Note: italics are writing (journal, letters, ect), bold is a flashback (other than A/N at end)


It's officially been 3 weeks since...the incident. Professor Dumbledore is still doing research on it….McGonagall is still helping me with magic. She's mentioned a lot that she's impressed with my skills and...to be honest, so am I.

Avery paused, lifting her quill off the page. She had learned fairly fast that leaving it on the page would make a huge spot, ruin the page, and stain whatever was underneath. Glancing out the window, she looked over the horizon of Hogwarts, taking a deep breath before turning to the paper.

This all still feels unreal. I'm with Dumbledore and McGonagall. It's 1978. I'm in Hogwarts. I'm learning magic. But it's all real. I'm here, fully and...it's my life now.

Where do I go from here?

Setting the quill in the pot, she blew softly on the page before closing her journal, holding it to her chest. The past three weeks had been a whirlwind. The first few days were spent getting a grasp on...all of it- where she was, what had happened, and...what was probably going to happen in the future. During those first few days, she had explained that she thought she was from another world, an alternate universe she believed. McGonagall had been slightly confused, but Dumbledore had understood almost instantly. After that, Dumbledore and McGonagall had helped her adjust, knowing just how new all of this was.

After an accident on the fourth day in Hogwarts (where Avery had made a vase across the room shatter when she got scared), Avery had gotten a wand. Part of her was still reeling from that fact alone. She had a wand and was doing magic.

Since then McGonagall had been teaching her magic. Dumbledore had left over a week ago, saying he was going to look into what had happened, but he trusted McGonagall and Avery at Hogwarts. So Avery was learning magic, and...it was amazing. Most of it had just come to her, it felt like riding a bike again, but...she had never done magic. After briefly explaining the spell or lesson, Avery was able to do it, without much trouble. Spells was the best example, but it was the same with herbology and even care of magical creatures. Potions were harder, but McGonagall said she wouldn't use many potions skills, and if she did she could get help.

McGonagall had left Avery to relax over an hour ago, Avery relaxing in the Transfiguration classroom. So she was relaxing, writing in her journal, and...thinking what this all meant.

"Miss Thomas?"

Avery's gaze snapped up to see Dumbledore at the door. "Professor," she said, sitting properly in the desk.

He chuckled softly and moved into the room. "How are you settling it?"

"Well...lessons are going well," she replied.

"I have been informed of such," he stated, sitting by her. "But I did not ask that. How are you?"

Avery bit her lip and looked to the ground. "I...I don't know really…" Dumbledore stayed silent, letting her continue after a moment. "It's all settling in, I guess, that...this is my life now. It's here. And…"

"And what?" he pushed.

She looked up and met his eyes. "...I could…"

A certain sparkle was in his eyes, making her pause. "...Avery, I believe you when you state you are from a...different world." She nodded slowly in response, waiting to see where he was going. "...But I do not think you can return home."

Avery swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding. "I...I've accepted that."

He nodded, keeping his eyes on her. "Good...But...I do believe there is something you...have not told me."

Avery looked away from him at that, to her journal still in her hands. "...You wouldn't believe me."

"I am inclined to," he responded.

She looked to him again, before slowly nodding. "Alright…" Taking a deep breath, she started her story. Avery told Dumbledore about her favorite book series, about a boy named Harry Potter, son of Lily and James, who was the chosen one, chosen to defeat Voldemort. She told him about the stories and her love for them, how they had helped her during tough times in her life, and touched the surface of what the books covered.

She looked to him once she finished her story, seeing him stare at a wall in thought. "...what is it?" she asked after a moment.

He looked back to her, studying her face before stating, "I think, Avery, that you are here for a reason. Maybe...you are meant to change the future. And even…"

Avery swallowed a lump in her throat. "Even what?"

"Even safe hundreds of lives," he stated.


"She's too young!" McGonagall yelled. "And she knows nothing!"

"I disagree," Dumbledore replied, much calmer than his counterpart. "She is brilliant, and knows exactly what she is stepping into."

"That does not mean she should!" the woman insisted. Avery, who was listening to the two from the hall, unbeknownst to them, sighed and rested her head back against the stone wall. "Avery is young, and new to this world!" McGonagall took a deep breath before saying, "Albus, I believe this is an unwise decision."

Dumbledore sighed softly, making Avery pause as she moved to leave. "...Part of me agrees with you, Minerva. She is young. And she does not know much of our world. But...it is not our decision…"

McGonagall sighed before muttering, "...no, no it is not."

Avery bit her lip before moving back down the hall, towards the empty classroom she had been in before wandering.

Sitting in the desk she usually did, Avery pushed her dark chestnut hair behind her ear, mind wandering even more.

McGonagall was right, and Dumbledore as well. Avery didn't know this world; she was in an unfamiliar time, in an unfamiliar culture, in the middle of a war just waiting to start. But...Avery did know some of the wizarding world. She knew the basics, which was better than nothing. But...she couldn't fight, she barely knew anything about magic.

But then, what if Dumbledore was right? What if she was meant to change the future? And save lives?

A soft knock echoed through the room, making Avery's amber eyes flash to the door to see McGonagall and Dumbledore in the doorway. Dumbledore looked curious, like he wanted to know what she was thinking. McGonagall though, looked worried.

Avery looked back down at her hands, making the two move towards her. "...How can I save...people, when I don't even know how to fight?" Avery looked up at Dumbledore, who was smiling softly.

He sat beside her again, McGonagall hovering between the two. "Do you want to fight?" he asked softly.

Avery glanced down for a moment, silence stretching between them all until she looked back up. "Yes. I do. I...what I know could save...so many lives."

"If you want to fight, and have the will, then I will teach you," Dumbledore responded, standing.

McGonagall sighed, nodding. "...I will as well." Avery's gaze snapped to her. "The more you are taught, the better I will feel about this."

Avery smiled, fighting the urge to hug the woman. "Thank you."

Dumbledore's smile grew, and he moved out of the room. "Come, it's time to start the lessons."

Avery quickly stood and darted after him, her wand in her hand. She could feel the groves in her palms, and she could swear she felt a thrum in her hand, as if the wand was pulsing from the idea of battling. Avery's mind instantly flashed back to Ollivander's.


Avery glanced at McGonagall and Dumbledore in worry, for multiple reasons. The three had been at Ollivander's for over an hour, and Avery had tried over 20 different wands, none working and all causing chaos. But to Avery's surprise, both adults seemed calm and fine, not exhausted or done like she had thought they would be.

Dumbledore caught Avery's gaze, smiling slightly. "Don't fret. The more time it takes, the more it means a specific wand is waiting for you."

"Albus is correct, of course," Ollivander said, moving back to Avery, a box in his hand. He had been gone for almost ten minutes, searching for a wand, so Avery straightened at his return. "There is a special wand for every witch and wizard, and we will find your's today, my dear."

Avery nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. When they had first entered, Dumbledore had pulled Ollivander aside and explained the situation (Avery had assumed at least). And to his credit, Ollivander hadn't batted an eye at the 17-year-old- he had just started grabbing wands and doing his job.

"Try this one," Ollivander said, holding out the box. This was a surprise, especially because the rest he had taken out of the box himself, handing her the wand itself. Why was he letting her take out this wand?

Taking a deep breath, Avery reached out and took the wand, instantly feeling her hand grow warm. Furrowing her eyebrows at the warmth, Avery continued on and waved the wand. Instantly, the air was filled with golden sparks, the sparks themselves flying around Avery in full, surrounding her in a gold aura. She smiled, looking to the three adults in the room. McGonagall looked thrilled, smiling widely as well. Dumbledore had a more subdued smiled, but there was a special twinkle in his eyes.

"Ahhh," Ollivander said, staring at the wand. "Curious…"

Avery looked to him, tilting her head. "What do you mean?"

He smiled, taking the wand back and putting it in the box. "I think...you are meant for great things, my dear."

Avery furrowed her eyebrows, even more confused. Dumbledore stepped forward then, asking, "What is the wand?"

Ollivander turned to the man, saying, "11 ½ inch length, a springy wand itself."

"The wood and core?" Dumbledore asked.

Ollivander's smile fell slightly, before replying, "Phoenix feather core...with Elder wood."

"Oh," McGonagall gasped.

Avery looked between them all. "What?"

Ollivander spoke in reply, turning towards Avery. "Phoenix feathers are a very powerful core and are fairly rare. Elder wood...is even rarer."

"Is that...good?" Avery asked.

He gave her a small smile. "Yes, it is. Elder wood...only chooses people...meant for a certain destiny."

"A...a certain destiny?" Avery repeated.

Ollivander nodded, smiling reassuringly at her people moving to his desk, Dumbledore following. McGonagall moved towards Avery, putting an arm around the girl. "It's alright, dear."

Avery nodded slowly, glancing at the box that held her wand.


Avery glanced at her wand, catching up to Dumbledore. "Do you think my wand...is correct?" she asked.

The man glanced at her. "What do you mean?"

"Am I...Ollivander said Elder wood goes to people meant for special destinies," Avery explained. "Do you think...this is it? Changing...the future?"

Dumbledore glanced down the hall before glancing back at her. "I think..maybe. We can never fully know."

Avery nodded slowly, gripping her wand tighter. Maybe...changing what she knew was the future was her destiny.


A/N: And we're into chapter 1! I hope you guys are liking this so far, I have a lot of plans. ;)

And don't worry, we get to see Remus and the Marauders next chapter.

What are you guys looking forward to in the story? How do you think the Marauders will react to Avery?

-Kay Erin