NO TIME LIKE THE PAST

Rating: PG. I don't think there's anything in this that needs a higher rating.


The Year-Turner

Disclaimer: If you know 'em, I don't own 'em. And that's probably a good thing. :)
A/N: I'd really like to thank AMB3R, author of Hermione's Crush (great story, go read it) because I got this idea while reading it.


"Revenge," a low voice hissed. "I must have revenge."

"But how, Master?" Lucius Malfoy paced at the back of the chilly room. The fire had long since died out. He wished he could light it again; being alone in the dark with his master made him nervous. "Killing Harry Potter's Muggle guardians was futile. Now he will be at Hogwarts year-round."

"SILENCE!"

Lucius gulped, but continued. "You've tried to get at Potter from inside Hogwarts several times, and have always failed. Now it has even more defenses. How can you possibly kill the boy now?"

"I am aware of Hogwarts' defenses, Malfoy." Voldemort rose from his chair, and Lucius flinched as his master walked toward him. He should have silenced when ordered.

But there was no punishment. Voldemort moved past him to a low table against the wall. He stopped, and rested his hand on a thin box lying atop the table.

"If I cannot attack Potter now, Malfoy, I shall just have to do it in the past."

"How, Master? It's impossible!"

"No," said Voldemort slowly. "It isn't."

He lifted the lid of the box. From its velvet-lined interior, he withdrew a small hourglass on a glistening silver chain. Lucius Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes.

"Master, a Time Turner? You can't use that to kill Potter. Those things don't take you more than two days back!"

"This," Voldemort whispered, "isn't a Time Turner, Malfoy." His red eyes glittered with excitement. "This is a Year-Turner."

"A...Year-Turner, sir?"

"I invented it myself." There was a cold pride in his master's voice. Lucius shuddered.

"How do you know that it's successful?"

"Wormtail was kind enough to test it for me. After a few minor adjustments, it now works perfectly. Pity Wormtail was killed afterwards. But I couldn't have some of my servants hear about it and getting ideas. There are some who are becoming very ambitious lately."

Voldemort paused. "Including...you, Malfoy."

Lucius Malfoy was taken aback. He began to stammer as he tried desperately to find an answer that would save him.

"No, m-m-Master, I'm n-not...I'm f-f-faithful...I..." This wasn't working. Voldemort's eyes glared at him. " Who...whoever g-g-gave you th-that inform-m-mation was wr-wrong."

"LIAR!" Voldemort thundered. He then dropped his voice to a cool, silky whisper. "I have eyes and ears everywhere, Malfoy. A servant who plots against me is spotted easily."

He smiled gently at the cowering Lucius Malfoy before his face contorted into a mask rage.

Voldemort raised his wand. Within seconds, it was over. Malfoy hadn't even had time to open his mouth to scream.

"I should have done that years ago, Mister Malfoy," he muttered to the corpse on the floor.

Voldemort turned, and shot sparks into the fireplace. By the light of a blazing fire, he gazed at the Year-Turner held in is other hand. It twirled innocently in the firelight, the silver chain shifting colors in the glow.


Harry Potter walked the silent halls of Hogwarts. He halted in front of a now-familiar gargoyle.

"Pepper Imps."

The gargoyle moved out of the way, and Harry moved up the stairway that'd been hidden behind it. He entered a room filled with portraits of Headmasters past.

An old man stood in the middle of the room, staring absently at an old hat atop a table. His face was lined deeply and his silvery eyebrows were furrowed over tired eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

"Sit down, Harry." Harry walked to a chair next to the table, and sat. He had no idea why Professor Dumbledore had sent for him, but it couldn't be good.

"Lucius Malfoy is dead."

Harry was stunned. No Auror had ever been able to touch Malfoy before. Either someone had gotten lucky...or it wasn't an Auror who killed him.

"Um, sir? It was an Auror who killed him, wasn't it?"

"No, Harry. As far as we know, he was killed by another Death Eater or Voldemort himself."

Harry was silent for a moment, and then began thinking out loud.

"If the Death Eaters are killing each other, that might be a good thing. But if Voldemort killed him..."

"...Then he has a plan that doesn't require followers."

"Do you have any ideas, sir?"

"Unfortunately, no. This is a time we shall need to depend our spies for more information."

"I understand." Harry tried not to be alarmed, but if Voldemort was killing his followers, then he must have a truly terrible plan. "Is there anything else, Professor? I was in the middle of writing my essay on troll rampages and how they ruined the 1429 International Wizard Convention, for Professor Binns."

"No, Harry. You may go." Dumbledore's tone let Harry know the headmaster wasn't fooled by Harry's bravado.

Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room. His essay still lay on one of the tables. He sat and began writing again, wishing Hermione was there to help. But school wouldn't start for another week.