Chapter 1: The Visitor
10th August 1990
I can't believe it. I did it. I really did it! I've travelled one hundred years into the past!
The eighty-four-year-old Visitor stood in the overgrown garden and looked out at the house in front of her. Merlin, the Burrow was a lot smaller back then, she thought. Perhaps it's because Granddad and Grandmum don't have grandchildren yet. They must have kept building upward and adding more rooms to the house after everyone got married and had children of their own.
The Visitor then noticed that no one came rushing out of the Burrow to check the wards. Hmm... I didn't set off the alarms after all, she thought. Mum was right. Granddad and Uncle Bill didn't set up the Fidelius Charm or any of the other wards until a year after Dumbledore was murdered.
The Visitor scanned the orchard for the person she was looking for. She's got to be out here, she thought. I just know it. This is her favourite place after all.
The Visitor stopped and wondered why there seemed to be no life around the house. She checked her watch. It's an hour before noon. And it's one day before her birthday. That means that Granddad is at the Ministry, Grandmum is in the village shopping with Uncles Charlie and Percy, Uncle Bill is in Egypt, and the other three blokes are still asleep. Merlin, can Mum pick the perfect time or what?
After a minute of searching, the Visitor finally found who she was looking for. Ah, there she is! The Visitor thought. The Visitor then became nervous. Merlin, I hope this'll work. It'll be a complete failure of a visit if she doesn't want to do this.
The Visitor walked through the overgrown garden towards a tall tree in the orchard. The tree was occupied by a small girl, who was hanging upside down from one of the tree's branches and had her eyes closed. Her long mane of flaming red hair was hanging downward freely. Her hair had always been the girl's most notable feature, and it looked extra fiery with the sun shining down on it.
That's definitely her. No one else in the family has that exact hair colour, not even Lily, the Visitor thought, smiling sadly. Has it really been three years since she passed away? She shook her head vigorously. Get a hold of yourself. She may run to the three blokes inside if you're not careful.
The Visitor pulled out her wand and nonverbally cast Homenum Revelio at the Burrow to ensure that Scabbers was inside. After confirming that the rat was still in Percy's locked bedroom, and ignoring the increased beating of her heart as she saw her father's body-marker on the fifth floor, the Visitor turned back towards the tree and nonverbally cast Cave Inimicum, Muffliato, Protego Horribilis, Protego Totalum, and Salvio Hexia around it. She thought that using all of those spells was unnecessary, and that the Muffliato Charm was sufficient, but her mum, the brightest witch of her age, had insisted.
These actions caused the small girl in the tree to open her eyes abruptly. She sat upright on her branch and looked down at the Visitor, a mixture of fear and curiosity shining in her bright brown eyes.
"Hello, Ginny," said the Visitor, smiling again.
"Hello... Who are you?" the girl asked cautiously. She climbed down the tree and walked up to the Visitor. "How do you know my name?" She took a closer look at the Visitor. "And why do you have Ron's hair colour? And his blue eyes? Are you a relative of mine I haven't heard of? Surely Great-Auntie Muriel would've let us know, the gossip-loving hen." Her eyes began to shine with delight. "Are you here for my birthday? I'm turning nine tomorrow! You have to be a distant relative of mine if you remembered and Fred and George claimed to have forgotten."
The Visitor's smile grew wider. She really isn't much different from when she'll get older, she thought amusedly. "I am a relative of yours. I'm here to give you your birthday present, as I can't stay for your actual birthday tomorrow."
Ginny smiled at the idea of getting a present a day early. The Visitor reached into her small, purple, beaded handbag that had an Undetectable Extension Charm on it, and she pulled out seven books. She held out the books and said, "Happy early birthday, Ginny."
Ginny tentatively took the books from the Visitor's hands. They proved to be a little heavy for the eight-year-old, so she blindly set the books down on the ground. She did not notice the title of the first book that laid on top of the others.
Fearing that the girl may disregard the books, the Visitor conjured up two armchairs and motioned for Ginny to sit in one. The Visitor sat in the other armchair and, once they were comfortable, she began to divulge the truth behind her visit.
"Ginny, there are some things that you need to know about me and those books before you read them. I need you to trust me before I can tell you anything, though."
Ginny blanched. "W-what? W-why are you—?"
"Would you say that growing up with Gred and Forge helped you believe that anything's possible if you've got enough nerve?" The Visitor asked, getting straight to the point.
Ginny was shocked. How did this old woman know that? She looked at the woman very intently, and then looked away. There's something peculiar about this woman. It feels like... like I know her. Like I have this connection with her that's a lot closer than a distant relative. But... how is that possible?
Ginny regarded the old woman again. Well... there's only one way to find out.
The small girl firmly set her jaw, nodded, and said, "Yes, I would say that."
The Visitor smiled. "Thank Merlin. There are a few rules that I am giving you in regards to the books. First, you cannot tell anyone in your family who gave you these books."
"All right," Ginny allowed. "But, if no one else can know who you are, then why can't I? I'd like to know the name of the person who gave me my present. That way, if anyone asks me about these books, I can say that a friend from the village gave them to me and I'll use your name."
"That could work," said the Visitor thoughtfully. "All right then." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I came from exactly one hundred years in the future. I'm your future niece, Rose"—Don't state your full name!—"Rose Weasley."
Ginny gaped at the old woman. She remained silent for a good seven minutes while the Visitor—Rose—waited patiently.
"Er," Ginny finally said quietly, "who are your parents? If you really are my niece, then you're the daughter of either Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, or Ron."
Ginny then remembered something she caught earlier. "Wait... you have Ron's blue eyes. You have some white hairs, but you mostly have Ron's hair colour as well..." Ginny's eyes widened as the realization dawned on her. "You're Ron's daughter! From the year 2090!"
Rose laughed. "Yes, I am." Her smile faded away as she remembered her late father, who passed away a year after her Uncle Harry.
Dad couldn't handle knowing that he'd never see or talk to his best mate ever again, thought Rose. If anything, he took Uncle Harry's passing harder than Mum did, and Mum was much more emotional than Dad. Mum was completely miserable after Dad passed away, just a year after Uncle Harry passed on... After having lost her two oldest friends and favourite sister-in-law... Merlin, I miss them all so much.
"What's wrong?" Ginny inquired softly. "You became sad all of a sudden. Is... Is Ron... dead?"
"Yes... he is. Don't worry," Rose added quickly when she saw her future aunt's troubled expression. "He lived a long life. One hundred and nine years' worth, in fact. He passed away last year in my time."
Knowing that her brother passed on naturally instead of in battle had calmed Ginny down. She didn't know what she'd do if any of her relatives were killed in action.
"Well," Ginny said casually, "Now I understand why I can't tell anyone who you are. Especially Ron; he'd never believe that his eighty-year-old daughter from the future came to talk to me."
"Eighty-four," Rose corrected. "But, that is exactly right. That is why you cannot involve him in what I'm about to ask of you."
Ginny's interest was piqued. "Oh? What do you want me to do?"
"My second set of instructions is that you must read the books chronologically and all the way through," said Rose. "Don't skip any chapters, and don't speed-read or anything like that. It's more my mum's instructions than my own. She always used to tell me, 'Where's the fun in reading the ending before the beginning?' Wouldn't you agree with that philosophy?"
"I guess," Ginny said slowly, with a hardened expression on her face.
I may be eight, but I've known how to read properly since I was three, thought a slightly irritated Ginny.
Rose closed her eyes as she realized what she just said. She unintentionally insulted her future aunt's intelligence by telling her how to read a book. Grandmum told you that Auntie Ginny learned how to read when she was three. Bad form, Rosie. Way to forget, thought Rose, mentally kicking herself. Fix it before she becomes so insulted that she'll change her mind!
Rose opened her eyes and began carefully, "I know that those instructions are a little tripe, but sometimes, a book or even a chapter can be so long that you want to skip to the end just to know what happens. It's sort of cheating that way. That's why my mum made sure I told you that."
"That makes sense," Ginny responded, her expression softening.
Rose smiled at the now placated girl. "It should take you about a month to read them all, give or take a week, if you read them every day. That shouldn't be too hard to accomplish, since you have another two years before you start school at Hogwarts. So, really, you have all the time in the world to read them. However, the sooner you read them, the better. Then, you can start planning earlier."
That last bit in particular caught Ginny's attention. "Planning? For what?"
"I'll get to that soon," said Rose. "My third set of instructions is that after you finish reading all of the books, I want you to give them to a select few people. Do not give them to Dad or any of your other brothers, Granddad, Grandmum, Great-Great-Auntie Muriel, or Hermione Granger."
Ginny mulled over who that last person could be, but put it in the back of her head for the time being. "All right, so I won't tell anyone in my family about the books. Got it. But then, who should I give them to?"
Rose smiled. "You will know once you read all of the books. Although, I do suggest including your cousins, since they're not mentioned in the books at all. They'll be a good, impartial third-party in your planning."
"Adele and Ethel Prewett?" Ginny asked, surprised. "Uncle Ignatius II's daughters? Why wouldn't they be mentioned in the books?"
"They threatened to sue the Muggle author if they or their parents were mentioned anywhere in the books," Rose said simply. "When that didn't work, they Obliviated the poor woman so that she would forget that she ever wrote about them, let alone met them."
"Wow," said Ginny, astonished. "Well, that sounds like them. They're very private people after all. Ever since my Auntie Camilla died..."
The redheaded woman and girl bowed their heads in remembrance as they took a moment of silence.
"So," Ginny continued, "I'll give the books to Adele and Ethel after I'm done. They may not finish reading them as fast as I will, though, since they'll return to Hogwarts in three weeks."
"True, but they will be able to help you plan everything out when they come home next summer," said Rose. "There's only so much a nine-year-old can do, after all."
"Thanks for reminding me," Ginny groaned. "How many others should I involve with the books?"
"At the very least, two more people. As long as you do not tell Dad or my mum, or any of my uncles, or Granddad or Grandmum, and especially not Great-Great-Auntie Muriel. Believe me, Auntie Ginny, after you finish reading the books, you'll know who to recruit for your plan."
Ginny had to take a moment to process that this eighty-four-year-old woman just called her 'Auntie Ginny.' "I can't believe Ron will get married. I love him very dearly, but he can be a little unbearable at times. Is… was he still like that in the future?"
"Not after he and my mum finally got together," Rose explained. "They had to go through counselling before they tied the knot, though. And for a few years after that, before they had me."
"They had to go through marriage counselling?" Ginny repeated with a gasp.
"Their relationship was... volatile for a long time," Rose admitted. "They had what you often called 'belligerent sexual tension.' They fought endlessly, even though they had been in love with each other since they were about twelve. After they went through the marriage counselling, and after they had me and Hugo, their banter was more playful and less frequent."
"I have a nephew too?" Ginny asked excitedly.
Rose chuckled. "Oh yes. You had five other nieces besides me, and two other nephews besides Hugo."
"Wow," said an elated Ginny. "Wait, why didn't Hugo come with you?" she asked. "He's... he's not dead too, is he?"
"No, he's alive. He... hasn't taken our parents' deaths too well, which is natural. When he's stressed, he prefers to handle it by eating, or playing Quidditch or Chess, or immersing himself in his family. Whereas I take more after my mum and throw myself into my books," Rose explained, smiling sadly at the memory of her recently deceased mum.
It's only been a month, and yet I keep thinking that when I return, she'll be there and praise me for what I've accomplished, much like she and Dad did when I was at Hogwarts. Oh Mum, Dad, how I wish I could see you in this time, when you were much younger. But... you told me not to get you or Dad involved, Mum. You told me to only seek out Auntie Ginny. And I only have this one day. She is my only hope now. She mentally nodded to herself. Keep moving forward.
Rose swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat and continued. "Even if Hugo wanted to come, the special Time-Turner I used to come here can only be used by one person at a time. No more than that."
She reached underneath the collar of her shirt and pulled out a necklace that held an hourglass. She showed it to the girl and continued, "This type of Time-Turner, unlike a standard one, is the only way a person can travel back more than just a few hours in time. This hourglass here is really a 'year glass,' which is self-explanatory." Ginny nodded to indicate that she understood what that meant. "Since I helped my mum plan this trip, and since I'm the eldest, I got to use it."
"Ah," Ginny said, unsure of what else to say. Then she thought of someone Rose mentioned earlier. "Your mum... Is she that Hermione Granger person you spoke of?"
Rose chuckled. "You really don't give yourself credit in how quick-witted you are. Yes, that is my mum. You'll find out more about her from the books. Hugo and I actually bore her maiden name along with our dad's, so my full name is actually Rose Granger-Weasley. I didn't know if relaying that would be wise earlier on."
Ginny nodded to indicate that she understood. Then she noticed the sad expression that had been on Rose's face, and hesitantly asked, "When did Hermione...?"
"She passed away just a month ago in my time," Rose explained. "She was a year ahead of you. You'll soon know her as the brightest witch of her year. And eventually, as your good friend and sister-in-law, of course," the woman added airily, in a tone much like the one her mum would use when she was being causal.
A silence fell between them before something suddenly dawned on Ginny.
"I'm dead too, aren't I?" she asked quietly.
Rose gave the girl a shocked look.
"You said that I had loads of nieces and nephews, not have... So that makes me think that... I've already passed on in your time," Ginny said softly.
Rose cast her eyes downward and nodded. "Yes. You passed away three years ago, at the age of one hundred and six." She looked up and looked her future aunt in the eye. "You lived a good life, though. That's more important."
"I suppose," Ginny replied casually. She quickly changed the sombre subject. "Did I ever get married and have children of my own?" The girl was nearly bouncing on the armchair now, and her eyes were dancing with merriment.
Damn. I was hoping she wouldn't ask that, thought Rose, biting her lip. Best not to mention her own children. And especially who her husband will be. Not right now, not when she merely fancies 'The Boy Who Lived' and not Uncle Harry himself. She'll find out in the epilogue anyway.
"You did get married, and you did have children," Rose said carefully, "and, before you ask, your husband passed away a year after you did. However, I strongly urge you to read the books to find out everything that happens to you. Please, Auntie Ginny."
Ginny regarded the pleading look on her future niece's face. "Okay. I'll try to be patient and wait."
Rose smiled. "I know it may be a little hard for you, if you're as stubborn as my Auntie Ginny was."
Ginny smiled sheepishly. "I guess I'm not that much different in the future?"
Rose laughed. "Definitely not. But I loved you all the same. And so did your children, and especially your husband."
As another silence fell between them, Ginny retreated to her thoughts. She desperately wanted to know who she married. For the last few years, Ginny had taken a fancy to the hero of the Wizarding World, Harry Potter, who defeated the Dark wizard, Lord Voldemort, when he was only a baby. Ever since Ginny first heard about 'The Boy Who Lived,' she had often had that childish dream of meeting and marrying him, a dream shared by many pure-blood and half-blood witches. Only the pure-blood extremist witches didn't dream of him. To Ginny, Harry Potter was some kind of rock god, like all of the members in her favourite band, the Weird Sisters. However, her six older brothers, Percy in particular, often squashed her hopes by pointing out that the chances of her ever meeting Harry, let alone marrying him, were about as likely as their mum duelling with a Death Eater.
"Er, Auntie Ginny?" Rose asked, bringing Ginny out of her thoughts.
"Er, sorry," said Ginny, blushing to the roots of her flaming hair.
Oh, Merlin. Uncle Harry was right. When Auntie Ginny blushes, her face glows like the setting sun. Some things never change, Rose thought amusedly.
"Anyway," Rose continued, "you may tell Adele, Ethel, and the other people you give the books to about me. But, and I cannot stress this enough, you must be absolutely, one hundred percent positive, that you can trust them with that information, Auntie Ginny. That is why I ask you to read all of the books all the way through before you decide on whom to pick. Once you read the books, I know you'll have a good, clear idea of who you'll trust the most."
Ginny gave the woman a piercing look. She knows who I trust more than anyone. But she won't tell me, she thought, a little miffed.
Then she realized something. Perhaps... she wants me to completely read all of the books first because... I may ask my future husband to help me with this plan? After all, Mum and Dad often say that they trust each other the most because, not only are they husband and wife, but they are best friends, so my husband would be the person I trust the most, thought Ginny logically. Let's see...
"All right," Ginny said carefully, "I'll wait until I finish reading the books. And then... I'll recruit my future husband to help me with the plan."
Rose's eyes widened before she relaxed and gave the girl a small smile. "That sounds like the Auntie Ginny I knew. Her husband was the person she trusted the most, after all. Good choice."
"Now I really want to know who he is," Ginny lamented. "But, I promised to wait, and I'm not one to go back on my promises. Call it a stubborn habit, but that's how I am: stubborn to a fault."
If only you knew who your husband was. Two peas in a pod, the pair of you were, Rose thought sadly as she remembered her deceased aunt and uncle.
Uncle Harry was devastated when you passed away, Auntie Ginny, thought Rose. He never thought that you would pass away before he did. He would cry often and say that, even after eighty-five years of marriage, he was always ready to go first. And, despite constantly having Teddy, Victoire and their children and grandchildren, and James, Al, Lily, and their children and grandchildren around following your passing, Uncle Harry was exceptionally lonely without you. Even Mum and Dad couldn't bring him out of his stupor. In fact, Uncle Harry's last words before he embraced Death were, 'I'll see you in a few moments, Ginny,' complete with a serene smile on his face. You were his last thought. It's really no wonder why he passed away not too long after you did.
"Well," Rose continued aloud, "Now you have a third person to give the books to." She stopped herself and began again, this time cryptically. "At least one more person should do, and you'll know who that person is once you read the third, fifth, and seventh books. Trust me on that."
"All right." Ginny then thought of something. "Why did you come to me and not someone else? I'm aware that you shouldn't tell your mum or Ro- your dad, and your... uncles and grandparents... but, why were you able to tell me? And why did you come now, at this time?"
"I can't tell you without giving anything away," Rose began carefully. "But, I can tell you that Mum estimated that you, Adele, and Ethel will need a year to read the books and plan everything, to ensure that your plan is absolutely fool proof. She also didn't want me to involve certain people because she wanted some events to still happen as they did in my time. Now, those events should not happen for another year. However, if everything goes according to our predictions, then you, Adele, and Ethel will be able to jumpstart your plan after those initial events."
Events such as Uncle Harry being discovered by Hagrid next year, she thought. If Uncle Harry is discovered earlier on, that may change too many things in this timeline, possibly for the worst.
Rose shook her head and turned her thoughts back to the potential plan. Anyway, Hagrid needs to discover Uncle Harry when he is old enough to attend Hogwarts. That would bring the two of them to Diagon Alley, and it will create a friendship between them. If Adele and Ethel agree to read the books, then they'll be of age when Uncle Harry goes to Diagon Alley for the first time. That means that they'll be able to take Auntie Ginny there, through Side-Along-Apparition, so that she could give the books to Uncle Harry. Mum said that he should still experience everything as he did in my time and the books. He wouldn't be Harry Potter without those experiences. In turn, that could lead to Uncle Harry and Auntie Ginny becoming friends earlier on.
Rose knew how manipulative all of that sounded. However, she and her mum discussed this before. They ultimately agreed that they don't care how manipulative Ginny and her companions may become, as long as the Second Wizarding War ended much earlier. As long as there were little to no personal losses during the Second Wizarding War. As long as everyone, at the very least, had better relationships with their significant others, and, possibly, with former snake-like rivals from school as well. As long as one timeline had a better future than hers and Hermione's was, that was all that mattered in the end.
Ginny brought Rose out of her thoughts when she spoke up. "All right, I can handle a bit of responsibility. Even if it'll be much bigger than trying to knit or washing the dishes. Anyway, you've told me who I should pick, or, in some cases, hinted at who I should pick, after I've read all of the books. Still, I'd like to know: other than my family, who else should I not pick?"
Rose bit her lip as she immediately thought of Neville and Luna. Neville is too shy at this point in time, and he and Auntie Ginny didn't really become friends until they went to the Yule Ball together. Mum said that it'd be best if she, Dad, and Uncle Harry included him into their circle in their first year to help build up his confidence before their fifth year. Of course, this all depends on whether Auntie Ginny does end up giving the books to Uncle Harry, which would lead to Uncle Harry reading Neville's rather subtle transformation throughout the books. Luna... Luna is about to lose her mum soon. Auntie Ginny may not finish reading the books before that happens. Besides, Auntie Ginny didn't become friends with Luna until they met at Hogwarts. And during their first year, Auntie Ginny was possessed, while Luna was dealing with being lonely in Ravenclaw.
Rose then thought of something. Perhaps... Perhaps I can nudge Auntie Ginny towards Luna, implicitly telling her that after reading the fifth book, she'll understand why I did so. She'll understand that I wanted them to become friends earlier. Then, maybe Luna will be Sorted into Gryffindor with Auntie Ginny, and then they both won't be so lonely their first year.
Rose blinked rapidly. Merlin, Mum and I were a bit manipulative when it comes to this plan. She shook her head vigorously. No. No. This is to help create a better future for this timeline. Mum urged you to never forget that. Don't start doubting anything, not after planning out everything for a year before you made this trip.
"Just... just stick with Adele, Ethel, your future husband, and the fifth person, who is prominent in the third, fifth and seventh books. I really can't reveal anything more without possibly giving away too much information," Rose said apologetically.
"Well... All right," Ginny acquiesced. "I couldn't help but be curious, though."
Rose chuckled. "That's never a bad thing. Don't worry. I guarantee that you won't mess up your plan. Say, Auntie Ginny, do you know the Lovegoods?"
"No. Who are they?" asked Ginny, slightly tilting her head to the right.
Damn, thought Rose. I thought at the very least, she'd know who they were, since they live just over the hill from here.
"Once you read the fifth book, you'll understand why I brought them up," Rose said cryptically.
"All right," said Ginny, bemused.
Ginny then remembered the "plan" that Rose had been mentioning frequently throughout her visit. "What is this plan that you want me to undertake? And what did you mean by, 'you wanted some events to still happen as they did in your time'?" she asked.
"Ah, I was just about to get to that. Now, bear with me here." Rose bit her lip before continuing. "Auntie Ginny, I want you to change the future."
Ginny could only stare unblinkingly at the woman sitting opposite of her. "Er, what?"
"Things do end on a happy note, but..." Rose had to check herself as she thought of her late Uncle Fred, and how Uncle George suffered a breakdown every year on first April and second May, up until his own passing five years ago, at the age of one hundred and seven.
Rose closed her eyes and fought to keep her tears from falling before she continued. "As you will see throughout the books, there will be a number of people who do not make it to the epilogue. You've heard of Lord Voldemort, yes?"
Ginny nodded. Rose smiled inwardly at how the small eight-year-old girl didn't flinch at the sound of that bastard's name. "He... He is going to... He will be reborn in nearly five years, and he will take away people you love and trust and who are well alive in this time right now. People who you cherish very much, who you probably will cherish a lot more after you read the books."
Ginny looked at the woman intently for a few long moments, processing what Rose just told her. "That's something else I shouldn't ask you, is it?" she asked seriously.
"I'd much prefer that you didn't. You'll find out through the books anyway," Rose said quietly with downcast eyes. "I hope that, somehow, my parents will have a better relationship as well, before they get together. Then they won't need to go through all of that counselling."
And you and Uncle Harry can get together a lot sooner as well, perhaps during the Yule Ball. Assuming he gets his head out of his arse earlier this time, thought Rose.
After a maddeningly long silence, Ginny said, "I'll do it."
Rose looked up at her sharply. "What?" she asked.
"I'll do it. Everything," Ginny said determinedly. "I won't tell anyone who you are. I'll simply say that my friend Rose from the village gave me the books as an early birthday present, since she'll be out of town for the rest of the summer. I'll read the books in order and all the way through. I'll recruit Adele, Ethel, and at least two other people to help me change the future, but we'll try to not change some events that happened in the books. We'll make bloody well sure that no one dies this time, and that everyone important to us will have better relationships and everything. I suppose that may sound unrealistic, but I'll be damned if we don't at least try to make a better future."
Rose had to take several moments to process a few things. First, her eight-year-old future aunt just cursed. There's no way in hell she would ever say something like that at such a young age in front of Grandmum, she thought. Second, she couldn't believe how determined her Auntie Ginny was at such a young age. Then again, she did teach herself how to fly on her brothers' adult-sized broomsticks when she was only six. So this early burst of determination isn't too far-fetched. Third, she was filled with so much love and affection for her Auntie that she hugged the surprised girl.
"Thank you," Rose whispered with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so, so much, Auntie Ginny." She looked the girl straight in the eyes and held her at arm's length. "I know that you and your companions will succeed. Especially if you choose the ones who are as determined as you are. The ones I'm sure you'll pick."
They stood up, and Rose Banished the armchairs. "Well, it's time for me to go. My mission here is complete."
She started to cancel the privacy wards when she remembered something. "Oh, wait," she said, pulling something else out of her beaded handbag and handing it to Ginny.
"These are supplementary notes, full of information that isn't given in the books," Rose explained. "There are approximately twelve thousand notes within these parchments. And since the parchments are written front and back, these notes are about six thousand pages worth, which is twice as long as all seven books combined."
Ginny gaped at her elderly future niece as she took the notes and blindly set them down on top of the books. She still had not seen the title of the first book. "So I have to read over nine thousand pages in a month?"
Where have I heard that phrase before? 'Over nine thousand?' That sounds so familiar, thought a bemused Rose. Wait, that's not important right now.
"No, no! Just read the books. The notes are for afterward, when you actually start planning," Rose explained. "I don't expect you to start that until Adele and Ethel have read the books, unless you really want to get right to it as soon as you finish reading. It's up to you. But, please read the books first. Set the notes aside for now until you finish reading the books, all right?"
"Okay," Ginny said determinedly.
Rose handed her the handbag. "Here, I want you to have this as well," she said. "It was my mum's. It'll hold all of the books and notes, thanks to the Undetectable Extension Charm my mum placed on it, oh, ninety-three years ago in my time. Or, rather, in seven years your time."
"I can't take this!" Ginny exclaimed. "You just said it was your mum's! It's an heirloom to you! I have no right keeping it, even if she will be my sister-in-law!"
"Mum wanted you to have it, Auntie Ginny," Rose said soothingly. "She knew that when you agreed to read the books—yes, she knew you would—you'd need a place to hide them and the notes from your family. This really is the only thing that will keep all of this safe. It can hold more than just books and parchments as well. It can hold... fangs, diaries, rings, lockets, cups, tiaras, even swords," Rose added cryptically, referring to the items that Ginny would find out about after reading the second, sixth, and seventh books.
Ginny remained silent for a few moments before she reluctantly took the handbag. "Okay. I'll take really good care of it, I promise."
Rose smiled. "I know you will. Er, there's one more thing that I need to tell you, before you go back inside The Burrow."
Ginny cocked her head, her curiosity written all over her face.
Rose's face darkened. "Stay away from Scabbers," she said seriously. "I mean it, stay the bloody hell away from that stupid fat rat. Do not let him near the books, do not let him near the handbag, and do not, absolutely do not, let him know your secret. Watch out for him. Read the books out here in the orchard, anywhere where you know Scabbers will not go near you."
Rose then realized something that had not occurred to her before she thought about Scabbers. "In fact, maybe you should hold off on reading the books until Uncles Charlie, Percy, Fred and George return to school, since Uncle Percy will take him along. That way, that damn rat won't be anywhere near you or the books. It's very, very important that you heed my warning, Auntie Ginny."
"All right," said Ginny, puzzled.
Rose picked her next words carefully. "After you finish reading all of the books, don't do anything about Scabbers for another year. I cannot emphasize enough how all of this will make sense after you read the books."
Ginny regarded her future niece, taking in all of the seriousness in her words, and nodded determinedly. "All right," she repeated.
Rose smiled, feeling accomplished, yet saddened at having to leave. She hugged the girl again. "I'll miss you, Auntie Ginny."
"I'll miss you too, Rosie," said Ginny, returning the hug this time. "It'll be hard to look at Ron and Scabbers the same way after you leave. And, I suppose, after I read all of the books and notes."
Rose beamed at her young Auntie for calling her by her nickname. She reluctantly let go of the girl and moved to cancel the privacy wards around the tree.
"Wait!" Ginny piped up. "What'll happen to the books if we do succeed? If we really end up changing the future?"
"They will be erased from this timeline's existence," Rose said simply. "Any of the books that are around in my time will still exist, since my future has already been written. Yours, however, has not. If the Muggle author writes these books in this time, roughly fifty years from now, hopefully they'll be different, much happier, overall better than what you and your companions will read."
"I see," Ginny said slowly. Her eyes widened as another realization dawned on her. "Wait! Is it really okay to change the timeline? You just said that nothing we change in this time will affect your time. So… what's the point of changing anything at all?"
Rose thought about the question, and soon became lost in her thoughts as she remembered the last time her mum ever worked on a project. When Ginny was on her deathbed in the year 2087, her last words were, 'I can't wait to see Fred again,' as she held Harry's hand. After she passed on, Hermione, Ron, and especially Harry became despondent. About a month later, Hermione remembered Ginny's last words, snapped out of her stupor, and threw herself into her research. It wasn't easy at first, as she was still mourning the loss of her favourite sister-in-law. A year later, Harry passed away, and a year after that, Ron passed away, and he too expressed his wish of seeing Fred again. Not too long afterward, Hermione finally found out that Time Travel across several years was possible with a special type of Time-Turner. However, any trips to the past would not be permanent, and any changes that were made in the past would lead to alternate timelines. Regardless, Hermione wanted to ensure that Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore, Hedwig, Moody, Dobby, Ted Tonks, Fred, Remus, Tonks, Colin, her former romantic rival Lavender, even Snape, and so many others that died during the Second Wizarding War, would live, even if it could only happen in another timeline.
"It is completely necessary to change this timeline," said Rose, perfectly channelling her mum as she broke away from her thoughts. "My own timeline cannot change from the actions you will take here, but as long as everyone who died throughout the books lives in this time, that's all that matters. And, well, per my wishful thinking, as long as everyone gets together as they do in the final book, but much earlier and without any unnecessary drama."
She then thought about a quote from one of her favourite Muggle movies that inspired both her and her mum whenever they nearly gave up hope in finding a way to travel back through time. What was that movie called again? Oh right, something about a Terminator. It's going to premiere next summer.
"In fact, Auntie Ginny, screw the continuity. After all, the future is not set. You make your own fate. So, you go and change your future for the better, without reservation," said Rose.
"Don't worry, I will," said Ginny with a deadly serious expression on her face.
Merlin, she looked and sounded just like Uncle Harry right there, thought an astonished Rose.
Ginny then thought of something and her determination waned a little. "But... wouldn't this whole plan make me and my companions a bit... manipulative? You told me not to involve anyone in my family. Changing the future without their knowing it... It's a bit odd for me. I'll feel like I'm betraying them, even though I'll be doing it to make things better for everyone."
Rose bit her lip. "Mum warned me that you might have this concern. Auntie Ginny, I know I've said this a lot in the last hour, but I cannot emphasize enough on how this will all make sense when you read the books. In fact, I'm positive that as soon as you finish reading the seventh book—"
She stopped herself and thought of Uncle George breaking down over Uncle Fred before continuing. "Particularly after reading Chapter Thirty-One in the seventh book, you'll be singing a much different tune. Knowing you as well as I do, you won't be able to wait until next summer to start planning."
Ginny mulled over Rose's cryptic words, wondering what exactly will happen in Chapter Thirty-One in the seventh book. "I'll take your word for it," she ultimately said.
Rose gave her a sad smile, wishing that she could be there to hug her future aunt when she reads about Uncle Fred's death. "Thank you, Auntie Ginny," she said. "I know that all of this is a lot to process, but everything will be worth it when you succeed."
They shared another long hug. Then Rose reluctantly stepped away from the girl. She cancelled the privacy wards and pointed her wand at the 'year glass.' She began to count up the number of years to return to her own time, when she stopped to say one last thing.
"Change the future to the best of your ability, Auntie Ginny. You and your companions may not be able to change everything for the better. As long as the number of causalities and fatalities is kept at the barest of minimums, preferably at no real number at all, and as long as that ponce Voldy dies earlier on, that's all that matters."
Ginny nodded, a deadly serious expression still written on her face.
Rose began to count up again, but quickly remembered a few more things. "Try and ask Dad to play Quidditch together while Uncles Fred and George are away at school."
"Er, why exactly?" Ginny asked, breaking out of her determination. "I doubt he'll let me play with him, on the grounds of that stupid accusation of, 'you're too young and too little.'"
"How else is he ever going to beat Uncles Fred and George at two-a-side Quidditch? He'll need someone on his team who's just as sneaky as those two, but also just as determined at the game as he is," Rose replied.
"I take it you know about my little Quidditch secret?" asked an astonished Ginny.
"Oh, of course," said Rose. "During his fifth year, your fourth year, Dad was a little embarrassed to learn that his little sister was better than him at Quidditch, even though you played Chaser and he played Keeper. But, once he saw you play, any jealousy he had towards you disappeared." Then she thought of something. "Just let him know that it was difficult to teach yourself, and he shouldn't hold any animosity towards you."
"It was difficult to teach myself," Ginny admitted. "I kept falling and crashing, partly because I'd steal their broomsticks at night, when everyone was asleep, so I couldn't see very well, unless there was a full moon. No one was there to help me, or to tend to my wounds, so I often had to hide them from Mum and Dad by wearing long-sleeved clothing, even in the summer. It took me a month to finally get the hang of flying, and then another month to properly throw the Quaffle through a hoop, all in the darkest of hours. After all, there's only so much a six-year-old can do, even though I practiced every single night," she finished.
"Well, you know how that saying goes: practice makes perfect," said Rose.
"That's a saying?" asked Ginny, tilting her head again.
"Ah, that's right. You're a pure-blood; you won't know a whole lot of Muggle phrases. But yes, that is a saying. Given what you just told me, wouldn't you agree with it?" asked Rose.
"Oh, yes. Otherwise, I'd still be bollocks at flying," Ginny replied, laughing.
"Exactly. Now, I know you're worried about hiding things from your family, but, at least when it comes to helping Dad, you won't be lying to him about his favourite game," said Rose.
"That's good," said a grinning Ginny, feeling relieved that she wouldn't have to be too manipulative when it came to her youngest older brother. Then she remembered something, and her eyes widened. "Did you say that I played Chaser?"
"Yes, you did. However, you will find out about that in the books, and then later in those supplementary notes. I am not revealing any information, Auntie Ginny," said a rather strict Rose.
"Oh, all right," said a dejected Ginny. "Now I really can't wait to read the books. I hope I got to play Chaser for Gryffindor in the future. And then the Holyhead Harpies with Gwenog Jones! Oh, it's always been my dream to play for them!" she said excitedly.
"Well, you'll just have to wait and see," Rose said cryptically, but not without a smile.
Realizing that that was a hint towards some very good news, Ginny brightly returned the smile, already imagining donning the dark green robes that bore a gold talon emblazoned on the chest, holding a Quaffle in her right hand and the latest Nimbus broomstick in her left.
"Also," Rose continued, breaking Ginny away from her thoughts, "If my mum and dad still end up together, hopefully in a better relationship, and they have me, don't tell them or the future me about me. That wouldn't pass over very well."
Ginny chuckled. "No, I suppose it wouldn't."
Rose began counting up the number of years on her 'year glass' again, but stopped as she remembered something, something so important that she couldn't believe she forgot about it up to this point.
"Er, Auntie Ginny? One last thing, I promise."
"Yes?"
"Please, help Uncle Percy," said Rose cryptically. "You'll understand what I mean when you read the last four books, especially the very last book. Help him before it's too late."
Realizing that that was yet another thing she should probably not ask Rose, something that she should wait and find out about through reading the books and supplementary notes, Ginny kept a mental note of what Rose just said about her middle older brother and nodded to indicate that she understood.
Ginny and Rose shared one last long look as a teary-eyed yet serene-looking Rose counted up on her 'year glass.' Ginny began to wave at the woman when the latter counted up to ninety. Once she reached one-hundred, Rose Granger-Weasley gradually vanished before Ginevra Molly Weasley's eyes.
Original Author's Notes (2/12/2015):
1. Along with Harry Potter and everything about it, the "Over 9,000" meme and Terminator 2: Judgment Day do not belong to me. They belong to their respective creators, FUNimation and James Cameron. Harry Potter obviously belongs to J.K. Rowling and her alone.
2. To those of you who felt that Ginny being able to read at the age of three seemed too early, the reason why I gave her that age is because I started reading when I was three years old.
3. I threw in the "marriage counselling" thing after Rowling stated that Ron and Hermione would be okay if they went through that, a "bit of counselling," as she put it.
4. Daniel Radcliffe: "I'm very happy to end up with Ginny. That was something that never crossed my mind. I find it very interesting that [J.K. Rowling] said I can't be going for her a few years later. But, yeah, I think there were a lot of people who felt that [Harry and Hermione] was the way they wanted it to end. But I dunno, I think that would have been a bit predictable."
Radcliffe, the guy who played Harry Potter for ten years, is a Harry/Ginny shipper. Notice how he said "that was something that never crossed my mind." He does not question Harry/Ginny; in fact, he's very happy that Harry ended up with Ginny. He then acknowledges that Harry/Hermione would have been too predictable, since in most fictional stories, the hero always gets the heroine. He likes Harry/Ginny because it was not predictable, due to Ginny not being the main heroine. He likes Harry/Ginny because the hero fell in love with a secondary character, something that isn't uncommon, but is also not exactly heard of often. Let that all sink in for a moment.
5. If you actually read the 2014 interview all the way through (the full text can be found on MuggleNet), J.K. Rowling never once said that Harry and Hermione should have gotten together. She did say that they were compatible in some ways, but she never actually said that they should have gotten together, and she confirmed that they are not 100% compatible by explicitly stating that they were compatible only "in some ways." I repeat, "in some ways." Therefore, Harry and Hermione as a couple are not 100% compatible. In the same interview, J.K. Rowling affirmed that Ron and Hermione would be able to make their relationship work, and she stated that part of Hermione's attraction to Ron is because he makes her laugh. If you look through all seven books, you'll find that Hermione doesn't take too well to Harry's cynical sense of humor, a sense of humor that happens to match Ginny's. In that interview, both J.K. Rowling and Emma Watson agreed that an uptight girl like Hermione needs a funny man like Ron. Also, while Ron can handle a rather dramatic girl like Hermione—be completely honest, she's more emotional than either Ginny or especially Luna, the other main female students in the books—Harry absolutely cannot stand dramatic weepy girls; that was confirmed in the fifth book with Cho. Meanwhile, J.K. Rowling has always, consistently, maintained that she planned, from the very beginning, for Harry and Ginny to become a couple because they were very compatible (read "Birds of a Feather" on TVTropes, one website that points out Harry and Ginny's many similarities), and J.K. Rowling has called Harry and Ginny soulmates on more than one occasion. Also, and this is very important: both Ron and Hermione will never understand what it's like for Harry to have Voldemort in his head. Ginny and only Ginny does know because of how she fought Tom Riddle and his Diary Horcrux for nine months (August to May) when she was only eleven years old, which is partly why Harry develops a strong connection with Ginny. J.K. Rowling even stated several times that part of Harry and Ginny's connection is from their mutual experiences with Voldemort. Read any of her interviews about Harry/Ginny and you'll find out what I'm talking about. Bad journalism belittled the entirety of the 2014 interview.
One last thing to remember, something that really should be obvious to everyone but it clearly isn't: as the creator of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling was the very first Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione shipper. Even after that 2014 interview, which was sorely taken out of context because people did not read the interview in its entirety when they should have, J.K. Rowling has maintained that Harry's love for Ginny is true. There are also two articles on Pottermore that are literally titled "29 signs that Hermione liked Ron from the start" and "8 adorable moments between Harry and Ginny." It is very obvious that J.K. Rowling is sticking with her ships. Everything on Pottermore and the upcoming Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, both of which are canon because they were founded and written by J.K. Rowling herself, is indicative of her preferred ships.
6. A big shout-out goes to the HP books, HP Wikia, and HP Lexicon for all of the information that I needed to describe certain things, like the Burrow, Ginny's birthday, Rose's eye and hair colors, etc.
7. To all of those who have read this chapter: thank you, thank you, and thank you! This is my first ever fanfic, and I am a brand-new fanfic writer, so I appreciate any reviews, either praise or criticism (as long as the criticism is not too harsh).
New Author's Note (7/7/2016):
1. This was the only chapter that was beta-ed, by Arnel. The next two chapters were not beta-ed.