Chapter 25
After more than a few interruptions of disbelief, outrage, fear, and "you are grounded forever!", the kids finally got through the tale of their time travel quest. When it was concluded, 6 pairs of eyes stared back at them in utter awe.
"So, Sirius originally…died?" Harry finally managed to eek out, despair shining brightly in his emerald eyes.
"I'm afraid so," Teddy affirmed.
"But…Jamie saved him?" Harry asked.
"Yep," Al replied. "We knew we weren't supposed to change anything, no matter how much we wanted to," he explained while eying Teddy with sympathy, "but when it came time for him to go through the Veil, Jamie just acted on instinct and saved him."
"So, he's still alive?" Rose asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Of course he's alive!" Ron exclaimed. "You know that, Rose, he runs one of the Wheezes stores!"
"He does?" she asked, a headache flaring up as she tried to think about it.
"You-none of you- recall anything from this timeline?" Hermione asked with concern.
The time travelers all shook their heads, causing the adults to look at each other with clear trepidation.
"We should research the effects of time travel," Hermione began.
"I tried that, Mum," Rose stated. "There isn't much on it, especially since the public only had access to time turners that could go back a few hours."
"Yes, since nobody else would be foolhardy enough to impersonate their father, break into a top secret Ministry facility, and steal a developmental time travel device that they know nothing about!" Draco Malfoy growled, boring a hole into his son with his steely glare. "Still, there might be something in the Manor library. Would you like to accompany me and assist with the research Hermione?" he asked without any emotion in his voice.
"Hermione?" Rose, Scorp, and Al all mouthed at the same time.
"Wow, I guess a lot really has changed!" Hugo smiled.
"Oh, ow!" Teddy suddenly exclaimed, clutching his head.
"Ted, are you alright?" Harry asked, helping the tall man to a seat.
"Ugh, yeah, its just, I got a killer headache all of a sudden," he ground out. "It's worse than the time I hit my head on that rock after falling off Padfoot's motorbike."
"What?" Hermione gasped. "Did you say…Padfoot?"
"Ugh, yeah, you know, it happened when I was 10 and you screamed at him for letting me on the bike when I was so youn-" he trailed off, realizing what he was saying. "Wait, that never happened," he mumbled.
"It did," Ron corrected, "but it happened in this timline, the one where Sirius is alive."
"How did you know that?" Harry asked.
"I don't know, its like, all of a sudden it was just there, in my head. I remember it, though, I remember the pain, and how Padfoot was so worried…"
"We need to get to that research," Draco observed. Hermione nodded, quickly gathering her things and hugging her husband before following the Malfoy's back to the floo.
"Should we get a healer who specializes in mind and brain spells? Maybe they will be able to help us," Ron asked Harry, looking unsure.
"Yeah, but what will we tell them? We can't admit that our kids traveled years back in time. If the Ministry finds out they will haul them all down there and try to prosecute them…or study them."
"He's right," Ginny agreed with a sigh. "We need to keep this to ourselves unless the physical effects become really serious."
"Right," Ron nodded. "Sorry kids, it looks like you're in for some wicked headaches."
"I can at least get us all some general pain potions," Victorie offered, much to the relief of her husband.
"Yes, that would be great. Thanks Tori," the elder redhead replied.
"No problem, Uncle Ron," she said with a strained smile as she left the room. Once she was in the hall she gave into the pain she had been trying to hide and rubbed her temples in small circles.
Over the next hour, each of the time travelers was struck with blaring headaches as bits and pieces of the occurrences in the new timeline came back to them. "Well," Albus said with a struggle, "at least we won't be lost in our own lives now."
"Yeah," Hugo agreed, "but does this mean our original memories will fade away, or will we have both sets?"
"I don't know, Hugh," his sister replied with a disgruntled tone. She hated not knowing the answer to things!
"I think I might have the answer to that," Draco commented nonchalantly as he swept into the room carrying a large, ancient-looking tome.
"Really?" Rose asked with unbridled enthusiasm, practically salivating at the source of untapped knowledge the man held in his hands. She reached out to examine the tomb, only to have her arm grabbed firmly by her mother.
"No, sweetie," she stated sadly, " I know its tempting to look through the book…very tempting, but its dangerous."
"Your mother is correct, Miss Weasley," Draco added. This is a very Dark book, and my ancestors put certain, protections, in place to ensure no one outside of the Malfoy line could lay hands upon it."
"Hmph," she huffed. "Stupid Dark magic."
"Yes, well, regardless, we are fortunate enough that the spells do not affect those of Malfoy lineage, so I am able to handle the book and read it, as well. I found a section regarding an ancient time travel device, last used in 1696, that allowed participants to travel years into the past. The magic was banned after that since it was apparently directly responsible for causing the Salem Witch Trials in the States."
"Whoa, really?" Scorpius asked in awe, now itching to get his own hands on the book his father carried.
"Yes, you can read all about it once we get this situation resolved," he placated.
"Yes!" Scorpius exclaimed, earning a sour glare from Rose.
"You were saying you found some answers?" Ron interjected before Rose and Scorpius could launch into one of their legendary, friendly bickering sessions.
"Correct. It seems that these time travelers also had the same reaction to their journey as our children did. The headaches are indications of new memories being generated to account for the changes made to the timeline during their travels," Draco explained.
"The duration of the headaches has a direct correlation to the amount of time affected by the timeline changes, so the longer one goes back, the longer the headaches seem to last," Hermione continued.
"Oh great, so we're going to be in pain for years?" Lily groused.
"Thankfully, no," Hermione corrected. "The correlation is direct, but not linear. It seems the ratio is roughly equivalent to one hour of effect for each year traveled."
"So we'll have these headaches for approximately 27 hours?" Hugo asked.
"Correct," Astoria confirmed. "But after that you will be in perfect health and have all the memories of the current timeline. It seems that you will also retain memories of your previous timeline, but they will become more distant and detached."
"Like if you put them into a pensieve?" Al asked his boyfriend's mother.
"Exactly," she said with a smile.
"Memories will continue to return to you throughout the duration of the headaches," Hermione added, "So it is best if you all stay somewhere safe until the process is complete."
"But we want to be here for Jamie, when the cure is administered," Al countered.
"I know you do," Harry said with sympathy, "but Jamie will be fine here, it's just a matter of time. We need to keep all of you safe, too. If someone notices what you are going through it will lead to questions we can't answer. It's safer for everyone if you go until this is all through."
"You can come to the Manor for the time being," Astoria offered. "It is secure and isolated, so there is no chance of running into anyone."
"That's a good idea," Ron said, to the shock of all the kids.
"It is?" Rose asked in disbelief. What in the world is up with Dad? He barely tolerates the Malfoys! Even with me being friends with Scorp since first year, he is always an arse to Mr. Malfoy!
"Yeah, of course. It's the most secure place except for Grimmauld, and the Malfoy's have house elves to cook for us!" Ron replied as his wife elbowed him in the ribs.
Rose gripped her head as another wave of pain hit her at that moment and a string of memories returned to her, all involving her family's history with the Malfoys. She recalled Scorpius coming over to the Burrow to play when they were little kids, being brought by Sirius at first, then with Narcissa, Andromeda, Teddy, and Sirius, and eventually with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. She remembered Uncle Harry and Mr. Malfoy shaking hands, and her Dad reluctantly taking the blond man's hand as well. A flood of memories of dinners at Malfoy Manor, her own home, the Burrow, and Grimmauld Place all followed, and suddenly she understood. In this timeline, the Malfoys, Potters, and Weasleys were actually friends! Somehow, Sirius had reconnected with the remaining Blacks, and Narcissa had been brought back into the fold, bringing her son with her.
"Wow," she breathed as the pain passed, "its amazing how much one thing can change."
"Well, if that's settled, shall we go back to the Manor?" Draco asked.
"Yes, if you don't mind watching them," Harry asked Draco and Astoria. "I'll send a Patronus once they are ready to administer the cure."
"Don't worry, Harry, we'll take good care of the kids," Astoria assured. "And make sure these two keep the door to Scorpius's room open," she smirked.
"Wait, you…you know too? About us?" Scorpius asked his stalwardly traditional parents.
"Of course we do, son," Draco replied. "You've been together for years! Your coming out nearly killed Grandpa Lucius! How could we forget something like that?" he scoffed.
"Darling, the timeline, remember," Astoria reminded him with a soft hand on his shoulder.
"Oh, yes, of course!" he exclaimed. "So, you mean to tell me that we didn't know about you in the other timeline, or you weren't together?"
"No, we were still together, we just, uh…" Scorpius stumbled.
"Hid it from us?" Draco asked pointedly.
"You have to understand Father, things were different then; you were different."
"How so?" Draco asked, half worried what his son's response would be.
"Don't get me wrong, you were still an amazing father, it's just that you were still more…traditional. You were really set on me carrying on the Malfoy name so…"
"Even with Rigel and Altair, I was still that concerned?" Draco asked with confusion.
"Rigel and Altair? Who are…oh, ow!" Scorpius exclaimed as he grabbed his head in a stab of pain. As it did with Rose, a flood of new memories filled his mind. He remembered seeing his Mum and Dad embracing, joyous smiles on both of their spaces and a light blue mist enveloping them. He remembered being sat down by the pair of them, his little 9 year old legs barely reaching the edge of the huge couch. "Sweetheart, we have some great news. You're going to be a big brother!" He saw his Mum and Dad coming back from St. Mungos, two squirming bundles in their hands. "Scorpius, meet your new baby brothers. This is Rigel, and this is Altair." He remembered years of crying, cooing, first steps, teaching them how to read, play, and swim. He recalled sibling rivalries, fights, and squabbling, but he also recalled countless hugs, looks of adoration, and being there for them when they were scarred to start preschool.
"Oh Merlin," he gasped, "that's so weird! I'm a big brother. I have siblings!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"Of course you are," Astoria confirmed. "You weren't…before?"
"No, I was an only child in the other timeline. It was so lonely; I wished for siblings so many times!"
"Well, wish granted,' Draco smirked. "We'll see if you feel the same when you have to babysit the little hellions!"
"Speaking of which, we should get home. Your mum isn't as young as she used to be, and even with Pinky there to help her, those kids are a handful!" Astoria interjected.
"Very true. Alright Potters, Weasleys, are you ready?" Draco asked.
The kids nodded and made their way towards the floo with Hermione and Ron following in their wake. They all said their farewells to Harry and Ginny, then disappeared through the green smoke.