War was no pretty thing. This was something that Harry Potter knew. The golden boy may not be as smart as Hermione, but he did know a few things- one of which was that war, any war, was in fact ugly. As was proven in the last few months...
Faces of the dead haunted Harry as he thought of it- First Sirius... Dumbledore... Dobby, Fred, Snape, Remus and Tonks... Colin and Lavender. Not to mention the hundreds of wizards, witches and muggles that Harry did not know of. The many faces of war refused to leave, reminders of them everyday in their wake...
Harry could take it no longer. Five months ago, he had lost a great deal of people in the war- including his father figure. Ron was still having trouble with the loss of Fred, but Hermione, his girlfriend, was helping him through it. The two were quite inseparable now... Harry couldn't help but feel like the third wheel.
Things with Ginny... Hadn't gone well. Harry found that he just couldn't bring himself to return her feelings anymore, not that he didn't love her. She was his little sister that he had to protect, but all boyfriend love had vanished. Understandably so, Ginny was very upset about this, and when she had left to Hogwarts one month ago, Harry felt a bit relieved to be away from her sad eyes. He hated hurting her, Harry could only hope that Ginny could find someone else, or at least get over it while at Hogwarts.
Harry felt alone. Not that he was, the press was always trying to get an interview with him, and old friends such as Neville and Luna hung around a lot, as did Ron and Hermione. However, Harry had no on to be close to- everyone else seemed to have some one. George, the most traumatized out of all the Weasleys from the war, due to his twins death, his his family for support. Hermione had Ron and her mother and father (Whom she had found not long after the Battle of Hogwarts.) Neville seemed to be going strong with Luna, so they were both happy.
Who was there for Harry, and Harry specifically? Answer- no one. Not that he blamed then, they all had to take care of certain people most of all, it was no surprise that Harry was pushed aside. He was used to it anyway...
So, in the light of so much pain and devastation, Harry had spent the past four months in research mode. He was determined to discover how Time Turners were made... Now, he knew. Somewhere in Australia, a powerful Witch and her daughter had lived thousands of years ago. The Witch, Saniya had born the daughter days after her husbands death. Saniya became distraught by the loss, and was overcome with the want to never lose her precious daughter, Alamea. Saniya proceeded to use her powerful magic to cast a spell on the sands on the beach she lived. Each grain of sand was given the power of time- the ability to ignore time. Time did physically pass for the heavens and the area around the sands, but never within the beach.
Saniya eventually perished, hundreds of years after, due to a disease. Alamea, who had never been able to grow out of infanthood, died without her mother's care. The spell Saniya had placed never left the sands- only weakened. No longer could they stop time all together an allow a immortal life, but they could tweak time. Years after the two's death, a team of magical archeologists found the sands- and one noticed it's odd abilities once they entered the sands, it felt off. Then, when the left seemingly hours later and found they had been gone for weeks, they knew something was up. After years of research and trial and error, they learned to control the sands power... and turn back the clock.
Harry had been studying the very same things they had, plus anything else he could get his hands on regarding Time Turners, or spells regarding time. In front of him, was the result. A small hour glass, with high magical sands within- each one having been amplified in their ability by Harry... So that they may go further. Closing his eyes, Harry sat down on the floor of the Room of Requirment. He had taken the route from the Hogs Head to get here, for this is where he wanted to leave... At his home, Hogwarts.
Popping the cork of a vial that was beside him, Harry gulped down the potion. It was one he had also developed, and had been working on for weeks. It had taken several doses, so that the change wouldn't be to sudden for his body. For where he was going, Harry was too old. So, while searching Time, he had figured out how to turn back the clock on his body. It only worked for a few years and couldn't be taken excessively without your body being put in an endless cycle of age and de-age... Much like the death eater at the Ministry, Harry reflected. Due to this unfortunate side-effect, Immortality was effectively denied to the drinker. In thought to these risks, Harry had been careful about every ingredient, and every dose. Slowly, for the past four weeks, he had taken one potion each week to decrease himself a half in age per potion. Now, he was pretty much physically 16 once again. Odd.
With the age crisis settled, Harry opened up his eyes and tossed the vile vial away- it tasted awful. Now, he focused on the turner. As the reality of going back, Harry couldn't help but become hyper aware of the shrunken trunk in his pocket that held his belongings in nervousness. Taking a deep breath, he put one hand on the turner, close his eyes, and began to count... 1...2...3... He went slowly, not wanting to mess this up by going on year to early or late. 23 turns later, Harry disappeared from this time line.
Negative 22 years later, he reappeared. In his entrance, he stumbled a moment before righting himself. Blinking, he looked around the room- it was the same room he had left from, the Room of Requirement. Closing his eyes, Harry thought 'I need a Daily Prophet'. Harry then opened his eyes to find a copy on the table. After a moment of examining it, he was pleased to see it was October 1st 1976. Feeling a bit dazed that he was finally here, Harry stumbled out of the room and headed quickly toward the headmaster's office. He needed to speak to Dumbledore... How odd... Dumbledore was alive here.
It didn't take long for Harry to reach the gargoyles that stood guard. This was the only problem, and Harry began listening as many sweets as he could think of- and was surprised and disgruntled to discover that nothing he said worked. He was quiet for a moment, trying to think of a sweet he may have missed. Then, without any further sound from him, the gargoyle jumped aside and the spiral staircase was revealed. Standing behind it, was Dumbledore himself. He looked at Harry at curiously,
"Mr. James Potter," He began sternly, "What have you done this time? Professor McGonagall informed me that you caused quiet the havoc in Charm three days ago, it isn't wise to cause chaos once more so soon." Harry was confused for a moment... What? Then he realized. Oh yeah, he looked pretty much exactly like his father. Dumbledore noticed the confused expression, and then noticed Harry's eyes. "Excuse me, " He apologized, "You look astonishingly alike to another student. Your eyes are a different color though, so I suppose you are a relative of Mr. Potter then?" Regaining his composure Harry replied,
"You could say that." Then he looked past the headmaster up the stairs, "Sir, Could I speak to you alone? I'll explain everything in a moment." Albus quickly motioned for Harry to follow him up the stairs. The staircase carried the two up, back to the office, where Dumbledore went to his desk and waved for Harry to sit. Harry did as he was told,
"If I may so bold to ask, Who are you?" Harry smiled, relieved that he was finally in a place where not everyone knew him,
"My name is Harry p- Granger." Harry figured it was best not to reveal his true last name, despite his appearance. Granger was the first safe last name to come to mind- not known in the Wizarding world.
"I'm afraid I've never met you before, What house and year are you in?" Harry promptly answered,
"Sixth year Gryffindor." Now, Dumbledore smiled- but it wasn't a kind smile. More of a warning- 'Try anything funny and you'll regret it' Dumbledore was getting suspicious.
"Odd." He began slowly, "As I clearly remember there are only four sixth year male Gryffindor as of present- and you are clearly not James, Remus, Peter or Sirius." After a moment of silence, he continued, "Please, tell me the truth, I do not wish to harm a boy your age, but I will not allow any trickery." Harry blinked, before taking a deep breath, and taking a blind leap of faith.
"I'm not from here." He admitted, "And by here, I mean 1976." This was clearly not what Dumbledore had expected. "I'm from the future and I have a mission from the future you to do some things here at Hogwarts regarding students here. I cannot inform you of any the specific, only that I must be place in sixth year Gryffindor, and my name be Harry Granger, or Harold Granger if you want the full name." Harry figured the the small difference in his first name would be better to distinguish himself from his future self. Anyways, Harold Granger flowed much better then Harry Granger. "Also, you favorite jam was raspberry last time I spoke to you." Dumbledore tilted his head for a moment, seeming to be analyzing Harry. Then, he nodded.
"It still is," Albus smiled, "Dinner begins in ten minutes, I shall introduce you to the school then. Professor McGongall will take care of your sleeping arrangements, we must add a new bed to the Gryffindor sixth year dorm." Harry nodded, "I must go down now and inform the other teachers, would you come down and stay around the entrance until I call you in? Try and remain hidden until I announce you." He paused, glancing over Harry, "You could also do with slightly tweaking your appearance, so that it does not appear that James' twin has come to Hogwarts. Only your shorter height and eyes tell the difference." Harry nodded, and Dumbledore then left.
Harry turned and looked at a nearby mirror, trying to figure out what to change. His hair, he particular liked... Sighing, he raised his wand and lightened the color a hint, so that is was more of a dark mahogany, rather then jet-black. Not too different, but different enough. Looking for any other changes to make, he made his nose smaller, along with his ears. Finally, he used a spell to make his detached ear lobes attached. So many subtle differences, made him look quite different. There wasn't a single spell in the world that would make Harry do any drastic changes though, so he still looked related to his father, but not as closely as he had.
Satisfied, the now dark-but-lighter-then-before-haired boy moved away from the mirror and headed down to the great hall. There he waited outside the door, thankfully most of the students were already inside, and the few that quickly entered didn't notice Harry as the boy was standing off to the side, not in view.
It took awhile of waiting, but soon the general babble of the great hall disappeared and Harry moved closer, assuming that Dumbledore had just stood up. He was proven right, as he heard his old mentors voice-
"I must interrupt your chatter for a moment, to make an announcement. We are introducing a new student who had been home schooled up until now. I'm sure you will all make him feel welcome. He is a sixth-year and has already been sorted into Gryffindor." There was a good deal of cheering that erupted, and Harry couldn't help but grin- imagining his father, and two honorary uncles cheering. It seemed Dumbledore was also pleased by this reaction as he continued, "May I introduce Harry Granger." This was his cue, and with a deep breath, Harry entered. Everyone was staring at him.
It was a bit uncomfortable, but not odd. Harry was long since used to the stares, and this was no different then the time he had been pulled out of the goblet of fire, or when he had defeated Voldemort... Or the many months whenever he went into public after Voldemort's defeat.
After a moments of hesitation, Harry looked over and began walking toward the Gryffindor table. Near the center, sat four boys. One the side closest to Harry, was a boy who made Harry feel as if he were looking into a mirror... James was like his twin- except his expression. His face was one of excitement and mischievous curiosity... Beside him, a young Sirius had a similar demeanor- though there was a slight guarded feel in his eyes, Sirius made Harry feel as if he were being analyzed.
Across the table from Harry's father and god father, respectively, Lupin sat. Unlike his two friends, Lupin didn't look particularly happy, he looked worried more then anything, and Harry could understand why. Lupin didn't know Harry knew he was a werewolf.
Then, Harry saw the fourth boy. When he had considered going to the past, he never really thought about how Pettigrew would be there as well, playing the part of a loyal marauder. Harry only barely managed to keep his face from disgust and rage toward the shortest, slightly chubby boy. His eyes were not able to keep up the same facade, and hatred burned in them. Only for a moment though, and Harry figured it, as it was such a flickering emotion and he had only been looking at Peter for that moment.
"Oi! Granger, Over here!" Sirius waved over at Harry, who reacted a moment later he probably should have. Harry had hesitated, expecting Hermione to show up before realizing that he had changed his own last name to Granger. Trying to make up for his hesitation, Harry quickly made his way over to the seat that Sirius gestured to. After a moment, the whole great hall turned to Dumbledore once more, who smiled and merely said,
"Let us, as they say, dig in!" Then he sat down and the chatter of the great hall returned, with an occasional curious glance being thrown toward Harry. James was quick to strike up a conversation,'
"Granger, May I introduce you to your four new roommates?" James then glanced around, sweeping his hand to gesture to his friends, "I'm James, James Potter, the awesomest of this sorry lot."Sirius proceeded to smack James on the head, and James grumbled before grudgingly pointing at Sirius, "The meanie-butt over there is Sirius. Across the table there is our residential book worm Remus and the last of these idiots is Peter." Harry grinned at the others, with the ends of his mouth twitching ever so slightly when he looked at Peter, who was smiling back. Remus was looking more friendly then before, but still guarded. James and Sirius were now sharing identical faces of excitement.
"Why haven't you been in school until now?" Remus asked, ignoring James. Harry hesitated, trying to put together a cover story.
"Er... My Grandmother was a half-blood witch attending Durmstrang during the war against Grindlewald. She didn't particularly like the institute though and when she met my half-blood father from Hogwarts, she decided to homeschool my mother. I was homeschooled as well, but my muggle father died when I was 5, and my mother passed away last year. Grandfather convinced my grandmother to send me to Hogwarts, rather then continuing the homeschooling." There, that seemed to work. Now they all had a slightly empathetic expression, but they accepted my explanation.
"Sorry to hear about your Mum." It was Peter, and Harry managed to give him a curt nod. Thankfully, they took this as a sign that he didn't want to talk about it... not as a sign that Harry was refraining from jumping over the table and strangling the traitor. Sirius jumped in and steered the conversation away from Harry's life by telling Harry that he better get used to pranks, and the rest of dinner passed by them retelling old pranks to Harry rather animatedly- and quizzing him on his own pranking abilities. Harry couldn't help but pop in a few suggestions that Fred and George invented two decades later.
Harry couldn't help but feel at home by the time they had gone up and fell asleep...