A/N: Thank you to EmmberlyneRiddle, Mauryn, and Lucky Th13rteen for the wonderful reviews! Sorry to keep you waiting so long, but here it is! Finally. :)
Chapter One
Katie Bell was late. Rushing down the hall to Potions she knew there'd be hell to pay if she stumbled into the dungeons after the start of lesson again. The nightmares were still plaguing her nights and were taking their toll. Each day she grew weaker and was falling behind in not only her studies, but also in quidditch. Turning the corner she could see the door to the Potions' classroom, the last of the students walking in. Yes! Not late today! Picking up speed she was almost at the door.
"KATES! KATES WAIT UP!" She turned in time to see a mop of brown hair push through a small crowd of students to get to her. Running up, the boy ran his hand over his hair to fix it before blasting her with a dazzling grin. "Hey Katie, how ya doing?"
"Oliver Wood, never were one for timing were you? I really can't talk I've got to get to Potions." She turned, trying to get to the door, knowing that she was really pushing her luck now. But Oliver had other ideas, reaching out quickly he grabbed her arm and turned her. At least one of us still has their reflexes.
"Hey wait! Um, Hogsmeade weekend is uh coming up and um I was um…" A slight redness tinged his cheeks as he tried to get out the question. Katie however had already turned and was pulling away from him, desperate to get to class.
"Oliver I really can't talk now, I'll see you later okay? Bye!" With that she pulled her arm free from his grip and ran through the door hoping she was still in time. Nothing seemed to be starting and pleased with herself Katie slid into her seat and pulled out her book. Finally, a day starts off right.
"Ah, Miss Bell. Late again are we? Fifty points from Gryffindor and detention tonight as well. Do not be late to my class again." The silky voice in her ear startled her and as he spoke her pleasure dropped until all she was left with was disappointment.
"Yes sir." And with shame she buried her face into the potions book and hoped lessons would pass quickly today. With detention on top of her nightmares she knew she wouldn't be getting any sleep again.
Given the morning, the day passed by rather quickly and Katie found herself staring at the door to detention with Filch. Usually, she'd be forced to polish the trophy room or worse clean the dungeons, but today she, "had something special to do." Whatever that's supposed to mean.
With a sigh she pushed open the door and was greeted with a room full of, well, junk. Filch stood in the middle of the room, bucket and rag in front of him. The creepy grin on his face that he got when he knew he was about to ruin a child's day.
"Hello Miss Bell. Tonight you're to clean all the objects in this room. Don't break anything or you'll pay."
She wanted to scream out at the unfairness. Everything in the room? Are you freaking kidding me? But she knew it was no use. She'd had detention many times before and had learned the easiest path to take was just to do what she was told. In defeat, she grabbed the rag and the nearest object, a silver goblet, and began to polish. With a cackle Filch left the room and Katie kept polishing.
After what felt like hours polishing goblets and plates, she came across a small silver box. Curiosity got the best of her and opening it she found a small bottle and a piece of parchment. That's it? No jewelry or hidden treasure, just some parchment and a perfume bottle?
Lightly she picked up the parchment and opened it.
"Drink this and you'll come back to me." Well that's ominous.
She grabbed the small bottle and looked at it. Inside was a clear liquid, it looked like normal water to her. Opening it and taking a whiff, she came to the same conclusion. It's just water. What the hell.
And with that she gulped it down and waited. After a few minutes nothing happened and feeling stupid she began to put everything back in the box. Well that was boring.
But as she placed the lid back on the box there was a tugging at her navel, almost a feeling as if she were traveling by portkey, but it was too quick. Twisting and turning, she got dizzier and dizzier, the tugging getting fierce before the sensations became too much and she lost consciousness.
"Miss, miss! Are you okay? Miss!" The voice was incessant, buzzing around her ears. Go-way, I want to sleep.
A chuckle sounded in her ear before she felt an arm reach under her shoulders and pull her into sitting position. "Miss, you can't sleep in the hallway." Her head rolled onto the mysterious person's shoulder and breathing in deeply, coming from her sleep, Katie had never smelled something so intoxicating. It was a mix of smoke and oil, musk and mild cologne, it smelled like a man should smell.
Her eyes slowly opened to see a pair of deep brown eyes staring back at her. A slight grin was on the boy's face as he looked down her and neither could figure out why they couldn't look away. The boy especially couldn't understand why he was being so nice to the girl. "Are you okay miss? I found you sleeping in the hall." And as quick as it had started, the boy's eyes hardened, the grin disappeared and he pulled away from the sitting position. "What are you doing at Hogwarts?" He demanded, his voice rough.
The change in him scared Katie. At first she thought the boy was handsome, but now his demeanor screamed danger and looking around at the empty hallway she knew she needed to get out of this situation.
"What do you mean? I go to Hogwarts, I was just in detention with Filch." At this the boy pulled out his wand and had it pointed at her.
"Rethink your answer girl. I know every student in Hogwarts and have never seen you before. Nor do I know of this Filch you speak of." Panic filled Katie as she stared at him. No Filch? What is he talking about? What's happening?
"I-I-I d-don't know w-what to s-say." She hated the stutter in her voice, but with the wand between her eyes there wasn't much she could do.
"What's going on here?" A soft voice came from down the hall. Katie quickly turned in relief. Someone's here! From the darkness of the hall came familiar robes and an even more familiar face. Glittering blue eyes peered down at Katie from behind small silver spectacles.
"Professor Dumbledore!" Katie launched up from her seated position to get far from this armed boy and over to her headmaster. "I don't know what's going on or who he is, but he's going to attack me! Lunatic he is!"
"Sir!" Outrage showed on the boy's face as he shouted in protest. "I found this, this hooligan sleeping in the halls! Says she has detention with some person named Filch, but THERE IS NO FILCH HERE!"
Dumbledore merely looked at the two before turning to Katie, a smile on his face. "Is that so? Perhaps we should talk in my office Miss…?"
"Bell sir! It's me, Katie Bell. Don't you recognize me sir?" What is going on?
"Ah, yes. Miss Bell, why don't we go to my office so we can speak more about this." Turning he began to lead her away.
"But sir!" The boy didn't understand, why was Dumbledore taking this strange girl away?
"Tom, it's okay. I will handle this situation. Thank you for your vigilance." At this Katie quickly turned her head to look at the boy again. Tom! She caught his eye and as she looked at him they seemed to soften again, but whether it was because of her or in confusion she wouldn't know. As quickly as it happened, he turned and began to walk away and she and Dumbledore went around a corner on the way to his office.
