HARRY POTTER

TIME TRAVELER

Summary – Harry opens a book in the Restricted Section and it transports him 21 years into the future, where he meets up with the future Ron and Hermione and their son, Eddie. Harry also meets Lily Potter, Harry's very spunky and caring future teenage daughter with a hot temper and a bit of an attitude. Harry wants to know about his future, but he feels that Ron, Hermione, Lily, and Eddie are keeping something from him; some very deep, dark secrets.

Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter, the characters, or the Harry Potter world. The all belong to the fabulous J.K. Rowling. However, while I do not own their names, the characters and the personality traits of Lily Potter, Eddie Weasley, Daris Malfoy, Christof Nott, as well as Asher Lazard and Robyn Andrews all belong to me.

Chapter 7 – Questions Left Unanswered:

"Harry?" Hermione whispered in a breathless voice. She looked from her best friend to her goddaughter, immediately widening her eyes. "Lily? What is he doing here?"

"He wanted to see you guys," said Lily defensively, crossing her arms over her chest as she narrowed her eyes back at her godmother. "Is it my fault that you two have voices that could carry across the country?" If it was one thing that Lily hated, it was being blamed for something that she wasn't responsible for. Harry laughed to himself; he had never met someone with such spunk and fire before. He didn't have that fire, and he wondered if maybe she had inherited it from her mother, whoever she was.

"Well, please go and find Ed and go to my office," ordered Hermione. "We'll be leaving for the Windum soon." Lily glared at her for a minute and rolled her eyes and left, muttering incoherent words under her breath. Harry busted out into fits of laughter when Lily was completely out of earshot.

"Where did she get so much spunk?" Harry asked, looking up at his best friends, grinning from ear to ear. "She certainly didn't get any of that from me!" Ron and Hermione cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Are you serious?" said Hermione with an amused smile.

"Harry, besides Lily, you've had more spunk than anyone I've ever known!" said Ron grinning. Hermione nodded in agreement with a bemused smile.

"Sirius says she takes after the Potter bloodline," said Hermione, smiling. Harry smiled, but then frowned.

"So, what were you two talk-" But Harry never to finish asking his question because he was interrupted by the sound of a croaking frog. He turned and saw a frog sitting on the professor's desk and raised an eyebrow before looking back at his friends with a confused look.

"Erm…why is there a frog…?"

"Oh right!" Ron laughed and Hermione scolded him.

"Turn him back immediately, Ronald," said Hermione with a tone of bossiness anger as she placed her hands firmly on her hips. Ron grinned and pointed his wand at the frog.

"Finte Incantato!" Ron said wearily and the frog transfigured back into a skinny, old man with greasy gray hair and a hooked nose. His beady black eyes were completely fixed on his former student; Harry Potter. Harry's eyes widened because, at first, he was startled to see this professor. But once he let the shock sink in, he stared, or rather glared, right back at the teacher. He immediately recognized the teacher as Severus Snape, the old Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry guessed that he was still the Potions Master.

"Potter," said Snape, eyeing Harry with great dislike. Harry just folded his arms across his chest and continued glaring at the Potions Master.

"Snape," said Harry in the same exact tone as he did.

"Professor Snape to you, Potter!" snapped Snape angrily, glaring at Harry as though he were a piece of scum. Harry took a step backwards at the look Snape was giving him, but he did not have to worry because Ron stepped in between them; protectively in front of Harry. Hermione looked nervously from Ron to Snape.

"Leave him alone, Snape," growled Ron. "He's still just a kid."

"We should just kill him now," barked Snape, not taking his deathly glare off of Harry. Hermione gasped and her eyes widened in utter and complete disbelief. Harry felt his stomach drop and his throat became dry, suddenly very thankful that Ron was standing between he and Snape.

"Severus, how could you even suggest something like that?" Hermione asked in a disbelieving whisper. Ron, however, ignored Hermione's comments; the look on his face made him look ready to kill.

"Getting rid of Potter, here, would save a lot of people a lot of grief," said Snape, mocking them. "I mean, isn't that similar to what Weasley just said?" Ron pointed his wand directly at Snape, his arm shaking like mad.

"HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST SO MUCH AS HARMING A HAIR ON HIS HEAD!" Ron roared slowly. He gave a look that could scare Voldemort towards Snape. Snape blinked in fear for a moment but held his ground.

"What about Lily?" Hermione said, gesturing towards Harry, knowing full well that if something ever happened to Harry now, that Lily would never be born. Ron still had his wand pointed at Snape, his arm still shaking like mad, as though it were vibrating. Snape, however, ignored Ron's wand, looked at Harry, gritted his teeth.

"What about her?" asked Snape, referring to Lily. "She's just a useless little thing. It wouldn't make a difference if she was ever born or not," Snape said with a smirk. Ron started towards Snape, but Harry got there first, shoving Ron out of his way and pulling his wand out of his pocket, pointing it directly at Snape's forehead; the tip of his wand just inches from Snape's greasy head. Harry gave the bitter old man a look of the deepest loathing.

"Take that back," Harry hissed under his breath. Ron, Hermione, and Snape stared at him in disbelief. For some reason, Harry felt it was his job to protect and defend Lily. He just had feelings for her that he never had. Of course they were not boyfriend/girlfriends, but they were still feelings of a strong love.

'Of course,' thought Harry to himself, 'she is your daughter after all.' Harry could feel the fire inside of him; the fire that Ron and Hermione said he always had. He could not be more proud of Lily and he barely even knew her. How dare Snape suggest that she was useless and was better off never existing? It made Harry want to use the Cruciatus Curse against the Potions Master. He clenched his fist when Snape did not answer him.

"I said, take that back, you slimey git!" Harry bellowed. Snape, did not apologize nor did he take back his comment. Instead he gave Harry a murderous look and narrowed his eyes at the boy in front of him.

"What did you call me, Potter?"

"A - slim - ey - git! Would you like me to spell it out for you?" Harry said angrily. Ron gave a weak chuckle and Hermione just stared. Snape glared at the boy and pushed Harry away from him and brushed off his robes.

Snape knew perfectly well that he could not do anything to Harry with Ron and Hermione around, especially since Ron was now a powerful, fully-grown wizard and that his wife was his boss.

'It was so easy when they were all children,' thought Snape, 'ten points from Gryffindor.' But he could not very well take points away now. He really did not know what to do, so he just stormed out of his office, but not before shooting one last glare at Harry. Harry held his ground as he pocketed his wand. Finally, when Snape was out of the office, he sighed and turned back to his two best friends, looking defeated.

"I guess some things just don't change, do they?" Harry asked with a lop-sided grin. Ron and Hermione gave awkward laughs and looked at each other nervously. Harry noticed their nervous looks and sighed. "But, obviously enough has changed; enough to cause us to keep secrets from each other. The three of us never kept secrets from each other."

"What?"

"Oh, come on, you two!" Harry said impatiently. "You guys are my best friends! I think by now I can tell when you guys are keeping something from me…not that you guys ever did that!" Ron saw the bitter look on Harry's face and knew that he felt betrayed and in a way, maybe he and Hermione were betraying him. He turned to her anxiously.

"We have to tell him, Hermione," said Ron urgently. Hermione looked at him through narrowed eyes, giving him a warning look.

"No, Ronald!"

"But-"

"I said no!"

"But-"

"What part of 'no' do you not understand?"

"But-"

"Ronald! I'm not going to say it again. Absolutely not!"

"Fine!" Ron said, a bit childishly. Harry could not help it; he busted out laughing. Ron and Hermione looked at him wide-eyed.

"You two sound like an old married couple!" said Harry through his laughs. Ron and Hermione glared at him, but Ron had his usual lop-sided grin on his face.

"For your information, Harry," started Hermione, with a good natured smile on her face, "we ARE an old married couple." Harry simply laughed harder and Ron looked at her and cocked an eyebrow.

"Excuse me, Hermione, but I've never considered being thirty-six years old an old married couple," joked Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes, slightly smiling. Harry just kept grinning. Despite the secrets the two of them were keeping from Harry, it felt good to just be laughing and joking with his best friends; like twenty-one years of time had never even separated them. After a few moments of joking and good laughs, Hermione checked her watch.

"We should get going," said Hermione with an amused smile. "We don't want to get to the Windum too late."

"Yeah, I agree. Plus, I hate being in Snape's office," said Ron, scrunching his note in disgust. "It's such a miserable place."

"A miserable place for a miserable man," said Harry with a shrug as he followed Ron and Hermione out of the office. Even though Harry had been serious, his comment still caused Ron to laugh out loud. The three of them did not say much while they walked into the dungeons, up the stairs, and down the corridor towards Hermione's office. It was a comfortable silence; they did not to say anything and the three of them did not need to. It was just like old times.

When they entered Hermione's office, Harry noticed that Lily and Eddie were already there waiting with their trunks. Eddie was sitting on the edge of Hermione's desk, cradling a baby; the baby had brown fuzz on his head and was cooing playfully. Lily, on the other hand, was on her hands and knees, on the floor, playfully beating up little Teresa Weasley. Teresa had fiery red hair that was tied in pig tails and bright, big blue eyes. Harry could not help but grin at the sight before him.

"Are you all ready?" asked Hermione, heading towards a cupboard behind her desk and pulled out a small jar of powder, which Harry recognized as Floo Powder. She handed the jar towards Eddie. He handed off his baby sister to his father before taking a handful and threw it into the fireplace before stepping side, dragging his trunk behind him. Lily was now hugging Teresa and giving her a noogie. Harry laughed.

"The Windum!" shouted Eddie, and he disappeared within the bright green flames with his trunk.

"Alright, Lils, your turn," said Ron as she pushed her trunk into the fireplace. Lily let go of Teresa and playfully shoved her towards her father before she too grabbed some Floo Powder and followed Eddie's move and threw it into the fireplace before stepping in. She glanced at Harry quickly and sighed.

"The Windum," she muttered and the green flames seemed to swallow her as she also disappeared with her trunk. Ron and Hermione both smiled at Harry.

"Ready, Harry?" asked Hermione, handing him the jar with her free arm as Ron handed her the baby. Harry shrugged and took the powder and stepped into the fireplace.

"The Windum," he said clearly, and he began twirling.

Harry grunted and stumbled out of a small fireplace, landing hard on a hardwood floor. He looked up so see a large hand in front of him and realized that Eddie was offering him a hand; Eddie helped him to his feet and he stood up, wiping the soot off of his robes.

Harry looked around the house and noticed it was a very nice house indeed, very homey and comfortable with a navy blue carpet and wooden couches with blue cushions. Straight ahead, he could see the entrance to the roomy kitchen. Around the living there were tons of wizard pictures on the end tables, mantels, and the corner bookshelf. Harry was a little surprised that the Windum looked like a Muggle home, because this room contained a television and a small radio.

Before he could observe any more, someone painfully pushed Harry forward as 'it' fell out of the fireplace, causing Harry and Eddie to topple on each other and fall to the floor. Lily, who was in the kitchen, beginning to make sandwiches for everyone, busted out laughing as she saw Harry, Eddie, and someone else tangled in knots.

"RON!" Harry gasped as he tried kicking his best friend off of his chest and ribs. He heard Ron chuckle and helped the two boys to their feet.

"Sometimes to helps to move out of the way, Harry," said Ron sarcastically, "especially when you know someone if Flooing in after you." He was wearing his usual lop-sided. Harry rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.

Out of nowhere, Ron grabbed Harry and Eddie and pulled both of them to the side of the fireplace, yelling "Geeze you two, watch out!" as Hermione, holding Teresa and Anne came tumbling out of the fireplace. Anne was crying out loud due to the frightening feeling of traveling with Floo Powder.

After Hermione had settled Anne in her playpen in the family room, helped Lily made some sandwiches for everyone; she had sent them all upstairs to eat their lunches. This left the famous trio alone in the living room to eat in peace and spend the time together that they had not shared since Harry had died. But, Harry was not hungry; he just kept wandering over into the living room and stared at all of the pictures. Hermione and Ron just looked at their friend curiously, giving each other worried glances every now and then.

One of the photographs caught Harry's eye; it was a picture of Harry, about twenty years old, holding a little baby girl with his bright green eyes, and blonde curls circling her head and ears. Ron and Hermione were standing behind him, smiling brightly, each had a hand on his shoulder. Behind Ron was an old man with shoulder-length gray hair with black streaks going through it. He had would have been quite handsome if he didn't have a haunted look in his eyes. Harry recognized the man as Sirius, smiling proudly.

"Ron, when was that taken?" asked Harry, referring to the picture. Ron smiled and patted his former best friend on the back.

"About a year after Eddie and Lily were born," said Ron. Harry smiled and nodded, looking around at more pictures. There was one with Eddie and Lily, about three years old; Eddie was sitting in Ron's lap and Lily in Hermione's.

Another photo was of Eddie and Lily's first day at Hogwarts. They were standing in front of the Hogwarts Express; Hermione and Ron were standing proudly behind both of them as they two children held out their wands and held each other roughly by the neck. Sirius had his hand firmly on Lily's shoulder, beaming.

Then, there was also another photo with Lily; it looked like her it was about her sixth birthday. Ron was standing behind her, his arm wrapped around Hermione and the other around Lily as Hermione was hugging Eddie close to her. On Lily's left was Sirius, beaming as he ruffled Lily's already messy blonde hair, which was tied in pigtails with ribbons that were falling out of her hair.

All these pictures, while they made Harry smile, at the same time, made him very curious. He wondered why he was not in any of the pictures with Lily. Harry knew that he did not die until Lily was twelve years old; so why was he not in one single picture with his daughter? One could argue that he may have been the photographer but surely he did not take all of these pictures. Why didn't it seem he was a part of Lily's life?

"Ron?"

"What's up?"

"How come I am not in any of these pictures with Lily?" asked Harry curiously, looking up at Ron. "I mean, I didn't die until she was twelve…" Ron's face immediately paled at Harry's questions; so pale that the only color left in his face were his freckles.

"Erm....you took them!" Ron said quickly, going, if possible, paler.

"Surely I didn't take all of them!" said Harry impatiently. "I think I would want to be in the picture with Lily on her first day of Hogwarts!" Ron was just silent as he stared long and hard at the photos that Harry was looking at. Harry could see that his Adam's Apple was growing in his throat.

"There is something going on that you are not telling me," said Harry. It was not a question; it was a statement and he already knew the answer. "What happened, Ron? Why aren't I a part of Lily's life?"

"I…I…Hermione?" called out Ron, towards the direction of the kitchen. "Stay here, Harry." Harry narrowed his eyes but nodded as Ron dashed for the kitchen. Keeping his promise to stay inside the family room, Harry sat on the couch, and thankfully, Ron and Hermione were talking loud enough so that he could hear them.

"I told you, Hermione!" said Ron angrily. "I told you! We should have told him! What will happen if he finds out from someone else and not us? I couldn't live with that and I know you couldn't either. If he finds out, Hermione…I don't know what will happen. He won't be pleased with us if he finds out the hard way!"

"He's not going to be pleased either way, Ron," whispered Hermione sadly. "No matter whom he finds out from…if he ever does."

"I know!" said Ron irritably. "But don't you think he would rather hear it from us, his best friends, rather than some git like Malfoy?"

"I suppose so," said Hermione slowly. Harry could hear her voice shaking with emotion. "But, Ron, I don't know…I just don't know anymore. It's times like these when I wish Dumbledore were still alive. He'd know what to do."

"It's times like these when I wish Harry didn't make the mistake that he made!" Ron nearly shouted. Hermione shushed him urgently.

"Ron please!" pleaded Hermione. "You know it wasn't his fault. You know why he did it…"

"It's not good enough, Hermione. He had a choice. He should have known we would have never wanted him to do that! He should have known that we'd be able to take care of ourselves!" snarled Ron. Harry cringed at the tone in Ron's voice; it frightened him. It was the same tone he used when he talked about Malfoy, Snape, or even Voldemort.

"Ron, he didn't do it for us, Sirius, or Remus!" cried Hermione, her voice getting louder. "He did it for Lily! He loved her and this was the only way to save and protect her."

"He would have been able to protect her without having to go-"

"RON!" screeched Hermione. Harry could hear her beginning to sob and he immediately felt guilty; as though he was the cause out of all of this. Ron did not say anything and there was an extremely long pause. "After what happened to Ginny, he must have lost it! There was no other way to save Lily and you know it!

"I'm sorry, Hermione," whispered Ron. "I didn't mean to make you cry. I never wanted to do that…"

"Oh, Ron, why? Why?" asked Hermione through her sobs. " Why Harry? Why did all of this have to happen to him? He didn't deserve any of it! Why did the man filled with so much love and goodness have to suffer the most?"

"I know, Hermione, I know," said Ron. Harry could not take it anymore. No longer keeping his promise, he sighed and walked into the kitchen to see that Hermione was crying into Ron's shoulder as he cradled and hugged her tightly. Ron nearly jumped when he saw Harry standing in the doorway.

"Harry!"

"Ron, Hermione," started Harry, interrupting them before they could say anything else to him. "I understand that you guys don't want to tell me about what happened. But, I want to see Sirius." That was the last thing that either of them expected Harry to say.

"Oh…Harry...I'm not so sure that's a good idea," said Hermione cautiously. Harry looked at her and glared slightly. He turned his head eagerly towards Ron, pleading with his eyes to let him see Sirius. But, unfortunately, Ron simply shook his head.

"Why?" Harry protested angrily, clenching his fists. He desperately wanted…and needed to see his godfather, who was very much like a second father. Ron noticed Harry's temper begin to rise and he bit his lip, eyeing Hermione nervously as she fidgeted with her fingers.

"Well...it's just....we have our reasons, Harry, and he won't be ready to see you. I'm not sure he'll be able to take the shock right away," explained Hermione, nervously, not meeting Harry's eye, which told Harry that she was lying to him. It broke his heart and he immediately became angry, devastated, and frustrated all at once. But, he did not yell, shout, or raise his wand; Harry simply glared at his old friends for a moment than sighed before turning his back on them and storming back into the living room.

Why wasn't Sirius ready to see him? Why?

What had Harry done?

A note from the Jitterbelle. I hope you like my story because I enjoyed writing it so much! Please read, review, and enjoy!