After two hundred and forty years, Harry Potter thought that he'd seen it all, until he is transported back to 1977. In the midst of Voldemort's first rise to power and both sides of this war won't let him sit this one out.
xXx
A/N: I've played a little with the dates of birth in this fic. Narcissa Black being the main one since she would have already graduated in the cannon universe and wouldn't be in Severus's year. Enjoy. This is going to be a long ride.
xXx
Harry looked down at the gold device in his hand in interest. He idly picked up a pair of wirerimmed glasses to get a better look as he tried to read the words etched on the small golden sphere. There was something about it that looked familiar and he picked up a time turner in his other hand and compared the two. The runes were written the same but that didn't mean a lot. Gold was also used in anything that had to hold time. He placed both items on his desk, sat back in his chair and stared at them.
The Department of Mysteries was quiet around him. He looked through the glass windows of his office to see that everyone had already left for the day and he was the only one left. Which wasn't odd, since he was the boss. Harry stood with a groan and stretched his back. He may look young but at two hundred and forty years. He felt old inside. The magic of the Deathly Hallows holding him back from the relief of death. Cursed.
Harry sighed and picked up the gold sphere and slipped it away in his pocket. He picked up the time turner and returned it to his safe. He spun the dial, of the safe, and glanced around. In a way, he always knew that he would end up in the bowels of the Ministry. He'd tried his hand at just about everything but in the end. He'd ended up where all magical artifacts went that no one knew what to do with. He knew that he shouldn't think of himself that way but he found it hard not to some days.
He picked up his jacket and swung it around his shoulders before locking his door and making his way out of the Ministry. At this late hour, it was quiet, except for the Auror department. A few Aurors gave him a wave and he nodded back. They were used to seeing him at odd hours. A spectre that was whispered about in hushed tones. A relic from a war that was over two hundred years ago. He'd fought in wars since but never like the one with Voldemort. A war of children against Death Eaters and a Dark Lord. It should never have been like that but it had been. His childhood robbed from him before he'd had a chance.
Harry turned his thoughts away from that as he took the lift up to the streets of London. He stepped out and merged with the crowds. London was always busy and that's why he loved it. Even at close to midnight on a Thursday night there were still people around. He got caught up in the flow as he made his way down to the tube station. Just another random person like everyone else around him.
He stood as the train took off, even if there were seats available, and glanced around. Taking everything in as he held the rail with one hand and had his other in his pocket. He travelled two stops down before stepping off on his platform. He didn't live far from the Ministry and he could have just apparated but Harry liked the press of people. He could just let his thoughts drift as he unwound from the day.
When he made it up to street level, it was quieter, as he walked away from the tube station and towards his apartment. His hand found the gold sphere in his pocket and he ran his thumb over the writing there. His mind drifted as he thought about the device. He was sure that it was time related but he'd seen nothing like it before. And that was saying something. He was the man that people came to when they didn't know what something was. What he was, people didn't know. Harry snorted at that line of thinking then he felt something on the air.
He stopped in the middle of the brick walled alleyway and pulled the sphere out. It was about half the size of a snitch but larger than a marble. It sat in his palm easily and had one slightly flat side which stopped it from rolling away. He ran his thumb over the writing as he felt something building. He could easily read the runes but they were in the wrong order for a time piece. He was sure that the device contained something but not what. His first guess had been a grain of time but for what reason. There were no instructions, not that he'd expected that, but it would have helped. He sighed and slipped the thing away in his pocket and stepped forward.
There was a flash of golden light and he felt something shift just before his foot landed on the sidewalk. He paused and glanced behind him but didn't see anything different. He shrugged and started walking again. When he turned onto the street. He stopped dead in his tracks while he took in the cars lining the street.
"What the fuck?" Harry whispered under his breath.
He looked back to the alleyway that he'd used as a short cut then back at the street before him. He walked back the way that he'd come. Passed the spot that he'd paused on and back out the other side of the alley and swore again. He pulled out his mobile phone and looked at the screen. He had no reception, nothing.
Something remarkable had just happened and Harry had no idea how. For the street before him was not from his time. Somehow, he'd just transported himself back in time.
"Fuck," Harry swore again as he placed his phone away. "This could only happen to Harry bloody Potter."
xXx
Harry followed regulations as he rode the lift down to the Ministry of Magic. He wasn't the first person to fall afoul of a time device and he was sure that he wouldn't be the last. He stepped out of the lift and looked around. For early 1977, the Ministry still looked very much the same as he remembered. It still amazed him the snail pace that the Ministry worked at. He sighed and headed towards the counter.
"Good morning, sir. Just place your wand on the scale please," the woman behind the desk instructed cheerfully.
Harry placed his wand on the scale and the woman took a reading.
"Thank you, sir." The woman said with a smile and Harry picked up his wand. "Which department are you after?"
"Department of Mysteries," Harry replied and the woman paused. "I know the way."
"Does Minister Albert know that you are heading down there?"
"Yes, thanks."
"Very well," the woman said with a nod. "Have a good day, sir."
Harry nodded and headed down into the bowels of the Ministry. He took in the feel of the place and remembered that, at this time, Voldemort was on the rise to power. He could almost feel the suspicion on the air and the glances that his muggle clothes received. He ignored it all as he came to the doors to the Department and walked into the circular room.
"Department of Mysteries, main office." Harry ordered and the doors spun around. "I don't know why this is needed each time."
The doors settled and Harry stepped forward and opened the door. He looked over the large room with desks lined up before him. The Department was busy today as Harry walked through to the large office at the back of the room. He looked through the glass windows to see a thin man seated behind the desk with dark hair. Harry could tell that he'd gathered a few people's attention as he knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Harry opened the door, stepped in and closed the door behind him before he took in the office that used to be his. It looked nothing like the way that he had it set up. The large desk that Albert sat behind was still the same. Harry was sure that only magic had gotten it through the doorway.
"Ah," Dean Albert announced. "You must be Harry Potter?"
"Yes," Harry answered as he pulled out his badge and placed it down on the table.
"I was surprised to get your owl," Albert said as he leaned back in his chair. "I suppose that it feels odd to be on that side of the desk?"
"You could say that," Harry agreed as he sat down in the seat across the desk from the man.
"Yes, well." Albert stuttered. "Your badge proves that you work for the Department-"
"Head of the Department," Harry added.
"Ah, yes." Albert muttered and Harry got the feeling that he didn't know where to go from there. "That position is taken at this time."
"I'm aware of that," Harry sneered. "I am just following regulations in regards to time travel. You are aware of these?"
Albert flushed in anger and Harry looked back at him mildly. The man was only young, mid to late forties, and had probably only been in the position for a few years. Harry knew that as Head of the Department of Mysteries; the man was in for more surprises than a simple time traveller. He was sure that Albert only saw him as a young man in his mid-thirties and not the powerful wizard that he was. Harry would quickly crush those thoughts in the man's head. He was no push over and he knew his rights.
"I have written out the time that I am from," Harry continued as he pulled out a few pieces of parchment. "As well as the new name and family history that I will be taking while I'm here in this time. The time device that was responsible for my travel will be held in my guardianship while I investigate it-"
"You can't do that."
"Yes, I can." Harry disagreed. "I have clearance as the Head of the Department."
"Now, wait." Albert stuttered. "You're not the Head-"
"Yes, I am." Harry cut in and tapped his badge. "No matter the time."
Albert flushed again as he spluttered and Harry placed the papers down on the man's desk as he took back his badge.
"That is my part done," Harry announced as he stood. "Have a good day, Minister Albert."
"Wait," Albert called out as Harry stepped through the door and Harry looked back. "I need to ask you more questions!"
Harry stood with his hand on the doorhandle and looked back at Albert until the man shrunk back in his seat.
"No," Harry said, coldly. "You do not but I'll be sure to be in contact. You'll have to know where to send my pay cheques after all."
Albert spluttered some more as Harry left the door open and he walked down the rows of desks. Wizards and witches paused in what they were doing as they looked between him and the spluttering Albert in the doorway to his office. Harry held his head high as he walked out of the Department of Mysteries. He was sure this wouldn't be the last time that he met with Minister Dean Albert.
xXx
Albus Dumbledore looked at the man before him with a fake smile on his face. All he could think of was that the man was a complete idiot.
"I know that I don't have much experience in teaching," Darpan Wadhwa defended quickly. "But I have worked for the Aurors for four years."
"Yes," Albus answered as he looked at the man's resume. "In files."
"Yes, yes." Darpan agreed as he nodded. "That's why I want something more hands on."
"Thank you for coming in, Mr Wadhwa," Albus offered. "I have a couple more people to interview then I will let you know."
"Thank you, Headmaster." Darpan gushed as he stood and shook Albus's hand. "I look forward to hearing from you."
The man gave him a smile before hurrying from the room and Albus frowned. He was scraping the bottom of the barrel. The Defence Against the Dark Art's position always gave him trouble, every year. He cursed Tom Riddle in his mind as he looked at the next name on the list; Harold Swift. It wasn't a name that he knew as his eyes skipped over the page then paused on Department of Mysteries.
He rubbed his chin in thought on that point. He wouldn't be able to find out what the man did at the Department but it was easy to find out if he'd worked there. His age was roughly thirty-five and he'd been born in England but hadn't attended Hogwarts but another private school. The page was sparse in information but Albus's eyes had been caught by the mention of the Department.
"Come in," Albus called at the knock on his door.
A short man in muggle clothes with a long black jacket walked in and Albus stood to shake his hand. He had short dark hair and striking green eyes with a narrow face. His handshake was strong as Harold gave him a smile.
"Thank you for seeing me, Headmaster." Harold offered, with a light accent that Albus couldn't place to his words. "Call me Harry."
"Take a seat," Albus offered as he sat down. "Have you any teaching experience?"
"Yes," Harry answered as he took a seat. "But not young children."
Albus noted that down as he appreciated the man's honesty. He looked up and paused at the aged look to the man's eyes before him. He looked his age and yet there was something else there. Albus had to be careful with Voldemort on the rise but he had to find a new Defence teacher every year since he turned Tom Riddle down for the position.
"And you used to work in the Department of Mysteries?" Albus questioned.
"Still do," Harry answered as he relaxed back. "They have allowed me to apply for this position under protest I might add."
"They didn't want you to apply?"
Harry quirked his lips up in an easy smile.
"I just got back into the country about six months ago," Harry replied. "I must say that I blindsided them with a suggestion to apply for a job here."
"Why do you want this job?" Albus asked in interest.
"Something different," Harry said with a shrug.
Those green eyes settled on Albus again and he pushed slightly but the man had strong barriers around his mind. He wasn't surprised since the man worked for the Department of Mysteries. Even for his young age.
"Well," Albus announced. "Let's talk about that. Would you like some tea?"