Author's Note: Yes... even I have jumped on the lovely time-turner fic bandwagon! Such a lovely bandwagon it is! But before any of you say, "Not another time-turner fic!" I implore you to read and see that I am going to try something a wee bit different with this one. I am also picking up a bit more steam on my other stories as well, so, hopefully, I will update one of my other stories soon! (Of course I haven't forgotten about them!) One note before you begin to read... reviews are greatly appreciated!Okay... enough with all that... on to the story!
Sixth of May, 1998
From the Journal of Kingsley Shacklebolt:
Minister of Magic
Time, is it a place, or is it simply a misunderstanding that one can simply travel back in time and change an event? Many have pondered this same question since the very idea of time travel was invented. If it was in fact possible, could the present (which in the case of a person who has travelled to the past, the future) be changed by even the slightest decision said time-traveller makes? Would this time-paradox cause a whirlwind of catastrophic proportions within the future? Or has the present taken into account that the time-traveller has already travelled to the past, thus only confirming what decisions that are made in the future were already predetermined?
These questions and countless others have been asked by many scientists who theorise the possibility of time travel. The only reason why an answer has never been formulated is because of the constant debate on whether or not time is actually a place or whether it is all relative. (We, as witches and wizards, know that time-travel is real, but the theory of going back in times several years is considered taboo, even within our society.)
This fact is just one of the topics that will be raised within. Since time travel has been accomplished within the wizarding world (though it has been only within a few hours' time span) and the ramifications of tampering with objects and people within the past has been theorised, the truth of the matter is, it has never been fully documented with physical evidence. No evidence to prove whether or not going back in time to simply save someone's life or end someone's life has any ill effects on the future. In theory, killing a despot or saving one in the past would alter the course of history therefore altering the present, but, what if the present circumstances stand the same, only the face of who is in power changes? Could one say that the present was altered by time travel? The truth is, no one knows for certain because no one has ever tried to tamper with any major part of history while travelling back in time.
The Department of Mysteries regulates items like the Time-turner because if they were to fall into the wrong hands, who knows what would happen. Only witches and wizards of special renown can be obliged with such a privilege. One in particular is Professor Minerva McGonagall. Though her usage of the Time-turner is regulated, she is one of the few people in the wizarding community that has been given such a rare opportunity to own one. Recent developments show, however, that she no longer has possession of said Time-turner and has not had it on her person for a few years. Unregulated time-travel usage spikes were noticed in 1993, the source: Hogwarts Castle.
For years, Ministry officials have kept a close eye on the school. After the one instance, no others have followed. For five years things remained quiet within the hallowed halls of the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry, that is until the fifth of May in 1998 when yet another influx was detected. Many within the Ministry have failed to make any connection to this date. They believe that the date has no bearing on the choices of whoever has McGonagall's time-turner, but I believe it does.
On May second, the battle of Hogwarts raged. Many people died that day. Most of them Death-Eaters, but a few members of the Order of the Phoenix also left this earth. Nymphadora Lupin and her husband, Remus Lupin, perished when Death-Eaters stormed into the castle. Ron Weasley met his end while being preoccupied battling Yaxley, he never even saw the giant's foot as it crashed down from overhead. Neville Longbottom, though his bravery in battle had not been in vain, his sole kill within the battle also damned him to his own death. Right before Longbottom sliced the head off of Voldemort's serpent, Nagini, the snake had bitten the young wizard. A few hours later, his body was discovered amongst the dead in the courtyard with only the telltale sign of a snake-bite being his only wound. Then finally, the one whom was quite a shock to all of us within the wizarding community... Harry Potter, who had slipped out of the safety of the castle walls during the calm before the final showdown to try and defeat Voldemort on his own. The battle that ensued in the Forbidden Forest was never witnessed by anyone within the Order, but the account was given to us by an unlikely source: Narcissa Malfoy.
Based on her report, Harry had appeared out of nowhere and started attacking the dark wizard. The battle appeared at a stand-still, though the witch knew that the older wizard could have easily bested the boy. "It seems as if they could never quite hit one another with a spell," Mrs. Malfoy explained to me the next day.
Dumbledore had a theory that he had explained well before his death. The headmaster believed that Harry was a horcrux and that is the reason why Voldemort had such a hold on the boy's soul. Albus also told me he believed the boy would survive his encounter with the dark wizard... if only my dear old friend paid close attention to the prophecy.
'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …'
It was clear as day. Harry was never to survive his battle with the darkest wizard of our time. Even if he had, the prophecy never foretold that the Death-Eaters would ensure that the boy would never survive. Countless times, Albus had relied on the council of Severus Snape, a man that the headmaster believed was redeemed of his life as a Death-Eater proper, but it was all a ruse. Severus had never fully committed to the Light, everything that Dumbledore told the Potion's Master was revealed to Voldemort.
No one within the Order knew of this until Narcissa willingly gave inside information as to what happened during the last few months of the Dark-Lord's life. Living under the same roof as that man and his Inner Circle was hell for the youngest of the Black sisters. Only two things made it bearable for the woman: her son and her sister. A sister who was the faithful lieutenant of Voldemort. A sister who also helped her with the demise of their fearsome leader. Narcissa claims that if it wasn't for those two people, she would have lost her sanity. She almost lost it that night when her husband helped make sure The-Boy-Who-Lived would never live again. She knew she could not run away and hide. She knew she had to remain strong lest she too receive the wrath of the Dark-Lord. Even when her sister was struck down by Voldemort before her dagger finally finished him off, Narcissa remained strong.
Whoever has used the Time-Turner has to be one who was most affected by the outcome of the battle. Someone who feels the weight of guilt draped heavily upon their shoulders. That sort of survivor's guilt would cause anyone to go to extreme measures to ensure that this sort of thing should have never happened in the first place.
I, for one, can understand the appeal this sort of thing would have, but as newly appointed Minister of Magic, I, Kingsley Shacklebolt, have to do what is necessary to keep this person from causing what we at the Ministry believe would be a catastrophic turn of events. If this person is successful with their endeavours, who knows what will become of the world we know.