Summary: In a fit of fear, Harry Potter disappears from his abusive aunt and uncle's nearing his seventh birthday and lands hundreds of years in the past. Eventual Rowena Ravenclaw/Harry Potter

CHAPTER ONE: HEALING

Healing - the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again

Harry woke in a bed, a real bed and not a cot that Vernon had thrown into the cupboard. When he woke, his body felt sore but better than he did when Vernon was beating his poor body.

The room he was in was old-looking but cozy. A soft blanket, in shades of emerald green, covered his body and matched the handmade curtains blowing in the breeze. There were two doors in the room, one was next to an antique dresser with finely carved handles and the other faced opposite of the window.

Strangely enough, Harry could spot no sign of light fixtures or other things. An old-style lantern hung above the main doorway and a candle burned on the dresser. It was all very strange.

Harry kicked his foot out from the blankets, swinging over the side of the cozy bed. His feet were sock and shoeless and he wore strange, strange clothes. He wore old looking clothes, a long brown night shirt and light brown trousers. Tied to his right ankle was a thin gold string with a low-hanging blue jewel tied to it. He reached down and touched it gently.

As he touched the gem, he heard a door swinging and snapped his eyes up. A girl, younger than him, stood in the doorway with a surprised look on her face. Her hair was ink black and her eyes were a cool blue-grey. In her shaky hands was a tray with a pitcher and a bowl on it.

"Mama!" The girl shouted, swinging to look behind her. "He's awake!" She spoke strangely, like in some Victorian tilt in her vowels but Harry was too shocked to say anything as a woman, identical in appearance to the girl, strode in.

"Dear, you're awake,: The woman murmured, hurrying over to fret over him. "Still, boy, still." She demanded and Harry stopped wiggling. She muttered something soft under her breath and Harry was surprised to see the anklet glow gently and turn a pure white color.

"What was that?" Harry asked loudly.

The woman stepped back, surprise in her warm blue eyes and worried her hands in her long, darker green cotton dress. "Your core must be strong." The woman said, half talking to herself.

"Who are you?" Harry asked. "Where am I?"

His questions seemed to shake her awake and hurried over to stop his wiggling once more. "Enough, boy. Settle." Her eyes turned sharp. "My daughter, Eveline, found you half dead in our forest." She smoothed back his hair, scanning his scar. "You were beaten quite thoroughly."

Harry shrank away from the woman, mind turning to his uncle. "Oh no," Harry whispered. His aunt and uncle would surely kill him now. He didn't understand how he ended up in a forest of all things, but knew that only pain was in his future.

"I need to get home," Harry said, slightly louder than a whisper.

"I think not." The woman said haughtily. "Lay down. Healed or not, you need rest." Harry looked at her and immediately covered himself in the blankets at the stern look in her eyes. She didn't seem like a woman to go against. "Good." She hummed, smoothing his hair. "My name is Selene."

"Harry, ma'am." Harry said quietly. "Harry Potter."

She raised her eyebrows slightly but said nothing. "I see." She studied him slightly. "I won't be sending you back, boy." He gaped at her. "I'm no fool. I know abuse when I see it." Harry looked in her eyes and saw that she did understand. There was a solemnness there and with a quick nod, he accepted her help.

Selene's hands were warm as she pressed her hands to his forehead and muttered words in that strange language again. To Harry's pleasure, more light came from her hands. Magic he figured and he was fascinated by it. After a few moments, Selene spoke again.

"You haven't a clue about magic, do you?" She said gently. "Did your mother and father never tell you?"

Harry was shocked but tried to brush it off. "No - no, ma'am. I'm not magic." He hesitated. "My parents, they died in a car crash."

Selene frowned. "What in Morgana's great name is a car?"

A loud crash came from the next room and an irritated look flitted on the older woman's face. Shaking her head, she muttered under her breath and stood. She gave Harry a stern look but left the room with a hurry.

Harry had a terrible suspicion something was wrong. There seemed to be no electricity in this home with these people wearing strange clothing and a grown woman didn't know about cars? It was like he was thrown back in time but that was impossible. Right?

Harry had a few minutes to mull over those thoughts before the door opened again and Selene entered the room with a tall, broad man. He was handsome with the same dark hair but his eyes were a sharp, emerald green. Behind them, the girl poked her head in along with the face of a young man with dark hair.

"Go," The man said sternly. Both children pouted but disappeared. Selene stayed standing at the doorway but the man pulled an old chair up to the bed. "Harry, is it?" The man, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir," Harry said politely, gripping the blanket tightly.

Wrinkles appeared by the man's eyes when he smiled and it relaxed Harry just a touch. "My name is Arnold, Arnold Slytherin. You've met my wife, Selene, obviously and my daughter." He studied Harry carefully. "What year is it, Harry?"

"1987, sir." Harry replied. "I'm not quite sure the date, sir. How long was I asleep?"

Arnold paused, pursing his lips. "Harry, son, the date is May 19th, 987." Harry stilled, his eyes widening.

"N-No, tha-that's impossible." Harry stuttered, his knuckles going white. "No, Mr. Slytherin, that would mean-"

"That you travelled in time," Arnold said seriously. "Which also explains why you slept for so long. Your magical core must nearly be depleted, but my wife tells me it's in healthy condition which means - " He paused, a bit dramatically Harry though, "That something dreadful must have happened to you, something so awful that Magic deemed it necessary to pull you from your time to ours."

"I can't have magic," Harry whispered. "I-I'm just Harry, sir. I'm a nobody. A freak."

Harry stared down at the green blankets tightly, eyes watering. Both Selene and Arnold said nothing until a hand was placed on Harry's shoulder and he looked up to gaze into emerald green eyes.

"You're safe here, boy." Arnold said quietly. "No harm will come to you." His eyes turned darkly serious. "And you are no more freakish than myself and my family." A few tears slipped from Harry's eyes and he nodded at the older man.

"Yes, sir." Harry whispered.

"The sir is unnecessary, Harry." Arnold said gently. "Simply call me Arnold."

"Ok, Arnold." Harry said after a pause. Their quiet, comfortable silence was broken up by a hard knock at the door.

"Can we come in now, Da?" A young girl's voice came through the door. Selene sighed tiredly but let the two children in.

"My daughter, Eveline," Arnold said, pointing out the door. She gave a little half curtsy and smiled at him. "And my son, Salazar."

"Is it true you traveled through time?" Salazar demanded. "How?"

"Salazer!" Selene said loudly, rapping him on the back on the head. "Forgive my boy, Harry. He has no manners."

Harry grinned as Salazar scowled at his mother and turned jade eyes to Harry. "Well?" Salazar asked again, a bit nicer.

"I don't know." Harry said. "I just - I really wanted to be somewhere safe."

Salazar studied Harry with eyes too similar to Arnold's. "I s'pose you made it then." He huffed, then tapped his head thoughtfully. "I've always wanted a brother. Sisters are far too delicate."

"I am not," Eveline said loudly, shoving her brother. "Fool."

"Brother?" Harry repeated. "Am I - Am I allowed to stay?"

"Well," Selene said softly. "Where else would you go?" Her eyes were gentle, warm. "Would you like to stay, Harry?"

Harry breathed deeply, eyes wide as he looked at the small family before he beamed. "Yes, I'd like that very much."