Why am I starting another story? I really have no idea why. I've got exams, I've got revision, I've got other stories that desperately need to be sorted out as well, but here I am, writing a new story. Sigh. Oh well.

So I was watching the Snow Queen, the 2002 version, the one with Bridget Fonda as the Snow Queen, and ever since then I had this idea stuck in my head, twisting and turning into some type of plot. So I decided to write it all down, and it ended up as this. I have to say that I love the Snow Queen, and I've also always wanted to do a FemHarry story, so here's my attempt at one.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine, and I suppose I have to say that the Snow Queen isn't mine either.

"Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence.
Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance.
Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence.
Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance."

Yoko Ono

Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

They were continuous, the cycle of seasons around and around, no ending of them and no stopping of the circle of life. They were forever and eternal...and always four. Four seasons to encompass the earth for their elected time. They were without end, always turning and changing, ultimately returning to rule the world. Spring: the birth of life. Summer: the continuation of life. Autumn: the beginning of death. And Winter...Winter ruled over the barren land. No life growing, no warmth permeating the ground. Nearly dead to all. But always necessary. The reminder of the need for balance in the world.

And so it came to pass that a mirror was constructed, each shard carefully charmed, each corner imbued with the magic of the ages, powerful magic to create a most beautiful work of art. It shone with the radiance of a thousand setting sun, sparkled like moonbeams dancing on a frozen lake and glittered like the heart of a diamond. All who beheld it were awed with the majesty of such a mirror and all that looked upon the shining silver glass were shown the secrets and desires of their heart.

However the sorcerer who created this mirror was a cold man, who had nothing but death and bitterness deep in his heart. He was a powerful wizard, young and strong, sought by kings and emperors for their courts, but he desired only power above all else, and thinking to be greater than the seasons themselves. He took the mirror, hiding it from sight and travelled east to the cottage where the Spring Witch lived.

Spring welcomed him gladly, unaware of the plan that resided in his dark heart. She was an innocent child, full of imagination and wonderment that Spring brings to the earth. The cottage that she lived in was blooming with blossoms, but as he passed them, they withered away. Spring didn't notice, for it was almost time for Summer to take over the world, the blossoms dropped off the trees almost every day.

The cold sorcerer showed Spring the mirror, and the season looked in the mirror and saw the joys and delights of spring, the birth of the animals, and the creation of life. She saw the growth of the new flowers, and new sun shining in the sky after months of snow after winter. She saw herself walking through the flowers and the fields. A pain bloomed in her chest, and she felt her heart rip to pieces. She pulled her gaze away from the scene in the mirror to look at the man. A cruel smile curled around his mouth as she felt herself fade from the real world, pulled into the dreams of the mirror. And so it came to pass that Spring faded from the earth, leaving only a pale representation behind her.

Next, the sorcerer took his mirror west, to the palace of the Summer Princess, where he was received gladly by the whole court, for they had heard of the mirror that he had created to show all what they truly desired. This time Summer gazed upon the mirror, and saw the secrets and wonders of midsummer. The corn grew in the fields, the warmth of the burning sun high above them and the children that ran along the winding roads. Summer saw herself surrounded by her friends, revelling in the middle of a festival.

Once again, a pain spread throughout her body, and she fell to the ground in front of the mirror, and the whole of her court watched as their princess disappeared from their sight, a hoarse scream echoing in the air. They turned towards the sorcerer, intent on revenge, but he had disappeared south taking the mirror with him. And so it came to pass that Summer withered away, only an imprint of her power remaining on the earth.

The sorcerer had achieved in trapping two seasons and knew that he had only two more to ensnare. And so he moved south to where the Autumn Robber resided with her band of thieves. Once again, the season greeted the sorcerer warmly, recognising him as a man that shared her band's attributes. She made him welcome amongst her troupe, and promised him a warm meal in exchange to see the mirror that had travelled even as far south that they were, not realising that the mirror would be her undoing.

As Autumn gazed into the mirror, she smiled at the sight of the falling red leaves, and the sight of the rich harvest that was gathered up. She smelled the scent of the roasting meat over the fire and felt the heat of the bonfire that spat sparks of red high in the end. Autumn saw herself surrounded by her band, toasting and drinking, celebrating the end of another year. She was far too engrossed in the image of her desires that she didn't realise her fading from the earth, and when she did...it was too late. And so it came to pass that Autumn disappeared from the world with only a sigh, leaving the falling leaves behind her.

The sorcerer smirked in triumph. He had trapped three of the four seasons, and now turned his gaze to the north to where the Winter Queen resided in her castle. He spirited the mirror and himself to where he knew the castle lay. This time there was no warm welcome from any of the court within the majestic building, for although they loved with a frozen passion they were mistrustful of visitors and knew that the sorcerer did not hold any love in his heart.

He was presented to the Winter Queen, a young woman who was as pale as the snow that lay across her land, and hair as dark as a raven's wing. He invited her to look into his mirror, telling her of its achievements and the magic that was imbued in it, thinking that all that Winter would see would be the essence of her power, Winter stretching on forever.

Winter drifted towards the mirror, pulling the covering off the magical object and looked deep into what it would show her. She did indeed see the crisp frost of winter, and the barren trees that represented all that she could do within her realm. But she also desired to see her sisters, and the mirror showed them to her. And she knew that something was wrong when the images in the reflected glass called out for help. She whirled around, looking towards the sorcerer demanded an explanation, but it was too late...she had looked in the mirror and she could already feel herself fading the world.

In an act of defiance, so like the season that she was, Winter summoned her all the magic that her power gave her and threw it into the mirror. The two different magics collided together and shattered the magic glass into a thousand tiny shards. The sorcerer collapsed to the ground, his power broken, and surrounded by the pieces of the object that held his magic and he could feel his life draining from him.

Winter knelt next to him, knowing that his life was draining as fast as hers was, "You will be cursed," she told him, "For your actions your soul will never be able to rest. You always will be reborn, and shunned by society for who you are. You will always be an outsider," she raised his head up to look at her, "Unless you can find another to love you for who you are, and to accept all your flaws, and all your sins in every life. And you love them back with every fibre of who you are. That is the price for trapping my sisters, that is the price for trapping me,"

The sorcerer merely looked at her, his lip curling in anger but it was too late for him. He closed his eyes, and felt his soul leave his body, but when it came to reach the Doors of Death, he found that he was prevented from reaching the afterlife. Instead his soul was pulled towards a new body, forced to live another life, his mind wiped of the memories of his previous life.

Winter was left in the frozen hall of her castle, her energy spent and growing close to leaving the world. Her faithful servant came across her, and rushed towards her, but Winter waved a hand preventing her from helping, "This goodbye is inevitable," she said, "I am already fading from this world," the servant wept bitterly at those words, "Do not cry, my dear friend, for one day, we will all be together again and there will be a Reckoning like no other. Until then, we seasons will be left as imprints on this earth,"

And so it came to pass that Winter left the world with parting words, leaving only a remnant of herself behind in the snow and the ice.

Year 1000 A.D

Hogwarts Castle

"What is on your mind, my dear Rowena?" Godric Gryffindor demanded as he walked towards the woman who was situated next to the lake, "You have been so melancholic these past days that Helga and I are quite worried for your health," he sat next to her, "What is troubling you?"

"Can you not feel it?" she asked him, waving a hand at the scenery around them, "The utter helplessness of this world?" Gryffindor frowned in concern at her words, "Once the seasons were something to be feared and loved. Now there is only a weak imitation left," her shoulders slumped, "When will the seasons come back and show the world of what they can do?" she looked at her companion, "When will we be able to return to those days where wizards were able to walk without being persecuted?"

"Not in our lifetime," Gryffindor answered gruffly, "There is too much prejudice between our races to be able to truly be able to bridge the two worlds," he looked at the lake, "You realise that these are just fairytales. We can never be sure that they are real," the witch nodded softly; "I understand where you are coming from. There will be a time where wizards and Muggles will be joined together again, we just have to wait and see what will happen,"

"Let us only hope that it will be soon," Ravenclaw told him, "Because I think if the seasons remain out of this world, continuing to be trapped in the netherworld, then the whole world will be thrown out of the natural cycle and we will be in danger of extinction," she looked at her old friend, "But I sense that you yourself are despondent and upset about something,"

Gryffindor sighed deeply, "Salazar has decided to leave the castle," he answered her, "He will not listen to me on the subject of letting all of magical blood into the castle to be taught. He won't be persuaded on that score and thinks that leaving is the best option,"

"Poor Salazar," Rowena murmured, "He always feels like the outsider, and always takes the opposite view to the rest of us," she shrugged, "Perhaps it is best that he leaves, at least for a while. He might be able to fin whatever he is looking for. Is his wife going with him?" Gryffindor snorted in derision, "Poor girl, married with a baby and already her husband is leaving without her," she shook her head, "Perhaps this would never had happened if he had married a woman who he had loved, rather than married for convention,"

"But then, my dear Ravenclaw...he would not be Salazar Slytherin," the two Founders of Hogwarts rose, walking towards the majestic castle behind them, "One day perhaps he will see that we are his friends and are always there if he needs help,"

They entered the hallway of the castle, both smiling at the sight of their friend: Hufflepuff, walking towards them, "Rowena, Godric, please," she entreated them, "Salazar will not listen to me, and is determined to leave the castle within the hour. He has already packed most of his belongings," she looked at both her friends, "Please will you both speak to him. There needs to be no fighting amongst us,"

"We will try, Helga, but if Salazar is determined to leave the castle then it is not for us to tell him to leave," Ravenclaw pacified the other woman, "I desperately hope that he will remain with us, but we can't force him to do anything,"

"Thank you for being so understanding," a cold voice echoed behind them and they turned to see the last member of their quartet, "I apologise if I have caused you any undue pain, Helga, but I will not stay here when my opinions are not allowed due consideration," the cold man looked at Gryffindor, who looked remorseful, "I stand by my beliefs that we must only admit those that have magical blood. If we allow too many of those with Muggle blood and Muggle culture then it will cause a degradation of Wizarding beliefs and I will not stand by to see that happen,"

"I will not argue with you on this, my friend, you already know my beliefs," Gryffindor answered gruffly, "I refuse to discriminate amongst those that are able to choose magic, but I did not wish for you to leave this castle," the other man did not answer him, "I hope that you will chose to come back one day,"

"Perhaps," Slytherin replied, "I too wish that we could have solved this amicably, but I can see that there is no persuading you," he moved past the trio, "Farewell," Hufflepuff summoned up a weak smile but it quickly faded when Slytherin apparated away.

"I wish that there was something that we could do," Hufflepuff whispered, "I wish he wasn't so stubborn and could see that we are his friends,"

"Helga," Ravenclaw placed a hand on her close friend's shoulder, "It is his choice," the three remaining founders turned to walk into the castle, "I have a feeling that the day that the soul of Salazar Slytherin is thawed is the day that the seasons return to rule the earth once more,"

1979 A.D

Hog's Head Inn

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..." Dumbledore studied the woman as she suddenly became aware of the world, "Is anything the matter, Headmaster?"

Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, and possessor of numerous other titles, was now caught in a dilemma. He was sure of what he had heard was a valid prophecy to destroy the Dark Lord, but he wasn't sure on who it would mean. And only two minutes ago he hadn't even considered on taking Madame Trelawney up on her offer to teach Divination at the school. However he only had one option to take if the prophecy was valid, "Madame Trelawney, I would be delighted if you would take the position as Professor of Divination at Hogwarts," he told the woman.

"I am very glad that you have seen that Divination is a subject that is of the most importance, Headmaster," she said, drawing herself up, "Seeing the future is a very precise Art and you know, only the Eye can reveal what lies in store for us mere mortals,"

The Headmaster smiled wryly to himself, "Indeed, Madame Trelawney," he murmured, thinking on what she had just revealed to him, "I hope you will await my owl which I will send as soon as it is convenient for me to send it to you," she nodded, clearly satisfied in gaining the position. Or perhaps she had always known that he would have given it to her. He had never bothered to study the subject in much depth, "I bid you goodnight, Madame,"

He turned towards the door.

"They are returning," the words made him stop. Two prophecies made by the same Seer in the space of five minutes. It was almost unheard of. He looked back at the woman, "They will bring the storm in their wake, changing the world as they go...the one that was cursed will be cured and all will tremble at the Reckoning of the world. Innocence, exuberance, reverence and perseverance will be revealed. And all who gaze upon them shall know...They are returning," She smiled suddenly, "I thought you were leaving, Headmaster,"

"I am, merely running through my thoughts," he told the woman, bowing his head and stepping outside the room. This day seemed to be becoming more and more peculiar. He walked back down the rickety steps to the bar below, nodding slowly to his brother, before making his way over to his Deputy, "I think that will be all, Tom," he told the man who looked at him, slowly, "Madame Trelawney has been accepted as a professor for Divination. I'm sure she will be a superb addition to our staff,"

"As you wish, Headmaster," the man replied coldly, and they made their way out of the inn, and back towards the castle, "I only wondered how it came that you changed your mind so rapidly. I didn't think you were particularly interested in having Divination taught at Hogwarts,"

"No matter," Dumbledore waved his hand lazily, "I just had second thoughts about the appointment. She seems to be sincere, and of course we need to extend the amount of courses that students can select in their second year. It will all work out for the best. Don't you agree?" he looked at his companion hard.

Tom Riddle smiled coldly, silently trying to deduce what exactly had determined the other man's behaviour. He relented slightly, "Of course," he answered, turning towards the majestic castle that loomed over the small village, "I'm sure you are right,"

So what did people think? First chapter and all that.

Next time: James and Lily, and Early Life.