Magicis Par // Sebastian Sallow

1. The Great Chase Through Time

            Auror Potter rested his hands on my shoulders and gave me solemn attempt at a smile. "Are you ready?" My eyes stung with tears, nerves suddenly biting at the tightness in my chest. "You don't have to do this, Clara."

"Just like you didn't?" I responded. I placed one hand atop Auror Potter's and gave it a squeeze. "There's nothing left for me here. Rookwood made sure of that."

"You're a brave witch," Professor Longbottom praised as Auror Potter stepped back from me. I waved my wand over the archway, and it bathed the Map Chamber in a light blue glow. I spared a glance at the four portraits on the wall, each watching apprehensively and offering their short words of well-wishes.

I hesitated my first step towards the archway and turn backed to my three mentors who spent so much of the last four years preparing me for this. "What if I can't get back?"

"Eleazar should have the original blueprints to the archway. You created the first one, you can do it again," Auror Potter assured. He gave me a certain nod and the small, crooked smile I'd grown so familiar with.

Officer Granger was the last to bid me farewell. Her emotions got the better of her, no matter how hard she tried to bury them. She launched herself at me and wrapped me in a tight embrace. "Be safe, Clara," she cautioned. "Remember everything Harry taught you. Even the smallest of things may be essential to your success." She held me at arm's length for one more moment. "God, I hate having to put you through what we went through."

"It's the only option." She nodded as she returned to Auror Potter's side. "I think I had some pretty good teachers to prepare me."

The three offered me as assuring of a smile as they could muster as I turned again to face the archway. I couldn't see through it like I could the ancient doorways, which scared me even more. With a deep breath, I took the first step.

This was it. It was time.

The sensation of stepping through the archway was similar to using the Floo, which was never something I cared for. It usually left me dizzy and a bit nauseous. So, when I made it through the archway, I quickly polished off an anti-nausea potion before lifting a hand to knock on the door in front of me.

The archway deposited me on the steps of George Osric's home in London, and it appeared they were waiting for me. My fist never met the door, as it was yanked open just moments after I appeared. "There you are, my dear," Fig greeted excitedly. "Glad to see the journey fared you well."

I forced a smile onto my face. "All body parts intact," I offered. He clapped his hands together joyously before ushering me inside. The home was weirdly reminiscent of any other wizarding townhouse I'd spent time in, sans electricity. The décor was typical—Victorian wallpaper, portraits of witches and wizards passed, and lit with what looked like expensive sconces and chandeliers.

"George is just preparing to leave. Have you enough to get to Hogwarts?" I gave the bottomless bag slung across my shoulders a pat and nodded. Fig overlooked my outfit and frowned before waving his wand over me. The simple jeans and t-shirt transfigured into an ankle-length skirt and quarter-sleeve blouse with a high collar. "Much better."

I frowned at the clothes of the time. "Is there not a way I can wear pants?"

"Trousers," Fig corrected, waving his wand again to change the skirt for a pair of dark gray trousers. The trousers fell just below the knee and were met with knee-high socks. "We'll work on your vocabulary on the way to the school. You're not in 2018 anymore, Clara."