Eglantines Chambers in Hogwarts (June 2055)

Owain started to wake up, he heard familar noise to him sound of tea being made and the crackle of a fire place..

Where was he? Last he remembered he was at the shrine with his Dad and Tav...

He opened his eyes and lifted his head, which pounded like someone had knocked him out with a bludger and then ran over by a Dragon. Then noticed he was at hogwarts in his Grandmama's room from the look of it... Though things looked slightly different....

Slowly he sat up holding his wand at the ready... just in case of course.

"W.. what happened?" he asked feeling alittle uneasy.. but steadly feeling more stable. The compass still held at his side in his other hand for the moment forgotten in the muddy memories.

Horatio set the finished tea on the low table beside the couch, stirring the boy's cup as he watched him. Eglantine had gone to get another pillow from their bedchamber and at her return, the child had already woken. His slow movements and blinking gave a leaning to the fact that he had a headache and seemed a bit confused.

"We were hoping you could tell us, young man." Horatio murmured, not unfriendly. The child appeared harmless and he did not wanted to frighten him in his already dazed state. "Who are you?"
Eglantine set the thick crimson pillow with gold fringe on the couch, gently checking his temperature.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, already having cast several wards about them so whatever magic he'd attempt would fail anyway.

Owain blinked and turned his head to sound of his Grandfathers voice...

How was he supposed to know what happened? and he was about to tell His grandfather this when the next question sent a chill through him, and his stomach sink..

"What?" he asked looking even more confused if not a little more frightend..

"You know who I am Grandpapa..." he said swollowing nervously..

He turned to his Grandmother and muttered to her in german, "Do you not believe me?" he asked wondering if they thought he was a imposter or something...

"I am your grandson.. Owian"

It was Horatio's turn to blink as he did so several times, his eyes boring holes of disbelief into the young man. It wasn't possible, there was no grandson by the name of Owain... never had been. He took his glasses off and wiped them carefully, giving Eglantine ample time to deal with the awkward situation. After all, he was retired... not good for his nerves to be this shaken.
"There, there." Eglantine sat beside him, carefully soothing him. Lying or even the slight twist to the truth was second nature to her and the cause justified it, regardless. "Of course we believe you. Now how did you get here?"
Although Owain had spoken in German to her, she replied in English, knowing Horatio got a headache from trying to understand the language. She had really no idea who he was, obviously he was confused... truly confused.

Owian bit his lip, this couldn't be right, both his grandparents were acting very strangely...

"I... The last thing I remember, I was exploring the shrine, Dad took Tav and me to.. I wondered off and..." his eyes went to the compass in his hand..

"I found this" he said holding it up...

"That is it, next thing I know I am here..." he said feeling a little exsaperated.

Sighing he looked around, wanting to find his dad and brother wondering if they noticed he was gone or listening the old man rant...

"Wheres Dad and Tav?" he asked.

Horatio sat on the table, exchanging a meaningful glance with his wife.
"A shrine?" he repeated, wondering more so on the mention of Tav than the shrine itself. So far it worked to reason that Owain was in some shape Kiara's son... Kiara and Ciaran. He hadn't lived as many decades as he had without acquiring some measure of intelligence.
Owain had Tav's wand... the one Kiara had made. He also mentioned Tav and then a Dad as though it was Tav and his father and not just his own.
"I don't know." Eglantine murmured, thinking along the same lines as Horatio. "Owain. I don't think you are in Kansas anymore."

Owian was once again feeling very confused, this was just bizarre.

He would have laughed at his grandmothers Kansas quoat if it didn't feel so very true.

Starting to feel fustrated he sighed and stiffened, "What is going on? Why are you two acting so strange?" he asked.

To try and answer his own question he looked around the room he was in.. He saw pictures of people he had not met before or even knew.

One photo caught his attention, One of his Dad, Tav as a younger teenager, and along with them was a toddler, a boy with dark hair, and in his mothers arms a baby girl wraped in a pick blanket.

How could that have been taken? his mother died after having him.. right?

"How...?" he paused looking closer at the photo wide eyed.

He looked around the room even more finding more and more thing just not possible... Confusing him even more if it were possible..

"Bloody Hell..." he muttered... not really caring if he were scolded for cursing... the situation seemed to warent at least that.

Biting his lip quite like how his did in odd situations... he didn't know what to say or do..

"Is this a prank or something?" he asked meekly... wondering if he was just being overly guilble again.

Though he doubted it... it seemed overly elaborate even for the pranksters in the family... and this was hardly funny.

Eglantine glanced to the picture that Owain was staring at, his questions causing her to stand. Doing her best to not drag Horatio into the other room and beg him to call Kiara, she picked the frame up, bringing it back with her to the couch. She loved the picture, finding the happy family a wonderful thing to keep in her memories... it wasn't as simple anymore. Since Ciaran's death...

"Calm yourself." She murmured, years of teaching and mothering making the demand second nature. "This is not a prank. It would seem that..." she trailed off, handing him the picture frame.
Horatio picked up where she left off.
"That you do not exist in this world." His pipe lifted to his mouth and he was reminded that it was way to early for this conversation. "You see, in that picture is Ciaran and Kiara McConn. Obviously you are not there." He cleared his throat. "How old are you?"
Eglantine glared at her husband for his bluntness, but was too tired to really scold him.

Owian looked at the picture taking a deep breath and trying his best to stop the panicking feeling welling up in his stomach.

Was he dreaming? yes that must have been it... The idea he was somehow in a world where he never existed was a frightening one at that moment... and to much for him to grasp.

And guilt surfaced.. his Dad and Tav even the little boy he didn't know looked very happy, Happier then he ever truly seen his family.. and his mother was alive and look wonderfully content with her family... He nodded at Horatio obvious point out that he didn't exist in the picture, or the world..

Absently he pinched his hand and his arm as he partly listened to his "grandparents" talk to him, trying to wake himself up.

"I am Ten..." he muttered shyly looking intently at the picture, avoiding looking at the two adults infront of him. Not wanting to show the fact his eyes were watery and he was trying desperatly not to cry...

He felt like a intruder... an unwelcome guest.

Really crying wouldn't help him any.... now would it. But he didn't know what else to do... since he wouldn't wake up.

Eglantine felt her chest constrict, Horatio's eyes narrowing even as the words faded into the air. Ten... neither professors were lacking in the mathematical department... and the number spelt a single event that neither had forgotten due to the grief it had brought. Kiara's miscarriage.
"That is not possible." Horatio muttered, his pipe clenching in his fingers. Though the statement came directly after Owain's reply, the older man obviously wasn't speaking to him or about the age...
"Not entirely." Eglantine shrugged.
Her husband shook his head.
"Alternate reality does not exist, Lenty." He rubbed his forehead, tired and wishing this was all a dream.
"Neither does magic." Eglantine smirked, settling a gloved hand on Owain's shoulder. It did not escape her notice that the young boy had tears in his eyes. Poor child, no doubt scared to death and twice as confused. So far it leant to the fact that he was her grandson. "May I see your hand, love?" she held out her own hand for his, smiling softly.

Owain bit his lip, at the comments the followed his answer about his age... why was it so unbelievable? what were they talking about?...

So many questions went through his head, he felt utterly confused.. this made no sense.. if he hadn't been born did that mean his mother was still alive?

He gave his "grandmother" his hand and used his sleeve to wip the tears from his eyes. His wand was back in his blue jacket pocket and the compass that casused all the trouble was still clutched in his other hand.

"Whats going on? What happened?... is..." he wasn't really sure what to call the place he was in. He wondered vaguely if this is what Alice felt like when she went to Wonderland.

"Is this... some type of wonderland or something?" he asked looking shyly back and forth between Horatio and Eglantine.. his gut was telling him exactly what Eglantine already had... he wasn't in Kansas anymore. And the more he thought about it the frightening it became. How was he to go back home again? if that was even possible...

One evil little tear went down his face as he battled the rising questions.. Quickly he wipped it away. Hoping this was still a dream and he would wake up... but somehow he didn't think it was that simple.

Eglantine whispered an unheard incantation over Owain's hand, drawing the smallest amount of blood from a cut she made and swiftly healed.
"Sorry." she murmured, smiling.
"Not a wonderland, lad." Horatio assured him. "A world like the one you left I'll warrant. Maybe even worse."
"Hardly something to bolster him, darling." Eglantine scolded. She sighed softly. "He is indeed Kiara's son." Horatio nodded.
"I thought as much."

Settling the boy's hand back into his lap, Eglantine smoothed his hair hoping to comfort him.
"Magic has many forms, young man. But for its subtleties, it does not lie. You are my grandson, through I do not fully understand where it is you came from. Your grandfather and I will answer any questions you have of us and you will answer the questions we pose to you. A fair bargain?"
Horatio put his pipe away.
"I shall return shortly." he murmured. In muttered Latin he added that he went for Kiara, calling her the headmistress.

---

Leaving his wife and the boy, Horatio hurried through the familiar halls of Hogwarts. Though age held him tightly in the grip of time, he was not a man without swiftness of foot and the first years of the year could not have moved more hastily. Pausing for a moment to take a breath and compose himself, he knocked on the door to Kiara's chambers. He wondered if she would take the news of her apparent son as well as Eglantine had... and if she didn't, he also wondered if he would be able to comfort or aide her properly.
It was only after he had knocked that he realized the time.

Owian nodded though blinked when Horatio made the comment this world was worse.

Turethfully he didn't see how that was so...

He nodded again to his Grandmother, for the moment accepting this was a "New world". He sighed, "Umm if you and.. Grandfather are here... are Tav and Dad here as well? though I guess they wouldn't be the same here... but... would be nice see them.." he said... he paused a moment..

"And.. in my world... My mum died giving life to me...she lives in this one? Right?" he asked glancing at the picture, curious about the woman he wished he could have known.

__________


Kiara awoke from her light sleep at the sound at someone at her door. Looking at the time she got out of bed quickly.. Someone would only wake her if they had good reason to... usually anyway.

"Who is it Merlin" she asked the painting that guarded her door.

"You Father I believe my dear, He got here quite hearidly.." he said opening up before needing to be told.

"Horatio? whats wrong? is everything alright?" she asked worried perhaps someone was sick or something or other...

She sighed softly, unconsciously glancing to the door. An escape from that question would be wonderful...
"Neither of them are here, in Hogwarts." Eglantine chose her words carefully, not sure if it would be for the best to tell the child that Ciaran was dead. "Tav lives with his family in Haven's Grove. I'm sure we can arrange for you to see him." She paused as his next question hung in the air.
"Yes, Kiara is alive. I would suppose that in your world she gave her life for yours." A smile whispered across her face. She knew her daughter well, no matter what world or universe she came from... Kiara would have gladly given her life for a single one of her children. "Did your father raise you by himself?" she was curious about Horatio and her role in his life, since he obviously recognized them. That meant they were alive in his world. A little more information would help her understand how to help him.

---

Horatio straightened his crooked bathrobe, just noticing he was in his pyjamas.
"No, nothing is really... wrong." he cleared his throat. "It's just odd is all." Hesitation ate at him as he debated how to say what he had come for. A stabilizing breath helped...
"A young boy appeared suddenly in Eglantine's chambers. When he woke..." he trailed off. "No, uh... You just need to come, love. It's important and I'll explain as we go."
He knew he had only confused her, but he was tired and confused himself.

Owian looked curious, Tav had other family here? he merely nodded at the idea of meeting with him sometime..

He hung is head at the way Eglantine seemed to take how his mother died.. "Erm... she didn't really have a choice in the matter.. though from what I heard of her I know she would have.. But my birth killed her.." he said guiltly wipping his eyes again.

"By himself..no you and Grandpapa were around alot.. Dad tends to travel alot sometimes he brings Tav and me with him... Like he did when I found this" he said holding up the compass. "We were at a old shrine to learn about.. ..' he said. "have a feeling when I get back... " if he ever got back...

" Dad will think twice about taking me with him.. eh?" he said in a small voice...

Then the part he really wanted to ask.."Ummm My mum in this world, if she is alive.. can I see her?" he said feeling nervous at the very thought of meeting his mother, different universe or not.

__

Kiara blinked very confused yet curious to what Horatio was talking about. Momarily wondering if perhaps he had been sleep walking...

But none the less... she decided to go along with it.. She summond a robe and stepped out of her rooms.

"Alright Horatio... take you time and start at the beginning" She said... hoping if he thought about it would make more sense to him. As she was eager to find out how a young boy suddenly appeared in a teachers rooms.

Eglantine didn't reply about Kiara, not finding it necessary. It was quite obvious that Owain blamed himself for Kiara's death in his world and she was not sure if his blame wasn't properly set or not. Regardless, she was happy to hear that Horatio and she had been in his life a lot, even if it was odd to hear it and yet know nothing about it.
"I doubt that." she assured him. "Ciaran would still take you with him. Maybe just watch you more closely." It had suddenly become clear that telling Owain that Ciaran was dead in this universe would not the the correct course of action. Best to let it come out slowly or from Kiara.
"She's coming." Eglantine murmured, gesturing to the door. She watched him closely, finding that his mannerisms reminded her of Tav's son Caleb, for some strange reason. Rising, she collected several other pictures and carried them back.
"This is Tav and his family." she handed the latest picture of the happy family to Owain. Hoping it wouldn't be too different, she also gave him a older McKevin picture. Ava was actually in this one, smiling instead of her usual scowl. And Sevie... she sighed as the baby gurgled in the picture.

---

"Okay..." he took another breath. "Eglantine and I were moments from going to bed. Suddenly there was a flash of light and a child appeared. Nine or eight maybe I thought. We put him on the couch. He had a wand even though he was underage, so we examined it and it... it was Tav's wand." He sighed deeply, glancing at his daughter. "The one you made for him."
"Anyway, he woke up and we noticed he also had this compass. Kiara, we put two and two together along with his age. No, shouldn't say that." Horatio stopped and leant against the wall. "One moment." he muttered.
"He's from another universe, one somehow like this one but different. As in same people but... somehow different. Honestly I don't know how Eglantine is calm about these sort of things, I'm a nervous wreak."

Owian nodded and bit his lip, she was comeing right now? he was so frantic and nervous about the situation it didn't occure to him why his mother was here and why his father wasn't.

Hey looked at the photos finding more unfamilar face then familiar ones.. he Spotted Ara and Ava looking much older then he new them, in his world the were near the same age.

Tav was mucholder then he knew.. with a wife and kids.. kids older the he was form the look of it.

"Everyone is so much older, in my world Ara and Ava are only a little bit older then I am and Tav is only 18.... but in these, Tav looks more like Dad..." he muttered looking confused.. well more then he already was..

"So much is different," he muttered looking at the smiling faces of his Aunt and Uncles apparently....

"My world you didn't have anymore kids..." he said, though his eyes swirved to the door distracted by the thought his long dead mum would soon walk through it.

___

Kiara's eyes went wide as she listened to Horatio explain, she hadn't thought of different universal travel since the future version of there children came back to the past.. to fix it appearently.... She knew that kind of travel was possible but confusing and worring is for sure...

What she found curious was the boy had Tav's wand... his very first one. Which pointed to the fact the boy had to had been close to there family to get it....

"Alright Horatio" she said with a thoughtful look.. "A compass?..." she mused making a mental note to look at it when she met the child..

"Did the child say what his name was? how is he taking all this" She asked

Eglantine glanced at the picture, despite the long years it had set on the table. She'd memorized it long before and knew it was not about to change. But still she found herself looking at it when Owain said that Ava and Ara were much younger in his universe. Apparently an alternate time and world.
"This is probably an alternate future for you then." she offered, hoping it would clear some of the stark confusion in his young eyes.
His next statement caught her off-guard and she bit her lip. So there was no Ewan, Ean or Sevie in his world. No call in the morning to alert sleepy parents that their baby had made a fatal error. Despite the joy that her children had given her, Eglantine couldn't help but think how wonderful that alternate might be in a certain light. Spared of losing a dear child... at the price of Kiara. The thought of wonder quickly faded as she saw the logic her alternate self had no doubt taken. Horatio and she would have never attempted to have more children with Kiara lost in childbirth. They would never have tortured Ciaran like that.

"That is Ewan and Ean." She pointed the identical twins out, thinking he might like to know their names. "That is Sevie." Despite her best intentions, her voice shook slightly as her finger rested on the baby.

----

"Yes, a compass. Didn't see if it worked or not, but it held ancient magic. I could feel that much." Horatio wiped at his damp face. He had begun to sweat a great deal more than he usually did.
"His name is Owain." Carefully, he stopped Kiara, taking both her hands in his larger ones. "Kiara, he's Ciaran and your's. The child you lost." The words were spoken as softly as the man could speak them, his eyes cautiously on his daughter.

Owain wasn't really sure what to say about the children in the photo, they never existed in his world..

Though he did feel the change in his grandmothers voice as she pointed out Sevie, kinda like how his mother was spoken of... So he decided not to push the topic... as it might make things... uncomfortable.

"Ah... I hope to meet them sometime" he said shyly.

And another time line? if things couldn't confuse him more.

"How old are they now then?" He asked.

____

Horatio's words seemed to echo in Kiara's mind for a moment, The child she and Ciaran lost... Her miscarriage was rearly ever spoken of because of the emotional pain it carried for both her and Ciaran...

Now that boy... her little tiny Son she couldn't save was sitting alive and healthy in the castle.

Looking lost for a moment, she didn't say anything. thoughts of the compass gone from her mind..

"I.. I want to see him" she said queitly.. it was the only thing she could do.

Gripping Horatios hands she pulled him with a new kind of haste...

She smiled.
"I'm sure you will get the chance." Ewan and Ean would love him, she knew that much. "The twins are 27..." Eglantine paused momentarily. "Sevie turned 20 in May." That had been a difficult birthday, for her entire family. The twentieth birthday was special in the McKevin/McConn family. And the birthday boy had been the only one missing... his grave plot sod yet having taken root. But, Owain didn't need to know that. He had enough problems at presence without hearing about the dead uncle he'd just heard about.
"Tav has two children." she gestured to the other picture. "Caleb and Rose. He is 20 and she is 16." It was probably odd hearing about a nephew and niece who were in this world older than you, but if he was going to ever be anything but confused he'd have to find some things out. There were also Ara's children and then Edwin's. Not to mention Rossa, Greta and Beagan...
Picking out a picture of Kiara's family before Ciaran's death, Eglantine held out it.
"That is Edan, Rossa, Greta and Beagan." She pointed out, allowing the names to drop. If he wanted to know more about them, he could ask. She didn't want to swamp him with too much information. Their family was easy to scare people with.

---

Horatio watched Kiara pale, her eyes leaving him and seeming to fade into another time. He wondered what she was thinking, but could guess the main gist of it.
He nodded carefully, dazed for a moment himself. A yawn escaped his lips just as his daughter pulled him forward and he hurried along with her. Haste was nice, he mused, in the daytime. This running was beginning to become ridiculous. And his bones testified to that as they creaked slightly.
Reaching the door of Eglantine's chambers, he stopped them.
"We just have to remember to be careful." Horatio murmured. "He's confused and so are we." He patted her arm.
"It'll be fine, love."

Owain nodded and tired to take in all the information, but it all just sounded so incredible he was finding it hard to know how to react to any of this. It was all so different, in this world Tav's children were nearly as old and older then the brother he knew and there were all these other kids that existed just because he didn't.

Not sure what else say and feeling more confuse and scared as time went by, Owain put the photos down and hugged his grandmother, hoping at least this was familiar. Or that he would wake up in the arms of the grandmother he knew..

He didn't dare say anything, he didn't know what to say nor did he really feel like saying anything. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and wake up at home again.

Unknown to him his mother standing on the other side of the door was feeling much the same thing.

__

Kiara nodded to Horatio, and moved to open the door but her shaking hand through off her nerves.

"I hope so Horatio... " she whispered lifting her hand to knock instead. Feeling it would be better to allowed in then simply walking in.

Excepting the embrace, despite its suddenness, Eglantine smoothed out the child's soft hair, finding herself taking comfort from the action even as she hoped he did as well. Perhaps an alternate world was different, in who lived and who died, even to the extent that it changed people by those miracles and tragedies. But some things always remained the same; one grieved and one comforted, while tears either hidden or shed were the only form of release.
Gently stroking his back, she wondered how much Ciaran had changed after Kiara's death. She knew that his first wife's death had been very difficult for him; how much more so would Kiara's have been. He had made is very clear that he loved her more than anything. If he had lost her; it would have been a very different man who had raised Owain.
She heard the knock at the door and opened it with wand-less magic. Horatio entered, going around Kiara and doing his best to trip as his glasses smudged.
For a moment everyone seemed to hold their breaths as if waiting for some sort of action.

Owain suddenly felt a different tension and presence enter the room and had a good idea on who it was.. Pulling away from Eglantine he poked his head over the sofa to get a look at her...

Kiara slowly stepped into the room, not really knowing what to expect..

It took her only a second to spot Owain, there was no doubt he was her son, they looked very much alike.. though his eyes were more like Ciaran's in her opinion anyway. She could see the confusion and slight fear in his eyes and immediately felt sorry he was in this situation, litteraly ripped for the world he knew and through into an entirely different one.

She glanced at Eglantine for a moment, then took a breath to make she was calm.. looking at Owain again she walked over.

"Hello there, Owain right? you may call me whatever you wish or feel comfortable with...." she said deciding to get any awkward intoductions over with... he was her son... yet she was a stranger to him and he to her... So what ever he was comfortable with...

Horatio went to his wife's side and took her hand in his as they watched.
Owain blinked, remembering how he used to envision her in his dreams and how she would always fade away. She remained even after the blink.
It sounded strange that a woman he'd seen in pictures was now trying to make him more at ease. But at the same time it was wonderful. Slowly rising from the couch, he moved around it, his finger clenched tightly as he did so. He was nervous... and yet she looked just like Tav and his dad had described her. Just like he'd always imagined. Just like the smiling pictures his dad had in every room.
He nodded.
"Yeah..." Mouth dry, lips tightly pressed together and hands sweating, he wanted to launch himself at her and apologize a thousands times for having killed her. Ironic since she was alive and seemingly fine in this world. Tears formed in his eyes and he stepped forward, hoping and yet hardly giving much thought that she would not accept him. She was his mother... and he'd waited all his life for this moment. Arms wrapping around her, he burst into silent tears.

Kiara felt her heart speed up and skip a beat as Owain got tears in his eyes and embraced her.. her heart took over after that.

"Oh dear...."

Ever a mother at heart she hugged him back and tried to sooth him, dispite the fact she had tears escaping down her face to.. Rubbing her hand on his back the same way she had calmed any of her children. How strange it felt.. yet how natural if felt as well.. different universe or not... it didn't seem to matter.

"Its alright" she said softly as she knelt down lower to face him, and placed a motherly kiss on his forehead without even thinking about it. There were little words to be said, she held the 10 year old in her arms as if she were absorbing the overwhelming emotions from him..

She looked at Horatio and Eglantine, before taking a shaky breath..

"Everything will be alright, Shhh..." she tried to asure him, though she could only imagine the termoil his young mind was in...

"We will help you through this as much as we can" she promised.