The Time Travel Crew
Chapter 8: Filius has work to do
Filius realised that things had really changed, now with Lily Potter alive. And though he was happy for her, he was apprehensive of what the new future would hold for now there would be not be the 'Boy' who lived, but the 'Family' and Harry wouldn't live with the Dursleys anymore. In one way, it was, without a doubt, a good thing.
But Filius knew for sure that if Lily saw too many of the time travellers and then unintentionally let Dumbledore know about it while she recounted to him the events of that night, their cover would be blown. And the only thing worse than an unknown future was a suspicious Albus Dumbledore.
That was why he disillusioned himself and let the others know he did not wish for Lily to know of his presence. And again, that was why he used Severus's retreating footsteps to cover his own as he exited. This was to make sure Dumbledore - if he came to investigate and decided to make an inventory of whatever magic was performed in the house - from getting suspicious of the presence of another person.
The disillusionment charm as it was would raise enough of worry - hopefully one of the others would be kind enough to cover for him - but a silencing spell on his shoes would be a bit too much... They had to take as much of care as they could to prevent any more drastic changes from taking place.
But that was their purpose, wasn't it? To save as many lives as they could, to right as many wrongs as they were able to and to prevent as many losses and injuries as they were capable of. Filius could just think of Harry's justification when they advanced on him with the accusation... Then again, it was his, Filius's own fault they arrived earlier than their actual destiny, so Filius had no say in the matter.
Filius definitely wouldn't let his mother be killed in front of him, when he was quite able to look after her... Not even if the entire Wizarding World would fall if he came in between his currently long-since dead mother and death. But Harry on the other hand cleverly found a way of saving both, his mother and the Wizarding World, keeping the changes as subtle as possible.
Wait. Wasn't this conversation just contradicting his first thoughts? Filius sighed and shook his head, he was overthinking.
Once he left Severus at the gates of the Potter's ruined house with a hasty "Good luck!" Flitwick decided to walk a certain distance from the house as fast as his little legs could take him, vanishing his trail of footprints if any, as he moved ahead - again, to prevent Dumbledore from getting suspicious - before he disapperated and it was during this walk that he let his mind wander around in circles.
It was only once he reached a few houses after old Batilda Bagshot's that he disapperated to the base of the hill next to Ottery St. Catchpole village. A stream was flowing nearby and on the very top of the hill, illuminated by the moonlight, was a black-coloured, cylindrical, giant chess rook like house that Filius knew belonged to the Lovegoods.
Filius disillusioned himself and trekked his way up the hill. It was hard work, but he succeeded after adding a few handy charms on himself. It was a pity so many found Charms uninteresting. Difficult as they were, they surely made life easier. He reached the top and using the silencing and notice-me-not charms he opened the door - using Charms again - and entered.
Very careful, he reached the door leading to Luna's room. He silenced the door, effectively shutting out the creaking if there was any and entered the room, adjusting the charms so only Luna could see and hear him. There she was in her crib, looking extremely angelic, wrapped in white blankets, with tiny blue baby eyes that stared at him for a second before the left one winked twice after a little difficulty. Her eight-month-old body seemed to be a bit too young to coordinate with her thoughts.
He climbed into the crib and pulled her, the blankets and everything into a gentle hug.
"I'm glad you made it, my dear."
Luna tried to respond, but it all came out as a gurgle.
Filius chuckled and said, "That's alright, Luna. Have you tried doing wandless magic?"
She gave him an awkward sort of a nod.
"That's good. Did it work?"
Again she gave him the nod.
Filius was delighted, but the next second he sobered.
"There have been a few changes, already made, Luna... It was my mistake really. I brought us all at 8.30 p.m. on the thirty first of October nineteen eighty, causing the Harry of our time to be present when Voldemort attacked the Potter home."
Luna's eyes opened wide.
"Nothing to worry, dear. Harry managed to save his mother's life with a bit of wandless magic. James however, was probably already dead before he reached."
Filius sighed, "Now Harry will most probably be living with Lily and not the Dursleys...Oh! I almost forgot, Voldemort like last time has been temporarily defeated by Lily's intention to sacrifice herself for Harry."
Filius sighed and put Luna down arranged her blankets on her just as they were before he lifted her up. He said, "I'll be going now to check on Justin, then Neville and then Draco. This is most probably the last time we meet for a long time. All the best to you, Luna and please take care of yourself. Keep your head on your shoulders and think before you act and everything will be fine. You will have to keep your ears open for all the news you can get. Remember, you are now a baby who is dependent on her mother and father for everything. Good Luck and farewell!"
With that, Filius charmed the dirt and mess he caused on Luna's clean bedspread to vanish and giving her a final wink, he left the house and hurried to the bottom of the hill.
Filius made similar visits to Justin in his small Muggle town - Filius promised that one of the adults would supply him with news regularly, since he had no means of obtaining the news in his Muggle home; then Neville in his parents house (the house was under the Fidelius Charm, but Filius was given the address to their house by Frank Longbottom a year ago) - Filius told him to keep his ears open; and finally, Draco Malfoy in the Malfoy Manor. His last stop was rather tricky but he wasn't the Charms Professor for nothing. Malfoy would fortunately get more information than Luna and Neville put together so Filius just wished him "Good Luck!"
It was outside the Malfoy Manor, that Filius heard a loud crack of apparition and lo and behold, Peter Pettigrew, a complete bundle of nerves stood before him, but he couldn't see Filius. Immediately, the traitor turned into a rat and without missing a beat and without a thought, Filius cast a strong sleeping charm on him.
He paused long enough to make sure Pettigrew was just sleeping and not dead - his charm was a bit forceful - and finding the rat in deep sleep, Filius stuffed him in his most uncomfortable pocket and stuffed a dirty handkerchief over the rat and disapperated to Hogwarts.
He just made it to his quarters, when Dumbledore's phoenix patronus appeared before him and spoke in the old Headmaster's voice, "Filius, please step into my office. I need your assistance in a very tricky charm."
Filius felt a strange, happy feeling rise up his chest. He felt like a child on its birthday -Dumbledore was alive! Why had it taken him so long to realize that? And why would Dumbledore need him?
Dumbledore didn't require him for the Harry's protection charm the last time. 'But,' said a voice in his head, 'how do you know that he wants you for a protection charm?'
For a second, Filius wondered if their cover had somehow been blown. Then he shook the idea out of his head... That wasn't possible... Not in the least, for he had full confidence in the others to carry out their undecided and uncoordinated plane with great care.
Filius took the sleeping rat out of his pocket and placed him in a box, casting an charm on the box that prevented him from escaping just in case he woke up. Then he charmed his robes to look clean and wrinkle-free and headed to the Headmaster's office.
He gave the password, "Mars Bars" to the gargoyle guarding the moving staircase that lead to Dumbledore's office and climbed the stairs when the gargoyle sprang aside. He put on a slightly sleepy expression on his face and strengthened his mental shields and knocked on the door. It wouldn't do well to make a spectacle of himself in front of the unsuspecting headmaster.
"Enter."
Filius pushed the tall door open and entered. He saw Sirius Black, young and handsome, sitting besides Minerva in chairs by Dumbledore's desk. The angle at which he stood from them and his short stature prevented him from seeing who was sitting beyond Minerva.
He wasn't supposed to have any idea of what happened so as he stared at Sirius, he put on a confused expression and then turned to Dumbledore.
"What's the matter, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore summoned a cup of hot chocolate from the kitchens and offered it to Filius along with a chair that was just his size. The legs of the chair grew taller as soon as he settled in it, making him leveled with the table.
Then Dumbledore told Filius about the happenings at Godric's Hollow and the 'accidental magic' that Harry supposedly performed - a magic absorbing invisible shield- thereby saving Lily and deceiving Voldemort. Then Filius gave a high pitched squeak and said excitably, "You-Know-Who's gone!" and sobered with a comprehending, "Oh.". And when he turned to Sirius and said accusingly, "You were their Secret Keeper, weren't you?", Dumbledore verbally soothed him, and told him about Pettigrew and his animagus ability.
"We need you to try that animagus summoning of yours, Filius, if you will, please. Peter's a murderer at large."
"I will try, Headmaster." Filius said, knowing in the future he would use this spell many times, but at the moment, he had no idea if it worked.
He hopped off the chair and said, "I have until today, however, only formulated the theory."
Dumbledore stood up and so did the other occupants and Filius finally saw Pomona, Lily with Harry - who was 'fast asleep', wrapped in blankets - and Severus. He would have seen them while they were all sitting, but Filius was more concentrated on his act.
"Take your time, Filius, I am quite certain that you will succeed in obtaining the rat before dawn." Dumbledore said confidently.
Filius sighed and shook his head, silently berating himself for being so rash in picking Pettigrew up. He would have to let him go and it was a good thing that the rat was asleep, for he wouldn't remember his little journey to Hogwarts in Filius's hard and cramped pocket. That would prevent him from testifying that particular detail under veritaserum.
The next problem was the time factor. When Pettigrew testified under the influence of the truth serum that he arrived at the Manor at a quarter to ten at night and the next thing he knew was that he was in Filius's office, and if Filius testified that he summoned the rat animagus at say, ten thirty, all heads would turn towards Filius.
He turned to a very upset and pale Lily and said, "Lily, I am very sorry about James."
The poor girl hugged Harry closer to her and said, "Thank you, Filius."
Dumbledore sighed heavily and said, "Lily, Harry and I will head to Cokeworth to perform a few protection spells, Filius. Severus will head to Godric's Hollow before joining us in Cokeworth, but I believe, we should be finished by the time you arrive.
"Minerva, Sirius, please be kind enough to head to the Ministry and inform Millicent Bagnold of the current events including Peter Pettigrew, however, please refrain from telling her of Harry's accidental magic bout or Lily's evoking of ancient magic.
"Lily I must warn you, your name and Harry's will be down in History, for surviving the Avada Kedavra is something that has never happened before. However, I think it's a good idea you chose to be away from our kind."
Lily nodded sadly.
Dumbledore continued, "Sirius, you will use the commotion that Minerva causes to register yourself as an animagus. Try not to attract too much of attention to yourself until, Peter is recognized as the traitor at the Ministry."
When Sirius nodded, Dumbledore turned to Pomona, "Pomona, will you be kind enough to take care of James's funeral arrangements?"
Pomona nodded.
Dumbledore said to Lily, "Where will you like to inhume James?"
Lily said hesitantly, "I-I was thinking about Cokeworth, Professor."
"Why Cokeworth, Lily?"
"So that my children and I will get to visit him often. Godric's Hollow is a good distance away from Cokeworth."
"Cokeworth it is." Dumbledore said. Then he frowned, "Children?"
Lily smiled for the first time Flitwick saw her. She rubbed her belly and said, "There's another on the way... In a little more then six months, Harry will have a younger brother or sister." Then she looked depressed, "But the baby will never know it's father... I don't think Harry will remember him either."
Before Lily could break down further, she pulled herself together and nodded at the rest.
Then she, still carrying Harry, Dumbledore and Severus left the office, closely followed by Pomona, Sirius and Minerva.
Filius sighed, waved to Fawkes the phoenix who had just woken up from sleep and walked out of the office closing the door behind him, and down the stairs, past the gargoyle and into the corridor.
He reached his office and opened the door to enter a room that was just his size. He made the blanket he vanished earlier appear and leviated in into the fireplace and set it on fire.
Knowing what was to be done, Filius put a still sleeping Pettigrew in the same pocket he'd put him earlier and left the castle and disillusioned himself again only to apperate to the same place he found Pettigrew.
He pulled the plump rat out of his pocket at placed him on the ground, took off the sleeping charm and disapperated from there before Pettigrew could actually wake up, hoping against hope that in no way would his mistake make a mess in the timeline and praying that he and the other members of the Time Travel Crew would do anything without thinking again. They were going to have to be very very careful, for this was a dangerous game that they were playing.
It took him fifteen minutes to reach back to his office from where he summoned the blueprint of his soon to be perfect Animagus Summoning Charm. Filius noticed that this spell was more unrefined than he remembered.
He settled down on his chair with a sigh and got to work, canceling words, adding a little pronunciation warning and improving wand movements until his parchment looked very untidy indeed. Satisfied with himself, Filius sat in deep thought for another twenty minutes before he walked to the window of his office and used the Animagus Summoning Charm.
After ten minutes of muttering Latin with his aching throat and waving his wand with his tired arm, his trouble bore fruit as Filius suddenly saw a squiggly speck in the sky that grew as it approached his window.
And again, Filius, for the second time, had the rat, but this time, nicely locked up in a cage. The rat however wasn't free of Filius's taunts and the way it cowered in the cage seemed to give Filius a great sense of satisfaction.
To be continued...
Hello Everyone,
My classes have started on full swing and though online, it seems to be taking most of my time. I may not be able to write as regularly as before. I will try to upload every week as usual, but in the event that I fail to do so, please don't be too mad.
Take care!!