The Time Travel Crew
Chapter 8: The Crew ties up the loose ends
Minerva sat up straight in her bed, sweating furiously and looked around wildly.
She let out a sigh of relief when she realized she was alone, not on that horrible ground, not in that dreadful cage...it was just a nightmare...she was in her quarters at Hogwarts and she was safe...And she most definitely wasn't the only one who was frequently suffering from nightmares.
It was a month after that incident and Harry had been released from the hospital wing long ago with nothing more that two ugly scars on his face and a large one on his back.
Lily and several other parents had become paranoid and had taken their children home for the next few weeks. Only the Muggleborns stayed at Hogwarts and the school was going to commence next week right. Therefore, the board of governors put its foot down and issued a circular stating that the classes would go on as usual and the parents could either send the students back or homeschool them.
The slight threat created a bit of an annoyance among the parents, but they didn't have much of a choice. Harry immediately talked his mother into letting him return and Minerva gave Lily her word that she wouldn't let Harry our of her sight and that was why, the boy was now asleep on her couch in the living room just in case Lily did come to check for herself, if Minerva had kept her word.
Lily had him visiting wizarding councillors and Harry admitted to Minerva that he really wished he could get away from all that attention.
"As though those never ending exaggerated tales on every Daily Prophet isn't enough!" Harry huffed rather childishly. It turned out that Luna, Neville, Draco and Justin were the only 'children' on that plateau and the Longbottom, Lovegood and Malfoy parents had made quite as as much of a fuss over them as Lily had over Harry.
Minerva sighed and checked the time. Realising it was five in the morning she got up to make herself some coffee.
Things had become so hectic, the crew and Dumbledore could never find the appropriate time to get together and finally, they both came to the decision to have their meeting today at eight, so neither party reserved the day for anything else. It was only with a small hint from Minerva that Dumbledore announced to the world that Voldemort was indeed dead and wouldn't return no matter how hard anyone tried.
But today, he would get the answer to all his questions.
And just to be careful, the crew met four times in the month discussing exactly how they were going to display their achievements to the aged man. Harry and Severus both were not taking risks and for some reason decided to rid of all the books that they used for time travelling. They even had Minerva destroy the long-range time turners, leaving only the short-range kind not unlike the one she would be handing over to Hermione Granger next year.
It was decided for Harry to do the talking and Harry had warned them that it wouldn't be easy, that he needed to leave the old man with a guilty conscience so he wouldn't be able to take advantage of them... He even decided to get Dumbledore to take an oath.
The three hours passed quickly and before they knew it, the crew were on the spiral moving steps that led to Dumbledore's office. After a quick group hug, McGonagall knocked on the door.
"Come in!"
Minerva opened the door and entered, followed almost immediately by Filius, Sprout, Severus and then Draco, Neville, Justin, Harry and Luna.
Dumbledore's eyes widened a fraction and then he looked a little sheepish, then he smiled.
"Are you all time travelers?"
They nodded.
"Please be seated." he conjured a few extra chairs around his table to add up to nine and they smiled and obeyed.
Harry got Dumbledore to take the oath and from there on, he began to tell him about everything that had happened in the previous time. Severus and Filius filled in minor details that he missed out, but Minerva noticed that they left nothing out, not even for the sake of tact. No, Harry didn't even spare Dumbledore's actions.
Minerva knew it was for the best, but she couldn't help it, she sent Harry a reproachful glare, but he simply ignored her.
At the end of the meeting, Dumbledore was in tears. He looked remoseful, disappointed even, but he accepted everything they threw at him with good grace.
And Minerva let out a breath of relief when everyone decided to part ways on a happy note... free from any sort of strain...free from any grief or guilt...free from responsibilities, fear and the knowledge of the future - everything had taken a different albeit pleasant turn - free to live a life that wasn't dominated or didn't dominate... they were finally free, just free.
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The outcomes of the war weren't as drastic as the one in the previous time... It was a bit dramatic and a complete anticlimax, but Severus wasn't complaining. This time round, injustice was a word no one uttered, for it was the truth. No innocents were murdered, neither were the guilty able to escape, even the muggles world was safe.
The crew had accomplished everything they needed and maybe a bit more... Severus for one tied the knot with Charity Burbage a year after Voldemort died and he was now the proud father of three pretty girls who adored him and he them. His marriage to Charity was partly caused by her love for him and his making up for her death in the previous time... But make no mistake, he loved her too.
Filius, Minerva and Pomona preferred to continue as they did in the previous time, though Pomona now assigned a freshly graduated Neville the job of teaching the first four years students Herbology. She preferred a little less work load and Neville, who was currently dating Alina, was happy too. He even had plans of opening up a herbological centre in Hogsmead.
Justin and Draco had now signed up for Auror training and inspite of their hectic schedules made time to either visit Severus in the dungeons or spend time with Luna and Astoria Greengrass respectively.
And last but not the least was Harry.
"Think of the devil..." Severus muttered as he put down his quill that had created large blotches on a student's answers paper as Severus got lost in his musings. Luckily it was a very poorly answers one and Severus decided against siphoning off the ink.
The exams had been conducted earlier this year, thanks to a Houses United programme that would be held for the entire next week for the entertainment of the parents who would be coming to witness their children performing.
He called out, "Come in!"
And Harry did with a wide grin on his scarred face.
"Congratulations." Severus smiled and Harry frowned.
"For what?"
"Well," Severus said leaning behind and interlocking his fingers over his middle, "You wouldn't have come to my office with that smile had something splendid not happened to you?...Well? What is it? Did Lupin name you godfather?"
Harry's grin broadened and he let out an exhilarated laugh and then nodded with dancing eyes.
Lupin married Tonks a month later than the previous time, and they had a few ups and downs and like the last time, Harry put Lupin in his place just as forcefully as he did in the previous time, but Harry's Teddy wasn't born. Harry had been quite upset over it and it took both Severus and Minerva to put his mind at ease. It took a lot of effort and a lot of time, but they got him to see reason and they succeeded
In Teddy's place, the Lupins had a girl, a perfect, healthy metamorphmagus girl just the previous day and at the moment, Severus couldn't be happier for his friend...Harry that is...Not Lupin.
He had almost expected Sirius Black to be made godfather, the man, who still refused to get married was definitely a very easy choice, but Lupin knew Harry deserved the title.
"It isn't only that!" Harry said happily, "I've got a job!"
"Excellent!" Severus said smiling. "The DADA teacher?"
"Uh huh. Remus decided to quit teaching so as to spend more time with his family and with your Wolfsbane, he's fit enough to take up a the position Broderick Bode left vacant after taking an early retirement!"
"The ministry accepted him?" Severus said surprised.
"Oh yes." Harry said happily. "Kingsley Shacklebolt's assistant has been given charge to arrest anyone who tries to sabotage Remus in anyway."
"In other words, Lupin's been given a bodyguard."
"Sort of, but the assistant's been posted there to take up the job left vacant by the previous guard."
"Too many vacancies these days." Severus muttered.
Harry laughed heartily.
"There has to be! Do you remember what a shock the unspeakables had when they realised all their long-range time turners had been destroyed? There surely do not want a repetition... It had been a big embarrassment to them you know, when they were caught napping."
"They should have been grateful their interviewer wasn't Rita Skeeter."
"What's happened to her? She was released from Azkaban last year wasn't she?"
"Yes, she was. But she, like Umbridge will not be in a position to take up a distinguished job again. And the rest of the world must have set up some charms to repel nosy beetles."
Harry smiled again.
"Keith Finch-Fletchley has asked your dearest goddaughter out."
Severus smiled. "Ah, and did she accept?"
Harry nodded. "Mum's quite happy about it and now she's waiting for me to start dating."
"How is Lily?"
"Quite well, she and Aunt Petunia really make quite a pair. I don't know if their aware of it but their cheeky squabbles can keep you amused for days on end. I heard a few days ago that Uncle Vernon got married again and he and his new wife are living in Surrey... Er, what happened to Frank Bryce?"
Severus grinned, "I sent him back to Little Hangleton in ninety four. I didn't expect it to take you lot this long to remember him."
Harry shook his head and sighed.
"How's your cousin?"
"Dudley's got a seat in a medical college in London and both Mum and Aunt Petunia are more excited about it than him. He's going out with Tessie Wood."
Severus's eyebrows shot up.
"Oliver Wood's sister?"
"Yeah, the younger one, currently in her sixth year."
Severus said teasingly, "The one who had that big crush on you in her third year?"
Harry blushed and said, "Yeah, that one. The older one's playing for the Harpies. Anyway, Dudley doesn't know she's a witch and she doesn't know he's related to me."
"How did they even meet?"
"Oh, it's something about her spilling hot coffee on him by accident in a muggle restaurant. You can guess the rest and Dudley is quite good looking, now that he rid himself of all that fat."
"I hope I am around to see her reaction when she connects the dots."
Harry gave him an unimpressed look.
"You know," Severus told him seriously. "It's time you took someone out. You need it."
Harry sighed. "I know, but Ginny's dating Dean."
"Ginny isn't the only girl in the world."
Harry looked sheepish, "I know."
"Do you have someone else in mind?"
"Ah...yes, but I haven't thought of asking her yet."
"And who might she be?"
"Lacey White."
"Ah." was all Severus said. "And who is she?"
"The granddaughter of Mrs. White, the old lady who lives at the end of our street... She's settled in Cokeworth for good, you know, to look after her grandmother. I think I'll ask her once I go home for the summer."
"You do it then."
They sat in companionable silence for a while, each in his own thought.
Then Harry said quietly, "Do you know what today is?"
"June the second?"
"I know that. But do you realize what day it is?"
"You are speaking in riddles, Harry."
"Severus!" Harry admonished. "Today was the day we all gathered at your table in our time, the day we sat and decided to go back and accomplish what we couldn't then!"
"And that calls for a celebration."
Both Severus and Harry turned to see who had entered and true enough, Minerva, Filius, Pomona, Neville, Draco, Justin and Luna entered with broad smiles plastered on their faces. A large hamper was floating behind them.
"Oh, put your work aside, Severus." Minerva said impatiently. "Let's enjoy the day while it lasts."
Severus put on a serious expression, "Are you really the same Minerva I-Have-Not-The-Patience-For-Any-Kind-Of-Nonsense McGonagall?"
"Come now, Severus!" Filius said coming to her aid. "We need some distraction from regular, scheduled life."
With a flick of his wand, Severus's table was bare and the hamper was laid on it and very soon, they were all enjoying a small feast.
Pomona said to the five teenagers, "So...has this journey been worth it?"
"Oh, yes." said Neville grinning happily. "I never thought I could be this happy!"
"Me too." Draco said, "I have really appreciated my family this time round, I loved every moment of it, still do."
"Very worth it, Pomona." Justin said taking Luna's hand in his as she beamed in answer to Pomona's question.
"What about you, Harry?"
Harry smiled broadly, but Severus doubted that he would speak, the tears of elation glistening in his eyes told them everything. And Severus really could never say this mission wasn't worth it. It was his turning point in life... All thanks to Filius who convinced Pomona and then Minerva and the Severus and Harry and finally Neville, Luna, Draco and Justin to join him on his mission to right the wrongs, save what was lost, prevent the misery and above all... Make a difference.
Yes, definitely worth it... Everything turned out just fine.
A very happy ending indeed.
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