Out of the Shadows // Sebastian Sallow

Chapter Nine

I held in my hand three prospective birth certificates. Well, magical copies I made from the record books. The first two were questionable to say the least. Unknown names and only slightly matching dates. The description of the one fit me pretty well though, so I hung on to it. The second had the right date and a similar name even though the baby description didn't quite match. But people change as they grow, right?

And the third. It was so odd. But for some reason I couldn't discount it. I held it in my hand and read it again.

Hmmm. I need a second opinion. I thought to myself.

I got up swiftly and went into the lab. "Hey, Ellie. Can you look at something for me? I need a fresh set of eyes as I've been looking at these parchments for ages and my eyes are starting to blur."

I looked up and Ellie was at her big table with a small metal tool in her hand and the funniest looking magnifying glasses on her face. She looked up at me and her GIANT black eyes locked with mine. I immediately burst out laughing, doubled over, my cheeks hurting from stretching so hard from the laughter.

"It's not that funny. Besides, they are necessary for the intricate work I'm doing." She took off the glasses and wiped her eyes. But still smiled at me.

"I'm sorry." I cleared my throat, still feeling the giggles softly erupting from me. "What are you working on anyway?" I asked, trying to get back in her good graces by showing interest in her work.

"Well. It's top secret really. But I suppose I could tell you." A little glint in her eye. I could tell she was bursting to talk about it with someone.

She picked up a small golden trinket and showed it to me. It looked a little like an hourglass. It spun in her hand delicately. It was surrounded by several concentric circles that appeared as though they could spin too. A mechanized counter on the outside of the biggest circle.

"I'm calling it a Time Turner. Time travel has always fascinated wizards. But it's such an abstract and dangerous idea that no one has ever completed work on it. The idea is to go anywhere in time and learn new things. Or old things as the case may be. But ramifications of accidentally changing the fabric of time could be so dire you could actually destroy the entire space time continuum and subsequently all life on earth and/or earth itself." Her voice was full of wonder and fear.

"That's why it's such intricate work. One mistake and we could all have tails!" She smirked at me and I giggled again.

"So far, I've gotten one to go back in time a year and send you back to the exact moment you left. But it only works the once. I think. As my theory is that it only works the once I haven't tried it. I gave it to my superiors though. If they have the guts to try it, God be with them." She smiled ruefully.

"This one here, I can go forward and back a couple of hours. But no more. No less really. But it spits you out in front of yourself. I spent a few days in St. Mungo's trying to get my head straight after seeing myself. You really shouldn't do that. My memories and thoughts were all convoluted and ... well... it took a lot to get back to normal." She sighed deeply.

"I want to do something amazing! Go back to Ancient Rome and see how they used magic! Or to the future! Can you imagine how wizard kind is going to evolve?" She was so wistful, it was contagious.

"It sounds like incredible work. I'm impressed." Thoughtful for moment, I replied again, "Ellie, you're kind of a genius! I mean seriously, this is amazing!"

She blushed a deep pink. "Well, there are plenty of others around here who would disagree with you. Especially since this is such dangerous work. Remember what I told you about wanting the known and to have control? Well, that's literally the battle I fight with this project." Her shoulders slumped slightly as she was pensive for a moment.