Before the Final Battle
Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Past
"1978"
No sooner had she said it, she began to turn the hourglass over, again and again, until she'd done it about 20 times.
As soon as she'd finished turning the time turner, Harry's world started to swirl, and his vision blurred. Then everything went black
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Harry!"
Harry turned over, groaning at the bright flashes of light flying across, glowing through his eyelids.
"Harry! Come on, hurry, we need to get out of here!"
Suddenly, Harry recognized the voice as Ginny's. His eyes snapped open, and he glanced around at his settings. He saw that it was the village of Hogsmeade, but it looked slightly different... Then he remembered.
"Harry! Hurry up, you've got to come! Quick! Hermione's hurt!"
When Harry heard Ginny shout that, he jumped up and ran as fast as he could after being knocked out on the floor, over to where he saw Hermione sprawled out.
With Ron and Ginny's help, Harry managed to carry Hermione up to the gates of Hogwarts. The bright flashes of the attack flew around them, but Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were being pretty much ignored. Ron took up the rear, sending the odd, disguised curse over his shoulder at the Death Eaters behind them.
The group hurried up the Hogwarts drive, knowing that no Death Eaters would be able to follow them due to the castle's great protection wards. Not certain if they would be able to get through without setting the security off, Ron hurried them forward.
They hurried up first to Dumbledore's office, knowing that he would be there, even if it wasn't the start of term yet. Once they got to the statue of the Gargoyle, however, they got stuck.
"Erm..."
"Sherbet Lemon! Cockroach Cluster! Fizzing Whizbees! Liquorice Wand! Sugar Quill!"
At Harry's last guess, the gargoyle sprung to life and let the startled group through. Well, ¾ startled, for Hermione was still too out of it to count, really. But she would have been startled if she had been awake.
"Sugar Quill?" Ginny asked. "I didn't think that teachers would approve of those!"
"This is Dumbledore we're talking about," Harry reminded her. "He's not exactly your standard teacher, is he?"
"S'pose," Ginny mumbled, as they all rose up the spiral staircase.
When they got to the top, Harry knocked on the grand oak door that lead to Dumbledore's office.
"Enter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny bit her lip apprehensively, as she entered the Headmaster's office. She wasn't sure how this story would go down, especially seeing as there was a Death Eater attack going on outside. The it struck Ginny as curious that Dumbledore wasn't out there.
Of course, this all fit together when she entered the office behind Harry, clinging onto his hand, feeling very nervous. She had put the voice difference to Dumbledore being younger here, but she now saw that it wasn't, in fact, Dumbledore at all. It was a complete stranger.
Harry and Ginny exchanged looks.
"Excuse me," Harry started. "Do you know where Professor Dumbledore is?"
The man behind the desk smiled.
"I do," he replied, a bemused smile playing across his face. "I would expect that he is in his office. You're a bit early, you see. He wont be in this office until the start of the new year." He suddenly spotted Hermione in Ron's arms. "Who is this? I don't recognize you... Are you new here? Is she? What is wrong with her?"
Ron looked at the others, and they made a silent agreement to stay evasive.
"Well, that's what we need to see Professor Dumbledore about," Ron replied, trying to keep his face trained to an unreadable look. "He knows what to do for her. It's...it's an allergy. Muggle thing," he added, seeing the old man's confused look. "So... so we'll go and look for him, then," Ron said, edging out of the office.
"Yes, yes, certainly," the man said, smiling kindly.
Ginny smiled back, and lead the others down the spiral staircase.
"Well," said Ron. "I never thought that there would be another teacher as barmy as Dumbledore. Sugar Quills! That really is absurd for anyone other than Dumbledore."
"I do thank you, Mr Weasley, for the recognition."
Ron spun around, coming face to face with Albus Dumbledore himself. His mustache was quivering in silent laughter.
"Um..." Ron began.
"Oh, I do apologize," Dumbledore said, looking very surprised. "I could have sworn you were someone else, then. In fact, I still could." He peered at Ron through his half-moon spectacles.
"Oh, no, Professor," a weak voice whispered hoarsely. Hermione was barely heard, for she had only just come around. "We... we are new students. We're transferring. We need to speak to you about it."
Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes surveyed Hermione carefully.
"Please come this way. I think we shall stop at the Hospital Wing, before proceeding any further. Perhaps you could explain there?"
"No," Ginny answered quickly. "We might be overheard. If it is at all possible, we would be grateful if you would spare us a few minutes... I am sure that the Hospital Wing is jam-packed with injuries."
"Not at all," Dumbledore replied. "To both things. Of course I will spare you some time, but the Hospital Wing is currently empty. Seeing as term hasn't started yet, no students were injured, and even if they had been, they would go to a proper hospital. The matron will not arrive for another week. So it is private enough, I believe."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. "We really are very grateful. This is very, very important."
The Transfiguration teacher nodded, and opened the door to the Hospital Wing. They all entered.
"So," Dumbledore began. "Please explain to me your situation. You are not from this time, are you?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry gaped. How on Earth did Dumbledore know that, without even asking for their names?
"Are you from the past?"
Hermione sat up in the bed that Ron had put her in.
"No, Professor. Are you sure that this place is completely impossible to eavesdrop on?" she asked, a skeptical look o her face. "If this information got into the wrong hands, then it could be lethal..."
Dumbledore cast a silencing charm over the ward, then turned back to Hermione.
"Could you explain it to me?"
"We can," Hermione replied. "We are not from the past, we are from the future. On a mission, as it were.
"My name is Hermione Granger. You wont recognize that name, because I am muggle-born. These two are Ron and Ginny Weasley. I expect that that is why you were about to call Ron 'Arthur'. Ron is Arthur and Molly's son. And Ginny is Ron's younger sister."
Dumbledore looked highly amused.
"Well actually I was rather about to call Miss Weasley 'Miss Evans'."
"Mum?" Harry asked. "I suppose Ginny does look a lot like her."
"So, let me guess, you're a Potter?" Dumbledore asked Harry.
Harry grinned.
"And this," Hermione said. "Is Harry Potter, son of Lily and James Potter. But Professor, we have some bad news. Both died a few years later. In a few years. Well, you know what I mean..."
"Indeed I do," Dumbledore smiled warmly. "Do continue."
"No doubt you know about Voldemort," Hermione said, and Dumbledore's eyes flashed at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "Yes, seemingly so... Well, in the year 1998, Voldemort was destroyed. Will be... whatever. You get the gist. Well, it was all part of a prophesy-"
At this, Dumbledore cut Hermione off.
"The Prophecy of Kings... yes, I had an idea that that is what you came for. The Great One... would that be you Mr Potter?" At a nod from Harry, Dumbledore continued his predictions. "Miss Weasley, you are then the Seer. So that leaves the courageous Griffin as Mr Weasley, and Miss Granger as the Knowledge." Dumbledore's mustache twitched. "I had surmised as much, as it happens. So, your here to bring back your chosen ones? That would be Lily, James, Arthur, Molly... and your chosen four?"
"That's right, Professor," Hermione nodded. "And our chosen four are Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape and...er...you," she finished, looking at the soon-to-be Headmaster.
"Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "Ah, of course," Dumbledore said, nodding in understanding. "You have seen the outcome of the war... He has been acting very strangely lately.."
"He hasn't turned spy yet?" Harry asked.
"Spy? Apparently not, Mr Potter," Dumbledore replied thoughtfully. "That all makes sense now... a good choice of people... but I must ask if you think that I am the right decision. I am rather getting on now, an I doubt that I shall be of any use..."
"That's nonsense!" Ginny blurted out. "You are the only reason that we were alive to come and get you!"
Dumbledore chuckled. "You flatter me, Miss Weasley."
"Hold on," Hermione said suddenly. "Ginny isn't a Seer, is she?"
Dumbledore looked sharply at Ginny.
"That was the only perception I could get of the prophecy. Unless I am mistaken... There is the possibility that you have not shown the skills yet..."
Ginny blushed, and looked nervously over at Harry.
"No, you're right Professor. I am a Seer, but I only discovered that just before we left. I saw a vision of Harry coming over to where I was, so I used the energy I had to call him over. But that's the only time. I only recognised it as a vision when you said that earlier. But will I be able to get visions here?"
Then a look of understanding passed over Dumbledore's face.
"Miss Granger," he began. "Do you remember the line of the prophecy that talks about not being able to accept help?" When Hermione nodded, Dumbledore continued. "Well, I'm sure that you know that the translation is slightly patchy. The other meaning of 'Aligna' is 'gift'."
Hermione's eyes widened.
"So we can accept help, it's just that we are without Ginny's gift! Ginny wont get visions! Of course! But that's brilliant, if we can accept help! Plus Ginny, you wont have to go through any more visions! This is great news!"
Ginny soon caught on, and (to Dumbledore's great amusement) joined Hermione in a victory jig. When they remembered that Dumbledore was still there, both girls sat down very quickly. Dumbledore chuckled at their antics, then turned to the group.
"Well, I will assign you to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position-"
"Hold on," Ron interrupted. "Aren't we going to be students?"
"I think that that would attract too many questions. It would be too easy for one of you to slip up with the wrong previous school. Plus, you are all more than qualified for the position." Dumbledore smiled at their shocked faces. "Is that all right with you all?"
"Yes, that's fine, Professor," Hermione breathed.
All four of them were too surprised to say anything more, so Dumbledore removed the silencing charm, and left the Hospital Wing.
"Well," Ron said. "This will be interesting, if not absolutely hilarious." He burst into fits of hysterical laughter. "Imagine all of the points we can take from Slytherin now! Excellent! Welcome to the past!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Well, what do you think? Good? Or not? Please review, and tell me! I'll love you forever! Please?
Fair enough if that doesn't encourage you (if not put you off all together), but please review, because I don't know if I'm doing it right or wrong! I need help! (And please, no jokes on that. I am well aware that that is a very appropriate pun. So don't remind me.)
Review, review, review!
Thank you to Whiteriver, I'm afraid that I already had this chapter written, so I couldn't emphasize your point about sadness. I know what you mean, but if you think about it, they had already known what would happen for a few weeks now. And they would probably get more upset when they were alone, but if you want, I'll make a thing of it. I have an idea that I could add in if you want. Review with your opinion!
Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Past
"1978"
No sooner had she said it, she began to turn the hourglass over, again and again, until she'd done it about 20 times.
As soon as she'd finished turning the time turner, Harry's world started to swirl, and his vision blurred. Then everything went black
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Harry!"
Harry turned over, groaning at the bright flashes of light flying across, glowing through his eyelids.
"Harry! Come on, hurry, we need to get out of here!"
Suddenly, Harry recognized the voice as Ginny's. His eyes snapped open, and he glanced around at his settings. He saw that it was the village of Hogsmeade, but it looked slightly different... Then he remembered.
"Harry! Hurry up, you've got to come! Quick! Hermione's hurt!"
When Harry heard Ginny shout that, he jumped up and ran as fast as he could after being knocked out on the floor, over to where he saw Hermione sprawled out.
With Ron and Ginny's help, Harry managed to carry Hermione up to the gates of Hogwarts. The bright flashes of the attack flew around them, but Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were being pretty much ignored. Ron took up the rear, sending the odd, disguised curse over his shoulder at the Death Eaters behind them.
The group hurried up the Hogwarts drive, knowing that no Death Eaters would be able to follow them due to the castle's great protection wards. Not certain if they would be able to get through without setting the security off, Ron hurried them forward.
They hurried up first to Dumbledore's office, knowing that he would be there, even if it wasn't the start of term yet. Once they got to the statue of the Gargoyle, however, they got stuck.
"Erm..."
"Sherbet Lemon! Cockroach Cluster! Fizzing Whizbees! Liquorice Wand! Sugar Quill!"
At Harry's last guess, the gargoyle sprung to life and let the startled group through. Well, ¾ startled, for Hermione was still too out of it to count, really. But she would have been startled if she had been awake.
"Sugar Quill?" Ginny asked. "I didn't think that teachers would approve of those!"
"This is Dumbledore we're talking about," Harry reminded her. "He's not exactly your standard teacher, is he?"
"S'pose," Ginny mumbled, as they all rose up the spiral staircase.
When they got to the top, Harry knocked on the grand oak door that lead to Dumbledore's office.
"Enter."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ginny bit her lip apprehensively, as she entered the Headmaster's office. She wasn't sure how this story would go down, especially seeing as there was a Death Eater attack going on outside. The it struck Ginny as curious that Dumbledore wasn't out there.
Of course, this all fit together when she entered the office behind Harry, clinging onto his hand, feeling very nervous. She had put the voice difference to Dumbledore being younger here, but she now saw that it wasn't, in fact, Dumbledore at all. It was a complete stranger.
Harry and Ginny exchanged looks.
"Excuse me," Harry started. "Do you know where Professor Dumbledore is?"
The man behind the desk smiled.
"I do," he replied, a bemused smile playing across his face. "I would expect that he is in his office. You're a bit early, you see. He wont be in this office until the start of the new year." He suddenly spotted Hermione in Ron's arms. "Who is this? I don't recognize you... Are you new here? Is she? What is wrong with her?"
Ron looked at the others, and they made a silent agreement to stay evasive.
"Well, that's what we need to see Professor Dumbledore about," Ron replied, trying to keep his face trained to an unreadable look. "He knows what to do for her. It's...it's an allergy. Muggle thing," he added, seeing the old man's confused look. "So... so we'll go and look for him, then," Ron said, edging out of the office.
"Yes, yes, certainly," the man said, smiling kindly.
Ginny smiled back, and lead the others down the spiral staircase.
"Well," said Ron. "I never thought that there would be another teacher as barmy as Dumbledore. Sugar Quills! That really is absurd for anyone other than Dumbledore."
"I do thank you, Mr Weasley, for the recognition."
Ron spun around, coming face to face with Albus Dumbledore himself. His mustache was quivering in silent laughter.
"Um..." Ron began.
"Oh, I do apologize," Dumbledore said, looking very surprised. "I could have sworn you were someone else, then. In fact, I still could." He peered at Ron through his half-moon spectacles.
"Oh, no, Professor," a weak voice whispered hoarsely. Hermione was barely heard, for she had only just come around. "We... we are new students. We're transferring. We need to speak to you about it."
Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes surveyed Hermione carefully.
"Please come this way. I think we shall stop at the Hospital Wing, before proceeding any further. Perhaps you could explain there?"
"No," Ginny answered quickly. "We might be overheard. If it is at all possible, we would be grateful if you would spare us a few minutes... I am sure that the Hospital Wing is jam-packed with injuries."
"Not at all," Dumbledore replied. "To both things. Of course I will spare you some time, but the Hospital Wing is currently empty. Seeing as term hasn't started yet, no students were injured, and even if they had been, they would go to a proper hospital. The matron will not arrive for another week. So it is private enough, I believe."
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. "We really are very grateful. This is very, very important."
The Transfiguration teacher nodded, and opened the door to the Hospital Wing. They all entered.
"So," Dumbledore began. "Please explain to me your situation. You are not from this time, are you?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry gaped. How on Earth did Dumbledore know that, without even asking for their names?
"Are you from the past?"
Hermione sat up in the bed that Ron had put her in.
"No, Professor. Are you sure that this place is completely impossible to eavesdrop on?" she asked, a skeptical look o her face. "If this information got into the wrong hands, then it could be lethal..."
Dumbledore cast a silencing charm over the ward, then turned back to Hermione.
"Could you explain it to me?"
"We can," Hermione replied. "We are not from the past, we are from the future. On a mission, as it were.
"My name is Hermione Granger. You wont recognize that name, because I am muggle-born. These two are Ron and Ginny Weasley. I expect that that is why you were about to call Ron 'Arthur'. Ron is Arthur and Molly's son. And Ginny is Ron's younger sister."
Dumbledore looked highly amused.
"Well actually I was rather about to call Miss Weasley 'Miss Evans'."
"Mum?" Harry asked. "I suppose Ginny does look a lot like her."
"So, let me guess, you're a Potter?" Dumbledore asked Harry.
Harry grinned.
"And this," Hermione said. "Is Harry Potter, son of Lily and James Potter. But Professor, we have some bad news. Both died a few years later. In a few years. Well, you know what I mean..."
"Indeed I do," Dumbledore smiled warmly. "Do continue."
"No doubt you know about Voldemort," Hermione said, and Dumbledore's eyes flashed at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "Yes, seemingly so... Well, in the year 1998, Voldemort was destroyed. Will be... whatever. You get the gist. Well, it was all part of a prophesy-"
At this, Dumbledore cut Hermione off.
"The Prophecy of Kings... yes, I had an idea that that is what you came for. The Great One... would that be you Mr Potter?" At a nod from Harry, Dumbledore continued his predictions. "Miss Weasley, you are then the Seer. So that leaves the courageous Griffin as Mr Weasley, and Miss Granger as the Knowledge." Dumbledore's mustache twitched. "I had surmised as much, as it happens. So, your here to bring back your chosen ones? That would be Lily, James, Arthur, Molly... and your chosen four?"
"That's right, Professor," Hermione nodded. "And our chosen four are Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape and...er...you," she finished, looking at the soon-to-be Headmaster.
"Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "Ah, of course," Dumbledore said, nodding in understanding. "You have seen the outcome of the war... He has been acting very strangely lately.."
"He hasn't turned spy yet?" Harry asked.
"Spy? Apparently not, Mr Potter," Dumbledore replied thoughtfully. "That all makes sense now... a good choice of people... but I must ask if you think that I am the right decision. I am rather getting on now, an I doubt that I shall be of any use..."
"That's nonsense!" Ginny blurted out. "You are the only reason that we were alive to come and get you!"
Dumbledore chuckled. "You flatter me, Miss Weasley."
"Hold on," Hermione said suddenly. "Ginny isn't a Seer, is she?"
Dumbledore looked sharply at Ginny.
"That was the only perception I could get of the prophecy. Unless I am mistaken... There is the possibility that you have not shown the skills yet..."
Ginny blushed, and looked nervously over at Harry.
"No, you're right Professor. I am a Seer, but I only discovered that just before we left. I saw a vision of Harry coming over to where I was, so I used the energy I had to call him over. But that's the only time. I only recognised it as a vision when you said that earlier. But will I be able to get visions here?"
Then a look of understanding passed over Dumbledore's face.
"Miss Granger," he began. "Do you remember the line of the prophecy that talks about not being able to accept help?" When Hermione nodded, Dumbledore continued. "Well, I'm sure that you know that the translation is slightly patchy. The other meaning of 'Aligna' is 'gift'."
Hermione's eyes widened.
"So we can accept help, it's just that we are without Ginny's gift! Ginny wont get visions! Of course! But that's brilliant, if we can accept help! Plus Ginny, you wont have to go through any more visions! This is great news!"
Ginny soon caught on, and (to Dumbledore's great amusement) joined Hermione in a victory jig. When they remembered that Dumbledore was still there, both girls sat down very quickly. Dumbledore chuckled at their antics, then turned to the group.
"Well, I will assign you to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position-"
"Hold on," Ron interrupted. "Aren't we going to be students?"
"I think that that would attract too many questions. It would be too easy for one of you to slip up with the wrong previous school. Plus, you are all more than qualified for the position." Dumbledore smiled at their shocked faces. "Is that all right with you all?"
"Yes, that's fine, Professor," Hermione breathed.
All four of them were too surprised to say anything more, so Dumbledore removed the silencing charm, and left the Hospital Wing.
"Well," Ron said. "This will be interesting, if not absolutely hilarious." He burst into fits of hysterical laughter. "Imagine all of the points we can take from Slytherin now! Excellent! Welcome to the past!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Well, what do you think? Good? Or not? Please review, and tell me! I'll love you forever! Please?
Fair enough if that doesn't encourage you (if not put you off all together), but please review, because I don't know if I'm doing it right or wrong! I need help! (And please, no jokes on that. I am well aware that that is a very appropriate pun. So don't remind me.)
Review, review, review!
Thank you to Whiteriver, I'm afraid that I already had this chapter written, so I couldn't emphasize your point about sadness. I know what you mean, but if you think about it, they had already known what would happen for a few weeks now. And they would probably get more upset when they were alone, but if you want, I'll make a thing of it. I have an idea that I could add in if you want. Review with your opinion!
