Sands of Change

Lady Countryrose

Ch. 1

It was a strange day at Fairy Tail guild. Well, to Lucy, every day was strange.

Cana was sitting on her barstool, drinking her normal kager. Natsu, starting a fight with Gray. Mira with her heart-shaped eyes, matchmaking under her breath. Laxus and his team, upstairs watching people. Gajeel hiding in his dark corner.

Marco and Wakaba, talking about when they were young, stories. Elfman, talking man quotes. Levy in her little world of books. Her two male cheerleaders made a small ruckus. The three cats are sitting in the middle, looking like they're playing poker.

'Poor Happy, I feel sad for the guy. Carla never acted like she cared for him.'

Lisanna, waiting on tables. Only to cause Natsu to lose focus on his fight with Gray. Erza, eating her cake, on a rare peaceful moment. Juvia picked up Gray's clothes, while smelling them.

All in all, Lucy had believed it was one strange day. Due to a feeling that she was getting in her stomach. The kind that she knew to never ignore.

"What's wrong child?" Lucy turned towards the voice. Seeing Master Makarov Dreyer sitting on the bar, next to her.

Lucy had taken a deep breath. "Master, do you feel something in the air?" She closed her eyes in a huff. "It's hard to describe."

Makarov set his drink down. Closed his eyes for a moment. "I have to agree, there is something in the air." He looked all over the guild. "No one is using their magic, though."

Mavis popped out of nowhere. Causing everyone to hop onto their feet. "You're right, there is a different sort of energy. Ancient and long distant, kind of energy."

The Dragon Slayers jumped to the middle of the guild. Fists raised, magic active and ready for action.

'Magic, magic, hear my prayer.'

Everyone looked around, as they heard a strong female voice. Echoing around them.

'Swirl, swirl, sands of time. Turn and turn, with vortex energy.'

Everyone grew excited, as the words came clear and hurried. Making some few feel anxieties. Lucy called Loke out and stood at her side.

'Let me slip through time. Let me become more than a memory. Let me become the sands of change!'

They felt the air become hot and moving. Feeling a charge building just above the Dragon Slayers. Seeing a vortex opening up.

'Magic, magic, hear my prayer. Let me become the sands of change!'

'HERMIONE!' They heard another voice yell from the vortex. Causing everyone to look around them.

'Goodbye Harry, I need to go.' They heard the female again.

'But, I still need my friend, my sister. How am I to fix the world without the Brightest Witch of Our Age?'

A hollow echo of a giggle sounded. 'You're the hero, Harry. I can't remain here when everyone hates who I am. I was born with magic, but my parents were not."

Everyone looked confused and sad for the unknown woman. Nearly lowering their arms.

'The war taught me one thing, Harry. They won't change, because we have won. Someone will try to harm me again. Because I am of lesser blood.'

The air started to rush through the room. The vortex, turning faster.

'HERMIONE, NO!'

'Magic, magic, hear my prayer. Let me be the sands of change!'

The Dragon Slayers raised their hands up again. Feeling the charge building. Before a young woman fell through the vortex. Only to freeze in mid air. The vortex closed in on itself, before knocking her towards the ground.

Everything happened at one. The woman falling. Most people just stood and watched. While a few ran around, and to see if they could catch her. Only for a Loke to catch her.

Hermione felt uncomfortable as the guild had their eyes on her. She huffed, causing the man to put her on her feet. Once on the ground, everyone saw a warrior standing before them. From the rips and tears of her clothes, blood smeared in some places.

Everyone had powered down. Only to find a seat. Believing that they need to hear what's going to be said.

All in all, Lucy was surprised that the young woman didn't look tired. Run down, but not tired. Lucy walked slowly up to her, with a kind smile.

"Hi, I'm Lucy Heartfilia."

"Hermione Granger," the woman returned in kind.

"No," Loke spoke up with a heated glare. "Hermione Granger died on May 2, 1997. After the second Wizarding War. Helping Harry Potter against Lord Voldemort!"

Hermione turned towards Loke with a raised eyebrow. "Charlie Weasley?" She took a step away from him.

Loke shook his head. "It's not my name anymore. Not when time after the second Wizarding War happened. It brought about another wind of the dark ages. Throwing human life into a reset of technology.

"No energy for non humans to use. Mingling the non magic with the magic. Bringing forth new magics into the world. Correcting the mindset that one kind of magic is better. Destroying the term of witches and wizards, becoming mages."

Loke raised his arms. "We are mages. Welcome to 792 years after the reset of human life. 800 years after you have died."

Hermione gaped at him. Falling back against the bar. Looking at him in stunned silence. He marched to her and grabbed her right jacket and shirt sleeves. The look in his eyes was full of anger, before ripping the sleeves off.

Hermione closed her eyes. She knew he wanted confirmation that she was who she says she was. But she didn't have to see.

After hearing the ripping sounds. Feeling the cool air hitting her arm. Her cuts are colder, from the air change. She heard sounds of disbelief gasps, angered growls and a hiss of sorrow.

She opened her eyes. Only to see the man, she knew as Charlie, choking on a sob.

"Why did you leave," his anger ran out.

Hermione blinked at him. "The Wizarding World took everything from me. My childhood, insincere, and my parents. I just couldn't stay to see anything else to be taken. It nearly took my life," she whispered.

The ginger man nodded. He walked closer to her. Wrapping his arms around her. Then he cried.

After a while, Lucy pulled the ginger off of Hermione. Keeping her at her side.

"Loke, what's going on?"

The man sighed. "I wasn't always Leo, Lucy. I was a wizard named Charlie Weasley, a Dragonologist. I worked with Dragons. Hermione was my little brother's friend. The girl that helped saved the world.

"When the world had changed, do to the magic changing. Dragons became more… They were evalving, they had human speech. Then the Cults of Dragon Worshipping began. Bringing forth the evolution of magic. I was one the first to be made, Celestial Mage."

Lucy gasped in surprise. "I had no idea. But Loke, what does the world change, has got anything to do with your anger towards her?"

He glared at his feet. Shrugging his shoulders. "The Celestial King had said. Before making me into a spirit. Hermione could have noticed the change."

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "Noticed the change? But would I have been able to prevent it? Not when people weren't taking me seriously. They would have swept me into a dark office and then would have made me into a paper pusher."

Loke sighed, "I hear that you're telling the truth. I just need some time." He turned to Lucy with a sad look. "Please, don't call me for three days." Then he was gone.

Lucy kept Hermione close, just as Master Makarov came over to them. Seeing the carved up arm. "What does that mean?"

Hermione looked into his eyes. Spoke in tones of defeat. "Mudblood, dirty blood. Born to people without magic."

Makarov nodded, "We don't care for such drivel here. Magic is magic, all I care is how you use it. I am Makarov Dreyer, the Master of Fairy Tail. All I care is if you're going to fight for the light?"

"Fighting for the light is all I have ever known, Master Makarov." Hermione gave a small smile.

"Let's get you to the medical room, where Wendy will patch you up."

With a little struggle, Hermione managed to get upstairs with Lucy's help. She didn't realize how tired she was. Until after she had exerted herself like that.