Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: So new story! Just bear with me because this will include a slight AU take on the world of Harry Potter. Enjoy and Let me know what you think.

Four Years After the Battle of Hogwarts

Christiana Anderson stood in front of the Veil that was such a mystery to those even in the Department of Mysteries. Of course they knew that this was the link between life and death, but how did it work? The young woman 'hmmd' to herself before walking slowly forward, sticking her quill into her strawberry-blond hair.

She sat down in front of the Veil, though not to close, putting her pad next to her and balancing the quick notes quill on the parchment.

"Veil doesn't look at all like I expected," she murmured, the quill writing down her words as she spoke. "It looks more like a plasma of some sort."

Christiana Anderson was the only one who had decided to pick up this project. She decided to ignore the fact that she was the youngest one in the department (only twenty, practically just fresh from Hogwarts), and that the older researchers talked about how foolish she was behind her back, saying that if they hadn't figured it out than how could she?

She'd show them all, she decided as she sat there now in her white lab coat and slacks. Christiana (never Christi, Chris, or Ana) pulled her hair up into a bun. She was more mature than that they thought her to be. She hadn't been a Ravenclaw for nothing.

She had been a six year and Prefect when Snape had taken over the school and had been among of the students who stayed behind to fight, ensuring that the younger children got to safety. After the war, she had gone back to repeat that botched year, going back as Head Girl and coming out top of her class, just as she had planned in the first place and passing all her N.E.W.T.S with 'O's'. Not really wanting to brag, but Christiana was a smart girl and was capable of doing whatever she put her mind to. She was used to being responsible, having cared for her sister, four years her junior, since she was eleven, after her parents died in a car accident (she was Muggleborn, obviously). If she could become a mother for her sister, than she could do anything. This Veil was no exception to that rule.

"No one seems to be able to figure out or understand exactly how to use the Veil," Christiana continued, getting to her feet now. "There have been reports of people who can hear voices when standing in this room. Sources tell me that, six years ago, during a battle in which Voldemort finally revealed himself in this very building, Sirius Black, then known killer but now proven innocent by Harry Potter, fell through this Veil, never reappearing afterwards."

Christina slowly walked towards the veil, moving around to the back. "There is nothing back here," she said loudly for her quick notes quill. "No wall, nothing concrete. The back of the Veil looks exactly the same as its front."

She moved to that front now. "So what can be said about the Veil? It is understood that this is the portal or link between life and death, a gateway of sorts. Once you have fallen through, you are trapped there forever, as is the case, possibly, for Sirius Black. What is the connection between the people who hear the voices? If one chooses to believe the theory of the gateway, it could be said that the magic here is the same in considering the Thestrals, who are only seen by those who have seen death."

Christiana had always been a practical and analytical girl, even as a child. When she had received her Hogwarts letter, she had practically laughed. Magic? As if there were such a thing. But receiving a visit from the illustrious Minerva McGonagall had drastically changed her mind (especially after seeing the woman transfigure herself into a cat).

Still. . . .

Now she could really consider things. If magic existed, then what else could she begin to understand? Could we truly use magic to understand and do anything? How then, did Time-Turners and Portkeys work? Could magic be used to understand space? What about life and death? What about thoughts and prophecies? What about love (though she didn't tend to research into that much)?

These were always considered strange questions to ask. When she tried asking some professor at Hogwarts (she couldn't remember their name) she had gotten a strange look and a very confident, 'It just is."

But of course she couldn't just except this. So she continued to ask and she was noticed by the Department of Mysteries and Olana Timblesdone, the Department Head, during her sixth year. Finally, people who understood her questions and were just as curious! Trying to figure out what made things tick, how to actually create a Time-Turner or what a portkey work, trying to understand the Mysteries behind it all, this Veil included.

Olana had faith in Christiana, something no one else seemed to have. Together, for the last month, they had worked on understanding the mystery behind the Veil and, any day now, they would have a breakthrough.

Of course, being a researcher meant that 'any day now' could be twenty or so years down the line.

When frustrated, Christiana often just wanted to accept what everyone else agreed too: 'It just is'. It seemed to make their lives easier, not knowing how it all worked, not really caring. But to give up this search meant giving up her lives work, giving up her only job, the only place she felt competent to work. She was no could as a teacher or Auror, and though she had training as a Healer, she was certain that this was were she belonged.

Standing in front of the Veil, she thought back to the ghosts of Hogwarts, knowing that they stayed behind because they weren't reading to move on. Did they come here when they were ready? "If the Veil is a gateway into the afterlife, why was it that people, those who were still alive, walked through and never came back? A gateway is supposed to work both ways. Why is it that the ghost or spirits have not tried to enter this world? Is there a way back or through and no one ever stopped to figure it out before trying to go to 'the other side'?"

The black curtain shimmered in front of her. Carefully, feet firmly placed on the ground, she lifted her hand. She grazed the entrance.

In explosion of voices hit her, some anguished, some happy, but still all loud and there. For a moment, Christiana stumbled, feeling a strange pull around her navel, like a portkey but she pulled back, falling to the ground behind her with a gasp.

She could only stare at the Veil a moment before she found her voice. "I was right. The Veil must be known as such for its translucent appearance, however it is not any sort of material."

Christiana stood, slightly shaky. She dusted off her coat, moving towards the object again. "There are strange markings along the solid parts of the Veil. This will take further examination."

She quickly grabbed up her quill and parchment, copying down everything she saw. She would take this home tonight and look up what the words meant.

She couldn't help but grin to herself as she hurried up to the tiers. If she could figure this out, all by herself, there was no way anyone would ever doubt her again! She'd show them that they were wrong about her after all.

Maybe . . .

Maybe she could even find her parents.

She entered into the Entrance Chamber, the walls spinning quickly. "Office!" she called out.

The room spun to a halt and she walked through the door in front of her to the hall of offices. Around her she could hear explosions and people at work, trying, just as she was, the mysterious they had chosen.

"Ana! What's up?" Elijah Whitmore, a handsome man of about twenty-three, shouted, grinning at her as she walked past his office. She cringed at the nickname, continuing to walk down the hallway. He stuck his head out the door. "Sure you won't help me with the latest?"

The latest, concerning Elijah, was something involving love potions. He, along with a few others in their department, were working on figuring out what exactly love was. They created the Amortentia and were steadily trying to find something stronger. The last person to try out the 'latest' was still in St. Mungo's, having gone completely and totally obsessed . . . With a plant.

"No thank you, Elijah," Christiana called back, hurrying on. "Busy on understanding the mysterious of Death."

Elijah sighed. "Always so serious, so morbid, dear Ana. What could be more important that the mysterious of love?"

"Staying out of St. Mungo's," she murmured.

Christiana quickly reached the door at the end of the hallway. She rapped a quick knock and entered upon hearing the brisk, 'Come in!'

Olana Timblesdone was busy scratching a way notes at her desk. Olana was a middle aged woman, dark-skinned with short gray hair and bright brown eyes. In more ways then one, she reminded Christiana of the strict Madam Hooch, with her brisk and no-nonsense attitude.

Olana was always busy. Not only was she overseeing Christiana's research, but also everyone else in the department. She supplied everyone with the materials and things they needed (this included money), and offered advice and additional research.

The older woman looked up with a quick smile. "Christiana, how goes everything?"

"As good as ever," Christiana replied sitting down in the chair opposite her boss with a heavy sigh. "Did you ever notice these symbols along the side?"

Olana took the notepad from her, studying what she had wrote down. "Why didn't we notice these before?"

"Not sure. Do you know what language it's in?"

"It looks Latin but not like any Latin I've ever seen. But -- wait no. This is Elven."

"Elf? Really?"

"Yes. Oh wow. It's been decades since anyone has truly spoken or read Elven language. It's a lost language, either way, among humans."

"Can you read it?"

"I've dabbled. I don't quite remember the exact meanings but I can give a go at the pronunciations. Let's see: Uua' Tel' mori ar' uua' Tel' me'a, Tel' iaur im coia ar' gurtha. Kaimelar, gorga kai ar' maa iluve. Maa tel' val ar' sinta en' coia."

"Hmm." Christiana looked up tentatively at her boss. "I happen to know someone who professes in languages. She isn't an Unspeakable but she is very dependable and I promise you she won't speak a word. If she does . . . Well, then I take full responsibility for her actions…."

Olana leaned back in her chair. "You promise she is reliable?"

"On everything."

"Very well. But Christiana, if she speaks --"

"She won't."

"See if you can't have this translation back within the next forty-eight hours, okay?"

Christiana nodded, grabbing up her notebook. "I won't let you down, boss."

With that she ran out the door. This was perfect. She couldn't wait to get to her source.


A/N: So new story :-D hope you guys like it so far! I think this will be a good one lol. Thanks all.