Okay. The main reason I posted this chapter was to tell you that the third part of the story, Truths Revealed, is now up!
This is a little something from Tori's point of view as to how she traveled to the past and how she got her rabbit.
Victoria Matilda Woods felt useless. Her best friend since second grade had gone to the past, and she had only seen her once. A year ago. The summer before the second year. Her best friend, Luna Hopper, had turned out to be Danielle Potter, who was from the past (sent to the future for her protection) and was the twin sister of Harry Potter.
Really?
Tori sat in the clearing of the woods where she and Luna (Danielle, she had to remind herself) had played as kids. Later, they had used the clearing as a training area when Tori figured out Luna was telekinetic.
It was really peaceful. The wind was blowing, making leaves in the trees rustle. She could hear children playing on the playground in the distance. Birds were chirping. There were flowers blooming somewhere nearby.
She hated it. She didn't like the peace. If she was left with peace, her mind always turned to-
Nope, not thinking about it.
She heard a little sniffle behind her. Tori turned. There wasn't anyone behind her. So, what made that noise? Her gray eyes finally landed on a rabbit sitting in a patch of crabgrass. It did nothing. Finally-
It twitched its whiskers.
Tori stood and stepped towards the rabbit. It had fur as black as a cloudy night and bright red eyes. She'd never seen a rabbit like this before. She loved it. This rabbit had to be hers!
Tori picked it off the ground and held it in her arms. Its fur was oddly cold, and it did nothing when she touched it. This was definitely her rabbit. It was perfect!
Now, it needed a name…
But what could she call it? Raptor? No, that just was a ridiculous name for a rabbit. What about Sir Benjamin Bob? Nah, that was the name she gave a Dachshund a few years ago. And then he died…
There was a movie she'd seen once, one with werewolves. One of the characters had been called Reaver.
"That's it!" Tori exclaimed. "You're Reaver!" The rabbit did nothing but flick an ear. Yup! He liked it!
As she walked home, she couldn't help but return to her thoughts. The Harry Potter series had been changing over the past several months. She'd thought it would change instantly when she'd learned that her best friend was Dani Potter. Actually, she didn't know what would happen.
When she saw Sorcerer's Stone changing, she'd imagined that the books would change once a year. She thought that it would be like they were all there one day, and then the next – bam! – book by book, would change. But no. That didn't happen. The facts in the books were all slowly changing, like a chapter and a half a month. Currently, it was in the fifteenth chapter of Chamber of Secrets. There wasn't any Aragog the spider, like she thought there was. This was Harry's Quidditch match against Hufflepuff, the secret of the diary, and then Hagrid and Dumbledore suspended.
She couldn't explain the horror she was feeling when Luna was Petrified. According to the book, they wouldn't be discovering the secret of the diary until late February and wouldn't get into the Chamber of Secrets until later. Uhh! She hated waiting! What with the changes made, she didn't know what was happening!
Tori did find it curious, however, that no one else seemed to be noticing the changes, asides from Crystal Smith, Luna's aunt. Several times a week, they met, talked about Luna, talked about the books, predicted what was going to happen, and then left. Well, she didn't feel like going that day.
Tori nervously opened the front door to her house. She peeked inside. Her parents didn't seem to be there. They must've been at work. She sighed in relief. Tori walked inside and closed the door and climbed the stairs to her room.
Her room was the only haven in her house. While the rest of the house had green walls and dark decorations, her room was different. The walls were red and covered in pictures of herself and her best friend. She was convinced it was the brightest room in the house. She stepped to the closet and reached behind her clothes to her secret book stash. There were only seven books in that stash: the Harry Potter series.
Her parents would most likely disown her if they discovered she owned those books. Tori didn't care. She'd always felt a strange connection with those books, and now she knew why: They were real.
She pulled Chamber of Secrets off the shelf and flipped to chapter sixteen. It had changed! She read the chapter eagerly. Danielle and Mandy waking up, Harry, Ron, Neville, and Lockhart rushing to the Chamber, and Danielle meeting them there. The chapter ended with Lockhart hitting Dani with a Memory Charm.
What?
According to the book, she'd put up a shield, but some of it had hit her. As the series was in Harry's point of view, she didn't know what was going on in Luna's mind. At all.
That's it, she thought. She remembered the previous year when she and Crystal went to the past to visit Luna. If she'd gone to the past once, she could do it again.
Her parents weren't going to come home for a few hours. That gave her time to pack. She pulled her suitcase from her closet and threw in some clothes. She could always buy more in the past. She threw in her favorite books on top.
"Wait, can't bring those," Tori reminded herself. "Can't ruin the timeline." She scooped them out and put them on her bookshelf. She only put the Harry Potter books in there. Then she threw in her toothbrush and toothpaste and shampoo.
She had to remember not to take too many things. She could always buy more when she reached the past.
Last of all, Tori reached into a vase in the living room. Past the dirt was a wad of emergency cash. Reserved for only… well, emergencies. She stuffed the dirty dollars into her pocket. She glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Reaver. Her hand almost reached out to grab him, but she put the thought aside. I'm going back in time. I don't need a rabbit.
She heard the front door open. Crap! Her parents were home!
Tori crept to the sitting room, where a fire roared in the heat of June. She never thought much of it. The fire was always burning for business meetings. She pulled some glittering green powder from her suitcase. Just before she threw it into the fire, she heard a soft thump. She turned. Reaver was right behind her!
"Victoria!" she heard her mother scream. "Don't make me have to drag you out here!"
She threw the powder into the fire. The flames exploded and burned emerald green.
"You won't!" Tori shouted back, "have to," she muttered. She glanced back at Reaver. Oh, forget it. You're coming with me. Tori jammed the rabbit under her armpit. "Hogwarts!"
"What did I just hear?" Tori's dad shouted. "Victoria Matilda, you are not going to that-"
Tori stepped into the flames as she hauled her suitcase in. She fell and spun. Three times, her elbows grazed the walls. I hate Floo Powder! This rabbit better not throw up... Finally, she rolled out onto a soft carpet. She coughed several times and then looked up.
Everything was spinning…
No, that was just her head.
"Dear me," a Scottish voice exclaimed. "Miss Woods, what are you doing here?" It was Headmistress McGonagall. She peered at the brunette from behind her spectacles.
"Send me to the past!" Tori shouted. She knew her parents would be following her at any moment. Dread filled her. She had finally taken the step. If she went to the past, there was no turning back.
"Whatever for?"
Tori stood, readjusted Reaver, and explained to McGonagall what she read in the books and her concern for her friend. She had to avoid any mention of her parents. There was no telling how the headmistress would react if the brunette revealed her secret. McGonagall might not even let me near Luna…
There was silence before Professor McGonagall finally nodded. "Very well, but what of your parents? What will they think? I am afraid that if you leave, you can never return to this time by magical means."
The girl winced and stared intently at a silver top spinning madly on a table. It was so pretty how the light glinted off… so shiny… She had to bring herself back to the conversation. "M-my parents, well..." Tori didn't know why, but she knew she could trust McGonagall. After a full minute of stumbling, she finally revealed her secret.
McGonagall nodded grimly. "I see, and this, too, is why you want to leave?"
Tori nodded. Tears rolled down her cheeks. It was so refreshing, finally telling somebody. But at the same time, she didn't know if she could do that again.
"I will send you, but you must also be very careful of what you say and do. Too many people with the knowledge of what is to come are a danger."
"Thank you!" Tori cheered. She would finally be free!