Note; Some things may appear to be wrong, but please understand that it's a fan- fiction. I'd also like to say that the characters and settings belong to it's rightful owner (J.K Rowling). Most of this book won't follow the exact storyline as I will add some twists of my own. Their will also be some made up places, so yeah! But, please enjoy!
"People only do bad things in a state of vulnerability"
-Anonymous
Flora was currently in the Great Hall, contemplating about the mess of the Ministry and the problem they were currently facing. She mindlessly twirled her curly brown hair around her finger in thought. It seemed weird about the revolution that was happening, and she was confused about the whole ideal. Actually... she was rather curious. Very curious. The Daily Prophet that came out, didn't seem to render or control her thoughts about the subject. It only contained the curiosity for a little while, not fully taming it.
"Flora... would you mind passing me the grapes?" Simmins asked, his greedy fingers stretching out in front of her brown eyes. Flora quietly laughed at the boy beside her who loved food. "Please," he quickly added, his mouth seeming full from the chicken that he recently had just devoured. 'So quirky with food' she thought.
"Sure," she said, and passed him the silver bowl with the fruit in it. He gave her a thankful smile before his eyes slowly fell to the grapes, his attention on the green and purple balls in front of him. Flora rolled her eyes at Avery Simmins who was smiling like a child at Christmas. She quietly bit into her roast chicken which was succulent with flavours.
It was currently the 2nd last day of Hogwarts and she couldn't be more relieved about the holidays soon to come before the 7th year started. Although she had to deal with her parents lecturing her on every small detail about her weight, her hair, her clothes or her manners, she was still looking forward to it.
She was cut short out of her meal when a white piece of paper floated effortlessly in front of her eyes, awaiting for Flora's simple, delicate touch, to render it from floating. She carefully took the paper into her hands and opened it, to see gold intricate writing carved into the paper. She frowned slightly, before her curious brown eyes scanned the small piece of paper.
Flora Nightingale,
Please meet me up in my office as soon as possible. It is important for me to inform you about an issue that involves you.
Albus Dumbledore
Flora looked up quickly to find Dumbledore nodding his head in acknowledgement. Her mouth went dry and she excused herself from the table before exiting the Great Hall. Her black robe followed her quiet footsteps as she made her way up the hallways before going up the staircases that moved from time to time.
Her foot slipped on a stair, but she caught her self luckily. She sighed, slightly irritated with herself, due to her clumsiness that seemed to pop up from time to time. It sometimes annoyed her, but she learnt to control it. It was apart of who she was, and she tried to accept that.
Before long, Flora found herself in front of the headmasters door and quietly knocked, knowing that Dumbledore would already be there because he knew the school like the back of his hand. Which she admired. He was wise, and brave. A hero... a role model. The door swung open as she eyed Dumbledore who sat gracefully on his cushioned chair, his hand resting on his phoenix adoringly.
"Come, sit down Flora," he said, eyeing the slightly nervous girl before him. She nodded and sat down on the comfy seat, before her eyes drifted to the bird who was watching her expectantly.
"Hey Fawkes," she smiled, ruffling his feathers slightly. He went to nip at her, but she pulled her hand away. "No lollies this time from the Imperial," she slightly laughed before she stopped as Dumbledore gave her a look. She nervously laughed as she thought. 'He wasn't suppose to know that...'
"Anyways Miss Nightingale. I'd like to congratulate you on getting one of the highest marks so far in your year..." he started. "Your prefect duties this year were exemplary, and I'm happy that you're the head girl next year after the final term," he finished, his blue eyes, mesmerising Flora.
"Thank you," she slightly smiled.
"The house of Ravenclaw would be proud, but it seems I need a back up plan," he said, mumbling the last part to himself. "You know Potter, don't you?" He asked, his wild grey eyebrows arched in question. He knew the answer, but he didn't want to seem rude. She sighed as she remembered what Dumbledore wanted to talk about.
'Why me?' she thought.
"Yeah," she hummed, Harry Potter... he was one of her friends, alike with Ron and Hermione. Flora had came to Harry's rescue when Draco Malfoy started being mean to him for no apparent reason. Although, she knew Malfoy still caused trouble with the three.
"Good. You seem to take a slight interest in what's happening with the ministry, aren't you?" He asked. Flora nodded quietly, wondering how he caught on to her curiosity of the difficult ideal.
"I've lived long Flora. I see through people," he hummed. "Back to the... topic. You know, 'Who Must Not Be Named'," he stated, playing with his quill absentmindedly before setting it back down, eyeing her. "I need a back up plan if Potter fails. Leading me to you," he hummed. "I want you to complete a task for me," he said, his blue eyes glancing to Flora. His light blue eyes twinkling in hope.
"Professor, I've already said I didn't want to do it. Get a Gryffindor, they're brave... I'm a Ravenclaw and I'm wise enough to know that this so called task... is ludicrous," she dejected.
"You're curious aren't you? Flora... just take this and spin it, I've set the time to 1944 and you'll be transported into the Holidays, just before the new year starts. Find Tom Marvolo Riddle and change him," he spoke, handing her an ornate necklace.
"How'd you get your hands on one of the two time turners that can go back that far..." Flora's eyes widened in awe, before shaking her head. He was blooming Albus Dumbledore. Nothing should be a surprise when it comes to him.
"Wait...Tom Riddle?" She questioned exasperated. She didn't want to do it because she knew solely who Tom Riddle was. "Hermione already told me that if I die back there, I die for real!" She loudly voiced out. Flora bit her lip and sucked on it as she eyed the powerful wizard in front of her. Harry told her some things when he came back from his travels with Ron and Hermione. She was two years older than the trio. She awaited for Dumbledore to talk, but he gave her a disappointed glance.
"Why not send me back a bit further?" Flora asked desperately.
"The ministry won't allow it. Thinking that it's too far back and that you could alter other things. Silly if you ask me," he stated.
"Why not kill him?" she questioned. Dumbledore stayed quiet at that, the gears in his brains remembering the boy before his dark days. Flora recognized this and asked another question. "Do my parents know?" she asked.
"Yes... they do," he sighed. Flora frowned at her parents. She thought that they didn't love her, maybe cared about her, but not love her.
"Why me?" Flora peeped up, the question escaping from her pink lips before she could cover her mouth. She didn't ask last time due to her solely leaving quickly at the very proposition. This was the second conversation they had about the subject of her going back into the past. She told Dumbledore she had to think about it for understandable reasons. But it had been a month and Dumbledore now began to become weary.
"Your curiosity is the main reason. I'm hoping that Riddle can be stopped before he falls into more harm," he whispered vaguely. Not answering her question as to why, because he didn't know quite himself, but he knew she was special. He had an inkling... And this was a strong one.
"So what will happen?" Flora asked quietly.
"When you arrive he would have already formed his first Horcrux, try to stop him, but do not let him see into your mind Flora. He knows legilimency like you," he spoke. Her mind was a whirl wind. 'I had to try to stop the evil that lurked into the shadows in the Wizard World?' she thought before scoffing. She was wise enough to know that the plan would end in catastrophe. He was a monster, and Flora was overwhelmed as Dumbledore stood from his desk, making her feel small. "Take this note," he warned, offering his hand. She stood up in protest and backed away slowly.
"I... I need more time!" Flora sighed, her mind trying to fit the pieces of information that Dumbledore had just told her... once again.
"I know it may be difficult, but you're my only resort, the Wizarding Worlds last resort!" Dumbledore said, his voice rising.
... And in that moment she knew Dumbledore was desperate.
"I-I need time," she whispered her mind thinking about someone making a horcrux. Damn my excuse is pathetic concerning the 'I need more time.'
Her parents were apart of the ministry, books upon books in their attic which she had read through. Until she found one special book in the closet which was ridden with dust. It was an evil book, but Flora was curious, so she read it.
"We don't have time!" Dumbledore triggered back, walking towards her and placing the envelope in her shaky hands. He placed the necklace on her neck as her wild eyes met the red phoenix behind Dumbledore.
"Dumbledore..." she trailed off. Her brown eyes were blurred as her hands held the letter in her hand, tightly.
"You can do it Nightingale. The letter is for the principal; which is Dippet, show me the letter back then and it'll be sorted," Dumbledore spoke softly, touching the necklace and turning it.
"You better be right..." Flora breathed in. Suddenly, she was wharfed into a different time dimension. She couldn't even ask how to go back, but that might've been for a reason...
Rendering her speechless as she fell into a whirlwind, she suddenly halted to a stop. Her legs wobbled and her mind clouded as she appeared in an empty room, that was quiet familiar before fainting.