A/N: I would like you all to remember that the Leaky Cauldron's barman is also called Tom, do not mistake him for Riddle!

Chapter Two: London

I awoke in a place I was pretty familiar with. Trafalgar square was just as I remembered it from when we lived in London, except it was strangely empty of tourists. A crumpled mass of black and white rolled by like a tumbleweed. I grabbed up the newspaper, and read the headline: Hagen Raid. Befuddled, I read it again. The bold print screamed: Hagen Raid. What? I glanced at the date, remembering my dream (and the fact I shouldn't have been sleeping in Trafalgar square). It read October 1st, 1943.

"Bloody Hell!" I gasped.

It felt like my stomach was a leaky boat, slowly sinking, until all the contents had to abandon ship.

Trying to hold my breath and race to the nearest bathroom at the same time was no easy task, but I managed. When I arrived, the first thing I noticed was how how clean everything was. It must have it's own little janitor. After another heave of my stomach, and slamming the stall door behind me, I felt pity for him.

I came out of the stall with a bad taste in my mouth and a hundred worries floating around in my head. I cleaned myself up in the sinks wondering absently while doing so.

How would I get a letter to Hogwarts without an owl, and without any money? How do I follow Dumbledore's orders? How do I blend in? The last question seemed easiest to answer so I focused on it. I knew my hair was certainly not proper for a girl so many years before my time. From my grandmother's stories, I knew their hair was either up, short or braided. I didn't know how to do any of that. I have never used a blow-drier or hairspray. I can't braid my hair, and I had no money to get a haircut.

The second problem was to find myself a way out of these jeans. Girls only recently have been given the freedom to wear pants. So I need money for new clothes...

In old pictures women are always wearing big hats. Do I need a big hat? I don't know what to do. It seems like there's no way out of this mess. I can't get to school or fit in. And I can't just ask for money, I don't know anyone! I have nothing to sell but a cheap pair of plastic earrings, and who would buy those in a time of war?

I shouldn't have been so stupid, rushing to prove my courage and not preparing for anything! For God's sake, that pink potion was given to me by Snape! There is no one more inclined to poison me. I'm so stupid! Ugh.

My inner voice snidely said, That's why you're not in Ravenclaw.

I sighed and slumped to the pavement, playing with the ratty holes at the bottom of my jeans.

I bet I looked calm, sitting there with the gigantic building at my back. But, had I heard the drop of a pin, something would have exploded. Something huge would have gone off like a bomb, something that had nothing to do with WWII.

As I sat there, on those steps, inspiration was lost on me. I had nothing to do, no one to help me. I'm so useless, I should just die. I sighed to myself.

Die.. die.. die.. that reminded me of something.

Dumbledore, of course, because he's about to die. He's the reason I'm here, why I need to go to Hogwarts.

Die... Die... Diagon alley! That's it. It's here in London, so close, so obvious.

I'm jolted off the pavement and my feet are flying under me, I'm searching left and right for the shady pub that acts as an entrance to the Wizarding World.

A half a mile and a lot of mindless running later, I'm out of breath and cursing myself out as loud as my tired lungs can handle. I don't even know where the Leaky Cauldron is. Why the hell am I running for it? My pace is much slower now, and I see people. Most are heading in the complete opposite direction from me. All the faces are tired and haggard. All their clothes are ragged and worn out. Everything seems to be going towards the war effort.

All of the sudden I spot the small business I almost passed. It's grim and shadows surround it. A smile creeps onto my face. I found the Leaky Cauldron.

As I get closer though, I see that some letters are missing- It's really THE L AKY CAULD N

The inside of the pub was more grimy than usual. But nothing is as old as it was in the future, the bar stools have suffered less damage than they surely will, and Tom isn't the owner yet. He looks barely ten years older than I am. He looked sorely depressed as he stared at the bar stools. They were all empty.

"Hey, Tom," I said, "Do you have an owl I can borrow?"

His head jerks up, "How'd you know my name?"

"Ummm..." I mumbled, "Lucky guess?"

"Humph," He said, satisfied. "Yeah, I got's an owl. Vinston's his name. Why'd you need him?" Tom peered at me curiously.

"I need to owl Hogwarts. I'm late." My cheeks burned. It was just my luck to be a month late to school. I feel like such an idiot.

Tom barks out a laugh. "A month late? Even I don' believe that."

I scowl, "It's true, now let me use the damn owl, will you?"

"Yeah. Jus' a minute."

Still angry, I walk to the back of the pub while Tom goes to find his owl. While he's gone I try to find an acceptable excuse. I can just imagine Dumbledore reading my letter...

I know you've never seen me before, but I'm a fifth year student! I've missed the train too, by a month... Yeah. Pick me up please!

Or I could use something along the lines of: I'm from the future. I come in PEACE!

Surely one of the two will convince them to let me into Hogwarts.

My more truthful side said, " You'll get in all right... into the loony bin!

I heard Tom return, and tried to hide my anxiety. On his shoulder perched a brown owl with magnificent yellow eyes. It looked scruffy, sturdy and intelligent. It held some parchment and a quill in it's beak, seeming to expect I wouldn't have any.

Taking the items from the owl, I scribbled as quickly as I could.

Dumbledore,

I woke up today and realized I was a month late to school. Isn't that silly? Anyways I'm sorry. It would be great if you could either get me to Hogwarts or come and get me from the Leaky Cauldron. I promise, I can explain!

Matilda.

As soon as my signature was scrawled across the paper, Vinston snatched it up and began his journey towards Hogwarts, flying as if there was no time to lose.