Some time ago about three hundred very strange teenagers were milling about Kings Cross Station, often in funny cloaks and pointy hats. In pairs and small groups they disappeared, and reappeared on a very different magical platform. The train was cold and not ready to leave for an hour; so three particular teenagers withdrew from the group and headed down the track. The only girl in the trio had pouffy brown hair and a nose that turned up at the tip. The taller of the boys had vibrant red hair and many, many freckles. The last boy was skinny and wiry and his jet-black hair was always messy. Together they were three of the most famous wizards of their time.
Hermione's face warmed with one of her rare real smiles, usually reserved for complicated homework and these two boys alone. She had her arm around Ron who was a little red on his cheeks. Harry glanced back over his shoulder before leaning in and switching his electric green gaze from Hermione's brown eyes to Ron's blue ones.
"I guess we'll just use the Room of Requirement for meetings." Hermione nodded to Harry's idea.
Ron replied, "That sounds good to me." Hermione smiled again and opened her book bag, the intelligent thought that just resurfaced in her organized brain no doubt being the cause. She had a time turner around her neck again, but not from the school this time.
"Here, Harry, I finished this and we have to go over it all, soon." She let go of Ron and took a step towards Harry, holding out the book in front of her. He reached for it, and suddenly everything went to hell. A great flash of light and a deep booming sound crashed against the trio and everything went blood red and then dark.
-:-
Harry woke up to the sound soft sobs. He sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes. His vision was burry and he had to feel around a moment for his glasses. Everything looked dusty and aged. That was his first impression. He was lying in the gutter next to the train tracks. Tightening his stomach muscles, he sat up and saw black marks all around him like a fire had scorched the concrete. And the crying sound was dull in the background.
Sitting up, Harry saw Hermione a few yards away, sitting up and hunched over her leg. She was shivering a little and he could see blood. Instantly adrenaline was flooding his veins and he scrambled up, reaching her in a second. Her ankle was broken and blood had seeped from a nasty looking cut. Harry wiped his hands off and pulled out his wand. She looked up at him, determination showing in her eyes even when she was scared and in pain. She nodded at his wand and he muttered a spell they had both worked on just months earlier.
"That'll need more attention." He said, even though she must already know that. She steadied her breath and pulled herself up to sit on the curb.
"What happened, and where's Ron?" She wiped off her tears and glared at them now across her hand. Harry looked around, a dry wind hitting his face.
He just shrugged. "This looks like Kings Cross, but it can't be."
Hermione stood and grimaced. "Come on." She pulled him up. The whole place gave her a creepy feeling and she had had enough hard lessons that taught her to listen to her intuition. She pulled him along for a few yards, looking warily around. The sound of soft footsteps was echoing and Hermione shivered. Her skin crawled. She bit her lip to not make a sound as she limped on her ankle.
Harry grasped her arm and held her up. Shadows were cast as a group of people came around the corner and he felt a sense of urgency in his throat. They swung around the nearest column and Hermione whispered a disillusionment charm.
Out came a line of hooded men. Hermione felt Harry hold her at the waist to keep her standing and quiet. The men were sort of marching, and they had white and gold birds across the front of their black robes. It was obviously a phoenix. Hermione's hold on his arm tightened sharply.
There were only five of them and they fanned around. Hermione held her breath from the combination of fear, confusion, and pain.
The men seemed to be patrolling where they have to and hurrying to get out of there. But then one of them yelled hoarsely. He levitated a figure up from the track a good twenty yards from where Harry had woken up.
Red hair flashed and Hermione choked on the air in her chest and throat and suppressed a cry. She couldn't help it and started to jerk forward. Harry held onto her tight and held her back against him.
It was Ron, and Hermione fought against Harry, barely able to keep quiet. The men chatted for a while and then left, taking Ron with them.
Hermione crumpled the second Harry let go of her, sobs returning. Tears ran down her face quietly, just the sound of her breathing catching because she was crying.
Harry knelt down to gather her up and she caught his gaze with an intense look in her eyes – all pain. "Did you see? He wasn't breathing! He wasn't breathing!" She spit the last sentence out and sucked in breath for another rough exhaling accompanying tears.
It was then that it hit Harry that Ron was gone. He wanted to run after them and find out for sure, but he knew what he had seen. Ron was his best friend and the only one who knew how he felt about everything: his life, the prophecy, and Sirius dying. Harry screwed up his face and swallowed everything. There was more at hand than his emotions.
He picked Hermione up. She was shaking and holding her ankle and he knew she couldn't walk. They had to get out of here. He headed towards where the exit should be into the muggle train station.
He stepped through the barrier and glanced down as Hermione pushed off his chest. "I'm okay." She stood leaning against him and tested her weight on her ankle. "We have to figure this out." Her eyes were bright red as she glanced from Harry to both ends of the station.
The whole place was empty and a train half off the tracks rested against a curb. Hermione rubbed her arms and headed towards the street. Harry stopped her. "Let's apparate somewhere like Diagon Alley." She nodded but froze.
Hermione limped a few steps to a newspaper dispenser and took out a copy of the free local paper. Her mouth stayed open and she held it out to Harry. The date was 2008.
chapter2 is half-done. but i write quickly. if i get lots of reviews, i can crank out a chapter every three-five days. please review, i know its needy or whatever, but i really do need support. so just leave me a note. and i really can take critisim ;)