Warnings: Era jumps. Language.
Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling, therefore these characters and world are not mine. I own nothing but the plot and any OC's you don't recognize.
AUTHORS NOTE: First of all, I'm so sorry for the late update!
I was originally going to just concentrate on Harry and his group of friends, but I've decided to keep tabs on the Founders, Bill and Charlie as well. So there will be time jumps, as I will be writing about three different groups in a few different eras. It may go back and forth, but the dates will always be at the top so hopefully it won't be too confusing. If I'm writing about anyone other than Harry and his group, I will put their names at the top with the dates. If you have any questions please feel free to review or message me :)
I may also write one in the Marauders era, and how their life was different in the new time. Don't worry though, if it happens, it will be a side-story.
Also, I know I originally said I would kill Voldemort... But I had a better idea. Please don't hate me! ~PPx
-o-
Saturday, 1st January, 1927 - Salazar Slytherin and Helena Ravenclaw.
Salazar Slytherin and Helena Ravenclaw landed outside the Gaunt residence at four in the morning. The sun had yet to rise and everything was quiet and still. Salazar turned towards Helena and spoke in a whisper.
"I'll go inside and take care of Morfin. Merope and the muggle are in the shack at the end of the next street. You know what to do." Helena nodded and they went their separate ways.
Salazar slowly made his way inside the Gaunt house, wary of any traps his descendants may have set. After dismantling four, he made his way to the master bedroom. One hand clutched around his wand while the other holding his nose in a vain effort to block out the terrible smell of body odor and urine. Opening the bedroom door, Salazar was disgusted by what he saw.
Morfin Gaunt was curled up on the floor with only some dirty, ripped blankets as insulation from the cold. His hair was long and mattered, as was his beard. Salazar was sure he had seen better - and cleaner - clothes on servants. His shirt was caked with mud and sweat, ripped in many places, and hung off his clearly skinny frame. His pants were also ripped and torn, caked in mud and his own bodily excretions. The smell was worse around Morfin. The smell was extremely strong and rancid, and Salazar was holding back the urge to vomit.
Raising his wand, he was about to put the poor boy out of his misery when a red and black cobra with glowing red eyes struck out at him from the corner of the room, narrowly missing Salazar's wand arm.
"Stop! I won't let you hurt Master Morfin!" the snake hissed, and Salazar drew his wand back to his side before responding.
"Master Morfin? Look at him! He is a disgrace! I'm ashamed to call him one of my descendants. You are such a beautiful creature. How could you protect him? Is it because he is a speaker?"
The cobra didn't move from its position, poised ready to strike again, but replied to Salazar with interest. "He is a descendant of yours? Why are you trying to do him harm?"
"Look at him. It would be a mercy to put him out of his misery. Come with me, pet. I'll look after you. My name is Salazar," Salazar bent down slowly, letting go of his nose and holding out his arm for the snake.
The snake considered its options for a few moments before deciding, dropping its defensive position and slithering over to Salazar, winding itself up his outstretched arm to rest around his shoulders.
"Very good choice. What is your name, cobra?" Salazar asked keeping an eye on Morfin, who was starting to wake.
"I was never given one. As my new master, it is up to you to choose." Salazar raised his wand again, aiming it at the waking wizard. He cast a silent cutting hex, slicing Morfin's chest wide open from his left shoulder to his right hip.
"It is up to you to choose your name. I will only give you one if you wish it." The cobra hissed in glee as Salazar turned and walked out, cleaning his robes before walking down the street to where he could see Helena standing outside, looking into the window of Merope Gaunt's house.
"You may name me, Master. Just know I am a male," the cobra hissed.
"Very well. You shall now be known as Skylar. Is this acceptable, pet?" Salazar asked, moving to stand beside Helena.
"Of course, Master. I like it very much," the cobra hissed, before making himself comfortable in the hood of Salazar's robes. Salazar rolled his eyes at the snake before turning to Helena.
"Have you killed them yet?" He asked, moving to look in the window.
"Merope was already dead. The muggle wasn't here."
Salazar raised one sculpted brow before moving inside to check on the dead Merope Gaunt. Hearing a small cry, he turned to look at Helena.
"Look at him Salazar. He might not be pure-blood, but look at his mother. Some muggle blood would do him good." Moving to the crib, Helena picked up baby Tom Riddle. Helena had obviously spelled him clean and conjured him new clothes because the baby was clean and dressed in a blue jumpsuit. The baby had a light smattering of brown hair and brown-grey eyes, looking up at Helena inquisitively.
"You fed him too didn't you?" Salazar asked. "He's too quiet to be a hungry baby."
"Yes. I couldn't kill him, Salazar. He's too cute! He even looks like you!"
Salazar too another look at the child, and, while there was some of his muggle father in his appearance, the boy did look remarkably like himself.
"You should take him. Raise him. Maybe he won't be a monster if he has a mother and father who loves him. And I'm sure Auriella would love another child," Helena said, holding out the baby for Salazar to take.
Skylar stuck his head out from Salazar's robes and slithered down his arms, eyeing the child suspiciously. He gave the child a few licks, Helena holding the child as still as she could. The snake turned his head to look up at Salazar.
"I approve. He will be a Speaker as well," Skylar said, making his was back up to Salazar's shoulders as the wizard gave a small chuckle.
"What did the snake say?" Helena asked, not at all surprised to see Salazar with a random snake. It happened quite often after all.
"His name is Skylar. And he said he approves, and that the child will be a Speaker. Apparently they can tell."
"We already knew he would be a Parslemouth," Helena shrugged. "I did promise Harry I would kill him... But he's just an innocent baby. I think he only turned out the way he did because of how he was raised. I know Harry said he was incapable of loving because he was conceived under the effects of a love potion, but I think he could learn."
"You said it yourself Helena. You promised the brat you'd kill him," Salazar said. Helena's face fell.
"Then you do it." She forced baby Tom Riddle into Salazar's arms and walked out. A second later, he heard the crack of Helena Apparating away.
Salazar looked down at the child in his arms, debating.
"Are you going to keep the child, Master?" Skylar asked. "I sense this boy has great potential. Why where you here to kill him?"
"He does terrible things when he grows up. And I promised a young boy I would. This child killed his parents and so many other people. Innocent people," said Salazar.
"I sense you have as well. You are not innocent in the ways of murder either, Master. Are you really going to kill a child?"
Salazar thought for a little longer, then shook his head, "No, I'm not. Helena was right. I think he could be a great wizard if he had good parents to raise him. And Auriella would love another child."
"Is Auriella your wife, Master?" Skylar asked as Salazar looked once again at Merope Gaunt. It was clear she was dead when the two arrived, but then again they had always known Merope died during childbirth. Her body lay, still covered in sweat and blood near the crib, which he was sure had only been used in the last ten minutes.
Walking back outside, Tom began to cry, and Skylar slide down and curled up on the baby's stomach, winding softly around his arm.
"Hold on pet, we're leaving now." Salazar said, clutching the baby tighter before Apparating away.
Landing at Slytherin Manor, he quickly keyed baby Tom into the wards and made his way inside. Making his way to the living room, he called out to his wife.
"Auriella? Are you home love?"
Sitting down in his chair by the fire, Salazar readjusted Tom in his arms and was waiting like that when Auriella walked in. Auriella Slytherin was a small, petite woman, with pale skin, cobalt blue eyes and long black hair. She was the eldest daughter of Bartholomew and Gwendolyn Burke, and mother to Salazar's four children.
Salazar had originally only married the woman because she was a pureblood and very beautiful, and he knew she would give him strong, handsome heirs. Over time, however, the man had fallen in love with her, something Salazar had never considered possible.
"Salazar, who is the child?" Auriella asked, moving to sit beside her husband.
"Our new son. He's a descendant of mine apparently. His father left and his mother died giving birth to him. He had nowhere to go." Auriella looked down at Tom and gave him a smile.
"May I hold him?" Salazar handed the baby to his wife, and Tom giggled happily.
"What's his name?" Auriella asked, looking up at her husband.
"He doesn't have one yet," Salazar lied. "We will have to give him one. And then we will blood adopt him."
Auriella smiled at Salazar. "How about Alexander? Alexander Serpens?" Auriella suggested. Salazar smiled and gave his wife a kiss.
"I like it. Alexander Serpens Slytherin."
-o-
Monday, 29th July, 1991
The group, minus two, landed back in their own time in a place that seemed familiar yet looked different to how they remembered. The library at Grimmauld Place was no longer dark and gloomy with few black chairs and one study desk. Harry hadn't changed any of the house his godfather had left him, but the library was now completely transformed.
If anything, there was now more books then before lining the shelves, which were all easily seen from the ever-burning torches that lit up the entire room. The study desk was still in the corner where the eight had been using it, but there were only four chairs now, and the table was a lot smaller than the one they had used before their trip into the past. Low, comfy armchairs covered in black and dark green velvet were situated around the large room, each with torches above to give enough light to read. Half a dozen small wooden tables were in between some of the chairs, a few discarded books lying on them.
Harry, Hermione, Neville, George, Ginny and Ron were all still trying to get their bearings back, when they realized that two were missing from the group - Bill and Charlie. Ginny's eyes began to tear up, but she pushed her feelings down. They had to work out what had changed in this time.
The six were all still reeling from the trip and their new memories when a man walked into the library. He looked to be in his thirties, with long, silky black hair, stormy grey eyes and a handsome aristocratic face. He was wearing forest green robes with a black and silver trim, and to the group he looked eerily familiar. He was reading a book as he walked in, expertly stepping around the couches as he made his way in, not even looking at where he was going. When he did look up, however, he stopped short, shock coloring his face.
"What are you lot doing here?" he asked. There was no malice in his voice, merely shock and curiosity. Then his eyes narrowed on Harry, who had pushed his way to the front of the group. "Harry? Do your parents know where you are? Did my bloody brother bring you all here?" The man wasn't the only one looking confused at this statement.
'My parents?' Harry thought. 'Could they really be alive this time? Did we really do it?'
"Your brother? And how do you know my name?" Harry asked. The man looked at the confused group of kids, and a furrow grew between his brows.
"My brother, Sirius. Your godfather. Harry what is going on?"
Something clicked in Harry's mind, in all of their minds. Regulus. The man was Regulus Black, Sirius' younger brother. And if Regulus was asking if Sirius had brought them here... Sirius was alive!
Memories flooded through Harry's mind, one after another after another. Memories from two very different lives clashed and fought for dominance in his mind.
A young Harry, five years old, came home from his first week at primary school. Uncle Vernon was coddling up to Dudley, who showed his father the work he had done at school. Harry put his school bag on his bed, in the cupboard under the stairs, and walked into the kitchen with a piece of paper clutched in his tiny hands. "Aunty Tuney!" he called, moving over to Aunt Petunia. "I drew this at school for you."
Aunt Petunia grabbed the piece of paper roughly out of his hands, leaving a paper cut on his palm. "And why would I want this?" she sneered, throwing the paper back at Harry. Drops of blood landed on the three blonde and one brunette stick figures on the paper, and his tears smeared the scrawled words at the top of the page that read 'My family'.
Eight-year-old Harry woke up on Christmas morning, so early the sun was only just rising. Jumping out of bed, he ran out of his room and across the hall to his parents' bedroom. Throwing open the door, he jumped up onto his parents bed, bouncing up and down between the two sleeping figures.
"Mum, Dad, wake up, it's Christmas!" Harry yelled, rousing his sleeping parents.
Once he was sure they were awake, Harry got up and raced down stairs, eyes lighting up at the sight of the presents under the Christmas tree. Lily and James made their way down to Harry at a more sedate pace. Lily was holding a small girl in her arms, a silencing charm over the still-sleeping child. Harry was standing next to the tree, fidgeting anxiously, obviously wanting to open his presents but waiting for his parents' permission.
"Go on Harry," said Lily, pointing to the tree. Harry smiled widely and began searching for his presents, while James stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his wife's waist.
"Merry Christmas, love." he whispered, kissing her temple, and hugging his wife and daughter, watching his son happily opening his presents.
Seven-year-old Harry was hiding up the tree in his Aunt and Uncle's backyard. Dudley had two of his friends over, and one of their favorite games to play was 'Harry hunting', where they would chase Harry around and beat him up. Harry had become very proficient at hiding over the years, and his favorite place to hide was under the cover of the tallest branches of the tree in the corner of their back yard. Harry was up the tree so long that he missed lunch, and was grounded for not coming inside to cook the Dursley's their dinner. Harry was locked in the cupboard under the stairs, his stomach rumbling with hunger, and like he did every night, he cried himself to sleep.
Harry's tenth birthday was, as always, a wondrous affair. Friends and family had gathered in the Potters backyard, which was decorated with a mixture of magical and muggle decorations: streamers, balloons, and fairy lights, floating orbs that changed color, and brightly colored snowflakes that were warm to the touch and disappeared when they touched the ground. Presents were piled on a table near the back door of the house, and the kids around Harry's age were all playing a relaxed game of Quidditch around the Potters yard. The parents sat talking around an outdoor setting under a magical gazebo, and the younger children - mostly siblings of Harry's friends, were seated on the grass just below, playing amongst themselves. Soon a cake was brought out, and Harry and his friends converged around the table that had held party food and drinks, to cut the cake. Harry's birthday cake was a giant chocolate concoction that was covered in detailed golden-yellow icing, and moving wings sticking out each side to resemble a snitch. Presents were given, games were played, and Harry went to bed that night happy and content. He lay in his warm bed with a full stomach, a smile on his face and looking up at the signed poster of the Holyhead Harpies hanging on the roof on his bedroom. He couldn't wait to go out with his Uncle Sirius, who was taking him out the next day as his birthday present to his godson.
His friends were all going through a similar experience, it was Hermione who seemed the most unaffected of the whole group. The bushy-haired witch took control of the situation while the other five were being knocked around by their conflicting memories. Hermione had, of course, put two and two together, and had worked out that the man was Regulus Black, and that he, along with Sirius, we both obviously alive. Harry's parents as well.
"I'm sorry Mr. Black. We were just playing around. We'll leave now," Hermione said, giving the others a shove towards the door. Regulus, however, moved to block their path.
"Wait a minute. How did you all get here? And who are you?" he asked, looking pointedly at Hermione. "I know Neville, and the red-heads are obviously Weasley's. But I've never seen you before." Narrowing his eyes, he crossed his arms, holding his position in front of the door.
"My name is Hermione. Hermione Granger."
"Granger? A muggle-born I'm guessing," Regulus asked. Hermione nodded.
"How did you-"
"Regulus, can we please go. Hermione's parents will want her home soon, and the Weasley's need to get home as well. We all do. I'll explain everything the next time Sirius brings me over. Please?" Harry asked, eyes wide and pleading.
"Damn you, Harry. Eyes like your mother. That woman can make you do anything." He gave a small shudder. "Get going. If you don't tell me what's going on, Harry, I'll tell your parents. Let them deal with you."
"Okay Regulus, thank you!" Harry said, and the group hurried out, making their way into muggle London. Ron, George and Ginny departed, Apparating to the Burrow. Neville said his goodbyes shortly after, and set off to Longbottom Manor the same way. That left Harry and Hermione, who Apparated to a park near the muggleborn's house, and walked the rest of the way.
"You didn't have to walk me home, Harry. You need to get home too."
"I'm not sure I'm ready to go home Hermione. My parents are alive in this time. Neville's parents are as well. I think I have a little sister Hermione! How am I... How am I supposed to handle that?" Harry asked, fidgeting nervously.
"You'll be okay Harry. I'm not sure what the date is here, but we will probably be starting Hogwarts soon. We're eleven again, so we'll probably have to go back. I'm going, if I get the chance. I wonder what things will be different this time around," Hermione said, then turned to give Harry a hug as they reached her house. "Just think about it Harry. And go home to your family. I don't know how long we've been gone in this time, but they're probably worried about you."
"You're right Hermione. Thank you. I'll owl you tomorrow okay?" Harry gave her another hug, and Hermione walked inside, ready to face her parents and to find out how long they'd been gone in their new world, and what had changed.
-o-
When Hermione went back inside, Harry realized one major thing: he didn't live with the Dursley's in this time, so where did he live? His memories of this life were still fairly vague, and the flashes of his home were only brief. Figuring he'd take a chance, Harry Apparated to Godric's Hollow, to the small, three-bedroom cottage he knew his parents had lived in when he was a baby.
Landing on the front lawn, Harry looked up at the pristine, unburnt house. A few toys lay on the veranda near the front door, and a fire flickering in the hearth could be seen through the front window. Harry walked up the cobbled path to the front door, debating whether to knock or just walk in, when voices could be heard from behind it. A tingle ran down his spine as he passed through the wards, signaling that he was keyed in.
"I'm going to find him James! He's been gone all day! I need to find my baby!" A woman's voice, clearly distressed, yelled.
"Listen to me Lily, we'll go out again tomorrow. Harry's not the only one missing. The Aurors are looking, you know that." A man, presumably James, said. His voice wasn't as loud as Lily's, but it was still raised.
"It's been a whole day James! He's only eleven! And the bloody Aurors haven't done anything!" Lily's voice increased in volume, and Harry decided it was time to act. He moved forward, opening the door.
Lily stood, travelling cloak half on, glaring at James, who had one hand clutched around her wrist and the other holding his wand, pointing back into the house. Both froze when they saw him, then Lily broke free of James' slackened grip and rushed forward, kneeling in front of Harry and throwing her arms around him. Harry was overwhelmed with the feelings that washed over him, and the complete and utter joy at seeing his parents alive was threatening to make his heart jump out of his chest.
"Harry! What happened to you? Where have you been?" Lily asked, and James ran out to greet them as well.
"Lily, Harry, come inside please. We can talk about it inside." Lily kept a killer grip on Harry until they were in the living room, sitting in front of the fire. It was only just cold enough to have the fire going, but Lily had a fondness for the flames, so even in the warmer months a fire was always roaring in the Potter house.
"Harry where have you been? We were worried sick! What happened to you?" Lily asked, as James disappeared upstairs. He came back a moment later, as Harry was deciding if he should tell them the truth or make up an elaborate lie. Though how he could explain the fact he had a wand before he turned eleven or that he knew just as many spells as his parents or that he had Apparated here. Harry didn't know. In the end, Harry figured that lying was a bad way to start his new relationship with his parents.
So he told the truth.
-o-
Neville was facing a similar situation to Harry. His parents had been alive in the other time, but they hadn't even recognized their own son. Tortured into insanity, Alice and Frank Longbottom had barely begun their life together before they had ended up with a permanent room in St. Mungo's.
Neville was almost in tears, having his parents back in their right mind, and more importantly, recognizing him.
Neville also opted to tell his parents the truth, though they didn't believe him at first. But when Neville pulled out his wand - which he shouldn't have gotten yet - and put a lot of memories from his 'past life' into a pensive, they started to look more believing.
"How is this possible?" asked Frank, pacing back and forth in front of his wife and son. Alice had latched onto Neville when he had come home and had yet to let him go.
"We changed the past," Neville answered. "So the future changed. You saw how we ended up so young again. I guess we can go to Hogwarts again if we want."
"How are you so calm about all of this?" Alice asked, clutching him tighter.
"This was what we wanted, mum. We wanted Voldemort gone and our families back together. I just never thought it would work!"
Neville hugged his mother tighter, and proceeded to answer the many questions that his parents threw at him. Not long after, Augusta Longbottom came into the lounge room, a robe thrown over her nightclothes and rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"Frank? What's going on? Why are you awake still its past midnight?" Augusta looked up just as she stopped rubbing her eyes, and looked shocked at seeing Neville clutched in Alice's arms. Suddenly, her whole demeanor changed.
"Neville Francis Longbottom! Where in the name of Merlin have you been?!" Augusta screeched. "Your parents and I have been worried sick! What kind of games do you think you're playing?!"
"MOTHER!" Frank yelled, and Augusta stopped short. Frank had never yelled at her before. "There is a perfectly good explanation for this and I will tell you in the morning. Now please go back to bed."
Augusta was still shocked, and didn't move until a house elf popped in and grabbed her arm, leading her back to her chambers.
"She's still scary," Neville shuddered, then looked at his father. "She made me use your wand you know? Wouldn't let me get my own until I accidently broke yours at the end of my fourth year. Gran wanted me to be just like you. She was so disappointed in me."
Neville hung his head in shame and reassurances soon came from both parents, telling him that they couldn't be prouder.
"I'm still getting flashes of what this life is like. I've got two sets of memories in my head and it's so confusing! Can you please tell me what's actually happened the last eleven years?" Neville asked, and his parents nodded. Frank and Alice sat either side of their son and began explaining what their 'new' lives had been like.
-o-
George, Ron, and Ginny Apparated to the Burrow, and as they predicted, Molly was rushing out the door as soon as they passed the wards.
"Damn that bloody clock!" George muttered, and Ron and Ginny nodded their agreement.
"Get ready. It doesn't matter how long we've been gone, we're still going to be crushed to death then grounded for the rest of our lives!" Ginny grimaced, and her brothers let out a groan because they knew she was right.
"Ron, George, Ginny! My babies! I was so worried!" Molly yelled, crushing the three to her chest. "Where have you been?"
Steering the three towards the house, Molly pushed them all inside where Arthur, Percy and Fred were waiting.
"Come on bro! I understand you sneaking out with Ginny, but why'd you take Ronniekins over me? I'm hurt!" Fred said, holding a hand over his heart theatrically at his brothers 'betrayal'.
Ginny was disappointed that Bill and Charlie weren't there, but after they landed back in Grimmauld Place without them, she never expected them to be. Besides, she was too overwhelmed at seeing Fred alive to worry about her two biggest brothers too much. They could take care of themselves.
"FRED!" George and Ginny launched themselves at Fred, and Ron gave him a hug after the two had finally let go.
"George, Ron and Ginny! Explain yourselves this instant! Where have you been?" Molly interrupted.
"We went back in time to kill Voldemort because he killed so many people and we didn't want them to die." said George, and Ron and Ginny back him up. "It's true, mum. We did."
"Who in the name of Merlin is Voldemort? And did you seriously think I would fall for that? What were you really doing?"
George, Ron and Ginny shared a look of glee, and then Ginny, ever the conniving little witch, came out with the perfect lie.
"Ron and I snuck out. We wanted to go to Diagon Alley. George saw us sneak out and brought us back, I'm pretty sure Fred was still asleep when he left."
All of this was said with complete sincerity and innocence, Ginny's specialty. She had developed the ability to lie perfectly, not only as a kid but over her time at Hogwarts as well. Now, with her ten-year-old face back, she radiated innocence and Molly brought her lie instantly.
"Why didn't you just ask? Your father and I would have taken you!"
"We wanted to get you a birthday present," Ginny said softly, looking at her feet. "I know it's not until October, but we don't get much pocket money, so we wanted to order it now and pay it off a little bit each week. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to get you anything nice, like you deserve."
Molly believed Ginny's lie, and the twins gave each other a grin as their mother engulfed the youngest Weasley in a bone-crushing hug.
"Oh Ginny, its okay. I don't need anything fancy. I just want my babies here with me," Molly said, tears escaping in spite of her efforts to keep them back.
Ron, Ginny, Fred and George converged in the twins' room later that night, and the three explained to Fred everything that had happened.
"I died?" He asked, looking shocked and a little green.
"Yeah bro. But you died saving all of us," George said, moving to wrap a comforting arm around his twin. "Even so, we couldn't let you stay dead. We had to make it right, to save you."
"Well thanks. I'd hate to live without you. I would have done the same," Fred said.
"I hope Neville, Harry, and Hermione are okay. I wonder what they said to their parents to explain the missing day." Ginny said. "I suppose we should be grateful we weren't gone longer in this time."
"That's true. Let's go to bed. We can owl the others in the morning and ask how everything went," said Ron, and they all nodded their agreement.
Splitting off to their respective bedrooms, the Weasley's soon drifted off to sleep, happy to be home and reunited with their brother.
-o-
Hermione entered her house quietly, wondering if she could avoid her parents, and then realizing that it would probably make it worse. Hermione hadn't grown up part of the magical world, so other than her parents losing a few friends to Death Eaters, her two lives had been almost exactly the same.
Grace and Logan Granger were sitting on the lounge, heads bent together, arms around each other. Grace was crying, and Logan was rubbing a comforting hand up and down her back.
"It's only been a couple of hours Grace, calm down. I'm sure she's fine," Logan reassured his wife.
"She's never done anything like this before! She always gets on the bus after school and comes straight home! Something happened, I know it!"
"Mum, dad," Hermione interrupted.
"Hermione! Where have you been?" Grace said, quickly getting up off the couch and running over to her daughter.
"You have some explaining to do young lady. Where were you?" Logan said, standing up, looming over Hermione.
"I.. There's this boy in my class." Hermione started. "He doesn't take the bus, so he walks home. It's not far from here. He asked some of my friends to walk home with him, and they asked if I wanted to come too," Hermione looked down at her feet, real guilt washing over her for lying to her parents. "I'm sorry I worried you. I just didn't want to be left out."
Grace and Logan shared a look, and brought their daughter over to sit on the couch.
"Honey, is this about Hogwarts? Are you afraid that you'll lose all of you friends when you go? I know it's only a few months away. I know it will be good for you to learn to control your magic, but if it's worrying you that much you know you can always stay here, right?" Grace said, holding Hermione tight.
Hermione had gotten her Hogwarts letter on her eleventh birthday. Professor McGonagall had given her parents a fright when she turned up on their door-step, telling them their daughter was a witch and had a place at a school especially for magic. McGonagall explained that since their school year had already started a few weeks before, she would have to wait until the next year to go. Hermione was impatient, wanting to go immediately, but Grace and Logan were grateful for the time they had to think it over. It had taken months for Hermione to convince her parents to let her go, and eventually they had agreed, but only because they could see it was what their daughter truly wanted.
"Kind of. I really do want to go to Hogwarts. I think it will be a great experience, and, if I don't like it, I know I can always come back. It's just going to be hard making new friends and spending so long away from home," Hermione explained. Grace and Logan continued to comfort their daughter until they went to bed a few hours later, and Hermione was left lying awake in bed and thinking about her future.
She had been in this position once before - the first time she had gotten her Hogwarts letter. Hermione had spent many nights lying awake the same way she was now, trying to make the impossible decision: stay or go? Hermione only really had one friend as a child and had been bullied quite badly, so the thought of going to a new school where no one knew her was exciting. The thought of leaving her parents, however, was not an easy decision. In the end, Hermione had decided to try Hogwarts for a year, and if she didn't like it she would enroll in the local high school instead.
Tonight, Hermione had a similar decision to make. She had already been to Hogwarts. She could control her magic and knew enough to protect herself and her parents. Did she really want to leave them all over again?
During the war, Hermione had sent Grace and Logan off to Australia with no memory of ever having a child and seeing them again just brought back how much she missed them. Could she really leave her parents again? On the other hand, Hermione really wanted to see what the 'new' Hogwarts was like, and she couldn't legally use magic outside of the school anymore because she was once again underage.
It was a difficult choice to make: go back to Hogwarts or stay in the muggle world and live like a normal teenager?
Hermione was glad there was still a few months until Hogwarts started for the year. This time around, she was grateful for the extra time to think.
-o-
Monday, 29th July, 1968 - Bill and Charlie
Bill and Charlie were not surprised when, instead of landing back with the rest of the group, they landed in the grounds of a huge manor, right in front of the black wrought iron gates. A giant family crest sat right in the middle, and it was one the two didn't recognize until their new memories began to make an appearance. A giant bird, wings outstretched, perched on an arm holding a wand, with the inscription "la famille avant tout".
"La famille avant tout? Isn't that French? I thought most purebloods had a Latin house motto?" Charlie asked, helping Bill to his feet.
"Yes, it is French, it means 'family above everything.' And Britain's purebloods may have Latin mottos, but the Flamel's originated in France. Nicholas and Perenelle were the first of the Flamel family to leave France, not long after they graduated from Beauxbatons," Bill replied.
Charlie gave him an odd look, then realized how he knew all of this when his own 'new' memories came flooding in.
"I guess that explains your attraction to Fleur," Charlie snorted. Bill punched his shoulder lightly.
"Shut up. I know we have a manor in France and one in Britain, but I'm still not sure which one this is, or where we are."
"We have manors? As in more than one? That's going to get weird," Charlie muttered. His face screwed up in concentration. "If I remember correctly, this is France." Charlie's eyes widened. "Oh Merlin. We never went to Hogwarts! I think we're in the Beaubatons school holidays right now. Oh crap!" more memories flooded through his mind. "We're supposed to be on holiday with Nicholas and Perenelle in Spain..."
Bill's face paled as he realized his brother was right. "They're going to kill us."
"Yep." A moment of silence passed between the two as they considered their options.
"We could tell them that we've had enough of Beauxbatons and came home to pack up our stuff because we want to be transferred to Hogwarts for our last year?" Bill suggested.
"That could work. Only problem is, I don't think we're in the same time as the others," said Charlie. Bill looked confused for a second until his memories told him what year it was.
"Oh. I get it. We were physically around sixteen when we got sent back, so we got sent back to when we were actually were sixteen. The others would have been sent back to when they were eleven. So they haven't even been born yet!"
"Yep. And I have no idea what this Hogwarts is like," Charlie said, looking for any sign of life in the house in front of them.
"Me either. I guess we could just finish at Beauxbatons. It is only a year," Bill said, but he knew both of them hated the idea. Britain was their home, even if, in this life, they had grown up in France.
"I say we ask them about Hogwarts," Charlie said, and Bill nodded his agreement.
"Agreed. Let's go and ask?" Uncertainty laced his voice, and Charlie gave him a brotherly smile of encouragement.
"In this life, they're our parents. We can't treat them like strangers. They'll know something is up. Try and pick out your memories of them and focus on how our life here growing up was," Charlie suggested, and Bill gave him a nod.
The two spent a few minutes doing just that and were really only half surprised to find out that, growing up, they acted much like Fred and George did. Something else stood out to them as well.
"Charlie, we aren't natural red-heads," Bill said, catching a glimpse of his younger self, complete with ice blue eyes and long brown hair. "I think we dyed it when we started Beauxbatons."
"I think we did," Charlie laughed. "I guess even in this life we needed a bit of Weasley in us."
Bill gave a chuckle of agreement, though it didn't last long when they realized that it was their own 'mother' had blocked their magical inheritances and taken them away from their real family.
"Let's go then. We should go and ask mum and dad if we can transfer to Hogwarts," Charlie said with a grin. "And hope they don't kill us for leaving our holiday."
The brothers looked at each other before taking a deep breath and, finding the location of their Spain summer house in their mind, Apparated away. They landed outside a similar manor to the one in France, and walked forward, pushing open the gates. They felt the familiar tingle down their spine as they passed through the wards, and began the walk up to the manor.
"You do realize we got lucky?" Bill asked as they walked up the path to the double front doors.
"How so?" Charlie asked.
"Well, Molly and Arthur only finished at Hogwarts last year. If we had of gone to Hogwarts instead of Beauxbatons, then we would have gone to school with them!"
Charlie paled at the thought, then gave a small chuckle.
"I guess we have good timing then!"
