Chapter Six - Is this 2005?

Elizabeth was walking briskly to her "temporary home" as she decided to call it from that day on, everything would change for the better from now on.

- "You're late Elizabeth Charlotte," - Spoke a rather annoying voice, the new lady in charge of the orphanage. She was, so to speak, a Umbridge combined with a Tronchatoro and a lizard man. Hard to imagine, but there she was in front of me.

- "I was selling the biscuits," - She said with the cutest face she could summon, - "I sold them all," - I showed her the empty trolley and took the money to hand it to her.

- "Good" - Her look changed noticeably, I could tell for miles that she liked money - "You should be like her, girls" - I looked at the others, they seemed to have come back with half the boxes of biscuits. I don't blame them, it's hard and scary to walk the streets of New York selling biscuits, especially when you are between 4 and 10 years old. - "Come on in, everybody."

- "Coming" - I walked into the "house" followed by a few other girls.

Everything happened as normal, we went in, got our usual disgusting food, and were sent to bed. At this age, I should be in the first years of school... I don't mind not going, I know all that, but the girls here should start going or they'll fall too far behind in their studies.

Magically, as if someone had known what was weighing on her mind, our manager spoke.

- "Tomorrow all the 5-6-year-old girls will start classes, and the older girls will take them, it's a school quite close by" - She stood up and left.

Wow, so that's where the older girls were going, that's why I hadn't seen them all for a few hours. The girls my age started to talk about what was going to happen tomorrow, happy or sad, who knew, afraid, hopeful? They just kept talking until we finished all our chores and went to our room to sleep. My roommates talked and talked and wouldn't shut up. I got bored listening to them and got changed to go to bed, went to the bathroom, and brushed my teeth.

When I arrived in front of my bed, someone spoke.

- "Tomorrow is your first day" - It was a girl of about 10 years old - "look for suitable clothes for school and don't be late" - She looked around the room and spoke again - "Go to sleep and shut up if you don't want her to come for you, you know that she is bothered by noise" - She left slamming the door.

The girls went to bed and started whispering about what would happen tomorrow, while I was falling asleep with Benjamin in my arms I heard a girl speak.

- "I'm sure little princess Eli will do horrible in class" - She laughed softly - "She doesn't know how to do anything, nor is she good for anything. She should be selling biscuits for the rest of her life"

'You can't imagine what I can do, kiddo' - I thought.

After what she said there was a lot of laughter and then they fell asleep. I was thinking for a while about what would happen now, I planned to continue selling biscuits and reach every corner of the city, but with this new information, I would have to go to classes. This was getting a little difficult, but that didn't mean that my plan would end.

I looked at my stuffed animal and touched his backpack, I hadn't taken anything out of it for fear that they would see what I had and take it away from me. That night while they all slept I tried to charge my mobile phone, it turned on and I noticed that it was charging, with that proof, I went back to my bed and put everything back where it was. Tomorrow I would see what to do and where to charge the phone.

I woke up early, did everything I had to do, and got ready to leave, when I was about to get to the door with my teddy bear in hand I thought, shouldn't I have a backpack? Where will I take my stuff for the classes, I didn't care much and I left the room.

As I was walking down the stairs I heard someone opening the door to my room, it was an older girl who shouted: "You'll be late and I'll close." I laughed internally and continued on my way as I heard screams from the girls who noticed that they had fallen asleep.

I could have woken them up, right? But they made fun of me yesterday, I didn't have to, I wouldn't do anything for them. I thought about my previous life when I was a pediatrician and I saw all children in the same way when I completely forgave them for all their behavior because "they were children, they had suffered" all with a different, unique story, but all with one thing in common "suffering".

I thought about everything I had seen in my past life, many stories went through my head. Sure, the girls in an orphanage had suffered, not as much as some of the patients I had seen, but they had had their share of bad times. But why be so mean to a person who suffered the same as they did? Well, I didn't understand. But there was nothing I could do, I won't mess with them as long as they don't mess with me.

- "Good morning" - I received a greeting from a little girl who was about 4 years old, she was drinking milk sitting at the big table - "there is milk served in the kitchen, what is your name?" - That girl smiled at me and I just answered her... nobody had spoken to me or asked me about me, it wasn't necessary, I had a friend who was older than me for about two years, but she was adopted and I didn't see her again.

- "Thank you" - I tried to smile at her, I hadn't tried to smile for a long time - "I'm Elizabeth" - I finished my introduction and went to the kitchen, as I had said there was milk, I took a glass and went to sit at the table.

- "My name is Clary," - Said the same voice as before, she was still sitting there looking at me, - "It's a pleasure."

- "Ehh... it's nice to meet you Clary" - for a moment I thought about calling you Fray, but she wouldn't have understood anything about shadowhunters... I don't even know if that saga would come out in this world.

- "You're very pretty" - Clary said that and ran off, who knows where.

I thought about what I would say to my sister in a situation like that "Of course I'm cute, I'm irresistible" and I would put on a diva pose... I missed my other life, I wanted to know if everyone was okay, I wanted to know if my sister had given me nieces or nephews or maybe both, but I was here, in a completely different world. A world that my brothers and I had seen for as long as we could remember, that we had always wanted to be a part of.

Well, Eli, remember your plan... to know every corner of New York, at this date, there is still no Stark Tower, in fact, they haven't even kidnapped Tony. So, I must get used to the city and look for the only thing there is on this date "The New York Sanctuary". The next stop is the home of the Sorcerer Supreme... or well Sorceress Supreme. Leader of the Masters of the mystic arts or Ancestral... I'm coming for you.

I spent the whole morning at school while we were being taught typical things for my age, I was about to fall asleep when someone threw an eraser at me. I thought about not paying attention to it and continue sleeping, but I started to hear some giggles, it was the same girls from yesterday, my roommates who had made fun of me before going to sleep.

I looked straight at them and just as one of them was about to throw a piece of paper at me the teacher turned around and looked at them. Well, I should punish these girls. The teacher looked at me and spoke to the girls.

- "What are you doing?" - Wow, looks like you got in trouble - "Miss Anna, who were you going to throw that at?"

- "Pro... teacher I" - The girl looked at me - "She started it, she threw an eraser at us and we just wanted to tell her to stop"

'What?!!!! I'm serious, I'm the one to blame. Me?'

I looked at them with as much hatred as I could and the teacher turned her gaze to me. Apparently, she wanted to confirm whether they were right or wrong. My roommates gave me an innocent look and nodded altogether.

- "Miss Elizabeth, is that right?" - 'Yes, of course, it's my fault. I actually have fun throwing erasers at girls who share a room with me and I don't even know their names.'

- "Of course not, teacher" - I sighed - "They've been throwing erasers at me for a few minutes now, I just wanted to sle... I just wanted to pay attention to your class" - I showed her the erasers that were around me as proof.

- "It's a lie" - Said another girl - "She has those pieces because she is getting ready to throw the rest of the eraser at us" - What a 6-year-old lie, I rolled my eyes and looked at the teacher waiting for her to answer something.

- "OK" - The teacher thought of something quickly - "We'll see who's telling the truth, come to the board. You will solve this"

Excellent, it's math, even if I was going to fall asleep I could solve this, too easy. I stood up with all the confidence in the world and walked forward, while Anna stood up with trepidation to get to the board.

The teacher started with something easy, she dictated the numbers for us to write on the board and told us if we had to do an addition or a subtraction, it was a "long" 5-digit number, I just wrote waiting for her to tell me if I should add or subtract the numbers she gave me.

I saw my classmate couldn't write what the teacher dictated, quite simple 5-digit numbers just like mine, she had to "subtract" while I had to "add". Of course, I finished quickly and put the result, while Anna didn't know what to do.

I heard a shout from the back of the room.

- "No way, adding is easier than subtracting" - She turned to the teacher - "Anna has to do the hardest part."

I looked her in the eye and wrote my numbers as subtraction and put the result, then I put them as multiplication and division with the correct result. Anna looked at me, I pushed her a bit and wrote the result of what she got. I did the same as with mine, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. I finished and went to sit down.

- "Well, it seems we know who was bothering who" - She pointed to the little group - "I'll talk to you later" - The bell rang and everyone left, but the teacher called me. - "Miss Elizabeth, are you bored in my classes?" - 'Yes, very much so.'

- "No" - I answered ignoring my thoughts - "Of course not Miss...." - 'What was your name again?' - "Uh..."

- "Grey, Miss Grey" - As Meredith, excellent it won't be difficult to learn her name - "I know perfectly well, you were falling asleep in class"

'Oh no, you got caught Eli, activate 3312, I repeat we have a 3312'

- "I..." - I couldn't speak

- "Well" - She thought for a moment what to say - "Tomorrow I'm going to bring you some tests and we'll see if you can "get ahead" of this course that seems to bore you so much." - She smiled at me - "You may go."

- "Thank you, Miss Grey" - I grabbed my things and hurried off.

The rest of the day passed normally, nothing interesting happened, only hateful looks from Anna towards me. Ahh, Anna if you looked like Elsa's sister I wouldn't dislike you so much.

The school was over and we went to our "home sweet home".

To my good fortune, they gave us biscuits to sell again. I took my car and went out to sell it. I went into many streets I didn't know and came back with no biscuits after a few hours. I gave the money to the manager and went to my room. Tomorrow would be a new day.

I spent the next few days testing and selling biscuits to get to know the city. Teacher Grey got me to take tests in all subjects, to see if I could "get ahead" of my classmates. Clearly, I knew everything about the subjects and they kept giving me more advanced stuff. When I answered everything, I had time to myself, and I was allowed to wander around the school. I knew every place, every corner of the school and I was bored of walking around. I spent a few days in the library, but I got bored and decided to go for a walk around the rest of the school.

On my way out of the bathroom, I found a door under a staircase. "Harry Potter, is that you?" I found a way to open the door and looked at it, it was a mini room, it had a desk and a lamp, sockets for electricity, and nothing else... just dust.

"Thanos has already passed this way," I said jokingly to myself, and just as I was about to turn around I found a teacher next to Miss Grey.

- "Looks like you're bored around here, aren't you?" - I looked at them and just raised my shoulders - "This room hasn't been used for a long time, many don't even know of its existence"

'Interesting, tell me more.'

- "It's full of dust" - Said Miss Grey - "Do you like it?"

- "Yes" - I answered - "I think it's a special place" - I watched as the professor ran his finger over it and when I saw it, it was full of dust that was in the room. I saw his hand, which was black from trying to dust with it, for a moment I thought about saying 'Get your hand out of the dust, you are taking my King of Wakanda'. Clearly, I didn't.

- "I think you should get out of here now," - Said the professor.

- "Come with me," - Said Grey.

I left the place and followed her, all the tests I had taken were checked with "the approval" of the teachers. She told me that the tests that were going to follow would be more difficult since they would be the ones for the "big" kids, I guessed that by "big" she meant 16 years old or between 15 and 18.

'Grey, if you knew at what age I died you wouldn't say that they were the big kids' - I sighed and left... I would continue with my task of selling biscuits.

The next day after answering the tests yesterday's teacher came with a smile on his face and teacher Grey with him. They told me to follow them, I looked at the two of them 'They will become a couple, I'm sure' - I thought as I followed them.

They took me to the place I had discovered yesterday, it was completely clean. The desk was as good as new and a chair went with it, around the edges I noticed that there were a few shelves with some books, the floor was shiny and the wall sockets had something connected, I followed the wires with my eyes and I saw that a computer was connected... or what a computer was at that time. A wide monitor in the back, a box. The keyboard, some speakers, and a mouse. I saw the CPU, it gave me a bit of a laugh at how old it was.

I looked at my two teachers, they seemed very happy with what they had in front of them, I wondered why they wanted to bring me here, but their words answered me before I asked my question.

- "This is your new 'resting place' " - Said the teacher, while making inverted commas with his hands above his head.

- "We prepared it for you," - Said Grey, - "It's clear that you are very smart Eli, and wandering aimlessly around the school doesn't help you to keep learning." - She smiled at me. - "This room, it's all yours."

- "Really?" - I answered, I didn't understand anything. It was all very strange.

- "Yes, you will stay here. You can come after you do all the exams you do in the morning" - The teacher told me - "It's all yours" - He showed me some keys and passed them to me.

- "Thank you, Miss Grey" - I looked at her - "And professor..." - 'What was his name?'

- "I'm Luke... Luke Lewis" - I looked at him carefully, 'Shadowhunters where are you? They're stealing your names...'

- "Thank you Mr. Lewis" - I gave them both a smile - "Thank you very much!"

- "Well, I think I should be going now... See you, Miss Grey" - Luke ran off

- "I should go too" - Said my teacher - "but I have a surprise for you... just from me" - She winked at me.

She reached under the desk and handed me a red backpack. It was the same as the one my teddy had on his back, but bigger. She put it in my hands and told me to check it. Inside it were two notebooks and a pencil case. After checking everything I noticed that the backpack had "Property of Elizabeth Charlotte" embroidered on the inside. I read it and hugged her.

- "Well, now I must go."

- "Thank you, Miss Grey" - I said.

- "Your welcome" - She looked at me tenderly - "You can call me Alice, but let's keep it between us" - I looked at her a bit lost - "You forgot my name, didn't you?"

- "This..." - She started to laugh while the only sentence that was going through my mind was 'Why should I say no, sis?'

- "I'm leaving, good luck with all this"

She left me alone in my new cupboard under the stairs because now I would change my name to Harry Potter. I was charging my mobile phone because now no one would see me. I tried to connect my external memory to the computer, but couldn't stand it... I could see it coming. I was lucky that I had bought a mobile phone that was compatible with my hard drive. It would take a while to load so I started looking for things on the computer. The first thing I looked for was the recent news, it was May 2005, I would look for the recent stuff to keep me up to date. I read some news from the last few days, but nothing interesting.

I only have until June, then the summer holidays in the United States will start, we had entered classes late... too late we entered in March when we should have entered in September. I felt a little bit sorry for those who entered with me, just a little bit.

I have a month to go on with my plan. I looked for a map of New York and drew it in the notebook... there was no printer, so I used my new materials. When I finished drawing I started to write the streets on it. Everything was going normally until I saw the street I wanted to find a few weeks ago "Bleecker Street", the address of the sanctuary. I marked with a red color where the school was and with a yellow color where the orphanage was. I put a big green dot in the direction I would go. Why green? Well, it's obvious... because of the time gem.

I put everything in my backpack, the mobile phone was already fully charged, then I would see what was inside and connect it to my drive. The only thing left out was Benjamin, which I would carry in my hands. I headed home to get the biscuits, but first I had to hide my new backpack. I carefully tucked it under some cardboard before I got there and went inside, if anyone saw my backpack they would probably take it from me.

I got inside and said hello to Clary... So far the only girl I cared about, she blushed and ran off. I guess she was embarrassed.

I took my ration of biscuits to sell and put them in the typical cart, before leaving I changed into some cute clothes. Sure, my mission was to go to the shrine... but I had to sell the biscuits or they would kill me, or worse they wouldn't let me go out to sell them.

When I was ready I put my bunny on the biscuits and pulled the cart, got to where my new backpack was hidden, and put it on. But not before I took out my handmade map. I saw where I was and how far I had to walk, about 20 streets. Maybe I would get too tired, and it would take me much longer, but it didn't matter, my plan took its first step.

I walked about 10 streets straight ahead without selling anything, when I noticed I was a bit closer I started ringing bells and selling the biscuits. I had one street left and 5 boxes... The sorcerers would be hungry, maybe they could buy them from me. Would they have money? I remembered Strange's scene with Wong before Dr. Banner landed in front of them.

Well, I guess I'll take my chances, I walked up to the entrance on Bleecker 177 A Street. I stood in front of the big door and mentally prepared myself for what I was about to do.

I knocked on the door a few times, I didn't know if they had a bell...but even if they did, I couldn't reach it. If I was lucky I was a meter away, and I couldn't reach anything.

After a few more attempts and after a few minutes someone opened the door.... Who was it? Well, I had no idea, I couldn't recognize him from anywhere. I cursed to myself that you thought Eli, that I was going to open Ancestral for you. The Sanctuaries each have a guardian. You didn't see that coming, did you?

- "Hi" - I put on my best face, the one of a good girl who sells biscuits, please buy or they'll kill me on arrival, you know a face of tenderness with pleading, like the cats in boots - "I'm Elizabeth" - I smiled - "I sell good biscuits, the whole town likes them... seriously."

- "What?" - He looked at me strangely.

- "Biscuits, I sell biscuits, there are many kinds" - I looked at the cart - "but I only have 5 boxes left" - I whispered

- "No, there is no need for biscuits here" - What a grumpy sorcerer.

- Please... there's chocolate and sprinkles" - I pouted as best I could - "they're not expensive, I swear."

He looked at me with big doubt, I turned to the cart and opened a box of biscuits, and showed them to him. He looked straight at me and I took one in my hands and put it in my mouth.

- "They are not poisoned" - I ate the biscuit - "Although now there is one less biscuit in the box" - I thought about what I had done - "Stupid" - I whispered to myself.

But then something happened that I didn't expect.

- "Ok" - The guy at the door started laughing - "I'll buy the biscuits, you can wait here, and I'll go and get some money" - He went laughing inside.

I looked around the door, it looked just like in the movies. But more majestic and big, although maybe it was because of my height. I tried to go in, but he would probably get angry if I went in without an invitation, I had to think of something fast.

- "Sir" - I shouted - "Can I come in?" - What girl in her right mind would go into an unknown place... well, me - "please."

- "I don't think you should" - He looked me in the eye - "How much are they worth? The boxes"

- "One?" - I asked him - "Three dollars" - I told him - "but I ate one so it should be a lower price" - I whispered.

- "You have an interesting conscience," - He said, - "So Miss Elizabeth, how much will you let me have the remaining 5 boxes?" - 'That's two birds with one stone.'

- "Uh... how about if I let you have the 5 boxes for the price of 4" - I looked at him negotiating - "but only if you let me use the bathroom" - I begged - "I've been walking for 20 blocks to sell everything"

- "20 blocks?... You mean 20 streets?" - I shook my head approvingly - "it's not much for a girl of.... 5 years old?"

- "6 to be exact" - I said - "it's urgent about the bathroom" - I wasn't lying, if I wanted to go in I didn't know if it was because of the nerves I got when I got here or because of how long it had been since the last time - "please" - I said slowly.

- "All right" - What a resigned face - "Come in."

I walked into the sanctuary and he pointed to the bathroom, I left the biscuits and passed him my rabbit, he looked at me quizzically.

- "This is Benjamin" - I looked at him - "he is my only and best friend... take care of him while I go to the bathroom" - I turned and ran out without him being able to answer.

I didn't take long to go to the bathroom, but when I came out I judged everything with my eyes, how is it that a sanctuary can be so perfect? How is it that the inhabitants of the city don't notice such a majestic place? How do I find Ancestral without dying in the attempt?

- "Thank you" - I arrived in front of the man who opened the door for me - "You have quite an elaborate body" - Why did I say that? Who knows?

- "Thank you" - He started laughing again, detailing it little by little. Yes, I had seen him before. He died when Kaecilius attacked the sanctuary in New York. The one Strange saw die, after crossing from the London shrine to this one. - "You're pretty funny."

- "I know, it's a gift" - I looked at him - "Thank you very much, sir..."

- "Drumm" - He said, then I remembered his name. 'Daniel Drumm'

- "Thank you sorcerer Daniel" - I said without thinking... he looked me in the eyes and I mentally slapped myself, Eli you just ruined everything. - "Well... I think I should go" - Better here she ran than here she died, soldier.

The door closed automatically, 'Oh, now who can help me?' - I looked at the sorcerer in front of me, he still had Benjamin in his hands. I wasn't going to leave my stuffed animal here, so I reached out and tried to grab him... clearly, I couldn't.

- "You are quite a peculiar visitor" - He looked at me - "Miss Elizabeth, what are your real intentions?"

- "Well... I'm 6, and I just want to get to the orphanage without biscuits so I don't get punished" - I answered, of course, it wasn't a lie... although it wasn't one of my main intentions.

- "Interesting, but not enough" - 'Is this the end, really... and I won't get to meet Loki or Bucky, what an unfair life.'

- "It would be easier to talk to Ancestral" - I said looking him in the eyes, if I'm going to die, let it be for a good reason, right?

- "How do you know about Ancestral?" - He questioned me - "you shouldn't know anything about it" - A threatening look crossed his face.

I thought this would be the end of me, I stood still, I couldn't move and it was getting closer and closer.

- "The sanctuary has an interesting visitor today" - I heard a voice

'The bell saved you Eli, that was a close call' - I turned around and saw the owner of the voice.

- "Ancestral..."