A story to be blamed on green apples, Massive Attack (the band) and Oscar Wilde. The action starts with the battle at the Ministry in Harry's Fifth Year. I hope you'll like it because I have to admit I did crack my knuckles and exhaust myself a little bit writing it all in one sitting. So please enjoy and tell me what you think (reviews would be lovely)!

Hands of Lust, Hands of Gold

*

Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard,
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word,
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!

Some kill their love when they are young,
And some when they are old;
Some strangle with the hands of Lust,
Some with the hands of Gold:
The kindest use a knife, because
The dead so soon grow cold.

Some love too little, some too long,
Some sell, and others buy;
Some do the deed with many tears,
And some without a sigh:
For each man kills the thing he loves,
Yet each man does not die.

Oscar Wilde- The Ballad of Reading Gaol (excerpt)

*

Chapter 1: Timely Errors

I had never really seen him.

I could guess what he looked like; I could guess what his red eyes looked like. I could guess that he had no expression and that his face only showed anger. But these were just assumptions.

Harry told me I should be ready for everything, but I was never quite ready for the army of Death Eaters that came upon us. I told myself I was brave and that no matter what happened I would keep my ground, but you know, for half a second, I felt like running away from that place, leaving all my friends behind just to save myself.

But it was only half a second. It passed as fast as it came in my mind and it never came back again. I found myself facing these men with masks and I found myself screaming but the sounds did not matter, only the lights emerging from our wands.

I saw people falling next to me but I couldn't help them, I had to save the others, I had to keep fighting.

I couldn't see Harry anymore and I was very frightened because without him there I seemed to have no real support. Ron was down, Ginny was down, Neville was in a critical state and I couldn't find Luna.

I heard great commotion further into the Ministry. One of the Death Eaters shouted the words "My Lord!" and I knew Voldemort had come to take part in the battle.

That thought alone coursed through my veins and froze them. I thought to myself: what would I do if I was confronted with him and Harry wasn't by my side?

He hated people like me, of my origins so he would end my life in a second.

And yet I still wanted to go join Harry because I was sure that he must be in the large entrance hall. Even if that meant facing that horrible man.

Unfortunately, one of the Death Eaters was blocking my way and even though I tried cursing him he would persist in chasing me. He pushed me against a shelf full of silvery trinkets and they fell over me and bruised and scratched me.

He pointed his wand at me.

'Now sweetheart, I'll give you the gift of death,' he said to me.

My wand had slipped from my grasp and as I searched for it frantically on the floor, I came upon a small hourglass.

'Avada…' he began but I shouted and turned the hourglass quickly.

First, I felt like I was in limbo which gave me a fright because I thought I had died.

Gradually, though, sensations came to me.

I felt I was sitting on something hard and wet and I felt strange hands touching my forehead and my neck, to check for a pulse probably. I wanted to open my eyes but I couldn't so I lay there sleeping as I was carried up. I didn't know where I'd be taken.

My mind was registering only feeble sounds; like the bustle of feet on the floor and the buzz of voices. They seemed to come from a different world.

After a long time up in the air, I felt something soft and warm and I knew it was a bed. Then the sounds became louder and I could discern voices. But I could not talk or open my eyes which frustrated me immensely because I wanted to know where I was and who was with me.

I couldn't have been captured by Death Eaters because they certainly wouldn't put me in a comfortable bed. I knew I was in a hospital because someone constantly tended to my wounds.

I was very grateful for this care, but I was alarmed that I couldn't do anything.

I waited for what felt like years to finally see the light of day. And I smiled when I saw the rays of sunshine stream through a small window. Every day under the sun was good.

A pretty nurse was sitting by my side.

'You are awake,' she said promptly and checked a file. 'It's about time.'

'Am I…in Saint Mungo?'

'You certainly are, Miss. We are very glad you are awake. We can finally identify you. Name and age please.'

My heart started racing as if she had just asked me my biggest secret. I wasn't sure this was the present. I was still alive so perhaps the time-turner had worked. It must have worked.

So I gave my mother's name before she married.

'Jane Greystone. I'm sixteen.'

She wrote down my name and signaled me to sit down because I was trying to get out of bed.

'Any parents, or relatives?'

'No…I am an orphan.'

'I see. And you have no guardian? You are a minor, after all.'

I did not have much time to think, therefore I said the first name that popped into my head.

'Albus Dumbledore.'

The nurse made a shocked face and straightened her glasses.

'Albus Dumbledore is your guardian?'

'Not exactly. But he took care of me after my parents died.'

She did not seem to believe me, but she nodded either way and made to leave the room, but before going out she looked at me again.

'Your clothes were very torn when you were brought here. The hospital has provided you with a decent dress.'

Then she slipped out quietly. I wanted to call her back because I had so many questions to ask her, but my head did hurt terribly so I decided to do what I had done before; wait.

It did not take long for my dread to materialize. Albus Dumbledore came to the hospital. I had no idea how I was going to explain this, I just hoped I could talk to him in private and explain everything to him. He was the only one I trusted.

I was greeted by a much younger Albus Dumbledore. He had the same twinkle in his eye but his hair was much darker and his beard much shorter.

'Thank you for letting me know she was here,' he told the nurse.

He turned to me with an indecipherable smile on his kind face and I knew in an instant that he was surprised by this occurrence.

'You may go now,' he told the nurse as he settled in a stool next to me.

'So, Miss Jane Greystone, might I ask how it is that you know me? As far as I'm concerned, you aren't one of my students at Hogwarts.'

'I know, Sir. I am very sorry to have troubled you. I…I heard many things about you. I heard you were a very kind wizard and I thought I could turn to you.'

'It is not very often that complete strangers turn to me for help, but I am glad whenever I can assist,' he said gently.

I opened my mouth to tell him everything. He would understand. But I saw the calendar on the opposite wall and I saw the year 1943 imprinted on it in red.

My heart got caught up in my throat and I started trembling, though I was trying hard not to make it visible. I had gone this far back in time!

'Yes, Miss Greystone?'

And then, before I knew it, the lies came pouring in, without me ever planning on telling them.

'My parents died when I was very young and I was afterwards taken in by an aunt who raised me and home-schooled me. She was a witch. She was the one who told me about you. She passed away a couple of months ago and I was left on my own. I tried getting a job but I was too young so I made the mistake of looking for help in Knockturn Alley…that did not go very well. All I remember is waking up here with several bruises.'

I was talking fast in order not to suddenly lose my courage. I had already probably changed the future. The last thing Dumbledore needed was to know my true identity. I thought this was a solid plan, but I knew that there was a problem I couldn't explain.

If, unfortunately, Dumbledore had seen me now that meant that he already knew me before I actually met him in my First Year. He hadn't seemed to recognize me at that time. He hadn't said anything about seeing me 50 years ago. So, I was quite confused.

'I agree, it was a very bad idea to go there alone and unprotected. It is a dangerous alley and not many escape from it safe and sound. But, Miss Greystone, the nurse informed me you were found in front of the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry.'

I gulped down my fear and tried speaking.

'Department of Mysteries? I have…no idea how I got there.'

'Hmmm…needless to say, it is very fortunate you are alive. And I daresay you made a risky call by naming me as your guardian. After all, you did not know whether the rumours about me were true,' he said.

'I suspected as much. I couldn't think of anyone else.'

Dumbledore looked at me with pity and sympathy. He probably thought I was insane, or worse for that matter.

I had to find the Time-Turner though and return in my time. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. Dumbledore had seen me.

I tried forcing myself to tell him the truth again, but I couldn't find the strength. I just thought it was useless to do that now. I had to find the Time-Turner.

'Well, I certainly can't leave you here. If you have beckoned me to be your guardian, I will try and take care of you. I cannot promise much, however. As you probably know, I am a teacher at Hogwarts. I could perhaps arrange so that you could stay there for a while.'

'Oh, I wouldn't want to impose,' I said truthfully.

'Well, you have no home, no opportunity of education and no one to take care of you. I would like to assist you on that, if I may. I wouldn't want to leave you knowing that I did nothing to help the young lady who thought of me as her guardian.'

I smiled shyly and shook his hand awkwardly feeling like the earth would swallow me soon. I really wished to go home.

He left me for a while to go talk with the doctors and when I had a moment of privacy I quickly got out of bed and searched through the ward for my personal belongings.

I couldn't see my clothes anywhere, but I noticed my wand was placed in a small box on a table by the window.

I picked it up with relief and tried summoning the Time-Turner but nothing appeared.

I started to panic and tried again with the same result. I wanted to shout for it to come to me, but that wouldn't help.

So I started to search for it frantically in every nook and cranny.

Alas, I found nothing.

When Dumbledore returned, he saw me pale and discomposed.

'Is something the matter, Miss Greystone?'

'Nothing, Sir. I only feel a bit scared.'

'There's no need for that. I have settled things with the mediwizards. You will be checked out in about two days and at that time I shall come and take you to Hogwarts. How does that sound?'

I could only nod meekly. Without my Time-Turner I didn't have much of a choice at hand.

Dumbledore had accepted my story so quickly and was so ready to help that I couldn't help but feel he knew something more, but I abandoned the thought and focused on finding my Time-Turner. It was crucial at this moment.

I managed to make the nurse tell me what she had done to my clothes.

'I'm sorry, dear, but they were in a terrible state. We disposed of them. We like to keep the hospital sterilized of any possible infections.'

Could it have been that they took my Time-Turner too? Did they discover it?

No one from the Ministry had come to take me to Azkaban for tampering with the laws of time, so I supposed I was safe on that side.

What if they had thrown it away with the rest of the things?

I felt very weak and sad, because I felt I had done everything wrong, but I couldn't blame myself. I had wanted to save my life. There's nothing wrong in that.

But I had no way of getting out of this time unless I found another Time-Turner.

As time ticked by I realized that in two days Dumbledore would come to take me and that I had to settle my story straight so that I wouldn't seem suspicious.

I tried imagining what kinds of questions he would ask and I tried to imagine every possible situation.

I found myself laughing almost hysterically, because I was starting to play a game with myself, calling myself Jane, attempting to be someone else, all for the sake of time. Well, time had already been warped.

At times, I felt I should just confess and throw myself at Dumbledore's mercy. Surely he would give me another Time-Turner. Or would he? I guess that "surely" was a feeble assurance.

But when the time came to leave the hospital, I had no strength to tell him who I really was. I felt relieved to know a familiar face, because I didn't know anyone in the year 1943.

Our trip to Hogwarts was a pleasant one. I had thought he would ask me many questions, but he only inquired a bit into my family and I had prepared some answers for him. He didn't pry much and I was thankful for it.

He told me he had investigated the circumstances through which I was found at the Department of Mysteries. I was waiting for him to ask me if I had lied to him, because it seemed impossible for me to be there. Much to my shock, however, he said that the current guardian of the Department, who was a strange, conspicuous and somewhat unstable young man, had been apprehended for assaulting minors. Apparently this hadn't been his first case and he was finally sentenced to Azkaban.

I could not believe there was such a conjecture that was oddly in my favour.

'If this is the reason for your whereabouts there, I hope he has not inflicted any permanent damage,' he said sternly, but I could see he was upset.

'I think the doctors would have told me,' I replied. 'The nurse assured me I was fine.'

'Miss Greystone, I will ask you again. Are you sure you do not remember anything that happened to you? You don't remember this man?'

I shook my head with sorrow.

'Very well, I will take your word for it. But if you remember anything, please come to my office immediately. It won't be hard to find me at Hogwarts.'

I slept throughout most of the train ride so when I woke up it was night and I could see from afar the lit towers of the castle I loved.

Strangely enough, I felt a surge of happiness take over me, knowing I was at Hogwarts. This was the safest place on the planet.

Dumbledore took one of the carriages and we rode to the castle in silence.

He had told me all about Hogwarts during our journey and he had been pleased to find I knew some things about it. He told me the year was not quite over and that I would reside in one of the empty Head Girl chambers. He also mentioned that I would probably be sorted into a House for the following year and that my magical levels would be tested.

I acquiesced to everything. Again, there wasn't much I could do.

Hogwarts had not changed at all. The Great Hall, the moving stairs, the library, the classes, even the Astronomy Tower, they were all the same. There was a feeling of security in knowing that some things never changed.

However, I couldn't see my common room, because I wasn't in any House.

I was content with the room Dumbledore established for me.

It looked like the sort of room I would like to live in, were I a Head Girl.

From the first day, I spent most of my time in my room. Dumbledore would have wanted me to eat with all the children and roam the corridors freely, but I insisted I didn't want to and he granted me this wish. It wasn't hard to conceal me; there were only a couple of days of school left.

After all the students left for the summer holiday, I was free to go out and drink in the atmosphere of the castle once again.

I was taken to Headmaster Dippet first and foremost. He had probably discussed my situation thoroughly before because our interview was brief and curt. He only established that I was to become a Hogwarts student and follow certain rules in order to remain there. Even though he was all decorum, I could see he was suspicious of me. He was decided about letting me stay, but not about trusting me, or trusting Dumbledore on this decision.

He surveyed me as if I was an unforeseen menace. It was probably because I had appeared out of the blue and gained Dumbledore's help. Now I was in his school and I was a complete stranger. He did not know my name.

'I am Muggleborn,' I told him simply.

'I see. Well, there's no shame in that of course. We should get to sorting you in a House.'

The old Sorting Hat was taken out from a dusty cupboard. Memories of my First Year flooded my mind. I felt quite sad.

He made me sit on a stool and he placed the Hat on my head, covering my eyes.

I was certain he would place me in Gryffindor immediately.

'So, you want me to put you in Gryffindor. Why is that?' the Hat whispered in my ear.

'I think it's obvious,' I told the Hat. 'I am brave, caring and kind, or so I like to think.'

'That is odd, because I see someone very ambitious, but at the same time very scared.'

'I am not afraid,' I told him firmly.

'You are afraid, very much afraid, because you do not belong here and you don't know what to do,' it barely whispered again.

'That is not true…'

'You can't prove me wrong. Your thoughts are full of guilt, sadness and worry. But above all these reigns a composed calm that makes you bear your suffering with dignity. Why would a sixteen year old suffer, I ask you? But I can't tell you. All I know is that you belong in…'

And just like that, I was made a Slytherin.

I couldn't move. I was in a state of pure shock and revolt. I could barely contain myself from tearing the Hat away from me and hexing it.

Both Dippet and Dumbledore were surprised because not many Muggleborns made it in Slytherin. In fact, not many Half-Bloods did either.

'Well, this is probably one of the very few times when someone of your blood is let into this House. You must really deserve to be there,' Headmaster Dippet said.

I felt ashamed of me. What would Harry and Ron say right now if they knew? I was not Slytherin material. But the Hat seemed to think different. It was my current state. It was the fact that I was slightly changed. How could I escape the fear? How could I?

'The other half-blood in Slytherin is our eminent Tom Riddle of course. Perhaps you'll have the same fate as him,' Headmaster Dippet added.

My mouth went very dry as I raised my eyes to meet his face.

This simple fact had completely escaped my knowledge. This sheer simple fact hadn't even crossed my mind. I didn't have time to worry about such a thing.

But how could I have not noticed it was 1943? The year had seemed ominous, engraved in red as I had first seen it, but I had ignored it. I should have paid more attention.

The two were watching me and I had to say something to divert their attention.

'Tom Riddle?' I asked, trying to stop my voice from shaking.

'He's a wonderful boy. He is the pride and joy of his House. You'll meet him this autumn, Miss Greystone. He might be able to understand your situation,' Headmaster Dippet said.

I wanted to run to Dumbledore and hug him and tell him I did not want to face Tom Riddle. I wanted to cradle in his safe arms and plead him to take me home.

The Hat had been right. I was a coward.

My mind was reeling. I had to leave Hogwarts before Tom Riddle saw me, before he met me, before he could remember me. I could not see Tom Riddle. I just could not and I would not.

'Miss Greystone, are you feeling alright?' a voice woke me up from my thoughts. It was Dumbledore.

'Yes, I'm fine, I am just a bit nervous about this,' I blabbered.

'There's nothing to be afraid of. Remember, you can always call on me for help,' he said, assuring. I knew Dumbledore wanted to help me, but he wanted to keep me close because he doubted me too.

He had every right to.

After that ominous meeting with the Headmaster I was left to live alone in the castle. I was not completely alone, but I did feel I was isolated. For some days I only saw house-elves, but then I felt joy to discover Hagrid was staying for the summer as well.

I remembered he had no home either and he couldn't return to the giants, so he lived in his little hut, separate from the rest of the students.

Having remembered his situation, I came to understand better why Dumbledore had helped me so freely. I desperately wanted to talk to Hagrid. I saw him on the grounds a couple of times and he looked so alone, but I knew I was supposed to get out of Hogwarts soon and be seen by as fewer people as possible.

So I had to keep quiet in my room and not interact with anyone.

I had a hard time trying to escape, though. I almost never found the front doors open and the gates were always locked. I could not Apparate, even if I knew how to and when I tried getting close to the Forbidden Forest, some powerful shields threw me off. This surprised me greatly. I did not know they put up shields in the summer. It seemed more natural to do so during the school year.

This silly suspicion that Dumbledore had done this passed through my head, but I dismissed it since it was far too ridiculous.

I was trapped in that school. I decided to ask Dumbledore if I could leave the school premises, but he stated that since I had nowhere to go, no income and no relatives it was not a very good idea.

I would never admit it, but I grew upset with him. I was unnerved by the fact that he kept so silent about me. I knew he must have searched for my deceased family and my so-called aunt. I didn't know whether fate would be on my side and I would escape his scrutiny or be doomed as a liar and be punished, but he wasn't giving anything away.

I grew more and more worried as August came to an end. One sunny afternoon, I was taken to the Ministry to be examined for my magical level. I succeeded at all the tasks and I got very good marks, but for the first time I felt absolutely no joy in it.

Headmaster Dippet was apparently impressed by my achievements and warmed up to me after I proved to be worthy of his school. He wasn't pungent anymore, a thing for which I was grateful. Dumbledore did not show his reaction, but I suspected he was even more careful with me now.

I was placed in Sixth Year.

Dumbledore informed me that the school would supply me with all academic purchases for the time being and that I would pay this debt later in life.

Everything was happening so fast, I had no time to breathe and take in everything that was going on with my life.

It was like someone else was ruling over my body and mind; someone who had been sorted into Slytherin and who was a coward.

But September did come and I could do nothing to stop it.