Before Amanda had time to work out how many times she'd twisted the time turner, and the length of time each turn would take her back, the world was turning into a blur around her as time rewound. She looked over at the window and watched as the sun rose and sank again and again, accelerating until it was just a rapid flicker. This was not good. She was going way back. Way, way back. Years, if not decades. Amanda squeezed her eyes shut tightly and mentally berated herself. She'd really done it this time! Awful things happened to witches who time travelled; the further back, the worse the consequences inevitably were. Gradually, the spinning slowed and time returned to its usual pace. She grabbed a nearby cupboard to steady herself and clutched her stomach with the other hand to try and avoid throwing up. Time travel didn't always agree with her.
"Who, my dear, are you?"
She spun around at the sound of a voice and jumped when she saw Professor Dumbledore sitting behind the desk. He looked the same as always so maybe she hadn't gone back too far.
"Um, professor," she said slowly, unsure of whether to tell him the truth or if that would mess up the timeline. Unfortunately he caught sight of the time turner clasped in her fist and nodded understandingly.
"Ah, I see. Why don't you take a seat and you can tell me the whole story shortly. I have two young men to speak with first."
Amanda nodded and sank into the worn armchair in the corner while Dumbledore rose and opened the office door just as a boy was about to knock on the other side. The boy lowered his raised fist and grinned sheepishly. "Professor," he greeted.
Dumbledore stepped back and waved him inside, "Come in, Mr Potter, and bring your friend as well."
Amanda turned the chair around to face the other direction so she wouldn't feel like she was intruding and listened closely to the conversation instead. Perhaps if she picked up enough clues she'd be able to figure out what time period this was.
There was a bit of shuffling and then the door clocked shut. Supposedly both boys were inside.
"I assume you know why I've called you up here," Dumbledore stated. Amanda couldn't tell if this was meant to be a question or not.
"Is it about the stink bombs in the girls' bathroom?" a smooth, deep voice drawled.
"Very perceptive. Need I doubt your guilt?"
"No, sir." The boy Dumbledore had called Mr Potter replied.
"Good. Now as penance, you shall both return here after dinner tonight.
"What, precisely, do you want us to do sir?" Potter asked.
Amanda could almost see the glint in Dumbledore's eye as he replied, "All will reveal itself in good time, Mr Potter. For now, enjoy your night."
There was a brief mumbling and scraping as the boys left the room and Amanda turned back around to face the professor. He didn't say a word, just raised an eyebrow. Amanda sighed.
"My name is Amanda Elliot, sir. I'm from the year 1994. I didn't mean to come back, I swear it. I'd been looking into your pensieve and was a bit upset. I started twisting the time turner before I even realised what it was. And know I don't know what to do."
Dumbledore's eyebrow rose even further. "I trust you found what you sought from my pensieve, Miss Elliot."
Amanda winced and braced herself for the tongue-lashing that would surely follow. However, after several seconds, it still hadn't come and she peeked up to see him wink at her.
"Unfortunately, memories, like time, are strange things. They can show us nothing but the truth, whatever that may be. You are here for a reason, my dear. Now you can go ahead and twist yourself back into the future if that is what you desire, but you may like to stay a while. Fate always has a plan, but she never tells us what it is."
Her heart was racing. Was he actually suggesting that she stay here? What about all the terrible things that could happen? What about the damage she could wreak if she changed the past? On the other hand, she must view this as a unique opportunity presented to her and her alone. No other Ravenclaw had ever had the chance to learn about the past by actually living it. This was like a dream come true. Hang on, a voice in the back of her head warned, the last time you took advantage of opportunity you saw something you didn't want to see.
"Sir," she said slowly, "Are you offering to let me . . . stay?"
"I am merely offering to forget where you can from, Miss Elliot," he said seriously. "As far as I am concerned, you have been homeschooled until now and that necklace in your hand is nothing but precious jewellery that I recommend you never let out of your sight lest a situation arises in which you must use it. Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Amanda."
Amanda, of course, accepted Professor Dumbledore's offer to stay. How could she refuse? He had her outfitted for a uniform, since they were slightly different to the modern one, and provided her with the text books. He asked if she would like to be sorted into a house, but she told him firmly that she was a dedicated Ravenclaw and no other house would do. Smiling slightly, he didn't argue. Amanda was sitting in Dumbledore's office waiting for him to come back when someone knocked on the door. She suspected that she should just leave it alone and mind her own business, but curiosity got the better of her and she opened the door. Two boys about her age were standing on the other side, frowning in surprise. One of them she recognised from earlier. He was tall and thin with dark hair, glasses and a pleasant enough face. The other boy had longer black hair that fell across one very blue eye, was smirking very aristocratically, and was totally drop-dead gorgeous. He seemed familiar, but Amanda couldn't place him until he scowled and she immediately remembered the sour-faced first year from Dumbledore's memory. Oh my God, Sirius Black! She stumbled back in horror and tripped over a trunk, landing in a heap on the floor.
"Oh look Prongs, the sight of your face made her faint in terror," Sirius Black commented, smirking at his friend.
"Shut up, Padfoot," Potter snapped. "I daresay it was your face that made her faint."
"I did not faint!" Amanda snapped, drawing their attention back to her. "I just tripped over."
"Where are my manners?" Potter asked, offering her a hand up. She ignored his hand and climbed stiffly to her feet, metaphorical hackles rising.
"Get out," she ordered. "Now!"
Black raised an eyebrow mockingly. "This was Dumbledore's office, last time I checked."
"I don't care," she could hear her voice rising shrilly and knew that under the circumstances, she was overreacting. Sirius Black was not a murderer yet. Nor did he know he was going to become one. He was just another big-headed high school boy.
Potter smiled at her. "Sorry we got off on the wrong foot here, so to speak. My name is James."
Amanda narrowed her eyes at him. James Potter. The friend that Black would betray. She was so tempted to tell him everything that was going to happen in the future but realised he'd think she was crazy.
"Look, I don't care if your name is Cassanova, I just want you to leave."
"I think she's serious," James said in disbelief.
Black grinned. "I think someone's PMS-ing," he sang. Amanda couldn't help herself. She swung her fist back and punched him in the nose. He howled and staggered back in shock. Crimson blood was seeping out of one nostril and he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket to clean it up. James Potter howled with laughter.
"Blimey that was a good one. You should've seen your face, Padfoot."
Black glared at him from beneath his hair, then turned to Amanda. "You should consider yourself lucky I don't hit girls," he said quietly. "But if you try that again I can't promise not to hex you."
Amanda was still recovering from the shock of actually punching someone, and massaged her sore knuckles. Damn, that hurt. Wasn't the point to hurt someone else, not yourself? Huffing in anger, she placed a hand on each of their chests and shoved them both out of the office, then slammed the door in their faces and locked it. A few minutes Professor Dumbledore tapped on the door and demanded that she open it. She did so with great reluctance.
"Miss Elliot, unconventional as ever." He studied her over the tops of his half-moon spectacles. "I see you've met your guides to Hogwarts."
Amanda swore. She actually swore in front of the headmaster as James Potter and Sirius Black watched her curiously through the open door.
"You've got to be kidding, right?"