Chapter 3: Getting Situated In the Past

I finished my sandwich in what must had been world record timing, chasing it down with a scorching hot cup of tea that left my tongue tingling. Now that my primal needs were taken care of I took a few minutes to think about what the hell I was going to say to Dumbledore. The lines that I had been practicing on my journey seeming far from adequate. If I actually just said "Hi Professor, yes we've met before, I'm from the future." He'd likely throw me in the loony bin. Well at least a sane person would. Had time travel even begun to be investigated yet?

I was broken from my musings by Coddy pulling on my sleeve. I hadn't even heard her arrive. I really needed to stop getting so distracted. It was going to get me killed.

"Mr. Dumbledore said he will be seeing Miss. He said his password is Jellybaby if Miss Bree would like to head there now! Do you know the way?" Coddy wheezed brightly, looking up at me from where she still clutched my sleeve.

"I know the way." I reassured with a small smile. "Thank you Miss Cody, you have been most helpful!" I thanked, putting my hand out for a shake. I knew that most wizards don't treat elves as equals, but after how many times they had saved my arse it was the least of what they deserved.

Coddy looked at my hand totally baffled.

"It's a handshake, it's how wizards greet and thank one another." I explained tentatively, hoping I hadn't offended her.

Coddy's eyes light up, absolutely delighted. "And Miss is wanting to shake Coddy's hand?" She asked excitedly.

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked with a small chuckle, and that was all the reassurance Coddy needed before thrusting her hand out in front of her like mine was. I grabbed a hold of her hand and gave it a small shake before dropping it the elf looking like she might explode with happiness.

"Will I be seeing Miss Bree again?" She asked hopefully as I stood and made my way to the door.

"I believe you will Miss Coddy!" I said beaming at her as I opened the portal and stepped outside of it. "I believe you will." I muttered again to myself, trying to keep myself in the present and not caught up with memories again.

The treck to the gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office was nearly panic inducing as I passed the place where Lavender had been eaten alive and the place where Fred had been blown away.

I stood nervously in front of the statue, wondering if I really wanted to do this. I hadn't come up with a plan yet. "Password?" The gargoyle asked simply.

"Jellybaby," I stated confidently before giving the gargoyle another chance to prompt me, deciding that my life was already a shit storm, I might as well just go with it and see what happens.

The gargoyle turned revealing the all too familiar spiral staircase. I cautiously made my way upstairs not entirely sure what I would be greated with. Once I stepped into the room I saw Professor Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, glancing up at me from a stack of parchment.

"Hello Miss…?" Dumbledore greeted, waiting for me to introduce myself.

"Bree Ann Adler, sir." I responded softly, walking up to stand in front of his desk with my hand outstretched for a shake. .

"Hello Miss Bree Ann Adler," He replied with a small twinkle in his eyes, standing to return the shake before settling back down and gesturing of for me to take the seat in front of his desk, which I did gladly. "Coddy said that you were looking for me, so I can assume that an introduction won't be necessary?" He asked with a curious smile.

"Not at all sir, we've met before." I responded softly, trying to keep up my confident facade.

"Have we?" He asked his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Well yes, but that sort of leads us to why I'm here today."

"And why is that Miss Adler?"

"Umm well, bare with me here it's a strange story…" I mumbled losing a bit of my confidence.

"I often find with that with strange stories that sometimes the best course of action is to simply begin telling them." Dumbledore reassured.

"I was born on August 2nd, 1981." I started looking into Dumbledore's eyes to gage his reaction. They didn't give anything away though.

"I see," He stated resting his index fingers on his upper lip in thought. "You are aware that it is currently August of 1976?" He asked gently.

"I know sir, I haven't technically been born yet. Now anyway. You see in a few years the department of mysteries starts to meddle with time. I'm not exactly sure when, or if they have already started really. They manage to create a device known as a time turner, which actually manages to reverse time by hours. Five hours to be exact. It was determined the maximum amount of time a person could go back and not disturb the very fabric of time." I explained and gauged Dumbledore's reaction. He hadn't sent out any kind of distress call to the St. Mungo's so I decided to continue. "As far as I was aware, and the Ministry too for that matter, there were no devices yet created that could send a person back further than that. I however found a device that looked extremely similarly to those from the ministry when I was at the wreckage of a wizard's house. There had been some kind of explosion and the whole house was in smithereens. I pulled it out of the ashes not knowing what it was when an attack came from the woods, which caused it to spin. By the time the world and the time turner stopped spinning it appeared to be broken." I explained pulling out the remains of the time turner from my bag and laying them on his desk. I watched him pick up the pieces carefully and examine each one. "Best I can figure this man had been meddling with the technology for some reason and had figured out a way to get further back in time. He may have figured out a way to get back too. Nobody but him would know that, and besides now that it is broken I reckon I'm stuck here."

So you have come to us from the future because of some accidental magic with this strange object here that has yet to be invented?" Dumbledore asked placing the pieces back down on the desk as he summed up my predicament.

"Yeah, and I'm out of money and have nowhere to go…" I trailed off.

"We can fix that dear. Not a problem at all. We have dealt with stranger things than a young witch out of her time. No the problem here is what do we do now that you're here. Meddling with time I can assume is a very dangerous affair. We may not know how to meddle with time yet, but time is never a simple thing." Dumbledore mused scratching his beard a bit.

"Oh trust me, I know. I've seen the muggle movie 'Back to the Future.' The way I figure it, there are two possibilities of how this could all turn out. It could be like when you use a regular ministry regulated time turner and it doesn't matter what I do while I'm here because in my time it will have already happened anyway. Or… well the other possibility is that just me being here has sent us off into an alternate reality. I could change things and set the future off in an entirely different direction, or I could try to keep everything the same. But if I try to keep everything the same just my presence here could make changes anyway." I said quickly. My nervous rambling returning to me with a vengeance as I had to stop to suck in a breath of air.

"Do slow down dear," Dumbledore requested motioning for me to slow down with both hands out in front of him.

"Sorry, I can be a bit of a nervous talker," I continued, pushing into my eyes with my palms to calm down. "I guess that what I'm saying is that it doesn't really matter if I decide to change anything or not. Time travel is confusing." I whined with my hands still in front of my face.

"That it is dear," Dumbledore reassured. "I will not try to force any information out of you about the future. What you do with that knowledge is your choice alone. I will simply let you know that I am here to hear whatever you wish to divulge in me, and remind you that even the very fact you are from the future could be quite dangerous for you and us. I will therefore simply request that you use caution while divulging that information to others." He replied gently. I looked up from under my hands to look him in the eyes. "I will not however, allow you to make any decisions regarding the future while you are still so travel weary. Take some time to recover before seeking me out to discuss the war effort, my dear," He reassured, his hands steepling under his nose again.

"Now for our immediate concerns. What to do with you for the time being. We will of course set you up with a place to live, have you finished school yet? You look quite young. How old are you?" He questioned. Looking around his office for some type of inspiration for what to do with me before his eyes settled back onto my nervous frame.

"Ummm… Well I haven't exactly finished school, and I'm 16. I had to drop out after my OWL's because of the war and getting kidnapped and everything." I muttered embarrassed. "I don't particularly want to continue my education though!" I hastily continued. I was both afraid that he would place me somewhere else and afraid that he might ask me to return to the school that haunted my dreams.

"Well that settles it. We'll get you sorted and send you into your 6th year! I'll contact a trusted family of someone in your house to look after you for the next couple of weeks and then we can make other arrangements for next summer if that is what you desire!" He exclaimed happily. Standing up to grab the sorting hat from the shelf over his head.

Not having the heart to argue going back to school, I accepted my fate. I knew it would be the safest place for me to stay while I figured out a plan for the future, but I still grimaced at the idea of returning before replying. "Excuse me sir, but I was sorted before. Back in my time I was a Ravenclaw."

"Ah yes, you were sorted back in your time. But you haven't been sorted yet! Lets just give it a check, just in case!" He exclaimed excitedly as he tossed me the hat across his desk. His eyes twinkled as I gingerly picked it up and placed it on. Still not entirely sure why he was making me re-sort if he was so willing to trust me on the other far more questionable things we had been discussing. Things like time travel.

God I hope this thing doesn't have lice from all those first years.

'I should certainly hope not' The hat exclaimed in my head, of course responding to my accusation of lice.

'Hello' I responded cautiously.

'Let's see where we should put you..' The hat mussed, ignoring my pleasantries completley.

'You sorted me into Ravenclaw before.' I supplied.

'Yes….' It mused. 'I can see that, but I was torn between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor before, wasn't I?' It asked, not waiting for an answer. 'And besides. You really aren't thinking like your Ravenclaw half anymore. Not with the time travel in the mix.'

'What do you mean? How am I not thinking like a Ravenclaw. I am a Ravenclaw, so the only way I could possibly be thinking is like one.' I was so confused.

'I mean that you plan on changing the future regardless of the fact that logic is telling you to keep the results of the war the same. You might not have realized it yet, but you have already made your mind up about that. And that is a very reckless and very brave way of thinking. No, your not a Ravenclaw. Not anymore. You're a "GRYFFINDOR!"' The hat started shouting out the last word and leaving me sitting in shocked silence.

"But.." I started, still stunned at the results. "But I can't be a Gryffindor, I've been a Ravenclaw my whole life!" I complained, swiping the offending hat off my head hastily and handing it over to Dumbledore. A Gryffindor? Really?

Dumbledore simply smiled at me knowingly before picking the hat up off his desk and putting it away. "The hat is never wrong about these things Ms. Adler."

Grumbling to myself I sank deeper into the chair. Not feeling brave enough to be a Gryffindor in the least. Not even brave enough to argue with Dumbledore about how clearly wrong the hat was. I changed the subject instead begrudgingly. "Sir I really don't need a guardian or anything. I can manage just fine on my own. I just need a little financial assistance, and to know that you'll listen to whatever I decide to tell you and then I'll be on my way." I reassured. Trying to sit a bit taller, so that he might mistake me for an adult.

"Nonsense. If we don't want people getting suspicious of you then we need you to be treated like any other 16 year old. I'll get in touch with some trusted parents of some Gryffindor 6th years and find a place for you to stay. A safe place to stay. You'll be safe so long as you're here at Hogwarts as well." He reassured. Already pulling a fresh sheet of parchment toward himself to write a letter.

"Ummm I guess." I grumbled, losing my will to fight him on that topic as well. Fatigue was really getting to me.

"Coddy?" Dumbledore called out and she appeared with a crack beside him.

"Yes Mr. Dumbledore?" She squeaked.

"Would you please show Ms. Adler to the Gryffindor common room and get her a fresh set of clothes?" Dumbledore asked kindly gesturing towards me.

"Of course Mr. Dumbledore! Oh Ms. Bree, is it you that I is helping?" Coddy asked as her eyes followed Dumbledore's gesture toward me.

"Yes it is Miss Coddy!" I said with a tired smile, standing up. Coddy's eyes lit up as she gave Dumbledore a deep bow before grabbing my hand like we were old friends and whisking us away to the portrait of the Fat Lady with a crack.

I swayed dizzily as I heard Coddy talk to me "The password is Timere Bellator, I'll be being right back!" She assured, not even noticing how I swayed on the spot before disappearing with another crack.

I dizzily muttered the password to the portrait making my way quickly inside where I collapsed on an overstuffed chair near the door. Crack!

"I is not sure if this is being the right size for Ms. Bree, but if Ms. Bree would like to shower then Coddy can wash and repair Ms. Brees own clothes." Coddy wheezed excitedly as she handed me a stack of old Gryffindor hogwarts robes and a towel. A bottle of shampoo and conditioner was balanced on top of the pile. Along with a toothbrush and some mint flavored toothpaste. The elf was adorable. She couldn't remember to show me how to get to the common room by myself, but she did remember soap and toothpaste?

I laughed lightly to myself clutching the stack, "Thank you Ms. Coddy, that would be lovely!" I replied excitedly. "I'll just leave my clothes down here on this chair before I head to bed or anything, does that work?" I asked her politely.

"That would be working nicely Ms. Bree!" She replied happily nodding. She grabbed my elbow gently forcing me to get up and follow her as she pushed me toward a staircase. "The girls rooms be up there Miss." She said.

"Thank you Coddy!" said as genuinely as I could making my way up the staircase. Nearly tripping on the first few steps, deciding to just go into the first room I came to despite the fact that it was for another year. The tell tale crack of Coddy disappearing filled the stairwell before I even opened the door.

Ignoring the beds I made my way directly into the washroom, dropping my stack on the counter and starting one of the showers before making my way back to the counter. I slowly removed my bag, my glove and my gauntlet.

The gauntlet really was an ingenious design from my younger sister. She had decided that the worst thing that could happen to a wizard in battle was becoming disarmed. So she developed a method where the wand would remain attached to the wizard via the small unbreakable thread that connected the wand to the gauntlet, which would be tightly fastened to the wizard and was made out of durable dragon-hide. Sure the wizard would still be thrown along with their wand when someone tried to disarm them, but they would never be more than a few inches away from their wand. Therefore, they would never have to be truly defenseless, unless the were knocked unconscious. If only she had given it to me sooner…

I slowly removed the rest of my clothing before stepping into the shower and washing off the grime that had accumulated over the past few days. As I was rinsing off the last of the soap, I remembered that I had been taking notes for Harry's Biography. Notes that were all in my bag. Notes that if they made it into the wrong hands would ruin everything.

Quickly drying off I realized that Coddy didn't give me any underwear. I hastily dressed, going commando. I had to roll the pants so that they would stay up, and the shirt buttons were pulling, but hopefully I wouldn't have to be in these clothes for long. I brushed my teeth then hastily put all of the soap products and toiletries into my bag, wrapping my wet hair up in the towel. I then quickly fastening the glove and gauntlet on my wrists and threw the bag over my shoulder, grabbing the soiled clothes and heading down to the common room.

I tossed the dirty clothes onto my chair from earlier and made my way toward the fireplace.

"Coddy?" I asked hesitantly, being unfamiliar with how one would call a house elf.

Crack! "Yes Miss?" She asked happily.

"Hi Coddy!" I smiled. "I was wondering if you could start and fire and clean my old clothes for me? If it's not too much trouble?" I asked hesitantly.

"Why of course Ms. Bree. It's being no trouble at all Miss!" She exclaimed happily. The fire starting with a snap of her fingers as she quickly grabbed my stack of clothes and disappeared.

Dropping down to the floor next to the fireplace I pulled my bag strap off of me, shuffling through my belongings to find the notebook. It really only consisted of notes from the past year of Harry's adventure, but I decided I would read them all through, memorize what I could and burn the evidence before going to sleep. The heat of the fire making me even more exhausted as page by page the notes disappeared, and I fell into a dreamless abyss.

Crack!

"Good Morning Ms. Bree!" Coddy awakened her suddenly with her cheery greeting. "I has Misses clothes, and breakfast for Miss!" She giggled as I yawnned. Placing a plate with some toast and scrambled eggs next to me. My clothes lay on the chair next to her in a neat pile.

"Thank you so much Coddy!" I exclaimed as I excitedly dug into my breakfast.

"Mr. Dumbledore would like to see Ms. Bree once she is done with her breakfast, would Ms. Bree be needing Coddy to bring her?" The elf asked cheerily.

"No thank you Ms. Coddy, I can manage!" I reassured hastily through my full mouth of food. I did not want to apparate or anything of the like so soon after eating. Luckily I had spent many days and nights in the Gryffindor Common Room with Ginny, so I wouldn't get lost on my way.

"Ms. Coddy will be needing to go back to work then Ms. Bree," Coddy said sadly. "Will Ms. Coddy be seeing Ms. Bree again?" She asked hopefully with a tug on my sleeve. I quickly swallowed my mouth full of eggs and put down the near empty plate.

"Yes you will Ms. Coddy," I reassured. "I will be back here for school at the start of the term." I added begrudgingly.

"Oh! That is wonderful news Miss! Just wonderful!" Coddy beamed. "I will be seeing Ms. Bree soon! Goodbye Ms. Bree!" She said excitedly. Grabbing my hand into a light handshake before popping away.

"Goodbye Ms. Coddy," I chuckled to the now empty space in front of my. Grabbing a piece of toast and my belongings and heading back upstairs to the bathroom, leaving the remnants of my breakfast behind.

After quickly brushing my teeth and changing back into my real clothes (which I noticed all of the holes had been lovingly patched on top of all the stains being scrubbed out) I made my way toward Dumbledore's Office.

I was once again sitting across from Dumbledore when he broke the news. The family that he had chosen for me to stay with was the Potter's. Of course it would be the Potter's! This would at least make some of the changes I needed to make easier. Like the hat had said last night, I had already made my mind up about changing certain things in the future. There were lives ruined in this war unnecessarily, and if I could change them then I felt like I had an obligation to do so.

"So we will meet Fleamont Potter at the Leaky Cauldron in an hours time to discuss your arrangements for the next few weeks. I will of course, personally give you some gold to get any supplies that you might need for school, and that just leaves us with one matter of business. What were your O.W.L scores Ms. Adler, and what courses would you like to continue taking next term?" He asked calmly as if they were talking about the weather and not my future, which could easily be our future.

"Oh well I got O's in Defense Against the Dark Arts, History of Magic and Charms, E's in Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmacy, A's in Potions, Transfiguration and Herbology. I guess I'd like to continue Defense, History, Charms, Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmacy if possible? Honestly I'll take whatever you enroll me in."

"Wonderful," He responded absently as he took notes down.

"Excusme me Sir?" I asked hestiantly.

"Yes Ms. Adler?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Why did you beleive me so easily? I mean, I fully expected you to send me to the loony bin, or make me do some sort of test to prove everything. You never even asked me what side I would be on in the war. How can you trust me so soon to meeting me?" I asked, wincing at how insecure I sounded as I picked at the skin around my left thumb nail.

"The answer to that my dear girl is quite simple. When you have been alive as long as I have, you don't need magic to read people or their intentions. You can simply draw those conclusions yourself based on all of your past experiences. And in my past experiences, people display their true selves when dealing with their inferiors. And Coddy truly loves you despite only just meeting you. A dark wizard would never take the care to earn a house elves trust and loyalty so quickly as that. It may seem like a silly way to judge, but it is one of the best ways I have detected so far. Besides, I can see that your being truthful just by the look in your eyes." He said rambling in a very non-Dumbledore fashion. God I hope my nervous habits aren't catchy.

"No, that makes sense I guess…" I muttered "Sirius once said something quite similar, he said that 'If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals'."

"Perhaps I had more of an effect on that boy than I thought?" He asked with a smile, the familiar twinkle present in his eyes.

"I guess so," I muttered smiling at him. "Sir, would it be possible for me to grab a few potion ingredients before we leave? I asked rolling up my sleeve to show him the dark grey webbing that was spreading from my wrist. "I need to treat it with a potion every few days to make the effects subside," I explained.

"Please go grab whatever you need quickly and come straight back here so we can flu to the Leaky Cauldron!" He said with a reassuring smile. Not asking how I got it, not asking if it hurt, just unquestioningly giving me the permission to raid the school stores for supplies.

"Thank you sir, I'll be back before you know it!" I grunted as I pushed myself out of the chair and hurried to grab the supplies I needed.