>>Once upon a time, when every part of creation was illuminated by the eternal light of life, it was love that held the key to the never-ending rhythm of the spirit of the ages, that spun its threads on the wheel of time. Undisturbed they were peacefully connected, exchanging the mighty power of the universe. It was a time before the first autumn shed its leaves over mankind.

>>Words from a Techno song. I don't know who by and I don't own it. Title as I remember it Cradle of Time

Chapter 4

............. In The Begining .............

Dumbledore sat in his office looking through the paperwork for the position he had yet to fill, Defense Against the Dark Arts. It was known to be the worst position in the school, rumored to be cursed.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door to his office. Curious as to who it could be he waved his wand at the door to make it transparent from his side. Seeing a high class looking woman and a young man, he called for them to enter. "Good day to you. How can I help you…" Dumbledore started leaving the end open for the two to give their names. The woman spoke.

"Lady Sillfair and Brawn Granstone. We have come to apply for the Defense positions." The woman was tall with what Dumbledore assumed was long hair, white-silver in color, it was put up on her head in what could only be called a high court fashion. Her robes where very high class to go with her hair and leaned more toward the older style worn by the older Nobility and Royalty. They were multiple shades of blue, with the main body of the robes a darker blue close to Navy but not quite dark with the trimming being a nice sky blue. Her stance and the power levels she was openly displaying to the Headmaster told him that she truly was a Lady.

"It is an honor to meet you Lady Sillfair, Mr. Granstone, but we only have one defense position unless you have another idea? Please take a seat, Lemon Drop?" Dumbledore replied taking this time to look over the young man that had accompanied the Noble woman, who actually took a candy and sat down. The man remained standing, moving to be slightly behind and to the right of Lady Sillfair's plush seat.

He was tall, around 6'2'' and quite muscular. His hair was a very dark brown and reached to just below his shoulders. The front and top of his hair was pulled back into a ponytail and tied with a leather thong, making is easy to see his strong face and neatly kept short beard and mustache. He was wearing what Dumbledore noted as warrior or bodyguard battling robes. They were well trimmed to fit his body, allowing for movement but no excess materials for things to get caught on. The inner robes were made of a fine leather tunic and strong leather breaches, while the outer robes were made of thick wool and must have had a temperature charm on them to keep them at a comfortable warmth. The outer robes were long sleeved and opened in a V shape from the top, connecting in one spot at the waist and then continuing in a downward V to mid calf length. The whole outfit was of course all in shades of light and dark earthen browns. They coincided with the same style as Lady Sillfair's robes, and interesting enough, he was wearing a sword on his right hip.

"Indeed we did have an idea. I was hoping to teach magic to your Defense Against the Dark Arts classes while Brawn here taught physical Defense and Sword fighting to your upper classes. There is a war going on and your students will need all the help they can get. They can't stay neutral, the world will not allow it unfortunately." Lady Sillfair replied.

"So very true. I am willing to hire you both for those positions but I would like to know your backgrounds first." Dumbledore told them.

"Of course. My family isn't well known, especially around these areas. We like to keep it that way. I have taken many apprentices over the years, some times as many as 15 at a time, so I know how to teach." Lady Sillfair stopped as Dumbledore held up his hand to ask a question. "Now Lady, I do not mean to be rude but I must ask you how many years you have of teaching experience." He said to her. At this, the Lady sitting in front of him smiled coyly, "No disrespect at all Headmaster. But I will simply tell you this, because of the blood of my family, I have live far longer than you good sir." Dumbledore smiled, "That I can believe good Lady simply by the look in your eyes. Now Mr. Granstone, what of you?"

"Headmaster," Brawn said with a slight bow, "I have no personal magic to speak of and this has been the case of all of my family. I am a muggle, but like all of my family before me, I work as a guard and fight trainer for the Sillfair family. I do have a bit of magic on me, my cloak and sword are part of it, but they contain permanent charms and were placed by Lady Sillfair." He finished.

"Well, I would like to welcome you to the Hogwarts staff then. Let me show you to some rooms." Dumbledore said, getting up to show the two new professors to their quarters and the rooms that they could use for classes.

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A slight 'pop' was heard followed closely by a grown and a low chuckle.

"Lad, ye truly need to stop thinking ye need that wand of yers lad. Keep practicing … and I'll take that thank ye. Ye won't learn anything if you keep insisting on using this." Elminster of Shadowdale, also known as Old Mage, walked around from the back of his tower. In his hand was a thin piece of wood. Harry Potters wand.

Behind the tower was Harry Potter himself. Trying to work magic with his hands. He was currently working on one of the simplest light spells there was. Much like Luminos except that it did not use a wand and it would light up ones hand. All that he needed to do was mutter the trigger word and concentrate on his magic forming in his hand for a split second. But although Harry had done magic without a wand, it had never been on purpose, and now he was having trouble getting the magic inside him to do what he wanted.

This was why he was currently standing behind the tower muttering and concentrating on his hand.

And getting nowhere. 'Arggg… This is doing me no good.' Harry thought to himself.

"And don't ye return until ye can show me something." Harry heard El call to him from the kitchen. 'Of course, must have something to show, sheesh! I wonder how long I'm going to wind up being out here. I suppose if it gets dark I can always light my hand.' Harry chuckled to himself and continued working.

Two hours later Harry was finally getting somewhere. He had successfully lit his hand more than once now, and was only working on keeping in lit without having to concentrate on doing so. And he was close to figuring it out. He could feel it.

It took another hour but Harry had finally managed it, which was a good thing as dinner was going to be served soon. He had been outside all day and his stomach had been yelling at him for a while now, and the smell of roast beef currently wafting out the kitchen window, of which Harry was sitting near, didn't help to calm it any.

'Well I definitely have something to show the Old Mage. I'm not staying out here any longer.' More stomach growling could be heard. 'Boy am I hungry.'

Harry walked into the tower he had been living in for about a month now. By his reckoning it was August 31st and Hogwarts would be starting tomorrow. He knew his friends were excited to get back to school for, different reasons, but that they would miss him through the year. He had read it in their letters often enough.

While his friends had been on vacation, he had been healing from his malnutrition, and researching about Mystra's Realm and the magic he had been opened up too. This magic was his and had always been but it had been buried when Voldemort first tried to kill him. The amount of magic he possessed was a gift from Mystra when he was conceived and he would be more powerful than Dumbledore, heck he had the potential to be around the same level, if maybe just a bit more powerful, as Merlin. That was what Mystra had meant when she had called him her Chosen, she had chosen him, before he was even born, to raise up the Wizarding world again just as Merlin had done in his own time as her Chosen. 'Ugh, Ron would think I'm nuts for all the research I've done about this.'

Harry had told his friends a lot of what he found, but one thing he hadn't told them was that it was his duty as a Chosen of Mystra to spread the knowledge of Magic, to, as he saw it, bring the Wizarding world and the muggle world back together. He was lucky he would have quite a few years to do it, 'If… No after! After I survive He-who-has-old-mold-in-his-shorts!'

So with all the research of the main information done, he had started his training. Which was why he had been outside all day today, as well as for the past few days, trying to focus his magic so he could to wandless spells. It had taken a while but he figured with another week he would be able to call his magic to his use without the pull of a wand.

El had explained to him that to do wandless magic for the type of wizard he was, i.e. from a different realm therefore magic done a little differently, he needed to first learn what the wand actually did to do the magic. He had first learned to 'watch' his magic from an inside prospective as he made the movements and said the spell with his wand in hand. What he had seen was the slight magic from the core of his wand, enhanced by the wood, 'reach' into him and pull his magic from his core or center, and direct it through the wand and out to perform the spell.

Harry then had to learn how to pull from his core without the help of his wand. It had taken a week to even get a little light, and he was really working hard, only able to hold it for about thirty seconds without concentrating on pulling the magic before it went out, but it was great progress he was told.

Harry walked into the kitchen with his hand 'lit' and him smiling with a look of concentration on his face when the click and flash of a camera went off and he lost it. He looked up quickly and glared at the offending silver haired sister with the camera in her hand, while the other handed him a cup of tea and a plate. "Thanks Storm." He said while still glairing at her sister. "Of course Harry. Take a seat." Storm replied.

"Very well done lad, about a week or two more and then we'll be able to get some real work done." El said from the other side of the table where they all sat with their dinners. Harry groaned as he finished his food. 'Yea, real work. Merlin just what does he think I'm doing now?'

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"Come on Ron. You should have been packed by yesterday. Your Dad has the Ministry car for us, we need to go before we're late." Hermione yelled up the stairs of number 12 Grimauld Place. "Forget it Mione your never going to have him ready the night before. It's just his way as a guy." Ginny giggled to her friend about her unprepared brother.

Hermione just shrugged and turned from the stairs. She along with Ginny, Ron, Neville, and Luna were headed to the train station in a Ministry car that Ginny and Ron's father had gotten and would be late if Ron didn't get down soon. At that moment Ron showed up at the foot of the stairs with his trunk and his owl Pig in his cage. "Well let's go then, we don't want to be late." Hermione rolled her eyes and Ginny quietly giggled behind both of their backs.

The three of them met Neville and Luna at the front door waiting for them. "Its about time Ron. You do know you wait till the last minute on everything right?" Neville said when they arrived. They headed outside as the sky was starting to cloud over.

Once all of them were in the car with the Auror Tonks driving, they headed to the train. The other Weasley's who were seeing them off were in a second car that was behind them. Not long after they were all standing on platform 9 ¾ with the Hogwarts Express behind them. Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Neville, and Luna were all given the trademark Weasley hug by Molly and told their goodbyes. Neville and Luna got on quickly and started looking for a compartment for all of them. As Ron and Hermione were getting on the train they could see Ginny being led aside by Fred and George.

"Now remember dear sister ours," said Fred.

"You must keep up the Weasley traditions." George continued with the 'twin talk' as everyone called it.

"Send us a toilet seat or two," Fred.

"And don't forget to take lots of pictures," George.

"Of all the pranks," Fred.

"And the two love birds." They both said.

"I know, I know. I will keep them posted in the book. I want you both to see my work and Harry must be kept informed." Ginny replied to they conspiratorially, a sly little smile barely showing at the corners of her mouth.

"Great!" They cried together and then gave there little sister a hug as the train whistle blew.

"Bye and don't forget to send the stuff." Ginny cried as she jumped on the train, before finding her brother and best friends before two of them had to go to the prefect meeting. She had not gotten the badge, for which she was secretly, ok not so secretly, ecstatic about. She found the everyone in the last compartment on the train, the usual spot for the 'Golden Trio' as Harry, Ron, and Hermione were called.

"Oh good you found us. We have to go to the meeting now. We'll see you when it's done." Hermione said. She and Ron were just leaving as Ginny was just arriving at the door. "Sure. We'll be here when you're done." Luna answered.

As they left Luna opened up a copy of the Quibbler and curled into a corner to read while Neville and Ginny started a game of Exploding Snap. About a hour later Dean, Semeus, Pavarti, and Lavender showed up. Upon entering the compartment they noticed that the person they had come to talk to wasn't there.

"He guys. Where's Harry?" Dean asked.

"Yea we wanted to know if he was going to continue with the DA this year?" Lavender continued.

"Oh, um well as he won't be at school this year I really don't know if Ron and Hermione will want to continue it. You never know, we may have a really good DADA teacher this year, and not need it." Ginny said to the four of them.

"Yea, but you'll really have to ask Hermione when we get to Hogwarts. She'll have a more direct answer for you as she really started it." Neville added in.

"We'll do that. What do you mean the Harry won't be here this year?" Semeus asked. The others nodded there curiosity peaked as well.

"He was sent to New Zealand for the year for training from some of his parents friends. I guess they had wanted him to be trained by them, and so he will be taking his sixth year exams during this coming summer when he gets back. Apparently his parents had asked Dumbledore if he would be able to do this in his sixth year when he was born and the headmaster wanted to make sure that Harry followed his parents wishes." Ginny explained.

"Oh." The four said as one, to the quick and longwinded explanation they had just been given. "Well thank for the info, we'll tell the rest of the DA for you guys. See you at the feast." Pavarti said. Everyone waved but Luna, who had, at some point when the other Gryffindor's where there, turned upside-down. Her head was resting on the floor; her back was bent around the bench; and her legs were straight up against the wall; and she was humming while reading her Quibbler, which was still right side up.

Not long after the others left, Ron and Hermione rejoined the three of them. They had done their rounds first so were finished with there Prefect duties for the rest of the trip. "Well we had some visitors already asking about Harry." Ginny said when the two of them entered the compartment.

"Really who?" Hermione asked as she sat down next to the still upside-down Ravenclaw fifth year.

"Dean, Semeus, Pavarti, and Lavender." Neville answered.

"They wished to know about the DA, though I believe we will have an excellent teacher for DADA this year so it will be unneeded." Luna said in her unfocused sort of voice. Once said, she returned back to her magazine.

"I told them to talk to you sometime after we got to Hogwarts. The whole DA will likely find some time to talk to you before or after the feast about it. What do you think we should do?" Ginny asked the brown haired girl.

"Well if the new DADA teacher is good, like Luna suggests, then we really wouldn't need the DA. I don't think we can run it very well without Harry here anyways. No offence Mione but Harry just has a good way with everyone." Ron said. "No offence. I agree with you. On all parts." Hermione said to him with a smile.

Ginny smiled slyly at Neville and whispered into his ear, "For once he actually came up with some good ideas for her too agree with. They may yet get together this year." Neville nodded and smiled at that. It had long been known by the whole of Gryffindor that Ron and Hermione should be together. They just had yet to see it for themselves.

"So what do you think the new DADA teacher will be like?" Hermione asked. "I don't know about you guys but as long as they don't follow Tom and can actually teach then I really don't care if they look ugly as a pickled flobber worm." Ginny said to the rest of the compartment occupants. "Great Ginny, now you jinxed it and who ever it is will be as ugly as a pickled flobber worm." Ron joked with a smile. Ginny through a wad of parchment at her brothers head, and snickered at his look of indignation.

They continued chatting for a few more hours as the train plodded on its predestined course of travel. The occasional visitor coming in to chat would always ask about Harry and they were all given the same answer as the Gryffindor's who visited earlier. He was training in New Zealand somewhere with friends of his parents, following their wishes expressed to the Headmaster. He would be back in the summer to take his 6th year exams and would be continuing his Hogwarts education of his 7th year with the rest of his classmates.

The train continued. And the expected and unavoidable confrontation occurred at last.

"What do you want Malfoy!" Ron spat when the compartment door opened to reveal the blond haired Slytherine, backed, as ever, by his two muscle head cronies. "I've come to see for myself if the rumors are indeed true. Now lets see, we have the Weasel, and the Mudblood. The Weaselet, the Klutz, and the Loon. Oup! Where's the Potty! I guess he really is gone. Run off screaming in fear of the Dark Lord." The blond laughed as did his two lackeys, but by the time he had finished his little speech everyone inside the compartment had stood up to face them.

"So what are you going to do now Ferret? Laugh at the fact that he's getting extra training?" Ron said just itching to pull out his wand and Hex the other boy to oblivion. "Or cry at the fact that when he gets back, we'll have you put so far down that even he will be disappointed that you couldn't hold your own against us 'lower witches and wizards'!" Ginny spat at him.

Malfoy drew his wand at that statement and started to say a curse to 'put the Weaselet in her place' as he saw it. But was stopped when he heard Hermione. "That will be a detention with McGonagall for attempting to use magic on the train to cause pain to a fellow student. I will see that you are fully removed from your position as a Prefect for this and what you did last year as well. Have a good day." She said sternly as Luna flicked her wand and closed the compartment door in the three Slytherine's faces. Every one had a good laugh at the look they had seen on Malfoy's face in the time it took for all of that to happen and the rest of the trip was spent in good spirits.

When the train finally pulled into the station at Hogsmead it had started to drizzle outside. Every one was hurrying to get into a carriage before they got too wet, but Ron and Hermione had decided early on that they were going to see Hagrid first thing. Harry had asked them to say hi for him to the half-giant as he had done every year since he would not be able to do so this time. The two of them were going to make sure they did.

Once their friend was greeted most of the older students had already left in the carriages and all of the first years, and Hagrid were heading down to the lake. Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna all rode in a carriage together to Hogwarts and dinner.

As they went in to the feast Luna left the other four for the Ravenclaw table, and Ginny went to site withColin Creevey. To discuss some busness ventures, as she put it. She was going to talk to him about getting pictures of things going on throughout the year to put in their book for Harry.

Ron, Hermione, and Neville went and sat down at the trio's usual spot in the middle of the table. Many who had not heard the rumors were now chatting and motioning toward the new trio at the Gryffindor trio. Wondering where The-Boy-Who-Lived was at. What had happened? Would he be back soon? Was he hurt?

Not long after every one in the Great Hall, Hadgrid having come in from the room off the side of the head table, the double doors opened to permit Proffessor McGonagall who was followed by the new first years. "So who do you think the two new people are at the front table?" Neville asked the other two as well as those around them who included the rest of the sixth year Gryffindors.

Everyone looked up at the head table and noticed the two new professors sitting at the end opposite Proffesor Snape. There was young looking woman with white-gray hair, dressed in what they all could tell were high class, and elegent, red robes. Setted next to her was a young to middle age man in what could only be described as working or battling robes shadded in earthen browns.

At this point the Sorting Hat had finished its song and McGonagall started calling names from her list of the new first years for them to be sorted. The three Gryffidors clapped off handedly at each of those who had gotten into their house along with everyone else but weren't really listening as they were still comenting on the new proffessors.

"They look like they could be the new DADA professors but why are there two of them?" Hermione said to the others. "I don't know Mione, but they look like they know more than Umbridge ever did, the toad." Ron said.

"Ron I know she was horrible but calling her names is a bit much. She was a proffessor and a Ministry Official, even if she didn't deserve those postitions." Hermione said to the redhead. "Mione she was awful, especially to Harry. She made him write lines in his own blood. If that isn't illigal than it Bloody well should be." Ron said heatedly though still in a whisper as the sorting was still going on.

"You know Ron your right. I think we should see if that thing was illigal. If it is than we can make sure that she can't do anything bad to Harry or anyone else again." Hermione said.

"Hey guys, Dumbldore is up." Neville said to the two of them. They all turned around to listen to the Headmaster so that he could start the feast.

"Welcome all to another year at Hogwarts. I am happy to annouce that we have two new proffesors this year. Lady Sillfair will be teaching Defense Against The Dark Arts," Lady Sillfair stood to make herself known and as she sat, she gave a slight bow to the Headmaster, who returned itbefore continuing. "And Proffesor Granstone will be teaching a new class to the fifth, sixth, and seventh years. That class is Physical Defense and Weapons Training." At this many in the hall gasped in shock, while at the same time Proffesor Granstone stood and as Lady Sillfair before him gave a slight bow to Dumbledore.

"So that's what the extra proffesor is for. Interesting, but not really unexpected. There is a war going on and as the Ministry has finally admitted the You-Know-Who is back, every one will need all the help they can get. Even us students." Hermione said to the two guys with her who currently had their mouths open in shock like many of the other upper years.

"Now, as always, the Forbidden Forest is in fact Forbidden to all students, and is that way for a reason. Mr. Filtch has asked me to remind you the magic is not to be used in the hallways and the list of banned products has grown to the number of 357 items. If you wish to know what it contains the list will be posted outside of his office door. And lastly, as many of you have noticed, one of your more well known classmates is not here. Mr. Harry Potter is in fact studying else where for this year. If you have any questions pertaining to Mr. Potter's whereabouts or wish to contact him you may ask one of the Proffesors or one of his friends. Now enough with an old man's rambleings. It is time to eat." With that said the Headmaster clapped his hands twice and all of the tables were filled with a most excelent feast.

After the feastthe fifth year Prefects took the first years to their respective commen rooms while the older Prefects took the rest of their houses and gave them the passwords. For the start of this year Gryffindor's was 'Morgan the Mad Cow'.

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Lily curled deeper into the blanket she was raped in under the arms of her husband. She looked over at Sirius splayed out on the overly plush chair across from the couch she and James sat on, 'well James is sitting, I'm balled.' She smiled at the thought, and brought the hot tea in her hands to her mouth through the use arms well wrapped in blanket. 'Well it is winter outside today.' She smirked, that was one thing she love about it here. You could never tell what season it would be each day, or how long the day would actually be. She felt it a great quality of this realm.

The three of them had been sitting around the living room with a cozy fire going in the hearth for a while now. It had been three days since Sirius had arrived at Potter Manor to be greeted with open arms by his 'as-good-as' brother and the woman he always saw as his little sister, James and Lily Potter. But time really had no meaning here in Mystra's realm. The place where all who practice or worship magic go when they die. It could have only been minutes or years in the living world, one could never tell.

"So your telling me that according to this prophecy, Harry is the only one who can stop Voldemort? That's crazy. He's just a boy." Sirius said with emotion. James nodded in agreement. "Yea but it's true." "Yea I know. But I'm sure as hell going to find some way to let him know he doesn't have to do it alone." Lily smiled at this. She always knew that choosing Sirius and Harry's Godfather was the best decision of her life. Now she truly knew why. He wouldn't back down; he wouldn't even let being in the land of the dead stop him when he felt he needed to protect a love one. He had so few he would always cherish and protect them with all his might, and beyond.

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In a dark room, somewhere unknown to all but those present was a man sitting on a throne. He was hidden in the shadows produced by the small fire burning in the hearth at his back. What could be seen of the room was limited to the raised platform against the wall the contained said hearth, throne, and man; and those who stood in front of him on the lower level.

"Is everything prepared?" The man on the throne asked, his voice deep and full of the promise of pain if he didn't get what he wanted. "Yes my Lord." Said another man as he stepped forward and kneeled to the throne. "Good. When will it be completed?" Was the reply. "It will take eight to nine months to be fully finished my Lord." The kneeling man said in a slightly trembling voice. "Very well. Make sure it is not longer. I wish to get things going as soon as possible." His Lord replied, the threat of torture and death in his voice if that was to occur.

The kneeling man bowed from his position on the floor, stood and backed into the throng of people that had been standing behind him. "That is all. Leave me." The people all bowed and quickly, yet silently, slipped out of the room. No one wanted to face the man on the throne when he wished to be alone. None of them had a death wish.

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AN: Well I know it is not as long as the last one, but this chapter seemed a little forced to me. I'm not sure why. Things should start to pick up with those at Hogwarts in the next chapter but it will likely take me a little while to get posted, as I don't quite know how far into the first semester I want to take them.

We will also be getting into a bit more of the plot of this story. Yes there is a plot other than Harry getting Sirius back and seeing his parent. We'll get there eventually.

I am looking for questions anyone has so far on my story. I want to make sure I have the information clear to those reading this who don't know anything about Forgotten Realms, created by Ed Greenwood. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask and I will either put it in my next chapter, or send it to you via email.

Now the last thing I wish to say in my ramblings is that I have greatly appreciated the reviews. I hope that I answered some questions in this chapter and would like to thank all who have written. Please keep it up. And if you have any thought or ideas; questions or comments; put them in a review. I will see what I can do depending on what you say. They truly help me when I am writing; to make sure I make my story is understandable.

Thank you again, volleypickle16, Treck, Finwitch1, Roslyn Knight, vanillaqueen11, ThrainTalonwater.

Dragonfoxx

Review Please

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