Hogwarts:

Trouble Returns

Chapter One:

A Sign

The sun rose above the small town on the Irish coast. The residents of Bray slept peacefully on this cool August morning unaware of a young boy about to awake and find his world changed forever. A strange man walked down a quite street and looked at each house apparently searching for the right one. A slight smile reached his face as he opened the small white washed gate and proceeded up the lane to the front door. He reached out his hand and knocked on the door three times. It was less then a minute before a young boy opened the door and quickly called for his mother. His mother came to the door with an apron covered in what looked like flour.

"Hello Norah" said the man with a slight smile on his face.

"Ted" She said surprised, "What are you...what are you doing here?"

"May I come in, I've had a long journey"

"Where are my manners Ted, I'm sorry, please, please come in."

Norah stood out of the way as she ushered Ted into her home. "Please sit down" she said as she went to the kitchen and returned later with a tray full of biscuits and two steaming cups of tea. She placed the tray down and sat beside Ted, an uneasy silence filled the room. It was Ted who broke it.

"Norah, look, I know I came because I have something important to tell you, you know I would come back if I didn't have to."

"For the last time Ted, I've told you before, I don't blame you for what happened that day, It wasn't your fault."

Ted simply nodded his head, he knew she did not blame him, but he couldn't help but feel responsible. Norah seemed to sense his thought because she soon began to speak once more.

"Listen Ted, I know you think you could have stopped it, but we all knew Paul, we knew he couldn't rest until he knew the rumours weren't true. We all hoped that they weren't but Paul, Paul had to be sure they weren't."

"But...but...I could have stopped it, I could have..."

"There was nothing you could do Ted. Now what was it you came to say, I know that this can't be it."

Ted looked at Norah, she was smiling at him and he knew she was changing the subject not because she was mad but because she didn't want Ted to linger in the past.

"You're right Norah, I didn't come her for that...I came here because I found it, or at least I know where it might be."

"No!" Norah looked surprised, her jaw dropped and she waited for Ted to go on.

"Yes, I'm afraid so, but that's not all, I've tried to get in"

"You did? and...what happened?"

"It didn't work...I couldn't get in...it seems like the stories are true after all, there is only on that can enter."

"but...who?"

"There will be signs, or so it says."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes before Norah broke the silence.

"Is that all Ted, is that all you came to tell me?"

He could tell Norah was shaken with the news that what he husband had set out to look for really did exist.

"Norah you know...you know that he would be happy we found it"

"Oh, I know Ted, I Know, its just...I wish it wasn't, this means it was all true, all of it."

"It's not as bad as you think we still don't know if..."

"Ted, we haven't seen anything like this for forty years, all of it, every ones work, all this peace could all fall apart if the wrong people find out."

"Norah, we can't worry about that now. We need to go on with our lives, we will find a way to destroy it, in time."

Norah sobbed and Ted knew it was time for him to go.

"Norah I have to go, I've over stayed my welcome."

"No Ted really its fine, don't..."

"No, I should go, but before I do, I believe it is your sons birthday tomorrow, please give him this letter, we will look forward to seeing him at Hogwarts soon. I have a feeling Tom will do great."

Ted then hugged Norah and made his way out of the house and back onto the street where he turned and then with a crack was gone. Norah saw her neighbours light turn on, apparently they were alarmed by the noise. Norah closed the door and walked to the kitchen where she poured herself another cup of tea then sat at the table. She stared into space, not thinking of anything for hours before she decided to go upstairs and get some rest, tomorrow after all would be a long day."

Thomas tossed and turned in his bed, he could hardly sleep, the combined excitement of his birthday and his acceptance into Hogwarts was keeping him up. He just knew that his letter would come tomorrow, and then he would be off to Hogwarts, the greatest of all wizarding schools. He finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep, unaware that outside his window a large crow was watching him, checking to see if this was the one.

Thomas awoke early the next morning, he laid in bed staring at the ceiling. Slowly the smell of bacon greeted him and he decided to get up. He got dressed quickly and made his way down stairs where he found his mom in the kitchen.

"Happy Birthday Tom" she said to him with a huge smile on his face, "you have some presents on the table."

Thomas turned and indeed see a quite large stack of presents on top of with was a envelope with a familiar crest. He ripped open the envelop and read the letter inside aloud.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Ted Lupin

Dear Mr O'Brien,

We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will find enclosed a list of all books and equipment that will be necessary.

Term will begin on September 1st please do not be late.

Yours Truly,

Neville Longbottem

Deputy Headmaster

Thomas smiled as he looked up at his mother. He couldn't believe that finally he could go to Hogwarts, finally go to the school his parents did. He quickly unwrapped all his other presents and he found most of them were school books and supplies. Thomas was disappointed by this because he was looking forward to a rare trip to Diagon Alley. His mother placed a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him and joined him at the table.

"Tom, I hope you enjoyed your presents, I see you got most of your Hogwarts stuff"

"Yeah" Tom replied "Only thing I need is..."

"A Wand." His mother finished his sentence with a smile on her face.

Tom's mother took a package from behind his back and handed it to Tom. He quickly unwrapped it and opened the velvet box. Inside he saw a wand, but not just any wand, his fathers, his father's old wand. He picked it out of the box and as he held it red sparks flew out from the end, as if it was silently agreeing that this new owner was acceptable. Tom gave his mother, who was now standing, a huge hug.

"This is the best present I have ever got. How did you...I thought it was lost when..."

"Shhhh, Tom don't ask questions, I got it that's all the matters" and with that the room went silent as mother and child embraced.