The great hall was bustling with hungry children. Dinner would be starting soon, once Filch finished his lecture about loitering in the corridors. Ron was shot a stern glance from Professor Flitwick when he was caught talking. With a sigh, the redhead turned to Hermione who seemed riveted by the performance the older man was putting on. "I mean... you have to admire his passion," Harry said effectively setting off an echo of chuckling kids. Suddenly they were pulled from their boredom when the night sky outside seemed to swirl.
Professor Dumbledore stood sharing a concerned glance with Snape. A low rumbling began frightening the teens further, of course, the Slytherins were relishing in it. The ground shook like an earthquake sending people flying to the floor and eliciting screams from many. "Severus! What is-" Dumbledore was loudly cut off as the windows all simultaneously shattered, glass shards falling overhead and just as abruptly as it had started the sky cleared, ground stilled and everything seemed back to normal.
That is excluding the two bursts of light that came from outside lasting a few seconds before disappearing once again. "Everyone! Back to your dormitories immediately! Follow your prefects!" The children began hurriedly filtering out of the hall as the headmaster turned to his professors. "McGonagall and Flitwick please check the light on the east end of the castle. Severus, You and I will check the west. Everyone else, check the castle for any damage or unexpected guests."
The teachers rushed off in different directions curious and afraid of what could have done this.
As Dumbledore and Snape approached Hagrid's hut where one light had been, they saw the giant himself hunched over in front of a seemingly lifeless body. Their pace quickened. Hagrid stared at them shocked. "Pr-professor I don't know what happened! There was all this noise and shaking and light-" Snape cut off his ramblings irritated. "Yes yes, you bumbling oaf. We've obviously witnessed it too otherwise we wouldn't be here." Dumbledore looked at Hagrid with a silent apology then down at the woman on the ground.
She lay on her back, one arm on her stomach and another stretched out next to her. The woman was wearing a short black figure-hugging dress with heels and her hair was dark brown falling just to her shoulders. "I don't recognize her. Search her body for a wand." Snape demanded. He hated not knowing if someone was a threat. Hagrid begrudgingly rummaged through the woman's pockets earning a small gasp and hiss when he brushed her ribs. "No wand but she's definitely injured."
"A muggle then... but how did she get here?" Severus asked. "It doesn't matter. For now, let's get her to the infirmary. Once we have more information we can simply erase her memory and send her home." Dumbledore replied, holding up a hand to stifle Snape's oncoming retort. Without warning the woman groaned and rolled onto her side, eyes fluttering open. The headmaster crouched down to reassure her when she muttered something."Emma... What-"
The woman's eyes widened and she pushed away from the older man, sitting up and wincing in pain. She grabbed her stomach and shuffled backward away from the three professors. "It's okay, you were hurt and we found you. We can help." Dumbledore explained calmly inching closer to her. He didn't want to give too much away in case she was a muggle. "Wh-who the hell are you!? Where's Emma!?" She yelled angrily. "What have you done with her!?"
Before he could answer the woman was shot with a blast of magic and fell unconscious. Hagrid and Dumbledore looked behind them to see Snape's wand pointed towards her. "Don't look at me like that. She'll be a lot less hassle like this, she's obviously crazy." He said rolling his eyes and lowering his hand. "Not crazy, traumatized and now you've just shown her magic. We'll definitely have to erase her memory now, thank you for that Severus."
Hagrid lowered the woman onto a medical bed as Dumbledore spoke to McGonagall. "She was just laying there, didn't wake but kept mumbling a name... Renny or something like that." The witch explained motioning to the sleeping blonde on the bed at the other side of the ward. Apparently, she and Flitwick had found a woman too, however, this one was injured much worse. That would explain the two lights, portals, but how? Portkeys never made the sky swirl or the ground shake, what did they come through?
The older wizards thoughts were interrupted by Madam Pomfrey's figure slipping towards them. "Well... I've assessed them and the brunette has some broken ribs, a few minor cuts and bruises and a large gash on her arm. I'll be able to heal the bones but it will be painful and take some time, the cuts will heal on their own by then and I'll keep the larger one clean and bandaged. She should be fine in about a week or so." She explained. Dumbledore nodded thankfully but Minerva looked more concerned.
"And the blonde?" The witch inquired cautiously. The nurses smile faded and she answered them solemnly. "I'm afraid her injuries are more... severe." "How severe?" Severus interrupted, joining them. "She's bleeding internally, has been since you found her, most likely from the impact of her fall. My biggest problem is her neck. It's bruised, her windpipe nearly crushed as if someone was choking her. I can assure you these two were attacked. My guess is their coming here was no accident."
The professors seemed to ponder this for a few moments, evaluating the situation. "How long for her to heal? I want rid of them as soon as possible." The potions professor snapped. "Maybe sooner than you wish. I can't fix a crushed windpipe, she's barely breathing as it is. I definitely can't cut off the little air she has by shoving potions down her throat trying to fix the internal bleeding." Madam Pomfrey explained. "You can't heal her?" McGonagall asked worriedly. She was met with a solemn nod from the nurse.
A silence descended on them as Dumbledore shot Snape a glance which was met with an eye roll from the dark professor. "How long will she..." Minerva asked trailing off. She was almost afraid of the answer. "She will be lucky to live through the night." The older witch gasped at the news, looking down at the young blonde. Snape sighed and walked off, stopping when he reached the door next to the brunette's bed. He stared at her in awe as she groaned and moved, waking up.
Snape slowly stepped towards her muttering under his breath. "She... she can't wake up yet. That spell was one of my strongest. I executed it perfectly she'd have to be some sort of-" "Severus? What's going on down there?" Minerva asked walking towards him, swiftly followed by Dumbledore and the nurse. The witch gasped, the nurse in awe. "Her injuries- she shouldn't be able to wake yet." Madam Pomfrey began. A grimace formed on the woman's face, clearly registering her pain before her eyes finally opened.
"Where am I?" She asked sitting up and holding her broken ribs. "You're in our infirmary dear, you're hurt but-" Madam Pomfrey stopped talking as the brunettes face morphed into one of annoyance. "Wait... you're normal aren't you." She said almost to herself. The mysterious woman pushed herself up further in bed, seemingly to stand. "N-no dear. You can't get up yet-" The nurse said trying to stop her by grabbing her arm. "Get off me. I'm fine." She snapped making Madam Pomfrey flinch in surprise.
Snape smirked to himself, maybe he did like this woman. "Miss please, what do you mean by normal?" Dumbledore asked curiously. She chuckled lightly. "You'd call me crazy and lock me away. I'm a bit busy with that." The brunette winced and recoiled as she tried to stand. She knew she couldn't heal herself in front of these people but she had to find Emma. "Are you... are you a witch?" McGonagall asked, leaning in as if she were telling a secret. Regina's eyes widened in shock. So they were magical.
"A witch? Hardly." She sassed raising an eyebrow. "You must be thinking of my sister. No, I prefer... sorcerous." Her eyes seemed to dance with amusement for a second. "Or better yet... your majesty." Snape sneered. "Your majesty? What we are to think you a royal. I believe her earlier statement was true concerning her mental stability." He said turning to Dumbledore. The headmaster looked at him as if he were a petulant child. "Oh, I am unstable. Trust me." She threatened.
She turned to McGonagall. "Did you find anyone else? A blonde woman perhaps? Small, young... extremely annoying and childish." She muttered smiling. Minerva looked at Dumbledore for permission but he seemed stern. They couldn't trust this woman until they knew more. The brunette looked around aggravated. "You know something... but you won't tell me," Regina said rather than asked. "I'll find her myself then." The brunette shifted onto her feet finally standing on her own much to the displeasure of the nurse.
She gripped the edge of the bed for support and waved her hand down her body healing her wounds. They collectively took a step back in shock as they watched the gash on her arm heal almost instantly in front of them. "What? I thought you said you were magical. Don't tell me I'm going to have to kill you now." She joked standing tall. She began to walk away when Snape grabbed her arm and yanked her towards him. "How did you do that?" He hissed, his nose practically touching hers.
"I don't have time to give you a magic lesson. Emma is-" The woman was cut off by a small weak groan from the other end of the room. "She's here. Y-you have her-" Regina was suddenly frantic, Snape grabbed her other arm and pulled her back towards him and away from Emma. "Knock her out!" Snape demanded Dumbledore. The headmaster looked at him for a moment, hoping there was another option but as the woman thrashed in Snape's arms he felt as if he had no choice and removed his wand from his cloak, aiming it at her.
Her movements suddenly stopped, surprising the older man. "You think you can use magic on me?" Regina's eyes darkened visibly before she pulled her arm out of Severus' grip and flung it in the air. Purple smoke replaced her figure confusing and startling the room. "Peekaboo!" She taunted from behind them. They raised their wands but not before she froze them in their places. Regina smirked at their still figures. "I'm sorry, but no one hurts my family." She said walking towards the noise she had heard earlier.
When Regina saw a small pair of feet poking out from one of the beds she ran quickly towards the figure. Stilling when her eyes met the blonde's sickly face. "Emma...?" She breathed barely above a whisper. With her distraction, the spell holding the others broke and Snape immediately raised his wand but was stopped by Dumbledore. "She was just afraid, let her say goodbye." He said quietly. Regina cautiously stepping closer to the bed. "Emma? No..." She whispered.
Tears fell as she reached a hand up to cup the blondes face. The brunette not even noticing the three professors slowly coming towards her. "I-I'm sorry. Our nurse says she may not make it through the night..." Minerva said sadly, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "No!" She yelled shrugging it off. "I can fix this... I can fix this." She cried. Regina closed her eyes and held her hand over Emma. Purple magic pulsed from her and she yelped in pain. "I'm too tired... I-I healed myself and now..."
Her sobs grew louder as the magic grew brighter. The blonde's eyes fluttered open as the brunette's closed. Minerva noticed and quickly caught her before she fell. "What... the hell?" The blonde murmured gradually coming to. Her eyes widened at the sight of Regina wobbling on her feet. She sat up immediately, eyes wide. "Regina? Who are you? What did you do?!" Emma yelled summoning a fireball in her hand. They collectively gasped as Dumbledore rushed to reassure her.
"She healed you! She's okay, she just wore herself out." He explained quickly. Her face softened at this and she put the fireball out with a flick of her wrist. "Sorry." She muttered quietly. "You should be! What was all that!? I demand an explanation-" Snape's furious rant was cut off by a glare from the headmaster. Meanwhile, Minerva had opened the curtain by her bed and pulled another next to the blonde to rest Regina next to her. A silent thank you shone through the blonde's eyes at the older woman who smiled sadly at her.
"I apologize for my colleague's behavior. We are simply confused." Dumbledore explained. Emma's eyes flashed with panic. "Wait... are you normal? Have I just summoned a fireball in front of normal people? We're going to get locked up-" Emma muttered to herself. "No we are magical it's just... we use wands. Wandless magic is something of a legend here. Only the strongest and most powerful of witches and wizards can-" Emma cut him off with a chuckle.
"Wow you better not have called Regina a witch she would crush your heart." The blonde laughed. They stared at her as if she had grown another head. "Oh- oh no she can't actually- I mean she has- she wouldn't crush your heart now. She's a hero." The blonde blabbered. "A hero who crushes hearts. I see... Headmaster, perhaps we should be calling Azkaban." Snape suggested. "Look... we just need to get home. Do you have any magic beans or-" Emma was cut off by Snape's low and dangerous chuckle.
Dumbledore glared at the man cutting him off. "Oh come on. She's clearly messing with us, I mean magic beans?"
"Okay, I don't know what's going on here. You guy only use wands, you've never heard of magic beans-" The blonde began.
"Because it's absurd!" Snape said exasperated.
"Oh, and how do you think we got here huh? Did we just fall from the damn sky?! Oh look it's a bird, it's a plane- No! It's the savior and the evil queen!" Emma rambled. "She's the evil queen?" Minerva asked, motioning to Regina. "Well not anymore- I mean she used to be but she's different now. She changed." The blonde explained taking notice of Snape's uncomfortable shifting. "Wait why her? Could I not be an evil queen?" Emma asks slightly offended.
"She told us she was royalty you stupid girl." The dark man snapped. "And it seems she was telling the truth, Severus. You were wrong." Minerva fired back. Snape glared at her in response but Dumbledore quickly provided a distraction. "I don't mean to seem accusing but we are facing a great evil at the moment. Two unknown people with magic so strong it's only written in legend quite literally fall from the sky and into our castle. We must know you're not a threat." Dumbledore explained calmly.
"I get it, must be pretty freaky for you guys huh? This kind of stuff happens all the time in Storybrooke. What do you need to know?" Emma asked rambling. "Oh please! She'll just lie," Snape grumbled. "Well, what do you suggest Severus?" Dumbledore snapped finally losing his patience with the potions master. Snape bristled at the man before pulling out his wand. "Simple. Legilimency!" A sharp white light shot from his wand and Emma immediately fell back as he entered her mind.
Hey guys! Wow, that was a lot longer than I expected! I'm not sure if the paragraph spacing is right, too much at a time? Too little? Help me out here if you can haha I hope this is okay the idea just kind of happened so I wanna run with it. No plans for where this goes yet but if you guys like it then I'll continue :) Reviews and messages help me improve and stay motivated so if you can please do :) Enjoy!