25 December 2028
All the plans were set, the decisions made, and we walked together, as a family, to the Love Room in the Department of Mysteries. I had a pensieve tucked under my arm, and my palms were freakishly sweaty. I stole a glance at Emmy; she didn't seem to care. Almost involuntarily, I squeezed her fingers.
"I can't believe you get to go back in time," Lily piped up.
"That's because he's the favorite," James said, winking at me. I cast him a grateful look. Trust him to cut the tension.
Aunt Hermione didn't seem to appreciate this, and it caused her to go off on yet another of her lectures. "Al, you remember that you mustn't reveal yourself?"
"I know," I said wearily. I resisted the urge to tell her that I had made those rules.
"And you remember that it's ever so dangerous, Al--"
"I was there right before the first final battle," I reminded her. "I doubt that this one is any more dangerous, frankly."
She still looked worried. I didn't hold it against her. My stomach was a gigantic knot of fear and pressure; I couldn't imagine letting someone so much younger than me jump into the past. Their faith in me was humbling and frightening all at the same time.You've only got one chance, I reminded myself for the forty-three millionth time. My nerves stretched to the breaking point.
I felt guilty about hiding something important from her (my plan to save Neville Longbottom), so I didn't look her in the eyes.
"He'll be just fine, Hermione," Uncle Ron said cheerfully.
All of them were there. And all of them had the same expectant, excited look on their faces (even though Aunt Hermione's and Grandma Weasley's were tempered with worry). As though sensing the spike in tension, Emmy squeezed my hand, and stroked my palm with her thumb. My thoughts immediately derailed. What if I save Dad and Mum? I thought, before I could stop myself from wandering down these dangerous mental paths. What if next life, I'm not so bloody stupid, and I've got Emmy? But if it was too much to hope for that Dad and Mum would survive, it seemed extravagantly foolish to expect myself to not be a complete moron about Emmy.
I was just about to make a snide comment to James and lift myself out of my glum mood when we arrived. I watched carefully as Emmy withdrew a small silver knife--
"Any knife will do, right?" I asked quickly.
"Yes," she said. I could tell she wanted to roll her eyes -- she'd told me this forty-three million times before -- but refrained from doing so. I sort of wished she had. "Then -- because apparently you've forgotten -- you nick yourself and let it drip right here," she pointed at a very small, discolored patch in the floor outside the door. Then she demonstrated. "I don't normally need to do this since I work here, but you will." She leaned over and stroked the door lightly with her fingertip. "Remember, Al, think about love--"
"--how many times have you told me this?" I asked.
Several of my male family members snorted.
"How many times have you asked me stupid questions like 'how does it know'?" she countered. "We think it's the rune, but it knows whether or not you've got good intentions... it's stumped quite a few workers. I don't know how many times I've had to stop my own work to let someone in because they were in a bad mood."
I couldn't help but admit to a fair bit of curiosity about this rune, though I knew that I didn't have the time tonight to explore it. Such a powerful magical object -- it had led to Mum's death alongside Dad's. That annoyed me a little. Still, when I leaned up against the door, I felt something. It was similar to the rumble of thunder that came when the universe was about to humble me big time. But it was gentler. More like the pull of a tide than a crashing wave.
"Let's go in," I said. She pushed the door open and we all filed into the room. It was large and spacious and filled with a light that danced across all of us. It was warm and not stifling. I took a deep breath and stared down at the swirling, turning rune and felt, for some inexplicable reason, slightly unsettled. It wasn't anything new, though; I'd been beset by anxiousness ever since I'd woken up to find that my family trusted me and rested their hopes on my shoulders. But here it grew even stronger.
"All right, Al?" James asked softly.
"I'm fine," I said quietly. No one else heard.
"Thanks," he said, swallowing hard. "I know you're going to bring them home, and... thanks."
I couldn't find the words to say to him, so I set down the pensieve and made ready to leave. "I'll just be--"
"Al," Emmy's voice rang in the sudden silence. I glanced at her. She stood with her hands on her hips, her honey colored hair tossed over one shoulder, and she had a hurt, but somehow still amused, look on her face. I opened my mouth and closed it again. No words would come. "Are you really going to leave without -- without--?"
Her voice trailed away. Without what?
James nudged me forward. "She wants you to kiss her, you fool," he hissed.
He was as loud as always; Emmy could hear him quite clearly. Uncle Fred snorted, but Grandma shushed him. I wished they would pretend like they weren't staring avidly at me. My entire face felt like it was on fire. I watched her face carefully for some sign of repulsion or denial, but she looked a little relieved and... expectant. My mouth went completely dry. But then... I felt a warmth that traveled from my toes to the top of my head. Dad used to put heating charms on towels after we got out of the bath when we were little, and it sort of felt like that.
It came from the direction of the rune. And it was almost as though Dad and Mum were behind me, and giving me a shove forward. I took two long strides, grabbed her hand, and jerked her toward me. "Sorry," I mumbled. And then I kissed her. At first I was frightened of scaring her -- I had several lifetimes of wanting to do this, and I might've been a bit intense -- but she gripped my shoulders and kissed me back just as fiercely. I think the rune might have made it even more intense -- or maybe it was just Emmy -- but by the time we broke apart, I was shaking a little. The rune cast a light on her face; she was grinning at me.
"I take it that means you aren't going to go looking for girls in the past?" she smirked.
"Are you kidding?" James asked in disbelief. "It took him twenty two years to make a move on you."
I made a rude hand gesture at him behind my back.
"Do that again and, Merlin or not, I'll jinx your fingers together," Grandma said sharply. "And don't tease your brother, James."
"I'd be pretty annoyed if you came in here with another girl, Wise Asp," she said softly. Her words were tart, but her fingers caressed my face.
"Does my mum count?" I asked. "Because I'm going to be here when they are."
"That's okay," she said. Then a playful light ignited in her eyes. "But if your dad's here too, you'd better watch out."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because the rune can make two people who love each other pretty amorous," she said, brushing up against the part of me that agreed with her. My eyes widened. Had she done that on purpose?
"Mum and Dad wouldn't do that," James said. I couldn't help but agree. Secluded or not, the Department of Mysteries was a public place. Not to mention that the dangerous atmosphere would dampen anyone's sex drive.
Uncle Ron snorted. Even Grandma and Granddad laughed.
"What?" I demanded, glaring at Uncle Ron.
"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "Just that neither one of you -- never mind," he said, still chortling. "I'm sure it'll be fine, and your little bubble of naivete won't be popped."
I bristled at this. Bubble of naivete? I opened my mouth to say something when Granddad cleared his throat.
"Listen, Al," he said gently. He reached out and gripped Grandma's hand tightly. I sensed a moment coming, though I couldn't imagine what he would say to me. He'd better not make me cry in front of Emmy, I thought fiercely. "Your Aunt Hermione... well, she told you that magical shields didn't work with the curse we're dealing with, yes?"
"Er, right," I said cautiously. Where is he going with this?
"If there isn't... if you can't use anything else... use me," he said.
I stared at him, gaping. Everyone did. He was offering his body as a shield for Dad's to protect him. The scars on my palm prickled as the light of the rune fell upon them.
"No way, Dad," Uncle Ron said forcefully. "If anyone, it'll be me--"
"--we'll see how Rose and Huge like that, Ron," Granddad said. "Then we'll have another time traveler--"
"--use me if you have to, Al," said Uncle Charlie. He looked rather menacing all of a sudden. "I'm the only one who hasn't got a wife and kids. I'm the one--"
"As if you're any less loved?" Uncle Percy asked disgustedly. He squared his shoulders. "I'll do it, Al. It would be ironic, and the universe apparently loves irony."
I wondered what Dad and Mum would think if they could see what I saw right now. A group of people who loved them so well that they were willing to lay down their lives for them. It made my chest hurt, and I didn't let them go at it for very long before I interrupted them. "Don't be stupid," I said, forcing out the words. "If I have to use a human as a shield, it's going to be a Death Eater."
There was a moment of shocked silence.
"You know," said Uncle Fred thoughtfully. "We're really lucky he's in Slytherin."
"Yeah, use the bad guys to catch curses," Uncle George said, slapping his forehead. "We Gryffindors are far too eager to jump in front of them when there are Death Eaters to do it for us."
I laughed with the rest of them, but quickly sobered. "I need a memory," I said quietly.
"Can I do it?" Uncle Ron asked. It seemed fitting that the last surviving member of the three who had used the Tears of Merlin to lessen the cost of victory be the one to provide the means for me to save the other two. Everyone was quiet as the silver strands of memory came out of his temple. He placed it carefully into the pensieve.
"At least I didn't have to Imperius you this time," I said shakily. My nerves were catching up to me. Emmy tightened her arms around my waist.
I stepped away from her. "Once more," I said. And slashed my hand open for the final time. I kept my eyes on them -- a proper send off -- as I slid into the past. Last chance.
APAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAP
The Laws of Time Travel: (These are definitely set in stone; literally these laws can't be broken)
The Traveller may not create a Reality in which the Traveller no longer exists. This will cause Pain unto Death. (The universe is not kidding about this one.)(After everything else I've changed, I'm sort of glad that I'd die before I could kill Mum and Dad)
The Traveller may not change Prophecy, and that which has been Foretold by the Ones with the Far-Seeing Eyes. This will cause Pain unto Death. (Prophecy can't even be diverted. Fate is basically the anus of the universe)(Yep, still don't like Fate so much)(I still hate Fate, but I hate articles more)(Fake prophecies are the best)
The Traveller may not challenge the Cornerstones of Fate, upon which Reality turns. This will cause Pain unto Death. (Still have no clue what these are. I think it's probably safe to say that I tried to break this law too)(I'm still waiting to find out what these are; I've got a bad feeling)(I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that no matter how much I change things, certain events always happen, like Dad having his blood taken in the graveyard, or Granddad Weasley being attacked at the Department of Mysteries)(It's really convenient when I've got to lie to people)(I hope the Cornerstones have nothing to do with Segnismorenia)
The Guidelines of Time Travel: (These can be broken, but it's probably best if they aren't.)(Even if you really, really, really want to get drunk)
Don't get drunk. Just don't do it. It may not cause 'Pain Unto Death' (even a hangover is not that bad compared to the spanking the universe gives you if you're naughty), but it's just not a smart idea.
Don't try to get around the Laws. The universe is smarter than you are. Don't tell your dad that you are his child from the future. He will just think you're a lunatic. Try to avoid the subject of someone's imminent death. They get really cranky when they know exactly how and when they're going to die. Don't do things to deliberately turn people against your father. They will actually be turned against him, and they may not find a way back from distrust and dislike. Being a good liar is pretty much a necessity for the time traveler. (But sometimes the truth is okay, too)
If you really aren't able to do something, chances are another member of your family can, and they might help.
Be prepared. Sometimes things actually do go right. This can be pretty confusing, so just try to be ready for anything.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Last jump. I can't quite believe it!
