"Helga Hufflepuff?!" Shannon eventually shouts, feeling as though she has just been hit upside the head with a frying pan as she tries to come to grips with the words of the woman before her.

As if her situation isn't already overwhelming enough.

Across from her, Eliza grins knowingly. "Oh yes. She was the one who laid most of the foundation for manufacturing the Sorting Hat – but before the hat, she made the orb, the Essencia Orb. Magical manufacturing was her specialty, you see. Well, that and baking. She had a sweet tooth, that one. . . but that's beside the point," Eliza refocuses herself, leaning back in her seat.

"You see, Agatha Logan was one known for having a very firm set of morals. In fact, the entire Logan family was known for it – still is, actually – but Agatha was especially rigid. She was able to see things in black and white even when the situations brought before her were grey. It is because of this unyielding trait that she and our bloodline were chosen by Helga and her most trusted allies to bear the ancient magic. It was an essential trait because of the effects that specific brand of ancient magic would have on the bloodline of the medium, amplifying our character and magical abilities as well as gracing certain heirs with talents passed down from the Hogwarts founders themselves. It was their combined magic that enchanted the Logans and their combined magic that sent Agatha's daughter Catherine to the Disenchanted. It was also their combined magic that enchanted this Orb – the Essencia Orb."

Eliza pauses, gauging Shannon's reaction thus far and making sure that she is comprehending her admittedly somewhat erratic explanation.

The girl blinks back at her, stunned into silence.

Not the reaction Eliza had been hoping for.

"I apologise. I know this is a lot to take in," the woman admits, pursing her lips as she places her hand on the tray in front of them. "Perhaps it would be better to move on and answer any questions after you are affirmed."

Shannon starts at the woman's words.

"Oh, uh, okay. . ."

Eliza hmms, acknowledging the girl's consent as she turns her attention to the orb, motioning for Shannon to do the same as she pulls a small scroll from its base.

"I'm sure Granny can also help explain once she gets here, but we should really have you affirmed posthaste. Now, it is actually quite simple – similar to the Sorting Hat in a way. All you have to do is place your hands on the glass and the Orb will do the rest. I'll demonstrate," Eliza offers, steeling herself as she places both of her hands firmly on the glass.

A moment passes and the Orb beneath the woman's fingertips begins to glow a white, opal colour before slowly changing to a deep blue with a smoky red poking through in a few places, the change causing Shannon to gasp in wonder. When she does, Eliza smiles, removing her hands and staring into the depths of the orb before turning to the girl.

"There, why don't you take a look," she offers, motioning for Shannon to move closer.

Eyes wide with anticipation, Shannon shifts in her seat before peering into the glass. To her amazement, a seemingly holographic image of Eliza smiles up at her. Beneath her image is what she can only describe as Eliza's stats like that in a video game, albeit not exactly classified the way Shannon is familiar with.

Eliza Magnolia Logan – Smith

31 years old (+19)

Status: True Logan

Magical Affinity: Historical Research

Founder's Magic: Ravenclaw (Dominant); Gryffindor (Minor)

Inherited Traits: Intelligence

Heritage: Disenchanted circa 1948 – 1967; Enchanted circa 1975 – Present

Title: The Unbiased Scribe

Shannon pauses, her heart beating excitedly as she rereads the display.

"Whoa. . ." She mutters under her breath, a smile pulling at her lips. "This is so cool."

Eliza humms.

"Pretty unique, isn't it," the woman agrees. "As you can see, I inherited Rowena's affinity for research, specifically historical research. It's no wonder I was sorted into her house, although like I said, our family – especially heirs – tend to bounce around between houses, so don't take any of this as where you will be sorted."

Euphoria begins to pulse through the girl's veins at the thought of her own sorting, of her own magical talents and abilities– the only solace about her situation.

"So this will tell me all this about myself?" Shannon asks, her eyes still glued to the orb, more positive emotions beginning to blossom within her.

"Everything about how the ancient magic affects you," Eliza corrects, giving the girl a smile. "The Orb only tells us how you've been affected as an heir and in your transition from the Disenchanted."

Shannon nods, anticipation bubbling in her chest as she motions to a specific line in the Orb. "And what is this? 'The Unbiased Scribe?'"

"Oh yes, that," Eliza starts, looking a bit embarrassed. "That's something unique to True Logan's, those of us from the Disenchanted, seeing as we are usually brought over for a reason – whether for a specific prophecy or if the ancient magic is in danger of dying out. Either way, we are all given a title by the Orb that defines us. Granny Logan's mother was an heir who bore the title 'Divination's Daughter' and insisted that our Titles depict the direction our lives lead after being brought home, and I can't say that I disagree. I myself am employed as an Archivist within the British Ministry cataloguing recent events for their records. I research events and compile them as accurately as I can, so in a way, I really am an Unbiased Scribe. Plus, I am able to bring my work home with me, so it truly is an ideal profession considering I am also in charge of monitoring the Sortis Mirror."

That moment, the Orb shines brightly before returning to the opal colour it had been previously.

"All right then, let's get on with it," Eliza redirects the conversation with a clap of her hands, urging Shannon on with a smile. "All you have to do is place your hands directly on the glass and hold them there until the colour changes."

Tonguing the inside of her cheek, Shannon places her hands hesitantly on the Orb, running her child-like fingers wrapping around the glass firmly. To her surprise, the glass is icy, so much so that she is surprised it hasn't frosted over. The next moment the orb shines brilliantly – and for much longer than it had for Eliza.

After a moment, the Orb changes colour, but instead of one dominant colour, the orb erupts in a rainbow of light, its glow casting multicoloured shadows on the faces of the two females. Red, yellow, green, and blue swirl as an image of Shannon appears in the centre of the orb, smiling up at the two with a confident grin.

As soon as it does, Eliza's brow furrows, taken aback by the oddity as Shannon peers into the glass to read her affirmation.

Shannon Elizabeth Logan – Hale

11 years old (+17)

Status: A Witch of Founder's Line

Magical Affinity: Charmwork; Divination; Duelling; Legilimency

Castor's Magic: Catholic, All Encompassing

Inherited Traits: Resourcefulness; Creativity; Nerve; Dedication

Heritage: Disenchanted circa 1995 – 2013; Enchanted circa 1991 – Present

Title: The Adversary of Fate

Shannon stares at the words floating in the Orb, wonder permeating through her.

"Well this is. . . goodness me," Eliza breathes, her eyes trained on the details set before them. "This is quite different, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" The girl asks, feeling a bit wary at Eliza's reaction. "Is something wrong?"

Eliza shakes her head.

"Oh no, no, nothing like that," she assures the girl, unfurling the scroll in her hand and reading over it, comparing it to the Orb every few seconds. "It just seems I was correct that you are destined to be quite a witch – more so than I first assumed. Your inheritance is amazing. . . It looks as though you inherited something from each castor – an affinity and a trait from each. . . And you see your status here," she pauses, pointing out the particular line as she searches the scroll.

"'A Witch of Founder's Line?'" Shannon asks, reading it aloud. "What about it?"

"Well, traditional descendants of the Logan line like my son or Granny Logan are usually given the status of 'Magick's Medium,' whereas heirs brought over from the Disenchanted, like myself, are usually given the status of 'True Logan' but you have neither. I don't believe I've heard of anyone with this particular title before. . . And then there is this part here for the magical ability inherited from the Founder and her allies – 'catholic, all-encompassing.' . . I fear I will need to consult Granny Logan about that. Give me a moment."

With that, she opens the scroll in her hands wider, revealing that it is much longer than Shannon initially believed. After a moment of scanning the document her eyes widen, a satisfied expression on her lips.

"Oh, here we are!" She exclaims, a look of relief pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"What is it?" Shannon asks hesitantly, confused, elated, and baffled by the revelation and perplexing nature of the Orb in regards to her magical ability – something she is still astounded that she actually has.

Eliza gives Shannon a small smile over the scroll as her eyes continue to scan the script.

"This here is the complete documentation of every female of the Logan line who the orb has classified and their affirmation details," she explains. "Every time an heir is affirmed their information appears here and the heirs are officially added to the family tree. There are additional records in the study, but this here is the original record where the first affirmation appears. I personally haven't sat down with the original yet seeing as I had the copies and the tree, but it looks as though there are some discrepancies. There are names here I hadn't known were Logans, although, it looks as though I was correct in the assumption that you are the first American heir. We have those who took other names like myself, but they are still intrinsically known as Logan's. . .

"Anyhow, I found another Logan with the status 'A Witch of Founder's Line' and a similar inheritance – and here's another. It seems rather rare. . . only two others as far as I can tell. It looks as though the last person to hold the status 'A Witch of Founder's Line' was Florence Eloise Logan – Nightingale?"

Eliza pauses, taken aback by what she has just read.

"Hold on a moment. . . I wasn't aware she was a Logan, let alone an heir from the Disenchanted. . ."

Shannon blinks, taken aback.

"Florence Nightingale? Like the nurse from World War I?"

Eliza humms her affirmation and continues scanning the scroll.

"'The Lady of the Lamp'. . . It seems as though her title became well known in both the wizarding world and the muggle world. . . and the other is Jehanne Sybille Logan – d'Arc. . . 'The Flame of Liberty.' . . but that name is – dear Lord, I dare say this is Joan of Arc!"

"Wait – what?" Shannon's jaw drops slightly. "But wasn't she French? I thought she fought against England in the hundred year war. How can she be a Logan?"

Eliza frowns, her brow furrowed. "I – I'm not sure. . . I thought not but this. . . I think I may need to look into this more."

With those words, Eliza snaps her fingers and a crack echoes across the room as Eeby appears at her side.

"Yes, Missus?" Eeby asks immediately, an eager air about him.

"Eeby, dear, fetch me a quill and parchment. I think it's time I replied to Granny."

Shannon sits alone in what Eliza has declared to be her new room, at least for the time being. After sending a letter to Granny Logan with Eeby, Eliza had excused herself to collect records in preparation for Granny's arrival, which given Eeby's quick return, should be within the next hour.

Eeby had then escorted her up the stairs to the fourth floor to a large room with a bay window overlooking the garden and greenhouse. She couldn't see it now, given the fact that the sun has set, but she hopes the view will be as beautiful as that of the sitting room on the first floor. The room is simple yet elegant, a four poster queen bed opposite a fireplace and the bay window, beneath which a window seat stretches. There is an ottoman and a dark dresser and the fabric that graces the furniture is light blue with pale yellow accents, giving the room a calming, hopeful feeling, most likely done on purpose. Even the heavy curtains that frame the glass are layers of blue and yellow, as well as the bedding.

What she wishes had curtains is the large mirror that adorns the wall between the door to the room and another door to what she assumes must be a bathroom or closet. The sight of the ornate mirror reminds her a bit too much of her experience moving through the Sortis Mirror and how painful it had been. In addition, every time she catches her reflection, she flinches, momentarily forgetting that she is in fact just a girl – a whole seven years younger than she had been just this morning.

Frowning, Shannon turns her attention to her reflection, studying her features.

It's hard to explain the bizarre feeling the image gives her, but she does believe that it is her; there is no doubt that the girl in the mirror is herself, merely younger – and somehow more elegantly groomed. She still wore the clothes her mother had picked out for her, but with Eliza's magic, they now suited her small frame, tailored to her exactly. Even her hair seems to have been tamed – a feat given how her curls always seemed to have a mind of their own.

Shannon sighs, confliction blossoming in her chest as she turns away from the mirror, not wanting to look at her reflection any more than necessary. It is one thing to be told she has regressed in age, but it is another to be confronted with it.

Being that this is the first time she has been alone since arriving in this world, the Enchanted as Elilza had called it, she finds herself feeling morose and melancholy, the images of her family and friends flitting through her memory. A knot works its way up her throat, growing steadily as tears prick at her eyes, her desire to see her family again enveloping her like a chill in the rain. The only assuagement she has is that her family will never know the pain of losing her – the pain that she feels, if not to a greater extent. Shannon wipes her eyes at the reminder that her family is lost to her, swallowing harshly as to calm herself, reminding herself that there could be a way back if J.K. Rowling managed to cross over.

But will she want to?

Save the fact that she cannot return to the Disenchanted, that she cannot see her loved ones, this setup has always been a dream of sorts to the teen-turned-child. She's always been drawn to the magical and fantastical, and now she has been given just that, as well as magical ability of her own. Given the day she has had, she is quite aware that she has kept herself fairly well put together, although a lot of it may have to do with the calming drought she had taken, even if it had been short lived. But it does beg the question: is she truly dismayed at her circumstance?

Shannon purses her lips. She is't quite sure.

The thought also brings to mind the fact that the potion she had drunk had apparently been made by Tonks, someone she has always admired as a character with her clumsy personality and . Is it safe to assume she will admire her as a person as well? That all of the characters she has grown to love over the years are real people – that their hardships, trials, pain, and sorrow is yet to come?

Is this really a place where she can be happy?

Sighing, Shannon shakes her head, pushing her thoughts away. This is not the time to go down that rabbit hole.

Wanting to keep her mind preoccupied so as not to fall into a spiral of anxiety, Shannon turns her attention to the Orb, which Eliza had left behind on the ottoman for her perusal. It glows softly from within, but its light is subdued by the light of the chandelier above it, which sparkles enchantingly from the soft firelight of its candles.

That is one thing about this situation that seems quite nice; it seems a certain quality of life as well as reputation has resulted from the extensive history and unique attributes of the Logan household. Not that Shannon is complaining in the slightest. It makes her wonder where the Logan family falls within society, their influence and connections. Eliza had mentioned that the Founder (Helga fucking Hufflepuff, good lord) had chosen the Logan bloodline for our moral fiber. The thought gives the impression that the family would keep distance from families like the Malfoys, Carrows, Blacks, etc., but who is to say? Is this world an exact replica of what she knows, the history, personalities?

Shannon's thoughts are broken by a soft, tentative knock on the door. The sound, while barely audible, causes Shannon to jump, having been lost in the quiet of the room. Chewing on her lip and wiping the last of her tears from her face, the girl moves from her position in front of the mirror to the door and opens it, a bit irritated that the handle is higher than she is used to – another reminder of her physiological change. Grunting from the weight of the large door, Shannon opens the door to find that the tentative knocker is Andrew.

Now that the two are standing in front of one another, it is quite apparent that Andrew must be tall for his age, seeing as he towers a good four or five inches above the girl even though he is supposedly two years younger than the girl's new body. He is quite handsome for his age, especially now that he has been cleaned up, freshly bathed and dressed in dark slacks and a white button down. His shoes have been shined and it almost seems as though he's wearing shirt-stays. His dark hair has been styled and slicked back, his deep olive skin tone accenting the golden-green colour of his hazel eyes, eyes that mirror the girl's perfectly. All in all, he'e most likely the most groomed and put together nine year old Shannon has ever met.

The boy shifts awkwardly as Shannon stares up at him, a bit stunned by his arrival.

"Oh, um, hi. . ." Andrew mutters, rolling back on his heels.

"Hi," Shannon repeats, a bit taken aback. "What's up?"

Andrew opens his mouth and then closes it, glancing down the hallway nervously before turning back to the girl with a conflicted expression. As Shannon waits for him to continue, the two fall into a brief silence, just looking at one another quietly.

". . . Um, is there something. . ?" Shannon tries to urge him, trailing off awkwardly.

"Kind of," Andrew replies, shifting his weight. "Eeby told me you were up here. Can I come in?"

Shannon blinks at the boy in surprise. "Oh, yeah, uh, sure," she replies, stepping aside to let him in.

Andrew enters the room tentatively, but his demeanour shifts when he sees the orb sitting in the middle of the room.

"Eeby said Mum let you bring the orb up here, but I wasn't sure," he states as she shuts the door behind him.

"Oh, um, yeah. Not sure why though," she replies, wondering what the boy needs. "If I had to guess, I'd say it was just in case I wanted to look over my affirmation again."

Andrew nods with a small frown on his face. After a moment he turns to me, looking conflicted.

"I just. . . wanted to apologise. . . for earlier. I was just excited. I didn't mean to. . . I don't know. . . say you were old. . . or make it seem like I just wanted to use you so that I could go out on my own. . ." He trails off, his eyes falling to his shoes. "Or that it is bad that you're American – which it's not! It was just a shock, is all. . ."

Shannon blinks in surprise, not having expected the words out of the boy's mouth.

"What? No, you don't need to," the girl states with a small smile. "I wasn't offended or anything. I mean, I'm just as shocked as you are I guess."

Andrew's shoulders slump in relief, the awkward stiffness leaving him.

"Thank Merlin. Father was none too pleased with me. The last thing I need is him on my case about not being a proper gentleman."

"Well you can tell him I said not to worry about it," the girl assures him. "I really do not care."

The boy nods, considering the girl with a look of intrigue.

"Good then," he replies, giving her a nod of approval. After a moment, he continues, looking a bit anticipatory. "So did you really know about magic before you came here? Mum said that it was a myth in the Disenchanted and that no one with a proper head believed in it. Are you a loon, or something – at least to the people in your world?"

Shannon shakes her head, a smile of her own pulling at her lips.

"No, not at all," she replies, a warm feeling growing in her chest. "But I did know about magic. I think it's got to do with the years we grew up. Your mom and I are a bit far apart in timing, but in the era I'm from, magic is a common fiction premise, one that is extremely popular – but the most popular is the Harry Potter series, which basically is a tell all about the wizarding world here. It's why I feel like I already know so much about the people here, although, I admit the Logan's are never mentioned. . . I just can't believe that it's all real."

Andrew's eyes grow wide at her words.

"Shut it! So that's how you know about Aunty Tonks, then?"

Shannon grins broadly, she herself growing excited along with the boy.

"Yeah, exactly," she admits, her memory of their earlier encounter flashing across her mind. "She's one of my favourites too. I relate way too much to her clumsiness and I would kill to be a metamorphmagus."

"Wait till you meet her in person," Andrew states with a mischievous grin. "She's wicked cool. She loves making faces whenever Granny Logan's back is turned. The last time I saw her, she gave herself fish eyes that had me and my cousin snorting milk. Granny Logan nearly had a fit."

"Oh my god, yes, no, I have to meet her!" Shannon gushes, the prospect of being able to meet some of her favourite characters in the flesh. "Speaking of, your mom said that you were with a boy named Ronald today – it wouldn't happen to be Ronald Weasley, would it? He's got a like shit ton of older brothers and a little sister?"

Andrew's jaw drops slightly as his eyes grow alight.

"Get out – you know about Ronald, too?"

"I know about all the Weasley's," Shannon states, feeling a bit proud of herself. "They are a big part of the books I read."

"Bloody hell – that's brilliant!" Andrew cries, looking the girl over with a newfound interest.

"It totally is," Shannon agrees with a smile, feeling the most at home she had all day. Something about talking with Andrew – who in a way is actually her great uncle – has relieved some of her anxieties, if not only to help her forget them for the time being,

"Did you want to meet them?" Andrew asks curiously, a half smile pulling at his lips.

The girl's eyes widen significantly.

"Shut up – are you being serious?"

Andrew's smile grows.

"We're meeting up this week to help the Weasley's with their school shopping. Ron's going off to Hogwarts this year, so it's kind of a big deal."

Shannon's jaw drops as a realisation falls over her.

"Hold on – at what age do kids go off to Hogwarts?"

Andrew pauses, his expression a look of budding enthusiasm as he considers the girl before him, his eyes glancing off to the Orb in the centre of the room.

"So were you affirmed then?" He asks, an excited half-smile pulling at his lips. "Is that what this is about?"

Shannon nods, her eyes glancing at the Orb as well. She had assumed she was going to be here for Harry's story – but she hadn't exactly planned at being at Hogwarts at the same time. She assumed that she would be a few years before or behind him, but she is eleven now – eleven at the age Harry started Hogwarts at eleven years old.

"I – I'm eleven now," Shannon breathes terror and excitement battling for dominance within her.

Andrew's smile widens. "Then you'll be off to Hogwarts this year with Ron – once you get your letter of course. But that's bloody brilliant, that is – and even more of a reason to introduce you two. He could use a friend at Hogwarts that's not just his brothers."

Andrew's smile falters as he looks me over.

"Shite, how am I supposed to explain where the bloody hell you came from? Did Mum say anything to you about who you're supposed to be?"

The crass words coming out of the boy's mouth cause Shannon to smile, but her amusement does not overshadow her bewilderment that the boy is correct on all accounts: how are they going to explain her presence in this world?

But that is not what Shannon is currently focused on. No, Shannon is preoccupied with the revelation that she will most likely be attending Hogwarts in a matter of weeks.

Bloody fucking brilliant.