America (1997)
Miss Prudence (her story)
Selene stood lost in thought letting the hot water of the shower relieve her tension. She barely knew of the Wizarding world, yet she agreed to take him in. I've lost my mind, she thought. Potions master at Hogwarts, older than she (she prayed much, much older), spy for a secret Order against an evil wizard, and trusted without question by Professor Dumbledore, her only contact in the Wizarding world. Rinsing off, she stepped out of the shower and mumbled something under her breath as she reached for a towel. Entering her bedroom, it suddenly occurred to her that she should buy a bathrobe for use while he was there.
She dressed, tidied up the house a bit, and then sat down to breakfast, thinking all the while of her life as a part Muggle, part witch. A memory drifted through her mind: The day of her eleventh birthday...
Selene dressed and skipped down the stairs in her parents' house. She was finally eleven in America this meant she would begin Middle School or Jr. High in the fall. Eleven-year-old Selene was carefree and knew nothing of magic. All day her parents snapped at her and at each other. She couldn't stand the tension and flew back up the stairs to her bedroom shortly after dinner. Selene cried very little even when she was young. She wanted to curse them, even though she didn't know the words, and was often tempted to give them something terrible, like a poisonous apple. Then, a loud pop sounded downstairs. She crept out of her room to look and listen. Her parents were arguing with someone in the living room out of sight but not out of earshot.
"She's eleven, Dumbledore! WHERE IS HER LETTER?" Selene heard her mother shout.
"Mine arrived before I even turned eleven!" her father boasted, equally upset.
"SHE CANNOT BE A SQUIB!!!" they sounded off at the same time.
"Calm yourselves, both of you," a gentle voice said clearly. "She is not to attend Hogwarts, but she is not a Squib. She cannot be taught witchcraft in the same way as others. She must discover it for herself, or else she will lose the great power she has been given. Unlike her peers, she needs no spell, charm, or wand to have magical powers. The war rages in Wizarding world and is growing worse. Voldemort has not thought of the wizards across the sea, yet. For your daughter's sake, I hope he never does. Her power could be a weapon used by the dark side, but she is still too young to join us."
Dumbledore gave her parents a troubled look. Turning to go, he looked up to see Selene listening in. "I'm so sorry you cannot come into the magical world, my dearest child," he spoke to her in a whisper. "Your time will come." Before she could ask what the strange old man had meant, he was gone with a pop.
Selene, now 30, leaned back in her chair and thought about the day ahead. In the early morning sunlight, her brown hair shined bright red against her tense body. She needed to write him. As soon as she finished her thought, she opened her eyes to find a quill and parchment lying obediently on the table.
Once she had finished composing the note, she stood and closed her eyes again. Obediently, her robe and money purse flew to her. Clasping the heart-shaped locket around her neck, she felt her navel being pulled as the world spun and righted itself.
She was welcomed by a joyful, hearty chuckle from a very old wizard. "Hello, Professor Dumbledore! And what is tickling your mind at the current moment?" she giggled.
"You, my dearest child," he chuckled again. "You have indeed grown into a beautiful young witch -- or woman, as I am sure you are more accustomed to Muggle terms."
Selene placed her money purse inside her robe and laid both across a chair. She spied an old, tattered hat. Placing it on her head, she began to hear it speak to her. 'Hmm, interesting, interesting… why were you not here at eleven? Oh, Oh! I see,' she heard the Hat saying within her head.
She challenged the Hat silently. Why don't you try to Sort me? When the Hat did not respond she removed it from her head, smiling. Selene turned back to the headmaster, who regarded her questioningly.
"What did it say, my dear?" he asked.
"Nothing! I asked it to Sort me, and it couldn't!" She began laughing. Dumbledore loved to see her laugh. He'd spent many years worrying about her after she turned 18 and her parents left to help the Order. He smiled and busied himself searching for a camera. He bewitched it to take a picture of the two of them. After the picture was taken, he asked her if she had written a letter to Professor Snape. She nodded and handed it to him.
"In about five minutes, use the Floo Network to go to Diagon Alley and begin shopping,"
Dumbledore instructed, before leaving his office for the dungeons.
Selene waited, gathered her robe, and then Flooed to Diagon Alley. Upon arrival, she brushed herself off and replaced her robe to cover her Muggle clothing. She walked casually all the way to the end of the alley, slowly wandering along the cobbled street looking curiously into the shops. Selene loved this world, and longed to take part in it.
She didn't expect to see him, for she knew he was a very good spy.
After almost an hour of window-shopping, Selene purchased the quills and parchment she needed, heading into the potions shop.
A/N: Short but a much needed evil!
"part Muggle, part witch" Selene has lived her whole life in the Muggle world, but she is a witch.
(had to change her age because someone informed me that Selene being 26 would not work with the story line... so she is 30 and should have attend Hogwarts in Snape's 7th year... make more sense?)
Disclaimer: I do not own the wonderful world of HP and the characters that reside there. They belong to JK Rowling. I only came for a short visit.