A/N: The strange concept for this story came to me literally out of nowhere. I'm also trying harder to improve my writing, so I'm going to add more detail, descriptions, and hopefully make this more interesting.

Full Summery: "They call themselves Ethereal Entities; they are of no world but their own. They exist out of space and time, and are here to guide you. They will change... everything."

For all eternity they lie in darkness, while their subconscious selves are trapped in the meadow. Of course, they don't mind, since they're together. Then, when The Professor comes to them and offers them a challenge, they will of course take it. Now, returned to the world of the Living, these three spirits must guide their living selves to victory, or perish in their own...

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; that honour belongs to J.K Rowling. I simply own the plot to this particular fanfiction.

Chapter One

Opportunity

"Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an oppertunity," - Khalil Gibran

The sun shone in the deep sky-blue sky. Thin whisps of clouds hung around it, drifting slowly in the warm summer breeze. Below this sky, surrounded by low hedges on each side, was a large meadow. It was made up of rolling green hills, dotted with the bright yellow of dandelion flowers. On top of the highest hill was a large weeping willow, its tendrils hanging so low they swept the ground. The trunk was ancient, gnarled and knotted, the branches twisted and turned. The leaves were a pale green, almost white against the rich blue of the bright sky. In the distance, on the horizon, were the shadows and silhouettes of trees. They leaned slightly over, whether because of the wind or age, one simply could not know from such a way away.

Bird calls filled the air as goldfinches perched on the hedges, starlings glided low over the grass, and pheasants nested in the shade. In the boughs of the great willow huddled an barn owl; it seemed to be sleeping, and was very old. It could've been dead, if it's chest didn't rise and fall every ten seconds or so. A lone rabbit raced across the grass, stopping every so often to sniff the air before running again. A second rabbit joined the first, and the two weaved around the other's paths before disappearing down a hole, into their warren. Dozing in the shade of the hedgerow was a bushy-tailed fox, it's nose quivering as it dreamt. A badger poked its nose out of its den before darting back inside again, a wood mouse nibbled a seed and a shrew sat contentedly amongst the grass. It was a vision of peace as the warm sun shone down on this unlikely sight.

Pearls of laughter also split the air. In the large confines of the meadow were three children, their faces bright with glee. They seemed to be playing some sort of game- perhaps tag, or something similar, as there seemed to be much chasing going on.

The first of these children had dark, messy hair, round glasses and below them eyes like emeralds, though everyone he had met called them 'Lily Eyes'. He sometimes wondered why, after all, before the meadow much was uncertain. The years here had all but wiped the past from hid memory. His knees were knobbly, and he was oddly thin and small. On his forehead, partly hidden by his fringe, was a long, thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightening.

The second child was also male, but couldn't have been different to the first. His hair was a bright orange, blazing like fire in the sun. His pale face was scattered with ginger freckles, and above these his eyes were cornflower blue. He was long, thin and gangly, with a rather large nose.

The final child was female; one could tell in her posture and face, if in nothing else. Her long hair was brown and frizzy, framing her petite face. Her eyes were also brown, the rich colour of cocoa. Her teeth were quite long- "Bugs Bunny," her parents had once called her long ago, in a faded memory- and her tolerance for foolishness quite short. Beneath the child was, however, knowledge far beyond her years- in fact, there always had been.

All three were no older than thirteen and no younger than ten. They seemed to be just like any other carefree child of their age as they played together in the burning sun. However, if you had been observing them for quite some time, you would find this was not the case.

The children never ate or drank; they never seemed to need to. From dawn till dusk, when the sun was in the sky, they would play- with each other, by themselves, with the wildlife, and the girl would, on occasion, make daisy chains for her friends. Then, when the sun set, they would he'd up to the tallest hill to the only tree, and would lie beneath the willow's fronds. Then, as they drifted into a dreamless sleep, the barn owl in the tree would open its eyes, ruffle its feathers and soar up into the night sky. This happened everyday; it had happened every day, for all eternity.

So why does our story bring us to this place? you may ask yourself. Well, as you will soon find out, this day was most extraordinary in the lives of these three children.

Around the sun's highest point in the sky- known to you an I as noon- a man emerged from the trees in the distance. Of course, the children did not notice this at all, wrapped up in their eternal game. The man walked across the field, slowly, not in any hurry to arrive. He walked on and on until he reached the hedge, looking out into the meadow. He saw all the things that resided here, including the three children, and smiled. He then opened a gate that had not been there before and walked into the meadow.

This man was quite short, with a long white beard and matching hair. His bright blue eyes sparkled like stars above his half-moon glasses. On his head he wore a bright blue wizard's hat, adorned with silver stars; his robes matched the hat, and below them he wore sandals- flip-flops, to be exact.

The gate closed behind him, and leaves began to grow; vines curled into branches and it turned back into a section of hedge. He strolled on through the meadow, heading towards the three children.

It was the girl who saw him first. She stopped in her playing, her steps faltering, and pointed him out to her friends. The three of them stopped playing, falling silent and standing in a line. The man seemed to notice none of this and continued slowly forwards, until he stopped several feet from the children.

"Hello, Professor," the first boy spoke.

"Hello, Harry," the man greeted.

"What brings you here, Professor?" the girl asked politely.

"I have a proposition," The Professor told them.

"A what?" the second boy asked in confusion.

"An offer, Ronald!" the girl hissed back. "Quiet!"

The boy known as Ronald pulled a face but fell quiet anyway.

"I have just discovered a timeline at a turning-point; a turning point that can only be changed by you three."

"So what do you wish us to do?" the boy known as Harry asked.

"I'm sending you back to be their guides. I'm sending you back to change them for the better." The Professor frowned. "In my youth I was foolish and manipulative; you must understand this. You need to make sure things turn out for the better, even if you have to go against living me."

"So what do we do?" the girl asked. "Is there a set goal? Something we need to learn?"

"No, though I see you are as knowledge-seeking as always, Hermione dearest," The Professor said with a smile. "You must simply change. Build them a brighter future; a future you never had chance to witness."

Then, all of a sudden, the children began to fade; or was the meadow the thing that was fading? It was hard to be certain.

"Remember," The Professor called to them, "You hold the answers, nothing but the truth. If you know, you may only ask. If you ask, you may never know..."

Then the three children vanished from existence, and The Professor smiled. Those three children would change the world, and undo his mistakes. His smile faded. He had destroyed their future, and they had been so young; he could only hope that this time, this time they would do it right.

A/N: Love it? Hate it? Then leave a review!

-Invisi