Changing Times
A/N: Wow, that was quick, wasn't it??? Personal record or what??? This chapter is short, I know, but I am in the process of re-writing my previous chapters, which will probably take some time... Please review anyway. :)
Special thanks to my wonderful reviewers:
Amy Potter = Yeah, ok, so no L/J in this
chapter... but in the next, I almost promise... About your
quiestion, maybe he will, maybe he won't. -And I have emailed you
with update!
hermioneharry4ever = Well, before Mione can go anywhere,
she needs to finish off some business here... You will see what
she suddenly remembered, and thanks for liking!
DreamCloud53 = Yeah ok, I see that. I HATE writer's blocks!!!
And here is your chapter. Fast, huh? So, ya happy???
E. C. R. Potter = Thank you so much! And it's true about
the Triwizard Tournament, and I thought I needed to state that. I
may forget a lot, but this I did remember! I know about Dean and
Seamus, but i always mess up names, and then I was so furious
because I forgot about Seamus being half of each that I forgot
about Dean being fully muggle-born... right? By the way, I have
become addicted to your stories, just if you'd want to know. I
have just finished off "Betrothed," which I loved, and
now I'm about to begin on "Return of the Lion." You're
just brilliant! Are you JK Rowling undercover??? *LoL*
Alicia = Thank you. They are sweet, aren't they...? :)
T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U!!!
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Chapter 13 = Revelations
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I couldn't believe it... I was so sure that I wouldn't be remembering any changes I had caused on my way through time...but all of a sudden, I remembered something new, something very hurtful... I was there when Harry had died. My dream was true, and all of the sudden it was like a forgotten memory... kind of like a Pensieve. And I suddenly remembered something else, too. I sat up with a set, completely speechless. It was my fault. I had led him to the dungeons in our search for Ron, and the reason Ron was gone was also because of me, and my stupid time-turner...
That was it! I had to go see Dumbledore, and it had to be now! I didn't care if it was in the middle of the night, I had to go.
I got out of my bed, as quietly as possible as to not wake Lily, put on some trousers and a black t-shirt, and headed for the common room. I hurried past the portrait of the fat lady, before she could start a lecture about how I had 'awaken her from her beauty sleep,' and how 'here on Hogwarts, students are not supposed to be out at night.' As I ran down the hallway, she shouted something about how 'Filch and Madam Norris would catch me and hang me up by my thumbs deep down in the dungeons,' and thank god she did that, because I had completely forgot about the janitor and his monster of a cat. (A/N: No offence. I adore cats more than anyone!) Just then, I heard something move. I hurriedly hid behind a bookshelf, and that was just in time, as Filch hurried down the hallway only seconds after. He was mumbling about "students out every night" and "one day, I will catch them..." Luckily, he didn't see me. To my surprise, he changed direction and headed straight down another corridor, as quiet as a mouse, with his eyes and ears at stake. Were there more students out tonight? I didn't have time to think about that very long, because I knew that it was only a matter of minutes before Filch would be coming back... or worse; professor Claws. Or even Peeves.
I continued down the hallway until I reached the hidden corridor to Dumbledore's office. I whispered the first sweet that came to my mind, "Berties' Every Flavour Beans," and to my surprise, the corridor revealed itself. While I continued on my way to the headmaster, I thought briefly about why that hadn't occurred to us the previous day... But then I reached Dumbledore's office, and my mind drifted off the topic.
I knocked on Dumbledore's office door, though I came to doubt that he would actually be there; after all, I didn't know if he was sleeping, and, more importantly, *where* he was sleeping. To my surprise, a voice sounded from inside, "Come on in."
I entered carefully, and there was Dumbledore behind his desk, just sitting there like he was waiting for me or something.
"I was just wondering when you would show, miss Granger," he said, as though we had made an appointment or something. "I understand you have something to discuss with me?"
I decided not to dwell on how he could possibly know that I was coming, and started telling him about my dream.
..................................
When I finished, there was a long silence. I had told Dumbledore about Lily and James, about Voldemort, about Harry, about how he died, and I had even told the headmaster all about the time-turner.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore spoke. "Miss Granger, I understand that you are known for thinking outside the box, am I correct?" I nodded, and he continued, "Then you would know that history always repeats itself. No matter what you do, it has been done before. Do you know everything about time travel? Because then you would know that because a time-turner needs a great deal of magic, it usually drains from its surroundings. Now, when you came to Hogwarts the first time, when Harry Potter was in fifth year, and then headed further back in time a few days later, the time-turner had to drain a lot of magical energy from the school, and therefore lower the magical defences. This could mean that muggles passing by would see the school fading in and out of sight, it could mean that technology could be used for brief periods in the area, or it could mean-"
"- ability to apparate in and out of school grounds," I finished for him.
"Yes," Dumbledore said with a grave look.
"So, what you are saying is," I whispered, "that I led Voldemort into Hogwarts?"
Dumbledore nodded slowly. "But that is not your fault, miss Granger. Harry Potter was meant to die, and it had already happened. You just did what needed to be done in order for time to keep repeating itself. If you hadn't gone back through time-"
"-Harry wouldn't have died," I said.
"True," said Dumbledore. "But then what would have happened? If Voldemort hadn't gone to Hogwarts, he wouldn't have been killed, and if he hadn't been killed while still weak... I do not dare to think about the consequences. Besides, you could not have stayed in your own time, because you had already gone back once, and if you hadn't done that, then you would have at all, which would lead to terrible things... Besides, then you wouldn't have come back here either, and if you hadn't chances are you wouldn't even have met Harry," he finished, a slight twinkle back in his eyes.
"What do you mean, sir?" I asked. I truly had no idea.
"Let us just say that his parents might have needed a little push in the right direction," he said with a smile.
"But I didn't help them sir," I said furious. "If nothing, I pushed them further apert because of what I told James."
Dumbledore smiled and said, "Well, maybe that was all he needed to confront Lily himself. Remember Hermione, whatever you do, it hasn't already been done."
I thought about that for a moment, and it actually seemed to make sense. "Thank you sir," I said, though I was not sure about what I was thanking for.
"You are welcome, miss Granger," he replied with a smile. "And now, if you will excuse me, I have to contact someone. If you and your friend Ron would come by tomorrow, then we might be able to solve all this together."
I left the office, while I wondered about what would come the next day, and whom Dumbledore could possible want to contact in that time of the night. I was getting quite sleepy, and was not really looking where I was going. Suddenly, something hit me! I stumbled backwards, while holding on to the person's clothing to restrain myself. To my surprise, the cloak came off, and as I looked in my hand, I saw something way too familiar: the Invisibility Cloak! I slowly lifted my eyes upwards, and say James Potter standing over me, with the Marauder's Map in his hand! He looked just as shocked to see me as I did to see him. He slowly looked at the Marauder's Map and said, "Hermione Granger?"
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Another cliffhanger!!! How I love this! So, was this chapter exciting??? Boring as hell? Just your average chapter? Please review!!!
Stay tuned for the next chapter, where Hermione might get some answers... we are lacking towards the end, people... :(
- Zille