A/N: So there is going to be a trick to updating this story. If you haven't, read my Memory Loss series, or at least Lucy Potter. That will explain the addition of a new character into the plot whom you might not know. And trust me, you definitely won't know her if you have read the Harry Potter series. Have fun reading this, and sorry it took me soooooo long to post the first chapter.

Emma sat in a clearing. For the first time in she had no idea how long, her head was clear. She remembered vaguely some of the things she had been doing, but they had not been done under her control. Casting spells of dark magic, burning houses, finding followers. These were not things that the normal Emma would have done. She looked at her surroundings. Tall pine trees, a cloudless blue sky and the air sticky with heat. The average summer in a random forest in Great Britain, no doubt. Next to her lay a small girl whom Emma remembered as Meggie, a friend of one of her best friends' sister. She too had been taken on the same night as Emma, at the Starry Skies Ball. Emma saw a small stream running close by and walked over to it. After splashing water on her face, she saw the reflection in the water.

Is that me? She wondered, reaching out to touch the strange face staring back at her. It still looked like Emma, but she had aged. Her hair was longer and tangled with dirt, sticks and Merlin knows what else. Her face was gaunter, cheek bones more prominent and she just looked some how older. If it's summer, Emma realized, going back to sit by Meggie, I must be 15 now. I should be going to Hogwarts soon, for my fifth year, my O.W.L.S., for my Jake. Her Jake. She probably hadn't seen him in months. Her last memory of him was of a quick kiss and pushing him off a giant's hand as she was lifted into the air. And the look he gave her as he fell, his emotions displayed like candy in a sweet shop, for all to see. They ranged for the bittersweetness of a lemon drop to the red hot anger that came from the cinnamon flavored gumdrops. Emma shuddered and cried into her arms, great heaving sobs that never seemed to stop.

Then a hand rubbed her back comfortingly, between her shoulder blades, soft and gentle. She thought that Meggie must have woken up and wanted to comfort the elder girl, but then a voice hissed into her ear.

"I knew I'd find you soon enough my Emma."

Emma's sobs stopped at once, but tears still fell from her eyes. She jumped away from the voice and in front of a still sleeping Meggie. Emma quickly reached over and shook the girl awake. Like Emma, Meggie had sudden clear thoughts for the first time in a while. Then she registered the scene.

"Emma?" she whimpered, delicately and sat up. Emma glanced back at the girl, the met the intruder's eyes. Behind him, a row of figures in dark cloaks stood, wands aimed at the pair of young girls. The person from whom the voice had come from spoke again, but it was a spell this time, not words of what she supposed were meant to be comfort and menace at the same time.

"Imperious!"

Somewhere far away, Jake awoke with a scream that matched Emma's in pitch and intensity to a tee, awakening people in the house and outside alike.

Chapter 1

A barn owl flew silently through the night, letters in its beak. He soared over a pine tree covered mountain and finally his destination came into view. It had been a long flight, but owls always deliver their letters. A pristine lake came into view, waters changing color with the slowly rising sun. His eyes pierced the pebbly shores of the slopping coastline to find a three story cabin, protected by magical borders. He saw the different colors for each protection. Not many people knew this, but owls could see and penetrate almost every magical barrier known to the wizarding world. That is why even when people are in hiding; they can still receive the Daily Prophet if they make the request. The barn owl, named Crowley by his owner, circled over the cabin until he came to a lit window on the second story. Inside was a skinny boy of 15 with jet black hair and great brown eyes. In his arms, he carried a small bundle of blankets, bouncing it up and down, trying to make her go back to sleep.

James Potter was the only one in the house to hear Minerva's whimpers at night. He crept from his bed and lit the lamps to illuminate the small nursery where his sister slept. He went to her goblin-carved, lilac colored crib and lifted the tiny Potter into his arms, gently rocking her back to drowsy sleep. Minerva was more often than not a quiet baby, always smiling, eyes watching the world. She could already hold her head up, and she was just barely two months old! But during the night, James spent lots of time with his youngest sister, already deciding that she was his favorite. She already had her eldest brother wrapped around her finger. But Minerva was awakened again by the sound of an owl tapping on her bedroom window.

"Crowley," murmured James, placing Minerva in her crib so that he could open the window for the owl. A gentle breeze rich with the smells of lake water and evergreen trees filled the room temporarily, replacing the smell of baby powder. Minerva watched as her brother received three letters for himself and his other two siblings, Albus and Lily. James checked the time. 7 am. Where had the time gone? After giving his favorite owl a treat for retrieving their school letters, James picked up Minny and carried her into the big living room on the first floor.

The cabin they were staying in was huge! It had three stories. The first was comprised of a living room, dining room and kitchen. The second had all the bedrooms; his and Al's, his parents', Lily's, a couple guest bedrooms and Minerva's nursery. The third was held a massive games room plus a study, a media room and a small gym. But what the kids did most of the time was play in the water outside. This lake was one of the few that was home to only the wizarding world. Some magical creatures lived in the forest, but other than that it was only wizards and witches. There was a small town just down the lane, which was like Diagon Alley in miniature. That was where James, Al and Lily were going today, so that they could get their school supplies.

James carried Minerva downstairs and placed her in her play pen on the floor. Her curly red hair was already down to her chin and fell in perfect ringlets. She had her father's bright, green colored eyes, just like Albus. James and Lily both shared their mother's cinnamon colored eyes, but Lily had the Weasley hair to match, looking like her mother in miniature. Where Minerva got her curls from, they had no idea. Maybe from Grandma Weasley.

Lily came downstairs next, yawning and stretching, long red hair sticking up in a sleepy halo around her head. She went directly to the baby and picked up to giver her a hug.

"Good morning, Minny! Are you ready to go shopping today?"

James scoffed and walked over to Lily and Minerva.

"No. No way are you turning Minster into a girly girl! She is going to be a Quidditch star like her big brother!"

"Morning all," said Ginny, coming downstairs, tugging Harry behind her. She quickly released Harry and directed her affections towards Minerva when she saw she was already awake. Minerva waved her arms towards her mother when she saw Ginny. "Oh, there's my little Minerva! Already bright-eyed and bushy tailed. James, I told you, you didn't need to get her up in the morning. She needs to get used to you not being there 24/7."

James looked abashed. "Excuse me for wanting to spend as much time as possible with my little sister. By the way, these came." He held up the Hogwarts letters as Harry went to the kitchen to fix up breakfast. Lily quickly grabbed her letter out of James' hand and ripped the envelope to shreds. Albus came downstairs to a flurry of flying paper.

"Ah, I see the mail's here." He sat next to James at the table after planting a quick kiss on his sister's head. He took his letter from James' hand and opened carefully, keeping the envelope perfectly intact. James just tore through the paper, though not ripping it to pieces in the process. Ginny placed Minerva in her play pen and grabbed Lily's school supply list before it too was lost to Lily's ferocious hands.

"Ok, we can get all this stuff in town, but it will take a while. Al, can I have yours too? Thank you. James, I need yours too. James?"

James was staring at his letter with a confused intensity. Something else had come with it. A round golden pin with the words

Prefect James Potter Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Etched upon it. James was speechless and held up the badge for his mother to see. Ginny squealed and hugged James tightly. Harry walked over and clapped James on the back, taking the letter form his hands.

"Congratulations James. I can't believe it. My son, a prefect." Albus stared open mouthed and Lily hugged her brother tightly.

"Oh, James! This is so exciting! I have to go send owls to everyone!" Lily darted upstairs while Minerva clapped from over in her play pen. Ginny went to go call everyone, who now knew how to use telephones. For the next hour, Ginny's excited chirps could be heard from the other room. Harry finished breakfast and everyone ate and got ready for their shopping excursion in the tiny town of Bubberity.

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