A/N - Merry Christmas, and a happy new year! Enjoy your holidays. (And happy Hannukkah to all the jews...) Hope you'll like my next chapter, I'm soo happy to continue my writings.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters, and some of the storyline, from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling. (I may use some of the author's descriptions/ wording from the books, but I have no intention of stealing anything! It's definitely clear for me that J. owns the rights for the Harry Potter books. )

I am grateful to Ms. Rowling for her wonderful stories about Hogwarts, for without her books, my story would not exist.

**I would like to thank my Beta- CorinBlue for editing my chapters.**

Chapter #9 – Crystal Clear

The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous breakdown, and he wasn't the only one.

"They call this a holiday?!" Seamus Finnigan roared in the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"

Although Sophie should've been working on her assignments, other things were distracting her from doing her homework. She was interested in Hermione's secret, and her headaches had returned and they were more painful than ever.

The Gryffindor's coming Quidditch match was a nice distraction from all of the thoughts and exams. Everybody was obsessed, as the house hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley, Ron's second oldest brother,had been Seeker. The atmosphere was highly charged, and by the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point. A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.

However, Sophie's body pains refused to disappear, and were hard to ignore. They were getting worse than she ever remembered them being. It was hard for her to sleep, walk, sit or eat. It did not matter if she was around Hermione, something was happening to her body. She got thinner and paler her eyes had shadows, like Lupin's, under her eyes, and they dripped with tears from being tired. She looked far more terrible than Hermione, who was working twice hard to catch up with all the homework.

"Seriously, Sophie you look horrible!" Haley worried. "Go to sleep, take a break." Haley had no idea how Sophie was able to stand on her feet in her condition. It was weird for her to see her best friend falling apart.

"I don't need to sleep." Sophie insisted. "I sleep all night." She lied.

"No you don't. I've heard you tossing and turning every night, since Christmas. You're not play and I know it!" Haley said and gave a glance to Sophie's necklace.

"You're sleeping with your necklace?" She asked Sophie, a bit suspicious.

"Of course!" Sophie did not understand why she had even asked. She wore the necklace all of the time, since Professor Lupin told her it could protect her from Dementors. She wanted to be prepared for any bad situation.

"You know, I think that the necklace is preventing you from having a proper sleep." Haley held the crystal for a second, examining it.

"No it doesn't. I've slept with it in my first year, and nothing happened." Sophie said, pulling off Haley's hand from the crystal pendant.

"Exactly, nothing happened!" Haley raised her voice for a second. "Y'know, you didn't have the amulet in our second year and at least you had some proper sleep. I think that the amulet is keeping you from sleeping." Haley suggested.

"Why would it prevent me from sleeping properly? I slept with it in our first year and nothing happened." Sophie was disturbed by what Haley said.

"Maybe something has changed. Maybe there is something new that is dangerous to you in your dreams."

Sophie went silent. She hadn't yet consider what Haley had said, and it was possible that she was right. But then, what was so dangerous about her dreams? Could it be that someone was trying to possess her? As far as she knew her amulet was supposed to protect her from threats. No one really explained to her how an amulet is supposed to work. Professor Lupin only told her that they were very rare, and that they were useful against dark arts. It made her want to know more about amulets and their uses and to understand better what was happening to her.

The next day she and Haley decided to go for a search in the library. They looked for information about amulets and their uses, and found a few books. For once, Sophie was happy to have a bit of information about what she was searching about.

Sophie read in a whisper:

"An Amulet is an object whose most important characteristic is the power ascribed to it to protect its owner from danger or harm. Because making amulets takes time, and requires complex methods there are not many Amulets in the world. While in the non-magical community, it is believed that Amulets protects from evil spirits; in the magical community Amulets protect mostly against the dark arts. The Amulets protect against charms, spells and curses, and they are very powerful. They are very desired as they are able to preventeven the unforgivable curses."

Haley widened her eyes. "The unforgivable curses, wow! That's very powerful." She looked amazed.

"What are the unforgivable curses?" Sophie was curious. Haley blushed, and rubbed her nose.

"Umm… I actually don't know of them much. I heard mum speaking about one, Imper- something. But I know they are very very horrible." Haley said.

"Okay, maybe we'll read it somewhere." Sophie was optimistic they would find more information about them.

"Look, I've found something." Haley smiled and started reading:

"It is only known of three authentic Amulets in the world. The first one was buried with it's owner, Jared Blossom in February, 2nd 1920, in Salem. The second one was taken from it's owner, Yu-Lin Wei, a year later in October 1921, and now is under the protection of the Chinese Ministry of Magic. The third one was stolen from its owner, Bassam Malik in Egypt, in 1930,and never has been found.

There is a possibility of the existence of more authentic Amulets, though it is hard to distinguish between the real and fake ones."

"Did you find anything about how they work?" Sophie was interested to know if it could be that the amulet prevented her from sleeping.

"Let's keep looking." Haley said and they kept opening books, looking for any information.

"Found something." Haley said.

"I'm all ears." Sophie wanted to hear.

"While common amulets protect their owner from outside threats, there are amulets that protect from inner ones. Such kind of amulets are desired by many healers who wish to use them on badly cursed wizards. Amulet makers biggest challenge is to create an Amulet that can protect its owner from both inner and outer threats. Theresa Montez, a mexican Amulet maker explains how hard it is to make these kind of amulets. According to her, it is much trickier to make an amulet that protects from inner threats, as the inner threats are harder to detect. There are several curses that can be treated by giving the cursed wizard an amulet. But, there are curses that cannot be treated with amulets. Montez keeps saying that sometimes an amulet can be mistaken by a powerful skill a wizard has, and block the wizard's ability to use such a skill. For example she gives the famous wizard Theodore Dalton. Dalton was a wizard, born with the ability to store a large amount of information, and control air. Montez says that if Dalton was to wear an Amulet that protects from inner threats, such an amulet could mistake his ability to store a large amount of information, as a threat and stop him from being able to do so."

Haley starred on Sophie, who widened her eyes with a bit of horror.

"Could it be that your amulet isn't protecting you from outside threats?" Haley asked Sophie.

"I'm not sure… It's not like it's suppressing my powers, I can still control air, and remember loads of stuff." Sophie said. "Maybe it works both ways. Maybe it is one that can actually protect from both inner and outside threats." Sophie suggested.

"Sophie, but it does something that isn't right!" A book fell off the table, and Haley closed it and placed it on a pile of closed books next to her. Sophie thought for a moment to herself. It could be that her third power was somehow connected to her dreams, and that the amulet was suppressing her third power from coming out.

"Y'know, maybe it's about your third power." Haley said what Sophie thought. "I think you should try and sleep without it tonight, and see what happens." She suggested.

"But…" Sophie sighed with a bit of fear. "I hate it when I'm without it!" She opened up "Do you know that when I used to sleep without it, it was like not sleeping at all? I've been repeating my days in my dreams, it was unbearable! And, still, after all those nights, I have never felt like I had any sleep." She said. "Remember the two weeks I've been sleeping in the hospital wing?" Sophie reminded Haley.

"Yeah, I wouldn't forget that! No normal person could sleep as much as you did!" Haley giggled.

"It was the only time in the year, when I felt that I was really sleeping. I had no dreams, no repeating days in my mind. Just pure, good sleep!"

"But, Sophie, it's not like you're having a good sleep when you're with the necklace on you!" Haley pointed. "And it could be that your body is trying to let your third power out, but by wearing the amulet on you just aren't letting it." She said. Sophie was not sure enough about what would happen if she would sleep without her amulet. If it was her third power, she has to be careful. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt someone.

"But Haley I'm afraid that if it's the third power, I'll end up hurting someone." She shared her thoughts.

"Well right now the only person you're hurting is yourself!" Haley took Sophie's hand. "You have to at least try!" She tightened her grip. Sophie knew that Haley was right. She had to take a chance, she had to give it a try.

"Okay," She smiled to Haley. "Okay, I'll do it."

At night, Sophie covered herself with her blankets, and took off her necklace. She placed it on her desk of drawers, sighing, and hoping that whatever happens she'll be able to deal with it.

"Sophie, good luck. Have sweet dreams." Haley whispered from next to her.

"Good night." She whispered to Haley, and closed her eyes.

Although Sophie expected to dream again of her day, it did not happen. Instead she felt as if she was drifting far away.

Her body fell on a soft wet land. There was a loud sound of a thunder, and she rose up, standing.

She was in an endless burnt out field.

Everything looked as if it was hit by a huge bomb. All the grass was almost gone, though here and there were a few green patches. There was a mixed smell of burning and rain, and ponds of water were everywhere. A loud boom of thunder rumbled through the sky, and Sophie jumped, frightened. She looked around again, trying to figure out, was it a dream, was it reality? She had no idea, it looked realistic to her. She could feel everything, the burned grass and the wet ground beneath her feet, she could smell, and taste the water that was starting to fall from the sky. Far away, between the ponds, and mud, she saw a broken tree. It had no leaves, and, the trunk was half broken. Next to it, she noticed a girl.

Sophie ran toward her, and stopped a few steps from her, silent. From a much closer look she saw the girl much clearly. Sophie gasped as she realized who that girl was. It was her, but… she looked a bit different. Her hair was half burned, and on her body were torn out white robes. On her wrist she noticed a tattoo. It was in a shape of an infinity symbol. The other her, was crying, and Sophie had no idea how to react.

When Sophie moved, she broke a stick and it made a loud noise, and her other self-turned her look and saw her. Both of their amber eyes met, and widened in surprise.

"You… "Sophie stuttered. "Who are you?"

The other Sophie, relaxed and stood up. Sophie looked on her, amazed. She was much taller than her, and looked much older. Her burned hair was starting to grow fast, Sophie widened her eyes, as she saw how the hair was getting longer and gold.

"I'm you!" She answered her.

"I'm probably dreaming…" Sophie muttered. The other Sophie smiled.

"Maybe," She winked. "But maybe not." Now she got closer to Sophie.

"You are here for a reason, that's for sure."

"Do you know the reason I'm here?" Sophie asked her.

"Oh, yeah." She looked sure. "Because of our third power, you're not aware of it yet."

"What do you mean, yet?" Sophie was confused.

"Every power comes in a certain time, haven't you noticed?" The older Sophie said.

"The power of memory, came right when we were born. The power to control air, was activated when we were 7, but we got it fully when we were 11." She said to her. "And by arriving in the magical world we were exposed to different kinds of stuff that, triggered our third power." Sophie was intrigued.

"What is it? What is our third power?"

"When the time comes, everything will be clear." The older Sophie gave her a mysterious grin.

"Can't you tell me?" Sophie asked, wanting to know what her third power is.

"If I tell you, things might go differently than they're supposed to." Her eyes narrowed.

"But…" Sophie was very disappointed.

"You'll know very soon." The older Sophie ensured her. "Sooner than you think!"

"I don't understand…" Sophie was confused.

Sophie could hear her name called like an echo.

"So it is a dream, after all…." The other Sophie said, looking up to the skies, and then back to Sophie. "Go back, and be calm. All your answers to all of your questions are about to be answered. But remember, remember that, not every question has a straight answer, and not every answer is clear. The answers you get, are not always the ones you want to hear. Open your mind - everything will be fine. I promise."

Sophie heard an echo again calling her name.

"But… I… It doesn't look here that everything is fine." Sophie looked around concerned, she was worried about what all of this meant.

"Because it isn't." The other Sophie said, dropping her eyes for a second, and then she looked back to Sophie. "But you don't need to worry about it now. Wake up, and remember what I said. You'll get your answers, just be patient."

Sophie's vision started to blur and then she woke up.

Sophie was much cheerier after her positive experience of sleeping without her necklace. Although she did not get a clear answer about her third power, her body was much calmer. Due to that she decided to continue sleeping without her necklace. It was marvelous how quickly she started feeling stronger again. Color returned to her face, and she looked and felt extremely good.

Sophie was not the only one with good mood, as Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup. All of the Gryffindor's were in a state of total euphoria. But the good feeling lasted barely a week. As June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.

But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows.

Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy, their old brother, was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered.

There was a feeling of anxiety about the tests, and no one was more anxious as Hermione. Sophie and Haley gave up on the task of finding out how she was managing to attend several classes at once as it was hard to follow her or get answers. Hermione was hard to catch, and they had plenty of work to do so they decided it would be fine if they didn't discover what she was hiding from everyone.

Harry and Ron, seemed to drop the topic too, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. Sophie and Haley who were right behind them when they found they schedule, had a glance on the schedule too.

Monday

9 o'clock, Arithmancy

9 o'clock, Transfiguration

Lunch

1 o'clock, Charms

1 o'clock, Ancient Runes

"Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. "Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"

Sophie and Haley giggled.

"What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."

"Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.

"No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"

"Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. Haley and Sophie kept giggling.

They had potions that afternoon, which was, to Sophie a challenge. She felt as if she succeeded, but was confused by Professor Snape and unsure of the grade he will give her.

Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Sophie was able to write everything right. Her memory was in her favor when it came to details. Usually she hated that, but in exams it was handy.

Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun,; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.

Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Sophie did not wake up in time, and Haley was shouting.

"SOPHIE, WAKE UP!"

She never hurried so much in her life. She was in so much of a hurry, she almost fell as she put on her school robes.

"Sophie, we will be late!" Haley was ready waiting for her.

"All right, all right!" Sophie wore her shoe and took her wand from her desk of drawers. She was about to wear her necklace as Haley pulled her away, the necklace fell from her hand on her pillow.

"You have a wish to be late, don't you?" Haley was very stressed.

"Haley, my necklace!" Sophie called, while Haley dragged her outside their dormitories. She was much stronger than Sophie remembered.

"Oh, C'mon! You'll be fine." Haley panted. "Nothing bad will happen." Sophie glared to the door of their room as they rushed to the Defence Against the Dark Arts exams.

Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.

Sophie was afraid of her strange boggart, and was glad no one was able to see her this time. It did not feel any different to handle all of the obstacles without her crystal necklace. She was actually surprised by her own success.

"Very good, Sophie," Lupin muttered as Sophie climbed out of the trunk grinning. "Full Marks."

Flushed with her success, Sophie hung around to watch Haley. Haley did very well too, to Sophie's amazement, and they celebrated with a tight hug. "I did it!" Haley called with a large smile.

After eating lunch, Sophie and Haley walked up the marble staircase together to their Divination exam. It was the only one left, and Sophie was eager to get it over with. They got into Professor Trelawney's classroom.

"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him, Harry and Ron. Harry had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.

"Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice.

"I did."Sophie said. Harry turned his gaze from his book, to Sophie.

"Really, what did you see?" Haley asked amazed.

"I saw two amber eyes coming out of a blue mist, blinking." Sophie said.

"Really?" Harry looked concerned.

"Don't worry, if you don't see anything, it's okay to make up stuff." Haley soothed.

The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"

But they all refused to say. Even Haley, who came in before Sophie was afraid.

"I'll see you later." Haley said and clambered back down the ladder.

"Sophie Farrell," said the familiar, mist voice from over their heads. Sophie swallowed and climbed the silver ladder out of sight.

The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Sophie cough as she stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for herhim before a large crystal ball.

"Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb… Take your time, now… then tell me what you see within it…"

Sophie blinked, and shaked a bit. She did not know what to expect, last time she gazed into the orb, she saw something. She had no idea what she would see now.

"Don't be afraid, relax and let your inner eye guide you." Professor Trelawney prompted delicately.

The heat was overpowering and her nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. She cleared her mind, and took a deep breath, then she looked to the orb.

"Well, what do you see?" Professor Trelawney asked. Sophie's eyes widened, as again the fogg changed into blue, but now there were no two amber eyes as before. Now she saw something else. She saw a figure of Hermione, fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain. Hanging from it was a tiny sparkling hourglass. Then a small figure of Harry joined as well, and Sophie saw Hermione's figure throwing her chain around him too, then turning the hourglass three times.

Before Sophie could tell professor Trelawney what she was seeing, something strange happened. Sophie had no idea what happened to her, a strange wave entered to her body, and her sight became foggy. The room was spinning around her and did not stop, and her body was shaking.

Everything around her was rewinding. She was stepping out of Trelawney's classroom, down the ladder. Back to the hallway with Haley. She was back to Lunch, back to her Defence Against the Dark Arts exam. Then, suddenly the rewinding stopped. For a moment she was sure she was back in front of her Boggart when all of the place was spinning again. Now instead of going back she was going fast forward. She was getting out of her Defence Against the Dark Arts exam, then she was in Lunch. Everything stopped again.

Her body was on the ground, she was walking up the marble staircase together with Haley.

Sophie and Haley walked up the marble staircase together to their Divination exam.

Haley stared at Sophie.

"Sophie, are you okay?" Haley asked. Sophie was confused. She did not understand what just happened. A moment ago she was in front of Professor Trelawney, about to tell her what she saw in a crystal ball, a moment later she was back with Haley heading to the Divination exam.

"Whoa!" Sophie felt dizzy for a moment. "What just happened?" She asked, looking around.

"We were walking silently, and suddenly you turned into an orb of light." Haley said.

"Huh?" Sophie was not sure what she meant.

"It was like you were turning into an orb of light, but then you weren't."

"Umm… I have no idea what you're saying." Sophie was still confused.

"We better hurry, you don't want to be late to the Divination exam." Haley ignored Sophie's confuse.

"But -" Sophie was paralyzed with shock. It was hard for to believe what just happened, and Haley did not seem to understand. How could she go back to the moment before she took the Divination exam?

"Come!" Haley dragged her hand as they entered the Divination classroom.

"She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him, and Harry and Ron. Harry had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing.

Sophie was shaking. It was definitely freaky. She experienced this exact moment before. It was hard for her to process what just happened.

"Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" Harry asked them unhappily.

"Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice.

Sophie starred on Harry, and Ron her eyes widened. Harry asked that before, and Ron answered. She answered him before too. Should she answer again? She did not know.

"Don't worry, if you don't see anything, it's okay to make up stuff." Haley soothed.

Sophie swallowed. It was not possible, it was beyond her imagination. She had gone back in time, back to the moment she was at the Defence Against the Dark Arts exams. Then suddenly she was going forward in time, back to the moment she was heading to the Divination exam.

She was lost in her thoughts when she heard Haley say,

"Sophie, I'm going. Wish me good luck." Haley said.

"Good luck." Sophie said with a dry throat. She wondered, with worry, if it happened when she was reading the crystal ball to Professor Trelawney, would it happen again? Is she stuck in a some kind of a time loop? She had no idea, and was more stressed the first time, before entering Trelawney's office.

Just like before, Haley came out and said to Sophie she'll see her later, climbing down the ladder. Sophie waited to hear her name, to see what would happen.

"Sophie Farrell," said again Trelawney's misty voice from over their heads. Sophie swallowed and breathed quickly. She climbed the silver ladder out of sight.

Again she felt the hotness of the tower room. The curtains were closed, as before, and the fire was alight, as before. It was the weirdest exam she ever had, and somehow she got to take it twice. Sophie cough as she stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for her before a large crystal ball.

"Here again, you are, my dear," She said softly. Sophie stared on Professor Trelawney even more surprised.

"You… you know?" Sophie widened her eyes.

"That's okay, dear. Now, you havn't told me yet what you have seen through the orb. So, let's try again."

Sophie blinked, and shaked for moment.

"Well, do you want it to happen again, because if not you must relax." Professor Trelawney said. "Take a deep breath, yes," Professor Trelawney encouraged Sophie, as she took a deep breath. "Now, please tell me what you see."

Sophie looked into the orb, again seeing how the fogg changed into blue. Again she saw the same thing as before. Hermione's figure was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain. Hanging from it was a tiny sparkling hourglass. A small figure of Harry joined Hermione's figure, and Sophie saw Hermione's figure throwing her chain around him too, then turning the hourglass three times.

"I see… a time turner." Sophie had no idea how she even knew what the thing she saw was.

"A time turner?" Professor Trelawney asked, with interest.

"Yes, I see one of the Hogwarts students using a time turner." Sophie said. Now watching the crystal ball as the figures of Hermione and Harry disappeared. Now she could see the Whomping Willow.

"And now I see the Whomping Willow. It is unclear what is happening." Sophie said. "The moon is full." Sophie described what she saw, "And there is a…" Sophie got closer to have a better look. "A wizard turning into a werewolf." She was astonished to see Professor Lupin changing under a moon into a werewolf.

"Can you see who the wizard is?" Professor Trelawney asked.

"Yes, it is Professor Lupin." Sophie said.

Professor Trelawney smiled.

"Well dear, I think we'll leave it here." She said. "You did very well."

Sophie was still confused about everything.

"Professor," Sophie wanted hardly to ask Professor Trelawney, of what just happened to her.

"Yes, darling?"

"You were aware of what just have happened to me?" Sophie asked.

"Very well aware, you went back and forward in time. Just like Evangeline Everwings could. As I said, you have all of three of them. The power to contain a large amount of information, the power to control air, and… the power to control time."

Sophie was terrified.