Chapter 1: A Fresh Start
The past month and a half had been a whirlwind for Sairina. What she had discovered was a portal between her home in Minas Tirith to a school for young witches and wizards in another time and realm. The headmaster of the school, a man named Albus Dumbledore, had talked to her parents and convinced them into letting her attend at the start of the next term because she was of age. She had also received lessons in a language called English. While when it was spoken, it sounded greatly like the common tongue of Middle-Earth, the script for writing was completely new and different as well as the different names for months and the year that it was. While she could speak two forms of Elvish, the common tongue, and a bit of Rohirric, she tended to struggle at first with this new written script, but eventually grasped a decent hold on the language.
She stood now, next to her tutor, a Professor McGonagall, on the first day of term waiting for the other first years to arrive. She was wearing in her new school robes idly spinning her new wand with her fingers, remembering the strange happenings of the last two months. The trip to Diagon Alley stood out most prominent in her mind. There were so many things to see and experience. It was there that she and Dumbledore had bought her supplies. The events that happened when she bought her wand, however, stood out the most in her mind.
/0/0/
The shop was small and dusty, and the old man, Ollivander, reminded her of her father's dear friend, Legolas, one of the last remaining elves in Middle-Earth. He was quiet, yet one could sense he had a great deal of power hidden beneath the surface. His movements were graceful, and his eyes would pierce the soul. He studied Sairina intently.
"I have been waiting a long time for you to arrive," he said as she entered the shop, "Your wand has been ready for centuries." He pulled out a long thin box and set it one the counter. Sairina opened it gently and pulled out the silvery wand. She gasped at the beauty of it.
"Sixteen inches, wood of a Mallorn tree, a very unusual core," he murmured, "While most of my other cores are dragon heartstrings, phoenix tail feathers, or hair of unicorns, this one was specially crafted just for you, my dear. This core is a braid of hair, not from one person, but three." Sairina looked at him intently, "They came to me in a dream years ago telling me that you were coming. When I awoke I had the wood to make the wand, and the braid to make the core. The braid is composed of the hair of Lady Galadriel, Lord Elrond, and the white wizard, Gandalf. Do they sound familiar to you? I thought they would. Well go on, give it a wave." He seemed more excited than Sairina about waving her wand; he seemed to be anticipating the great power that this strange and very unusual wand held. Sairina complied and silver and gold sparks shot from the end.
"Good, just as I suspected; this wand will be excellent for charms," he murmured, "That will be 16 Galleons."
/0/0/
She continued to stand, looking at the floor, and twirling her wand through her fingers idly, when the sounds of footsteps reached her ears. She looked up, about a hundred other eleven year olds were making their way to where she and McGonagall stood, and they were being led by the tallest man she had ever seen. Granted, he wasn't as tall as an ent (which she had seen once), but he was still tall enough to dwarf everyone by at least four feet.
"'Ere you are, 'fessor McGonagall," he said in a booming, yet gentle, strongly accented voice, "I'll be leavin' the firs' year with you." He turned and walked away with huge strides. Professor McGonagall then went on to explain that they were to wait until they were prepared in the Great Hall for them and left with the swish of her robes. Sairina prayed to the Valar that nobody would notice that she had been standing here early. Her prayers weren't answered.
"Hi," somebody said in a chipper voice to her right, "My name is Lily Evans, what's yours?" Sairina turned. Standing to her right was a girl with fiery red locks and dazzling emerald eyes. Lily, as she had introduced herself, had a warm smile on her face and an outstretched hand. Sairina took it and shook it carefully.
"Sairina Telcontar," she said proudly, not that anyone here would ever realize she was indeed a princess (which she was thankful for).
"I don't remember seeing you on the train," she said curiously and Sairina began to panic but somehow managed to keep her cool exterior.
"I missed it," she repeated the lie Professor Dumbledore had told her to use, "My family is new in this part of the world, and we don't quite know our way around yet. We got lost in our attempt to find King's Cross so the headmaster allowed me to floo here."
"Oh," she said and looked confused, "you'll have to excuse me but, I'm what they call muggle-born, so I don't know what floo is." Sairina smiled and relaxed a bit. So Lily was new to this whole school of magic thing too.
"I didn't know either until he showed me," Sairina said excitedly, "It's a way of travel through chimneys . . ."
"I dare say," someone interrupted, "it looks like we have got ourselves a couple of mudbloods here." The voice was sneering and cold and sent visible chills down Sairina's spine. Standing just a little ways off was a boy with greasy black hair and a long hooked nose.
"What do you mean by mudblood?" Sairina asked sharply thinking that this boy was insulting her heritage. The dark haired boy snickered.
"What he means is you are filthy, disgusting, low down, no good . . ." the boy continued on and Sairina began to lose her temper, which was normally of a calm disposition like her mother's. But nobody insulted the house of Telcontar and lived to tell the tale.
"Lathron nin, istahain na . . ." she began chanting but her incantation was interrupted by another boy shouting.
"Flippendo," somebody roared and the two tormentors were thrown backwards. Both Lily and Sairina rounded to see who had done it. Sairina could not believe it; it just wasn't fair for them to exist in both worlds!
Standing just a little ways off was a group of four smug-looking boys, who strangely reminded Sairina of four other boys whom she was glad to be rid of. The boy in front had messy short black hair, circular glasses, burning hazel eyes and was twirling his wand triumphantly. To his right was another boy with dark locks which were much longer than the first boy's and had dazzling blue eyes. To the left of the first boy, was a lanky boy with shaggy sandy locks and pale weary blue eyes. To the left of him was a small round boy with watery weak looking blue eyes. Sairina couldn't believe it.
The Trastahíl were going to haunt her steps until the day she died.
"No need to thank us, my ladies," said the first boy making a sweeping mock bow while the other boys tried to hide their mirth, "I do what I can to help damsels in distress." Sairina may have been a damsel, but there was no way she was in distress.
"Good, because I wasn't intending on thanking you," she sail coolly crossing her arms, the look on the boys' faces dropping, "I had it all well under control for your information. I was about ready to finish an incantation that would have robbed these thaur laes of their manhood." This of course was a lie, it really only would have caused them pain, but Sairina had a point to prove that she was not defenseless. All the boys within earshot gulped audibly.
"What's a 'tar lay'?" asked the round boy.
"No, Peter, she didn't say 'tar lay' she said thaur laes," said the blonde boy, "Although I do admit that I am curious as to what it means." He looked at her intently. For the briefest moment Sairina and the boy made eye contact. Suddenly she could feel his weariness, his sorrow, and his pain. He was a tortured soul who didn't desire help.
Before Sairina could say anything, Professor McGonagall reentered. She motioned the massive group of students to follow her.
Sairina was awestruck as she looked about the hall. There were enchanted candles floting everywhere and the ceiling looked like the night sky which was cloudless and beautiful on this night. The banners of the four houses decorated the walls and there were ghosts floating everywhere. The group came to a halt in front of the staff table where a stool and a ratty old hat were sitting. To the surprise of many of the first years, a huge rip in the hat opened and the hat began to sing.
Welcome to you! I'm glad you're here!
It is time to begin another wonderful year!
Ages ago when the school was new
The four founders knew what to do.
Godric Gryffindor looked for the brave at heart
In his mind courage is what set his students apart.
Rowena Ravenclaw admired the strength of the brain
To her, studies were the key domain.
Salthazar Slytherin desired students of cunning
To him this attribute was the most stunning.
Helga Hufflepuff sought for kindness and cheer
For her these two things were the most dear.
As time wore on they began to see
That they wouldn't be here for all eternity.
They need to find a way to sort the new
After their lives were completely through.
That was when Godric swept me off his brow,
And here I sit ready to sort you now!
Where will I put you, nobody knows
But a look inside and I will know where you will go.
For those that are wise
Ravenclaw is where you will rise.
Those that are true and pure of heart
Griffindor is where you will get start.
For those of loyalty and cunning
To Slytherin is where you will be sent running.
Finally to those who bring happiness to all
Hufflepuff is where you will fall.
One more thing before we start this year anew
I see in store many dangers for you.
Times grow dark, and yet darker still
A prophecy long forgotten will soon fulfill.
When it does you had best be prepared;
Another dark lord will rise, unable to be compared.
But there is one who can stop the second rise
If they would only open their eyes.
In times to darkness, foes must unite.
So if you take anything from me tonight
Remember these warnings and do not delay
For we must keep the darkness at bay.
The hat fell silent, and there were a fair amount of applause for it, but many people were confused by its message. They knew of he-who-must-not-be-named, but another dark lord rising? It was impossible. Sairina looked worriedly around. She knew of a dark lord, but he had been in her world, and he had been destroyed. There was no way he could come to power again.
"Please come up when I call your name," Professor McGonagall said clearly, "Apple, Christina." A small timid girl was quickly sorted into Hufflepuff. Sairina looked at Lily and could tell she was obviously nervous.
"Which house do you think you'll be in?" Sairina asked as Black, Sirius, the boy with the long black hair and blue eyes, was put into Gryffindor.
"I'd like to be in Gryffindor," Lily replied and Drooks, Robert was put into Slytherin. She looked as though she were going to ask Sairina the same question when Professor McGonagall called out:
"Evans, Lily." Lily took a deep breath and made her way confidently to the stool.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat cried after a few moments. The table that Sairina could only assume was the Gryffindor burst into applause. The sorting continued on in a monotonous manner. Sairina quickly discovered the names of the boys she dubbed The Trastahíl of this world.
Potter, James (who was put into Gryffindor) was the boy with glasses. Black, Sirius was the other boy with black hair. Lupin, Remus (also a Gryffindor) was the boy with blonde hair and tortured soul. And Pettigrew, Peter (a Gryffindor as well, suddenly she felt as though she didn't want to be a Gryffindor anymore) was the small round boy. She also discovered that the cruel the greasy haired boy was Severus Snape was put into Slytherin.
"Telcontar, Sairina," Professor McGonagall called. Sairina carefully made her way up to the stool and sat down. The professor set the hat on her head.
Well, well, well what do we have in here? A princess! I dare say I haven't had one of your types before. 'Please," Sairina thought, 'don't judge me on that alone.' Don't worry Sairina, I won't. Now let's see what's in your head. Interesting, very interesting. I dare say you could fit well into any of the houses.
You are filled with kindness, which would make you perfect for Hufflepuff. You are fiercely loyal making you ideal for Slytherin. Deep down you have courage, beyond your imagination, which could place you in Gryffindor. Your intelligence, however, is what really impresses me. You possess wisdom that many wizards ten times your age long to possess, no doubt that comes from being the descendent of Lady Galadriel. Not to mention your gift of foresight this will be very powerful in the near future. You will achieve your true potential if you were in RAVENCLAW! Don't fret; your secret is safe with me!
Sairina pulled the hat off her head and made her way to the table that was cheering her admittance. She looked around and saw Lily who had a big smile on her face and was winking at Sairina. A strange sense of happiness washed over the young princess for the first time. She had a friend, her first true friend.
The sorting ceremony finished with Zaire, Rebecca being sorted into Hufflepuff. Professor Dumbledore stood and called for attention.
"Just a few announcements before we begin the feast. As a note to first years and a reminder to the older students, the Forbidden Forest is still off limits at all times. Also a reminder that there is to be no magic used in the halls between classes, and our new caretaker, Mr. Filtch, has a list of prohibited items posted in his office if anyone would care to look. I also would like to warn you about a new tree we have on the grounds, it is the Whomping Willow on the south lawn. I advise you to not agitate it, because it will fight back. I do believe that is all for now so please feel free to tuck in!" With that food magically appeared.
Sairina looked around hesitantly; she didn't recognize any of the types of food on the table. She took small portions of this and that but thought about what the Sorting Hat had said to her. She knew for a fact she didn't have foresight. True her grandfather and great grandmother had it and even her mother to an extent, but her blood was slightly more diluted, and she probably couldn't conjure that powerful level of magic. She also wondered what the hat meant by in the near future.
That was when she heard it. It was a loud buzzing noise mixed with a high pitched squeal that accosted her ears. She cried out softly in pain and covered her ears with her hands. Looking around she saw that nobody else could hear it, and by this time the students around her began to take notice of her strange behavior. People were attempting to talk to her but the buzzing drowned them out.
Then the room went dark.
She could tell she was standing in the ruins of a great tower. The land around her was dark and rocky and in the distance the red orange glow of lava was burning to her eyes. Sairina realized that she was in the ruins of Barad dûr. She was in the dark land, Mordor. As she continued to survey the landscape, she saw a group of orcs digging through rubble frantically. One particularly nasty looking orc was shouting at the others, something that vaguely sounded like "faster, faster". Sairina heard one orc shout happily and hold up a black sphere. It was one of the seven seeing stones, the Palantíri.
Sairina's heart leapt to her throat. That stone should have been destroyed when the tower fell, there was no way possible for it to have been unscathed. Sairina got closer, seeing as how the orcs took no notice of her, for this undoubtedly was a vision from foresight. She peered into the dark stone, and from the blackest depths shone forth a scarlet circle, still blazing albeit weakly. The eye of Sauron was still thriving! Suddenly a booming voice filled her head with the disgusting black speech of the fallen lord.
Búrz goth fitgta! Bûrzum fitgta! Kaal lûmpta!
The eye began to burn brighter and Sairina felt pain prickle through her body like a million needles that were on fire. Then she felt as though the breath was squeezed out of her. Darkness swirled her vision and all was becoming blurry.
"Restaanim!" she cried just before her she lost consciousness.