Memento Mori

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters.

Summary: An enchanted pocket watch sends Harry in the past. There he finds himself in a quandary, when he falls in love with Ariana Dumbledore. Can the young wizard save Dumbledore's sister from her fate or was she destined to die? (AU story).

Timeline: After the events of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Chapter one: Tempus Fugit

Hogwarts
Great Hall

Harry looked at his friends and sighed. Sadness was etched in every face around him. Cedric Diggory was dead, murdered by Lord Voldermort.

He was young and full of life, Harry pinched his eyes closed and clenched his teeth, as the memory overwhelmed him.

Kill the spare!

Harry still could feel the smell of death. The sight of Cedric lying lifeless on the ground would haunt him for the rest of his life.

"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked softly, gently resting her hand over his shoulder.

Harry opened his eyes and sighed heavily. "No," he let out in a whisper and walked out.

Dumbledore's office

"Harry," Dumbledore looked at him in concern. "You're pale…"

"It should be me," Harry said.

Dumbledore frowned. "What?"

"He should be here, alive… It's not fair," Harry muttered.

Dumbledore looked at him sympathetically. "Oh, Harry… Don't do this to yourself. Voldemort killed Cedric, not you."

"I know," Harry nodded. "But… let's face the facts… Voldemort wants me… Cedric didn't deserve this fate…"

"No, he didn't," Dumbledore said softly.

"I wish I could find a way to fix this…" Harry muttered.

Dumbledore looked at him in concern. "Cedric is gone… All of us will miss him. He lived a short life, it's true. But it was a life full of goodness and kindness. And it's all that matters…"

"I'm tired… He was so young… Like my parents… It's not right," Harry said angrily.

"Believe me, Harry. I know how you're feeling… But everything will be fine, time heals all wounds," Dumbledore assured him.

"You know how I feel?" Harry frowned.

"I lost a loved one too soon… Two loved ones to be precisely… I thought I would never recovery, but here I am in front of you…" he said quietly.

"You lost members of your family," Harry rubbed the back of his neck.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "I lost my sister and… the only person I give my heart," he quietly admitted.

Harry's face contorted in surprise. He always thought of Dumbledore as the headmaster of Hogwarts and the powerful wizard. He never imagined the old man falling in love with someone.

"Oh, Harry… Once upon a time I was a young teenager full of dreams," he let put a sad smile. "But now it's not the time to talk about it…"

Harry cleared his throat. The young wizard could read the sadness in Dumbledore's eyes. Certainly, it was a painful subject for the headmaster. "I'll go to my room… Tomorrow, I'll go back home…"

Dumbledore nodded. "Good night, Harry…"

"Good night, sir…"

Gryffindor boys' dormitory

"Hey, Harry..." Ron murmured. "Where were you have been?"

"I was talking to Dumbledore," Harry quietly explained. "I'm tired. I'm going to sleep…"

"Harry…" Ron muttered.

"What?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Hey, I wanna sleep!" Neville complained.

"I need to show you something," Ron said. "C'mon," he pointed to the door.

Harry rolled his eyes and followed his friend. They walked to the common room. "What happened, Ron… I'm tired," Harry said.

"I found this today," Ron said, showing a small clock to Harry. "It was hiding behind a book, in the library…"

Harry frowned. "Oh, someone lost his watch…" he said, as he stared at the pocket watch in Ron's hands.

"No," Ron muttered impatiently. "I think it's magical… There's an inscription inside it," he opened the pocket watch and gave it to his friend.

"Tempus fugit: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero," Harry read the inscription out loud. "What does this mean?"

"It's Latin," Ron explained. "It means something like Time Flies: Seize the day, put very little trust in the future," he explained solemnly.

"Since when do you know Latin?" Harry frowned.

Ron shrugged. "I don't know Latin. I found the translation on a book in the library… What do you think this pocket watch does?"

"I don't know," Harry said. "Maybe we should ask to Dumbledore…" he said staring at the pocket again. "Wow!"

"What?" Ron asked.

"The inscription is gone… Another one is appearing," Harry said in awe.

"Tempus rerum imperator," Harry read and inscription changed again.

"Harry…" Ron muttered in fear. "What's happening?"

"Another inscription is appearing… Tempus volat, hora fugit," Harry said and the clock started to go backwards.

"Harry?" Ron's face contorted in confusion.

A circle of blue fire appeared around Harry. "Ron…" he muttered and disappeared.

"Harry," Ron's voice was barely audible. His friend disappeared in front of his eyes and he had a feeling the enchanted watch had something to do with this.

Oh crap!