Summery: Post HBP, HG & RH. To destroy Voldemort and the Horcruxes Harry has to learn that the power the Dark Lord knows not is more then just the knowledge of love, but the ability to love others... and allow them to love you. Traps, deaths, fighting, and unbreakable love.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything! Nothing! Zip! Zilch! Nil! Zero! It is based off of the books by JK Rowling, which is why it's called a Fan Fiction. I also used a few monsters based off of D&D (Dungeons & Dragons). If you're an old user of then you know the basic Mo-Jo. If you're new and you just happen to pick this first, I'm honored, please review after you read. If you don't want to, that's fine, send me a joke instead or something so I know it's been read.
A Ripple in Time
Chapter 1: Ron Killed Harry's Aunt
Three days ago everything changed for Harry Potter. Three days ago, Harry had finally accepted his destiny. Dumbledore was buried, he let go of his true love, and he had started to make plans to destroy the horcruxes. The life that he once held, he had let go. He was no longer going to go to Hogwarts, his only true home, nor was he going to let others try and protect him. As soon as he was seventeen, he would leave the Dursleys with his two best friends.
Currently, he was sitting on the train to King's Cross station. He was watching out the window, desperately trying to keep a certain red head young woman off his mind. He was mostly dressed in muggle attire. He was wearing dark blue jeans, tennis shoes, a grey shirt, a belt with three pouches, and of course his glasses. He did however wear some particular items that could not be found in any muggle shop. He was wearing a black dragon hide jacket that could easily be mistaken to a muggle as alligator skin. He bought this and two other for his friends, from Charlie Weasley. A watch that at first glance was like any muggle's watch, but was charmed to tell him the danger of his closet love ones. This he had asked Arthur Weasley to buy him from Magically Touched Watches and Clocks. In his belt pouches he, along with his two friends, carried one vile of Felix Felicis (otherwise known as liquid luck), one vile of Veritaserum (or truth potion), a miniature magical The Unknown Arts of Death, Pain, and Blood volume one book two, and a Jack of Hearts portkey that would take them to St. Mungos. These items he had asked from Professor Slughorn, Nymphadora Tonks, and Remus Lupin who was currently staying at Number 12. Finally, in an inside pocket of his jacket, he had his wand.
His best mate, Ron Weasley, was sitting across from him. Ron was doing something he told Harry he would never do, show someone else his secretes of Wizard Chess. This other person in mind was Hermione Granger. Although she had forced Ron into making the pieces just walk off the board instead of bashing each other apart. They both were also already dressed in the items Harry had given them and their own muggle clothes.
Harry glanced down at his magical watch again. It had three hands each with its own name: Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley. The watch had twelve places for each hand to be: Dead, Close to Death, Mortal Danger, Danger, Number 12, Burrow, Hogwarts, Trapped, Lost, Unconscious, Scared, and Safe. All hands were pointing to Safe. Then one of the hands started to move slowly and rested on Trapped.
"Ginny." Harry said alarmed.
"What?" Ron asked.
"Ginny." Harry said as he bounded out of the compartment. Hermione and Ron followed as all three of them pulled out their wands.
They didn't need to look were she was sitting, for as they moved out in the hall they could see a group of Malfoy's old goons huddled in a circle. In the middle the three could see a flash of Weasley red hair.
"Back away, now!" Harry said sharply pointing his wand at the group.
"Potter..." Millicent Bulstrode said as she turned around.
The group broke in two making an opening their prey to escape. Ginny and Luna Lovegood both walked out and over next to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Both Girls already had their wands out.
"What's wrong, Potter? There's no teacher here, afraid to use that peace of wood?" Pansy Parkinson teased.
"Come on." Ron said. "It's not worth it."
"Oh, I guess you can't use it after all. It figures, having mud-blood parents like you." Pansy continued.
"Harry..." Hermione said warningly urging them to leave.
Harry however didn't move. He held Pansy's gaze while keeping his wand pointing straight at her head. This gave Pansy the impression that she had hit a soft spot.
"And you never even had a chance, with friends like those. A mud-blood like her," she gestured towards Hermione which made Ron raze his wand again. "The dirty and pathetic side of the wizarding pool," She gestured to Ron. "A crazy little girl," She pointed to Luna. "And a whore as a girlfr-"
Before she could finish her sentence all five of the friends, starting with Harry, shot a mixture of curses at her. When they stopped, Pansy Parkinson resembled a green soapy slog with a terrible gassy smell. The five friends all had their wands pointed at the rest of the Slytherins before the goons even registered what happened. It didn't take long before the others ran back down the hall leaving Pansy as she was.
"That Bitch!" Hermione said frustrated. This caused the small group to turn and stare at her. "Well she is." She stated plainly.
"You know what, Hermione?" Ron said as he put an arm around her shoulder proudly. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun this summer."
"Oh shush, Ron. Just because I resorted to using fowl langue once, does not mean I will do it again." Hermione said.
"You two alright?" Harry asked to both Luna and Ginny, although it was clear he was more concerned about one of them then the other.
"Oh, you shouldn't have been worried." Luna said absently. "We were protected by Shlobergouts after all."
"Shlobergouts...?" Hermione asked.
"Yes." Luna said dreamily.
"Ah, Luna?" Ron asked. "What are Shlobergouts?"
"They are like fairies with big teeth and dragon tails. They were feeling very protective this morning." She answered.
"Right." He said confused. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Let's go back in." Hermione said making her way back to the little compartment.
Ron shrugged, took one disgusted glance at Pansy, and followed Hermione. Luna smiled up at the ceiling as if there was something there and then followed Ron. Harry took a glance at Ginny, she was watching him. She had already dressed in her muggle clothes, which showed a bit more of her shape then her school robes. Harry face started to heat and he cleared his throat unconsciously .He put out his arm signaling her to go first. She gave him a small sad smile and made her way after Luna. Harry mentally kicked himself and then followed her in suit.
They all got back in the compartment along with Luna and Ginny. Ron and Hermione went straight back to their chess. Harry took up his seat by the window once again. Ginny sat next to him and Luna next to her. Luna took out a copy of The Quibbler and started to read it, to Harry's surprise, right side up. Ginny however was staring at Harry's watch. She reached over and held his wrist to get a better look at it. Harry tried to ignore the tingling feeling he had going up his arm.
"Is this why you came?" she asked. Ron and Hermione glanced over to see what she was talking about. Harry just nodded silently. "It has my name on it." She stated plainly. Ron and Hermione gave each other nervous glances. They both knew Harry and Ginny had broken up at Dumbledore's funeral. There was an awkward silence among everyone except Luna.
"Stop that." Luna suddenly said. Her glasses had seemed to float up to the ceiling by them selves.
"What the...?" Ron voice came out.
"It's the Shlobergouts." Luna said airily as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "They don't like tension."
"Luna? Can you currently see these Shlobergouts?" Hermione asked.
"Of course." She answered as if it was a silly question. "I don't know many people who can, though." She said with an after thought.
"Luna," Harry began after Ginny had let go of his wrist. "Can you see many things like Shlobergouts? Who else can see them?"
"Let's see... My father, Professor Moody, and Dumbledore could. Professor Trelawney said she could, but I think she was mistaken." Luna said. "Of course I can see other things as well; Dumbledore always got worried when I told him I could see a hole in the Great Hall's ceiling."
"You do know it's charmed to look like that, right?" Ron asked looking at her as if she was crazy.
"No, it's charmed to look like the sky." Luna said waving her hand pushing the subject away. "Not a hole in the ward."
"You can't see the wards." Hermione said. She seemed flustered as if Luna was telling her that two plus two equals three.
"I think Dumbledore could." Harry said. "And I'm pretty sure Moody can with that eye of his." The glasses floated back down and Luna put them on as if nothing had happened. Before the conversation could continue, the train started to stop. They all started to get up and Ron & Hermione made a grab for their trunks. "Luna, do me a favor?"
"Yes?" Luna asked turning from the door and looking at Harry.
"Keep in touch this summer?" Harry asked as he reached with one hand for his trunk.
"Ok." Luna smiled happily and left with Ginny.
Harry, Ron and Hermione all got off the train. It was pouring out side with a heavy overcast. In the distance they could see a thick fog just out side the rail way. The three of them made a dash for the small cover a few meters from the barrier. Ron and Hermione started to walk towards the barrier but stopped when they saw Harry wasn't following.
"Harry, what are you doing?" Ron asked.
"I just want to make sure she gets off ok." Harry said.
"Who?" Ron asked confused.
"Really Ron, are you that thick?" Hermione asked rolling her eyes.
"Who, Ginny? I thought you two broke up?" Ron asked Harry.
"It doesn't mean I no longer love her and want to make sure she's safe." Harry said forgetting that he was talking to not only his best friend but Ginny's older brother.
"You what?" Ron yelled who had not been privilege to the knowledge of the full extent of Harry's feelings towards Ginny. "Since when?"
"Honestly Ron, are you telling me you couldn't tell? Especially after that last week they were together?" Hermione asked amazed.
"Well I wasn't studying them." Ron implied.
"I wasn't studying them! I just merely could tell by being around them or even glancing at them. Unlike some people I'm not thick headed enough to not realize when some one is in love even if they're practically yelling it at them!" Hermione shouted.
Harry wasn't sure if she was talking about him and Ginny or her and Ron. They continued to argue and Harry was almost certain Hermione was not talking about him. What Harry couldn't figure out was what Hermione said that made warning bells go off in his head? He thought for a moment but couldn't place it. He turned and watched Ginny get off the train. She saw them and started running towards them and out of the rain.
"What are those two arguing about now?" Ginny asked when she reached Harry.
"Well it started with us," Harry said indicating Ginny and him. "Then it morphed into there relationship." Neither Ron nor Hermione seemed to notice them, or anyone else for that matter was present.
"What about us?" Ginny asked although she knew perfectly well. She watched as Harry tried to find the right words to say.
"About what we had and how we felt." Harry finally said.
"What did you feel?" Ginny pushed. Her voice lacked feeling but her eyes revealed her want to hear it.
"You know perfectly well how I felt." Harry said gently. "I loved you."
"Loved, Harry, or love?" Ginny asked softly.
"I would have thought I made that clear." Harry said equally as soft.
"Maybe I just want you to say it." She said. Harry opened his mouth to respond but before he could, Hermione let out a yell at Ron so loud and full of mirth that it caused both Harry and Ginny to turn and look at her.
"I am sick of you Ron! I am sick of us always fighting! You're a cold hearted prat with the brain the size of a walnut! You have to be the only boy in the world, who could take my love and turn it into hate towards you! I hate you, Ron!"
Ron was silent and shocked by her words. Hermione was breathing heavily, but looked to be calming down a bit. Ron opened and closed his mouth several times, but nothing came out. Finally Ron stopped trying to speak and set a determined look on his face. He dropped his trunk, closed the distance between him and Hermione, and started kissing her. It all happened so fast that it took Harry a few seconds to realize that his two best friends were locked in a passionate kiss and he was starring with his jaw on the ground. He closed his mouth and quickly looked some where else to give them some privacy.
Seconds ticked by and Harry heard a moan escape from his two friends. Not wanting to hear anything else he quickly cleared his throat. His two friends broke apart, both with bright red embarrassed faces and smiles.
"Well it was about time." Ginny said next to Harry with a smile. "I didn't know Ron could hold his breath that long." Ron's face went a deeper red.
"We should get going." Harry said for they were the last of the students still there. In fact they were the only ones there except for Tonks who was watching them by the barrier.
"Watcher Harry." She said as he approached, the others followed. "It's about time you four been ready." She had a smile on her face and changed her hair from dark blue to hot pink. She looked much happier then the last time they had seen her.
"Why were you watching us?" Ron asked.
"McGonagall asked that I make sure all the students got through the barrier. You four were the last." Tonks said and shrugged.
"Oh." Ron said.
When they walked through the barrier, Harry was pleased to see Mrs. and Mr. Weasley, Bill, Fleur, the twins, and Lupin. In fact, the only blood relative to Harry who was there was Petunia. She seemed to be having an interesting conversation with Lupin and actually enjoying it. This made all four of the gang do a double take and pause with their mouths wide open.
Tonks, who had followed them, Ran over to Lupin, jumped in his arms, completing the greeting with a kiss. Petunia, which had been in the middle of a sentence at the time, stopped, looked at the woman in front of her with pink hair still in Lupin's arms, and shook her head in a disapproving manner.
"I'll be back in a moment." Hermione suddenly said and walked over to her parents a few meters away. The Weasleys spotted them, after seeing Tonks, and came up to greet Harry, Ron, and Ginny.
"I'm so glad to see you two." Mrs. Weasley said pulling Ron and Ginny in a bone crushing motherly hug. "Oh and you too, dear." She added looking at Harry sweetly.
"Nice to see you too, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said smiling.
"Harry, dear boy, how are you doing?" Mr. Weasley asked.
"All right for the moment." Harry supposed.
"Good... Good... I hear Ron's going back home with ya." Mr. Weasley said in a joyful manor, but Harry could see he was disappointed that his son wouldn't be coming home with him.
"Couldn't talk me out of it." Ron said after Mrs. Weasley finally let him and Ginny go.
"Right, Right... Well at least our little Ginny will be coming back with us." Mr. Weasley said with a big smile, but it faded when he looked at Ginny's face.
"Alright..." Ginny said softly to herself and took a deep breath. "Mum, Dad, could I talk to you over here?" She said walking a little away from the group. Harry and Ron shared a confused look as the two oldest Weasleys walk off a bit with their daughter.
To Harry's annoyance, it was at this time that Petunia finally noticed Harry was there and called him over. Harry walked over and, to Petunia's alarm, was followed closely by Ron. Tonks and Lupin had walked off a bit by now, and were having their own privet conversation over in a corner, leaving Ron and Harry alone with Petunia.
"What is he doing here?" Petunia asked rudely.
"Ron is coming with us and will be staying in my room, along with another one of my friends." Harry stated in a commanding tone.
"Oh," Ron said. "And I would like to add that I'm of wizarding age and also is Hermione."
"Meaning...?" Petunia asked.
"Meaning, both of us are allowed to use magic out side of school." Ron said with a devilish smile. "And will do so if we see fit."
"And you should feel lucky." Hermione said walking up behind them. "Because Harry has already asked that we don't unless provoked."
"You see after hearing how you've treated Harry," Said Ginny walking up to the group. She hooked her arm with Harry's and ignored the bewildered expressions she was getting.
"...And seen." Ron added, focusing back to Petunia.
"We should hex you into the next year." Hermione said.
"But we won't... for now." Ginny said. Petunia's face was so pail in fright that Harry wasn't sure she wouldn't faint.
"We just thought it was right to warn you." Ron said.
"You know, for moral sakes." Hermione finished.
Petunia looked like a fish, opening and closing her mouth. Her face was pail as a sheet and she looked like she would pass out from the idea of what might happen if she spoke. Harry found it hard to not laugh at the sight. He was using every once of his strength to prevent himself from cracking up. Then an idea popped in his head.
"I'm surprised Lupin didn't tell you." Harry said in a casual tone.
"Lupin?" She asked with a look of terror crossing her eyes. "You mean that professor?"
"Oh, yes." Hermione said catching on.
"One of the best wizard professors we ever had." Ginny added smiling.
"W-w-wizard...?" Petunia gasped.
"Oh Yeah, complete genius with the Dark Arts." Ron said. All four of them had a big grin on their face.
"Dark Arts?" Petunia asked horrified.
"You know, spells that cause unspeakable pain." Ginny said. Harry could see the glint of mischief in her eyes.
"Oh, and the killing curse, don't forget that one." Ron said.
"Or the possession curse." Harry added.
"You know, having to do what ever the other person wants." Hermione said to Petunia sweetly. At this Petunia actually did faint and hit the ground with a thump. All four of them looked at her for a second in surprise.
"Do you think we over did it?" Ron asked.
"Maybe a bit..." Hermione said.
"No, she deserved it after all." Ginny said. Harry couldn't help smiling at her for that comment.
"I suppose." Ron commented.
The group got quiet as they looked at the unconscious Petunia at their feet. Harry couldn't help but notice that some how Ginny's and Harry's hand found each other and their fingers were entwined. For some reason he was reminded about Hermione's argument with Ron earlier.
"What do we do with her now?" Ron asked.
"We should wake her up, I suppose." Harry said.
"We could just leave her lying there... go wait by the car." Ron suggested.
"Ronald Weasley! She may be bad but that's just cruel." Hermione said trying to hold back a smile.
"Well she might find it a more pleasant awakening..." Ginny muttered.
"That maybe, but we better do something before any people notice." Harry said looking around.
"Oh, all right." Hermione said looking around and took out her wand. "Enervate." Petunia's eyes popped open and she looked at the wand still in Hermione's hand. For a moment Harry thought she was going to scream, but she just fainted once more.
"Well, that was productive." Harry said. Hermione put her wand away.
"Ron, go get your father." Hermione said.
"Me? Why not Ginny? I don't want to tell him we made Harry's aunt pass out... twice." Ron said.
"Because I asked you." Hermione said rolling her eyes. But it was at that time the twins decided to investigate the commotion.
"Oy, Ron, what did you do to Harry's aunt?" Fred asked.
"I didn't do anything." Ron said defensively.
"Looks like he killed her." George said.
"Does this mean you three get to come back home with us?" Fred asked hopefully.
"No, she's not dead." Hermione said.
"I bet it does, Fred." George said ignoring Hermione.
"And since they killed her, I bet Mum would let us test the products on them?" Fred said.
"I bet she will." George agreed. At this moment Bill and Fleur joined the group.
"What ez appening over here?" Fleur asked.
"Ron killed Harry's aunt." George said.
"She doesn't smell dead." Bill said and everybody turned a questioning eye at him.
"She's not dead." Ron said exasperated. Harry was trying hard not to laugh and Ginny & Hermione had both put a hand to their mouths to cover the giggles.
"Wouldn't mind if she was though, now would you?" Fred said.
"But she's not!" Ron yelled.
"I bet he wouldn't." George said.
"I don't think anybody would." Fred vocalized.
"Is she dat bad?" Fleur asked.
"Worse." The twins said in union.
"I give up." Ron said throwing his hands up.
"On what?" Bill asked. At this Harry, Hermione and Ginny all broke out in laughter.
"What's going on?" Mr. Weasley asked joining the group. Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and Lupin also joined in and immediately looked at Petunia.
"What happened?" Mrs. Weasley gasped.
"Ron killed her." Fred said smiling.
"I guess that means they're coming home with us." George said hopefully again.
"They can't, Harry still got more family." Bill observed.
"Is dat true?" Fleur asked.
"Unfortunately." Harry admitted.
"That's a pleasant way to say it." Lupin said sarcastically.
"Well you think so if you had met them." Fred said.
"As a wizard that is." George added.
"Or a witch." Ginny put in.
"Besides, she's not dead." Hermione said.
"It's too bad really." George said.
"George!" Mrs. Weasley reprimanded.
"We're all thinking it Mum." Fred said.
"Yeah, I'm just saying it." George added.
"Focus, Harry's aunt is lying unconscious." Bill said waving his hand in the air.
"In a muggle area too." Tonks added.
"Well somebody wake her up." Mr. Weasley said.
"We all ready tried that." Harry said.
"She just fainted again." Hermione explained.
"Oh, this is ridiculous." Mrs. Weasley said.
"Reducio Arry's aunt." Fleur said pointing her wand at Petunia.
"Finite." Bill said stopping the shrinking Petunia now the size of a small pencil. Harry picked up his unconscious aunt and held her in his free hand.
"Brilliant, now what?" Fred asked.
"Let's put her in a bottle." George said excitedly.
"George!" Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both said.
"We could make her have to dance to get out." Fred said.
"That would be amusing..." Ginny commented.
"We will do no such thing." Mr. Weasley said trying to hold back a smile.
"I'll drive the four back to Harry's aunt's house." Lupin offered gesturing to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny.
"And I'll take his aunt to Monicals." Tonks said.
"Ginny's actually not coming." Hermione said.
"They broke up." Ron volunteered. Harry and Ginny glanced at each other.
"Oh, I just figured..." Lupin trailed off with a gestured towards Harry's and Ginny's hands still interlaced. Ginny and Harry glanced down at their hands and let go.
The group hit an awkward silence. Ron was looking at the two confused. Hermione gave Harry and Ginny a sad sorry smile. Fred and George looked a little surprised, along with Tonks. Lupin was avoiding their gaze. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley on the other hand were sharing a knowing smile. The only people who didn't seem uncomfortable were Bill and Fleur. Bill was eyeing Crookshanks hungrily and Fleur was trying to divert his attention from the poor cat.
"I believe we should get going." Lupin finally said. Harry gave Tonks his aunt with a little unease. It's not that he didn't trust Tonks nor had little faith in her, but Petunia, with all her flaws, was his aunt and he did feel a little worried since she would be easy to misplace in her current state.
They all started to say goodbye to each other and exchange hugs. "We'll see you in a bit, dear." Mrs. Weasley said to Ron and then Harry. "You keep your eye on those two." She told Hermione motioning to Ron and Harry. After Ginny gave both Hermione and Ron a hug she came up to Harry and to his surprise wrapped both arms around his neck.
"I haven't given up on us." She whispered in his ear. "And I won't." She then let go and joined her parents, leaving Harry dazed.
A/N: So that's the first chapter, I hope you liked it.