This is my newest/2nd story! I hope you guys like it, and I would love to hear your thoughts.

Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, so all rights belong to her. That being said, don't be jerks and post my story without my express permission on any other site, because that's just rude.

The first chapter is really long so I apologize, the rest should not be so long.

Thanks!

Harry stood outside what was supposed to be his childhood home in Godric's Hollow. The cottage stood, beaten down and partially destroyed from that fateful night over 20 years ago. Today was Harry's 21st birthday, and he could not stop thinking about that night he became the Boy-Who-Lived, and the night just a few years back when he defeated Voldemort for the last time. Voldemort was gone, he had two wonderful friends, an equally wonderful fiancé, and a home where he wasn't beaten or had to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs.

So why aren't I happy?

Startled by the sudden train of thought, Harry leaned up against his old house and contemplated all the things he had lost in his life. He came up with a unsurprisingly large amount of things.

Dad, Mum, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Fred, all of his parents friends, I grew up without a true childhood, I grew up not knowing I was a wizard, all of my friends that I lost in the war. Not to mention all of the muggles and Muggleborns that died in the war. Thousands of people died, if not more, all because Voldemort was afraid to die.

Harry grew frustrated, and decidedly guilty at the thought of all the people who died, especially those who died to protect Harry. He thought hard, silently thanking everyone who gave their lives, when he had a sudden thought.

I wish there was some way for me to go back and fix everything…

With that thought, Harry's mind whirled with the possibilities and the consequences of what he and a certain "Brightest witch of her age" could do when they put their heads together.

I will have to talk to Hermione. Get her to agree, maybe even get her to come with me. Godric knows I'm going to need her help to succeed.

With a final glance around his old home, his resolved strengthened and with a mischievous smirk on his face, twisted and popped away from Godric's Hollow.
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"You cannot be serious, Harry?" Hermione stood facing Harry just outside the floo in Grimmauld Place. She hadn't even gotten out of the sitting room yet and all she wanted was a cup of tea for her nerves.

"Of course I'm serious Hermione! Think about it! We go back in time to the first war, save everyone! I'll finally get to know my parents Hermione! Of course, we'll be smart about it, and set it so we come back right to the time we left, but with a new future!"

"Think about it Harry," Hermione put her hands on her hips and blew a stray curl from her face, "We don't know what future we'll come back to! Yes, you'll have your parents, but at what cost? Voldemort will have all of the horcuxes still, and they will still be that prophecy about you and your birth, and not to mention what will happen when we come back!" Hermione threw her hands up in the air as she started pacing, and continued thinking, although Harry thought it was more like ranting, aloud. "What if we come back and we have no recollection of who we are? When we come back, will we retain all of our old memories plus all of the ones we made while we were in the past? Or will all of those memories fall away and we only retain the new memories? Oh, what if we HATE each other? Or what if, no, wait… focus Hermione!" Hermione wrung her hands up, while Harry just continued to watch her, trying to follow her train of thought. "What if, we completely destroy this version of us, right here, and once history has changed and our first selves are born, will we disappear?" Hermione turned toward Harry, clearly expecting a response.

"Hermione, I know it's a lot to think about and we have plenty of time to think it all through and plan, but no matter what happens to this me, Hermione, I'm going through with this with or without you. We both know how well I'll do on my own. I HAVE to know my parents, I have to." Harry gave Hermione 'the look' that he had perfected over the years, the look that signified that he knew he was asking a lot but was asking anyway and was very sorry.

Hermione could never say no to 'the look' which was very evident as she sighed and gave a small "Okay" before her shoulders slumped in defeat. "But we are doing this my way, and we will take as much time as we need to plan EVERYTHING out. Do you understand me Harry?"

Harry started practically bouncing for joy. "Yes yes yes! Thank you Hermione! You won't regret this."

"I already do Harry, but you need me, and I love you as if you were my brother so how can I tell you no."

"Fantastic! Okay, when do you want to start planning?" Harry asked Hermione.

"Well, now of course! We have to be home sooner rather than later."

"Right. About that, Hermione. We can't tell Ron or Ginny." Harry internally winced, imagining Hermione's response.

Her actual response was much worse. "What?!" Hermione shrieked. "How can you expect me to keep this a secret from Ronald, and how do you plan on keeping it a secret from Ginny?"

"Simple Hermione. Like you said, we don't know what we'll come back to. I'd hate to have to tell Ginny that I'm going in the past to meet my parents and change the future, oh and by the way Ginny, you can't come so I'll probably never see you again. Because that'll end well with either Ginny or Ron." Harry's voice was full of sarcasm.

"Okay, okay, I see your point. But Harry, how do you plan on not telling them. What I mean is, Ginny will be able to spot a lie that comes from either of our mouths. What, will you just break up again so you won't have to lie to her?" Hermione was exasperated beyond belief.

"If I have to. Hermione, you don't have to come with me. You can just help me plan it out and then stay here, and spend time with Ron. No matter what, I must ask you not to tell him or Ginny anything. If I have to make you take an Unbreakable Vow, I will." Harry's emerald eyes blazed with his determination.

Hermione sighed before replying, "Alright Harry, but we will come up with a cover story about why we are spending so much time together without arousing jealously from Ronald. I will take an Unbreakable Vow with you if you think I must, but we must have some sort of loophole in there saying that as long as I have your express permission, I may tell someone, and, when we leave, I want to make sure I say goodbye to Ronald."

"That seems fair Hermione. Wait, when WE leave?" Harry wanted to be hopeful that Hermione was going to come, he really couldn't do it without her, but he didn't want to seem too hopeful because he didn't want Hermione to know that.

"Yes, Harry, when we leave. You can't do this without me, and we both know it." Hermione leveled him a glare as if she had read Harry's thoughts just seconds before.

"Alright Hermione, when will Ron be home? We should at least come up with the cover story before then."

"So," Hermione had begun pacing across once more, only this time in the kitchen, holding a cup of tea, and Harry was concerned she was going to wear down the flooring he just had redone. "What we have decided is, your work as an Auror and my knowledge of TimeTurners is going to act as our cover story for any talk of time travel. We'll say that it's top secret so we cannot discuss it with anyone but the two of us, and it has to do with how a TimeTurner can be modified to help someone go back for more than a few hours, because it seems like there is someone who has successfully done so and is continuing to do so. Now the only issues with this is getting Kingsley in on this as well as the head Unspeakable so we can actually pull this off." That last bit was laced in sarcasm because who would be absurd enough to get the Minister of Magic and the head Unspeakable in on their hair brained scheme.

Apparently Harry was because his eyes lit up with excitement. "That's brilliant Hermione! Kingsley owes me anyway so we don't have to tell him what we are doing, just that we need him to have our back if someone asks, and tell him just what he needs to know!"

"Harry you cannot be serious! Telling Kingsley, the Minister of Magic, that we need him to keep a secret and cover our backs if someone asks, without telling him what we plan to do! That's ridiculous and he will never agree to it!" Hermione's eyes were wide with horror at the thought of telling Kingsley.

"Don't worry about it Hermione, I have a plan. I'll send him a patronus and tell him that you and I need to speak with him immediately, and we'll go talk to him as soon as possible."

"Harry… Every time you tell me you have a plan, it doesn't reassure me, it terrifies me. Your plans always get us into trouble."

Harry rolled his eyes, and before Hermione could complain any more about his plans, he quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, and apparated away with a pop(!) and landed in a back alley in the middle of London just outside the bathroom entrance to the ministry.

Hermione weaved slightly once they landed, before she turned around and wacked Harry on the back of the head. "A little warning next time Harry!"

Harry smiled sheepishly at her and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, but I had to get you here. Before you started rambling because then we wouldn't have left there in time to meet with Kingsley."

Hermione shook her head in exasperation, her mane of curls attempting to burst free from her ponytail, before she gave a soft smile to Harry. "See you inside." Hermione walked into the bathroom not looking back at Harry.

Harry walked into the men's bathroom and quickly flushed himself into the Ministry. Meeting Hermione in the newly redecorated lobby, the two friends linked arms and headed to the elevators.

"I'm glad that they got rid of the ugly stature. Horrible thing." Hermione said as a shiver raced down her spine.

They made their way to the elevators and held on tight as the elevators moved towards Kingsley's office. After a short but slightly nauseating ride, and a brief walk, Harry and Hermione stood just outside Kingsley's office. Harry had to pull a few strings to get in, much to his embarrassment, including a brief ruffle of his hair to show off his faded lightning scar, to see the Minister as soon as he could. With a hesitant knock, Harry and Hermione were invited in and were sat on the other side of Kingsley's desk. Kingsley sat, his broad arms resting comfortably in front of him with his hands clasped together.

"Good afternoon Harry, Hermione." Kingsley said with a slight bow of his head to each of them. "What can I do for you two? It must be very important that you needed to see me on such short notice."

"Yes sir," Hermione started, looking to Harry, as she had no idea what his plan was.

"Sir, if we may, we have an idea that'll save a ton of lives, but it's probably very illegal. And before we tell you our idea, we'd like to make sure it stays completely confidential and it doesn't leave this room." Harry said nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"You'd like me to take a Wizard's Oath, Harry?" Kingsley asked, understanding completely what Harry was trying to get at.

"Yes sir." Harry stated with a quick nod of his head. "I have a plan to save a ton of lives, but no one can know what Hermione and I are doing. Sir, it would only be that you cannot tell anyone what we are doing, and cover for us if we need it. I have a feeling there are a certain number of red heads that'll be curious as to what we are doing, but they cannot know."

Hermione took a seat on the opposite side of Kingsley's desk and leaned forward. "Before we tell you anything sir that would require the Wizard's Oath, you must know, that we haven't started planning yet, and we would only need you to help keep what we are doing a secret until the plan falls into place. Give us a cover story and if someone comes snooping around, steer them in the wrong direction. I know for a fact that Ronald will get jealous of the extra time that I will spend with Harry and you know Ronald, he won't tell Harry or I about his suspicions, but will come to you double checking what we say is the truth. It won't be, but he cannot know that." Hermione leaned back once her monologue was finished and Harry put his hand on her left shoulder.

"Well," Kingsley started, his brow furrowed in thought. "I guess we better get this Wizards Oath done then so I can know the plan."

Hermione sighed and Harry knew how she felt. The knot in his chest that he didn't realize was there, loosened significantly as relief poured into his veins. "Alright. Here goes nothing."
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"So, you mean to tell me Mr. Potter, that you and Miss Granger are going to go into the past, befriend your parents and their friends, join the order, and use your future knowledge to save lives and kill Voldemort back then in that time so as to save lives and not have the Second Wizard's War, correct?" Kingsley sat leaning backwards in his chair, hand stroking his chin, obviously contemplating everything that he heard.

"Yes sir, that sounds about correct. The only issue is finding a way to travel back that far, not to mention coming up with a cover story as to why we are there, and we need to figure out when we are going. Do we go back to before they even went to Hogwarts and befriend them then, and that's only if we can figure out how to de-age ourselves without losing all of our memories and experiences, or do we go to the time where they would be the same age as we are now." Hermione took a breath and then continued on, obviously thinking out loud. "But, would us coming and joining the Order as 21 year olds cause suspicion when we give them information. I think de-aging and going back as first years would be the best course." Hermione nodded almost to herself as she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

Harry, who had been pacing back and forth during Hermione's spiel, stopped as his thoughts rushed around in his head until they suddenly stopped on one realization. "Hermione, I know how we're going to do it. Tell me Hermione, who has everyone told me I look identical to except my eyes."

"You're father, but Harry how is that going to… oh…" Hermione trailed off, suddenly catching where Harry was going with this. "You want to pose as your father's twin?"

"No. We are going to pose as triplets. We won't even have to do it ourselves. We go back in time, already de-aged, and seek out Dumbledore. He'll see the resemblance between James and I, we'll charm your looks to look closer to mine and say we are twins, and Dumbledore will contact the Potters and ask them to take us in. It'll be perfect!" Harry exclaimed, eager to get to know his father.

"We'll have to carefully de-age ourselves to the age of 10, that way we have time with just James to establish that sibling bond, and make sure James and the Potters promise not to share with anyone that us and James are not actually siblings." Hermione said, obviously agreeing with Harry that it was the best possible course.

Harry noticed Kingsley was being awfully quiet. "Kings? What do you think?"

"I think…" Kingsley started, until he shook his head. "I think, you two need to keep the planning between the two of you and not let me know. I can claim plausible deniability that way. I will agree to help with your cover story should you need it, and if anyone asks, I asked you to help me on a project. If people with high enough clearance asks, I'll say you two are helping me and the Unspeakables out by helping to create a new TimeTurner and the rest is confidential. I will need to tell the head Unspeakable so if I could get you two's approval that would be appreciated."

Per their agreement, as stated by the Vow, the three of them said goodbye, and Harry and Hermione left to go back to Hermione's flat in central London, and prepare themselves to tell the Weasley's of their new project.

Ginny took the news that Harry and Hermione had been chosen for a confidential project by Kingsley and would be spending a lot of time together in and outside of work, planning, a lot better than Ron did. During a heated argument, Ron apparated out in a huff when Hermione told him he couldn't even know what it was about without the proper clearance.

About 3 months later, it was October 13th and the planning was almost complete. Hermione still hadn't talked to Ron since that night other than a very stilted conversation when Hermione and Harry bumped into him at work while discussing the properties of different sand that could affect a TimeTurner.

A few days later Harry and Ginny got into a fight, ending with Ginny screaming at Harry that a relationship was a two way street and that if Harry didn't want to be in a relationship with her any more than he should just say something. Harry very calmly told her that he had enough on his plate with work and his project that he didn't want to argue with her. Harry walked away that day a single man. Even though he knew it had to be done, it still hurt him that he lost the woman who never lost her faith in him.

It seemed almost ironic that the night before Halloween was when they finished planning everything and their new TimeTurner was complete, meaning that Halloween would be when they left for the past.

Harry and Hermione gathered in Kingsley's office the evening of Halloween, receiving a letter to the past Dumbledore. They then apparated to the Forbidden Forest, just outside the gates of Hogwarts, and under the cover of trees, Hermione took out the new and improved TimeTurner. It was Gold, with ruby dust, and had multiple runes carved onto it. While Hermione did that, Harry uncorked two vials of de-aging potion that was measure exactly to take them back to the age of 10. Harry handed one vial to Hermione, and the two clinked them together before downing them. The sensation was not unlike the feel of Polyjuice, but instead of their bodies rippling to take another person's form, Harry could feel his bones collapse downwards, his body shrink, and even feel his hair get shorter. When the transformation was done, Harry took one look at the bush of hair on 10 year old Hermione and started laughing. Hermione stuck her tongue out and expertly waved her wand around and around, shaping her face to look more like Harry. Then she wound the chain of the time turner around their neck and whispered "Here goes nothing." As she spun the hourglass again and again, until abruptly it stopped.

"Welcome to the year 1970."