The Past is the Future

Chapter 1: Ancient Magic

31st of August 2019, London, England

"All was well..."

I read those words over and over again with a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth. I couldn't believe it. I re-read and then re-read again all the Harry Potter books, until I knew most of the story by heart, quoting my favourite passages in times of need. When I read the books, it was like I was really there at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: sitting during meals in the Great Hall, walking the enchanted hallways to my next class, duelling against my classmates in Defense Against the Dark Arts, going up the stairs to the Gryffindor common room, flying on a broom playing Quidditch or running wild in the Forbidden Forest. I laughed and I cried, I felt and I lived through it all. But just because I knew what was going to happen didn't make it any less exciting or thrilling for me to read. J.K. Rowling is a genius, I probably thought at some point...

I sighed and looked at the cover of the last Harry Potter book. A tall, thin looking boy with distinctive emerald green eyes, round glasses, messy black hair and a lightning shaped scar on his forehead looked straight back at me. I smiled fondly at the teenager, and it looked as if he was smiling right back at me. I had grown up with that lanky bespeckled boy, witnessed all of his ups and downs and was there to bid him goodbye at platform 9 and 3/4 19 years later - only temporarily of course... 

It was the final day of summer and I was in my warm bed, curled up with a cozy blanket. I picked up my phone and looked at them time - it was exactly midnight. I should probably go to sleep, I thought, it's the first day of school tomorrow after all. With bleary eyes, I picked up the book I was reading prior and closed it, briefly marvelling at the smooth expanse of its spine. Suddenly, I noticed that the title and the cover of the book started to change...

I frowned down at it, then rubbed my eyes vigorously. I thought that I must be making things up for it was quite late at night and I was pretty tired. My brain must be playing tricks on me, I thought. Then I looked down at the cover again. Both the face of Harry Potter and the title were changing. It couldn't be, I thought. Then I stiffled a gasp. Where the title once clearly said "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" now stood "Margaret Wells and the Heir of Slytherin" instead. My very own name, boldly displayed on the front cover. But that wasn't everything...

By now, the face of Harry Potter was much more soft and feminine than before, his eyes were rapidly turning golden brown and his round glasses and lightning shaped scar disappeared completely. His lips became fuller and pinker, lashes longer, brows thinner. His nose became smaller and neater, face rounder, cheeks fuller and dimpled, even a light dusting of freckles adorned his face. I must surely be going crazy, I thought again. But Harry Potter kept changing. His hair was now long, brown and curly and his body was curvy. He was starting to look a lot like... A she...

I nearly gasped again. No, not nearly. I gasped. What was once supposed to be the face of Harry Potter was now me. I stared down at my own face on the cover of the book and it stared straight back at me, eyes blinking and lips curled up into a kind but knowing smile.

"Hello Maggie!" she said. I gasped again. Not because she had spoken, but beacause she had used my nickname...

"Who are you?" I whispered in disbelief, briefly thinking that this was all a dream and that I would wake up soon enough. "What do you want?"

"Can't you see?" she laughed. "I'm you, Maggie. I'm you but from a different world. A magical world."

"A... A... A What?"

"A new prophecy has been made," she continued. "A prophecy about you, a seemingly normal muggle girl, defeating the Dark Lord once and for all."

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..." she quoted, her voice having taken on a hoarse, trance like quality - not anything unlike Proffessor Trelawney. "A snake hidden under a rock, from another world and whose future is the past and the past is the future... The green lair shall bask a viper in its bosom... But she will have knowledge the Dark Lord knows not... And either must die at the hands of the other, for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord is here..."

As I heard those fatefull words, a shiver travelled down my spine.

This can't be true... I must be dreaming... I thought to myself. How else could I explain what was happening?

"No, you're not dreaming Maggie." she said, voicing my thoughts. "You're our saviour, the saviour of the wizarding world."

"No, no, no, no, no! It can't be!" I cried. "I... I... I can't! There... there must be a mistake!"

She looked up at me and smiled again, eyes sparkling. "Good luck Maggie!" she said, and that was the last thing I heard for a very long time...

Suddenly, the book opened , its pages flipping wildly to the middle of the book and a blazing golden light appeared from within, illuminating my entire room. Even in my muddled state of mind, I realised that it must be some kind of portal. The air felt thick with ancient magic and I could see bursts of colour infront of my eyes. Then it all happened very quicky: I felt as if a strong pair of hands had reached out and grabbed me, dragging me into the book. I hardly had any time to react. I tried to free herself from the grasp, but it held on to me firmly. It was almost as if some invisible force was drawing me deeper and deeper into the portal.

I tried to shout and scream for help, but I couldn't. No words came out of my mouth. I was terrified. And then suddenly, I was falling... Falling deeper and deeper into the abyss, until darkness surrounded me completely...

***

This is my first chapter so far, I hope it was worth your reading time!

***

Please make sure to review and vote for my story!

Thank you!

Maggie

TO BE CONTINUED...