Title: Turn
Summary: Voldemort is losing the battle. What to do? Well, make sure the brightest witch is on your side, of course!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.
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"Tempus retortum!"
All she remembered was seeing a big white flash, and suddenly she had been here...wherever here was. It was night, and probably winter, because she was shivering. Looking down, she saw that she was wearing odd black robes. Maybe she had been to a costume party? But then, how did she end up here?
Whatever had happened, she decided, she couldn't stay out here. It would be best if she found a place to warm up and call her parents from there. She looked around, seeing a castle not to far from her. There were lights on, which gave her the courage to set foot in that direction.
It took her about half an hour to get to the castle, and by the time she got there she was freezing.
These robes are comfortable but not very warm.
She thought miserably, before knocking on the large wooden door. She waited patiently, listening intently to hear if there was anybody approaching.
"Hello?"
She called out a few minutes later.
"Is anybody there? I'm lost and I would like to use your telephone. Can I come in please?"
She threw her arms around herself and waited. Suddenly, just as she was turning to leave, the door opened. A young boy stood in the doorway, his eyes lighting up when he saw her. She smiled eagerly at him.
"I'm so sorry to wake you. I seem to be lost. Can I use your telephone?"
The boy smiled, though it seemed to be a cold smile.
"Come in. I will take you to the Headmaster."
The girl stepped inside, looking curiously at the boy.
"This is a school? How wonderful! I never would have guessed."
"Interesting..."
He said, looking at her thoroughly. It made her uncomfortable, so she focused her gaze on his robes.
"Hey! You're wearing the same robes as I am! Are these your schoolrobes? Kind of funny for a uniform, aren't they?"
The boy merely began walking and motioned for the girl to follow him. They walked in silence through the halls of the castle, until they arrived at a stone gargoyle.
"Go upstairs. You'll find Headmaster Dippet there. The password is 'werewolves'. Goodnight."
"Wait!"
She exclaimed as the boy began to walk away.
"Can't you stay with me? I..."
He didn't turn around, but merely shouted:
"I'll be in Slytherin if you need me."
Slytherin?
She thought,
What does that mean? It sounds like some kind of group. Does he expect me to stay here? Maybe he thinks I belong here. I am wearing these schoolrobes after all. How did I get those anyway?
She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed that the gargoyle had moved. When she looked back up, however, there were stairs instead of a statue. Frowning, she climbed the stairs.
Knocking on the door, she wondered what was about to happen. Something about this school seemed off, and yet it did not make her feel uncomfortable. As the Headmaster called out for her to come in, she felt her hands shaking, but stepped in determinedly all the same.
Headmaster Dippet looked at her reproachfully.
"Shouldn't you be in bed? It is past curfew."
She tried to smile.
"I'm sorry, headmaster Dippet...I seem to be lost."
"How can you be lost, girl? You seem to be at least in sixth year. You should know the castle by now."
She shook her head.
"I don't think you understand what I mean. I'm not from here. I don't know exactly what happened but...all of the sudden I was standing outside. I saw lights here, so I thought that I could perhaps call my parents from here."
The Headmaster looked at her for what seemed like an eternity. He frowned slightly.
"Who are you?"
He finally asked.
The girl smiled.
"I am..."
She started confidently, but suddenly she stopped and frowned.
"Where are you from?"
She shook her head, apparently lost in thought.
The Headmaster smiled sadly.
"Just as I feared. One of your schoolmates has probably hexed you. You seem to be a Gryffindor, judged by your clothing. Don't worry, if your memory has been altered it should be only too easy to turn it back."
He pointed a stick at her. A wand? What kind of school was this? The Headmaster was talking about hexes and magic as if it was real. She stood up.
"I'm sorry. I'll just...try to call my parents from some place else."
"Don't you remember anything?"
Headmaster Dippet spoke softly. She turned around and faced him.
"I'll be fine."
Was she? It was not like her to forget everything. She didn't even remember her name! Perhaps that white flash meant that she had fallen or something. But then, as she had taken in her surroundings, she had been standing. What was going on here? It scared her to death, not knowing who she was or where she was from. What if she would never remember? Wouldn't her parents freak out? They would surely try to find her. Maybe it was best if she found a place to sleep for the night. Surely she would remember things in the morning.
She watched the headmaster silently, her big brown eyes filled with determination.
"Can I stay here for the night? I can pay you. At least, I think I can."
She roamed through her pockets, feeling a wooden object there, which she pulled out. It seemed to be a wand, much like Headmaster Dippets' had been. He nodded.
"Just as I thought. Of course you can. But I would rather like to perform a charm on you. It should make you remember your past again. It seems like you belong here. At Hogwarts. Are you sure that you don't remember anything else? Classes? Friends?"
"The only thing I know is that I was suddenly here. Outside. I don't recognise this castle. I don't recognise anything. How can I belong here if I don't remember anything?"
The Headmaster sighed. He motioned for her to sit down. He then pointed his wand at her and mumbled something that sounded like a spell of some sort.
I am going crazy,
she thought.
Or perhaps, I am dreaming. Yes that must be it. I am dreaming.
She relaxed a little.
The Headmaster frowned again.
"Curious"
He said softly to himself.
"Very curious."
"What is?"
"What? Oh...eh...nothing. I will explain everything you need to know later. Right now you need sleep. If you would just put this hat on everything will be taken care of."
He handed her an old scabby hat which she unwillingly set upon her bushy hair.
Hello there,
a voice sounded in her head. She looked around, startled.
Don't be scared. I'm here to determine where you should sleep. Let's see...you really belong here. I am sure of that. Well well...you have brains. Courage too. You will always stick up for your friends, but you also have a lot of ambition. Hmmm...very interesting.
Interesting? The only thing that was interesting was why she was sitting here, an old hat on her head that seemed to be talking to her. She had to be dreaming. Nothing in reality could be this weird.
Where to place you...hmm...I am leaning towards Gryffindor...though you would do good in Slytherin too.
Slytherin...that was what the boy had said. She didn't know how to communicate to the hat, feeling that it was ridiculous to even try, but she focused all her mind on Slytherin. Why? She didn't even know. Only that the boy had been remotely nice, and that something about him told her that he cared for her. Or at least knew her.
Slytherin? Very well. Slytherin it is.
She took the hat off and handed it back to the headmaster.
"Slytherin eh? Alright."
He flicked his wand and suddenly the scarf around her neck changed colour. Instead of gold and red it was now silver and green. She smiled uncomfortably.
"I will send someone up to guide you to the Slytherin Common Room. Please come see me before breakfast tomorrow morning, will you?"
She nodded, too overwhelmed to react.
"Now, what shall we call you? You need to have a name if you're to sleep here."
It took her only a few seconds to respond.
"Jane. I always liked that name."
"Very well. Jane it is. Goodnight Jane. And don't worry. Everything will be all right."
She smiled again, stepping outside to wait for whomever was going to take her to her so called dormitory.
Headmaster Dippet shook his head and turned towards the shabby old hat.
"Well, tell me. Have you seen her before? Sorted her before?"
The hat stayed silent for a while.
"No. She is new. Intruiging girl, though. She does know her magic. I wonder if she is from a different school. You were not able to break the memory charm she is under?"
Dippet shook his head.
"That is what bothers me. This is very advanced magic. I must ask Dumbledore about it in the morning. Perhaps he knows something. But this I do know, there is no student of our school that could have performed this magic."
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