What Change May Come
Harry was in his new room, looking thorough all the things he and Hagrid had bought, packing things away and reading his textbooks, pretty much whiling away the rest of the summer. He just got every thing packed in his trunk along with his books, so he didn't forget anything when he got to leave, when he felt like he was being grabbed, spun around and dropped all at the same time.
He appeared in a large circular stone room that held several sofas in dark brown coloring. There was a big fireplace on one wall and the sofas were positioned around a big lion clawed table. There was two doorways that led out of the room.
Scared and bewildered, the small eleven year old spun around rapidly, searching for an escape route. What was he doing here? Where was he? Did someone use magic to bring him here? Before he got an answer, a red haired, freckly, gangly boy appeared beside him.
"Bloody hell! What just happened?" The boy shouted in fear. He turned and spotted Harry, and asked "Who are you, Do you know why we're here?" Harry neither knew where they where, nor what was going on, but feeling it was only polite, Harry shook he's head and said. "No. I was sort of twisted around by something at home. I'm Harry, by the way, Harry Potter" At this Ron's eyes grew comically round and started to bulge from their sockets. Aware of Wizarding folk's reaction to him after his visit to Diagon Alley, Harry just reached up and pulled back his fringe to reveal his scar.
They both moved to one of the sofa's and sat down in silence, both wondering where they where. They both started talking for a while, Ron questioning Harry about muggles, while Harry asked about magic. They had been talking for over an hour, when a girl with bushy hair and large front teeth appeared and looked around questioningly.
"Was that Magic? I haven't read anything that describes a sensation while traveling like that. I don't know if I particularly like it myself, but to each there own I suppose, I'm Hermione Granger. I assume this is something for Hogwarts?" She fired all of this off at once without taking a breath, leaving the two young boys stunned.
They introduced themselves and the girl joined them on the couch, all but interrogating Harry, before moving onto questioning Ron about what he knew of Hogwarts. Both boys felt they did not like her much, and shot glances at each other, sharing a knowing look, while Hermione carried on oblivious.
After half an hour of "Get to know those who spontaneously appear around you" conversation, the coffee table before them groaned under the weight of dozens of bowls, plates of food, and pitchers of juice that appeared in the blink of an eye. There also appeared a crowd of redheads. "Mum! Dad!" Ron jumped up from the sofa and ran to them, while a portly woman screamed out Ron's name and enveloped him with a fierce hug. Harry was sure that he heard bones snapping.
"Mum do you know where we ar..." Ron's question was halted as an old man with a long silver beard, a severe looking woman and a man with the greasiest curtains of hair Harry had ever seen appeared alongside the family of redheads who Harry assumed where the Weasley's. The man with the flowing beard surveyed the room over his half-moon spectacles, before his gaze fell onto Harry. He gave a quick nod, before turning to the room at large.
"Does anyone know why we are wherever it is we are?" He questioned quietly. The adults that arrived with him shook their heads, as did the Weasley family. "Then perhaps we should sit down" He ordered quietly. Although worded differently, their was no doubt that it was an order, and it was obeyed as one, everyone moving to a seat in silence.
As the greasy haired man, and older woman took their seats, they caught sight of Harry sitting on a couch with Hermione and the reseated Ron. The dark haired man scowled, his lips curling in distaste, while the woman's thin lips curled in the hint of a smile.
"Perhaps introductions are in order." Suggested the old man."I am Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and Wizardry." Hermione gave an audible gasp, and leaned forward in her chair. Dumbledore gestured to the old woman next to him on his couch.
"I am Professor McGonagall. I am Head of Gryffindor house at Hogwarts, and I teach Transfiguration." She directed at Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry figured that everyone else knew who they where, and the introductions where for their benefit. The greasy haired man drawled out next, contempt coloring all of his words. "I am the Hogwarts Potion's Master, Professor Snape, also Head of Slytherin house" He continued to glare at Harry, who shifted uneasily.
The Weasley family introduced themselves as Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Gred and Forge and finally Ginny. Ron introduced himself next to his future Professors. After Hermione introduced herself, she began firing off another volley of verbal missiles.
Finally, it was Harry's turn.
"Hi. My name is Harry Potter" he announced nervously. The parents leaned forward slightly, Bill and Charlie exchanged bemused looks, The twins and Percy stuck out their hands, while Ginny gasped and looked at Harry with an expression he didn't understand.
After shaking hands, and a small comfortable silence, light conversations sprang up between several members of the group, before the next wave of people arrived. The newcomers were soon seated, and the nervous boy Neville and the rude Draco where introduced.
Harry remembered the blonde who reminded him so forcefully of his cousin but decided to give him one more shot before judging him.
Another woman arrived soon after and embraced Charlie with a small hug, then introduced herself as Tonks. An older, shabby looking man arrived, his eyes ringed with black bags, and sat down announcing his name was Remus.
Everyone was sitting around the Coffee table, which continually refilled itself with a variety of food and a large variety of sweets (all of which changed occasionally, except for a bowl of sherbet lemons, a fact for which Dumbledore pronounced his everlasting love for the room at large) when a final man appeared. He was dirty and unkempt, in torn clothing, and smelt like he had not bathed in years.
He looked around wildly for a second, wondering where he was, when Molly's screams split the air. Seconds later, ropes flew from Dumbledore's wand.
A blue glow emanating from a note in the middle of table drew everyone's attention to a pile of books that had not been their previously.
Sirius Black fell on the soft rug, his body painfully bound with the conjured restraints from Dumbledore's wand. What the bloody hell is going on? Seconds previously, his cell was being inspected yet again by Dementors, and his body still shook from the daily traumatic experience. He closed his eyes, and yet again saw himself tripping over his best friends body, the sheer agony of the experience still coursing its way through his mind in the never ending cycle since his imprisonment.
Sirius felt, rather than saw, a dozen wands pointed in his direction. He dimly heard several young people asking who he was, and heard the lie that hung over his head spread further. He felt himself roughly picked up by many hands, and deposited in an soft armchair, where his restraints warped around him and the chair, binding him to his seat.
Dumbledore watched as a stone faced Remus and hate filled Severus deposited Black in a chair, and flicked his wand to keep him in place. He picked up the newly arrived note, and cleared his throat for silence.
"Black is bound tightly, you do not have to worry Molly. This note" he waved the piece of parchment before the assembled persons "has just arrived, along with seven books. I believe this is what we have been waiting for."
Everyone nodded in response, wondering where they where, and why they where their. Dumbledore brought the note closer to his eyes and began to read in a clear, strong voice.
'I am sure that everyone is wondering why they are here.' Many nodded in response, while everyone leaned forward in their chair. 'The simple answer is this- you are going to change the future' Dumbledore blinked in surprise, while gasps filled the room. Deciding to just plough on and ignore the reactions to the note, he continued reading. 'This note, along with the books is from 7 years in the future. More than 1 in 4 of the people in this room will be dead by then. The future from where we are is looking brighter than ever before, but to get to this place, dark times had to be traversed, and countless good people gave their lives to reach this. To me, and my companions, this is unacceptable, and must be altered. Read these books. The order they should be read is as follows-
The Philosophers Stone
The Chamber of Secrets
The Prisoner of Azkaban
The Goblet of Fire
The Order of the Phoenix
The Half-Blood Prince
The Deathly Hallows
The information you receive in these books should help you make the future a better place. When you are finished, a door will appear, and you can leave. I urge you to use the hard-won knowledge that these books pass onto you, in an attempt to change the future.
Thank you.
PS. Please remove all bonds on Sirius. You have my word he will not harm anyone. Keep a close eye on him if you wish, but allow him the same freedoms as yourselves in this room. No one is allowed to use magic in a harmful way to anyone else, to do so will instantly cease this endeavor.
Shocked silence met the note. Dumbledore recognized the meaning of all the book titles besides the sixth one. He wondered who on earth would be connected to so many dangerous, and life threatening objects and events. Surely the person who the books centered on must be an uncommonly powerful Wizard.
Remus Lupin was shooting daggers at his old friend, who was just staring at Harry (who was determinedly looking elsewhere) and wondered why the murderer would be allowed to be free. He couldn't think of a reason why that would happen. He felt the wolf rise from within, the sheer hunger and yearning to tear Blacks flesh...
"Are you okay?" Tonks placed a hand on his arm, and the wolf receded. She too was shooting Sirius dark looks. "He's just like the rest of my family. Sick, and not worth it" she continued with a smile aimed at Remus.
Molly had her wand in hand half aimed in Sirius's direction. What kind of a idiot would be stupid enough to take Black from Azkaban,if he even comes near one of my children … Resolve filled her, that if Black so much as took a step in her family's direction, she would spread his guts all over the carpet, even if it meant that they couldn't finish whatever it was they were doing. Nodding in approval of this plan, she looked towards her old Headmaster.
"Given the nature of this unusual event, I feel it is only proper that we relea..." Dumbledore began, but was cut off by his furious potions master.
"We cannot allow that animal free! We should petrify him until we are able to escape this place" He looked at Albus, his eyes wild and begging. This scum gave up Lily! He all but screamed, allowing his Occlumency shields to drop and his employer to see.
Albus sighed "I am afraid we must release him Severus" he turned to Black "and we shall do so if he agrees to not harm anyone in this room. Black?"
Sirius watched all of this happening around him, bewildered, and wondering if someday the truth of his innocence would be accepted. If the note was from the future, that must be it! He was going to be a free man once more!
Eyes shimmering with unshod tears, he nodded "You have my word" At this, he restraints dropped to the ground and slowly melted into everything. He slowly stood up and reached over to the coffee table, aware of numerous wands pointed if not at him, near him. Picking up several plates of food and drink he returned to his seat, and began eating food he had not tasted for over a decade.
Harry watched, confused as to what was going on. What was this Azkaban that Hermione kept chattering about in his ear? Was their really books from the future to change some terrible fate in the Wizarding world from happening? If so, why was he their? He could no more impact events of the future than a butterfly cause a tornado.
Neville watched his future professors with interest, while shooting nervous glances at Sirius Black. He had heard about what he done, and wanted nothing more than a few miles to separate them. However, he had also grown up hearing about Dumbledore, and knew he was safe in his presence.
The headmaster picked up the first book, and the low hum of chatter died out. He brought it closer to his face and announced the books title "Harry Potter and the Philosophers stone"
"Good lord Albus these books are about Potter? Why must I suffer through this?" Severus requested as sarcasticly as possible. " I agree, Why am I here?" Draco asked.
" I do not know why this selection of people is here, we can only assume that we shall learn as we read." Albus answered.