Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Ms. J K Rowling...nothing here is mine..
CHAPTER ONE: Of Friends and New Beginnings
Katie Bell fell hard against the stone floor smashing the tiny golden time turner that she had held only moments before. Oliver Wood, her best friend and quidditch captain, landed only feet away in front of an old rusty suit of armor. Sunlight streamed in from a window near them revealing clouds of dust that had been disturbed upon their landing.
Lifting her now aching head, Katie's blue eyes found Oliver's piercing gray ones.
"Katie, what the sh--"
Katie ignored him as she looked around. The familiar surroundings told her that they were indeed still in Hogwarts, but the change of paintings and tapestries suggested that this Hogwarts was in an unfamiliar time. She had expected this much of course, but the shards of glass that now littered her hand were not as welcoming. Katie cursed as she looked at her now bleeding hand, but her rage was not to be inspired by the sharp pain now emanating from her hand; it was due to the panic that was now beginning to clutch at her stomach.
Would she be able to replace Dumbledore's time turner? Katie wondered Do they have time turners here in the past?
"Katie!" Oliver suddenly demanded "I just asked you..are you listening to me?"
But Oliver was once again interrupted by the growing sound off footsteps drawing nearer and nearer. Katie shot him a warning of silence before covering his mouth with her hand and pulling him into a broom closet that stood adjacent to where they had been standing. Through a small crack in the door, Katie watched two approaching figures draw nearer.
"..and we should put ice sculptures all around the great hall...there's got to be some way to enchant the ice not to melt...oh and rose bushes in the courtyard. It would be brilliant to fill rose bushes with fairies that would flash in the dark..o how romantic..."
A handsome, raven-haired boy interrupted his prattling companion. "Amy, I hardly care to talk about the minor aspects of this damn ball," he said coldly, "when Dippet assigned us the task of arranging it I only obliged because it was my duty as Head Boy. Still I hardly think a simple ball is worth twittering over when we have Newts approaching in only a few month's time."
Amy smiled unabashed, revealing straight white teeth. "Oh Tom, even the seventh years need a little fun now and then. Anyway, what's with your quick temper tonight?"
The young man called Tom smiled apologetically, though his face remained free of kindness or even embarrassment. As they rounded the corner, Katie could hear him murmur. "I suppose I'm just tired..."
Inside the broom closet, Oliver had twisted away from Katie's grasp. His expression was now one of confusion and irritation. "Kates, what is going on?" Katie sighed
"It's a long story."
Oliver raised an eyebrow underneath his shaggy brown hair as he overturned a bucket and sat down. "Well you've definitely caught my full attention."
"And so Dumbledore gave you a time-turner to send you back half a century only with the instructions to 'help out Tom Riddle'?" Oliver affirmed.
Katie nodded, sighing as she swept back her long copper fringe.
"Is he mad? Katie you..we..we haven't got time for this! Is Dumbledore completely mad? The Quidditch final is in a week. Think of Snape's face when he realizes that Gryffindor is two players short..a captain to boot! And well we've got exams..And who the hell is this Tom Riddle anyway? If that was him walking with that Ashley girl.."
"Amy," Katie whispered, bemused by Oliver's ever familiar ranting.
"Whatever..what I mean to say is..if that was him..I mean bloody hell Katie, he's Head Boy...what does he need your help with?"
Katie sighed. She knew the situation was rather odd, even for Dumbledore's standards. "I know all of this is well "rather odd" Oliver, but he's headmaster and I couldn't exactly turn him down could I..but if he's correct, if that damn prophesy is correct..."
Oliver stood up so fast that Katie nearly fell off her own mop bucket.
"Prophesy," he questioned, "you didn't mention anything about a prophesy.."
"Well as you keep interrupting me, Oliver, I really was never given the chance!" Katie snapped. " And yes..apparently there is some prophesy saying that "the third daughter of Bell could save two lives that would otherwise be doomed for suffering". But that was all he would tell me..that and the fact that it would be wise to befriend a boy called Tom Riddle..but Ol-that was all he told me before he handed me his time-turner and instructed me how to turn it.."
Katie paused and looked down at the decimated time-turner in her hand. Now how would they be able to get back to the present...wait a second..they?
"Oliver," Katie exclaimed, "What in wizards names are you doing here!"
Oliver glared at her "Don't pin this on me...one second I was tapping you on the shoulder to remind you of tonight's Quidditch practice, the next I nearly break my nose on this ruddy stone floor!"
Katie inwardly sighed. She had thought the common room was empty when she was turning the time-turner..apparently not.
Oliver had just noticed the shards of broken glass in Katie's hand. "Katie," he asked nervously, "If that time-turner was our ticket back to our own time..and it's broken..how are we gonna get out of here after you've helped Tim, Todd, Tildon-"
Katie racked her brain. "We've got to find Dumbledore," she whispered to herself.
Oliver gazed at her in a way that made Katie wonder if she had grown an extra arm. "Katie you heard just as well I did what that Head Boy and Girl just said...they said that their headmaster was called "Dippet"..Dumbledore's not headmaster here..."
Katie closed her eyes, "Hermione.." she said.
Oliver rolled his eyes. Unless Hermione has failed alotta years at Hogwarts, I hardly think she'd be a student here in this decade.."
"Don't be stupid, Oliver," Katie replied, rolling her eyes. "What I meant to say is that Hermione Granger once mentioned to be that Dumbledore had been a teacher here long before he became headmaster...too bad I ignored most of what she said..I don't remember what subject she said he taught.."
Oliver nodded understandingly "Well Kates..no one blames you for that...the annoying know-it-all always prattles on about something..its hard to know when exactly you should listen to anything she..."
Katie interrupted her friend again. "I guess we'll just have to pick a classroom..if we are lucky we will not only find him, but he will be able to explain to Professor Dippet why exactly we are here...or at least some version of the truth," Katie finished warily.
"Well there's no sense in putting it off," Oliver replied, before pushing open the door of the closet. "Ladies first.." And with that Katie walked aimlessly down the halls of a very unfamiliar Hogwarts, hoping to happen upon the man that had gotten her into the oddest predicament that she had ever been in, her best friend trotting along in her wake.
Als here...This is my very first fan fiction so please review but no flames! The next chapter titled: "Of Histories and Foes" should be up tomorrow..I know this is a very random fic..but I hope you all will enjoy it..