The sickly, heavily perfumed air hit Harry full on as he walked into the Divination classroom. "Good afternoon," came Professor Trelawney's misty voice, as she emerged from the shadows in her usual airy manner. Ron sniggered. Harry just rolled his eyes. "Does she always have to do that?" Harry glanced around the room as the Gryffindors slowly filtered in. However, instead of taking their usual seats at the round tables crammed in the room, the students were crowded around Professor Trelawney's desk. Harry looked at Ron, who simply shrugged, and they fought their way to the front of the class.

 A glass orb swirling with a dark purplish fog sat on Professor Trelawney's desk. Harry examined his closer. It wasn't exactly glass – when he prodded it with his wand, it wiggled, like jelly. "Ugh," Ron said, wrinkling his nose. "Looks like Mum's pudding." The two fought their way through the throng of students and chose seats at a table close to the classroom's only window, as Professor Trelawney gathered the attention of the fifth-years, all of whom by now had discovered the wonders of the Jelly Orb.

 "Ah, yes, yes! It seems you have all discovered the mysterious Orb of Umbra. Yes, today we will be covering one of the most fascinating facets of the art of Divination. This special orb allows us to see not what will be, but what could have been. The Orb allows you to see how your life could have been, had you made a different decision at some point in your life. Now – who would like to try it out?" Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil's hands shot up in the air immediately, knocking Harry's glasses off his face. Professor Trelawney's eyes searched the room, focusing on each student, as if she were reading their minds. Harry squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that if he did, perhaps he could make himself invisible. Ron sunk lower in his chair.

 "Ah, Mr Potter. How about you?" Harry reluctantly rose from his seat and sat in front of the swirling orb. The deep purple fog was almost hypnotic. "Now, Potter. Think hard. What is the one thing you have always wondered about? Something you wish you could have done differently, perhaps?" A million questions ran through Harry's mind, each more interesting than the last. What if I weren't born? What if my parents were still alive? What if Voldemort had died? What if I never went to Hogwarts? His brain stopped abruptly. It certainly wasn't the most significant question of them all, but it nagged at him still. What if I wasn't sorted into Gryffindor?

 A knowing smile spread across Professor Trelawney's lips, as if she was reading Harry's mind. "Ah, yes. Certainly a burning question. Well, won't this be interesting? Very well, Potter. Lean forward and gaze into the Orb, focusing on your question." Reluctantly, and with one backwards glance at Ron, who simply shrugged, Harry leaned forward, the swirling dark fog of the Orb making him sleepy. He felt a gentle pulling sensation, as if someone has attached a rope to his brain and was tugging him forward. Suddenly, with one sharp pull, Harry felt himself being sucked through the Orb's squishy texture, and then he was falling. Falling, falling in to the deep, dark fog of the Orb…

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OK, please tell me if you like it so far! I don't plan to make this very long, four or five chapters at the most. If I get lots of reviews, I'll finish it faster.