Dumbledore hesitated for a heartbeat, long enough for Artemis to grow impatient. She held her tongue, feeling joint anxiety and interest bubbling in her stomach at the idea that she, a simple student, had a seemingly important destiny. Any kid wants to save the world, be a superhero, be someone famous and brilliant, but what exactly does my destiny entail? She wondered. She allowed various images to flash in her mind, smiling at one in particular; she had often watched muggle movies as a child and she pictured herself in a ridiculous yet familiar superhero outfit, surrounded by fans. What a life that would be. A negative idea struck her just then, causing her stomach to drop and wiping the smile clean off her face. What if she were destined to be evil? Before she could over-think, the headmaster spoke. "My dear, there was a prophecy created about you. A prophecy in which, I assume, describes the circumstances of your future. Nobody has heard the prophecy Artemis, not myself, not your father, not anyone. I cannot tell you what your future holds for certain, though I may guess, but I can be sure of one thing. That thing, Ms. Lupin, is that you are a powerful witch. Your powers are evident to those who are in your presence. It is completely unheard of for a first year to be able to cast such difficult and advanced spells without the slightest difficulty, as you do with absolute casualty. Yes Artemis, I have been observing you. In fact, all the professors have been observing you. Your abilities are more than signs of intelligence. You are more than talented. You are powerful." Artemis was staring at the headmaster at a loss for words, her thoughts racing at the speed of light.
Spotting that she had no immediate intention to respond, Dumbledore used the window of opportunity to ask her a question. "Have you ever influenced your surroundings without the use of spells or a wand?" He asked her quietly. Artemis replied immediately without thinking, glad to focus on a single idea.
"Well yeah, but who hasn't? We're wizards after all. Doesn't that sort of thing start happening in early childhood? I don't understand why that's relevant to this conversation," She replied in a rush, her voice trailing off at the end. "Young witches and wizards produce accidental magic often, yes, and this is especially prominent when they are governed by powerful emotions. Fear and anger promote the strongest magical reactions Artemis, as I am sure you know from experience. Although when I ask you, I do not mean simple occurrences, everyday wisps of magic. Your father used to update me frequently on your incredible accomplishments; it seemed as though you mastered something new weekly." Dumbledore smiled at her sweetly. "Please reconsider the question."
Artemis was confused and felt rather outraged at the thought of her father gossiping about her to a wizard she had not met until this year. She had many questions she was itching to ask, but even she could tell that it was best to answer Dumbledore first. She closed her eyes to fully recount her life, inhaling slowly as she did so. She thought deeply of her childhood, remembering times she had performed both accidental and purposeful magic. Magic that she, at the time, did not understand the significance behind.
"It was common for me to perform magic," She began, keeping her eyes closed. "I did not think it was unusual. My father was thrilled in the beginning, when I was around five or six years old. I used to wave my arms and create miniature rainclouds in the sky. It wasn't until I got older that Dad started disapproving. I would concentrate really hard on something that I wanted to happen; if I wanted a tree to sprout from the earth, I made it happen. If I wanted someone to behave a certain way towards me in school, I found that I had influence over them. I used to tell my Dad these things and he would get real worried, and real angry. The only thing that I considered unusual though, is when…" Artemis trailed off and opened her eyes abruptly. She did not meet the headmaster's gaze this time, but merely looked straight past him. "Yes Ms. Lupin?" Dumbledore pressed.
She took a deep breath before continuing. "When I travelled back in time. At least, I think that's what I did. I was in my room crying; Dad had been told about an incident at school and he raised his voice. Spoiled little Artemis was used to getting her way, of course. I did whatever I wanted without answering to anyone. I did not handle being yelled at very well. Anyways, I was in my room and within a heartbeat I noticed the light had disappeared as if I had blinked it all away. In utter darkness, I tried to stand up. I realized I couldn't catch my breath and I started to panick. I thought I would die trying to gulp air; you have no idea how frightening it was. I couldn't even scream. As soon as I started writing farewells in my mind, my body, still in a sitting position, was in a completely different setting. The scene had changed without transition; I went from sitting on the floor to feeling cold, wet grass under me." She glanced at Dumbledore and noticed his expression translated to worry. The headmaster clearly was not aware of this. He's going to think I'm crazy, Artemis thought as her heart beat faster in her chest.
"When I felt the wind and the cold, I knew I was nowhere near home. I managed to stand up despite the shaking and I ran through the grass with tears streaming down my face. I do not know how far I ran, where I was, or where I was going, but I did end up somewhere. I found a small town not far from where I emerged. I was muddy and shivering at this point, and I wanted nothing more than to reverse whatever magic I had performed. There weren't many people in the town; it was as bleak as the weather, and I desperately needed shelter. I wasn't sure if the people around me were muggles or wizarding folk and I feared the consequences of asking them inappropriate questions so I kept my eyes down as I walked. Also, there was something different about the way people dressed, definitely not the kind of clothes one sees today. Even the small snippets of conversation that I heard sounded odd to me; people spoke differently. That's when I first assumed I was no longer in my present tense. I entered a bar and was met with hostile looks, to my terror. Imagine seven year old me stuck in such a predicament, it was absolutely horrible. I managed to hide out in a far off corner for a few hours, maybe two, until the bartender kicked me out. I was back to roaming the brittle town, hoping to find anything, hoping to wake up, hoping to travel back to the present. I didn't know if any of it was real, no matter how much I felt the cold burn my skin" Artemis was lost in the story now; one could almost watch the events unfold in her eyes.
"As I was walking, I heard a faint scream coming from a nearby house and despite my circumstances, my blood ran cold and I halted in my tracks. It wasn't a regular scream; one that would indicate surprise, for instance. It was a scream of absolute pain. I bolted to the window of the closest house, guessing the scream came from it. The house was a pale, eroding building with dirty windows and peeling paint. I peered inside the windows to spectate a tremendous scene; a wizard was propelling a young boy, I would guess it was his son, into the air, letting the boy hang upside down from his ankles. The boy was a few years older than myself, perhaps around ten, and was crying, whimpering, and twisting his face in agony. I noticed there were bruises on him, the kind that came from physical abuse. I could only imagine the psychological pain he endured in that house. 'Scream one more time, I dare you,' was all that I heard before I ran to the front door and knocked. I had no idea what I planned to do; I had no idea what I could even do. It immediately got silent in the house for a full minute before I heard heavy footsteps approach the door. I remember thinking that I needed to stop the abuse, no matter what. I was always very impulsive, and I could lie and say that I don't know why I cared so much for a stranger, but I know why. I needed to save him. Seven years old and I knew that I was being drawn to this house and I knew that I had to do my part to save that boy." Dumbledore's face had maintained a constant expression of worry throughout the story, but he did not attempt to hide how impressed he was at these words.
"My heart was racing when the door opened, so much so that I could barely speak. It is unlike me to be so fearful, so intimidated, so utterly pathetic as I was. I looked up into the face of the abuser, met the eyes that showed me nothing but cruelty and waited for him to speak. 'Who are you and what do you want?' he snapped at me, raising his tone as he took a few steps forward. I noticed him look around to make sure I was alone, which seemed to build his confidence as he hovered over me. For a heartbeat I could not force the words to come out of my mouth, but before I knew what I was saying, I said it. 'Stop attacking him.' I really was planning on something smoother, I just couldn't bring myself to put on an act. The man's face contorted in fury before he took his wand out from his pocket. I felt the danger of the situation immediately, I felt that this man might actually kill me. Yet I stood grounded to that spot, as if for the life of me, I could not move an inch. I felt the adrenaline pumping through my body and I knew I was ready for whatever was to come. I held his gaze as he raised his wand, feeling my heartbeat increasing with each passing second. I knew I was utterly defenseless against a grown wizard; I did not even have a wand of my own, let alone the magic capabilities to defend myself. I saw the man begin to mouth a spell, but before he could cast it, there was utter chaos."
"I heard the boy shouting 'Stop! Please!' before crashing into his father with his shoulder. The father's legs buckled and he tumbled over gracelessly, caught completely by surprise, his face flashing a shocked expression before he fell. His wand dropping to the floor as he himself dropped along with it. I knew if I did not act now, I would not get another chance to do so. I threw myself at the wand just as the father did the same. I wrapped my hands around it without thinking, knowing I could not perform magic. I was not even enrolled in Hogwarts and yet here I was in another time period, naively wrestling an abusive wizard for his wand. I did not have seconds to spare to look at the boy, to observe much more of the scene. The abusive wizard ripped the wand out of my hands and kicked me in the ribs with all of his strength, rendering me helpless. I felt the pain as it rippled throughout my body and I gasped for breath, immediately dropping to the floor. 'You did this Severus, you made me do this to the muggle girl. Funny enough she knew how to go for the wand, she's a lot brighter than your filthy mother. You will pay for this. Crucio!'" Artemis stopped and cringed, her eyes filling up with tears. She did not speak for a minute as she gathered herself.
"Even at that age, I knew what that spell did to people. I was still seeing through watery eyes; the pain at my ribs had reduced in the slightest. Before I even knew what was happening, I shouted at the highest volume I could manage, summoning all of my strength. The air was filled with my screams and I felt myself grow empowered by my own sound. You will not hurt the boy. You will not hurt me. You will not hurt the boy. You will not hurt me. I kept thinking that over and over in my head, enough times to create the change that I needed. I was not going to surrender on anyone's floor, especially not in the fetal position. I lifted myself up to a sitting position, not caring where anyone else was or what they were doing. Closing my eyes, I began feeling energy circulating throughout my body and I concentrated on expelling it. I felt the power of that energy, it was a ball of electricity buzzing inside my blood, so powerful that I knew I could use it in any way I wished. With an internal push, I felt the adrenaline leave every cell of my body, I felt all of my energy leave me within a heartbeat, and I had barely enough of it to hold my eyes open. A circle of yellow light formed around me, circling me, leaving me in the very center. I felt it leave my body, it caused me to jolt involuntarily. The yellow circle was three feet tall and buzzing as if animated. It kept growing in diameter, so quickly that by the time the abusive father turned away from the son he was torturing, the yellow circle had already reached him. Upon making contact with the wizard, the circle blasted him, much like a forcefield would, ten feet away. The force of the blast knocked him off of his feet and straight into a wall, rendering him unconscious. I heard his body fall to the floor and I felt a sense of relief despite the brutality. I could barely keep my eyes open for the duration of incident, but I felt it in my heart that I had done my job."
"The boy came over to me, shaking visibly and crying hysterically. He kept stammering on about being sorry and I reached out and took his hand. 'Go to St. Mungo's. Go now. Go to St. Mungo's.' I kept repeating, trying to calm him down. He needed to get out of there while he had the chance and I wanted him to go right at that moment. 'My mom needs to come' he said through sobs. I told him to get her, to which he gradually did. I noticed he could hardly walk on account of the torture and I felt my heart break into pieces. The mother was bruised even worse than her son, I noticed when she stepped out timidly. After her son assured her that her husband was not going to hurt her, she finally took the chance to speedily grab her jacket. She took her shaking son by the hand and without uttering a word, she rushed to the front of the door. She glanced at me, but I saw she had no intention of staying in the house. I understood her. 'Go to St. Mungo's. Do you know how to get there?' I asked breathlessly. The boy stopped and fell to his knees by me, lifting me up into a sitting position once more. 'Come with me. You cannot stay here. You need to leave with us.' I did not hear much else of what he was saying because I fainted. I don't know what happened to him, professor. I don't know what happened to me. When I opened my eyes, I was back in my room. I felt a sharp pain in my ribs and I remembered that it really had happened. I never told a single soul about it. I honestly do not want to repeat the story to anyone else, especially since…." Artemis trailed off, tears falling down her cheeks freely now.
"Especially since what, my dear?" Dumbledore asked, leaning closer to her from behind his table. "Especially since I do not know what happened to the boy. I got to leave the situation, I'm sure it wasn't like that for him!" Artemis shouted through sobs, feeling guilty all over again.
Dumbledore replied immediately, feeling a strange mix of emotions himself. "Artemis, you saved that boy. That was your role in his life. You accomplished your task and you were sent back home. I could not be any prouder, and you should view yourself in a wonderful light for being a life saver; you are truly a Gryffindor."
After Artemis caught her breath once more, she peered up at the headmaster with red eyes. "What happened to me professor? Why did I experience that?" Her hazel eyes were begging for answers, looking large as a doe's. "I am afraid I do not have the answers you are seeking. I will want to speak to you about this again when I consider the possibilities of what you have told me. Also, did you say the boy's name was Severus?" Dumbledore asked suddenly in a rather urgent voice. "Yes I did, but why-" "-No matter my dear. I am afraid I have more pressing matters to discuss with you apart from time travel. Whilst I can only guess at the reason behind your experience, I do have something urgent to tell you. We shall revisit this topic, do not fret." He added, noting her bewilderment.
"Considering the topic of the prophecy; I am here to tell you that you will hear it in due time, but know that only you will be able to retrieve it. Prophecies are only created for individuals who will greatly impact the wizarding world. It is not enough to simply be great. One must have a destiny that will impact others, and usually this entails that the witch or wizard is exceedingly powerful."
"As you could imagine, Voldemort had a prophecy created at the time of his birth. What is interesting about your case in particular, is that your prophecy was created before you were born. When beautiful Chleo found out she was pregnant, she knew nothing of the prophecy." Professor Dumbledore paused, considering his next sentence. "I will ask that you update me frequently on your experiences here at Hogwarts. If you happen to encounter a difficult or strange situation, I expect you to come to me at once; I will help you and I will do my best to ensure your safety, as well as the safety of others."
Artemis sighed in defeat, feeling as if she was not getting anything she wanted from the conversation. "I wouldn't put anyone in danger," She said quietly, surrendering to the topic at hand. Dumbledore smiled. "I know you would never intentionally hurt anyone."
Artemis said nothing for a while, feeling embarrassed, angry, saddened, and worried all at once. "Does Dad know about the prophecy?" She asked. "Your father knows there is a prophecy created about you, yes. Additionally, I must tell you one last thing; I believe that your destiny is intertwined with another's. The wizard whose destiny crosses yours has a prophecy of his own. It is unusual for two prophecies to be made targeting the same situation but I believe your prophecy and his are just that. I am afraid I cannot say anymore to you until you discuss all of this with your father. It is not my place to intervene in family situations but I do believe it is time for you and him to discuss the truth behind your mother's death."
"What are you talking about? What does my mum's murder have ANYTHING to do with this?" Artemis finally snapped, having had enough with the whole interaction. She got to her feet in outrage and considered walking out of the headmaster's office. "All of this is giving me a damn headache. Why the hell can I travel in time? Who is this wizard whose destiny is intertwined with mine? How do you know all of this? What do you mean 'the truth' behind my mother's death? She was murdered, that's it!" Artemis was shouting, her eyes beginning to water for a third time. "I didn't ask to be told any of this and honestly I'd rather not even know." She turned her back to Dumbledore and bit down on her teeth, not allowing herself to cry.
"I am sorry for upsetting you, that was not my intention. I will let you go about your day now seeing that I have pushed you to your limits. May I be so bold as to say that I do not believe that you would rather not know, I think you out of all people prefer to be in the know Ms. Lupin. You may return to me with any questions you may have, at any time. I can see that you no longer wish to be in my presence, which is perfectly understandable. Please talk to your father; he will inform you much better than I can hope to. Oh and Artemis, forgive me for overstepping my boundaries. Thank you for sharing all that you have with me."
"I'll talk to Dad," Artemis said bitterly, still not turning to face the headmaster. "And after I do, I expect you to tell me everything you know." She turned to look at him finally, her eyes narrowed with anger, and without another word, she walked out of his office. It was true that she truly was done with the whole conversation; she could not stand to be in that office for another heartbeat.
AUTHORS NOTE: Thank you so much for reading this story, I appreciate the support and I love you all. Please review with any suggestions, predictions, or comments you may have. Feel free to send me a message anytime! P.S. The story will pick up from here.