Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any Harry Potter characters. Those belong to JK Rowling. I'm just having a bit of fun.
Chapter One
"I was told to give you this when I got here," said Katie while handing Dumbledore a sealed envelope hopefully containing a letter that would explain the strangeness of her appearance at Hogwarts. She couldn't help staring at Dumbledore as he read the letter. He didn't look very different from the Dumbledore that she had left behind six years in the future but there was still a different. He seemed a little lighter and less burdened. But that doesn't seem right, she thought, because according to history, this was the year Dumbledore was supposed to defeat Grindelwald. He should look a lot bleaker than he is now.
Finally, Dumbledore looked up and gave Katie a smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts, when would you like to get sorted?" Katie looked at him in shock and then back down at the letter that was still in his hand with curiosity. "Aren't you going to ask any questions? I mean it was very strange how I showed up. I mean I can explain everything but I don't exactly know how I will do that. I just hope you know I mean no harm and that while my circumstances are unusual, the actions I took were necessary, so please don't call the Aurors and don't tell the ministry please. I promise to not cause too many problems and I'm not sure what that letter says so I can't know what you know or don't know and well, ummm, what's in that letter exactly?" The twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes only seemed to grow as Katie rambled on. After she was finished, he said "this letter contains everything I need to know and no questions need to be asked. Your name is Katherine Dubey but it should be changed to Katherine McDougal because Dubey is an influential pureblood family that would make your cover story seem only too suspicious. You are going to be a sixth year and you have to be sorted into Slytherin in order to help…the future me." Dumbledore's eyes only seemed to twinkle even more.
Katie stared at him with wide eyes and then cleared her throat, "yes that seems to be right."
"Don't worry my dear girl. While this does seem strange, stranger things have happened." Dumbledore continued smiling at her. "I also understand that I am to allow you to alter my memory so that I don't question your presence or remember anything of the letter. So let me go get the Sorting hat so we can get that out of the way?"
Katie quietly sat down in the comfortable red chair while Dumbledore got up to go to the Headmaster's office to get the hat. It was still strange seeing him and knowing that he knew nothing about her. Katie considered Dumbledore her savior and had told him more than she had told anyone about herself in her life. She still remembered the day she escaped her prison which incidentally happened to be her parent's house. It was good that being used as target practice so much actually taught her a thing or two about complicated spells. When she had finally broken down the wards in her room, she had escaped to Britain by means of an illegal method of transportation provided by Geoffery, the wickedest, most crooked person in the entire village that she lived in. After successfully reaching Britain, she had immediately apparated to Hogwarts. She had heard that Dumbledore had been the one to finally defeat Grindelwald and knew that if she could get help from anyone, it was Dumbledore. She never understood Grindelwald's hatred of muggles and muggleborns and did not agree with her parent's previous association with him and continued association with his cause. I suppose my biggest mistake was thinking independently, Katie thought with some scorn and sadness.
Dumbledore had taken her in, as she had hoped, and she had been living with him at Hogwarts for the past – or the near future – year. She had not wanted to be a part of regular classes and was only tutored by Dumbledore. She rarely got to see any of the castle or its inhabitants because she just wasn't ready and her health hadn't allowed it. Life had been pretty uneventful until Dumbledore had come to her with a strange request and a letter that she was not allowed to read that contained her own signature. She did not completely understand but had gone over details with Dumbledore over her infiltration of the past for almost a month. She had also been perfecting a modified memory charm that makes targets forget about an incident and then become almost dismissive and absent minded when something reminded them of it specifically. After all that training she was finally ready. I suppose I should do some good if I am only to live a few more years, Katie thought despondently. Just then Dumbledore returned with the Sorting hat.
He placed the hat on her head gently and immediately the Sorting hat came to life. Oho what have we here! Courage, bravery, strength, and smarts! While Ravenclaw would suit you well, you definitely belong in Gryff—
NO! Please don't! You have to sort me into Slytherin!
But my dear girl, you do not possess any Slytherin quality at all. The only thing that seems to be Slytherin about you is your ability to be very subtle. But that is not enough my dear, you will find great things in Gryffindor and will most likely prosper there.
Please don't, I can't have that happening! I need to be in Slytherin. Please put me in Slytherin!
Well, I always try to take the choices of my head bearers in mind. Very well then, "SLYTHERIN!" cried the hat.
Katie let out a sigh of relief while Dumbledore looked at her curiously. "Did it take long for the hat to decide or were you arguing with it?" asked Dumbledore.
Katie blushed and said, "I had to argue, he wanted to put me in Gryffindor." Dumbledore looked at her appraisingly and then with a laugh, looked back down at the Sorting Hat in amazement. "After all these years, I never thought that I would be learning something new about the Sorting Hat." Dumbledore said bemusedly. Dumbledore then looked back at Katie and said, "I suppose you're going to erase my memory now?" Katie looked a little startled and then quickly gathered her bearing. "Yes, please sit." Dumbledore sat down and then Katie pointed her wand at him and whispered "Obliviate modificum." Instantly Katie experienced a dizzying emotion that came hand in hand with the spell and then looked at Dumbledore.
He seemed to be sleeping but slowly rubbed his forehead and looked at her. "What are you doing here my dear?" he asked kindly.
"I am a new student and I want to know where my dormitories are. I am in Slytherin." Katie replied confidently.
"Oh yes, of course! One moment, I'll go and ask one of our patrolling Slytherin prefects."
"Wait. Can you make sure to bring the prefect Tom Riddle? And can you tell Headmaster Dippet about me and tell him I'm from France? My name is Katie McDougal."
"Oh, yes, of course," Dumbledore said. He looked confused and disoriented for a minute, shrugged it off, and then went to search for the prefect.
Katie did not have to wait long before the doors opened and she came face to face with a handsome, pale-faced boy with perfectly coiffed dark hair and clean, pressed robes. He extended a hand and said "Hello, I'm Tom Riddle."
