Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters, spells, names, plots, and settings are the property of J. K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.
Wish Cow Malfoy had been sitting in a perfectly normal chair in a perfectly normal room in Malfoy Manor when she was sent back in time.
She had merely been thinking about how she would like to meet her great-grandparents. Her grandparents always said they'd been bad, well the ones on her paternal grandfather's side, at least. Especially her great-grandfather. Wish had only wanted to see if they were as bad as everyone said they were.
Now she was sitting in an otherwise empty compartment on the speeding Hogwarts Express, heading towards Hogwarts, and her doom. She knew her grandparents, Draco Malfoy and Ron and Hermione Weasley—no—Hermione Granger. They wouldn't be married yet. Wish's head was nearly spinning. She shouldn't be here. She wouldn't even be born for about another 80 years. Her parents weren't even born yet. Wish paced the length of the compartment, hoping her parents and brothers weren't worrying about her.
The train's brakes squealed and Wish followed the other first years to the boats, trying to blend in. She ended up being stuck in a boat with three abhorrently chatty girls who Wish assumed would be sorted into Hufflepuff. Oh no. Sorting. Wish wouldn't be in the school registry. Would she get sorted? What if everyone thought she was a stray Muggle when her name wasn't called? If her name wasn't called. Be optimistic, Wish, she told herself. Perhaps she should try talking to—wait, who was the headmaster in this time period? Oh, right. That one that Uncle Albus is named after. His last name was Dumbledore, wasn't it?
"What house do you think you'll be sorted into,— what was your name again?" asked one of the chatty girls, interrupting Wish's important thoughts.
"I don't know," she responded distractedly.
"You don't know your own name?" another of the chatty girls said as the three of them burst into high-pitched giggles which seemed to shred Wish's brain. I wonder if we're allowed to swim to Hogwarts, Wish thought.
Finally they reached the gates of Hogwarts. Wish leaped off the boat as though the boat had grown spines and soon lost herself in the crowd, far away from the chatty dunderheads. She meandered her way through the hordes of incessantly nattering first years until she reached a tall, imposing woman.
"Excuse me, ma'am," Wish said.
The woman turned around. "First years are to wait in the hall until we're ready for the sorting ceremony, miss—I don't believe I know your name," she said.
"Yes, about that. I'm not actually supposed to be here. I was wondering if I could perhaps talk to the headmaster. I'm from the future, you see, and I'm sure my parents are going to be—"
"The future, you say?"
"Yes, and if you need proof, I can tell you what house Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley, Hermione W—Granger, Neville Longbottom,—"
The woman's eyes widened with each name Wish spoke, until she interrupted. "Come. We're going to see the headmaster." She grabbed Wish's hand and strode purposefully towards Dumbledore's office. "Liquorice Wand," she said on reaching the gargoyle, which moved aside at the password. She pulled Wish up the spiral stairs and raised her hand to knock on Dumbledore's door. The door opened before she could knock, and Severus Snape stepped out silently. He paused, glancing down at Wish before nodding once in acknowledgement of Professor McGonagall and leaving.
"Ah, what can I do for you, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, closing his office door behind them. "And who is this young lady?"
"She claims to come from the future and has not told me her name," said McGonagall. "She requested to see you. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some first years to deal with." She left the office, closing the door firmly behind her.
Dumbledore stared at Wish. "The future, hm. Well, sit down." He conjured up a comfy-looking chair and Wish sat hesitantly.
"I'm telling the truth, sir," she said softly, "I really am from the future."
"I don't doubt it," said Dumbledore gently. "Will you tell me your name? I think it best to just sort you along with the other first years. You haven't been sorted yet, have you?"
"No. My first day at Hogwarts would have been tomorrow if I hadn't been sent back in time," said Wish. "My name is Wish Cow Malfoy."
Dumbledore chuckled. "What has the world come to in the future for a Malfoy to have a name like that?"
Wish glared at him, merely causing Dumbledore to chuckle further. "You should hear my brothers' names if you want weird names," she muttered.
Dumbledore took her by the hand and escorted her back to the front entrance just in time to hear the end of McGonagall's speech. Dumbledore then muttered a few words to McGonagall before opening the doors to the great hall and walking down the hall to his seat at the front of the room. The other students stared at this unusual behaviour before looking back at the doors to witness the entrance of the first years.
McGonagall strode to the front of the room and lifted the Sorting Hat onto the stool where it began to recite its annual song.
Hogwarts long ago began
when founders four agreed;
wizard children everywhere
should learn how to succeed.
Through dark and danger,
time and space,
the students have arrived.
To on this day be sorted
into their rightful house.
Whether be it Gryffindor;
where those of courage dost reside,
or even yet great Slytherin;
for those with secrets yet to hide.
Perhaps, yet old Ravenclaw;
with wisdom great, behold,
or lastly, lovely Hufflepuff;
with loyalty be told.
Now step on up,
young wizard kin,
your future will be told.
Or in the case of one,
your past may be remold.
Wish shivered at the hat's veiled references to her time travelling, but before she had much time to dwell on it, Professor McGonagall began calling up first years.