PROLOGUE: LEAVING TIME BEHIND

HOGWARTS CASTLE

Hermione Granger headed up the stairs to the common room with the idea of taking a nap to rid herself of the horrendous headache she'd gotten during Ancient Runes. Halfway up the stairs, however, she felt the familiar lurch as the staircase changed to head in a different direction. When it stopped moving, she sighed and kept heading upwards. When she reached the top, she realized with a start that she was outside the Headmaster's office---furthermore, her name, along with Draco Malfoy's, was on a gold slip of paper on the bulletain board outside it.

Dumbledore had started a system this year to make it easier for him to speak to the students: he had placed a bulletain board outside his office, and a few around the school (all of which had a Protean Charm placed upon them). Whenever he wanted to speak to a student, he'd write their name on a slip of paper---there were different colors according to how important it was: gold was the most urgent, then silver, black, blue, green, and white was the lowest level---and pin it to the bulletain board along with the time he wanted to see them. Hermione hardly ever glanced at them anymore; her name was never on it. But a gold piece of paper was the highest level of urgency, and her appointment was in ten minutes. Puzzled, she sat at the top of the staircase with her copy of Hogwarts: A History to wait.

Eight minutes later, she stood and walked over to the entrance once more. She saw Malfoy coming up the staircase behind her. "Drooble's Best Blowing Gum," she said to the statue, flicking her hands at it. As the staircase started to spiral upwards, she stepped onto the top step, and was halfway up the tower when Malfoy climbed onto it as well. When it stopped, she crossed the hallway to Dumbledore's office door and knocked as Malfoy came up behind her.

"Any idea what this is all about?" he asked.

"No," she responded shortly, and he shut up when the door in front of them opened and Dumbledore appeared, looking grave.

"Ah, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy. Come in, come in," he said, closing the door once they'd passed through it.

"What's this about, headmaster?" Malfoy asked.

"We're not in trouble, are we?" Hermione asked.

"Not trouble, no," Dumbledore replied. "No---danger. Grave danger."

"What? Why?" Hermione asked.

"Miss Granger, you are muggle-born and the friend of Harry Potter. Mr. Weasley is pureblood, so they cannot touch him, but you are in danger of being killed by his Death Eaters. You, Mr. Malfoy," he added, "are in danger because of your change in loyalties."

"Yes, sir," he answered, now paying close attention.

"Change in loyalties?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, indeed. Mr. Malfoy has joined the Order against his father's and Voldemort's wishes."

She stared, but Dumbledore seemed to expect a response, so she said, "Oh. How...unexpected."

"Thanks so much, Granger," Malfoy said, but without malice.

"In any event," Dumbledore continued doggedly, "I have to keep both of you safe."

"Not to sound horrible or anything," Malfoy said, "but why?"

"Yes," Hermione agreed. "Why us? Why not all the other people out there?"

"Because each of you have the blood of two of the original founders of Hogwarts in you," Dumbledore replied.

"Really?" Hermione asked. "Which two?"

"Miss Granger, you have the blood of Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw. Mr. Malfoy, you have Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff. In any event, I must keep the two of you safe from all harm, for reasons I cannot discuss at the present time."

"How are you supposed to do that?" Malfoy asked doubtfully.

"I am sending you back in time," Dumbledore said simply.

"What?" Hermione asked sharply. "Why?"

"Because I must keep you safe," Dumbledore replied. "It will only be for a short time," he assured them, standing. "When you can come back, I will create a time portal. This will remain open and will not be noticed by anyone other than the pair of you. No one will be able to pass through it save the two of you, and you both must be present. Now, it may not take you back to this time; if it takes you to another time, just stay there until you see another time portal. It may take several tries to bring you back here. Now, please follow me."

They both stood and followed him to a door, above which read: yawrood siht hguorht seil nam fo yrotsih eht.

He opened it to reveal a swirling black-and-white cloud, hung with sparkling silver stars. It looked like a picture I'd once seen in a science book of a black hole, but far prettier.

"Step through, both of you," he commanded, and they did so.

Albus Dumbledore closed the door behind them and leaned heavily against it. "Now comes the true test of my abilities," he said aloud. A cat came out from beneath his desk and transformed itself into Minerva McGonagall.

"You sent them?" she asked.

Albus nodded. "I sent them. Now, Minerva, they have to fall in love."

She looked startled. "What? That's why you sent them? I thought they were in danger, Albus!"

"They are. The entire school is---unless they can unite it."

"According to whom, if I might ask?" Minerva asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"The stars," Albus replied, shaking his head. "And the stars have never yet led me wrong."

"And how do you expect them to fall in love, Albus? They hate each other!"

"Ah, my dear Professor, did you not see the look exchanged between them when Miss Granger was informed of Mr. Malfoy's change in loyalties? I have hope for them still. And I placed a spell on them---"

"Albus! You can't mess with people's free will!" Minerva exclaimed.

"---to make them each more open-minded," he finished, his eyes twinkling. "I would never mess with their free will, Minerva. Do give me some credit. If everything goes to plan, they will each begin depending on the other, because they will be the only two people fom the future---which, in a human mind, automatically causes a bond."

"And you think this will work, Albus?"

Albus Dumbledore sighed. "For the sake of this school, we must hope."