Chapter 3
Voices In My Head

Author's Note: One of the non-canon things this story is going to have, is that the characters (at least Harry and Ginny because they're predicament has given them side-effects that will be explained in story) can Apparate without a wand and do spells of their own without a wand, though it will be a lot less powerful. I tried to figure out a way to go through my plans for the next couple of chapters without doing this, but I couldn't, so I had to resort to this. Also, in Ginny's PoV I will refer to her parents as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. I've always done it like this in my stories so I don't confuse myself.

Q&A Time:

Q: I was hoping that Ron and Hermione would also besent back but I guess that's not happening.

A: At the very beginning of creating this story, when I was going through my thoughts on what I should do, I had debated whether Ron and Hermione would Harry and Ginny from the future. I had seen stories with either the trio or the trio and Ginny, but I decided just Harry and Ginny. Ron and Hermione will have a lot to do with this story, and (a bit of a spoiler), they will be two of the characters who, at one point, learn Harry and Ginny's secret. The only question is when? As for that… you'll have to wait and find out.

(Harry's PoV)

Harry gasped, taking in deep thankful breaths of air. For a moment, he thought he was blind, but he soon realized it was just completely dark. He then realized he was no longer in the water, nor did he think he was in the Time Chamber.

"G-Ginny?" Harry called out.

His voice echoed off the walls surrounding him. He seemed to be in a very small room, but that wasn't what had worried him most. He put a hand to his throat: his voice sounded strange… almost squeaky. Perhaps an after-effect of nearly drowning?

Suddenly, the sound of scraping metal was heard and light shone into the small room. He covered his eyes and when he looked again, he saw that the light was coming through a small metal grate in a doorway.

"Get up!" a voice commanded, "Now!"

Harry almost screamed. He had not heard that voice in almost three years. It was the voice of his Aunt Petunia. Harry's mind raced as he wondered what was going on.

An impossible thought went to the front of his mind and he didn't want to believe it at first. He reached his hand up and felt around. His fingers hit a thin piece of string. He pulled down on it and the light brightened the room.

Harry looked around in horror. He was in the cupboard under the stairs at Number 4, Privet Drive.

To his right, he saw a shard of mirror and picked it up. He slowly lifted it up and looked at his reflection. What he saw almost made him drop the mirror. He was staring at his ten-year old self. He put his free hand to his face and felt it. This couldn't be real... could it?

He tried to think of the last thing he remembered. He was drowning in a pool in the Time Chamber. The word hit him like a ton of bricks.

Time.

His mind went back to one of his last conversations with Ginny, when they had first seen the pool.

"What is this?" Ginny asked, "This wasn't here a few years ago, was it?"

"No," Harry said, shaking his head, "We would have seen it."

"Think it has something to do with time travel?" Ginny asked, "Kind of a strange time turner –"

As he thought about that, his mind went back to Ginny. What had happened to her? Did she black out in the pool as well and –

And what? Harry's mind reeled with questions. Could he really believe he had gone back this far in time? Time Turners only went back hours… not months or years… definitely not this many years. So what was happening? Was he really dead and this was some kind of afterlife?

A noise above him tore him from his reverie. He heard a pounding of sorts and a grumbling noise.

A moment later, a large blur passed by the grate.

"Do I have to go to school today?" a whiny voice said that Harry recognized as Dudley.

"Of course, pumpkin," Petunia said, "Picture day is today. You know Auntie Marge loves those school pictures!"

"Okay," Dudley moaned, "Yeah. Right. Hey, where's breakfast?"

"Soon, Diddy," Petunia said, "Soon. Hey, Vernon…"

"What?" Vernon's voice asked, "Oh… right. BOY! What's the hold-up? I better see you here in this kitchen in a minute!"

Harry groaned. He found his glasses and put them on his face, then opened the door and crawled out into the hall. He didn't want to know what was going on, but he figured if he had to do this for now, he didn't want to have too much drama. He'd make breakfast and it would at least distract his relatives and leave him to his thoughts.

He pushed through the door way and into the kitchen. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Fix the bacon and eggs and don't burn them!" Petunia growled, "And hurry up. You will be in that car in an hour, even if you haven't had breakfast. And you better wear decent clothes today! If we have to pay for your pictures, you will do them right. And you better smile and look proper. Last year you were frowning and your hair was a mess!"

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry said.

Vernon harrumphed and raised the newspaper again. Harry's eyes went straight toward the left hand corner on the front page, and he saw the date on the newspaper. If it was that morning's newspaper, like it usually was (Vernon never read day-old papers), then the date was May 3rd, 1991. Harry turned to the stove and started on breakfast, as his mind raced through the predicament he was in.

So if the pool was truly some kind of strange time-turner he had come back almost exactly ten years in time, save a few hours. Perhaps he had appeared in the cupboard when he blacked out and he had slept through the night? But how could it have been a time-turner? Most time-turners, when used, sent the user back in time, but there was always the younger self somewhere. But as far as he knew, he was now his ten-year old self, going on eleven, except he had his memories and thoughts of his twenty, going on twenty-one, year old self. That was unheard of, as far as he knew. He didn't even think Hermione could have explained what was going on.

Then another thought came to his mind. If he had his memories and thoughts of his older self, did he also have his magical knowledge? If he used a wand and a complex spell that was too advanced for a ten or eleven year old, would it actually work? He would have to test that later. He could do wandless magic, or at least his older self could, but to do it without actually owning a wand was very advanced even for him. But he was going to have to try.

It took a good ten minutes to finish making breakfast, even with the grumbling of his relatives behind him. He had also brewed a pot of coffee, and was now setting mugs of the hot black liquid in front of Vernon and Petunia, and four plates of bacon and scrambled eggs on the table. Dudley took his plate greedily and started in on his food right away. Vernon put down his paper and eyed the bacon and eggs. He narrowed his eyes at Harry, then started in on his eggs. Petunia did the same.

"Pretty good," Petunia said, though she did not look at Harry.

Harry raised his eyebrows. True, his cooking had improved since he had to cook for the Dursleys, and it seemed that knowledge had come with him, but to get a compliment from Petunia? Vernon seemed to think it was odd too.

"Probably a fluke," Vernon said, "His cooking has only ever been mediocre. I'll be convinced when he can do this repeatedly."

Harry would have considered this a compliment if he had talked to Harry instead of around him. Harry started in on his meager helping of food.

Wh-what is going on? Where am I?

Harry choked on his piece of bacon and spluttered. That was Ginny's voice he heard! He looked over his shoulder toward the hall and listened for any more sounds. But all he heard was Vernon clearing his throat. He turned back around. The three Dursleys were staring at him.

"Maybe if you were paying attention," Petunia said, "You wouldn't have choked!"

"Sorry," Harry said, "I thought I heard a voice."

"I didn't hear anything," Dudley said, though he looked frightened.

"Me either," Vernon said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Harry, "Be quiet boy. Stop scaring Dudley, and quit talking nonsense or you can go without breakfast. Or dinner tonight!"

Harry nodded and ate a spoonful of eggs.

It looks like my old bedroom. But it can't –

Harry heard Ginny's voice shriek in his head and he tried his best to stay calm, though it hadn't worked too well. He must have looked surprised…

"What on Earth is the problem with you, boy?" Vernon demanded.

"You better not be sick!" Petunia said.

… or perhaps he looked ill.

"N-nerves," Harry lied, "Picture day, you know. I'll – err – just get my clothes on. I'm not hungry. Dudley can have – yeah, go ahead Dudley."

For Dudley had immediately dumped Harry's plate of food onto his.

"Go on then!" Petunia said, "I better not hear any complaints of you being hungry later!"

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry said.

He stood up from the chair, then hurried back into the hallway. He raced into the cupboard, shut the door behind him, and gasped in delayed surprise. He had definitely heard Ginny, but that scream was in his head. But how could he hear her voice in his head?

No, it isn't possible, Harry thought, Not at all.

Who was that? Ginny's voice said in his head. No… Harry?

Ginny?

Harry! It is you! What's going on? I – this is going to sound crazy, but I am in the Burrow in my bedroom and I'm… well, I'm… err…

You look like you are around nine years old, right? Almost ten?

Yeah! How did you know?

Because I look like I am ten, almost eleven, and I am back at the Dursley's house. I woke up in the cupboard under the stairs. And that isn't all…

What else?

The date on the newspaper said May 3rd all right, but the year said 1991!

What? Impossible!

It should be, but here we are. Ten years exactly from our own time…

If we had fallen asleep for hours and woke up…

Yeah.

That pool! I just remember seeing a golden light and I was spinning before I blacked out and I woke up just a couple minutes ago.

I've been up for a few minutes.

Are we really back in time? Ten years ago?

Yeah. As far as I can tell we are. Except we have our thoughts and memories of our older selves. And perhaps our magic…

Harry waited for Ginny to respond, but after a minute of no response, Harry was starting to worry.

Ginny?

Sorry, I'm still here. Mum knocked on the door and opened it, and asked me to go down to breakfast. And I heard Ron talking!

Ron? Do you think he may be like us? Maybe he and Hermione found the pool after us…

Or Pansy, he wondered, though he didn't say it to Ginny.

I don't know, Harry. I don't want to say anything if he isn't, do I?

No, not until we figure out what… this is.

Harry? How are we talking to each other like this?

I have no idea. Maybe it has to do with us going into that pool at the same time.

The golden light perhaps? Maybe it did something?

Maybe.

Mum's calling me for breakfast. Harry, I want to see you. I want to actually see you, not just hear you.

I want to see you too. Err… I guess I am going to be going to school – Muggle school, you know? – in a little while. When I get there and out of view, I could try to Apparate without a wand. I could go to your orchard and meet you there?

Good idea! When?

Soon. Maybe a bit over an hour.

Okay. I'll make an excuse to go outside, but hopefully without Ron. I better go before Mum gets suspicious. See you then. I hope.

Okay. Eh? Ginny?

Yeah?

I love you.

I love you too, Harry. We'll figure out what this is.

I know.

Harry felt a peculiar sense of something leaving his head – Ginny. He wondered if he and Ginny had just used some sort of Legilimency to speak to each other. He and Ginny were both experts in Legilimency and Occlumency, at least they were in their own time. They had worked on it together with Ron and Hermione when he started to work on those skills during Auror training. If it was some sort of Legilimency, he had never done that before. He then realized a way to test his magic… by testing out his Occlumency barriers. He closed his eyes and concentrated on a memory. If this was what he thought it was, and they were truly back in time, he knew he would have to use Occlumency to shield his mind from Legilimens so they wouldn't know he was from a different time period if he didn't want them to.

He felt the walls go up around his mind as he sectioned off bits of his memory. It was tiring to do so, but if he tried to block off some every hour or so, it could work out. He decided he would start on his memories of the not-so-distant future… at least the future according to where, or when, he was now. If he blocked those, it would take longer for skilled Legilimens to get past into the deeper memories. By that time, he figured he could progress a lot farther. He realized Ginny would have to do the same. Just one of the things they would have to discuss.

He rummaged through his clothes, trying to find the nicest outfit he could. This wasn't exactly easy to do. He recognized all of Dudley's hand-me-downs, and they were usually too big. But he figured he could try a bit of magic to shrink them to size. As he thought of this, he wondered if he'd get in trouble with the Ministry for doing so, but he figured until he reached eleven years of age, the Ministry was likely to count this as an eager bit of accidental magic… he would just have to do little at a time so it wouldn't be too suspicious.

Then he remembered something he had learned a couple months into his Auror career. A dark secret of wand-makers and the magical world. There were ways, with the right amount of Galleons to pay for it, for wand-makers, such as Ollivander, to alter wands so that any spell you would do underage could be untraceable. In theory, if he did this, he would not have to worry about getting warnings from the Ministry.

Yes, he decided, that would be extremely useful. And he could buy a wand for Ginny too. Ginny would have to come up with some kind of story so Mrs. Weasley wouldn't complain, but Harry had a feeling he and Ginny would be creating quite a few false stories soon enough.

-
(Ginny's PoV)

"Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley asked, "Did you hear me? Ginny!"

Ginny blinked, coming out of her reverie. She had been working on her Occlumency barriers ever since she had finished the conversation with Harry in her head. Unfortunately, this took a bit of concentration for her, and to others it would seem like she would be staring off into the distance.

"Hmm?" she asked, looking up at her mother, "Oh, sorry. Didn't hear you."

"Are you okay?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

She looked at Ron, who was watching her from across the table, then nodded at her mother.

"I'm fine," she said, "I guess I just didn't sleep well last night."

"Well, I suggest a lie-in after breakfast," Mrs. Weasley said, "What do you want? Hotcakes, bacon and eggs, kippers?"

"Hotcakes, please," Ginny said, "With some of your homemade syrup. I love it! Haven't had it in a while."

"You had it last week!" Ron said.

"I did?" Ginny asked.

Ron nodded.

"Oh, guess I did," Ginny said.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Ron asked.

"I might just need a bit of a lie-in like Mum said," Ginny said, as her mother put a small stack of hotcakes and maple syrup in front of her, "Thanks, Mum."

Then a thought came to her head.

"Er… actually, Mum," Ginny said, "it seems like it will be a pretty nice day. Maybe I'll just relax in the orchard after breakfast. Maybe I'll feel better then."

That was completely true. If Harry was going to be there, she would definitely feel very good.

"That's a good idea," Mrs. Weasley said, "Maybe Ron can go with you."

"Do I have to?" Ron whined, "I was going to play with Scabbers today. He needs the energy –"

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted Ron, "What's wrong? You went pale all of a sudden."

Ginny had indeed felt pale. And she knew why. It was her brother's mention of Scabbers, who was actually the criminal and Animagus, Peter Pettigrew, sometimes known as Wormtail. She tried to calm down, using her Occlumency knowledge to help.

"I – nothing is wrong," she said, hastily, "I'm okay. Yeah, Mum, I'll be fine by myself. Ron can play with Scabbers."

Meanwhile, she thought to herself, Harry and I will try to find a way to catch Pettigrew and free Sirius!

"Okay, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, looking at her daughter cautiously, "If you think so."

"Yeah, Mum, I do," Ginny said, then smiled when a thought came to her mind, "Besides, I have to get used to playing on my own. Ron will be going to Hogwarts in a few months!"

Though as she thought about this, it also made her realize that Harry too would be going to Hogwarts, and she would be stuck in the Burrow for a year until it was her turn to go. She started on her meal and decided to think about this later. This would only make her look worried, and in turn, she didn't want to worry her mother anymore. Her mother noticed a lot of things, and if she wasn't too careful, she could give something away.

As she was eating, she heard an owl hooting and looked out the window over the sink. Hermes, Percy's owl was flying in toward the Burrow. Ginny's mother opened the window, and the owl flew into the house and dropped two rolls of parchment in front of her.

"Oh!" Mrs. Weasley said, "A letter from Percy, and a letter from Fred and George."

Ginny almost choked on a bite of hotcake, but saved herself in time. Fred. She had not thought about him once since she had woken up in the Burrow. She would be able to see him again next month! Sure, it would be his younger self, but she'd be able to see him! The thought almost made her cry as she thought about him. Then she made a vow to herself. If she and Harry were truly back ten years in time, she would make it her personal mission to make sure nothing happened to Fred this time around.

"Can I see Fred and George's letter?" Ginny asked, aware that she sounded a bit emotional, but she hoped it would pass off as her girlish excitement for news about Hogwarts that she had been known for as a little girl.

"Of course dear," Mrs. Weasley said, "Do you want to read Percy's letter, Ron?"

"I'll pass," Ron muttered.

"Very well," Mrs. Weasley said, "I'll read it."

"Hopefully not aloud," Ron muttered.

Unfortunately their mother must have heard him because she narrowed her eyes at her son and shook her head. Ginny giggled and took a roll of parchment from her mother. Her hand shook as she opened it. There on the parchment was Fred's handwriting, something she thought she would never see again. She inhaled and exhaled silently and began to read:

Dearest inhabitants of The Burrow,

Ginny giggled at the introduction. She had forgotten how Fred's humor had shown in his letters as well. She continued to read:

We speak to you from the glorious Great Hall of Hogwarts, where we are enjoying yet another splendid dinner (though the food can never compare to your cooking, Mum!) and studying hard for our exams that will begin next month. Okay, no, we're not studying, but Percy insists that we do. But we have a month to go before exams take place! Maybe somebody like dearest Percival needs a month to study, but we have always found it easy enough to study at the last minute and still do well enough. What's the point of studying a month before when you could just forget it?

Yeah… try telling that to Percy. Don't worry, Mum, Dad, we'll study, but we're not like Percy! He is already talking about potentially becoming a prefect next year, and whilst yours truly have no doubts he will become said prefect, we are trying our best to encourage him to change his ways before it is too late. He is way too serious these days… that is just very unhealthy, but does he listen?

Noooooo.

We're doing fine as always, being the best two second years we can possibly be. Mum, you might be proud to know our daily run-ins with Argus Filch have now been changed to weekly instead! All thanks to your words of encouragement!

We hope young Ronald and Ginevra are doing well. No, Ginny, we have still not yet been able to get you that portrait of trolls dancing in tutus that we promised you, but we're trying. Oh, yes we are. Ron, we're also trying to get ol' Dumbledore to change the school rules and allow First Years to be able to try out for the Quidditch teams, but at the moment that looks like a failure too. Sorry, Ronniekins. But cheer up! You'll be happy to know that our final Quidditch match (versus Slytherin, groan) is next week and whoever wins will win the cup! Wish us luck, o Brother of ours, and maybe we'll win!

Not sure when we'll send this letter, but Percy says we can use Hermes, since he too is writing a letter home. But you know his letters are always long, and drawling, and boring (don't tell Percy we said that!), so it might be another week before we send this. Nah, probably later tonight, (might have to break curfew to send them, hmm… oh, we're kidding!) and you should get them in the morning!

See you next month and we'll write again after our final Quidditch match of the year (if Wood doesn't kill us in training before then)!

Salutations
Fred and George

Ginny grinned widely as she finished the letter. She could tell this was written by Fred, even though he had used "we" all the time in the sense that it was him and George doing the letter. She had very much missed his letters. This was the first good thing about going into the past. She could be reunited with him again. She couldn't wait.

She passed the letter to Ron, who was still eating his bacon and eggs, and looked up at her mother. Percy's letter looked as if it was indeed very long and drawn out, but his letters always were, even in ten years.

She heard Ron chuckle as he looked through the twins' letter and she smiled. Her thoughts went to Harry's question about if it was possible Ron was also from the future, but as far as she could tell, he wasn't. He and Hermione must have not gone into the Time Chamber at all.

Then another question came to her mind. What happened in the Ministry during the attack? How many people had been injured or lost their lives in the process? But as she pondered this, she also had another thought. What happened to the future? Was it possible for her and Harry to get back to it, or did it cancel out when they were taken to the past?

Then, as she looked at Fred and George's letter, she realized, no, she hoped it had cancelled out. It was a selfish thought, but if it was true, she and Harry would be in this timeline and save Fred and perhaps many more lives. If she and Harry were indeed stuck in the past, they would have to make the best of it. Just like she wanted to deal with Peter Pettigrew, she and Harry could also deal with the Horcruxes, and, perhaps, if everything worked out right, either stop Voldemort from ever coming back, or perhaps Harry could defeat him in the graveyard after the Third Task in his fourth year. But that thought also made another thought come to her mind… would that happen again? If she somehow caught Peter early, would the events from the last timeline still happen for Harry to meet Voldemort in that graveyard?

She decided that this would definitely be one of the things she would talk to Harry about. Then she realized that Harry was due at the orchard in a half-an-hour or so. She wanted to look nice for her reunion with him. So with the thoughts of her outfit, she returned to her breakfast, feeling the best she had since she woke up and found in horror that she was in this predicament. It would take some time to get used to, but she felt she could do it. But she couldn't afford to worry about that right now.

Because she and Harry had a lot to talk about in the orchard.

-
Chapter 3 finished! Next chapter, Harry makes his way to the Burrow's orchard, where he and Ginny discuss many things about their predicament, including Scabbers, Sirius, and Horcruxes to name a few! Plus, a familiar character shows up that could put a damper in Harry and Ginny's mood. Who is it? Any guesses? Hmm…

Also, the reason behind Harry and Ginny's ability to speak to each other through their thoughts will be explained but it will probably be a few chapters before all the answers about it are revealed, though I do plan for a part of the answer (and more questions) about it in Chapter 5 (chapter after next). My reasoning behind it is fairly original and easy enough to understand if I write it out how I have planned.

Hope you are enjoying this story. Question: Did I do justice to the Dursleys so far? I wasn't sure when I was writing them. There will be a tiny bit of them in the next chapter, and then a big scene with them in Chapter 5.