1944

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.

The wind unfurled around them, tingling their cheeks and ruffling their hair. They landed in a tangled mess near the tree that they had previously been under. At first glance, it appeared the same, the bark still a dark, almost black, shade, which contrasted nicely with the light green leaves hanging from its many branches, creating a large shady, almost protective and assuring, circle around its trunk. However, upon another glance, its subtle differences were clear. The tree appeared a bit younger, with less gnarled roots.

The group made their way to the edge of the circle, reluctant to step outside of it. They stared out at the vast navy blue waters of the great lake, sparkling and rippling in the rosy light of the setting September sun. Standing in a line, DM HG RW HP GW NL LL and PP, each closed their eyes, reached out and grabbed onto each other's hands, took a breath, and began making their way towards the castle.

They savored the silence that hung in the air around them, so different from the sounds of death that they had left behind. In the air between them hung an understanding of the task that they had come here to establish, to stop the dark lord and his death eaters from gaining prominence.

As they approached the castle's entrance, the sound of students shuffling out of the great hall could be heard. They walked up to the doors of the school, open as if they were expected. Letting go of each other's hands, they closed the space at their sides by drawing closer, with Harry at their center.

Once inside, they were stopped by Dumbledore, who happened to be conveniently stepping out of the great hall at that moment. His eyes twinkled as he approached them.

Harry stepped in front of the group, who watched warily from behind him, hoping that he did not slip up and mess with Dumbledore's memory by mistake.

"Sir, may we speak to you in your office?" Harry questioned.

"I do not have an office," Dumbledore spoke, "but you are welcome to join me in my classroom. Right this way," he lead.

The group followed behind him, earning stares from students on their way to their afternoon classes.

Upon reaching Dumbledore's transfiguration classroom, they were surprised by the clutter of various objects, so different from the organization of Professor McGonnagall's classroom back in their time. Dumbledore casually perched on his desk, waving his hand and transfiguring the desks at the front of the room into comfortable lemon yellow sofas for the group. Forgetting that they were in a different time, they lost themselves in Dumbledore's traditional hospitality and sat themselves down in the order that they had walked in.

Hermione half expected Dumbledore to offer them lemon drops. Nostalgic, she looked down as tears threatened to fall. Her hands lay shaking in her lap.

Draco, ever the perceptive one, grabbed her right hand and held it loosely at their side, away from the views of the others. Before she had the chance to give Draco a thankful smile, a lemon drop appeared in her mouth. She almost spit it out, but then remembered the words of Dumbledore before they had left.

" Do not be surprised if a lemon drop appears every so often during your trip, Ms. Granger," he hinted, "know that I will always be watching over you."

She smiled to herself, and finally looked up at Dumbledore, giving him her attention.

"May I ask your names and your purpose for coming to Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" questioned Dumbledore kindly.

"Before we answer Sir, may we know the year," Ron asked, unable to restrain his curiosity any longer.

An imperceptible hint of astonishment flashed through Dumbledore's eyes, but was gone in the next instant, replaced with disbelief and a practical mindset.

"What he's trying to say, Professor, is do we look alright? Do our clothes fit in with the times?" Parvati queried, "my mother always said that the proper clothes are necessary to advance in any situation.

Ginny rolled her eyes at Parvati's words.

"It is 1944," Dumbledore finally spoke, "Your clothes are not those of the time, but I am sure that we can fix that matter as soon as I understand your situation."

"We realize this may be hard to believe, Sir," Hermione ventured to say, "but we are from the future. We were given a task by your future self and have come to the past to complete it."

"Say no more," Dumbledore hurriedly cautioned, "unless my future self has advised you to tell me. Informing me of more than is necessary may mess with my memory, and in turn, with time. Now, what is it that I may do to aid you in completing your task?"

"Well, Sir, in case you have not noticed, we are without food, proper clothing, shelter, and of course, mirrors," Draco quickly remarked.

Upon receiving an evil stare from Harry, he went on to point at him and say to Dumbledore, "and as we can all clearly see from the state of things, my friend over there needs a mirror to help him untangle that mess he calls hair." Lavender nodded in agreement.

Harry consciously ran his hands through his hair, unknowingly ruffling it all the more, and Draco received an elbowing from Hermione. He grinned back sheepishly.

"What he's trying to say, professor, is that we would appreciate it if you would allow us to stay here at Hogwarts and attend classes like regular students," Hermione rephrased.

"It would be my pleasure. What were your names again?"

"Draconius McCallister, Hermione Glarette, Ronaldo Windsor, Harry Preston, Ginevra Windsor, Neville Leavenworth, Luna Lille, and Parvati Paisle," Hermione replied quickly, remembering that Dumbledore had warned against revealing their last names in case they ran into their ancestors. The group, recognizing her motives, remained quiet and unperturbed.

"Well, it is nice to meet all of you. I will briefly speak to Headmaster Dippet about having you eight sorted during dinner. There is some time until then. I have no more classes to teach in the afternoon and will leave you to occupy yourself with plans and the like while I stroll the grounds outside. Before I leave, I will place a silencing spell and a lock on the door so that only you eight and I may enter and go until then. However, do try to remain inside and come up with a story to explain why you eight are here so that the students and staff alike do not become suspicious. When you go to your common rooms tonight, you will find all needed belongings at the foot of your beds. I leave you to your own devices until then. I will return with a change of clothes twenty minutes before dinner, " Dumbledore advised and assured before leaving the classroom.

"Bow down to me, " Ron exclaimed after the professor had left, "Hermione has just dubbed me royalty. Windsor, she says…"

Reviews updates. hint hint! Ideas of what you would like to read would be appreciated more than praise, though I don't object to that either. & remember, this will be mostly TRHG so ideas about that specifically would be nice.

Next chapter: sorting, dinner, and intro to tom (& anything else you guys can think of…)