Chapter 2 - The Meeting
August 11, 1991
"Happy Birthday love", Harry whispered while softly kissing Ginny's neck.
"It's too early", Ginny replied sleepily, although Harry felt by the way she was moving she was starting to wake up.
"You do know that we have less than 10 days to do this? After that it's at least three years of hormonal celibacy", Harry whispered while nibbling her ear.
Ginny sighed and turned around.
After they were done, they showered and prepared themselves for what lay ahead. Ginny used make-make up to cover Harry's scar, as there would be something amiss if the famous lightning bolt appeared on the head of a 45-year old.
After getting dressed they went down for breakfast. Ginny noticed that Harry was quiet and playing with his food.
"The last time you played with your food like that was before your last Hogwarts Quidditch match. What's wrong dear?" Ginny asked, sipping her coffee.
"The last time I saw the both of them alive, they died moments later", Harry said, quietly.
"I understand. But we've had a thousand conversations with them since," Ginny replied.
"I know that, but those were just their portraits. This is flesh and blood," Harry replied. "I don't know if I'm ready."
"Oh stop it. We've been preparing for this for 6 months. Hermione was less prepared for her N.E.W.T.S." Ginny said confidently. "Plus, we don't really have a back up plan do we? We destroyed the Time Turner last night and unless the Unspeakables had found new ways to travel forwards in time in 1991, we're stuck here. Let's get to doing what we came here to do."
Harry looked at her rather intently. He was reminded why he fell in love with her.
"We have fifteen minutes to spare. Let's go back upstairs".
Harry and Ginny walked up toward the Hogwarts gates. A short while later a giant of a man came into view, walking towards the gates. Harry felt his heart beating faster than he thought was humanly possible. Hagrid was his first ever friend in the wizarding world.
"Here comes the first one." Ginny whispered.
"Alright you two. How can I help you?" Hagrid asked.
"Hello there Hagrd. I'm Gregory Proteus and this is my wife Hillary. We're here to meet Professor Dumbledore." Harry replied.
"Right. The headmaster never told me bout no meeting." Hagrid said.
"Oh we don't have an appointment. This is rather impromptu." Ginny replied.
"Oh. Well I'm sorry but I'm not gonna let two strangers come into Hogwarts unannounced." Hagrid replied, looking at them with narrowed eyes.
"Tell him it's about the Philosophers Stone and that we know who tried to steal it." Harry replied, not missing a beat. Future-Hermione had prepared him for this.
Hagrid spluttered for a second before turning around and walked up to the castle. He returned a few minutes later and opened the gates.
"Professor Dumbledore is waiting for you in his office. Do you know where it is?" Hagrid asked walking along with them?
"Yes we do," Harry replied.
"Really? Because I've seen every student who's come to Hogwarts the past 50 years or so and I don't remember no Proteuses," Hagrid replied in a rather suspicious tone.
"Don't worry Hagrid. A lot of people don't have memories of us," Ginny replied.
Harry gave her a look that plainly said You're enjoying this, a bit too much.
She gave him a Fred and George Weasley smile.
"Chocolate Cauldron" Hagrid said. The Gargoyle moved to reveal the stairs up to Dumbledore's office. Harry walked up, steeling himself mentally for what he was about to see. He pushed the door open.
Albus Dumbledore was sitting on his chair, alive and resplendent as ever. Dressed in his favourite purple robes, he was staring at the Potters (or Proteus' as far as he knew) with a twinkle in his eye. Harry checked his Occlumency shields and was sure that Ginny was doing the same.
"Mr. and Mrs. Proteus. Please, have a seat. Thank you Hagrid," he said to the half-giant, kindly.
"Ta Professor," Hagrid replied. He gave a shrewd look to the couple and left the office.
"Now I understand that you have some information regarding the attempt to steal the Philosophers Stone last week?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes we do sir." Harry replied.
"Now before we get to that, I am curious. How did you know that the Philosopher's Stone was the targeted item? There are only a handful of people that are aware of its existence." Dumbledore asked.
"Before we answer that Professor, could you please get Professor Snape to join us?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore blinked.
"Severus? What does he have to do with this?" he enquired.
"It'll be easier to explain the one time. It's a rather long and farfetched story and we'd rather not repeat it too often." Ginny explained.
Dumbledore's twinkle was back. Harry double-checked his shields.
"Very, well". Dumbledore said. He stood up and moved towards a fireplace. Taking a scoop of Floo Powder out of a vase on top of his fireplace mantle, he threw it in, sprouting large green flames. "Severus. Could you come to my office please?" he called into the fireplace.
A few seconds later, the Hogwarts Potions Master came out of the fireplace, his usual cold impassive eyes staring at the Proteus'. He turned to Dumbledore. "You called Albus?"
"Yes. This is Gregory and Hilary Proteus." He gestured towards Harry and Ginny. "They have information regarding the Philosopher's Stone and they requested that you come here."
"Actually, we lied" Harry said immediately.
"Not about the Stone. We know who tried to steal it." Ginny said immediately.
"But our names are not Gregory and Hilary Proteus." Harry started.
"My name is Ginny Potter, although currently I'm known as Ginny Weasley, the daughter of Arthur and Molly Weasley." She smiled.
"And I," Harry started, taking out a make-up wipe and removing the make-up from his scar, "am Harry Potter."
Silence met their announcement.
"Is this some sort of joke?" Snape asked incredously after about a few minutes of silemce.
"Nope." Harry and Ginny both replied
"Harry Potter is eleven years old and Arthur and Molly's only daughter is only ten", Dumbledore said.
"Yes they are", Harry and Ginny chorused again.
"Please don't waste our time and leave", Snape said dismissively.
"You have always blamed yourself for Ariana", Harry said quickly, looking at Dumbledore.
"And your Patronus is still a doe because you still love Lily Potter", Ginny continued quickly, looking at Snape.
The last time Dumbledore looked this shocked was when Harry announced that he was successful in obtaining the memory of Slughorn divulging information of Horcruxes to Tom Riddle. Snape, being Snape, had a different reaction.
"Explain!" he said, furiously, his wand pointing at the couple.
"We're from the year 2026", Ginny started.
"Impossible" Snape spat out furiously.
"Damn it Snape I owe your portrait 5 Galleons." Harry said with a small chuckle.
"My portrait?" Snape asked. Apparently this wasn't the reply he expected.
"Yes. Your portrait that usually hangs in the Headmasters Office at Hogwarts" Harry replied matter-of-factly.
"Harry you're mucking it up. Let's do the Hermione explanation". Ginny said.
Harry gave her a look. Typical of her to spoil his fun. "Fine. You have the script. Read it out".
Ginny took out a piece of parchment from her robes and started reading out loud. "We are Harry and Ginny Potter from the year 2026. About 5 months before the writing of this letter Ginny Potter's brother, Ronald Weasley, died from lung cancer which came as a delayed effect from an overexposure to one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. We have decided to travel back to the year 1991 to change the past, ensuring that nobody would ever be affected by those foul things, and ending the Second Great Wizarding War before it even began."
Harry took the parchment from her hand and contiued. "We do this in the hope of saving the lives of Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black, Amelia Bones, Emmeline Vance, Florean Fortescue, Albus Dumbledore, Charity Burbage, Alastor Moody, Rufus Scrimgeour, Bathilda Bagshot, Ted Tonks, Dobby the House Elf, Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Colin Creevey, Severus Snape and hundreds of other innocent witches, wizards, Squibs and Muggles who did not deserve the fates they received."
Ginny took the parchment back. "We are aware that this may be a bit too much to handle. In this bottle is a selection of memories that you can view in a Pensieve. Before you decide if you can trust us, we only ask that you view all the memories in the Pensieve and then decide on your next course of action." She took out a bottle from her robes and placed it on Dumbledore's desk.
The silence in the room was deafening. The only thing that was heard were the various noises being made by Dumbledore's various instruments.
After what felt like an eternity, without saying a word, Dumbledore took out the Elder Wand and pointed towards one of the shelves. His Pensieve flew out towards the middle of the room. With another flick, the bottle of memories flew up and emptied itself into the Pensieve. Without a word, Dumbledore and Snape stood up, walked to the Pensieve and entered the memories.
"What if this doesn't work Gin?", Harry asked, looking at his wife nervously.
She took his hand. "Then we go to plan B. We tell Rita Skeeter."
"He made seven?" Dumbledore asked the moment he came out of the Pensieve.
"He did Professor." Harry confirmed.
"Harry, from what I've seen in the memories, you can call me Albus". Dumbledore said, kindly. His tone of voice had changed to one of admiration.
"Thanks Prof- I mean, Albus. Wait. Does that mean you believe us?" Harry asked, hopefully.
Surprisingly, it was Snape who replied.
"We do."
Ginny clapped her hands. "Excellent. Now. Can we get some Firewhiskey? And maybe cancel all your appointments. This next part will take a while to explain."
August 20th, 1991
"This is madness" Snape said.
"Yes, we know!" Ginny replied, rolling her eyes. By her reckoning, it was the millionth time that Snape had repeated that particular sentence.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Dumbledore asked, nervously.
"He's actually nervous! Can you believe that Gin?" Harry asked, laughing.
"His portrait did not say anything about this!" Ginny giggled.
"Don't worry you two. The worst that could happen is that it wouldn't work and we'd live in this paradox for eternity. At least Voldemort would be dead." Harry assured them.
Dumbledore and Snape exchanged a look and brought up their wands.
"I love you Gin".
"Love you too".
"Avada Kedavra" said Snape.
"Avada Kedavra" said Dumbledore.
"Merge Amino!" the both of them shouted at the bodies of Harry and Ginny Potter, flicking their wands the way Harry had instructed them to. A brilliant shower of Orange and Purple light lighted up the room, before receding. All that was left was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, the Potions Professor from Hogwarts, and two bodies that used to be Harry and Ginny Potter.
Midnight
The occupant of the smallest room of Number Four, Privet Drive woke up with a start. He took a moment to familiarise himself with his surroundings. He smiled and stood up, stretching. Deciding that this time he would be as skinny as his future broomsticks, he went to a cage that contained a snowy white owl. After whispering some words to her, he opened the cage and off Hedwig flew.
Midnight
The occupant of the only bedroom on the first floor of The Burrow woke with a start. She took a moment to familiarise herself with her surroundings. She smiled and stood up, stretching. Realising who else was in the house, she exited her room and quietly went up to the top floor, making sure to miss the squeaky floorboard. She reached the top floor and opened the door. She heard him before she saw him.
Eleven year old Ronald Weasley was soundly snoring. Young and at peace, he looked very different from the pale person who was in St. Mungos in 2025.
She closed the door, silent tears running down her face.
After a few minutes of just standing outside Ron's door, she decided to go back to her room. She needed rest. A soul merge could be tiring.
She got to her room and outside the window was a snowy white owl. She waved at it and it flew off, exactly how she and the owner of the owl had agreed.
Relieved that it had worked for both of them, Ginny went to sleep.
A/N: I figured out the best way to write details. Write the conversation first, worry about the details later.
Rather than fleshing the whole plan out, I'd rather you enjoy the trip. There will be flashback scenes.