Chapter One: The Letter

Walking through the Caledonian forest of Raasay, Mairi Fraser was lost in her own imagination. Tales of magic and intrigue, wizards and goblins, and best of all princesses who needed to be saved by knights ran through her young brain as she made her way back to her modest cottage home.

The crunch of acorns and bramble under her feet was the only noise to be heard in the remote area as she walked carelessly, that is until her home came into view.

The ooh of an owl was heard as the petite blonde haired child began to skip through the twigs, excitement taking her over at the image of the bird.

"We never have owls around!" She thought giddily. Animals seemed to be her only real friends, as the population on the small Scottish isle was minimal.

She made her way up to it quietly, holding in her pleasure at the new arrival. To her surprise it didn't seem afraid, in fact, it looked like it had something in its mouth and was more than happy that she was approaching it. She offered it an outstretched hand in greeting and was happily obliged when the elegant bird nudged her hand in response.

"Hello there." She cooed, over the moon that she was able to touch the majestic creature.

The owl stared straight at her, holding her soft gaze for a moment. With no warning the large bird dropped the object in its small beak and flapped away, scaring the little girl.

Stunned at the beauty's actions Mairi was slow to stand back up from her crouch, opting instead to stay glued to her spot. Looking down at the object left behind she was rather intrigued at what she was looking at.

"What type of bird eats paper?" She thought with a slight giggle.

Grabbing the paper she stood and continued on her way to Fraser Cottage, her home since she was the age of three. As she walked with the carefree posture of an eleven year old she peered at the 'garbage' in her hand.

Flipping it over she saw writing and her excitement at the discovery almost made her shake. Nothing ever happened that was out of the ordinary; everyday on Raasay was the same, hence her over imaginative ways.

Her mind was racing with ideas as she looked at the rough grained paper. Was it a love letter to someone, ooh, or maybe a ransom note from a unrequited loved one demanding that the woman he loved returned his feelings or he would hang her brother or maybe…

"Oh brother." Mairi stopped her dramatic ideas and actually read the paper knowing full well that her imagination was getting out of hand. The addressee made her heart race.

This was so much better than anything in her stories.

Mairi barreled into her kitchen through the back door, the letter waving fiercely in her small hands.

"Mum! Mum! I think I got a letter!" The young ten year old announced, breathless from her sprint inside.

Her mother froze so noticeably that even her delighted young daughter took notice.

"Mum, are you alright?" Mairi posed thoughtfully, although her voice still held a distinct note of glee. It was rare that such a care free person as Melanie Fraser was outwardly rattled.

"Give it here mo chirdle and get ye gone out then." The excited girl's mother stated very evenly with an outstretched hand.

Mairi's pleasant expression changed instantly. "But Mum!" she whined. "It's my letter!"

"Never ye mind that, go out and busy yerself until dinner ye ken?" Her mother all but yelled out. It was clear that there would be no more discussion.

With a most notable huff, Mairi strode up to her stern faced mother and shoved the rough parchment into her hands. "Doesn't matter anyway." Mairi continued dejectedly. "It has two names on it; it may not be for me anyway." The blonde turned to walk out the back door, just making it out before she heard her adoptive mother gasp.

Mairi walked with her shoulders slumped, moving through the boggy moor with familiarity. Upset and confused as to why she couldn't read the only bit of post she had ever received, she stayed lost in her adolescent thoughts about the cruelty of parents. What she didn't realize was that she would have the opportunity to read it sooner, rather than later and more over, her wildest fantasies were going to become reality.

Adhara Leona Morgaine Black

(Also known as Mairi Isla Murray)

The Cottage by the Cave

Raasay, Scotland

"Mel, what's the matter?"

The middle aged woman kept still in her kitchen, all thoughts of response effortlessly thrown out of her stilled mind as her husband called out to her.

"Mel?" He tried again, his voice coming closer as he walked to the kitchen from the small hallway that extended to the living room.

"I'm alright." She croaked out still gripping the letter addressed to her little girl.

Dougal Fraser's head came into view as he strode down the small hallway towards his visibly stricken wife.

"You were never the best liar Mel. Now tell me, what's happening?" Leaning on the counter, he waited for an answer.

Melanie Fraser walked up to her husband of thirteen years and thrust the wrinkled parchment into his chest taking him aback.

"I can't read it." She all but wept out. "You do it."

The dark haired Englishman kept his eyes locked on his wife knowing full well what was happening. Seeing the letter in his hands made his heart beat erratically from both excitement and fear.

"You knew just as well as I did that this was going to happen sweetheart. There was never any doubt as to if she was going to be a witch or not, hell, Dumbledore himself made sure that we understood the severity of her attending Hogwarts." He hastily added after watching the expression on his loving wife's face.

She slumped onto the counter next to him, the rays of sunset showing behind then through their quaint kitchen window.

"I just thought we would have more time. After she leaves and lives in that world how long do you think it's going to take for her to learn the truth? How long before she learns who she really is?"

Dougal looked deep in thought, apparently taking his time before he spoke. "We knew that the day we took her that it wouldn't be forever. She's not ours to make claim on."

"We raised her!" The distraught woman exclaimed. "We loved her and gave her a normal life! She is only going to be confronted with heartache if she learns the truth and she deserves better than that!" The redhead yelled ferociously.

"She is one of the most important people in the magic world next to Harry." The graying man countered. "Even if we kept her back what do you think would happen to her? Mel, we don't know anything about her magical capabilities – that begs the question of how in Merlin's name we would attend to her when it became unavoidably apparent that she possessed abnormal talents. We can't keep modifying her memory."

"Don't say that." She muttered helplessly.

"You have always known I disagreed with you and Dumbledore on the matter." He murmured sadly.

"That's not what I meant, don't use that exclamation."

Dougal looked confused, his mind taking a few moments to understand what his wife was blabbering on about.

"What, Merlin?" He asked with a laugh. "Good grief woman! She's about to find out about the world anyway, might as well get acquainted with the language – not to mention the fact that she's out and about in the moors right at the moment."

"I think that it's too dangerous Dougal!" The fairly young redhead shouted, losing all restraint. "We have spent nine years keeping her secluded from everyone and everything! Now after all this time we have to send her to the middle of everything we tried to keep her from! What in bloody hell was the whole point?" At this, the young mother was screaming as she stood in the center of her kitchen facing her husband with hands on hips.

"The point, Melanie dear, was to keep her safe and happy until she could be trained properly at Hogwarts, and to make damn sure that someone as special as she didn't get adopted by muggles who would have no idea what to do with her."

"Well those weren't the only reasons I assure you." Came a firm and slightly amused third voice. The couple turned to see Dumbledore standing in their hallway looking a bit sheepish. "I didn't mean to intrude I assure you, but I had the permission of a rather lovely little girl." He grinned as Mairi came out from behind his robes, tears gleaming in her eyes.

"What's wrong darling!" Melanie cried as she made her way to her crying daughter.

"You and Dad never fight….what's going on?" All three were shocked at how meek and scared the usually vivacious girl sounded.

Melanie knelt down and wrapped her daughter into a comforting hug, murmuring that everything was fine as she looked over the girls shoulder and glared at the powerful wizard behind them.

Dougal decided to interrupt the scene before him feeling the tension build up around them. "That was fast Professor; we haven't even read the letter yet." The young fathers tone was even and steady as he exerted his authority pleasantly.

"Yes, well I did mention I would be accompanying the news briefly after the delivery of the letter. I see how my arrival would be surprising if you have yet to read it." Dumbledore stated calmly.

"Mairi, I need you to go upstairs and ready yourself for dinner please." Dougal requested of his daughter, his blue eyes never leaving that of their new arrival.

Mairi nodded and broke away from her mother, sniffling as she moved past the tall wizard and did as she was told. As soon as she was out of sight the adults began their long and drawn conversation.

Dumbledore started. "Now, where were we? Ah, yes – Hogwarts."

"I don't think she should attend Albus." Melanie spat out as she stood from her crouch.

"Unfortunately my dear that is not up to you."

"I'm her mother; I make the decisions about my daughter's life!!" She yelled out emotionally her Scottish accent getting thicker by the second.

Albus merely looked to Dougal, knowing he had an ally and hoped that the acquaintance would help him reason with the distraught woman.

Dougal understood the silent communication and moved to put his arms around his wife. "Sweetheart, we agreed to raise her but we always knew that when she was of age for schooling we had to give up our rights. She isn't our daughter in blood but in every other way." He whispered to her caringly.

"Her powers are unheard of." Dumbledore interjected. "If she goes without training there is no telling what will happen. Adhara has the oldest lineage in our history; surely you must understand the necessity of her knowing her heritage."

Dougal added to Dumbledore's words. "She shouldn't be punished because we left it all behind Mel."

Melanie began to cry then, the words of both men hitting her hard.

It took a few minutes for her to get control of her emotions but once she did she was more then ready to get on with it.

"Call her down then Dougal, best get it over with while I can keep control yeah?"

The man in question squeezed her shoulders in reply and made his way down the hallway to retrieve his confused daughter.

This left the older wizard and closeted witch behind, an event that was lined with disaster.

"I suppose you have some questions." Albus stated, deciding that the best course of action was to be direct.

"Will she come back to us during holidays?" Melanie asked without looking into the old mans face.

"Of course."

"Do you plan on telling her about her parents?"

"Not anytime soon, I think it may be best to have her adjust to a few things at a time."

"Will she be there with Harry?" Her voice was low and quiet.

"I certainly hope so, if they are anything like their parents they should get along smartly I think."

Silence.

"Is that all? Certainly your keen mind can interrogate me further." Albus pushed on with a twinkle in his grey-blue eyes.

Melanie merely smiled back, finally confident that her girl would be safe. As if timed, she turned to see both her husband and daughter coming toward the kitchen.

"Lets go into the sitting room then, this might call for comfortable seating." She suggested as she gestured to Albus.

It was clear to all of them that there would be no further disagreements.

After they were all comfortably seated, Dougal started by handing his young daughter something that would change her life forever.

"Mairi, sweetheart, its time you read this letter and understood why your mother and I were talking."

"Arguing." Mairi amended as she took the letter into her hands.

"Talking." Her father corrected.

"Right." She didn't seem convinced in the slightest.

The exchange made Dumbledore smile.

They all sat in silence as the young witch opened and read her letter with fervor. Her face looked blank as she took in the information.

"I don't understand, this isn't a very funny joke." Mairi asked looking up at her three elders.

Her parents looked to the man in the funny clothes, as if having a conversation that she couldn't hear.

"I am happy to tell you Mairi that this is not a joke. Hogwarts is a school for people like yourself."

Seeing that she didn't understand Dumbledore continued. "You're a witch Mairi, a rather powerful one."

The little girl looked down at the parchment and then back up and into the eyes of her soon to be headmaster. "A witch?" she whispered.

"Yes baby, you're a witch." Melanie supplied.

"But, but…what about you?" Mairi asked with a look at her parents.

"What about us mo chirdle?" Her mother asked.

"Are you magical?"

This time it was her father that answered. "Yes, your mother and I are both magical. We went to the Hogwarts as well."

"I've never done magic before though; I thought that was only in fairy tales anyway."

"Where do you think the fairytales come from dear?" Dumbledore said with a laugh.

Mairi had never thought of that.

It would be from this point on in her life that the young witch would be obsessed with one thing in her studies.

Origin.

Authors Note:

I know that this seems slow and possibly a strange way to end the chapter….a necessary evil. The next chapter will have the characters that we know and love!

If you liked it or hated it, REVIEW! Those little ego rubbing comments can save a story or help a story if you think it has potential. Just one can keep up the momentum! I will post regardless but I still really like feedback!