Disclaimer for the whole series: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters other than Dylan and her family and Mrs. Pentstemmon.

Chapter 1: Of Life and Death

Jennifer Worl was sitting by the window, reading the latest bestselling mystery novel, when a black Mercedes S Class pulled up in front of her house. Two men dressed in odd clothes slid out of the car strode up to the front porch.

Jennifer was so absorbed by her book that she didn't hear the doorbell ring.

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...

BANG! went the metal doorknocker, causing the woman to jump in fright, clutching her protruding belly. After calming down a little, Jennifer looked through the peep hole in the door to see two solemn looking men. One had flaming red hair, a gaunt face, and dull green eyes. The other had light brown hair that was cut in a military style, and wore an expression on his face that said, "I really don't want to be here." Jennifer hesitantly opened the door.

"Ma'am, this is Captain Walker Lane from the Naval Command Center in Johnson City. I'm afraid we have some disturbing news about your husband," said the man with brown hair.

Through teary eyes Jennifer replied, "I think I already know. He's dead isn't he? Stephen Worl is dead."

Neither of the men moved. Jennifer burst into tears. Captain Lane handed a letter to her from her late husband. "We believe that this letter was the last thing Stephen wrote before he died," the red haired man explained. The letter was quite short and simple. It read:

My Dearest Jenny,

Times are hard, but the sand is soft. There's no word on You-Know-Who, but he is most likely close by. I miss you and the baby terribly. The Major says our unit might be able to come home at Christmas. I know the baby isn't due for another four months, but the guys and I have been thinking of some baby names. For a boy: William, Grey, Forrest, or Thomas. For a girl: Dylan, Angelina, Lily, Cooper. I can't wait to see both of you when I get off the plane.

Love you from the bottom of my heart,

Stephen Worl

The twenty-six year old, mother-to-be, stood as if frozen by a binding jinx. A small smile crept onto her distraught face as she realised her husband wasn't completely gone from the world. She still had their baby. And in this instant of enlighenment, Jennifer Worl decided that it would be best to raise Stephen's child in his home country of England, so the child would never forget her father's legacy.

Sixteen Years Later

Jennifer Worl stood at the bottom of the stairs, her tired blue eyes focused on the door of the room in which her daughter was supposed to be getting ready to leave for the school year. Jennifer has a few more wrinkles and her hair had become a little more dull since we last saw her, but she is still the beauty we saw the beast attack.

The lime green door opened to reveal a teenage girl about the age of 16, her arms struggling with a carrier, a satchel, and a school trunk. The girl's red wine, very slightly wavy hair fell down around her chin from the Harpies cap she wore. As she noisily hauled her things down the stairs, her mother couldn't help but think, "She looks so much like her father it's as if the only genes I gave her were the ones that made her female. (A/N: I know it's the X from the father, but just pretend) I hope she makes friends at this new school, Mrs. Pentstemmon can't homeschool her forever, what with her bad knee. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be better for her. Stephen would have loved to see the day when his daughter started at his alma mater."

Through her colour-changing eyes, Dylan Annette Worl noticed her mother staring at her with a sad look and determined that even though she wouldn't see her mum in a while, she needed a social experience and knew it would all work out for the better.

"We had better head off, the train leaves at eleven o'clock. You don't want to miss the train." Mrs. Worl stated. And with those words they both loaded Dylan's belongings into the car and headed off to King's Cross.

Passing through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4 wasn't as difficult as Dylan imagined. Standing before the train Dylan and her mother were amazed at what they saw. Because Dylan was homeschooled, the two had only seen this many magical folk in Diagon Alley and didn't realise how vast the world of magic was until that moment.

"So I guess I'll see you at Christmas," the daughter said as she was about to board the Hogwarts Express. After hearing no reply, Dylan turned around to see her mother looking more depressed than she was at the bottom of the stairs.

"I'm sorry honey, but the company wants me to work on their television commercials in Japan during the holidays, so I won't be able to see you until school is over in June. Now, this doesn't mean that you aren't to write me everyday. I'll even use Mrs. Penstemmon's owl to send you a howler if you think of slacking off and not informing me. And don't think I won't young lady. I may not be a witch, but I am still your mother." Jennifer joked, a half smile present on her face. Dylan ran to her mother and embraced her with a hug.

"Bye Mum, I'll miss you a lot. Have fun in Japan."

And with that Dylan Worl finally boarded the train to the greatest adventure of her life.