A/N: DISCLAIMER: I got the contest/show idea from the Muggle novel: 24/7 by Jim Brown. You really should read it – after I'm done this story. :) All the characters with magic blood are figments of J.K Rowling's imagination. All the other characters are mine – except for Dana, who starred as a poor working mother in 24/7. Enjoy!
HOGWARTS STUDENT: HARRY JAMES POTTER
Harry Potter hated Severus Snape.
That wasn't anything new in the least... he had despised the nasty professor since he had first entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
At least Lupin was back as the DADA professor. The parents of the Hogwarts students had finally realized that Voldemort was back. They had immediately decided that Dumbledore was a sort of idol– and everything he said – now was completely true. They were treating Dumbledore as he deserved to be treated, as a hero. And when Dumbledore invited Lupin back to Hogwarts – well there were some complaints, no question of it. Some adults thought that werewolves were closely associated with the general evil. But most trusted the "valiant Dumbledore"
Harry stared at the window, and watched the rain pound against it. And suddenly... in the pitch black darkness – well, there was a flash of white.
Harry quickly opened his window. Apparently, the sender of the unfamiliar snowy-white owl didn't want his owl to go to the Owlery. Strange, but not unusual. Perhaps the letter was private. He opened the large beige envelope, to find a sheet of legal white Muggle paper, as well as several letter-sized coloured sheets.
He looked at the white one first.
Dear Mr. Potter. You have been selected as one of the twelve contestants to compete in Timeline. Please report to the contestant box on 343 Sixty Second Street, (New York City) on July 12th. Your co-operation is appreciated. Please refer to the enclosed coloured sheets, for more information on this adventure.
Thoroughly mystified, he turned to the pink sheet
Welcome to the adventure of Timeline! You have been selected out of the millions of 16 year olds in Europe and North America, to have a chance to win 1 million American dollars, as well as your hearts desire.
One Million Dollars. What was that – a couple hundred thousand galleons?
Harry's eyes widened in wonder. And his hearts desire...
Harry James Potter's heart's desire was for Voldemort to be killed. Gone. Forever. The prophecy... if Harry won this stupid contest, and if he got his... heart's desire, would that suffice for the prophecy?
Probably.
And for the first time after Sirius's death, Harry James Potter gave a wide grin.
TIMELINE ENTRY FORM
NAME: HARRY JAMES POTTER
AGE: 16
OCCUPATION: STUDENT AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY.
SEX: MALE
CITY: NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND.
WORST FEARS: VOLDEMORT, DEMENTORS
HEART'S DESIRE: FOR VOLDEMORT TO DIE AND BE DEAD FOREVER; FOR ALL HIS SUPPORTERS TO BE LOCKED UP IN AZKHABAN, AND FOR THEM NEVER TO ESCAPE.
PARENTS: JAMES AND LILY POTTER
GUARDIANS (IF NOT PARENTS): VERNON AND PETUNIA DURSLEY, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
BIRTHDATE: JULY 31st 1987
SIBLINGS: NONE.
PHONE NUMBER: CAN'T REMEMBER.
MEDICAL CONDITIONS: NONE.
--- ---- ---- -- ---- -----------------
HOGWARTS STUDENT: RON BILIUS WEASLEY
Ron Weasley muttered in his sleep. "Seventy sixty.... Gryffindor... and keeper Ron W... hero for the day."
There was a clap of thunder.
Ron Weasley's eyes popped open. He sat up instantly, looked around, and then sighed. He would never go to sleep now. He looked at the second-hand watch that Molly had given him. Three o' clock in the morning. Damn.
He opened the hangings, and then realized that his best friend, Harry Potter, was also awake.
"Harry? Harry?" He saw a figure by the window.
"Harry!"
His friend gasped, and then relaxed once he saw the red-head.
"You scared me Ron."
"Sorry mate."
There was a tap at the window. Both boys turned and saw another owl, this time brown, knocking on the window.
"Poor little guy, let's take him inside."
The boys hurriedly opened the window to the small brown owl, who flew in with an air of relief. Ron took the owl's beige envelope while muttering "Wonder why he didn't go to the Owlery."
To Harry's shock, Ron pulled out a legal white sheet of Muggle paper, as well as a pink and blue one.
"Strange. Me – getting mail from Muggles?"
Ron's eyebrows went up as he read the white paper.
"Read this one now..." said Harry. Harry didn't want to read it... he didn't want to believe that he'd have to compete against his very best friend...
Ron wordlessly nodded, and Harry carefully examined Ron's face as he read the pink paper. Ron had suddenly dropped his letter.
"H-Harry, h-how much is a million US dollars?"
Harry's heart sank. "Round a couple hundred thousand galleons."
Ron's eyes closed for a few seconds. Harry knew what was passing through his best friend's heart. And when "Ronnie's" eyes opened again... they were different. Ron Weasley's eyes were void of their innocent and caring look. They were replaced by greed, shameless absolute greed.
"Harry."
Harry couldn't stand it anymore. He wordlessly reached into his pocket and pulled an identical opened envelope with pink, blue and white papers just peeking over the edge.
Ron stared in horror.
"No...."
Harry nodded.
"No!"
You see, when Ron Weasley was reading that pink sheet of paper, when he had realized that he could win one hundred thousand galleons, he had imagined all sorts of wealth; beautiful Weasley mansions, having pocketfuls of Galleons for Hogsmeade... all sorts of fantasies.
And he had just found out that the saviour and hero of the Wizarding world... the guy who had dueled with Voldemort... the boy who had single-handedly fought off a hundred Dementors... the guy who was his best friend... was going to competing against him – well lets just say that little Ronniekins "freaked out". He felt like killing Harry. But Ron still had a tiny bit of sanity left, and instead, he ran to his bed and closed the hangings.
Sorrowfully, Harry also returned to his bed.
Their friendship – which had been untouchable in the Daily Prophet Scandal and in front of Voldemort – was now in ruins.
TIMELINE ENTRY FORM
NAME: RON BILIUS WEASLEY
AGE: 16
OCCUPATION: STUDENT AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY.
SEX: MALE
CITY: NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND.
WORST FEARS: SPIDERS
HEART'S DESIRE: TO BE RICH.
PARENTS: MOLLY AND ARTHUR WEASLEY
GUARDIANS (IF NOT PARENTS): WHO DO YOU THINK I AM – HARRY POTTER?
BIRTHDATE: OCTOBER 25TH 1987
SIBLINGS: BILL, CHARLIE, PERCY, FRED, GEORGE, GINNY.
PHONE NUMBER: WHAT'S A PHONE?
MEDICAL CONDITIONS: NONE.
--- ---- ---- -- ---- -----------------
HOGWARTS STUDENT: DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY.
Meanwhile, Draco Lucius Malfoy was performing the most un-manly thing in the universe.
He was writing in a diary. Lucius had encouraged him to write in a "Journal" about the things he did against Muggles every day. Instead, the rebellious Malfoy had done the exact opposite thing, called his book a 'Diary', and decided to write his real thoughts in it.
Sure, he hated Muggles. Maybe it was because they were so helpless. Maybe it was because Lucius had droned to him a million times about it since he was two.... he didn't know.
What he did know for certain was that he would never, ever, go down so low to work for filth like Voldemort.
He would never become a Death Eater – not willingly at least. But he would never become so stupid to tell Lucius that. Lucius would amputate both his arms and legs, perform the Repairing curse, and then amputate them again.
Not exactly the greatest thing to go through. So Draco Malfoy was careful to appear devoted to the Dark Side in front of the Hogwarts students.
It was too much of a risk not to.
Draco frowned. An owl was by his window... that was rather out of order. Father usually sent his owls to the Owlery. The owls usually brought a series of gifts, so that the students of Hogwarts would assure themselves that the Malfoys were very wealthy... None of the gifts were demonstrations of love – more like demonstrations of wealth. He shrugged, and opened the window. The owl dropped his envelope and left.
He opened the envelope. Muggle Paper. Muggle paper. What kind of filthy moron Muggle would ever use an owl to mail him? Muggles didn't know about owls. Perhaps the sender was a wizard, who'd ran out of regular parchment and used Muggle paper instead..
Curiosity took over the blond boy, and he read the white sheet. This had to be a joke. New York? He hadn't been to New York since Narcissa had visited her relatives. He had been about five years old.
He read the pink sheet next. So it was a Muggle contest. A stupid, idiotic, Muggle contest. But the phrase 'one million dollars' stuck in his head.
How much was a million dollars?
Library.
The library would have information about Muggles – and Muggle currency.
--- ---- ---- -- ---- -----------------
HOGWARTS STUDENT: HERMIONE ANNE GRANGER
Hermione Anne Granger stared determinedly at the Ancient Runes textbook. The essay, she had to finish the essay...
It wasn't as if she was procrastinating. Far from it. She had stayed up until one (at least) every day since the Easter Break. She was just taking too many courses, almost twice as much as her friends Ron and Harry... Naturally, they couldn't see the point of talking Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, or even Arthimacy! But the courses were all so interesting so annoying appealing, that she had to take all of them.
Sighing, Hermione stared at the common room fire. The common room was empty of course; all the sane students had gone to bed. Suddenly, she remembered her mother.
"If you're tired... and you want to do more work, take a stroll. Physical fitness will always help you, even if it's a walk for ten minutes..."
A walk for ten minutes... well she could do just that. First to the kitchen... and then to the library (naturally).
"Hello miss!"
It was Dobby. She could see the other house elves hiding behind the corner; no doubt they were afraid she'd bring up SPEW again...
"It's okay... I'm too tired to convince them... May I have some ice cream Dobby!"
"Yes miss!" He saluted her (of all things!), and then brought up a huge chocolate ice cream sundae.
"Thank you Dobby."
After that, she decided to research her essay at the Library. The professor had agreed that they could do their essay on Muggle Ancient Runes as well... She trudged to the Muggle section, and received the greatest shock –
Draco Malfoy was sitting, cross-legged, in the Muggle section – intently reading a Muggle book.
"Ahem." He jumped, and displayed a fleeting look of fear. He quickly remembered to sneer.
"Why it's the Mudblood. Out of bed. What are you doing here, trying to get your Potions grade up? I assure you that Muggle Potions are non-existent... why don't you keep on walking?"
Her face darkened, remembering that she had got a horrible E in Potions because of Snape's attitude towards the Gryffindors. Draco had proudly displayed his O.
"I wouldn't talk if I were you. What are you doing in the Muggle section anyway?"
"None of your damn business." He stood up and walked towards her, glaring. "Move it Mudblood. You're blocking the way."
"Not until you tell me what--"
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
"Hey!" Draco had levitated her, and moved her to the right.
"Finite Incaetism!" she called, and she was placed on the ground again.
Draco smirked, and left, book in hand.
"Not so fast Mr. Malfoy," Hermione whispered. She was going to use a spell that no one knew about, not even Professor Dumbledore. She had somehow made the spell, just as Voldemort had invented Morsemordre.
"Libranium Recordia!" A book, that was made up of the same thing as ghost flesh, appeared in the air in front of her. It was a record of all the books that had left the Library. It was listed according to date, beginning with the most recent ones, and ending with Rowena Ravenclaw.
She traced the name at the very top. "Draco Malfoy. Slytherin. June 15, 2004. Book: Muggle Currency."
Muggle Currency? Muggle Currency! Why on earth would The Draco Malfoy want to know about Muggle Currency? Shrugging, she went to the common room, finished the essay in an hour, and went to the girls dorm, thinking:
...muggle currency...
--- ---- ---- -- ---- -----------------
DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY.
One million dollars was equivalent to five hundred thousand galleons.
His family currently only possessed around two hundred thousand galleons.
He would own more than two times as much. He would see the expression on his idiot father's face... when he bought the manor, and kicked his father out...
Now for the actual contest.
NAME: DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY
AGE: 16
OCCUPATION: STUDENT AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY.
SEX: YES PLEASE MALE
CITY: NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND.
WORST FEARS: VOLDEMORT
HEART'S DESIRE: FOR VOLDEMORT TO DISAPPEAR FOREVER; FOR FATHER TO BE IN AZKHABAN; FOR ME TO BEAT HARRY POTTER AT QUIDDITCH.
PARENTS: LUCIUS AND NARCISSA MALFOY.
GUARDIANS (IF NOT PARENTS): WHAT THE HELL?
BIRTHDATE: OCTOBER 4th 2004
SIBLINGS: NOPE.
PHONE NUMBER: HUH?
MEDICAL CONDITIONS: NONE.
--- ---- ---- -- ---- -----------------
HERMIONE ANNE GRANGER
Hermione Granger had finally finished her Ancient Runes essay. She had done poorly, she admitted. She must have spelt a word or two wrong in the five feet of cramped up writing.
She blamed her lack of concentration on the thought of Malfoy and his Muggle Currency book. Perhaps he was thinking about illegally trading with the Mafia. Yes that had to be it. But he hated Muggles...
She headed to bed, and saw an owl pecking at her window. It was a beautiful owl, and she was happy that the rain had cleared off. If the storm was still present, the poor owl would have drowned. She was a little puzzled why the owl didn't go to the Owlery. But she opened the window anyways, and took the envelope from its beak.
It was a sort of beige colour... and when she opened it, she saw Muggle Paper – of different colours.
Her heart skipped a beat. Daddy... he was the only one who sent blue and pink paper... to cheer her up...
Mr. Granger was currently fighting for the Muggle British in the Iraqi war. She had only seen him at the beginning of last summer – the summer after fourth year. She had not seen her father in ten months – and she had only received four letters in that time. Being a war-medical officer was not a good job for a dentist... but Mr. Granger had proudly declared that he would do anything for his country.
But the sheets were typed – they couldn't be from her father...
By the time Hermione Granger had finished reading the sheets of paper – she had tears in her eyes. She could win her hearts desire – for the Muggle Iraqi War to stop... for her beloved Daddy to come home...
And her worst fear? Well there were two... number one was for her family and two best friends to be killed, and number two was failing Hogwarts.
NAME: HERMIONE ANNE GRANGER
AGE: (TURNING SEVENTEEN ON THE 7TH OF JULY)
OCCUPATION: STUDENT AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY.
SEX: FEMALE
CITY: NEAR LONDON, ENGLAND.
WORST FEARS: MY FAMILY AND HARRY POTTER AND RON TO BE KILLED; FAILING SCHOOL...
HEART'S DESIRE: FOR THE IRAQI WAR TO END, FOR BENEDICT GRANGER TO COME HOME FROM THE WAR.
PARENTS: BENEDICT AND JENNIFER GRANGER
GUARDIANS (IF NOT PARENTS): N/A
BIRTHDATE: JULY 7TH 2004.
SIBLINGS: NONE.
PHONE NUMBER: HOME: 737-1137
MEDICAL CONDITIONS: NONE.
------ -------
MUGGLE – BOBBY TELEKOL
A week before the first day of Timeline , Bobby Telekol was sitting on his couch. He was lazily switching the channels... and he stopped at a preview of Timeline. There was a creak heard from the ceiling, but Bobby ignored it. The apartment creaked all the time. Two minutes later, Bobby remembered that he still had to close up his wife's shop. Sally was at her shop right now, but he'd promised to come help her before eight.
Groaning, he put on his leather jacket, and yawned. His Toyota reached the shop in a minute.
But there were already some people in it. And Bobby Telekol suddenly didn't want to go in anymore. There were green lights flashing in the shop – and sudden screams.
Bobby, a quick thinker at heart, quietly got out a video camera from the car's trunk, and hid behind a garbage can. There were voices.
"A great catch my Lord."
"Yes, my Lord, did you see that Muggle girl's face. When she saw us..."
"Yes Wormtail. Lucius... do you think that was a great catch?"
"Uh... well..."
"We had killed thousands fifteen years ago... and now you start celebrating when we have killed three."
"No, Master--"
"Crucio!"
The Malfoy writhed on the floor... and the other man left him there for a minute.
"Lucius. Do not fill yourself with puny ideas of making fun of Muggles. We shall kill a countless number of them, hundreds at a time. And after the event in July, it'll be better than the old days. Do you hear me Lucius? Better. Brace yourself, wizarding world. Lord Voldemort is back..."
Bobby Telekol didn't read fiction. He firmly believed that true knowledge was the only thing worth reading. Unlike his twelve and sixteen year old daughters, he had never read a 'Harry Potter' or a 'Lord of the Rings' book in his life. But what he had just experienced – it sounded just like a fiction book.
He had hurried in the shop, and found three customers dead by the milk stand, and his wife hiding behind the fence with no shoes on. Then, the couple had phoned 911, and gone home. They had sat in rocking chairs, silently staring at the fire, while their daughters read Harry Potter Number Five, and Lord of the Rings Number Three.
Later, they decided that their daughters should go to sleep, so they had attempted to take away the books.
When told, the sixteen year old put away her Lord Of The Rings book, stating that it bored her anyways. But the other daughter...
"But daaaad!"
"No buts. You have school tomorrow!"
"But I'm almost done! Harry's just met Lucius at the Department of Mysteries!"
"That's nice." Sarcasm was evident, but apparently Laurie didn't catch it. Of course the name Lucius was chillingly familiar... but he ignored it.
"Yes, and Cassi said he's going to meet Voldemort soon!"
His hand was on the light, and suddenly he froze. "Who?"
"Voldemort. He's the evilest wizard who likes to kill Muggles and who wants to kill Harry!"
"Muggles?" Another very familiar word.
"Non-magic people!"
"Does he... kill a lot?"
"He killed some people in this book. But he killed thousands fifteen years ago."
"Aah. Good night Laurie." He had to read that book... he had to...
"Can't I read for just one more minute?"
He smiled sadly and took the book from her hands. "No, you can finish it tomorrow..."
He walked to his own room, and started reading.
"It was a hot summer day..."
He finished the book in eight hours. Sleep had been ignored. He could not believe that this book... written by this J.K Rowling was actually true.
He needed to inform somebody about the Muggle slaying the day before... He needed to inform a wizard...
Number 4 Privet drive... where was that? Didn't the street a couple of blocks away... was the name Privet? He got out the Toyota, brought his video camera and tape with him, and sped away.
Two minutes later, he was staring at the Dursley house. It really did have a nice lawn... and the flower bed was well kept as well.
He rang the bell. A skinny rather bony sort of person opened the door.
"Yes?" Her eyes were narrowed. He realized that if this were indeed the Dursleys, Petunia Dursley would be a very suspicious character. He smiled cheerfully.
"Petunia Dursley?" She nodded. "Oh I'm just stopping by, I live a few blocks away..."
Her eyebrows were raised. "Yes... well, we're conducting a London Government survey on teenage children."
Relief dawned on her face, and Petunia, smiling, let Bobby in.
"Yes we have a boy here."
"Really? What's his name?"
"Dudley Dursley."
"That's strange... the neighbour... Mrs Figg... she said two boys were living here."
"Uhh well... ahh... there is another one. His name is Harry. But he's not worth talking to..."
He grinned cheekily. "Ahh but ma'am, you see, we need to record everybody. It's a government media survey... do you mind if your children go on television?"
"Oh, Harry's not mine... He can't but – Dudley can!"
"Alright then. May I talk to each boy privately?"
"Yes... of course."
Then she lead him to Dudley Dursley's room. The boy, once learning that he would be on television, behaved well... but Bobby knew more about Dudley's attitude from the Potter books. He was finished with the fat boy in five minutes. He nodded politely, and then headed to the room across Dudley's. Harry's room.
Harry Potter was sitting on his bed, staring out the window.
"Good morning. Harry Potter?"
The boy jumped up, startled.
"Thought so. Your parents think I'm doing a sort of London survey... so let's keep it down."
"Uh... okay. Who are you? I don't remember seeing you before." Harry's hand was in his pocket, no doubt reaching for his wand...
"That's because I'm a Muggle!"
"A Muggle who knows about magic?"
"Just about... Listen, I didn't come here for no reason. There's an emergency regarding Voldemort."
The atmosphere grew more tense, and the boy's eyes grew wider. "Let me see your arm first."
Bobby rolled up his sleeve. Harry noticed the absence of a Dark Mark – and then motioned him to continue. He rewound the video tape, set the camcorder on VCR and pressed Play...
Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Mrs. Figg... do you know her?
"Sure."
"Well she's got a telephone. We can go to the Headquarters." Harry blankly looked at him. "You'll need an Invisibility Cloak."
"Err... Of course."
He passed Bobby a cloak, and headed downstairs. Bobby followed him, with the cloak covering him. Harry savagely told his aunt "I'm going out. The survey guy's already left."
Without waiting for a reply, he slammed the door, ran to the neighbour's house, and knocked on her door.
Bobby removed the cloak, and Mrs. Figg opened the door.
"Can we use your phone? There's been an emergency."
"Yes of course..."
Harry dialed some numbers, and Bobby stared at him. He still couldn't believe that he was staring at a boy from a fiction book.
"Allo Lupin. I have a Muggle with me... could you come down here for a second? Alright thanks."
Harry stood expectantly at the door, and seconds later, Remus Lupin opened it. He was even more poorly clothed than Bobby had pictured him to be. But the books hadn't mentioned the kind and warm look on the professor's face.
"Nice to meet you. Bobby Telekol. I'm a Muggle."
Lupin smiled, but raised his eyebrows. "A Muggle who knows about magic, huh. Well, what's the problem?"
"Voldemort."
Lupin's eyes widened, and the atmosphere grew more tense again.
"What about him?"
"Something happened last night. In the neighborhood."
You could hear a pin drop in that silence...
"In this neighborhood?" Harry whispered.
"Yes."
"Well we can't very well discuss it here then," said Lupin grimly.
"Where should we go?" Then, taking a deep breath, he added: "Number Twelve Grimmauld Place?"
Harry and Remus, who had been previously looking at each other – stared at Bobby.
"You read the books."
"Yes. But I have a question. If Voldemort reads the books, he'll know everything."
"Exactly. But he can't. The books have a spell on them, whoever's a Death Eater, Voldemort, or even anyone who has the intention to harm the Good... if they read even the first sentence, they'll burst into flames."
This time, Bobby's eyebrows were raised. "Who cast THAT spell?"
"It's not a spell... it's a prophecy. We'll give it to you at Grimmauld."
The reality of it all finally hit Bobby. He had met characters from a fiction book, and he was going to leave his family (for a hopefully short period of time) to go to their headquarters.
"So, what will we use? Portkey?"
"Naahh... we'd have to register it with the Ministry."
"Ahh."
"We'll take the Floo to around two miles away from the Headquarters."
Bobby swallowed. "Floo. That's the walking-in-green-flames-thing... right?"
Harry gave him a sympathetic look. "Don't worry. You'll be fine."
Two hours later, he had met Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger and ate the famous delicious food of Molly Weasley. Then, with the entire Weasley family (and others) around the dining table, he asked if they could spare a video tape, some cables, and a TV screen.
All heads pointed to Mr. Weasley, and he proudly stated that he had found all three in a second-hand Muggle store.
The adults had an Order of Phoenix meeting after that, while Bobby transferred the recording from his camcorder to a video-tape.
And then, with all thirty Grimmauld residents sitting on couches and mattresses... Bobby gulped, closed his eyes, and pressed Play.
[Screams]
[Silence]
"A great catch my Lord."
"Yes, my Lord, did you see that Muggle girl's face. When she saw us..."
"Yes Wormtail. Lucius... do you think that was a great catch?"
"Uh... well..."
"We had killed thousands fifteen years ago... and now you start celebrating when we have killed three."
"No, Master--"
"Crucio!"
[Male screams]
The Malfoy writhed on the floor... and the other man left him there for a minute.
"Lucius. Do not fill yourself with puny ideas of making fun of Muggles. We shall kill a countless number of them, hundreds at a time. And after thee vent in June, it'll be better than the old days. Do you hear me Lucius? Better. [Evil Laughter]
Brace yourself, wizarding world. Lord Voldemort is back..."
There was a silence, and the viewers stared at the now-blank screen. It was easy enough to accept that Voldemort was back. But they had forgotten over the course of fifteen years... the return of Voldemort didn't just mean dueling with Death Eaters. The Return of Voldemort meant thousands of deaths of people who didn't even know that Voldemort existed...
Muggle: Dana MiRchevov
"Dana? Dana!"
"Yes Mina?"
"My tummy hurts."
"I know, but the doctor gave some pills... you had them... the stomach ache will clear out in an hour..."
"But it hurts!"
Dana Mirchevov was sixteen years old. She had lost her mother and father, becoming an orphan at 14. At 15, she had dropped out of school to get a job, and to take care of her little sister. She had no time for parties, or boys – as she had to behave like a mother all the time.
Dana was currently on welfare, and worked at three part-time jobs. On Mondays to Fridays, she worked from eight in the morning until one in the afternoon as a GAP salesclerk. In the afternoon, she worked until six at Silver City Movie Theatres. On Saturdays, she worked at the library for ten hours. On Sundays – she was off. Well, not completely off. She had to take care of her eight year old sister – who had a disease that she couldn't even pronounce.
Mina had two tubes sticking out of her stomach, and the doctors had blamed it on her great-grandfather, who had died from that exact disease. The doctors had explained to Dana that they had found a cure – but it hadn't been tested yet. It would be tested in Finland on a group of kids – but it would be years before they gained approval for the cure. Meanwhile, they would give Mina pain relief-pills.
Then, they had quietly told Dana that if no cure was given to Mina, she wouldn't live to see her teen years.
Dana's heart had started to act like a timer, an alarm clock evilly counting down the seconds until Mina, beloved innocent Mina – would die.
Dana sat down on a wooden chair and looked into a crooked mirror. She did not know that she could be beautiful; as she had thought all of beauty and society activities irrelevant when Mina's disease had begun. She was mature beyond belief – she did the laundry, cooked, and bought supplies with her own pocket-money.
Today was Sunday, so Mrs. Tilia was out. Mrs. Tilia had kindly offered to take care of Mina while Dana was at work.
Reading the newspaper was about the only source to knowledge Dana had of extremist activities around the world. She had one best friend – Jane Whitt, but lately, she had started to "shy away" from Jane. Jane had started to wear tight clothes, clothes of a stereotypical teenager. Jane had started offering Dana some of these clothes – but Dana had politely declined.
She usually wore a pear of baggy jeans and a white XL shirt to cover her small frame.
The newspaper...
She opened the door and stuck her hand in the old mailbox.
There was something else besides the old Ottawa Citizen. An envelope... a beige envelope, with coloured sheets peeking out.
A contest? And she was selected out of the millions of sixteen and seventeen year olds in North America and Europe? Perhaps it was a mistake... who would ever choose her?
And all that was irrelevant... how could she join a show when she had to take care of Mina?
But like Malfoy, curiosity took over her. She wouldn't join, sure, but it wouldn't hurt to just look at that pink paper. And as the orphan read the crisp pink paper, her heart skipped a beat.
One million dollars. And her heart's desire.
No more welfare. No more poor jobs at $7.50 an hour. One million dollars.... she could own a mansion!
And her heart's desire... there was a group of people who would be first tested with the cure of Mina's disease... if Mina could be part of that Finland group...
She laughed.
Hope was on the way...
NAME: DANA MILCHEVOV
AGE: 16
OCCUPATIONS: GAP SALESCLERK, WORKER AT SILVER CITY AND AT THE OTTAWA PUBLIC LIBRARY.
SEX: FEMALE
CITY: OTTAWA, CANADA.WORST FEARS: FOR ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO MINA
HEART'S DESIRE: FOR MINA TO BE ACCEPTED IN THE FINLAND TEST GROUP FOR HER DISEASE.
PARENTS: KRISTINA AND DEREK MILCHEVOV (BOTH DECEASED)
GUARDIANS (IF NOT PARENTS): ?
BIRTHDATE: SEPTEMBER 1ST 1987
SIBILINGS: (SISTER) MINA MILCHEVOV
PHONE NUMBER: 737-1111
MEDICAL CONDITIONS: NONE
The date of the first Timeline show day grew closer. The contestants were mailed New York plane tickets. Each of them looked at the upcoming date with anxiety and excitement. None of them (with the exception of Harry and Ron) knew who any of the other contestants were.
Hermione Granger had puzzled over Ron and Harry's sudden broken relationship; they spent all their time glaring at teach other. Meanwhile, Hermione was very proud that she had been accepted in the contest – from half the globe.
She wondered who the other contestants were, and assumed that she was probably the only one from Great Britain.
The contestants were supposed to report to the contestant box on the day before the first show. They were each greeted separately, by eager Muggle Timeline staff.
Bobby Telekol, a London Muggle reporter, declared that magic was real on CNN. He had starred on the news program with Remus Lupin and Mad-Eye Moody, to announce that Voldemort was real, and to tell the Muggle Public to watch their back.
Draco Malfoy winced when a Muggle told him that he'd have to go through 'tests'. He was not a coward, but he preferred the Muggle Healers. He accepted his choker-cam: a personal video camera worn on the neck like a choker necklace – solemnly, while silently marveling how 'idiotic filth' could come up with these genius ideas.
Harry Potter went through the tests impatiently; he knew that they had to check for the absences of diseases and drugs – but he seemed to think that the quicker he tapped his foot – the quicker he'd defeat Voldemort.
The other contestants all accepted their positions differently. But all of them were excited for the contest to begin....
A/N: Told you it'd be long ;).The other ones won't be nearly as long as this one though.