The fire spread across the brittle ground, sending up tongues of flame to reach into the sky. A permanent haze surrounds the night, only broken by the screams of the dead and the dying. Oh yes the dead, the dreaded Infirni, springing back to life as soon as they were cut down. Eyes glazed and hands reaching. Lightning flashes and casts a periodic light upon the field, something akin to a 1980's muggle horror film.
Clara jumped over a dead body and raced to her brother. Her amber eyes glowed with hate as she watched her older brother engage in a duel with her best friend.
Whipping out her wand she shot a curse at her brother which never reached its target as he easily deflected it.
"You think to curse your own family Clara" Growled Jacob "I'm all you have left dear sister. Mommy and Daddy a dead, dead this morning." He spat on the ground in contempt of their memory, a cruel smile forming on the features that so closely resembled her own.
Flint, her friend, launched himself at Jacob and missed as he dissaperated leaving Flint in the grass at Clara's feet.
She looked down at him. His bright blue eyes were bruised from earlier battles. A cut ran from his ear to chin, dripping blood down a neck covered in grime. His sandy hair was unkempt and shaggy, badly needing a wash. His nose twitched and his lips pulled back into a sneer as he smelt the air. Heightened senses allowed him to smell what others couldn't.
"Clara! We have to go now. There are too many coming." He pulled out a time turner, his eyes locking onto hers, pleading. She held out her hand to him and he gripped it. Both of them disappearing from sight.
Albus Dumbledore had seen many strange and unexpected things in his life. Therefore, when two children appeared with a loud pop, bloody and looking at him in shock, he calmly waited for them to gain their bearings.
Clara nudged her companion gleefully "We did it!" She whispered excitedly before stepping forward and holding out her hand to shake the one that Dumbledore had extended.
"Hello sir. My name is Clara Weasley and this is my friend Flint Winters.'
Dumbledore's face registered no surprise as he silently took in the appearance of the two. And indeed she truly did look like a Weasely however, the boy looked strangely familiar although he had never known a student with the surname of Winters. "It is a pleasure Ms. Weasley however, may I take it that you are not in fact from around here? Taking into consideration that I have never had the pleasure of having you as a student no matter how at home you seem n this office.
This time Flint stepped forward. I t had been decided that he would tell the story. He had a presence that called people to listen, something that spoke of wisdom beyond his years. Something that he had unknowing inherited from his father.
"We are at home here sir. This has been our home for the past six years. At home we would be in our seventh year however a war broke out in our sixth year. Clara's brother is part of a prophecy made in this year, 1998, this is also the only that it can be changed otherwise all is lost once again. Jacob, Clara's brother, is considered the new Dark Lord. However, unlike the one just defeated, his aim is to breed a new generation of purely half-blood witches and wizards who will rule over anyone of "pure" blood as well as any non-magical being. I know he's not very original but unfortunately he is very powerful.
Now it was Dumbledore's time to look nervous. Looking at the children who so much reminded him of those who had been on the front lines of the past two wars made him want to weep.
"So much pain, so much death, so little time for childish pleasures." He mumbled into his beard. Dumbledore walked to the stained glass windows of the headmaster's office and opened them. The cool night air breezed through the room calming him as he looked up at the stars in the night sky.
After a moment he asked "And the prophecy? What does it say?"
Clara hesitated before stating "My mother always warned us about changing the timeline. But maybe it's for the best. Professor Dumbledore, would you mind looking into my eyes?"
Albus Dumbledore found himself once again staring into the chocolate brown eyes of a teenager who has seen so much death, so much destruction that the kindness he say there should not exist in any sense.
Clara concentrated and could feel the headmaster being sucked into her eyes as he experienced for the first time a new form of legitimacy.
Later that day
"RONALD!" Hermione Granger ran after her boyfriend; Chasing him through the corridors of Hogwarts down to the Great Hall.
"You can't catch me Mione! Bwahahahaha" Ron laughed gleefully as he jumped over a stinging hex that she had sent at his feet. Her backpack was bouncing over his shoulder and she could see the 4ft parchment that had yet to be finished poking out.
Hermione cast one last curse at him; A leg lock that caught him on his left heel. Ron's arms flailed wildly as he landed on his face.
"Ouch Mione what the bloody hell was that for! I was just playing around."
"No you stole my essay. You know better than to interrupt me while I'm working." She stated simply as she pulled her knapsack off his shoulder and continued down the hall. Hermionie lazily waved her wand at him, freeing his legs, "Come along Ron."
Ron scrambled to his feet and jogged after her. Throwing an arm around her shoulder and puller her close. He smiled down at her, that cheesy grin that always melted heart no matter how mad.
Leaning down to whisper in her ear Ron said "Well we couldn't miss dinner now could we?" That made Hermionie laugh as she pushed open one of the intractly carved doors.
Inside was a fairytale. No matter how old, how many times a student has seen the Great Hall it never has failed to amaze them. The ceiling was a copy of the night. A shooting star flashed across the sky, exploding into a shower of light as it hit the wall. The colors of the Four Houses hung from ancient wooden beams above the tables. Piles of food, everything from roast chicken to a ginormous chocolate cake covered the tables. The gentle hum of conversation filled their ears and reminded them that there is always a home at Hogwarts.
"Ron! Hermione! Harry Potter, savior of the Wizarding world, waved at them from the Gryffindor table. They had all returned to finish their seventh year of schooling after old Moldywart had been defeated. "I saved you a seat!"
"Hey Harry." Hermione sat down across from him and pulled Ron down beside her. "Really Ronald you don't have to shovel food into your mouth like it's the Apocalypse."
"The apoca watda waitz?" Ron could barely talk around all the food in his mouth. Harry actually began to answer him but before he could Headmaster Dumbledore began his welcome speech.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts everyone! I hope all of you enjoyed the break this past summer I know I did. Now on a more serious matter. I know this past year Lord Voldemort was defeated however, do not think that the restrictions upon entering the Forbidden Forest have been lifted. There are still many dark and dangerous creatures out there that should not be tampered with. I would also like to welcome Professor Snape back to teach Potions and I would also like to introduce three new Professors. Professor Black will be teaching Defense against the Dark Arts, Professor Krum will be your new Flying instructor, and Professor Weasely will be taking over for Hagrid while he is on his honeymoon. Finally I want to welcome two new exchange students who will be sorted with the first years. I wish you all the best of luck!" With that Dumbledore stepped down and allowed the sorting to begin.
"Ron I didn't know one of your brothers was taking a teaching position." Harry whispered.
"Yea I guess Hagrid got hitched to that lady from Beauxbaton's and they asked Charlie to teach because of his job. Hey who do you reckon are the two new students?"
"I don't know maybe they got misplaced because of the war." Harry said
"Both of you shush! Here they are. Crap! We already missed the girl's name/" Hermione shushed both of the boys and they all turned to look at a tall girl with dirty blonde hair sit down on the stool.
"Hmmmmm. A Ravenclaw I see" The hat murmured onto her head "No please not Ravenclaw I need to be close to Hermione Granger"
"Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor house exploded into a burst of cheering as Clara made her way down the steps to an empty seat near a familiar bushy haired girl.
"Hi. May I sit here?" she asked politely. It was just so hard not to burst into tears and hug her parents. Oh her parents how she missed them so much.
"Of course welcome to Hogwarts. I'm terribly sorry but we missed your name?" Harry gave Clara a friendly smile, trying to reinforce the idea that she is in fact welcome.
"It's quite alright my name is Clara Casey. I'm from…." Whatever Clara was going to say next was drowned out by the Slytherin table clapping as a tall, pale brown eyed boy walked over to their table. "Oh and that's my step brother Jacob" Clara said as she watched the confusion wash over her three new friends.
Hermione smiled. The new girl was shy but she seemed terribly sweet. With Ginny opting to be homeschooled this year she missed having a girl to talk with. "Come on Clara." She said getting up, "Let's go get you settled in." She took Clara's arm and together the two girls walked out of the great hall not noticing a few pairs of dark eyes following them.