Prologue:

Two ghosts were gliding over the corridors of Hogwarts, talking nervously. Even with the air of the last day of school hanging over the castle, their spirits were not lifted.

Neither ghost could deny that it had been a very eventful year. The Basilisk being killed (Alecta had had a field day when she heard about that one; it had killed her mother), the Un-Petrification of all the students, and the exams being cancelled had brightened the school considerably. Even though they didn't reside in Hogwarts, that year they had been there constantly. They had been watching Alecta Gryffindor (or Nicci Lonsen, as her alias) was set up by Dumbledore to begin school in the third year; the same year as young Harry Potter.

One of the ghosts sighed. "Remember when you, me, and Nicci used to fantasize about what Hogwarts would be like a thousand years in the future? Well, here we are, a thousand years later, and I still wonder how we ever made it."

"Well, Nicci's managed to stay thirteen for a thousand years. Next time, I call being the one who gets a thousand years of non-aging immortality." The other ghost replied, sounding a little disgruntled. His lilting American accent broke the tension, and the two ghosts laughed quietly to themselves.

"I don't think she asked for it, Ben. I don't think any of us expected that she would get a thousand years of immortality by making a blood sacrifice in the middle of the Great Hall." The girl laughed. She remembered the story well. When Alecta was only thirteen, she'd fought off the terrible King of the Dead (a name which none of them had understood, considering he wasn't actually dead, and had no dead subjects or soldiers). She'd known she couldn't win, so she sacrificed herself to save the school, by cutting open her arm, and drawing an ancient seal with her own blood. She'd died, of course; the 'King' had hit her with a Killing Curse seconds after she'd finished the seal.

"It was a terrible day when she died. I thought nothing would be right again," said the boy named Ben.

"How would you know?" the girl asked incredulously. "You died before her!"

"And you died twenty minutes after her!"

"Well, I suppose she never really died," said the girl thoughtfully. "She was gaining immortality and all that."

"Very true."

"We need to stop chatting, and find Professor Dumbledore, Ben," the girl said seriously.

"There is no point in trying to find someone if they're already here," a voice said quietly. "Hello Hailey, Ben."

"Professor, you know about Alecta — I mean, Nicci — about…She did tell you, right? About her little secret?"

"Of course, Miss Hufflepuff," said Dumbledore. "Miss Lonsen has been very clear about the subject. She has told me everything I think necessary to know."

"So she will be a third year?"

"I see no reason to a person who knows more about magic then our entire staff put together behind two years. So yes, she will be a third year. Alongside Mr. Potter, in fact."

"Professor, did she say that she won't actually start aging again until next year? June 21st, in fact. That's when the immortality will break and she'll age just like any normal human being."

"I see she neglected to tell me this. But she'll remain thirteen? She won't turn into an old woman and crumble into dust?"

"Oh, no sir. She'll start aging gradually, just like any other human."

"Very good." Dumbledore smiled. "Well, does she have robes and such?"

"We'll get her to go to Diagon Alley before the school year."

Dumbledore turned and walked away. When he had completely disappeared, the two ghosts floated off. As they were walking away, Hailey asked, "Why did we have to name her Nicci this time? It doesn't go very well with Alecta."

Because we named her Alexis 20 years ago and Ally 50 years ago for the two seperate years before she 'mysteriously vanished'."

"Right. Dammit."