My feet pounded the stairs of the Clock Tower, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. I'd run the whole way from the first floor, and it was much further than I thought it was.
The clock had long since finished striking the hour when I arrived, and was on its way to being ten past the hour. I stood and watched the clock ticking. Two agonizing minutes passed. I let out a groan of frustration.
"Alright Time Card! Come on out!" I commanded. I sensed the presence stronger than ever and whirled round, trying to find it. As the clock struck a quarter past the hour, I sensed the Card far stronger than before. I whirled round to see a form taking shape on one of the cogs of the huge clock. I watched as the form of an old man in a cloak with an hourglass in his hands appeared. I knew immediately that this was the Time Card, and from the sense I was getting, it was very powerful.
I summoned my staff and raised it above my head.
"Time Card!" I cried.
Time looked up, a single eye glinting at me from under the cloak. It was rather eerie. Shaking it off, I prepared to Seal the Card and continue this day and have it end without repeating itself.
"Return to your power conf -!" Before I could finish the sentence, Time turned the hourglass upside down, once. The room began to dissolve around me.
I woke up in bed with a gasp. How had I got here? I looked at my watch and was dismayed to see it was eight in the morning. Time had rewound again! Hadn't it? Or had Time put me into the future? I ran downstairs, stopping as I saw my bag on the chair. Looking inside, I saw the homework that had been in there every other time. That confirmed it for me. The day was repeating itself again.
Grabbing my bag, I tore out of the room and to the Clock Tower, arriving at a little before half past eight. I looked through the Cards I currently had. Fly, Shadow, Watery. I looked at my own shadow, and it suddenly hit me. Shadow could control shadows. . . so maybe it could make mine bigger, and I could capture Time from a safe distance! Well, it was worth a try, and right now, it was the best I had.
Running down towards the fifth floor corridor that led into the Clock Tower itself, I faced the Clock and summoned my staff.
"Shadow!" I commanded, tossing the Card into the air. "Make my shadow bigger so I can capture Time!"
The Card glowed and Shadow flew out of it and into my shadow, which was facing away from the tower and into the corridor. My shadow moved of its own accord and turned to face the clock tower, then began to stretch as the clock struck half past the hour. Time appeared, staring at his hourglass. My shadow grew longer and longer, until my head was level with Time's. It was now or never.
"Time Card! I command you to return to your power confined! TIME!" The last word was a shout, and I brought my staff down, as did my shadow. As my shadow's staff touched the place where Time was, the shape of a Card appeared at the tip of my real staff, and Time was sucked into the Card. Once Time was fully inside the Card, I held out my hand as Time floated gently into my hand. I beamed happily, full of excitement. I'd captured the Time Card!
"Yeah!" I cheered, punching the air. My stomach grumbled, and it suddenly hit me how hungry I was. I had fifteen minutes to get to breakfast, eat something and get to class in time for Potions.
"Fly!" Using Fly, I flew to the Great Hall, stopping just before it and making the staff return to being a key and rushing in.
"Where were you, Jason? We looked all over for you!" Ron complained.
"Sorry. Had to go to the library." I lied.
I sat and gobbled a quick breakfast and headed to Potions, which, thanks to my knowledge of how it would go, went perfectly. I didn't get nudged, and I didn't lose any House Points or get detention.
The rest of the day went very well and that night, I fell asleep, satisfied in a job very well done.
The next day, there were talks around the school that people had seen a scary monster on the seventh floor, near an unused classroom. Everyone had seen something different.
I was confused, but suddenly remembered reading about something called a Boggart in the library. A Boggart showed you your deepest fear. Maybe that's what it was.
I headed to breakfast, wondering over this alleged monster.
Professor Dumbledore pulled me aside as I was heading to Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"Jason. I take it you captured the Time Card?"
"Yes, sir." I replied.
"What do you think of this monster that people have been seeing?"
"Could it be a Boggart, sir?" I asked.
He looked at me in some surprise before shaking his head. "I can see why you might think that, but a Boggart would only show itself to one person at a time. Three people were present and all saw a different monster. If it was Boggart, then it would get confused with so many people."
"I see. . . do you think it could be a Clow Card?"
"I think it might. That is why I am asking you. Normally I would not ask a student to do something so dangerous, but -"
"It's okay, Professor," I interrupted. "I understand."
He told me he would send Professor Quirrel a note, explaining why I was late, and I walked off towards the seventh floor, wondering what this monster would be. I wondered why everyone saw something different, and, if it was a Clow Card, which card it was.
As I walked, my mind turned to my mother, who's birthday was coming up soon. I wondered how she felt about me, watching over me, knowing about my special powers. Did she know about me being a wizard? Did she know about the Clow Cards? Would she be proud of me?
I suddenly realised I didn't even have a picture of her here, so I couldn't wish her a happy birthday properly. The thought made me feel a little upset, but as I neared the classroom, I pushed it away, though thoughts of my mother still lingered at the front of my mind. Suddenly, I saw a bright ball of light in front of me and gasped.
"What the. . .?"
As I watched, something began to emerge from the light, and I shrunk back slightly, fearing some enormous monster like everyone had seen. What emerged, however, caused me to gasp in shock.
The ghost of my mother stood hovered before me, a serene smile on her face, her arms held out as though offering a hug.
"Mother. . .?"
