Prologue
The professor's wearied face looked downwards, glancing at the small medallion in his hand. He gently placed it in the velvet lined box, and shut it in a drawer. It seemed to resemble a timeturner, a magical object used to change the flow of time. But he knew it was much more then that. He hastily scribbled a note on a faded piece of parchment, small droplets of ink staining the yellow paper.
"Use in time of great trouble."
It read. The headmaster set the note on top of the box, locking the cabinet with an iron key. Looking at the grand clock beside him, he found a perfect place to hide the key. He opened clock, and set the key behind the whirring gears. He did not have much time. This project was top secret, and absolutely vital. He did not know when the timeturner would be needed, the fall of the Dark Lord had happened just last night, and it was impossible to tell when He would rise again. It was best to be prepared whenever the worst time would come. He gently closed the glass case surrounding the clock, and breathed a sigh of relief. His job was completed… for now.
"There" he said, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It is finished." And the clock chimed eight times as the headmaster ran to the great hall with echoing footsteps…
Chapter One
Setting down the book beside her, Fyn sat up on the quilted bed. She looked at the clock; it was six, time to make dinner. On her way to the kitchen, she peeked in the small room next door, where Ivy lay sleeping, a math book in her hands. Fyn shrugged, as she gently closed the wooden door. Her house was small, but it was all she and her mother could afford right now. She approached the white-tiled kitchen, and pulled some chicken out of the fridge. Cutting up the fowl into tiny pieces, she turned on the stove. But before her hand could even reach the button, it immediately started. Giving a knowing grin, Fyn pulled out some spices. She absent-mindedly listened to her mother's tired voice as she came home from work. It was Saturday, but they needed all the extra money they could get. Even Fyn worked.
She pulled out a pan and set the chicken strips frying, coated in batter and flour. Soon enough, Ivy came out of her room, hungry and with sleep coating her eyes. "What's for dinner, sis?" She asked. Technically, they weren't sisters at all. But Ivy's father abandoned her long ago, and she had lived with Fyn ever since she was 1.
"Chicken, of course." Fyn said with a half smile. She almost always cooked chicken, it was her favorite. "Been reading math again?" She teased Ivy, it was summer, yet her sister loved to read schoolbooks still, soaking up their knowledge.
"Naturally. I've got to get ahead of the game," her sister's smart reply echoed slightly in the small kitchen.
"Yes, especially since its July, I guess." The chicken sizzled quietly. Fyn did not want to go back to school, where nothing but tests and detentions lay. It wasn't her fault strange things happened to her. And she'd be going to high school- even tougher then her last few years.
"Well tell me when dinner's done," Ivy said, starting to walk out of the kitchen.
"Oh no you don't!" Fyn lunged for her sister, yanking her back in. "You can set the table now!" Reluctantly, Ivy pulled out the plates and silverware, as Fyn watched happily. Ivy didn't work, even though Fyn did; her mother didn't want to make someone who wasn't her own daughter pay the bills. But Fyn still thought she should.
"Any mail come today?" Ivy said distractedly, placing a crisp white plate on the battered table. When she sat it down, it made a dull clunk.
"Why? You expected a college letter or something?" Fyn joked, Ivy was her age- 15, but she was smart enough to go to college, Fyn was sure. Ivy made a face at her sister, and resumed setting the plates.
"No real reason, just curious."
"You're always curious."
"Not as much as you." The chicken sizzled again, and Fyn flipped the fowl pieces. She put some rice on the second boiler to go with dinner. She heard the droning voice of the news cast come on in the other room. Her mother sat in the couch, exhausted. While the food cooked, Fyn stepped into the living room, listening to the news cast talk about tax increases and a local dog going missing. Nothing important again. But then the blaring beat of "BREAKING NEWS" came on, and her interest peaked.
All it was about was a couple of murders, and strange fires happening. Apparently the news attributed it to some cult, Fyn rolled her eyes. She quickly remembered to put the vegetables on, and she poured some frozen peas in a pot and the flames immediately jumped upwards. It was a trick she had learned when she was young, but she never showed anyone except Ivy. Fyn suppressed a smile, Ivy had her own talents as well, but Fyn never pried. Once the peas were nice and cooked, she called her family in, and set the food on the small oaken table next to her. Already set was the steaming rice and the chicken. Ivy immediately ran to the table and sat down; Fyn could always hear her rumbling stomach. Her mother took a bit longer to come, but soon settled down on the third seat. They all murmured a quick prayer before ravenously devouring the food before them.
Fyn took a hearty portion of the food, and within minutes nothing remained. She gave a frown at the already gone food, none left. She guessed tomorrow she'd have to go back to the store. Even though it was only 7, Fyn suppressed a tired yawn, placing the plate in the sink for Ivy to wash. She never asked how Ivy cleaned all the dishes so fast, every night it only seemed to take seconds. After mother left to go to her bedroom, Fyn snuck a peek behind a doorframe, watching her almost-sister.
Ivy, unknowing of someone behind her, hummed a slow song, flicking her hands to-and-fro. Fyn's brown eyes widened as the dishes hovered in midair, slowly meeting the floating soap and becoming foamy. So that was how she did it. Obviously she'd been hiding her more… special talents for a while if they were that advanced. Fyn ducked behind the doorframe as Ivy threw a glance behind her, green eyes searching for someone. Fyn slowly backed away to her room, but before she could reach it, a pale hand landed on her shoulder.
"Going somewhere, Fynnie?" Ivy's voice rang through the tiny hallway. Ivy wore a large green sweater and jeans, jet black hair tied in a ponytail behind her. Somehow, she always had a serious look to her face, some would say she looked haunted. But Fyn on the other hand was always smiling, chewing up a pencil in her mouth as she absent-mindedly joked around. No matter how bad the situation at home was, she never let her friends know. It would ruin their fun. She had short-ish brown hair that spiked just so at the ends, and chocolate brown eyes. Her cheeks were occasionally dabbled with dimples.
"I-I didn't mean to, Ivy, I just wanted to know…" Her voice trailed off, lost in the deep abyss that was Ivy's emerald eyes. They sometimes seemed unnerving and icy cold.
"I don't blame you. I've wondered myself. After hearing of your… abilities, I needed to know about mine." Ivy said, her scowl changing into a perfect poker face.
"So everything's cool?"
"Cool as ice."
Fyn drudged down the damp hallway again, opening the perpetually squeaking door. She threw on her pjs and sat on top of the faded quilt draped on her bed. The pattern was of owls flying over a city, and it gave some comfort to Fyn. It'd be okay, she could make it through high school. And if not, she could always be a comedian. School wasn't her strong suit, for some reason nothing seemed to quite "click" for her. The teachers called her a disruption, distracted, and always snarky. She didn't mind the snarky part, but the whole 'barely scraping by' in her grades was a downer.
Suddenly, a jet black owl landed on the windowsill, cooing softly. Fyn looked at the bird, eyes squinting. There were not many local owls around… She opened her window, surprised that the bird did not fly away. The bird looked at her with intelligent yellow eyes. Then Fyn noticed the owl had something in his beak. It seemed like a letter. Crossing her other fingers that the bird wouldn't bite, she plucked the letter out from the beak. She bird didn't even nip her, just looked at her oddly.
"Smart bird…" She muttered, gazing at the old letter. The owl cooed his response. The letter was worn and yellow, reminding her of the medieval times. Maybe she should get Ivy…. No. Ivy kept her secrets for all these years, Fyn could afford one of her own.
She turned the letter around, gazing it for a sign of a return address. There wasn't one, but there was something else mysterious. Other than her name and address, she saw a red seal stamped into the paper. It resembled a crest of some sorts. On one end was a lion, across from it a badger, underneath a raven, and then a snake. It looked extremely interesting. Especially since the only clue to the sender's identity was a giant "H" stamped into the letter.
Not able to wait any longer, Fyn tore open the letter, luckily without ripping any of it. She hastily read the first sentence.
Griffin, aka "Fyn" Alexandria Smith, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry….
It was at that moment, that Fyn knew nothing would ever be the same again…
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 2.