Wow, it has been ages since I've updated this. I can't believe its been seven years. Well, anyways, here's chapter three.

Chapter Three: Normal?

As if to make up for some of her lost time, the next few days seemed to happen in fast forward. She woke up to the rushing of her dorm mates and rushed along with them to get ready. As they got down to breakfast she found that her appetite was completely gone but she forced down a piece of toast anyway. They seemed to pass as any class would, she payed attention, took notes, and tried to complete the task at hand. It was all very normal, but it seemed to go by in a sort of dull gray.

Minnie indeed had a strict and stern reputation, but it was still a good class. Charms was funny, Flitwick was a good teacher but his reactions and the fact that he had to stand on his books made Clary smile. History of Magic was comforting in the way that it was exactly the same as it was when she'd 'fallen asleep', though that was mostly because Binns was still there droning on and on the same as he had in her time. She found she liked Herbology much more now that Professor Sprout taught it, she just seemed like a warm person. Astronomy was Astronomy, she didn't have opinion on that she just tried to stay awake. By far though her most interesting classes were Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, though she'd never tell that to Minnie.

Snape was just an interesting person to take in, with his long black robes, his long black hair, his black eyes, and his off nose. He definitely had an imposing aura to him. He also seemed to know his subject very well, but he seemed to think everyone else should too and if you didn't you were incompetent. Poor Neville Longbottom had nearly fainted when Snape had caught him about to put the wrong ingredient in his potion. He also seemed to play favorites with Slytherin, though it wasn't a surprise, what with him being the head of house and all. She was okay in Potions though, so she had yet to meet his wrath. She had seen him starring at her with an unreadable expression on several occasions now, but he hadn't approached her outside of the normal potions question.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was by far one of the most interesting yet. The teacher, Remus Lupin, had thin scars all over the visible parts of his body. That, combined with his kind but intense eyes, was intriguing to say the least. When class had begun, he turned out to be a marvelous character. He seemed on the students level, like he knew just how to keep their attention, and yet, he was never shy when it came to a student needing reprimanding. Clary couldn't help but think he was born to teach.

Fortunately, it wasn't the classes or teachers that seemed to darken her mood. No, what bugged her most right now was how tired she seemed to be by the end of the day. She'd known it would be like this, the Healers had told her that her muscle had come back rather quickly because of the aid of the potions they had given her and that she would continue to be getting from Madame Pomphrey, but the side effect was that, though the muscle was there and could handle her weight and daily activities, she would tire easily and could not do strenuous things like quidditch or apparating. This didn't bother her much, as she had no interest in sports and she didn't even know how to apparate. They also warned her to be careful with her magic, because it had laid dormant for so long she could easily exhaust it, so she had to check with Pomphrey every other week for an exam.

Needless to say, after a day of classes and going up and down numerous staircases, the last thing she wanted to do was walk all the way to the hospital wing after supper then all the way back to her dormitories. And yet, here she was walking back down an empty corridor. Going to receive yet another vile potion that would help her. Sure, that 'vile' potion did help her move and walk again, but that didn't make it taste any better.

As she entered the, now all too familiar, hospital wing she saw Madam Pomphrey handing a large bucket to small blond first year.

"Just get it all out. Sooner that happens the better you'll feel, my dear. Honestly, why would pick a fight in your first week of school." The boy looked as though he had a very good explanation but his eyes went wide and he stuck his head in the bucket proceeding to throw up what ever he had recently eaten

"There you are, just keep at it and I'll check on you in a bit." Clary took the opportunity to step forward. "Ah, Clarissa! Yes, there you are, I've been expecting you. Your doctor at St. Mungos sent me very detailed instructions on whats needed, as if I don't know." She scoffed at the thought before motioning to a bed not far from the puking first year and bustling off into another room. When she returned she triumphantly held a small bottle of the thick sludge they'd been forcing on her for the last few months.

"Here we are. Down the hatch with it then." Clary honestly wondered if the woman knew what some of the potions she used tasted like. Before deciding that if she did know then she did not know this one, no one would act so cheery giving or taking such a disgusting medicine.

Nonetheless she closed her eyes tight and swallowed the liquid in one go. Before grimacing as it hit her taste buds.

"Thank you Madame Pomphry." She hopped off the bed fully planning on going down to the kitchens and drinking something to get the taste out of her mouth.

"You're quite welcome my dear. Remember that you'll need to come in for your test as well next time."

"Yes, thanks." She rushed out of the room and made her way down through the maze that was the Hogwarts castle.

Having to take potions and have tests made her condition and circumstances all rise to the top of her mind. She went through classes with the thought of just getting through everyday but there would be moments, a flash of color or a smell, when she would realize this was not her life or time. She couldn't connect with these people. It was if they spoke some language she didn't understand.

It all seemed unreal, like she'd wake up and find Minnie shaking her, her long curly hair tickling her face, and telling her that she'd miss breakfast again if she didn't wake up. That she'd enter the great hall and find Hagrid had saved her a seat. That she'd pass notes with her friends during class. That she'd sit near the lake again with Tom as they worked on homework. That she'd see her parents as soon as Christmas came.

But she wouldn't. It was real.

She sighed into her arms. She'd taken refuge in some little used corridor, not being able to make it down to the kitchens and unable to bare the chatter from her housemates that she knew nothing about.

"Are you alright?" She looked up at the new voice and saw a girl with very long blond hair and radish shaped earrings.

"Yes." Was her automatic answer. "Thank you for worrying."

"Oh, well then, thats good. I don't suppose you've ever seen a Blibbering Humdinger have you?"

A what?

"If I have I didn't know it. What is a Blubbering Humdinger?"

"It's Blibbering actually, have you never heard of it before?" She shook her head. "I'm not surprised, many people don't believe they exist but Daddy's found evidence that someone's spotted one in Germany."

Clary stood up and dusted her self off. "That must be exciting, what are you doing in this corridor?" She looked down at her feet, which were only in stockings.

"I've misplaced my shoes, you see, personally I think Nargles took them but I thought I'd retrace my steps to be sure."

"I'll help you look if you'd like."

"That would be very helpful actually, searching on ones own is only half as fast as searching with two people." What an odd way of putting it. This girl was completely strange, but she was adorable, and she seemed friendly. Clary smiled, she could see them being friends. A friend, this not being the time she'd fallen asleep in she hadn't given it much thought about making friends.

"Whats a Nargle?" Blond girl smiled slightly as she they started walking and told her all about the mysterious little creatures, along with a few more, some stuff about the quidditch matches, and her opinions on the current effects that migrating winged Russlehups have on the weather.

The next morning she woke up with an optimistic attitude. She'd finally woken up relatively on time and, despite her aching muscles which had been that way since school started, she found herself walking happily to the Great Hall. She looked for her new acquaintance and found her sitting by herself at the far end of the Ravenclaw table eating and reading a paper.

She hesitated a moment, would she be annoying if she went over there? Maybe she wanted to be alone. She looked toward the Gryfindor table, which seemed less then appealing. She made her decision and walked over to the blonde.

"Good morning." She put on a large smile as she sat down opposite of her.

"Good morning." She smiled back at me, looking a bit intrigued.

"What are you reading?" She asked as grabbed a slice of toast.

"The Quibbler." She must have a noticed her expression because she went on. "A paper my father writes. It's much more interesting then the Prophet if I do say so myself."

"Interesting, your father owns a paper. How extraordinary." Lunas smile grew.

"Most people think it's odd actually. No one really reads it."

"Well there are all kinds of people out there so surely it has an audience. Even if only a few an audience is an audience." She quoted her mother, it was something her mother used to tell her when she played the piano, it had quite irked her as a child.

"True. Are you only having toast?"

Clary looked down at the nub of toast in her hand. She was hungry, but for some odd reason the thought of food repulsed her.

"Yeah, I'm not all that hungry."

"Alright. What class do you have? I'm going to Potions now."

Clary pulled the schedule out of her pocket. "Lets see, Divination and then Care of Magical Creatures. Potions is my final class of the day." Her stomach did a flip flop, she had to face Hagrid today.

"I suppose I will see you later then." Luna turned back to her reading.

"Yes, I'll try to stop by during lunch and you can tell me all about potions class, I am a bit nervous for Professor Snape." She stood up and made her way out of the great hall.

Divination was entertaining, in the way watching a child play pretend is entertaining. Clarissa took to sitting in the back and reading the text while the teacher flitted about the room. When the class was dismissed she could have cried as she started the trek back down the stairs, out of the castle, and down to Hagrids. Huddling with the group of kids, though staying near the back, she couldn't help but feel anxious. It was pointless to put the conversation off any longer. She would need to confront him sooner or later and apologize for her behavior. He was, after all, her best friend. She hadn't thought at all what it might have been like for him to have her disappear and then now, fifty years later, return looking exactly the same. As the group approached the hut, she watched a nervous looking Hagrid excitedly address the group. They followed him to a paddock where a Hippogriff was waiting for them.

As he spoke she saw his eyes scan the group and she couldn't help but look down every time. Coward, she cursed herself. Despite this she watched, proudly, as he taught the group about the creature. He had always loved animal, especially the more dangerous ones. Misunderstood, he'd call them. Clary always felt like he was talking about himself as well.

That didn't mean she didn't cringe as he lifted Harry onto the beast. That was perhaps a little too much too soon. However, off he went and back he came, all in one piece. Clary let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding. Everything had turned out well, now she just had to talk to the man.

Of course, nothing had been going Clarys way since she had woken up. So, it shouldn't have been a surprise when an immature Slytherin boy acted up and got himself injured.

Clary could only stand with the rest of the students as Hagrid took the child to the infirmary.

While she was worried for her friend, she couldn't help but feel relieved that she would be able to put off talking with him for a little longer.

She didn't feel much like going all the way back to the great hall, so she sat a while by Hagrids hut. Leaning her head against the door and basking in the sun as it warmed her, she just wanted to fall asleep. However, she had told Luna she would try to talk with her at lunch if she wanted to get back in the swing of things the first step was to socialize.

With great effort she pushed herself from the steps and slowly made her way up to the castle.

She immediately regretted her choice when she entered the great hall and was met with a low roar of people talking, eating, and all around being noisy. She dropped at the end of the Gryffindor table and laid her head in her arms. She must have dozed off because she was woken up by someone shaking her.

She looked up at Luna and smiled slightly.

"Are you alright? You look quite pale. Thats not to say pale isn't nice, its highly attractive in the vampire community."

"Sorry, I'm alright, a bit tired is all." She looked around and saw the room emptying out. "Sorry I should have come visited you."

Luna shrugged and looked at her curiously. "Perhaps you should go see Madame Pomphrey if you're not feeling well."

"I'm fine, thank you." She stood up, ignoring the way the world tilted for a moment. She looked down at her schedule. "Looks like its my turn for Potions this time. She hauled her bag onto her shoulder. "I'll see you later, Luna."

"I hope you feel better." The blond said simply, as way of parting. Watching her knew friend walk, Clary sighed.

One foot in front of the other, Clarissa. She chanted to herself, down the long halls all the way to the dungeons. Why on earth was this castle so large?

She'd only been here a week and already she was cursing the building.

Taking a seat next to Neville, she visibly sagged on the stool.

The class was less rowdy than typical, but the still quieted as the potions professor entered the room.

"Today we will be brewing the Halsfy potion. Which I trust you all did your reading about last evening. The Halsfy potion, named after its creator, starts with steeping a combination of water and Horntrum extract with powdered root of asphodel. The-"

"Asphodel is a lily you know. Muggles believed it to be the favorite food of the dead, so they often planted it near grave yards."

Shaking her head, she tried to focus on the professor, however that proved futile. What was that? Tom? A memory?

". . . Don't make a mistake."

At the sounds of the other students movements she snapped out of her thoughts. Gathering her tools and ingredients together with Neville. Neville set the cauldron up and measured out the water and Hornrum extract, because it didn't involve knifes he said. While he was bringing that to a simmer, Clary grabbed the jar of powdered Asphodel root to scale out the required amount. It had to be sprinkled in just as the liquid was coming to a simmer, so that it wouldn't clump together.

Standing over the cauldron she watched for the tell tale bubbles while Neville pulled out the ash for the next step. At the first sign of simmering, she carefully began to sprinkle the powder into the cauldron. The earthy sent was far more potent than she assumed, it registered a sense of nauseating déjà vu.

The heat from her cauldron flushed her face and the fumes made the room spin. Clary held the edge of the table as her vision crossed.

"Clary?"

"Ms. Jane?"

"Professor, I-" Her intent was to inform him that she felt a bit ill but she reached out as her equilibrium was thrown into chaos and she felt herself collapse. A strong hand held her and lowered her gently to the ground.

The room was full of voices but one word from Snape was enough to quite them down.

"Sorry, Professor, I'm fine. Just a bit dizzy. If I may finish class, I will go immediately to the hospital wing when we are done."

It looked as though for a moment Snape was going to protest. Instead, he straightened himself up and set a scowl towards her. "If you must, but I expect you to sit quietly and not touch anything. We don't want you to have a fit that causes your potion to explode, spare us that at least."

Nodding was all she could think to do. She started counting, all the way up to 100 and then back again.

She kept replaying it over and over in her head, despite the counting. It was only when Neville gave her a second glance that she realized the class room was emptying. She gave him a reassuring smile, or at least an attempt at one. Then, she looked at Snape.

"Longbottom, stop bumbling about. Out."

Neville mumbled a quick "Yes, sir" and rushed out.

"Ms. Jane, I expect there is an explanation for your lingering other then your sudden plummeting health?"

"I-" Her voice broke, she took a shaking breath and tried again. "I remember."