REVERSAL OF MISFORTUNE.
Thought JF and DA cast could use a bit of help so enter Harry Potter, Ron & Hermione with their wands at the ready. Robert and Violet had best watch out!
Set between 3.3 and 3.5 and after the end of Deathly Hallows in Harry's time this story will hopefully put JF right and if not we can enjoy it anyway. For the purpose of this story Anthony knows something of the magical world because his paternal grandmother was a witch and his late wife was a squib.
Chapter 1
The fog was thick which was a relief as the young but fully qualified wizards and witch would be screened from Muggle scrutiny when they apparated.
And apparate they did, in a small forest clearing.
"Where are we?" Ron asked.
"If we got it right we should be in nineteen twenties Yorkshire," Hermione said, running her fingers through her tangled hair.
"Blimey that must be a powerful time- turner," Ron said, "I can't imagine how many turns it would take to get us back this far in time."
"All the time-turners got destroyed the night Sirius Black died remember," Harry said.
"You're right," Hermione said smugly, "Now we have got rid of Volde... He who must not be named, Professor McGonagall thought we should have something constructive to do. There is a Muggle TV show she is quite fond of but apparently the writer has made a total mess of the last series. Our mission is to sort out the characters lives by coming back to the time in which they lived, put things right as best we can and then confund the writer to convince him then he actually wrote the script."
"It sounds interesting," Harry said, "much more fun than trying to sort out Draco Malfoy and his cronies; I think my aunt Petunia used to watch that TV show. What was it called Hermione?"
"Downton Abbey," Hermione said; she fished in her robes and pulled out a roll of parchment, "Professor McGonagall has given me a list of things we need to sort out."
She unrolled it.
"Oh my," she gasped, "We have to get two people married but the brides' father thinks the groom is too old and he has a war injury which unfortunately Madam Pomfrey could not put right since it's not due to magical means. Apparently he jilted her once."
"Can't we use an Imperius curse on the parents and get them to believe that their daughter marrying this man is the best thing that could happen?" Ron said.
"If all else fails," Hermione said,"but I am not happy about using illegal curses unless we have to. The would-be bridegroom, Sir Anthony Strallan, is first on the list; ProfessorMcGonagall says he is very handsome but has an acute lack of confidence."
"Do you think old McGonagall has it bad for him?" Ron asked.
"No idea," Hermione said, "But we have to fix him up with this Lady Edith Crawley."
"How's he going to react to two wizards and a witch turning up literally out of nowhere?" Harry asked, "I would have thought it isn't exactly an everyday occurrence and the last thing we want to do is frighten him."
"We have to charm the butler with a non verbal spell so that he convinces Sir Anthony he has had an appointment with us for ages."
"Can't we just give him a lucky potion?" Ron asked.
"Ron, where's your sense of adventure?" Hermione said.
Oblivious to the discussion going on between Harry, Hermione and Ron Sir Anthony Strallan was having breakfast. He sighed deeply as his butler poured him more coffee. He caught a glimpse of his reflection; he hadn't shaved and looked haggard. His blue eyes were watery from crying. His heart ached for Lady Edith and he regretted what he had done more than ever. Damn it! Why couldn't he stand up for himself more? Maud had given him confidence but that had all gone when she died.
"Oh darling Edith," he sighed, "I wish I could turn back time and go through with it as I should have done. I should have married you and proved them all wrong by making you happy. But I know I will never see you again and I am just so sorry. I should have told you how much I love you but I was so afraid and now it can never be put right."
Tears coursed down his cheeks.
As yet he had no indication that the next few hours and days would be quite unlike any he had ever known before.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were glad that the fog was clearing as they made their way to Locksley house.
"I don't get this butler thing," Ron said, "Why can't they just say alohamora?"
"Because they're Muggles," Hermione said.
They knocked the door and waited.
"Who can that be?" Anthony thought as he peered out of the library window but he could not see anyone.
The butler came in.
"If you're not busy Sir there are three young people to see you. I would guess they are theatrical types by their dress. They seem to think you are expecting them."
The butler's words suggested that these visitors had nothing to do with the Earl and dowager countess of Grantham or their family so he was glad of the diversion.
"Show them in," he said, "and bring some tea."
Anthony found himself looking at two young men and a woman in their late teens or early twenties. One of the men had unruly dark hair, glasses and Anthony could not take his gaze from the lightning bolt shaped scar on the young man's forehead. The other young man was tall and gangly with red hair and the woman had tousled ringlets but was not especially pretty.
The woman spoke first.
"Sir Anthony Strallan, please forgive the intrusion. My name is Hermione Granger and these are my friends Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. We have a very important matter to discuss with you."
Anthony was dumbfounded. His paternal grandmother had been a witch and he had heard childhood tales of another world.
"You're wizards aren't you?" he finally stammered.