought of having her as my mother was just plain disturbing.
"But the red hair, it is a Weasley trait," She pointed out something I use to get all the time. It was an old joke of the whole family.
"No this came from my grandmother. My mum is Hermione Granger."
"I think I'm going to need a drink," she said as she conjured up a bottle of whiskey.
"I need to be sorted," I said reminding her of one of the reasons I was here. "Oh and you are going to need this." I pulled out a file from my bag as she poured herself a strong helping of the whiskey, "It's got my OWL results in it and some other school information that mum thought you might need. Oh and dad sent along my Hogsmead permission slip. He said it would come in handy. I swear they've been preparing me for this trip since I was born."
She gentle put the folder and permission slip on her desk, stood up, and went over to the sorting hat. Gently picking it up she carried it over and slipped it on my head. I heard a startled grunt coming from the hat before I saw darkness.
"Ah another Potter…I see I once put you in Ravenclaw, but now you have learned all you could from that house and now you must go to another. I know it must be Gryffindor, but before we go I have to tell you something. All is not what it seems and choices shape our dreams. A good line, one I might work into the song tonight."
With that I heard the hat shout out to the room Gryffindor. I took off the hat and placed it on the desk. "It says here you were a Ravenclaw." During my chat with the hat Headmistress McGonagall had examined the contents of my folder.
"Yes ma'am. You should have seen my dad when he heard I got put in Ravenclaw. Well actually one day you will. He came up here and had a good long chat with the sorting hat, but I knew I was meant to be in Ravenclaw if only for a while. I knew I had to learn all I could. And then when my twin brothers were put in Slytherin he went off on another tangent. I'm just thankful we have mum to calm him down."
"Twin brothers?"
"Yes, Mike and Adam. They will be going into their fourth year." And with that I suddenly thought of something. "Kreacher," I gasped and then in a more stern voice I called out to the deranged house-elf.
I heard two cracks and some scuffling at my feet. Quickly I pulled Dobby off of Kreacher. "Master called for…" He trailed off upon not seeing my father in the room.
"No I did," I said as Dobby stopped struggling in my arms and looked up at me. "Kreacher you are in no way, shape, or form, to tell anyone that there is another Potter here at Hogwarts. That goes for you too, Dobby."
"Another Potter?" Dobb's high pitched question drowned out Kreacher's mumbling.
Suddenly I felt incredibly drained from the day's events. "Yes and that is all you need to know. Now Kreacher go back and work with the other house elves in the kitchen without giving them any trouble."
"Yes, master," and with a deep bow he left.
I set Dobby down on the ground and sank into the chair. I felt incredibly weak and tired. I could barely hear what Headmistress McGonagall was saying and before I knew it I succumbed to the darkness that was trying to engulf me.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy!" I watched as a tiny five year old me screamed for her father. He came running in to the overly pink bedroom only seconds after the second daddy. I could tell he was weary from lack of sleep and I guessed the twins must be going through their terrible two phase.
"What is it honey?" he asked as he sat down on my bed. "Did you have a bad dream?"
The tiny version of me whimpered and my father scooped me up into his arms. "How about a story? Let's see," he started tapping his forehead just like Winnie-the-Pooh did and I let out a laugh. "How about when Uncle Ron and I and mum started our seventh year at Hogwarts." This is when it all began. This is when the telling of my future and their future started to mix. This is when I started my training.
"As always we took the train to Hogwarts. We knew this year was going to be difficult. For one thing there was the evil Voldy-poo after us and well a stranger was melding in our mess and making sure we got everything right. Her name was Jillian."
"Hey, that's my name."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"Well, if you're sure."
I felt myself being shaken awake. As I opened my eyes I saw the ceiling of McGonagall's office blur in and out of focus. "Ugh," my head was beginning to pound.
"We should have let you rest some more, I'm sorry, Jillian." Sitting up I tried to clear the image of my father and me from my head, but I couldn't. It was then that it all hit me, I was alone in my parents past until I completed my task. My eyes burned with tears that I tried to blink back but instead they fell from my eyes.
"I can't do this," I sobbed. "I'm not prepared. I'm not old enough. I'm not…I'm not them. I'm not him and I don't want to be." My body was beginning to shake and I felt rather than saw McGonagall pulling me into a hug. "They just," I tried to steady my breathing. "Just assumed that I would go through with this. They just assumed I was ready. Well, I'm not. I want my Mum."
"There, there," McGonagall rocked me back and forth as she let me slowly pull myself back together. "You aren't alone. I'm going to help you complete this task."
It took several more minutes but I finally pulled myself together enough to stand up. "Where's Fawkes?" I asked as I rubbed my head.
"Dumbledore's phoenix hasn't been seen since the night Dumbledore was killed." That was odd, I thought, surely mum mentioned Fawkes playing an important role this year. I just always assumed that the phoenix had gone with McGonagall because he was with her in my time. As I thought this I heard the most beautiful song coming from outside. With a flare for dramatics the phoenix we had just spoken of landed on my shoulder with a flash of fire.
"It seems Fawkes has chosen his new care giver." McGonagall and I turned to look at the portrait of Dumbledore. "May he serve you well, Miss Potter."
Twenty minutes later with orders to go directly back to the hospital wing I exited the headmistress's office with Fawkes on one shoulder and my bag hanging from the other. "I hope you don't plan on staying there the whole time because it is going to make sleeping rather difficult." At this Fawkes let out a happy trill and I laughed, "Come one let's go get some sleep before everything begins tonight.
Tonight turned out to come quicker than I thought as Fawkes' trill woke me from a peaceful slumber. I saw the white walls of the hospital and heard the steps of someone approaching. Quickly, I picked up the book I was reading when I feel asleep and put it into my bag before Headmistress McGonagall came around the curtain.
"As you must already know it is very rare for Hogwarts to accept transfer students, but we do make exceptions. But you can not keep your name. I know you know it would cause too many questions about your parentage."
To be honest I hadn't even thought about changing my name. Decidedly I made up my mind, "I'm keeping my first name. I don't want to change history too much. I'm named after my father's parents. And I suppose I can't go with my mother's maiden name because well she's here too. So…God, why didn't they tell me this?"
"Might I make a suggestion?" At this I noticed Aunt Poppy had entered my curtained off area. "You can use my last name. I'll just say you're my niece and your parents were recently killed by Death Eaters in France. You had no choice but to come and live with me."
"Okay, Aunt Poppy." I felt my spirits lift at the thought that one thing would stay the same. At least in one aspect I wouldn't have to be constantly trying to correct myself before speaking.
"Now, I don't want to see you in this hospital too often this year. And if you do come here it better be for reasons other than being hurt." At this I grinned that famous Potter grin. "Oh no, you are just like him aren't you?"
"She knows," I sputtered out.
"Yes, well, don't go blaming Professor McGonagall. I knew the first time I was checking you over. Your vital reading gave me your full name. I just didn't say a word thinking it was a fluke. It is after all healer patient information, and cannot be shared unless you specifically tell me I can." I felt a sudden warmth spread through my body, and I climbed out of bed and gave Aunt Poppy a hug.
She tensed up as I hugged her and I laughed, "don't worry you'll get use to them."
"The train arrives in one hour." At this Headmistress McGonagall turned and left.
I asked if I could shower and with a nod of consent from Aunt Poppy I headed off in the direction of the bathroom. Twenty minutes later I was clean, dressed, and my hair was done. I was just clasping on my bracelet when Aunt Poppy came into view. She noticed a picture my mum had put into my bag as a reminder of home. It was taken a few weeks ago at a family picnic, and it showed everyone near and dear to me.
I was standing beside my boyfriend, Ron Longbottom. On the other side of me was my dad followed by my mum. She was keeping an eye on the twins who looked like they were up to something, but didn't dare do it because Uncle Hagrid was right behind them. Grandma Molly and Grandpa Arthur were next in the big cluster. They each held a baby girl in their arms; those girls were my cousins Mel and Anne. They belonged to Uncle Fred and Aunt Angelina. Next to Uncle Fred was Uncle George supporting on his shoulders five year old Brian. Aunt Katie came next. Uncle Neville was there with Aunt Linda. Aunt Ginny followed them and so did Uncle Charlie. Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur's triplets were next Cindy, Penny, and Molly. They were all the same age as me. Behind them were their parents. Aunt Poppy was beside Aunt Luna and Grandma and Grandpa Granger.
"Where are Ron and Lupin and Tonks?"
"Oh Aunt Tonks and Uncle Remus couldn't make it. Aunt Tonks was put to bed rest by you. She's having one hell of a pregnancy, but they are just thrilled that they are having a baby. I have another picture of them from Christmas time." I pulled out the photo album I had packed the night before. "See there they are," I showed her the picture of Uncle Remus standing beside Aunt Tonks as they laughed from the snowball fight they had just finish having.
"Where is Ron?"
"I should get going, Aunt Poppy." I grabbed back my photo album as the clock on the wall told me it was six o'clock. "Talk to you later." And with that I hastily left the hospital wing and went to try and blend in with the incoming students.
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