So I really hope that the prologue doesn't give you the impression that Aurelia is a Mary-Sue. I've tried very hard to avoid that. I hope that at the very least you'll read the next chapter before making an assessment about Aurelia.

"You called, Albus?" asked Minerva crisply, taking a seat in front of the headmaster.

"Indeed. I have something of the utmost importance I need to discuss with you."

Minerva nodded distantly. "Might this be about the prophecy, Albus? Because you have already informed me of that."

"Oh, no. This is something I would like you to take on. If not, I shall have to send her to live with-"

There was a small scuffle from behind the desk and an annoyed-looking three-year-old girl poked her head out. Her hair was a dark red that would have been gorgeous if not for the fact that it was tangled as if by an expert, and her eyes were a soft hazel. Small glasses were perched askew on her nose.

" 'Fessor Dumbles?" she said fairly loudly. "Didja know your bird blew up?"

"Yes, Aurelia, that's what phoenixes do."

"Oh." Then, "Can I have 'nother lemon drop?"

"I need to talk to Minerva for a moment, all right?"

"Okay." The auburn head disappeared behind the desk again.

"This," said Dumbledore patiently, "is what I need to discuss with you."

"Aurelia Potter? What, is she causing trouble for James and Lily? Frankly, I would not be surprised. That girl switches from being a terror to a darling in half a second."

"No, you see, I have had an unusual request from James."

Minerva nodded. "Albus, I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Kindly cut to the chase."

Professor Dumbledore smiled slightly. "James would like to hide Aurelia here at Hogwarts for the time being."

"Here? At Hogwarts? But Albus-"

"If he and Lily are found by Lord Voldemort-Minerva, fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself-he wants Aurelia to be able to be safe. The only reason that he does not do the same for Harry is because Harry is going to be immensely important to the prophecy."

"And how did you run into James in the first place? My impression is that he and Lily are not leaving the house."

"I was picking up-ah-something of James' that I needed to borrow when he asked me this favor."

"Albus, what does this have to do with me?"

"I need you to take care of Aurelia in the event that anything might happen to Lily and James. We shall have to extract her memories, of course-"

"Extract her memories? Albus, you are talking of a child!" Minerva was on her feet now, her eyes blazing with rage.

"I do not want her to die at a Death Eater's hands because of something that she remembers. James tells me that Aurelia has a phenomenal memory."

"And he has given permission for you to do this?" replied a slightly mollified Minerva.

"Definitely."

Minerva swallowed. "Very well, Albus. I shall take care of Aurelia."

NINE YEARS LATER

"Aurelia Lily McGonagall, I cannot stress more to you the importance of timeliness on one's first day of school!" called Minerva's voice impatiently from the hallway.

Aurelia responded by throwing a crumpled-up wad of paper out the door and shouting back, "I can't leave now! Hester's in a fix and she needs to find the Amazing Lightning Sword!"

"You can read your book on the train, Aura, now are you dressed?"

"Can I answer that question later?" yelled Aurelia, jumping out of her bed and tossing her Hester Prime book to the floor.

Her hair was messy. It was always messy in the morning, but after she combed it it turned out considerably better, at least in appearance. She decided that she would comb it during the car ride and tied it back into a ponytail to hide the snarls. It really didn't work.

She grabbed a random t-shirt from her dresser and pulled it on with a groan. It was the one with the happy singing frog that her Uncle Malcom had sent her when she was eight. He'd gotten it five sizes too big, and even now it ended at her upper thighs.

Her jeans turned out to be relatively normal, but the singing frog made her look really stupid. Oh well. No time to change now.

"What time is it?" she yelled out the door.

"Eight-oh-seven! And at this rate, we'll get to the station at ten-thirty!"

"Muuum...you just freaked me out for no reason!"

"Ah. Oh. Well. I like to be prompt."

Aurelia groaned again and pulled off the happy singing frog shirt-or tried to. She ended up somehow getting her ponytail stuck in the neck hole and decided to just keep it.

She grabbed her writing notebook and a few Hester Prime books off of her shelf before hurrying out of her bedroom and tripping over the crumpled ball of paper she'd thrown out the door, just barely managing to keep her balance.

"Damnit," she muttered. And then, "Best be off."

Minerva hurried over and asked, "Did you put your trunk in the car?"

"Yeah, I put it in last night."

"Do you have a snack for the train?"

"Can't I just buy a Chocolate Frog?"

"No. Do you have a healthy snack for the train? You spent most of yesterday writing in your room and eating all of your Chocolate Frogs that you were supposed to eat on the train."

"Yeah, I have a snack." Aurelia pulled a face, then hurried past her mother, downstairs to the car they'd rented. Her eleventh year would surely prove to be an interesting one.

I hope you'll continue on! Hang in there...it gets better.

-The Eclectic Bookworm