Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or any part of this you recognize. Harry Potter is owned by J.K. Rowling. Goes for all chapters.

hiraeth (n.) a homesickness for a home to which you can never return, or that maybe never was

00.

PROLOGUE

Beep. Beep.

Ugh, I muttered to myself. It was early - dawn was just breaking on the grey morning sky, but the universe didn't seem to notice. Birds chirped, students chattered. Ilvermorny was, like on every Saturday morning, abuzz with laughter and talk.

Beep! Beep!

I sighed, almost cursing under my breath but stopping myself just in time. I'd never sworn out loud before, and that wasn't changing anytime soon. My friends, though, used such language frequently, something that annoyed me to no ends. Still, they were their own person (people?) and I had no right to interfere.

BEEP! BEEP!

Right. My alarm was set to increase intensity every minute, just to ensure that I would get my lazy butt up. Fumbling for my phone - or wand, if that was closer - I mentally scolded myself for letting it slip my mind that today was Saturday - no class. Now I got stuck with an alarm.

After a long time chasing my self-moving phone and turning it off, I finally let my head rest against the pillows. My eyes closed as I let myself be taken off by dreams. Dreams that I could never live, but imagine. In my head I could be someone important. Ready to return to my pleasant imagination, I closed my eyes…

But what did I see? I saw an image of muggles, brandishing torches, and witches and wizards brandishing wands. Something I'd never seen before, but knew in the depths of my mind. War. Such a terrible thing, my conscience murmured.. Why do muggles have wars? We don't. Why do wars happen? Well, honestly, the war with Voldemort did happen with wizards. No matter the cause, it was bloody and full of loss. I suppose that's how many get their start, with someone evil, but they spread out of control like a raging fire. Wizarding wars don't.

But yet here they were, fighting the muggles. Why? Muggles should be ignored, led away from wizards. They had to stay naive to what really happened in Britain that time, when everything seemed off. Wizards and muggles were humans and aliens in their relationship. They don't mix. They cannot coexist. Unless… Nevermind. Like I said, they don't belong together.

The fight grew fiercer, flames and magic colliding in one horrible explosion. Bodies fell, and all I could do was watch, and scream myself raw, begging for them to stop. But the fight went on, as more and more fell to the ground, the life drawn out of them. I screamed until I couldn't scream anymore, fear and adrenaline and sorrow battling their own fight in my chest. Tears streamed from my eyes as I recognized my sister and best friend Laurie amidst the fallen. No, no, no, no, help, no, why!

Suddenly a sound like a muggle firetruck pierced through my haze, making me wake with a start from the - thank goodness - dream. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

My first thought was alarm, so I reached for my phone. But it was off and cold, silent. Definitely not an alarm.

Then I noticed with fear the red lights blinking in midair. Oh no. Emergency. And to my knowledge, the first one since the battle of Hogwarts - the fight with the Dark Lord. This was bad. Knowing the procedure, I grabbed my wand, slipped into my robes, and hurried down into Pukwudgie common room. Hurrying out, and then sprinting down the hall, I stopped and gasped, out of breath. Knowing that I need to go on, I started to trot down the stairs and- Oh no. The staircase moved, just like they do at Hogwarts, and switched to a different route, knocking me of my course.

No, no, no, no, NO!

I've never went this way, and I was lost, but I took my chances and took a right. What else could I do? Left, left, right, left, right, right, right, left, right, left, left. Taking a series of turns, I found myself at the entrance of Pukwudgie house. Okay, good! I knew exactly where to go from here to get to the Grand Hall. Oh, but what about Laurie? I took my chances once again, and hoped she would be at the Grand Hall.

Once I got there, I saw Professor Erikwinn, the headmaster, at the front of the room.

There was a ear booming chatter, with everyone so nervous. My first reaction was scanning the room for my best friend, praying to God that she was here, safe and sound. One voice in the back of my mind assured me that yes, of course she was. What could be so bad, if the center of Ilvermorny wasn't in immediate danger?

There. My eyes latched onto a spur of movement by the edge of the Hall, Laurie's classic flashing pajamas. I remembered all those times when I complained about how uncomfortable it must be to sleep with flashing pajamas, but Laurie brushed my complains. The memory seemed odd now, for a reason I couldn't quite place.

Wait a minute. Why was she wearing her pajamas?

I ignored my worries - maybe she'd forgotten to change in her panic. What was really important was that she was safe and alive. Take that, stupid worrier brain.

I weaved through the crowd, attempting to reach her...but as soon as I reached where I saw her, I stopped dead in my tracks. She was gone. Oh crud.

I continued on, exiting the Hall as I tried to find Laurie. I wasn't afraid, not really, but the cold emptiness and silence of Ilvermorny...it wasn't supposed to be like this. Ilvermorny was lively, loud, and nobody ever felt alone. Yet here I was. My heart beat twice as fast and the lights in my eyes were much brighter. Every single sense was on high alert. I could sense there was something wrong.

Shh. Shut up, you blind idiot.

I stopped. Someone was here, someone who didn't want to be overheard. Plus, the hall was turning dark, causing my heart to leap from my chest - well, not literally, but still. I was terrified of the dark. The fear caused me to almost turn back, but I forced myself to keep going, for one reason. I had to find Laurie, no matter what.

As I ventured into the dark hallway, even darker thoughts began worming their way to my mind. They proclaimed that the nightmare, whose effects hadn't yet fully faded, was an omen of the future. Laurie was going to die. There was going to be war between wizards and muggles.

But that was just me and my crazy imagination. Right?

I was distracted by my thoughts, and on accident ran smack into a wall. Bringing a hand to my nose, I winced. In my pain and weird adrenaline, the softly-falling brick slipped my mind.

Then I felt the prick of a needle on my left shoulder, and suddenly everything spun.

"Help!" I managed out weakly, hopelessly. Nobody would hear me here, would they?

A silhouette of a man stood above me as I slipped into semiconsciousness, his cruel features cutting through the gloom.

"No matter, darling," he whispered. "The Hunt has begun."

Hi people! This is Chapter 37. No, actually that was the prologue, just for all ya people who didn't read the PROLOGUE label on top of the chapter. Then again, you probably aren't reading this AN either soooo whatever.

FYI, this doesn't have a profile, because this account is new and we gotta wait another 11 hours until we can upload images. Anyone have ideas? No?

Okay I'm done boring y'all to death, so. This was written by both Poppy the Penguin and babypandabear. It's babypandabear right now. BYE!