Chapter One: Candles, Dreams and Parchment

The candles flickered wildly around the small, dark room, illuminating the signs on the wall. Posters and pictures of celtic symbols and five pointed stars. Even buddist good luck symbols adorned the walls. In the center, a figure sat cross legged on the floor, her white hands rested themselves on her lower thighs. She was sitting, with her back straight, her eyes closed. Her black almost blue hair stretched down her back, her pale but lightly freckled face was placid and serene (taking on a surreal quality). The wind blew forcefully though her broken window from out of nowhere blowing out the candles in one successful puff. The young woman's dark eyes flashed opened. Still, betraying nothing of her thoughts.

The girl sat there not blinking, focusing on something that not was not entirely there.

Screams, dreadful screams erupted in her mind and several pains that shot to her forehead and her spine racketed her body and swept through like a wraith. Then the girl's mind swept across a vision, one of a boy she didn't now. He had black hair, green eyes and a scar shaped like a lightning bolt, below his right temple. He had one knee on the ground and was leaning on a sword, and there were pools of crimson blood at his feet. Then the vision fled as quickly as it came.

The girl seemed to come back to conciousness and her eyes focused on the wall in front of her. The air was still and smelled of the already burnt out candles. The girl sat rubbing her palms and pondering the vision.

A squawking noise broke her treasured silence. She looked out her open window, to find a small, frown ball of fluff spirling towards her carpet. She reached for the thing carefully, and found it was a tiny owl which carried a letter in its minute claws. She scrutinized the letter. The actual letter was of a heavy parchment with a wax seal that wasn't familiar. As soon as she had the letter the owl flew off, spinning in the opposite direction. On the front of the envelope in dark green ink was her name and her address. She cracked the unknown seal and proceeded to scan the letter.

'It's not like I haven't been through wierder things than this.'

Dear Miss,

We have knowledge of your capabilities and skills. We are in need of speciality teachers this year, so in lieu of that we would be pleased to have you here. If you wish to join the staff you can catch the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 3/4 at London Central Station at 9:00 AM on September the 1st.

Sincerely,

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

The girl dropped the parchment like it was a blazing fire trying to burn her fingertips off.

"What do they want with me? I'm only seventeen." She mummbled picking the letter off the floor and placing it on her desk. Her second thoughts were, 'What is this school of witchcraft and wizardry, hell I'm wiccan and a witch, why wasn't I told about it? And who in hellfires is Albus Dumbledore?'

The very next day, which happened to be August 25th, she found herself facing five of her closest friends, all of them proclaming it was an opportunity of a lifetime.

"But..." the girl tired to explain, she didn't' want to go, everything she needed was right here, a job (a part time waitress and art student), a house, her friends, the order...she didn't need to go half way around the world for some stunt. 'In London, England for crying out loud, why me?'

"No buts sweetie, it'll be fun." Her best friend Celia pinned her blue eyes on her.

"Easy for you to say. Your dream had always been to go to England and meet your dream guy, Cel, me I'd rather be where I can see my feet."

"Oh come on, it will be fun." The longhaired, brown eyed man said across from her.

She couldn't win against them, it was impossible and she knew it. What ever she said, they'd rebuke, they, especially Robert and Cel were notorious for that.

"Oh fine."

"That's a good girl." Added Celia padding her on the back.

"So when do you leave." Mathus, who had sat motionless as well as emotionless the whole time, opened his mouth.

"Probably tomorrow, if I can get a flight."

"Great, so let's get you packing." Robert said a smirk spreading across his tanned face.

"You're not letting me out of this are you?"

"Damn straight, we're not!" Was the chuckled reply.