Title: Hp and the time turner

Disc: see chapter 1

Chapter 4: Anxious moments

Sirius Black's apartment in Hogsmeade was like any bachelor's place. Clothes littered the floor, dirty dishes were in the sink and there was a funny smell coming from the bathroom.

            "Ugh…" Hermione said, stepping over a pile of dirty shirts.

            "Sorry about the mess," Sirius said.

            "This is awesome," Ron grinned around the room.

Sirius took out his wand, said "Cleanous!" and the whole mess disappeared.

            "You have a TV?" Harry asked, pointing to the small television on the kitchen counter.

            "Yeah, it's a pure Muggle tool, but it helps me stay fresh with their news." Sirius said.

            "What's a TV?" Ron asked.

Hermione quickly explained to him what it was.

            "So," Ron said. "Muggles… pretend they're different people? Weird!"

            "If you aren't the spitting image of James," Sirius said, gazing at Harry. "Of course, you have Lily's eyes."

Harry stared at the floor. "Were…. Were my parents good people?"

            "Lily and James Potter are the nicest folk you'll ever meet."

            "But they die tonight," Harry said glumly. "Voldemort kills them."

            "Son, don't worry, they're in hiding. Voldemort has no idea where they are." Sirius said.

            "Pettigrew is a spy for Voldemort," Ron said. "Later tonight, he'll bring Voldemort there. He kills Harry's mum and dad. When he tries to kill Harry, he loses his powers."

            "Well then I'll head over there!!!" Sirius said.

            "Don't," Hermione said. "It's what was meant to happen."

            "I can't let them die!!!" Sirius said.

            "It's the only way," Harry said in a small voice. "It's the only way Voldemort will lose his power."

            "How… how did you know that I…. I get blamed?" Sirius asked.

            "Thirteen years from now, you escape from Azkaban and go in search of Pettigrew. He's disguising himself as Ron's pet rat, Scabbers. You go after him, but everyone thinks you're after me until we finally find out the truth, that you're my godfather." Harry said.

            "I'm Ron, by the way, and this is Hermione," Ron said.

Hermione gave a small wave.

            "BREAKING NEWS into our studio!" the news woman on the television spoke. "In an apparent gas leak explosion, thirteen people were killed in London…"

            "THERE!" Harry cried, pointing in the background. They saw James and Pettigrew standing there. Pettigrew was laughing.

            "You're free," Hermione said with a smile. All of the sudden, an owl swooped in, carrying a one page edition of the Daily Prophet.

Sirius unrolled it and read: "Not fifteen minutes ago, the famous James Potter was arrested for doing dark magic on the streets of London. He is being sent to Azkaban. More on B4."

            "NO!" Harry yelled, grabbing the paper from Sirius and staring at it. "No, this is wrong!"

            "What do we do?!" Ron bellowed.

Hermione was breathing deeply. "We still have eighteen hours…"

            "Go back, we have to go back an hour and fix this!" Harry yelled.

            "We can't! No one's ever gone back in time when they were already back in time!" Hermione said.

            "So, we just lay around and wait here while my father is rotting in Azkaban?" Harry yelled.

            "There's nothing else we can do!" Hermione cried. "Once we get back to Hogwarts… we can come back again!" she drew in a deep gasp. "Maybe it will be okay! Maybe James will die tonight!" when she realized what she said, she covered both hands with her mouth. "I didn't mean it,"

            "That's the most horrible thing you've ever said," Ron said to her.

            "I'm sorry!" Hermione cried.

Harry turned his back to her and gazed out the window.

            "Harry," she said in a small voice.

He didn't look at her.

            "Please look at me," she said, her voice breaking.

He ignored her.

            "Harry, I love you. I didn't mean it… I was just upset."

            "Leave me alone, Hermione," he snapped.

Hermione drew in a shuddering sob, and looked to Ron. He shrugged his shoulders. She took off the Time Turner and put it on the counter next to the TV. Then, she ran out of the apartment without another word.

Ron made a move to the door.

            "Let her go," Sirius told him.

An hour later, Harry was still staring out of the window. Ron approached him cautiously. "We'll see what happens in two hours…" he said. "That's when… you know."

            "I know," Harry stated.

            "Look, Harry, Hermione… really didn't mean it." Ron replied.

            "I know," he repeated.

Ron placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go find her, huh?"

Harry climbed to his feet and peered down at Hogsmeade bellow. Hermione was down there somewhere, and they had two hours to find her. "It'll be quicker if we split up," he said. You check the Leaky Cauldron and the surrounding area in London. I'll cover Hogsmeade. We'll meet back here in… well, in two hours I guess." He turned to Black. "Sirius,"

            "I'll stay here in case she comes back," he said.

            "If she does, sit on her or something," Ron replied.

Harry looped the Time Turner around his neck and walked out of the apartment after Ron.

Harry was drawn to the Three Broomsticks, so he decided that's where he would start. He entered the bar, and almost everyone looked up at him and gasped.

            "It's James Potter!!!"

            "Can't be, he's in Azkaban!!"

Witches and wizards, and even trolls were gaping at him as he passed by. "I'm not James Potter," he replied.

'We have to fix this', he vowed. 'They think my dad is a murderer. We can't let them think this way.'

Harry walked to the back of the pub, and saw a small figure sitting there, her face hidden by her Butterbeer, curling one especially curly strand of golden hair around one finger. She didn't look up when he sat down.

            "Ron and I are looking for you," he said.

            "I want you to go back to Hogwarts without me," she said.

Harry sighed. This was what he really didn't need right now. "What why?"

            "I'm a horrible person," she said, her voice breaking. "I had them heat up my Butterbeer so that I would scorch my tongue when I drank it." She stuck out her tongue.

Harry couldn't tell if it was burnt or not, it was red. But, he nodded anyway. "Oh."

            "And you hate me," she said, tears falling down her cheeks.

            "I don't hate you," Harry said. "It' just being here… seeing my parents…"

            "I really didn't mean what I said," she croaked. "And I do love you, I really do."

            Harry grinned. Hermione was the first girl to confess her love for him, and he was glad it was no other than she. They had been through so much together, he guessed it was hard not to fall for Hermione. And he had. He just didn't know if he could ever tell her.

            "Don't worry about it," he replied.

            "So, we're okay?" Hermione asked quietly.

He took off the Time Turner and slipped it over her head. "Of course."

Hermione jumped up and hugged him.

            "Let's go back to Sirius's," Harry said. "See what's going on."

They were about to get up to leave when Ron ran in. "Thank God you're here!!!" he yelled. His face was full of sweat, and he was panting.

            "Ron, what is it?" Hermione asked.

            "I… I bumped into my parents!" he said, took a breath and continued. "They didn't know it was me, but I accidentally knocked into my mum, and she dropped a whole bag of groceries. She started yelling at my dad, because she thought it was him."

Harry nodded grimly. He knew all too well about Mrs. Weasley's temper.

            "They started arguing, and I heard her mutter the word "divorce!"" Ron panted. "Harry, if they get a divorce, Ginny will never be born!"

Harry sighed and put a hand to his forehead. They had traveled back in time to set things right, but only managed to make a lot of things go wrong.

End of chapt 4! Review!!