The plan was foolproof. Absolutely flawless really. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

There was one small problem, almost not worth mentioning. More of a logistics issue than anything else.

The whole thing was completely impossible.

"I think it's genius, Hermione." Ron cut in rather unhelpfully.

"It would be, if it could even be done." Hermione interrupted with a snort of frustration before clearing her throat to read the disclaimer that was stamped into the front of the book the three Gryffindors had spread out in front of them.

Time travel over a period greater than that allowed by a time turner has never been observed or successfully accomplished. Everything contained in this book is completely speculative in nature and the experiments within should only be attempted in the presence of a qualified time-wizard or an Unspeakable from the Time Division.

"If everything in the book is so theoretical than why do they bother with all that rubbish about qualified wizards and unspeakables?", countered Ron stubbornly.

"They're simply encouraging precautions." Turning back to Harry she continued, "Honestly, Harry. I think we're all wasting our time with this nonsense. There is nothing in that book that is going to allow us to defeat Voldemort and the whole plan is completely mental. . ."

Hermione trailed off as she stared over at Harry who had been silently reading away as she and Ron argued. Except, he wasn't reading anymore. Instead he was hurriedly mixing a potion in one of the cauldrons in the potions classroom that the golden trio were lounging in.

"What's all this?" Ron called out from across the classroom. "Did you find something?"

"Harry, you really shouldn't be messing with these things without a professional . . ." Hermione trailed off again as Harry took a large swig from the now bubbling cauldron.

"Did. . . did you just drink that potion, that you made from a book that you found lying in the middle of Knockturn Alley without even knowing what it does?"

"Don't be absurd, Hermione. Of course I know what it does. It says right here, 'Consumption of this potion is known to cause severe stomach pains, boils, dehydration, death. . .' Wait, no, that's just the side effects."

Harry stopped momentarily and scanned further down the page.

"Here we go! 'The Adeg Gywir potion is an apparently functionless potion that we have on good authority might have been, at some point, part of a rather futile attempt at time travel.'

"Why on earth did you drink that? Are you feeling alright, Harry?" Hermione asked as Harry swayed slightly on his feet.

"Of course. Brilliant." and with that assurance still on his lips, Harry collapsed to the floor in a heap.

Albus Dumbledore wasn't having a good day, in fact the entire week had been quite rubbish, all the way around. Between Umbridge's incessant complaints about the state of discipline in the school, constant Order meetings, and the continuing character assassination attempts from the Daily Prophet, Dumbledore had had quite enough indeed. So, of course, the first person that greeted him as he entered the Great Hall had more bad news to add to the increasing litany of misfortune.

"Good morning, Minerva. Is something the matter?" Dumbledore asked the clearly distraught professor. In fact, it had been a long time since he had seen her so shaken and the knowledge that something had rattled the stern professor was unnerving in itself.

"It's Mr. Potter. He's in the infirmary."

"What happened?"

"Poppy wasn't sure. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley were there as well, jabbering on about a potion and time travel but we can't get a coherent story out of either of them."

The Headmaster and Professor Mcgonagall covered the rest of the distance to the infirmary in silence. And entered the infirmary to find a disheartening scene. Ron's face had taken on a deathly pale colour as he stared off into space and Hermione's was bright red from crying.

"Professor!" Hermione exclaimed as Dumbledore entered the room. "Harry. . . Harry won't wake up and Madam Pomfrey has tried everything and nothing's working. . ."

At that moment, another voice spoke up from behind Dumbledore, "I have managed to recreate the potion that Mr. Potter was foolishly attempting to brew and I can see no reason for it to have the effect on him that it has."

Dumbledore turned towards where Snape was standing in the corner of the infirmary stirring a cauldron full of a stagnant, bluish liquid.

"What was the potion?"

"To be honest, Headmaster, the potion didn't even form properly. The instructions yielded nothing more than unreactive sludge. Mr. Potter must have bungled it as badly as he ruins the potions in my class to get this spectacular of a failure." Snape responded with a small sneer on his face. "I don't see any ingredients here that should be fatal, however, so the boy should recover."

At the Potions Master's pronouncement some of the color returned to Ron's face. "So then why is he unconscious, professor?"

"Perhaps there was some kind of curse on the book itself. Was Harry behaving strangely before he brewed the potion?"

"Now that you mention it, he was being rather insistent about reading the book after he found it. But I just assumed that he was looking for any help he could get against Voldemort." Hermione replied as she handed the book to Dumbledore.

With a sigh Dumbledore flipped the book open.

And then began to leaf aimlessly through the book with a confused expression on his face.

"I could have warned you that the book was full of complete gibberish, Headmaster." Snape intoned from across the room. "The author was clearly a charlatan. None of the potions in the book are even remotely feasible and the section on time travel is hilariously misinformed speculation."

"This book is under a rather powerful version of the Confundus charm. Anyone who attempts to read it, except for the intended recipient, will be encouraged to dismiss its claims as absurd but the target reader will be compelled to follow its instructions."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the entire room, punctuated only by the crackling of Dumbledore's page turning.

"Harry seemed convinced it would work." Ron mumbled from beside the sick bed.

"Yes, I imagine whoever placed the charm on the book wanted Mr. Potter to read the book and follow its instructions."

"Voldemort?"

"We can't be sure until I examine Harry, but it would be a safe assumption." With this ominous pronunciation Dumbledore moved to Harry's bedside and began muttering a series of spells that Hermione had never heard before. After a few moments he turned back to face the group. Gone was the carefree twinkle that was ever present in the old wizard's eyes. Dumbledore's face seemed to be that of a man even older than even his 114 years and it was gripped by an immeasurable sadness.

"I'm afraid Harry is gone."

A.N. Oh look, a cliffhanger. Don't worry, I'm going to post another chapter a little later today so you shouldn't have to wait too long.

Please feel free to leave a review telling me what you thought or pointing out any mistakes. I'm my own beta so any spelling or grammer mistakes are entirely my fault (just so you know who to blame).