Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 10

I went down to Hagrid's with the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins, but even though Draco didn't show up because of our little incident, Care of Magical Creatures class still turned out to be a disaster. But nevertheless, it was a good distraction, just like Fred had promised it would be.

     Although my mood was quickly picked up that same day when Moody turned Draco into a ferret, giving everyone a good laugh.

     The next few days passed quicker than expected. I was now less scared to see the ghosts and prepared to walk on the moving stairs. I had even learned to avoid walking past the grumpy portraits.

     I found myself enjoying all the classes; from Astronomy to Herbology, and despite Snape's foul mood, I turned out to love Potions and it soon became my favorite.

     In other classes such as Charms or Transfigurations, I only acted like sweeping the wand Dumbledore had given me, but obviously nothing ever happened. After a week, everyone had started to assume that I was just stupid or talentless when it came to magic.

     Maybe I was just being paranoid, but I could swear that (the fake) Moody gave me dangerous and suspicious glares throughout his first class, when he taught us about the Unforgivable Curses.

     Weeks passed, but I found myself wondering about my parents and friends again, this time more horrific thoughts getting into my head, that one day I had no choice than to pay another visit to Dumbledore's office.

     Climbing up the staircase behind the gargoyle statue, I knocked at his door and opened it after I heard a faint 'come in'.

     "Ah, Miss Hooper." said Dumbledore with a smile as he sat behind his desk. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

     "May I have a word, Professor?" I asked shyly.

     "Yes, of course." He gestured me to come in and so I did, closing the door behind me.

     "Professor, I was wondering... how am I supposed to get back?"

     "Oh, you want to leave us already?" He chuckled at his own joke.

     "Sir, I – I love to be at Hogwarts. It was my ultimate dream to become a witch and come here ever since I was a kid. But I just need to know what will happen to me in the future. And that how it happened in the first place that I'm here, and why."

     "I'm afraid, none of those questions I have a complete answer to." He said, standing off his seat and coming close to me. "Someone has, indeed, sent you back in time. But who, I do not know. Certainly because they wanted you to change something, but how they managed to bewitch the barrier, I cannot tell; but I dare say only a powerful wizard or witch can do such thing."

     "Then am I supposed to stay at the wizarding world? What about my family?" I retorted, starting to get annoyed at his inability to answer me fully.

     "I'm afraid, you can't go back to them now." He said. "You see, now that you are in another timeline, your parents already have a daughter named Lexi Hooper, although she is only one years old. Do you think two Muggles are going to believe you if you burst into their house, claiming you're their fourteen years old daughter, coming from the future?"

     I didn't answer that, my glance falling onto the ground along with all the confidence I had managed to hold, knowing all too well that he was right.

     "Then how can I go back? A time-turner, perhaps?"

     "Time-turner isn't the answer, Miss Hooper." He said sympathetically. "I'm sure that you will be sent back, when the time is right, just like how you got here. Although when, how, and by whom, I don't know."