Diary of Time

by joemjackson

Headmaster Harry Potter has spent his whole life trying to make things better. At the end of his life, he is finally ready. He goes back in time and gives his 11 year old self a very special book.

25. Chapter 25:Year 4 pt11

[a/n]Just a wrapup chapter. Even Old Harry only has a brief comment about Fifth Year. The humor rating is about to drop, conversely the darkness rating will climb. There will be bloodshed.

Year 4 [pt11]

Madam Pomfrey absolutely refused to release her most troublesome patient before the next morning. And truth be told, for once, Harry had no urge to pound sand around Black Lake. He had a brainful of what Susan Bones had said to him. Sirius had merely pointed and winked as they all departed. He wasn't sure what time Luna visited, but the Sun was gone and if Susan's speech was something, Luna's handful of words kept him up until his Diary glowed. Which was just seconds before the morning cock crowed. The scarred boy complained "You! On top of Luna? Not fair!"

The year is over. Just the awarding of the Goblet money. It's a nice piece of change, but won't affect your tax bracket. I couldn't take it over Cedric's body, so I let Fred and George convert it into what was still a growing conglomerate [BIGBIGBIGBIG BUSINESS] when I came back. Geniuses those two. Congratulations on kicking Dork Lard ass. You trained hard to win this moment. And deserved the laurels. If you didn't get Nagini, sorry, it's not over. You've bought yourself, and the Wizarding World, a little time. I can't tell you who won the House Cup this year. We didn't award it. All the banners were Hufflepuff and they were all black. Cedric died just for the crime of being in the way. Any outcome other than that is a major win in every way. Fifth Year will be no picnic, but I'm not burdening you with that just now. Celebrate the win, Harry. Snog your girlfriend. HEH if you don't have one, snog three or four HAHA! I am being Siriusly Serious.

Harry considered this passage as a whole. There was a hole in his heart, it was just about sixty feet long. And, objectively, the ugliest creature he'd ever seen. All that mattered was she was his friend. In his mind, a part was not opposed to trading Cedric for Sally. Helping the Weasley Twins, as Old Harry clearly expected, was tied up in feelings of betrayal, that later were forgiven. He'd think about that. House Cup? Well, last year he was essentially directly responsible for Hufflepuff winning over Gryffindor. Snogging? Well, snogging was snogging **Grin** Next year? Bah! The Old Man was right. Celebrate. But, everyone. EVERYONE! Would know about Sally.

Abcij

"Another year gone." Headmaster Dumbledore began his traditional end of year speech "And as per custom, it is time to award the Hogwarts House Cup. For our foreign friends, you have seen our professors awarding students points for their triumphs and taking points for a pupil's wrongs. The Cup is awarded to the House whose members have accumulated the most points. The banners above you symbolize Hufflepuff, who won last year. At times, I have awarded points to change the result during this speech. Today is not such an occasion. In fourth place we have Hufflepuff with 92 points. In third place we have Slytherin with 132 points. In second place we have Gryffindor with 292 points. Winning the House Cup this year is Ravenclaw with 297 points. Well done, Ravenclaw! Well done!"

Professor Flitwick led his House in throwing their hats in celebration.

As the applause died down he signaled for attention again, and announced "Once again a well done to Ravenclaw. This year has been a departure from the norms. In keeping with that, I yield the floor to Mr. Harry Potter. He and I have discussed this at great length and fully agree that the truth needs to be told. This year was not as it seemed. Know that what he says is as if I were speaking as well. Thank you."

"Thank you Headmaster Dumbledore." Harry walked up in the company of Luna Lovegood "This is my press agent and cub reporter with The Quibbler. I learned that the entire TriWizard Tournament was a setup by Voldemort… don't be scared of the name! And don't dignify a murdering piece of garbage with a Lordship! … To use me in a Dark and vile ritual to resurrect himself. I learned of the plot that turned the Goblet of Fire into a portkey. I took it on myself, and I have been lectured to quite a bit on being reckless."

The captivated audience all chuckled at that.

Harry rolled his eyes and complained "Yeah yeah yeah. Let's not bother with names. Take too long, back to it. I told my girlfriend right before entering the Maze. Then stunned her. She's still a bit miffed it that. I've been training all my life, no one in Hogwarts that hasn't seen me. I had to get to the Goblet first, if any of my competitors did they would have been killed on sight. Yes, reckless, I know."

"And a stinking cheat! Fraud!" shouted Draco Malfoy so loudly it echoed for almost a minute.

Harry laughed wickedly "You'll have to forgive Draco. His betting pool has put him on the hook for around 35 million Galleons. Quiet Draco! Silencio!"

"Harry!" Dumbledore complained in a long-suffering tone.

Harry rolled his eyes "I'd never get through this with his whining. I was stunned by Peter Pettigrew, who sliced open my arm for the first ingredient. Lucky for me Sally, or as we first learned, the Horror within Slytherin's Chamber… came through just then. She knocked over the large cauldron Pettigrew was using and killed him."

"Peter Pettigrew was an Order of Merlin hero!" Blaise Zabini yelled.

Harry was shocked at a friend, he thought, turning on him "Well, everyone's entitled to an opinion. Mine is that he was a traitor and murderer. Sally bit the bastard in half and he died trying to put his fat belly together. Good riddance to the Death Eater!"

"Calm, Harry." Dumbledore offered, quietly "Stick to what we talked about."

He nodded, took several breaths, and continued "Right. Voldemort…again! With the flinching!...Was now a possessing a little kid, like with Quirrell…creating a homunculus. My basilisk friend used her tail like a sword and pinned him to a wall. It was all but over when a bunch of witches and wizards in silvery masks and black robes apparated in and attack us. Sally charged them, killed a few, but herself was killed by the Death Eaters."

"Bloody monster!" shouted Blaise in a blind fury, he drew his wand which was glowing green.

Harry reacted defensively, banishing the Headmaster's lectern into the path of the Killing Curse. Shards of wood exploded everywhere. The real Mad-Eye Moody, who was quite put out at sitting in a box for over half a year, struck down the would-be killer with his own "Avada Kedavra!"

"Think we can finish up this speech?" Harry swept the audience with a callous glare "Acting on my girlfriend, Susan's, warning five heroes came to help me. I was alone against Voldemort and about twenty of his branded slaves. Albus Dumbledore led Sirius Black, Hermione Granger, Remus Lupin and Ginny Weasley. Some of the cowards ran off, we captured five and killed six. None of us came away uninjured."

Long quieted by her lack of ability to create scandal, Rita Skeeter had to stir up trouble "Dead witches and wizards, Mr. Potter, what would you say to their families? These were someone's wife, someone's son, someone's father."

"Luna, might I answer this interloper's question?" Harry asked of his press agent.

The blonde Gryffindor smiled and airily answered "Well, as long as I get primary credit. Of course."

"I'll be brutally honest, Ms. Skeeter." He turned back to the audience "There's only one death I'll cry over. And, no, not Zabini there. No, Rita, I'll only cry for Sally, my basilisk friend. Over the last couple years, she was the only one I could talk to about some things. So wise. Really such a gentle soul. She did things to further the death of Voldemort that I can't explain yet. I am selling her remains through Gringotts. Legally, it's my right. And I plan to use the funds they collect in this vendetta. How? Well that depends how much, but I can only hope Sally would approve of what I do. I am willing to bring anyone interested into the Chamber of Secrets. I want to say a few words there."

There was utter silence after that, Rita finally recovered her power of speech, at first stammering "Wh-wh-what y-y-you're saying is that you care more for an animal, th-th-than a p-p-person?"

"Everyone calls me The-Boy-Who-Lived, Rita." He answered "Why? Because my parents sacrificed themselves for their infant son. Call me Pyjammas The Terror. I like that."

She looked offended "Let me repeat my question do you care more for an animal, than a person?"

"When it comes to people trying to murder me…yes." Answered Harry.

Rita rolled her eyes and spoke as if to a misbehaving child "Let me repeat my question do you care more for an animal, than a person?"

"Let me repeat my answer." Harry used her exact same insulting tone "When it comes to people trying to murder me…yes."

There was a rather lengthy staring contest before the reporter huffed and spoke no more.

Abcij

"Come on people." Harry complained to the crowd "Nothing down here to bite. Well, not any more. I was last here before the Third Task. What about you and your yellow friends Ceddy? I got a brave Puff up here with me."

Cedric Diggory spent a week in a Ministry holding cell and was questioned extensively. He was cleared of all charges, not just released to compete in the Tournament. Completely cleared. And he was robbed of even a fair chance. "Nasty little sod, aren't you?"

"Can't beat me at Quidditch." Harry taunted the taller boy "Too bad the Goblet didn't declare me Hogwarts champion. Wanna fight? Muggle? Magical? Go for it."

Dumbledore pushed between the posturing youths and said "Harry, please, we're all fascinated by the tale of the Chamber. Let us proceed."

"Please, let it go." Susan squeezed his hand "It's hard for me when my boyfriend hates my House."

Harry couldn't stand up to that "Alright. I hope everyone enjoyed the slide. Seems Lord Slytherin had quite the quirky sense of humor. You can call this the ante-chamber. There's a round door, locked with snake tumblers just up ahead, it opens to Parseltongue of course. Then we're in the main chamber. There's a bunch of large snake statues and a whole wall carving of Salazar himself. This way."

"I really think he's enjoying this whole thing." Remus whispered an aside to Sirius.

Sirius bit the inside of his cheek "No matter what we think of Sally. Sheesh! Setting all this up has worked for him."

"You think we're looking at the next Care of Magical Creatures' professor?" Remus bounced on his toes.

Sirius frowned "Hagrid apparently forgave Harry for his dragonicide. Harry, on the other hand." The pair exchanged disappointed looks.

"So, here we are everyone." Said Harry "This is where all that Heir of Slytherin stuff began and ended. Sally was never meant to be a murderer. Voldemort being a direct descendant of Slytherin and a Parseltongue set her on 'the unworthy' as he called them. Sally told me everyone in this castle is worthy. That all of the Founders would wonder at the emptiness of their castle and how backwards we seem. Why don't we know more about magic than the Founders?"

Snape looked offended, in fact few looked pleased "How dare you Potter?" he snarled.

"I didn't dare." Harry answered coolly "Sally told me the classrooms used to all be full. The castle is more than half empty. She told me boys and girls used to fill the Great Hall three or four different times for each meal. Sally said not one of us is as strong as she remembers any of the first students being. Why?"

"The Founders were the greatest-" Snape began.

And Harry finished "Wizards and Witches of the age. My Mum was the smartest witch of her age. Some people say the same of Hermione. History, muggle history, teaches that Rome was the greatest empire of ancient times. Even poor muggles live better than Roman Emperors. A letter would take a month to cross the Empire. Post can do that in a day. A muggle can talk on a phone just like we are now and be on the other side of the world. I'm saying muggles have advanced since the Founders lived. Why haven't we?"

"What you say, we will consider." Said Dumbledore.

Harry stopped preaching "Sally was my friend. She died saving my life. Excuse me please, I want to say goodbye in Parseltongue."

To the fascination of all, Harry hissed for a couple minutes. Ginny's face took on a look of shock, she could understand some but not all of what Harry was saying. She hid the expression and assumed the same look as the rest. When Harry happened to say the password for opening the mouth of the statue, she was the only one in position to notice. After he'd said his piece, Harry thanked everyone for their interest. Ginny pretended interest and hissed the close mouth password. As the Chamber emptied out, she intentionally lingered, even earning the mild irritation of Susan when she took his arm. Standing as close as anyone could to the statue she hissed in broken Parseltongue. No one except Harry would think it was her. After he looked at her in alarm and understanding, they worked to rush everyone out without looking like they were.

"Ok Harry, what's up?" asked Sirius when just a special few remained.

He was glaring at the Potion Master "After Snivilus leaves."

"Arrogant brat." Snape sneered.

Dumbledore said "You would be wise, Harry, to listen to Professor Snape in any matter that involves his House's founder."

"Always wondered about that, Albus." Remus put in "Aurora is as much a Slytherin as Severus. And senior in tenure. Why is she not head of Slytherin?"

Snape growled "Werewolves are a disgrace to the Wizarding World. As for you, Potter, no more pet to bully your betters with. Your little world will be very different next year."

"I haven't met my better, Snivilus." Harry had fought, and now killed in real combat. The last of Snape's ability to intimidate was gone. "I'd take you out myself, but Myrtle loves to deal with intruders MYRTLE!"

The teenage Ravenclaw ghost appeared "Hiya Harry." She cuddled up and hissed at Susan.

"Myrtle, this is Snivilus." Harry pointed between the two "Myrtle, Snivilus won't leave after I told him to go. Think you can convince him?"

The ghost tittered happily and said "For a kiss Hawwy?"

"Oh. Alright." He answered, "but just because my girlfriend is here too."

With her prize received, Myrtle delightedly went to work tormenting the Potion Master. She blissfully ignored Dumbledore's protests and Snape was soon driven away.

"Now we can proceed." Said Harry with a smirk "During my speech I accidently hit the password to open the statue where Sally came out of. Ginny noticed because she can partially speak Parseltongue. Sally's last words to me were go behind the statue."

Dumbledore said "Then I suggest you do so. However, slowly, carefully, and with us backing you up. With wands drawn. Ladies and gentlemen."

"I don't much care for this, Albus." Sirius complained "No, I don't care for it at all."

Harry grinned "Thanks Sirius. I mean that. But if Sally told me to do it, then it's safe." He climbed around the statue, followed by Sirius, Dumbledore, Ginny jumped in next, Susan forced her way on, then Remus. Lifting himself up and into the mouth the first thing he did was cast "Lumos!"

"Get in there already." Sirius complained, nudging the Headmaster impatiently.

Harry's voice echoed from inside "Yaahhh! No, it's alright. Just a little slippery."

"A little creepy if you ask me." Said Susan "Almost like he's talking. Slytherin I mean. What's it like in there?"

Harry grunted with the effort of pulling Dumbledore in then replied "Well, a thousand years worth of snake, to be honest. But…see I'm fine Sirius…come on everyone light up."

"Is there enough room?" Susan wanted to know.

Harry laughed at her as he pulled her in "A sixty foot snake hung out in here for a thousand years. Books everywhere."

"If I may, Harry?" cautioned Dumbledore, he waved his wand several times, then gently pulled the nearest book off the nearest shelf.

Harry tugged on the old man's hand. And started reading.

"Boy, Hermione's gonna be pissed!" exclaimed Ginny, giggling madly. No one else recognized the alien language.

Harry only saw English, but he got it "Printed in Parseltongue isn't it? Oh, she's not going to be pissed. She's going to hate me. Heeheeheeheehee." Positively gleeful.

"I don't get it." Said Susan.

Sirius put an arm over her shoulder and pointed out "What, my dear, is the most important thing to ANY bookworm?"

"Books obviously." She answered "Though Harry is learning the value of snogging."

"Stuff it Sue." Harry groaned and poked her in the side. "Well, assuming I live through this war. I've got my career. Haha. Books on Parselmagic."

Susan and Ginny complained almost simultaneously "Of course you'll win, Harry. Don't say things like that."

"Hermione is going to be so proud." Sirius barely stifled a laugh "Her ickle brother, an author."

Susan, of course, was quite alright with Hermione being referred to as her boyfriend's sister.

Abcij

The ride home on the Hogwarts Express was uniquely pleasant for Harry. For much of it, either Susan's head was in his lap or his was in hers. Either way they spent a lot of time counting each other's teeth. Harry declared Susan the winner of the tongue wrestling match. Neville looked at Ron and gagged.

"Ahem!" the compartment door burst open.

A disgruntled Harry pulled away from his girlfriend's lips "Hello, Draco. Vince. Greg. What's on your brain cell?"

"You cheated Potter!" the leader snarled.

Neville pointed out "Did anyone ever see a tournament rule book?"

"Harry killed the dragon, set a new second task record and third as well." Ron added "It was in Rowling's Book of World Sports Records."

Neville held up a thumb "Ron has been expanding his interests. There are other sports besides Quiddtch." Harry giggled.

"Stupid squib. Nevertheless." Draco continued "Father has said I must honor my debts. After expenses I managed a take of just over five million Galleons. I'll be depositing that in your Gringotts account." Everyone could see the utter disgust with which he made that statement.

Harry rolled his head in Susan's lap and looked lazily at his nemesis, he said "Interesting. Neville? Hey mate, can you go get Luna for me, please? She sorta helps me with stuff like this."

"Stuff like this?" Draco was offended "You realize we're talking about a substantial amount of money here?"

Harry gave a negligent shrug "That's why I have advisers, to help me deal with the important decisions. Ahh…Luna, dear… thanks mate… young Mr. Malfoy has an important business transaction to discuss." He went back to important work ***Snogging***

"Yessir." Luna snapped and turned her lunaest look to "How can I help you Draco?"

Goyle asked "Should I mess up the little freak?" Crabbe cracked his knuckles.

Ron and Neville both had their wands out. Harry gave a displeased groan and went to sit up. Susan pushed him down into her lap.

"I plan on depositing something over five million Galleons into Potter's Gringotts vault." Draco repeated his explanation.

Luna nodded "Well, thank you sir." And seemed to zone out.

"Well, that's it then. I'll take the pool ticket and consider the bet paid off." Said Draco, preparing to leave.

Luna's eyes bugged as she gazed at him "Well, sure, Harry can accept that as a downpayment. That would leave House Malfoy owing House Potter around 25 million Galleons."

"You little freak!" Draco snarled at her.

Harry, Neville and Ron moved as one. Crabbe and Goyle were petrified, immobile on the floor. Harry's wand was between Draco's eyes "How many spells do you know would kill at this range?" asked Harry, casually.

"You wouldn't dare! My father-!" Draco blustered all the while licking his lips.

Harry pressed his wand harder and harder into the very minimal flesh of his forehead as he screamed. Then suddenly twirled his wand and folded himself back in his girlfriend's lap. He waved a hand dismissively and said "You may go. Take that with you. Luna? Thank you very much. Would you like to return to your compartment or stay here?"

"Well, these boys are not attached." She commented, wriggling up Neville's lap and kissing him. Ron started to get up to leave, but Luna slid her leg up his chest then sensuously across his face.

Harry, hearing moaning, looked over and almost swallowed Susan's tongue. She slapped his shoulder and started giggling. "How am I supposed to snog if you giggle!" Harry complained.

Abcij

"Ginevra, come away from that Potter brat!" exclaimed Molly Weasley, who was waving her hands furiously. Arthur Weasley was bringing up the rear unable to quite catch his wife. Harry had his left arm around Susan's waist and Molly Weasley's daughter on his right arm. Six days after the Battle of Little Hangleton, as the papers dubbed it, no witch would need help walking. Ginny didn't even have a slight limp.

Arthur glared at his wife and shook Harry's hand "I know there's more to the story than the papers have been told. I thank you for whatever you did to protect my daughter."

"Arthur!" Molly slapped him on the arm "Get away from him!"

That was when Sirius walked up. Of course he'd been on the train the whole time. He wouldn't disrupt Harry's snogging. "Is there a problem, Mrs. Weasley? This is LORD Black asking. Hmmm?" He took Ginny's hand and kissed it "I would like to thank you for assisting me and my reckless Godson."

"My pleasure, Lord Black" she, and to his look smiled "Sorry…siriusly…sorry. Oops! Hehe. Harry saved my soul, I was glad to follow him wherever he needed me to be. And before you go there, Harry, for the nine hundred and ninety fourth time my foot is fine. See you later." She kissed his cheek.

Susan had mixed feelings about this Gryffindor, almost as much as the Gryffindor Harry insisted on seeing this summer. But she smiled, hugged her and air-kissed her cheek "Think we can have a quiet year, next year?" she quipped.

"Let's put a pile of money on that and buy a bit of quiet." The younger redhead laughed. "Now, Beat it. The three of you. We're just going to wait for Ron and the twins."

Harry shook Mr. Weasley's hand, ignored Mrs. Weasley and whispered in Ginny's ear for a moment. They went to look for Madam Bones.

"Mother!" Ginny snapped as soon as the threesome were out of earshot "You and me are going to have a major argument when we get home! That was me until your sodding howler arrived!"

Molly brought out her index finger and waggled it "Watch your tone with me young lady! You might find yourself grounded."

"Hmpf! Grounded. Try having a few crucios thrown your way." She wasn't the least worried.

Just then, Molly Weasley had a shock that reached Sirius' canine enhanced ears "I believe your friend's mother just saw Neville, Luna and Ron. Ahhooo."

Abcij

A less than conventional motorcycle sped off a highway, turned at the next overpass and zipped along. Turned three streets later and pulled up to a large house with no sidewalk beside it. "Good thing it's Saturday." The younger wizard quipped "No traffic on the expressway. Would've caused a jam."

"What's jelly got to do with it?" asked the older wizard, roguishly.

The younger rolled his eyes "You didn't take Muggle Studies."

"Of course not." Sirius answered "Only Muggles I wanted to know about in school wore skirts that stopped at the knee."

Harry snorted "Perv!"

"HEY! Ellen was twenty." he protested.

Harry didn't look up "Patti is nineteen."

"And a half!" Sirius added.

Harry paused at the top of the steps "Who's next Eloise Midgen?"

"Don't know her. Not a page?" Sirius queried.

Harry sighed "No. Gryffindor. Second Year."

Sirius opted to pass on that and rang the doorbell like a good Muggle. "See."

"What are you doing here?" Michelle Granger glared at the visitors "Last year you nearly kill my daughter yourself. This year she was tortured under that sick-"

The Marauder sighed "And you should blame the Death Eaters who did it. Not the boy who saved her. I am all too well aware of the spell that was used. Our hospital has half a dozen people STILL suffering from its effects nearly twenty years later. One couple has a son, just Harry's age. He doesn't remember his parents any more than Harry does."

"And what do you want here?" Ian Granger stepped in front of his wife, hand in a pocket.

Harry touched his Godfather's hand "I can tell what's in your pocket." Harry said, tonelessly "I can guarantee nothing will happen if you pull it other than you'll wake up in a few hours needing a Tylenol. Hello Hermione."

"I saw combat. I killed. I watched friends die in Ireland." Her father said.

Harry nodded, his gaze didn't waver as he replied "I believe you. I can see it. I prevented all my friends dying last week. I'll probably do it again. Or maybe Hermione will save my life next time."

"You hurt my daughter!" Mrs. Granger put in.

Harry didn't take his eyes off the husband "No. You did. We're friends again in spite of the hurt you caused. Now we can come in the front door as invited guests or me and my Godfather enter through your daughter's window."

"You can't use magic outside that school of yours!" Ian gloated.

Sirius shocked them by turning into a dog. Right on their porch. Woof! He simply got in between their legs and became human again behind a delighted Hermione. He casually pointed out "There are certain loopholes."

"I could call the authorities." Ian threatened.

Sirius nodded and grinned evilly "You could. In Seventh Year, students learn about Obliviate. Every young wizard and witch needs it. Nothing harmful. Needed for our security. Just think of it as a memory delete. Do you really think Hermione would want to see Harry if he wasn't her friend?"

"I am really starting to hate magic." Michelle growled.

That startled Harry into protection mode "If they ever hit you, starve you-"

"No Harry, they would never." Hermione declared "I promise. But I thank you for the thought."

Sirius claimed center stage "Look. You're a typical Muggle family, which means you send your child away every September and they come back, tell you all these things and SHOW nothing. Just like my favorite Muggleborn family, the Evans" he winked at Harry. And he told and showed "Our first Transfiguration lesson is turning a toothpick into a pin. Ah! A pincushion. How about the reverse? A simple healing spell. Ouch! See? Not even a mark. Madam Pomfrey is for worse things like broken limbs, magical diseases and reversing curses. Harry knock over that glass. Reparo! This year, our Minister of Magic spoke to a crowd of a hundred thousand just by touching his wand to his neck. And there was a Muggle campground not a mile away that didn't see a thing. A young cousin of mine can make herself look male or female at will, change hair color. You saw my dog, Harry's father was a stag, the Transfiguration teacher is a cat. We don't get cancer, high blood pressure or diabetes. Hermione will likely live twice as long as you."

"But she could get killed while she's walking down that Alley of yours." Michelle pointed out, angrily.

Hermione had had this talk already "What's to stop me stepping off a curb and being hit by a double-decker bus?"

"Or the triple decker Knight Bus?" added Harry.

Sirius frowned at him "Not helping. My family thinks magicals are better than muggles. Thanks to Harry's mother I learned that while we're different…well, that's it…different. Is there bad people? Absolutely. A woman who is as close by blood to me as Harry is tortured one of my best friends and his wife to insanity. Led by a wizard who killed hundreds of people just because they didn't want his extreme version of Purebloodism."

"And you would have me hand over my daughter to such people?" asked Ian.

This is where Harry put in "Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao, Hirohito, the Islamic invasions of India a thousand years ago. Sorry my Muggle history lessons ended at ten and I was never allowed to outperform my idiot cousin."

"Is it true there is a spell that Kills? One that actually tortures?" asked Michelle.

Sirius nodded "Consider it the wizard equivalent of what's in your husband's pocket. It's why Harry's so famous in our world. It's classed Unforgivable, it can't be defended against and you go to Azkaban, where I spent ten years, for life. Harry's the only person EVER to have survived it. What hit Hermione is the Cruciatus Curse, same thing classed Unforgivable, can't be defended against, one way trip to Azkaban."

"So the people… if they're ever caught…" both Grangers asked.

Harry shook his head "No. They'll never be tried. They're dead."

"Harry, you didn't." Hermione looked appalled "No. Even the Quibbler doesn't say that."

He nodded "Officially, Dumbledore admitted to Madam Bones that he did."

"Bones, is the name of your current girlfriend?" Michelle half-asked.

Hermione waved off her mother "You didn't answer my question, Harry."

"Yes...he did, sweetheart." Ian answered grimly.

Hermione gulped down tears "Why? How many?"

"For everyone." He answered "You, Sally, Remus, Ginny, even Dumbledore. It was my fight."

Hermione asked "If Sally was there why did we … I mean you… Shouldn't she have just swept them all away?"

"I guess your memory's a little hazy." Harry shook his head sadly "They killed her."

She walked over to where he was sitting and hugged him "I'm sorry Harry."

"We are too," offered the Grangers "One person? Could've won it alone?"

Sirius answered "Sally was named for Salazar Slytherin. One of Hogwarts' Founders. She was a basilisk, a sixty foot snake. But just as meaningful to Harry as Hedwig. And they could talk to each other."

"I think of her as my personal Yoda." He said sadly, then he got a sneaky expression "And before I forget, I have a present for you." Sirius didn't bother hiding a grin.

Hermione opened it curiously and was deeply surprised when it was a book. The look became a confused one when she leafed through it "Thank you Harry, but ahh…I can't read it."

"As plain as good old Queen's English to me Mione." He chuckled. Then he waved his hand and apologized "Couldn't help it. This is the translation of the first chapter, I didn't have time to do more. The book is written in Parselese. Sally's last words told me to get behind Salazar's statue. There is a whole library back there. Whole shelves of books on snake magic. Hundreds of them back there. I'm going to look through them for anything that'll help defeat Voldemort and once it's over I'll have a whole wall in bookstores::Translated by Harry Potter."

There absolutely were events that Old Harry knew he would be changing by forewarning his young self. He even foretold that his Diary might talk itself out of a job. Could he, for instance, have foreseen Pettigrew's escape from Azkaban? He certainly predicted much of Hogwarts turning on the boy, but not the violence of the Hufflepuffs. And, while Cedric is still alive, he is not a friend. A basilisk befriending the boy? Her death leading to this new treasure trove? Would the original Harry Potter have thought to make such an insane bet on himself during the tournament? These were just a few of the things going through Harry's mind as Sirius drove the motorcycle down Hermione's street. He roared with laughter at the shocked expressions of Ian and Michelle Granger as he waved to them from almost a hundred feet above. What could Fifth Year bring?