Never Say Never

Never say Never

Firelight flickered across Kalli's features as she read in one of the overstuffed chairs of the Gryffindor common room. In the opposite chair, Hermione sat reading. On the couch beside her Harry and Ron were opening their newest collection of Chocolate Frogs from Honeydukes on the visit to Hogsmeade earlier that day. "Watch that one, Ron! It's a jumper!" Harry exclaimed. Expertly, Ron reached out and snatched the Chocolate Frog in mid-leap.

"Kalinda!" shouted Willow from the hole in the wall as she walked in the Gryffindor common room. Kalli cowered down in the chair, holding the book over her head in a sad attempt to hide from her livid cousin. Harry and Ron stayed silent, hoping that she wouldn't notice them in her quest to thrash and clobber her innocent cousin. "If you had spoken up, McGonagall would've reduced the detention!" Willow screeched, coming around the chair and glaring at Kalli.

Shaking her head, Kalli Damia replied, "It was your stunt, Will. I wasn't taking the rap. I told you that."

Exasperated, Willow erupted, "I wish you NEVER came to Hogwarts! I wish you NEVER left your parents! Life would be so much easier if you NEVER came to Dad's!"

Kalli glanced at her hands, then shifted her eyes back to Willow and whispered, "Never is a strong word, Will. Are you sure you mean it?"

Already angry, Willow threw her hands up and screamed, "I wish you never came to Dad's!" Without a word the world dissolved around her and she fell to the floor.

Darkness lay around her as she opened her eyes. Strong hands were shaking her as she rolled over on the floor. "Willow," the voice said, "What're you doing down here?"

"I must've fallen asleep," Willow replied, struggling to her feet.

Harry's face came into view, his eyes set deep in their sockets. "I mean down here," he said quietly, gesturing around him. Willow glanced about the Gryffindor common room, or what was once the common room. The couches were in tatters, the chairs overturned, the tapestries in disarray, shredded to nothingness.

"What happened?" Willow asked, glancing around in amazement.

Harry clamped his hand over her mouth and whispered, "Shh, we have to get back to the dungeons before the next check." He flung the Invisibility Cloak over them both and pulled her down the hallway. Hogwarts Castle was much the same as the common room. Suits of armor lay sprawled along the floor, steps were missing from staircases, pictures were shredded, their people destroyed. Finally, they reached the dungeons and Willow found the entire student body of Hogwarts crowded downstairs.

Ron sat on the floor in a corner, playing fruitlessly with his wand and muttering to himself. "Ron," Harry said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I found her."

A vacant look met Willow's eyes as Ron whispered, "Hermione?"

"No, it's Willow," Harry said, kneeling down. "You know Hermione's gone."

Tears sparked in Ron's eyes as he exclaimed, "Gone! What happened to her? Will she be back?"

"She was one of the first Muggle-Borns killed," Harry replied, brushing hair from Ron's face. The boy's eyes fell and tears started to flow. Turning. Harry helped Willow up and said, "He dies a little more every time I tell him."

Confused, Willow grabbed Harry's shoulder. "What happened?" she demanded, "Why are we trapped in a dungeon? Why was Hermione killed? Where's Dumbledore?"

Harry was staring at her like she was mad. "Dumbledore was killed when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named took Hogwarts, thirteen years ago. All Muggles have been killed, including Muggle Born Wizards. We were recruited when Hogwarts became a training ground for Dark Wizards. Mum and Dad are trying to get us out, so far to no avail."

The world was falling away from her, she was sure of it. This was all some crazy dream. Just one more question, and she was sure she wouldn't want to know the answer. "And Kalli?" Willow asked. Harry's eyes questioned her. "Kalinda Damia? You know, Kalli."

"Kalinda Damia," Harry exclaimed, staring at her. "The Dark Mistress?" Willow's heart sank to her feet. So this was a world without Kalli. So much for a better life. "Your father died trying to kill her," Harry continued, "Remember?"

It felt as if Willow's heart stopped beating. Everyone was dead, or mad, or missing. What had she done?"

Suddenly, the door burst open and a trio barged in. In front was Minerva McGonagall, her normal teachers garb replaced by an Auror's uniform. Behind her and to her left stood Sirius Black, and to the right stood George Weasley.

Minerva walked through the room, checking off children as they Disapperated them. She finally reached Willow, and said, "Miss Lupin. Your mother has vanished. Mr. Potter has said to send you home with Harry. Have a pleasant evening, see you tomorrow," Minerva said, tapping them both.

White tile formed beneath her feet and she found herself in a beautiful kitchen. A red head stood before the stove, and as she turned Willow was astonished to find herself face to face with Lily Potter. "Oh, hello Willow," Lily said smiling at the girl. "I figured you would be the fourth. Is your mother still in Germany?"

"Mum," Harry said, "Mrs. Lupin has vanished."

Lily went to exclaim when Willow interrupted her. "Mrs. Potter, tell me something. Is there a spell to create a time vortex, changing the present to a deformed truth?" Lily looked at her strangely. "Let's just say I wished someone had never come to stay with me an Dad. Is there a way for that to happen, and life as we know it is changed?"

Lily sat down and thought, while Harry went about the house checking the rooms for the cat. "There's only one spell I can think of and it requires the Chanting. All she has to do is say Never is a strong word, are you sure you mean it? If the person answers yes, everything becomes distorted, and that never took place."

Eyes downcast, Willow whispered, "Kalli."

Harry stared at her as he walked into the kitchen. "What is with you and this person?" he demanded. "Mum, she swears this Kalli is the Dark Mistress, Kalinda Damia."

"She's not," Willow cried. "Kalli Damia is my cousin!" Harry and Lily's eyes widened in shock. "She goes to Hogwarts with us. She's smarter then Hermione, more beautiful then I, and you fell madly in love with her the moment you saw her!" Neither moved, both staring at her. "She said that thing, and we all ended up here!"

Tears sparked in her eyes as she sank to the floor. "I don't want to be here! I want to go home to Dad, and sit in the Great Hall with Kalli, playing Wizard's Chess. I want to sit in Transfiguration and try to turn a feather into a butterfly. I want to sneak out of Hogwarts to visit dad at the Shrieking Shack on the full moon. I just want to go back!" Willow sobbed, head in her hands. "I'm so sorry, Kalli," Willow whispered.

A blinding flash of light rocked her backwards, knocking her across the tile. Opening her eyes, she found Kalli standing before her. A long black gown swept the floor and raven hair fell far past her shoulders. Lily and Harry bolted back as Willow stared at her cousin.

"I told you never is a strong word, Will," Kalli said, offering her hand. Willow flung her arms around Kalli and held tight. "Can you believe I prevented all this?" Kalli asked, motioning around her. She turned and looked at Lily and Harry, then whispered, "Hello Harry."

Lily's eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted, but Harry simply stared. "Can I fix this, Kalli?" Willow asked, turning to look out the window at the Muggle free world.

A smile played on Kalli's face as she replied, "I certainly hope so, I'd like to get back before dinner."

Closing her eyes, Willow said, "I wish I never made that wish."

"Never is a strong word Willow. Are you sure you mean it?" Kalli asked, flickering her eyes to the floor.

Willow opened her eyes and replied, "With all my heart." Around her the air grew heavier, then obviously lighter.

Opening her eyes, Willow first noticed the couch beside her head, and the sound of rushing feet. Hermione was bent over Willow, checking her pulse. "You okay?" Hermione asked.

Bolting upward, Willow threw her arms around Hermione and exclaimed, "You're alive!" Kalli sat in the same spot, watching her cousin. "Kalli, I'm so, so sorry!" Willow staggered to her feet and rushed to embrace Kalli, who welcomed her.

"What the hell..." Harry asked, confused.

Ron, Harry and Hermione stared at them. "I was mad?" Ron asked for the tenth time in five minutes. Again Willow nodded.

"And I was just a normal kid?" Harry whispered, his hand fluttering to his forehead. This time Kalli nodded. "My parents were alive? And I didn't know you, Kal?" Again she nodded. Harry was silent for the moment, and then he spoke rather forcefully, "I wouldn't trade this world for that one. I can't imagine life without you."

All through the story Hermione had been silent. "I was dead?" the girl finally asked, staring at the candlestick in front of her. Everyone turned to look at her. Brown eyes came up and stared at Kalli. "Dead?" Hermione whispered. Willow and Kalli both nodded. "I don't understand how..." she trailed off, falling silent and staring at the candlestick again.

"Sometimes the best answers are questions, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said from behind her. "You two had quite an adventure, didn't you?" he asked, smiling at Willow and Kalli. "Amazing what a difference one person can make. If you ever have the inkling, maybe you should go to a time where Tom Riddle died in infancy. That world is nothing like what one would imagine."

Nodding, Kalli responded, "Perhaps we will."

As Dumbledore turned to walk away he patted Hermione on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry about dying, I was dead too." Willow nodded her agreement.

Ron, having recovered from the shock of going mad, leaned over and said, "I know what drove me mad." Everyone turned to look at him. He finished, "The silence left after Hermione's death."

Scowling, Hermione snapped, "I wish you were never born, Ronald Weasley!"

A smile played on Kalli's lips as she interjected, "Never is a strong word, Hermione. Are you sure you mean it?"

"No," Willow and Hermione both yelped, Hermione snatching Ron's hand and Willow clamping her hand over Kalli's lips.