All great story's end in grand locations, Whether it be a giant arena in front of the emperor, or a capsized unsinkable boat in the arctic. My end seems to be taking place in a minor research room in the DOM. A room few know of and even fewer care for. Where office drones spend their boring insignificant days toiling away. A room so un-grand it leads me to believe this isn't my end, But my very humble beginning.

It's a mundane office space. filled with boring workstations, haphazard piles of paperwork and name plates. The type of office space you might see anywhere in London. Perhaps even the type my uncle works in. the only differentiating feature I can spot is the occasional magical looking artefact scattered through out it

The only reason I was here, instead of in the thick of things, was because I had decided to play decoy with the prophesy. Leading our pursuers away from my friends. it didn't seem to work as well as I had planned seeing as I only noticed 3 followers, just well enough to trap me in this office.

"first one through gets a stupefy to the face" I threatened towards the empty door space. Hoping to buy myself time for some form of reinforcement. perhaps my school mates had finally caught up or the order of pheonix received my message and came to the rescue. Still no reply from outside the office space. Patience fraying I leaned out into the hallway to take a look… just in time to see spell fire headed from down the hallway. Falling backwards onto my arse allows me to avoid what might have been my death. Noticing the green color I broke out into a cold sweat. scratch that would most certainly have been my death.

I've had enough with being trapped in a room, of being forced on the defensive. Gryffindors act, not react. I gather my courage preparing to charge outside and save my friends, when three masked men run into the room with wands drawn. No hesitation as soon as they spot my sitting form they aim and fire silently. Eyes wide, I scramble behind a nearby desk and brace myself for the resulting explosions.

The desk is now a tattered mess, but more importantly I temporarily survive. I hadn't recognized any of the masked wizards who had entered the room and none of the masks are silver. I don't hear any of the normal witty or mocking banter. I can conclude none of them are inner circle material. I grin. I should be able to handle them easily with my 5 years of Hogwarts education under my belt. They're only cannon fodder after all. Confidence renewed, and ready to make Voldemort's grunts regret signing up. I jump up from behind the surprisingly sturdy desk. Just in time to see the mundane globe on the desk, gone previously unnoticed, begin to expand. A glowing crack widening dangerously upon it. Before I could act or well react as it is. My world went white.

Upon waking my first thought was why does the dorm room smell like piss again. "ugh… damnit Ron change your sheets..." Blearily blinking my eyes, my second thought was of my lack off glasses. Even with my blurry short sighted vision, I could tell I was in a dirty inner city alley. Concentrate harry… whats your last memory... right I was in the DOM to save Sirius… grabbed a prophesy and… Sirius! No I need to calm down and remember how I got here. Right… right the globe, it had exploded? And it had seemed so innocuous too. It must have been some portkey that malfunctioned. I nodded to myself, as I slowly stood upright. No question about it. I teleported to some rundown city, Dumbledore and co. will have received my message then came then immediately rescued Sirius and my friends.

"Everything is alright" I breathed.

"Not for much longer" a gruff American voice wheezed out from behind me. I jumped and spun around to the sight of a dirty hobo. He blends in very well with the grime and trash ridden alleyway. I wouldn't have spotted him even with my glasses.

I blinked "excuse me?"

"You heard me boy. Now empty your pockets and hand me your wallet!" he spat at me.

Maybe its because calling me boy made him seem that much more like my uncle or perhaps I would have tried to fight any mugger regardless. My reasons didn't matter. I glared at him, clenched my teeth and reached for my wand, Prepared to stun the mugger and get back to Hogwarts, only to find my wand missing. Seeing my threatening posture must have set him off, for the next thing I knew. The hobo rushed at me slamming me back onto the cement ground. This close I could smell the alcohol on his breathe. I hadn't realized he was this much bigger than I am. Stupid shitty vision. I tried to push him off me. This just gave him a better grip on my head. Which he then proceeded to use to slam my head into the cement repeatedly until I blacked out again.

I woke again to see the same smelly alley greet me. Only it was dark this time making it look slightly more unappealing, if that was possible. "ugh my head.." I groaned out to hopefully no one this time. My feet felt freezing, confused I looked down to see outturned pockets and bare feet. He stole my socks and shoes! Glaring at the bare feet as if they were to blame for the loss. I gathered myself and entered the city outside my resting place. It… isn't much better than the pissed stained alley, to be honest. dark grey skyscrapers with gargoyles looming on edge is the depressing view, as far as my frankly stunted eyesight could see. When your standard was a magical castle surrounded by an enchanted forest, perhaps everything looks worse for wear. "or maybe I landed in some hellhole.." I mutter darkly as I step into the crowded streets of the city's night life.

After hours of walking around aimlessly only occasionally interrupted by attempts at conversing with the worlds rudest pedestrians. I found myself approached by a kid around the age of a second year.

"you lost?" he enquired pointedly

I tried not to let my annoyance come across in face or tone, or else risk losing the first person willing to deign to talk to a dirty shoeless boy. "Yeah… How'd you know?"

He smirked. "This is the fourth time you walked around this block…"

Maintaining a polite façade was no longer feasible, amid my exhaustion, annoyance, and embarrassment that flooded my mind. Letting the panic and helplessness of my current predicament show even more on my face. I chocked out "could you help me…?"

The kid didn't even seem phased by the level of desperation and panic conveyed. "Sure, man. My house is over there. I think I might even have shoes for ya. If you want 'em. No need to look so broken up bout it neither. You aren't the first runaway I've helped, and we runaways gotta look out for each other y'know?"

I nod my head slowly, trying to futilely prevent the pain, as I follow him towards what appears to be an falling down shamble of a monstrosity. It was on par with the shrieking shack with age and ware. Not a window un-broken or a wall without holes. Cracked tiles fell from the caved in roof. It looked like the entire building was leaning to one side. The dirt covering it hid whatever color it used to have. Now it consisted of a washed out gray amid brown dirt.

"welcome to eastside!" he yells back to me, without even turning around.

Out the corner of my eye I spot a discarded newspaper among the trash littering the street. Picking it up, my eyes widened at the little details on the front page. The date alone was heart stopping. It was April 21st 2010. Gotham the name of a city I'd never heard of. The worst detail among the lot was… were those comic book characters on the front page photo…? Looking up ,I shouted out to my guide. "Is this recent?"

At first I was angry. Having just been hospitalized by that horrid monster Umbit- I mean Umbrage, it was even understandable. However a woman of my position shouldn't just let her emotions have any affect on her judgement. but now, having come back from St. Mungos to discovered this… This disaster! I was furious, and it was time let those responsible know it. I stormed through the halls eyes ablaze with righteous fury. Fury for the abject irresponsibility shown by those in charge while I was away. Anything that crossed my path, quickly found somewhere else to be, at the sight of the look in my eyes. Even the piece of masonry, that thought it could obstruct my path to the headmasters office, sought a hasty retreat. Slamming the old wooden door open, I growled out "Dolores, you and I will be having words!"

"Hello Minerva, my dear. Would you care for a lemon drop?" Said the man behind the desk with a small smile.

I sighed and felt my anger drain away at this familiar scene. Its as if he had never left. "No thank you, Albus. I had come to let my feelings be known to your… predecessor. I take it that will no longer be necessary?"

Albus shakes his head sadly, candy in cheek. "I'm afraid not. Madam umbrage has taken up residence in St. Mungos, rather recently, for" He looks over his moon shaped glasses at a paper on his desk "Centaur related injury's. Truly an unfortunate accident. I take it your anger is from this last weeks events?"

At the mention of it my breathing quickens, anger renewed. "Whose Idea was it to let students into the ministry un-supervised? Why haven't they been returned to their dorms yet? And what's this I hear about a death eater break in? Tell me that ones a rumor at least!"

Albus frowns heavily, good cheer seeming evaporate under my ire. He quickly deploys his excuses. "Ah… well, I have no clue as to whom idea the rescue attempt was, though I'd presume Mr. Potter. All students, excepting of course misters Weasely and Potter, will return tomorrow from there time in St. Mungos. Mr. Weasely is still undertaking treatment, from his brief exposure to certain items within the DOM… and I will confirm the death eater break in. It saddens me to be the one to inform you of our loss. We lost a member very dear to my heart, poor foolish Sirius."

My face pales drastically. I can feel my eyes brimming with tears. I'm nearly overcome with grief, until I remember mention of Harry. " Why didn't you explain why Mr. potter will not be joining us tomorrow aswell?"

At this Albus slightly winces, an almost unnoticeable facial expression to those who haven't worked with him as long as I. "I was hoping you hadn't notice that. Mr. Potter remains unfound, despite my best attempts at locating him. Methods which include tracking spells placed on his very blood. My best explanation is he stumbled upon one of the many projects held within the department, and had an adverse reaction to it."

I sat there mouth agape for a good minute, before I finally realized what this meant for one of my students. "oh my..."

The shoes were surprisingly better than anything the Dursley's had ever bothered to get for me, if mismatched and ill-fitting. Jason, as I heard learned my guide was called, had even got me some socks! I had learned earlier (from some subtle questions that didn't make me sound like some parallel universe traveling alien, or more likely crazy) the newspaper had yesterdays date. Costumed super-powered individuals were the norm of not just the US but the entire world. Britain even had a few crazy costumed vigilantes to its name. I felt a little excited. I'd traveled through time, but never a new plane of existence. How many wizards can say that? Well presumably whoever was working on that globe could.

Now I sat here, in one of the many decrepit rooms, listening to his words of wisdom on surviving the streets of Gotham."The soup kitchens open every morning at 6, but ya got to get there early or you'll be outta luck. And don't go there when its dark. Lotta desperate homeless guys go there. Never know when we'll try and take what you got."

I nodded like the good audience I was. I might have felt more impressed by Jason's street smarts, if the feeling weren't accompanied by a large amount of pity for the smaller teen. Something must have shown on my face because Jason's next words were accompanied by a glare " I don't need your fucking pity, so keep looks like that to yourself. You don't have pity to give anyway, were in the exact same place." Now he grins, bad mood vanished. "Not exactly the same place, though. You've got a smart, magnanimous, and lets not forget good looking teacher to impart this wisdom upon you, or you'd have ended up like I did when I got here, half starved and freezing."

My eyes narrow, trying make out his face with my blurry vision. "and I'm grateful too, don't ever doubt it. I just hope maybe one day half your humbleness rubs off on me, as well."

"Asshole. Sleep where ever ya want. Lots of runaways call this rundown shack home, and I haven't gotten stabbed in my sleep here yet."

With those inspiring words, Jason left my presence. I look around at my new abode and everything I now own. The paints peeling from what's left of the discolored wallpaper. There's mold growing in the water damaged wooden floor. At least you can't see the sky in this room. The twin sized mattress is the only furniture in the room, probably the entire house. Its covered in various stains most of which looks like blood. Before the depression can overwhelm me. I remind myself that its just until the Order finds me. I can just imagine Sirius hounding them to get on some magical solution. Its brings a smile to my face.

In the meantime, its like Jason said earlier, Take one day at a time. It shouldn't be too hard. Tomorrow I would go to the soup kitchen, then trace my steps back to my arrival point. It was all in hand. I relaxed as I laid down in the corner and fell asleep to hushed conversation from the other residence of the shack.

I woke up to the sound of screaming. Not the kind from an argument nor was it of frustration. It wasn't the scream of a stubbed toe. It was a desperate scream, panicked and pleading. It lasted achingly long. Before it abruptly ceased. I bolted out of my corner and into the hallway as fast as my feet could carry me. Padding down the hallway in my dirty, blood stained uniform and mismatched sneakers. I followed the sounds, hoping for the best. I reached into my back pocket instinctively, only to remember my wand was lost. Gathering up my courage, I went forward weaponless and scared. I was ready to do what I could. No, more than that. I was ready to do what must be done.

As I jogged down the hallway I could tell I was headed in the right direction, from all the passerby's headed in the opposite direction. Whatever was happening the denizens of the house wanted nothing to do with it. Hearing sirens in the distance, and gurgling from destination. I sped up. Bashing the partly closed door open, the sight on the other side shocked me into inaction.

The most distinctive feature of the room in front of me was the blood. It was everywhere within a room, so similar to my own. Spread out from the center piece. A blonde girl, not much older than I, staring blank faced towards the ceiling. A bald man with scars all across his body shaped like stitches, formed as if he used his skin to tally something, had his back to me. He sat hunched over the blonde, stabbing repeatedly. A mad smile sat upon his face, laughter occasionally escaping it.

My shock was gone replaced with something much more potent to a wizard, rage. The killer flew across the room from his victim. The trash that littered the room rose from sudden winds. The bald scarred man sat up. The killer stood slowly, then quickly jumped out the window. The trash fell from the air as still as the girl they now shared the floor with.

I begin to give chase, when I remember the teen on the floor. I look to the girl on the floor. Trying to think of some help. Then it hit me she's already gone. Even if I knew some first aid its too late to apply it. The moment of tension over my body decided to revolt. I leaned over and threw up the meal Jason got for me earlier.

Some sub-conscious instinct drew my attention in the direction of the window. Turning swiftly, I was confronted with a giant man dressed like a bat, standing right next to me. That was the last sight I saw before I blacked out for the second time that day.

I awoke to find myself in a poorly lit gray cement room, no windows and only a small lamp above me. Trying to sit up resulted in me becoming aware I was hand cuffed to the bench I had been laying on. Thankfully I was blissfully alone this time I regained consciousness, and was still wearing my dirty, blood-stained clothes. Not a single person being murdered nearby as far as I could tell. So far its better than the last three times I've attempted this whole waking up thing.

With nothing to do but think for hours on end, I'd come to some frankly startling conclusions. I'd never heard of alternate universe travels, even at the best magical school in the world. Its probable that universal traveling is an entirely new branch of magic. To add credence to that thought. It was being studied in the department of mysteries.

Now, professor Dumbledore may be the brightest mind of this age and is due all the credit that entails. but I have my doubts he could pioneer a whole new field of magic and advance it enough to locate my accidental travels here. Thinking along this train of thought leads me to my second startling conclusion. Its entirely within the realm of possibilities, that I might be trapped here forever… no Hermione.. no Ron.. no more magic! Trapped in a world where people walk by unconscious boys laying in alleyways. Where they run away from brutal murders, instead of help.

I was alone for most the day trapped in my own head, when finally some muggle policeman came to explain why I was here. The man who entered the holding cell was heavyset and was breathing heavily from what I assume was just walking. Carrying a stack of folders, he started talking at me from the moment he entered the room. I was immediately reminded of my last DADA teacher just by the level of condescension held within his voice.

"look kid we have all the evidence we'd need to put you away for life already, and all I'm here for is to try and save us the hassle of a trial. So what do ya say, you just sign here. And you wont have to put up with those pesky trials"

I glance over what I now know to be a confession and immediately blurt out "I didn't do it! It was this bald man covered in scars! I tried to stop him… but it was too late."

He stares at me for a minute, trying to determine if I even believe something so made up sounding. "that's got to be the worst story I have ever heard, kid. That's saying something cuz I work at GCPD. Have anyone else that can corroborate your story?"

We sat in silence for me as he stared at me, still breathing very heavily. "Alright how about we try again, and we can start by admitting how you killed that girl with your meta-powers."

"I didn't kill anyone!" I stood up and roared at him.

He responded in kind " We have eye witness testimony from the Bats himself identifying your meta-human ability, that with all the forensic evidence is more than enough to put you away for life! Now, how about you start cooperating and explain why you killed her."

I sit back down and calm my breathing before telling to the obstinate sack of shit exactly what he needs to hear.

"Fuck you!"

He walks out of my cell with a confidence I would expect from a man who got exactly what they want, which confuses me.

They can't really believe I killed her, can they?

What feels like hours later and I'm starting to feel hungry which is hardly unusual for a boy whose regular punishment consisted mainly of starvation.

Hours pass before a new officer walks in. this one a pretty Latino woman with a smile on her face. She's dressed far more casually compared to her colleague leather jacket and jeans. I'd hardly recognize her for a law enforcement officer in any other setting. She carries herself with a confidence that only someone who works here could have.

"Hello I'm detective Montoya, and I'll be interviewing you today."

I try to smile politely back "uh… hello"

"Before we begin, I've brought you some donuts. Thought you might be hungry" smiling he sets the box of donuts down before un-cuffing me.

That might be because you've let me in here for what feels like 12 hours without food, I want to say. I can't exactly snap at the one officer who remembered to feed me, especially one as pretty as her. So I smile gratefully and dig in.

As I eat, she frames the interview as a polite conversation. Its nice and normal, like talking with one of my mates. I tell her my story starting from the night in question, leading her to believe I'm a permanent resident of the abandoned house the murder took place in. She's very understanding of current predicament, being homeless and poor. Finally someone who understands and sympathizes with me.

" Yeah it must suck having to live in a shit hole like that, with so many other squatters" she pats me on the shoulder

"yeah I guess" I mumble as I eat another donut.

"forced to give away part of your space like that… I can completely understand why you killed her."

I drop my donut and gape at her. She's still smiling as if what she said had been the most normal thing. Of course this is just another attempt to get me to admit to a crime I didn't commit. I glare at her, furious at the gall of her.

"Get out…"

"wha-"

"OUT!"

She quickly runs out of the cell and locks the door behind her with an audible click. Silently fuming, I sit and stew in my anger, until I can't hold onto it. The donut box I'm glaring at slams itself into the wall, and just like that I had an epiphany.

I no longer believe that's accidental magic. I know the Patronus is powered by emotion. I think. No. I'm certain all magic is powered by emotion. Maybe the wand makes up some of the difference? There's no reason to guess. I'll move straight to testing.

I think of how Draco and Snape belittle and mock me. How angry it makes me. The way they take their grievances out on my friends as well. The anger builds up as I focus on those memory's. "Lumos." nothing happened… well maybe the emotion for Lumos isn't anger?

I think about Hagrid giving me, Hedwig, my first gift ever. The feeling joy fills me. I remember Sirius promising me a real home. I remember making two lifelong friends. I smile. " Lumos." Nothing… again. Anger and happiness don't power Lumos. Perhaps I'm not right? Well nothing to do but try something else.

I think of diving after the snitch, of sneaking into the forbidden forest, of dueling Ron in the DA. The excitement brings an even bigger smile to my face as I relive some of the moments that make me feel truly alive.

Grinning I call out "Lumos."

The room lit up like a beacon. What was once a dull concrete room is now bleached with light powered by my excitement. A tiny ball of bright light sitting upon my palm. My grin now goes full blown manic.

"Nox." I whisper into the now dull again room.

Satisfied smile on my face, I sit back and try another spell searching for a pattern in my new found theory.

There was a large gap of time before someone from the GCPD entered my cell again. Only marked by the random times I was fed. I had tried to keep track of the amount of times but swiftly lost track. Perhaps I'd been in this deranged world for weeks or maybe a month. I couldn't tell you.

My cell door banged open startling me out of my thoughts.

"Prisoner prepare for transport. Both hands on the wall and make no sudden movements." Said the brown haired man in a suit who led what looked like a swat team in the room.

I stared at him wide eyed. "Prisoner? Don't I have the right to a trial before I can be imprisoned?"

At this he smirked. "Meta-Humans too dangerous to be brought into a court room, are to be tried in absentia. As of 4 hours ago you were found guilty of first degree murder. You were sentenced to 100-200 years in prison. No parole."

I was gaping now, like a fish out of water. So certain was I of my innocence I couldn't foresee a scenario involving me charged with any crime. This completely blind-sided me.

"Wh-what about my defense. S-surely I should have had a lawyer?" words escaped me.

"You had a court appointed lawyer, for the sake of discourse. But it was really an open shut case. Now, enough stalling. Hands on the wall. We have a schedule to keep."

I complied only out of absence for anything else to say. I was so confused. I'm not even an American citizen Shouldn't they extradite me or something? How could I be going to an American prison?

Thoughts flew through my head as I was collared and escorted out of the building by the swat team. Dazed as I was my next coherent thought was as I was being thrown into a cell of my new prison, this one with windows and cliché bars.

"Welcome to belle rev, scum." Some mall cop lookalike yelled after me as I was thrown into my new cell.

What just happened?