A/N Last chapter in this particular batch. Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-three
About Time
Jennifer protested Severus' attempts to wake her up, swatting him away futilely.
"You have only yourself to blame, you know, taunting me like that," Severus murmured in her ear.
"Really, Severus... just a half an hour more?" Jennifer said, pulling her blankets up to protect herself from his attempts. Severus shook his head.
"Maybe a few minutes more, but not a half an hour. You'd likely try to skip breakfast, knowing you," Severus said knowingly. "I'll take Quintin down the the daycare room and will be back to make certain you're up."
"Good, you do that," Jennifer said, rolling over. Severus tsked and stepped into his sitting room, a bit surprised to see trays and a steel coffee pot laid out on the table. Curiously, he peeked at its contents then smiled thinly, searching around for a note. Not finding it, he went to his study and noticed a paper on his desk marked with simply "5:45" on it. He opened his appointment book, glancing at the day's notes briefly. "Book, reserve me the 11:30 to 12:00 time slot and make a note to myself to pick up breakfast at Kingler's," Severus said, then glanced at his watch to check the time. Preemptively, he opened the door to Quintin's room, knowing we was about to charge out of it in two minutes. It was just as well that he checked; Quintin seemed to be wrestling his shirt on, and at that point, the shirt was winning.
"I have a big head," Quintin complained after his father rescued him.
"It's a family trait that you'll have to learn to put up with," Severus replied crisply. "Do you mind having breakfast in the daycare room this morning?"
"No, I like it," Quintin said. "Will I be back for dinner?"
"I'll see to it," Severus promised, pulling his sweater over his head.
"I want a button sweater like Nicky has," Quintin complained again and pulled at his cuffs.
"Not until you can button it on your own," Severus said. "But I think I have a solution to that. Come along."
"It's earlier than normal," Quintin commented.
"You did want breakfast," Severus reminded him. "And a leisurely one, if you don't mind. Mrs. Tinker has been telling me that you tend to time your bites to three second increments."
"If I don't, how will I know when I'm going to be done?" Quintin said with exasperation. Severus paused at the Doorlift,
"You know when you're going to finish by timing your bites in increments?" Severus asked.
"Yes. Don't you?"
"I've never tried, and perhaps you shouldn't either. Most people simply chew as many times as something calls for... pausing in between for breaths and conversation at random increments," Severus explained.
"That makes no sense!"
"Why doesn't it?" Severus said.
"Because we have breakfast from six to six-thirty, snack at eleven to eleven fifteen, lunch at twelve-thirty..."
"Yes, what of it?" Severus interrupted.
"It's not random at all!" Quintin exclaimed. "How do you know if you're going to finish on time?"
Severus thought about it, not knowing how to respond in a way he would understand at his age. Unfortunately, the more he thought about it, the less he knew how to respond at all.
"Let's just get to the daycare room, shall we?" Severus suggested taking his hand.
"We're late for breakfast now," Quintin agreed glumly. Rolling his eyes, Severus pulled him through the Doorlift and down the hall.
"Come on, Leu! We're going to be late!" Noah scolded him, and Leu picked up the pace just as the first bell sounded. Belatedly realizing how right Noah was, he took off running, Noah floating ahead and into the Defense Room while Leu slid in a minute later, his fellow Ravenclaws eyeing him critically.
"What are you, a first year? Sit down before the Prof gets here," Colby hissed at him.
"There's no reason to get that much in a huff about it," Keir snorted at them. "He's not likely to be here on time anyway... assuming he turns up at all."
"I'm sure they'll find us a substitute if he doesn't," Noah said unconcernedly, opening his book.
A moment later, Professor Lupin walked in with Headmaster Snape. Students who looked bored a moment ago suddenly looked wide-eyed and sat up straight with interest, except for Leu, who simply waved.
"Shall I pull up some stools?" Severus suggested.
"If you like," Remus replied, knowing perfectly well that Severus had done that for his benefit rather than his own. So as Severus was placing the stools, Remus walked over to the chalkboard.
"As you can see, we have a guest speaker today, so I'll be writing down your reading and lesson plan on the board. We'll have a brief quiz on the material at the start of our next class," he added, writing down the pages for everyone to scribble down. "We'll be having a guest speaker or professor once a month for the remainder of the term, each with a different expertise. They will not be teaching a lecture, per se, as much as exposing you to personal experiences about working within their fields so that you, in turn, can learn from their experiences rather than through textbook answers. And, since this is a fifth year class, each speaker will also be covering some career basics in their particular fields. Shall I put the name of the guest speaker on the board for you?" Remus asked. The class laughed softly. "Professor Snape, as I'm sure you're aware, is an expert on several different topics; so don't be surprised if I call on him again later on in the term."
"But before OWLS and NEWT start, if you don't mind, Professor?" Severus put in.
"I'll keep it in mind," Remus agreed with a weary smile. "And which topic shall we be hearing about today?"
"The movement of Time," Severus said. Remus gave him a dirty look.
"And about the Universal Time Stream, which is part of a specific branch Ancient Magic that studies time called Temporal Magic," Severus continued. "If you have taken Professor Scribe's Modern History of the Wizarding World course or my Ancient Magic course, you probably have some basic understanding of what the study is about. Many fellow wizards believe that I am the foremost expert in the field. However, before I start, it is important for you to understand that I am not an expert and never claimed to be. I am but a student in the field just as anyone studying Ancient Magic is; I have simply had a few more lessons in it than most. In fact, I seriously doubt that anyone mortal can truly master the field, but our lives are filled with unobtainable goals... perfection, everlasting happiness, and so forth... the study of any magic fits into that category, but most especially Ancient Magic, since its boundaries are far more vast than what we can comprehend. All we can do is open windows to see what is there. Sometimes, we can pluck the knowledge off the windowsill in hopes of finding what lies beyond it."
"So you're saying that you simply have a bigger window than most," Remus prompted.
"Precisely."
"And Master Merlin?" Remus inquired with interest.
"A stable door, more than likely, with the top half wide open," Severus said, slightly annoyed that Remus brought him up. "But I'm not here to talk about him."
"Of course," Remus said with amusement.
"Each universe has its own time stream that is independent of the others. Time in and of itself is the progression of movement... whether its the flash of time it takes for an atom to divide or spatial movement, such as universal expansion. It is not just our moving from one place to another; we are already moving in many ways already... from a molecular standpoint as well as the fact that the earth is spinning, as is the sun, the galaxy and so forth. The Universal Time Stream is, for the most part, independent of us... we're simply riding on it... for example," Severus paused, stepping away from the stools and gesturing, causing a platform to raise from the floor, "like the platform of a carousel," he continued, stepping on the disk which began to spin slowly. Remus squinted at him with a disapproving frown, then sighed in resignation.
"If you've ever spent much time on such a surface and you weren't paying attention to what was whirling around you, you would soon be accustomed to it, like a rotating ride at an amusement park or a moving belt or stair that you stand on. But just because I am on the platform doesn't mean I can't move myself... left or right, up or down," he said, walking across the spinning platform. "We are completely engulfed in the Universal Time Stream, but we can still move independently from it, because as living creatures, we have developed ways to move through our environments. And in turn, our own personal time stream," he explains.
"It begins from the moment the first cell divides to create who we are until we die. The vast majority of spells, potions, and devices that exist in Temporal Magic tap into that personal time stream to work. It can go so far as to make a personal time stream completely independent from the Universal Time Stream and even capable of stepping out of it, in fact... if it didn't, traveling to Tir Na Nog would be impossible. Fortunately, since we do carry our own personal time stream within us, we can adjust to the change... although it can be quite jarring..." he paused as another platform appeared that was rotating much slower next to his. He stepped onto it.
"Just like my in my example, those of you who've stepped off a ride or a moving belt know it can be quite jarring when you arrive at the end... sometimes even disorienting. Crossing over to Tir Na Nog is like that by a hundred fold. In some ways, coming back can be even more jarring, since out time is spinning faster rather than slower," Severus explained. "In fact, that is part of what is known as the Rip Van Winkle Effect. It is more complicated than simply 'catching up on the time that has passed,' however... by standing on this platform I've missed quite a number of revolutions of the other platform. But there is more to it than that, which is hard to explain if you've never gone through it. If you are from a different Time Stream traveling in a slower one, there is a nagging sensation that never quite shakes away that one is not moving at their normal speed. Though, to be fair, I only ever noticed it when it was quiet or I was at rest, and I believe it probably gets better the longer you stay in the same time stream. But since all of our cells are formed in a singular time stream and not another, there is a lingering sensation. When the Rip Van Winkle Effect was originally theorized, it was thought that it only effected the traveler on the return; but from what I have experienced and what I have found from interviewing everyone else who has traveled between them, there is an effect on our personal time stream on both arriving and returning. Questions so far?" Severus asked.
More than half of the students looked blank. The rest of the class, who had taken Ancient Magic already, had heard it all before, so were simply waiting for something new. Only Llewellyn had his hand up.
"Yes, Mr. Murphy?" Severus said with an almost resigned sigh.
"I was wondering... you said we formed out own time stream from the very start... even before we are born. So what determines the speed of the baby's time stream... the Universal Stream or the mother's personal stream?" he asked.
"A good question, and one I had pondered myself for a while. But now I believe that they both have equal parts in the determination," Severus replied.
"Well, what about Quintin, then? How does the Rip Van Winkle Effect effect his personal time stream?" Leu asked.
"I have absolutely no idea," Severus said flatly. Even of the most bored students looked up with interest. Professor Remus, who had looked quite exhausted before, had also brightened up at the admission. "For those of you who aren't aware, Professor Craw was pregnant with my son Quintin during the time that we went to Tir Na Nog to realign our universes, and was carrying him for a time both in that universe as well as ours. While I know of at least one case that a Fae mother did the same thing during their migration hundreds upon hundreds of years ago, there have been so few humans whom have ventured to their land that I am quite certain that Quintin is the first human child, wizard or otherwise, who has experienced changing Universal streams before birth. The only known effect we have witnessed to this point is that he has an uncanny sense of time passing. I would conjecture that were he to travel there, he would have either very subdued or very pronounced symptoms of the Rip Van Winkle effect. However, it is hard to say which. I doubt he will have much chance to travel to Tir Na Nog until he is well into adulthood, assuming he ever travels there at all. The answer may never be known." Severus replied, Leu nodding thoughtfully at that.
"Now, as you may have learned from studying about Ciardoth, the magical manipulation of the Universal Time stream has many negative effects, so it is forbidden by both the Ministry as well as the World Conference. In fact the rules have become much stricter since Ciardoth. Even personal time manipulation spells, potions, and devices are either illegal or are highly restricted due to how disruptive they can be to our society, how easily they can be abused, and the fact that certain types of time paradoxes can, theoretically, cause extensive damage to the Universal Time stream... perhaps even permanent damage. This is not a branch of magic you want to experiment with when you don't know what you're doing... nor is any sort of Ancient Magic, actually. I learned that lesson the hard way during the year when magic was supposedly 'dying.' You have all encountered that event in History by now, at least?" Everyone nodded in agreement at that. "Yes, well, that disruption was because of my experimentation, and I had absolutely no idea at the time that I was causing it. It was at that point when Merlin took me on as a student, more than likely to prevent me from doing it again. Obviously I have learned how not to do that again, but I mention the incident to stress my point that there's great danger with any experimental magic and some are more dangerous than others.
"Now that that lecture is out of the way, who would care to experience the effects of personal time stream manipulation?" Severus asked. The students seemed to be all in agreement that that did sound interesting; only Professor Lupin at the front of the class seemed wary of the idea.
Leu felt disoriented, and then realized with a blink that Professor Lupin was right to be wary. His position had changed; so had all of the students in the classroom. The desks had been moved next to the walls around the room. They were facing the center of the room, where several menacing statues of wizards with their wands pointed had been positioned to face each group of students like a den of dark wizards ready to attack. The black board had also moved; and the words, "TICK TOCK. TOO LATE." was chalked below their assignments in giant letters.
Remus, who had not been moved from his stool or his position, still looked around with a dazed expression at the class. Then he read the board, shaking his head.
"You are going to fix my classroom afterwards, of course?" Remus said critically, sounding more as if he were chastening an erring student and less like he was addressing the Headmaster.
A little afraid that the ornate statues might actually do something if he moved, Leu somehow managed to nervously get his hand up.
"Yes, Mr. Murphy?" Severus acknowledged, gesturing at him.
"How are we supposed to defend ourselves against that happening?" Leu asked shakily.
"In advance. Or perhaps after the fact," Severus answered with a shrug. "Sometimes it's all the same thing really, not that you can always defend yourself against it. Sometimes it is best not to even try. But perhaps now you understand why most Temporal Magic is either restricted or illegal... and why it's best left to the professionals." Leu nodded his head vigorously. "Good, I'm glad you understand," Severus said, suggesting to Remus that they spend the rest of the time putting the classroom back in order.
"You didn't practice a lecture for my class. You improvised all of that," Remus accused him when he dismissed his students. "You picked the topic last night after our chat, didn't you?"
"Remus, when would I have had the time to pick out a lecture? You know where I was all weekend," Severus reminded him.
"And as you've shown, you tend to make your own time..."
"I borrow it, Remus, I hardly make it, and it does exact a price, after all. By the way, I really don't have the answer to your question, either," Severus said.
"Which question was that?" Remus parried, straightening his desk.
"The unspoken one... about how Tir Na Nog might effect you and your cycle," Severus said, mulling it over. "It may be worth the risk, you know... after the term is over," he added evenly.
"And after I'm certain that my daughter is doing better," Remus added firmly. Severus nodded solemnly.
"I understand entirely," Severus said, writing down the time in a small book before helping Remus get ready for the next class.
Beth walked into the Solicitor's office and smiled at Arnold's secretary, who returned it apologetically.
"I'm afraid he's running a bit behind today, but he should be here soon enough. Unless you don't want to wait? I'm sure I can pull out the paperwork he needs you to sign," she suggested.
"Well, I'd rather wait until he's here to go over it with me, but it wouldn't hurt to pull it out," Beth said.
"Care for some tea, Miss Coventry?" she asked.
"Yes, please, Miss Arch," Beth said. The secretary barely turned around before a silver tea set was out, and Beth smiled. "So he was finally able to hire some help, I see?"
"Sort of, yes. Mr. Jeffers took your advise and suggested he advertise for an Elf interested in learning about law... please come out, Mr. Dandy," Miss Arch said, getting up to get the file. The Elf looked, indeed, quite dandy in his full tweed suit and tie, standing on the desk so he could bow.
"At your service, Lady Elizabeth," Dandy said. "I am Mr. Jeffers' new personal assistant and student. I do a lot of fetching and carrying back and forth to the Ministry and small errands like getting tea and bringing lunch and the like, so let me know if there is anything I can get you."
"A pleasure to meet you," Beth said with a smile. "I hope some of his other clients aren't too hard on him about hiring you, though. I know of them weren't all that keen with the Trade Agreement."
"If anything they're rather envious, since most Elves won't have anything to do with them," Miss Arch snorted, going over to the filing cabinet.
"I keep well out of sight when they're about, Lady Coventry. I learned quickly which ones to avoid," Dandy assured her. "It is easy to tell, since most of them now employ Imps," he said in a low voice, scrunching up his nose. "They aren't the best servants, you know."
"I have heard as much," Beth chuckled, accepting a cup from him. She had hardly done more than sit down with her tea than Arnold hurried in, a bit out of breath as he glanced around.
"Sorry I'm late, Beth! I hope you haven't had to wait long," he said.
"Not really, just long enough to meet your new assistant," Beth explained.
"Yes, thanks for suggesting I add willing to train in my advertisement. I wasn't getting anything inquiries at all before that," Arnold admitted, taking a moment to put his coat away.
"I don't mind making the tea as long as I'm learning a new trade at the same time," Dandy agreed.
"Not only that, he's a really quick learner. The last wizard assistant I had trying to fill in the position couldn't find my files, let alone understand what any of the Latin acronyms were all about," Jeffers sighed. "He could barely even make tea. Anyway, I have some of the final museum paperwork to sign, permits an projected completion dates and all that for the Ministry," he said, opening the door to his office.
"That's what I'm here for," Beth agreed, setting the tea down and stepping into the office. It was a bit cold, having been shut up for the day. In fact, the very first thing that Jeffers did was spark the fire with his wand and suddenly it was even warmer than Beth typically liked in a room. "Shall I open the windows?" she asked hopefully.
"I'll get it," Jeffers said, the light in the room improving dramatically when he opened the shutters. He opened the windows, but barely enough to let ventilation in. "Been a bit damp this year," he commented.
"Well, it is fall... it'll be Halloween before we know it," Beth commented. "Is the society still having a Fancy Dress this year?"
"Yes, Norman rented one of the halls at the Ministry, actually, although I'm not sure you'd be welcome at the moment," he added warningly.
"Oh, I am going to Hogwarts this year. I was just wondering since my father used to host it," Beth explained quickly. "And I'm sorry they don't like the Museum and all of that, but I am glad to know that they found an alternative considering it became an annual event for us."
"I'm fairly sure that's why old Balmweed decided to have it. The Society's still pretty rattled about what's been going on, and Balmweed is hoping business-as-usual will settle that a bit," Jeffers explained, sorting through the paperwork.
"I'm not sure anything's going to settle them except for finding their missing members," Beth said.
"I'm not in their good books at the moment, by the way," Jeffers said, fanning the paperwork out. "They're still not keen on my involvement in this whole museum business."
"Considering how many other solicitors and Ministry officials are in the society, they should know perfectly well that you're only doing a job for a client," Beth reasoned. "Pretty much everyone knows you have a reputation for going out of your way for your clients even when you don't agree with some of their legal decisions."
"You can say that again," he said with such dryness that Beth looked at him curiously. "Sorry, one of my other clients is getting on my nerves... I am just trying to do my job. The heat I'm taking for the Wizard Museum is nothing, trust me."
"Then I'm glad for that," Beth said for a smile, turning her attention to the paperwork.
The moment she was done, she made excuses for lunch and hurried back to the Mansion; she had a Flame to send.