Disclaimer: If you know it, it's from Prisoner of Azkaban. Tragically, I did not write that book. JKR did. Thus, I do not own it.
Edited and reloaded 5 September 2013
Timey Wimey
Suddenly, the ground was solid again, Harry's voice popped out in an angry shout and Atlanta was still laughing.
"Hush," Hermione chided both of them, moving to remove the chain from around their necks. She stuffed the object down her robes again.
Atlanta instantly fell silent. Harry rubbed his hand.
"Now what?" Hermione asked.
"This way," Atlanta whispered. "I know the perfect place to hide."
Atlanta scampered off down the down sunlight drenched ward towards the door. She opened the door and darted out. Harry was grabbed by Hermione and dragged after Atlanta.
"When are we?" Harry whispered, looking over his shoulder to find the ward empty.
"Earlier this evening. Dinner time," Hermione whispered as she reached the broom closet Atlanta was holding the door open for. She yanked Harry into the closet and the door shut with a quiet click.
"It all makes sense now." Atlanta shook her head a few times, rolling her eyes, which were slightly glowing a faint blue somehow in the dark.
"Why are your eyes glowing?" Hermione asked.
"Trick of the light," Atlanta said blithely. "How much time did we go back?"
"I think almost six hours?" Hermione guessed. "I think I overturned. I was nervous."
Atlanta pulled up her sleeve of her jacket to reveal a rather complex looking watch. She cocked her head to the side a few times and said, "Well, this Muggle watch turned itself back. It's almost seven-thirty. What were you doing at seven thirty?"
"I don't know," Harry admitted. "I thought time travel wasn't so normal? Why aren't you shocked?"
"That's a Time Turner," Atlanta said to Harry as if he were stupid. "It takes you back in time in small increments. Hey! That's how you've been doing your lessons this year! And randomly turning up!"
Hermione nodded. "Professor Flickwick gave it to me at the start of term. He made me swear not to tell anyone. So, you mustn't tell."
"But, Harry knew. He wasn't surprised you had it."
"He and Draco guessed," Hermione admitted.
"Brilliant! Well, except you kind of went mental," Atlanta said.
Hermione smacked her. "Hush. What I don't understand is why Dumbledore wanted us to go back in time. Well, other than it was clear by your reactions you weren't with us tonight."
Atlanta shook her head, looking grim.
"So, how is having a present version of Atlanta going to help us save Sirius?" Harry asked.
Hermione sighed deeply, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Okay. We know that this Atlanta didn't go with us, so she is the Atlanta that shows up after Snape shows himself." Hermione nodded. "I know we have to find that rat and we find it by the time Snape wakes up as he claimed to not have found a rat."
"I'm not supposed to be seen by Snape. Dumbledore told me that. Oh! He gave me this too."
Atlanta reached her hand into the pocket of her coat. Harry quickly realized it was a coat with the never ending pockets, as her arm went in deep and he could hear things moving around. She extracted a silver flask and held it up.
"For some unknown reason he handed this to me and told me to make sure Remus gets it."
Hermione gasped. "Oh! Harry! Remember! Three lives can be changed! If Professor Lupin doesn't get that, he'll change into a full fledge werewolf."
"Why do I have his Wolfsbane potion?" Atlanta asked, looking panicked.
"He doesn't take it! Remember what Snape said!" Hermione exclaimed. "He left it in the office!"
Harry's head hurt. He took a deep breath. "Okay. So, this Atlanta is the one that shows up in the Shack after Snape shows himself. Okay. Got it."
"What else did Atlanta do?" Hermione pressed. She was looking at Harry in a strange manner, like she was trying to trying to communicate something to him.
"OH! She's got the rat! That's why she was acting funny when Lupin changed! And Snape why didn't find it when he picked up the things Lupin dropped!"
"Huh?" Atlanta asked, looking very confused.
"You'll understand later," Hermione insisted, flapping her hand at him. "He said three lives."
"Okay. So we've got Sirius, Lupin and…what are we doing right now?"
"We're in the cupboard," Hermione automatically reminded him. "Honestly, Harry."
"No, our, well, the other selves. What were we doing…at seven-thirty?" As he uttered those words, it hit him. "We're going to see Hagrid!"
Hermione's eyes went large and Atlanta suddenly knocked something over. Hermione's hands shot out and covered both their mouths. Outside the door they heard someone asked, "Did you hear that?"
The three stood in silence for a full five minutes before Hermione lowered her hands.
"That was Draco and myself," Hermione admitted. "I heard that, but brushed it off."
"Okay, so we're going to see Hagrid. What are you doing?" Harry asked, looking at Atlanta.
"I spent the evening in the Common Room with Ginny. She was waiting for you to return. She guessed you were going to see Hagrid before Buckbeak was executed," Atlanta said. "Only, you never returned."
"We have to save Buckbeak!" Harry shouted, jumping up and down.
"Shhhh!" Hermione hissed. She frowned before saying, "We can't be seen. How can we save Buckbeak?"
"Where is Flickwick's office?" Harry suddenly asked, remember the fact Dumbledore had said Sirius was locked in the professor's office.
"It's on like the thirteenth floor of some tower," Atlanta said. "Wait, Buckbeak flies, right?"
"Yeah! We can fly up and spring Sirius!"
"But the rat!" Hermione hissed. "That paramount rat you and Draco have been going about for months. That will free Sirius!"
"Okay, wait a second. I'm totally behind in all this. You need to tell me the four-one-one," Atlanta insisted.
Hermione and Harry both blinked at her.
"What is going on? Sirius Black is innocent? You two drink the same kool-aid as Draco finally?"
"Harry, she doesn't know! Oh, we don't have time for this." Hermione grabbed at her hair.
"Just give me the basics. Or, I'll tell you what I got. Dumbledore showed up and woke me up. He told me to go get my TARDIS coat — which was just bizarre as no one knows what I'm talking about when I call it that, so how the hell did he know— and handed me the flask, telling me to get it to Remus. He lead me off, without telling me what the hell he was doing. We met Snape levitating Harry, Draco and Sirius Black. Flickwick showed up and said he'd take Black, then winked at me. Dumbledore told Snape to contact Fudge, took control the two dead to the world boys and stuck me in this cupboard on his way to the Hospital Wing. Then, I fell back asleep till he dragged me out and handed me off to you guys."
Hermione pressed her lips together, her brown eyes boring into nothingness as she thought deep thoughts.
"Okay, Dumbledore only wanted us to go back three hours, which would put us at Hagrid's already. But we went back further than needed on accident, so we can easily follow us down there and wait. It won't take three people…" Hermione's eyes darted over to Atlanta. "Where were you all night?"
"I told you, in the Common Room. In the usual corner. With Ginny, waiting for you lot to show up with news on Buckbeak."
"So, you have freedom to roam the castle," Hermione muttered.
Atlanta stood up straighter suddenly, looming over Hermione and Harry. Like Draco, she was getting taller daily.
"Oh," Atlanta said, realization dawning on her. "Harry, where did you loose the rat?"
"You dove at something on the lawn after Lupin transformed. I think you got the rat after it exploded out of Lupin's pocket, but I could be wrong. Lupin last had the rat."
"What time did I show up…wherever?"
"The Shirking Shack. There's a tunnel under the Whomping Willow," Harry filled in.
"You said you'd gone to Lupin's office, saw the goblet and caught him on the Marauder's Map vanishing down the tunnel under the Whomping Willow," Hermione explained. "You clearly didn't, as you've already got the potion."
"Okay. So, I don't need to nip down there, then. How do I get passed the misanthropic tree?"
"There's a knot you have to hit. Find a long stick."
"Remember Fudge's face when Dumbledore mentions that Bones woman?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded. "Yeah. I don't know who she is, though."
"I think it was another hint. And Flickwick's office. Why would they even lock him in there?"
Atlanta nodded, her eyes bright. At least Harry hoped they were just bright and not glowing again. "I think I kind of know what I have to do. Aunt Narcissa has been keeping company with Madam Bones recently and Aunt Narcissa has poking around in Sirius Black's case according to my father."
"She has?" Harry asked. "I know she thought something was fishy about the whole thing, but I didn't know she was doing anything."
Atlanta shrugged elegantly. "Well, I know what I should be doing. I'll see you two in the future."
Without a further word, Atlanta slipped out of the cupboard. Harry listened to the sound of her leather sandals hit the stone floor till they faded.
"Ready to go follow ourselves?" Harry asked, looking at Hermione.
She sighed deeply. "What is our plan?"
"Free Buckbeak. Then, figure out who saved me and Sirius from the dementors," Harry said, opening the door and poking his head out. "Then we'll figure out why we need to go to Flickwick's office."
"Do you even know where it is?"
"Atlanta said the thirteenth floor of the tower."
"Harry, there are at least five different towers, with three of them being taller than thirteen floors."
Harry sagged.
"Harry, I think that bit was for Atlanta only. Like where she was supposed to take the rat after she got it? He winked at her."
"You're right. Let's assume she got the rat and took it to…why would she take it to him?" Harry asked.
Hermione shrugged. "No one is allowed to change time, but she'd already been sent back with us in time. It's how it's always worked out."
"How can no one be allowed to change time? What about Draco? He clearly came back in time, de-aged himself and is changing things left and right."
Harry hadn't meant to snap at Hermione, but it was clear she had known Draco was a time traveller.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you. One, you'd likely not believe me as you didn't when Draco told you first year. I'm sorry," Hermione apologized, wringing her hands together. "Per wizarding law, no one is allowed to change time. Per Draco, he can try all he wants to change time if she will let him."
"Time is a girl?"
"A mad woman in a box," Hermione sighed. "Harry, I really do not have time to explain this. It took me two years to figure it out."
Harry shifted uneasily.
"Fine. We'll talk about Draco, time and the universe after we save Buckbeak. Easy peasy."
Harry opened the door and the pair carefully made their way to the entrance hall.
Amelia Bones was at work late. She'd been working late nights ever since she'd taken lunch with Narcissa Malfoy.
She had only taken said lunch out of curiosity.
Now she half wished she hadn't taken the lunch.
Doubt was a horrible thing, but doubt with logic behind it was much worse. And what Narcissa Malfoy put behind her requests was logic, not money, so Amelia had to respect her. The fact what Narcissa Malfoy was requesting and the reasoning for it made sense was a different story.
Amelia shook her head, clearing it out and refocused on what she was doing. Because Narcissa had no solid evidence for her current belief that Sirius Black was innocent other than some solid logic, Amelia had been pouring over Black's files for months.
There was not much in his files.
He'd been given no trial.
Never been given Truth Serum.
Never actually asked any questions. They'd deemed him crazy because he would not stop laughing and went away easily. Never bothered to protest.
It was as if he felt he deserved to be in Azkaban.
Just as Narcissa had suggested. Her reasoning behind his guilt also was quite in character with Sirius Black, so Amelia was apt to believe Narcissa wasn't simply trying to get Sirius Black out of jail because he was the last male Black alive and she wanted the Blacks to reclaim their former glory.
No, no there was much more behind her quest to get her estranged cousin out of jail. And it had to do with Voldemort. It frightened Amelia to the core, but after hearing Narcissa's theory and why she was doing what she was doing, Amelia had pulled (after hours) the files of the victims Narcissa had mentioned.
Each victim had been marked with the numeral seven.
It was unsettling, but not surprising Narcissa had this information. What worried Amelia (and Narcissa) was there were more victims that had yet to be discovered. Amelia dug out all the files— every last one connected with Voldemort and his reign of terror. Together, the two women had found another one marked with the number seven.
Dorcus Meadows.
"What does this really mean?"
"He made six," Narcissa had muttered.
"Horcruxes," Amelia had hissed, disgust and fear pooling in her stomach.
Amelia Bones was not stupid. She had lost most of her family to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Hearing that he was not dead and had created such foul objects in order to keep himself alive sickened her.
"I know Dumbledore has at least two," Narcissa explained. "I'm sure Harry destroyed one last summer. So there are only three others out there."
Amelia stayed late into the night most nights trying to learn more about Tom Riddle— also known as Lord Voldemort.
There was not much to learn about Tom Riddle tragically. She traced over the movements Lord Voldemort took when he appeared in the sixties. She hounded the Aurors for information, she hounded anyone who was active in the Ministry during Voldemort's time for information— she did not get very far.
So she focused on Sirius Black.
Narcissa believed that Peter Pettigrew was alive and hiding. Amelia kept her ears open for news of short, stout, watery eyed wizards.
She never heard anything.
An owl, a snow white owl, suddenly flew into her office and landed in her outbox. Knitting her eyebrows together, Amelia stared.
"How on Earth did you get down here?"
The bird simply stuck out its leg. A formal looking letter was attached. Carefully, she untied the letter and stared at it. It was indeed addressed to her. She glanced back up at the bird, who was sitting stiffly on the desk, its eyes glued to Amelia. She turned the letter over to find a wax seal she hadn't seen in years on the back.
It was the Black family seal.
She broke it carefully and pulled the letter out. While the envelope looked formal, the note inside as written on what Amelia was sure was Muggle paper. It had light blue lines on it.
Madam Bones,
My name is Atlanta Black, a member of the House of Black, Ancient and Proud. I'm currently a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm writing you in regards to Sirius Black, currently an escapee of Azkaban. It has come to my attention that my distant cousin has never received a trial. I'm not really all that clear on how the British Wizarding legal system works, but in America, we tend to hold trials before we throw people into jail. Innocent until proven guilty.
While the lack of Sirius Black getting a trail is a tragedy, the fact is I will be in possession of the man who actually did commit the crimes that Sirius Black has been imprisoned for (without a trail) for the past twelve years.
I request your presence by eleven tonight. The Minister of Magic is currently at Hogwarts, but we both know he's, for lack of a better word, a fool who fails to think clearly in face of bad press. I've written to you tonight as to prevent an innocent man from going back to prison, or worse.
Best regards,
Atlanta Black
The House of Black, Ancient and Proud
Amelia set the letter down for a moment to think.
Narcissa believed it was Peter Pettigrew who ratted out the Potters to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Going through the Potter's family and friends, Pettigrew was the only likely one to be swayed. How he faked his death, blew up the street and killed thriteen Muggles was a question Narcissa was unable to answer, but she knew Sirius Black wouldn't betray his friends.
"He's loyal. Like a dog," Narcissa had said, forgetting herself in her passion to make Amelia see her point.
Amelia had believed her, of course. It had never sat well with her that Sirius had gone bad. It made no sense, with how outspoken the man had been against the Dark Arts.
Atlanta Black must have found Peter Pettigrew.
How a…child had found the man was a mystery, but Amelia would investigate.
Checking her watch, she saw she had a few hours till Miss Black requested she appear at Hogwarts. She quickly composed a letter to Narcissa.
"Where is she?"
Hermione was ringing her hands together. Buckbeak was hanging out behind them, tied to a tree branch. He occasionally nipped the leaves.
It had been absurdly easy to steal Buckbeak away. Hermione made Harry wait till after Dumbledore, Fudge and the other guy had seen the bird before allowing him to dart in and bribe the bird to follow him with ferrets. Because they had been distracted by the fact Draco had found the rat and escaping from the adults without being seen, they did not bother to notice the extra Harry and Hermione stealing Buckbeak away from an early death.
The adults had come out, saw the bird was MIA and the guy with the ax had a hissy fit and took his frustration out on some over sized melons Hagrid was growing.
"At least we know what we heard chopped," Hermione had muttered, frowning as the man took out his frustration on fruit.
Since then, they'd sat in the forest waiting.
"I want to know what we're supposed to do with Buckbeak," Harry said, eyeing the bird. "I mean, if we were to break Sirius out of the tower he could fly off on it and live a life on the run."
"Harry, that is so impractical," Hermione chided.
"Well, what are we supposed to do? We have saved him and hung out here for, almost an hour or more," Harry complained. "Now what?"
"Where is Atlanta? Snape is already down there. I thought she followed him," Hermione worried, wringing her hands together.
Harry had really wanted to grab the Cloak before Snape could get it, but Hermione had stopped him.
"We can't mess put the timeline from our point of view. Things must happen as they did the first time pertaining us and what we saw," she'd reminded him for what felt like the millionth time.
Harry hated time travel.
Suddenly Atlanta appeared around the side of the castle, streaking across the lawn heading for the tree. She came to a dead stop, just out of reach of the Willow's striking distance. She looked around, her eyes somewhat glowing in the gathering darkness.
Harry really needed to either get his eyes looked at or figure out how she made her eyes glow.
"Oh, I think she saw us. Oh, we should hide," Hermione whispered, looking around.
"I don't think we need to. She came with us, remember? She knows we're from the past, or future, or whatever."
Soon, Atlanta appeared in front of them, having somehow run over to them in record time.
"Hey! This is so much fun!" Atlanta squealed, clapping her hands together. "I think I've done everything. Is Snape down there yet?"
Harry nodded, while Hermione hyperventilated.
"Okay, can you help me find a stick?" Atlanta asked. "I didn't have time to get to Remus's office before or after. I was going to pick that map up— I am assuming it's yours and the secret to your success at getting in trouble— but writing a letter to Madam Bones took some time. What did Lupin and Snape use to get in there?"
"A stick," Harry said. "Did Snape take it with him? He used whatever Lupin used."
"He must have taken it with him. Help me find one."
The three searched till Hermione found a rather long, thick stick. Atlanta took it.
"Cheers. Even though I didn't see them on the map, that's my excuse, right?" Atlanta asked.
Harry nodded.
"It feels like we're cheating telling you this," Hermione worried.
Atlanta shrugged. "Okay, wish me luck!"
Atlanta darted out of the forest and headed for the tree. She prodded the knot and vanished. Harry sunk to the ground.
"And now we wait."
Hermione chewed on her thumbnail.
It was nearing eleven at night when he heard shouts coming from the grounds and felt the wards of the school shift. The feeling was eerily similar to the afternoon the dementors got too close to the Quidditch Pitch. Standing, he moved to the window and peered out, but something else got his attention.
Shouting from the stairs leading to his office.
Dumbledore had an odd sense of déjà vu.
Walking to the door, he opened it to make sure he wasn't hearing things. Tonight had been wrought with strange occurrences, which Dumbledore took in stride and with a smile for the most part.
"Chocolate Cockroach? Lemon Drop! Acid Drop! Lemon Sherbet? Snickers! Mars Bar? Aero? Gobbstoper? Fudge? Popsicle, no that's not candy. Gumball? Fizzing something or other. God, I don't eat candy. Licorice whip? Jolly Rancher? Warheads? Sour Patch Kids? Smarties? Mallowbar? Jawbreaker? Toberone? Charleston Chew? Bah humbug!"
Oh, how I miss her old accent, he morned. Dumbledore was about to step forward and let her up, when she finally shouted the right password.
"NERDS!"
The staircase began to move. He heard her footsteps clattering up the stairs and come to a stop. She looked winded, red in the face and her eyes had a faint blueish amber glow to them that Dumbledore had noticed on a few occasions. It was one of the off putting things about the girl, along with the fact she resembled Tom Riddle more and more each day.
"Good evening, Headmaster," Atlanta Black greeted smoothly, giving him a dazzling smile. Her whole demeanor changed as she spotted him. She straightened up, pushed her out of control black hair out of her face and held herself with the poised expected of a pureblood witch— yet kept the mischievous, crooked smile on her face.
He smiled at the sight of that familiar smile.
"Miss Black, it is after curfew and there is something that just came to my attention," Dumbledore began, but cut off as she pulled a full size rat out of her pocket, grinning like she happened to be a cat who caught it.
"Don't tell them. It's part of the plan," she whispered loudly. Then winked.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
He decided to humor her, mostly for his own amusement, as he felt whatever had entered the grounds leaving.
"Yes. This is going to be confusing, so just bear with me.
"First, you need to go to Professor Lupin's office and get the goblet off his desk. Then, you need to go to the Gryffindor Tower and get me. Tell me to wear my TARDIS coat. I'll know what you're talking about. Then, take me put me in that cupboard outside of the Hospital Wing."
The girl paused for breath and looked at the watch on her wrist. She lowered her sleeve back over it and plowed on.
"When we get to the Entrance Hall, you'll be met by Professor Snape, who will be bringing in an unconscious Sirius Black, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. Professor Flitwick will take Black to his office and you're to tell Professor Snape to go get Fudge, as he'll need to know we've found his MIA prisoner."
Atlanta paused, scratched her right arm and cocked her head to the side.
"Oh! Yes, right. You can't tell me I told you this! Only give me the flask of what you find in Dad's office, put me in the cupboard near the hospital wing. You will get me out after you speak to Sirius and take me to the hospital wing to speak to Harry and Hermione, who believe the rat is lost. Oh, and tell me to not let Professor Snape see me. I'll figure everything else out."
"Did you say Sirius Black?"
She twirled the rat in front of her, smiling a cheshire cat sort of smile that was quite befitting a Riddle rather than a Black.
"I did," she said, wiggling her eyebrows up.
And that was Remus all the way. Dumbledore sighed.
"Did you say…Dad's office?" Dumbledore asked.
"Oops."
Dumbledore smiled. "And what is the purpose of the rat?"
"This is your man. Or rat." Atlanta turned her attention to the rat. "I think if you ask Mrs Pettigrew if she could lend you her son's finger, you'll find it'll fit on this rat."
The fire suddenly turned green and out stepped Amelia Bones.
"Ah, good evening Professor Dumbledore," the woman greeted, dusting off her robes.
"Madam Bones," Dumbledore offered, smiling. "What do I owe this pleasure?"
"Ah, I'm here on the matter of Sirius Black."
"Yes, Black has been captured, I gather," he said, glancing at Atlanta, who continued to twirl the rat around.
Madam Bones was holding a large file and pushed her monocle up. She looked at Atlanta, frowning a little till she spotted what Atlanta was spinning in circles in her hand. "Why are you twirling a rat around?"
"This is your proof, Madam," Atlanta happily said. "The proof I wrote to you about."
Atlanta had been busy tonight.
"Three lives can be changed tonight, Headmaster. Three lives." Atlanta held up three fingers.
Dumbledore glanced out the window of his office and noticed the full moon.
Atlanta wanted him to go to Lupin's office and pour a potion into a flask he'd find there. Professor Snape was bringing in Sirius Black, along with Draco, Harry, and Hermione, who naturally were somewhere they shouldn't be. Atlanta had a rat that was might have the hand missing the finger poor Mrs Pettigrew had been presented with after Sirius Black had been jailed.
Atlanta had written to Madam Bones.
Ah.
The pieces all fell in place rather quickly and he sighed. Dumbledore looked at the child in front of him, still twirling the rat. He had already clearly sent this version of Atlanta back in time, so he was to do it again. While he'd rather have Sirius on the run and keep Harry safe in his Muggle relative's home, he would figure something out. Maybe he could tell Sirius what he'd told Narcissa after first year?
"Madam Bones, I need to attend to some matters quickly before we get down to business. I believe Miss Black can show you to where Mr Black is being held," Dumbledore said, indicated to the girl behind him.
"Correct," Atlanta agreed, stepping around Dumbledore, still twirling the petrified rat. Dumbledore watched its beady eyes dart all over the place, looking terrified.
Rats don't look terrified. Well, normal rats.
Shaking his head, he swept down the stairs and to Remus's office. Sure enough, right on the desk was the smoking goblet. He conjured a flask and dumped the potion into it, glancing at the interesting map Remus had left on the desk. He'd seen glimpses of it before, and had hoped Remus would bring it back with him. Chuckling, his eyes swept over it. Then he blinked. There was an Atlanta Black in his office as well as one in the her dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. More interestingly, there was a Harry Potter and Hermione Granger near the lake, hurrying towards Hagrid's cabin, while there was a Harry Potter next to the lake with Sirius Black. Neither dot was moving. Near the Whomping Willow was an unmoving dot called Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy while a dot labeled Hermione Granger was hurrying towards the castle.
Straightening up, Dumbledore went to get Atlanta from the tower.