An Exquisite Pain

professor Dumbledore

But Danielle refused to let herself think pessimistic thoughts, and instead focused her mind on finding a way to Hogwarts.

She wouldn't be able to take the Hogwarts Express, since it had most likely already left (she had assumed that only the year, not the date or the time, had changed, judging by the autumn leaves) and she was too young to Apparate. And it was impossible to walk…

Perhaps, if the rule about underage magic still applied, Danielle could cast a spell that would send a teacher out here to check. All the students were supposed to be on the train by now, so if they sensed magic, then they might get suspicious…

But, Danielle reminded herself, you used Accio, and nobody's come yet…

Maybe it had to be something really extreme, like one of the Unforgivable Curses. But Danielle couldn't do that. She shuddered at the very thought.

A few minutes passed while she pondered, and her eyes lit up as a thought struck her. If the teachers thought that she was in danger, maybe they would have more reason to come and get her! And what better way to suggest that one was in danger than by using the Patronus spell?

Since the end of the Second Wizarding War, it had been mandatory in the Hogwarts curriculum for students to be able to cast Patronuses. Last spring, Danielle had taken lessons with all the other fourth-years. It had taken her the better part of four months to produce something other than a faint wisp of fog, but she'd finally managed it just before she'd been tested on her ability (or lack thereof) to cast one.

Praying that it would work, Danielle raised her wand and concentrated on her happiest memory: that of finally seeing Hogwarts. Thinking of the first time she'd seen the grand castle, she cleared her throat and yelled: "Expecto Patronum!"

A sleek silver fox shot out of the tip of her wand, gamboling around her several times before disappearing into the thick forest.

Danielle waited until the silver light had faded completely before lowering her wand, feeling pleased with herself. What would the teachers say when they detected underage magic—with a Patronus, no less?

Well, all that was left to do was wait. Danielle plopped back down on the ground, concentrating only on the fact that she would be back to the present soon and everything would be all right. She wouldn't be stuck in the past forever.

A loud crack shattered the still air. Danielle instantly jumped up, her wand raised, but she immediately lowered it when she saw who had Apparated into the field.

He was perhaps a little younger than his portrait suggested. Instead of being long and white-bearded, he had short auburn hair and an even shorter beard. But his light-blue eyes and half-moon glasses were the same.

Albus Dumbledore stood in the middle of the field, staring at Danielle curiously, though there was kindness in his eyes.

Relief washed through her, and she resisted the urge to run up and hug him. Instead she choked out, "Professor Dumbledore! It's such an honor to finally meet you!"

"And I you, my dear," he said, though he looked a little confused. "Do you mind explaining yourself?"

Wordlessly, she handed him the Time-Turner.

Dumbledore examined it with interest before looking up. "When are you from?" he asked, gazing at her intently.

"2011," she admitted. "I was born in 1996."

Before she could explain any more, Dumbledore held up a hand. "Don't tell me everything. Just tell me how you came to be here."

Danielle quickly explained how she lived in the house-that-would-eventually-exist here, and how she'd found the Time-Turner in the grass and was accidentally sent back in time.