How It All Started

The Great Hall

5:00 P.M.

"I'm so glad to see you alive. You have no idea…" I look up. Draco has found everyone, and I never expected the whole school to show up, including the teachers. My friends and family are up front, some as far as sitting on the table I'm sitting on. "You've been gone for over a month. Lots of things have happened… lots of things." It's the same kid from Slytherin who asked me those questions earlier. "Just one question." "Yes?" The kid looks up at me with a know-it-all look, and I glare at him. "Who are you?" The kid stands, and glances around the room. His gaze shifts back to me. "Name's Thompson. As you may know, I'm in Slytherin. And I have a question for you." Thomson steps towards me, a few people behind him. "Ask me this-since you think you're so 'cool and all that' why did you even come back? I mean, you could have just stayed away. Because you've made everything that all of us have tried to do completely worthless. Want to know why?" I'm confused, and I step down from the table and stand there, silently cursing Thomson under my breath. "I bet you're pissed at me, aren't you? But, the truth is- the Texts state that only one of British descent can save all of us. And I know something that no one else does. You're not British. You're American." With this, people's eyes grow wide, and people began talking. "Yeah." Everyone stops what they're doing when they hear the sound of my voice and turn to face me. "Yeah. I'm American. But what the Hell does that have to do with anything?"

Thompson strides towards me, and stops in front of me. He says nothing. It's completely silent, then Thompson slaps me. I don't let him know that it hurt. He looks at me for a few more seconds, then he turns away from me, and walk out of the Great Hall, his friends following him.

"…I'm going to beat that kid- he had no right to treat you like that." "I know. And you're not going to beat up Thompson. Sure, he slapped me in front of everyone, but that's over. It hurt, but I'm not saying anything, am I?" I've recovered from what Thompson did, and I'm back on the table. It's now five-thirty, and I still need to do some things before I fight Tom. One thing is that I still need to tell everyone how it all started. Meanwhile, I have to calm my friends down. "Can you just calm down? Please?" "No." My younger brother is standing in front of me, wanting to beat Thompson within an inch of his life. "Bryce- I said no. How many times do I have to repeat myself-no means no. And that's final." He starts to protest, but I raise a hand to silence him. "No." Bryce then turns and sits down in front of me. Everyone else in the room starts to look interested. "…I guess all of you should know the truth…." Someone from the Ravenclaw area stands up. "What truth?" I motion the kid to sit, then I stand. "Some of you," I begin, "Believe that Tom shot a spell at me, one that transported me to James's time. Right?" Several people are nodding to each other, and I continue. "But, that's not what happened." I take a big breath and then continue. "I found a portal out in the Forbidden Forest. Curious, I walked up to it, and everything just…disappeared. I found myself standing in the same portal, but in a younger forest. Wondering what had happened to me, I began walking. A few minutes later, I came upon Emily in a clearing, alone. James, you know the rest." I then notice things floating around the students. "…We are proud of you, young one.-Rachel has informed us of your progress. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I am your ancestor. My name has been long known. I am the Heroine spoken of in the Texts. I am the one who has saved this Kingdom time and time again. I am…Helena. Come to me, young one." Everyone in the room steps back to the wall, including my friends.

The tables move to the sides, without any movement from anyone. I go to the woman standing before me, wondering exactly who she is. More spirits are surrounding her, and among them I see Morgan. "Sorry about what I said earlier, now you have to accept your fate." Helena floats towards me, looking curious. "So. This is the one who carries that blade of yours, Rachel. Not much to look at in the beauty department, but she'll do. Now, don't move." ….Beauty department? Are you kidding me? "It's not my fault that I lack the genes to look nice. The reason why my voice is like this is because I was born early. Too early. Because of that, I have all of these scars, as well." I begin to say more, but Helena is in front of me, right in front of me. Startled, I try to step back, but some unseen force stops me. "We will become one. Do not move, or you will meet a terrible fate." Helena then floats backwards, then flies straight at me.

….Welcome. I have been waiting for you. Your spirit is here with me. Like I said, we must become one. 'Helena is known throughout Heaven as being a true Saint. The true Heroine of the Texts. She's the one who fought at the first battle ever. Before this place was even built. I'm assuming that Rachel told you about this?" …She told me that this was once a battlefield, and lots of people died here…but no graves have ever been found. 'That's correct. These people were Mages and Druids, the earliest type of Magic-People. After they died, their bodies were brought to a sacred area of the Forest. When the rightful Savior enters that part of the Forest, they will come back to life, and fight for that person. Do you know what this means? Rachel did this during the Great War. Because she has recognized you as her descendant, you may raise these people from the dead. Helena' -Yes. I know. You have faced many hardships, overcame many things. These last few hours will test your very being. If you do not destroy Tom tonight, all will be lost. You might as well kill yourself if he hasn't killed you, because you will be broken beyond measure if he wins. Do you understand all of this? Good. Don't move.

"After telling your school how you began this quest, head to the Forest. I'll be waiting. Farewell."

The Great Hall

Five Hours Remain

"We saw this light….when we could see again, you were gone. And now you're back." "….I have to go to the Forest. Rachel is in the Texts, but there was one before her. Helena. She was one of the Mages that was here before Hogwarts was even an idea. She talked to me, and told me about these…people. I don't think anyone knows about these early people, but I know." I'm back in the Great Hall, still standing in the middle of it. I still haven't told everyone how I 'disappeared' but I'll get to that. I now have to tell people about what Morgan and Helena told me, before I forget about it. "These people," I begin, "Were called Mages and Druids. Their names are lost, but they are in the Texts. Problem is, the Texts are gone. Maybe they got destroyed. Maybe they didn't even exist." The talking starts back up, and I'm left to think about what I've said. I then notice a certain part of the Marble flooring is….wrong. There's a huge crack down the middle, and it looks natural. It's even got grass growing in it. Leaving everyone to talk amongst themselves, I walk over to this miss-colored section of the tiling. The moment I step on it, I notice that it sounds hollow. Something's here…but what? I can't seem to lift the marble by natural means, so I decide to try something. Rachel's symbol seems to be glowing, and, out of sheer curiosity, lower my right hand to the cracked tile.

No one knows what I'm doing, and I don't want them to know. This might be the greatest discovery of all time. After placing my right hand on the cracked marble, the floor opens up. I was right. The floor here is hollow. Dirt lines the wall and flooring of this chamber, it's about a foot deep, and a foot across. Why did no one find this earlier….wait…what is that? I pick up the object that is lying in this chamber, and lift it up to my lap. ….It looks like a book. What is it doing here? After gingerly brushing dirt and dust off the cover, I see these words: The Book of Texts: Tales of Magical Beings and Legendary People. I stare at the cover, then I open the book. Words then appear on the inside cover. This book was laid to rest here on The First Month, the Twentieth Day, in The Year of Our Lord, Twelve-Hundred and Two. To whoever finds this Book, whoever and whenever finds it, These Texts shall only be revealed when this spot is threatened by an evil being. Only one who is worthy shall lift the stone. One who bears this Marking. Rachel's symbol then slowly appears below the words. I then move my right hand to the inside cover, next to the symbol etched into it. Both my hand and the symbol on the page begin to glow, and the following seconds result in being blinded.

My vision slowly returns, but I notice something different. I'm not who I once was. I feel different. Like I belong here. Helena appears before me at this moment. 'Well done. Yes- you have found the Sacred Texts. The very same ones that I wrote myself. Now, tell the world what you have found, and keep it safe. It belongs to you now. But…' She flies over my head to float behind me. I turn my head to look at her. 'Your Sword…is not what it once was. Rachel thought that the Sword she held was its original form. What you have now is worthless.' She flies back to face me, even in my face, and I can't move or look away. 'That Sword was mine. I died looking at it, buried blade-first deep into the Man Who Threatened All. That was Abelson's ancestor. After I died, my people took my sword and hid it away. For two hundred years, my sword rested. In that time, the Enchantments that were bound to it drained away. Leaving a sword that had lost its power. Rachel managed to find it in 1423, but Died soon after her battle with Abelson Riddle- the ancestor of Lord Voldemort himself. After her death, my sword then rested in the Forest, but was moved to the eaves of Gryffindor Tower, where you found it a year ago today. Then after being cursed, Dublin erased your memories of you ever finding my sword, and let you find it in the Forest. After reclaiming the sword, your memories were restored to you, am I not correct?" I nod, and seeing this, she continues.

"Rachel then found you, and conducted a ritual that made the Creators recognize you as her ancestor. She restored some of the enchantments that my sword had lost all those years ago. After collecting your horse, you made your way here." Helena then floats away from me, then turns her head. "I believe the time has come. I think you are ready." Without any warning, Helena raises her arms –not again! - And….

Nothing happened to me, but I then notice that I'm standing. My sword and Shield are gone. I'm still holding the book. Helena is floating by the tapestries, waving her arms and saying things that I can't begin to decipher. I then notice that besides Helena, everything is quiet. Making up my, mind, I turn to face the crowd before me.

Silence. Then everyone sees the book that I am holding. "…..No." "It-it can't be!" "Is that…" "That book…" I stand there, then turn the book to face everyone. The words on the front are glowing. People suddenly seem afraid of me, I wonder why. Dumbledore comes forwards, gazing all the while on the book in my hands. "…The Book Of Texts: Tales of Magical Beings and Legendary People…My God…You have found the Book of Texts….History has been made to-day….." Everyone then notices the figure by the Long Table. "…Who is that?" "That," I say, letting everyone see the book. "That is Helena. The one who wrote the Texts herself. The one who fought here a long time ago. And died here. Why she hasn't shown up before, I don't know. But she is here now…" My voice drifts away as I realize that Helena is standing in front of me. "…You're…" She smiles at me. "Yes. I am alive. But only because of your family above. And my family as well." She then turns to face the group of Ghosts who are standing together. "Where are my friends?" She cries out. Nick comes forwards. "My lady," He exclaims, bowing to Helena, "Even in my time, you were spoken of as being a great Saint. I am honored to speak with you. As of your friends…they are in the Forest. Only you have been brought here."

Helena then goes nuts. That's all I can really tell you, I would if I remembered anything after she screamed something. I don't know if it was a few minutes or a few hours later that I slowly came back to myself. I wasn't knocked out or anything like that, something happened to me…