Turning Time

I own this storyline. I donot own the character's, places, or objects (mainly) used in this story. To copy in any form for any use without permission is plagarism. Written for Kaylee the Great. Now! Chapter one and Happy Birthday to Kaylee!

~Prologue~

Hermione paced the corridors of the summer house feeling nervous. A letter had told her to come here, to be here at this date at this time. And yet the Sensing spell she had used picked up no traces of magic beside her own. Sighing, she took out the letter and read it over once more, engraving it into her mind. The writing of the summoning seemed familiar, but she could not place the writer's name, nor had they had the courtesy to sign it.

Huffing softly, she sat on the bench feeling irritated. It was probably just a joke of some kind. I should be studying for the third year exams not waiting here like some ridiculous fangirl for a man who probably doesn't exist! What am I even doing here? Taking out a book, she glanced at the clock. Five minutes and then she would leave.

"Hello, Hermione," a low voice said quietly, the thick accent drawing her ears to him. "I see you have received my letter."

Wheeling around, Hermione felt her heart stop as she gazed into a pair of dark eyes. They were nearly black in color, yet their depths held a glint she could not place and a mysterious air hung about him. Recognizing a Drumstrang symbol on his robes, she scrutinized him carefully. "It's generally polite to introduce yourself before addressing someone else," she replied, two small lines appearing on her forehead as she frowned. "I'm afraid I don't know you."

"I am not surprised," the young man replied with a strangely bitter smile. "And to think that we will spend so much time together. You have a Time Turner, do you not?"

"Of course not!" The response was automatic as she stared at him. There was something enchanting about that smile… Forcing her mind to focus, she continued. "Time Turners are carefully regulated by the Ministry, and only older witches and wizards can use them, and even then only in special circumstances. Any one who has one without approval or uses it in the wrong way can be sent to Azkaban because the events of history can be rewritten if anything doesn't happen like it should. And one wizard disappeared because he tried to move the wrong direction."

With a shake of his head the man turned, murmuring to himself darkly before turning his burning coal colored eyes to her. "The wizard you speak of was me. You must help me Hermione. My magic went badly wrong, and now I am stuck in Time. You must obtain a Time Turner this year. I have seen what happens if you do not."

Staring at him as his body seemed to shift and fade, she felt something stir in her, a warning that this was something more than he was letting on. It had her skin prickling. "How do I even know your telling the truth?," she asked. Her mind could not wrap around so much information, none of the pieces were complete, yet she could see the flicker of despair in his eyes. "You can't. You will have to trust me." He replied, accent more pronounced with his frustration.

"I need your name if you want my help."

"My name is Viktor Krum…" the fading figure replied, his voice carrying on the wind.

~Chapter 1: Twisted Fate~

"Ms. Granger what you are asking for is highly irregular. It is not possible for you to take so many courses. There is simply not enough hours in the day." The Head of Gryffindor House peered over her specticles. "I am aware that you wish to amplify your studies, but this is not the way to do so."

Smiling internally, Hermione allowed a shy tilt to grace her lips as she looked at Professor Mc Gonnagal. "Isn't there any way, Professor? There has to be some way for me to be able to take these classes. I really need them this year," she pleaded. "Isn't there some spell that can give me more time?"

The professor's gaze became severe as she took off her glasses and laid them on her desk. "Perhaps there is one way, but it would be highly irregular, Ms. Granger and you would not be able to speak to anyone about it, especially not Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley. A Time Turner would allow you to have twice the time, enough to get you to your classes. But they are highly controlled by the Ministry."

"Please, Professor, I would really like to be able to handle these classes. I think they might help me," she persisted. "Especially because I might need it-"

There was a knock at the door that cut the young witch off. "Come in," Mc Gonagal called. "I see if the Ministry will make an exception, Ms. Granger. If they approve, then I will give it to you on the first day of the term. But it will be used only for studies. Understood?"

Hermione nodded. "Thank you, Professor." Turning, she noticed an older man watching her through his half moon spectacles, his blue eyes seeming to almost x-ray her. "Good afternoon, Professor Dumbledore."

"Good afternoon, Hermione. Minerva, I received a letter from the Ministry of Magic this morning. Apparently there has been a breach in Time. Mr. Krum seems to have appeared again." His eyes fell on Hermione questioningly. "He has enrolled at Drumstrang."

Keeping her expression mildly interested, the young witch tilted her head. "Isn't Viktor Krum the wizard whose magic went wrong when he tried to go forward through time?" she asked. "How can he be alive if that happened in the thirteenth century? Wouldn't the time kill him?"

"Time travelling is a strange magic that can have many results, as I am sure Professor Mc Gonagal has explained to you Hermione. It has been theorized that Mr. Krum is still alive because he is in Time and therefore it does not effect him the same. However, it also means that he can appear at anytime or place at any moment, but cannot linger there longer than a few minutes. That is why he could not explain further to you about his predicament, but merely gave you a mission."

Dread stopped her heart. She had told no one about the incident, not even Ron or Harry in her letters and she knew that there had only been the two of them on that day. Seeing Dumbledore's calm blue eyes studying her, she merely nodded. "He asked you to get a Time Turner in hopes that you would be able to release him from his error. It was a wise choice on his part, for you have enough knowledge to understand its workings and consequences. You also happen to have a spotless magic record and the ministry, and the brilliance to contrive a reason to obtain one," Dumbledore continued, his voice betraying nothing. His level gaze held hers. "Time is not something that it altered easily. Professor McGonagal and I will help you as we can. But you will be working on this alone. You schedule has already been cleared, so you have no need to worry about your studies. I am certain you will be able to pass the third year exams easily."

"But a final word of caution Ms. Granger, what you will be charged to do is going to be very dangerous. I advise you not to speak with Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley about this. The Ministry is going to be suspicious of the request, therefore it would be best if it were done under the cauldron as it were. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore." The words were automatic. Her mind was racing. Dumbledore knew everything and now she would have help in solving the issue. But her main problem was in finding out where to meet Viktor next. If she had a time turner and went too far back, she would miss him. If she didn't go back far enough, she could easily end up in an unpleasant situation with a basilisk.

Nodding to both teachers, she turned and walked out to the grounds, feeling her heart pounding in anticipation. Her schedule had been cleared… did that mean that Dumbledore would not be requiring her to attend the classes? Then how did he expect her to pass? Unless she learned the information on the side while looking for a fix to Viktor's problem, there would be no time… Her mind snapped it into place. She would be living every twenty four hours twice. Once to sleep and study. Once to work on the problem.

A movement drew her eyes, it was a young man dressed in strange robes. They were a deep green, highlighting his dark eyes and hair. Bulgarian by appearance, he leaned against the wall staring at her. "There is a Time for everything. Only when Time is altered does the world weep tears of blood and a rose fall," he stated, looking out the window as though entranced by the green. In appearance he was a good four years older.

"Excuse me?"

"You're playing a game you don't understand. Leave things as they are, Ms. Granger, or I will have to alter your own history," the young man warned. "Everyone has a role in Time. The Watch are everywhere, attempted to change what you have done. Do not trust them, despite their appearances. You must fulfill yours or your friends will suffer fates that cannot be described adequately by words. Watch, for history will be altered by your decisions. If you fail, our next meeting will not be as joyous."

There was a pause and then the young man turned, vanishing in a puff of smoke. Staring for a moment where he had gone, Hermione gripped the Time Turner's chain. What exactly had she gotten into? Walking down the hall she turned to leave when a familiar warm voice met her ears. "I see you have met Martin," Viktor murmured, his dark eyes displeased, but humorous as he leaned against the wall. "He is a very strange man."

"He said something about a group called the Watch. What are they?" she asked curiously.

Viktor's eyes became like ice, cold and hard. "They are Ministry workers of the New Era. They have been trying to catch me since they discovered our mission to stop Lord Voldemort. Malfoy is their leader. We have been lucky that they have not discovered you yet. You must not allow anyone to see the Turner."

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