Ok, won't say much here.  Maybe now my fic will bet a little exiting....one can only hope.  And thanx for all the reviews, and the peeps who reviewed more than once.... *goggles* for a starter writer like me, it's a very dandy number!!!

A/N: Watch the dates, by the way, or it'll screw you up....

Time After Time

Fic by MuseQ

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't care.

Chapter three- Prerequisite of the Future

*****

Date- January 26, 1997

"I want you all to be prepared for the quiz on 18th century defense spells next week, so I will give you the remainder of the class to fill up any gaps you have in your notes." His audience immediately became comfortable with the advantage of a free period and within seconds the noise level raised several notches higher. 

Professor Lupin, satisfied with the smoothness of the short lesson, proceeded back to his desk for an end-of-class breather. He began to watch his pupils as he always did, never failing to be amazed at how much they developed in mind and body alike.  It saddened him as he observed his favorite class by far- Gryffindor seventh years.  He was welcomed back to his position four years after his first year teaching, only to find himself with one more year of teaching this class of which so much has been burdened on.  He was pertaining, of course, to Harry, whom he watched over like an obsessed bat, much to his annoyance.  Nonetheless, the trio and him have become extremely close after the release of Sirius and Wormtail's imprisonment.

He watched Harry, who was currently dueling Ron with some of Fred and George's new mini chocolate swords. He has become the splitting image of James as he remembered him, save Lily's emerald eyes.  Ron, he noted, has become very tall and handsome, shedding away his scrawny child look, and now is a popular subject among the girls.

Remus now turned his gaze to Hermione, as he'd done millions of times before.  To him, she was someone whom you can't take in with just a glance... her radiance seemed always new, always changing.  Since her third year, when Remus had seen her last, she had bloomed into a beautiful and exotic young lady, and though this only brought more memories to focus, Remus couldn't help be awed at every glance. Yes, he was in love, and despite how a teacher falling for a student is highly irrational, he had good cause, for his case was certainly an exception... Those memories flood through him every time he his near her; it's as if he expects her to run into his arms at a drop of a hat, just as he remembered her to.

Lately, his anxiety was growing thin, and the thoughts of how the whole situation will wade out was clogging his mind day and night.

"Professor?"  He was abruptly pulled out of his daydream.  'Honestly', he thought grumpily, 'there is a reason for giving the class a free period'.

He looked up only to find his thoughts flood quickly back again.

"Hermione," He said, barely breathing, "How can I help you?"

She smiled in relief that she didn't disturb him too much, and proceeded with her problem.  Remus tried to listen, loving the soft coo of her matured voice, but couldn't seem to concentrate.  She was showing him a diagram in her book, stating how the pattern it makes clashes with her research, or something along those lines. 

When she wasn't looking at him he glanced over at his calendar.  His jaw dropped.  Three more days.

"...So, I really think that the answer should be somewhere in 18th century bite remedies, wouldn't you say?"  Hermione looked up at him, staring hard at his calendar, an utterly shocked look on his face.  "Professor Lupin?" -he closed his mouth- "Er, are you okay?"

Remus turned to her and smiled an odd sparkle in his eyes.  "Hermione, when no one important is around, you may call me Remus."  He'd hope to death she would at least do that.

She returned his smile.  "With all do respect, professor, I'd rather address you professionally while I am in your class, despite how often we're together."  Remus Laughed at this, remembering how he and the trio spent half the summer at Sirius' new flat.

"You know, Hermione, you remind me of myself at your age."

She laughed also.  "Well, unless I had the pleasure of knowing you twenty years ago, I really can't agree with you."

Her last statement pounded in his ears and made him grin mischievously.  "We... shall see, Hermione." He took a furtive glance at his calendar.

"We shall see."

*

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and glanced at his calendar on the wall  After checking the time, he smiled to himself, as if lost in exiting memories, and proceeded to the fireplace, taking a handful of dust and threw it into the fire.

"Minerva, a word?"

McGonagall's head appeared among the green flames erected from the dust.

"Yes, headmaster?"  She seemed a bit stressed at the late hour, and manged to stifle a yawn.

"I apologize for the late call, Minerva. But my reason is important.  Within the next week- three days to be exact- a, well, unfortunate event will take place.  I will need to discuss the matter with the head boy and girl.  Since they are both from your house, please make sure they know to see me soon about it.  I would appreciate it."

"Headmaster," She said with some confusion, "what sort of matter-?"

"I cannot discuss it now with you.  But you will be informed soon enough."

"I see, well, good night." 

And with a strange look from McGonagall,  Dumbledore bid her goodnight.

*****

Date- January 27, 1978

"Bloody Hell, Sirius!  We haven't been up this late since we were studying to become animagi!"  James reluctantly followed Sirius, who was a bit too exited being it was 2:00 in the morning, through the maze of bookshelves in the library and into the restricted section.

"Sorry, but we had to wait for ol' Moony to fall asleep, since he was up so late doing his piles of homework."

They reached a particuar shelf parallel to a large metal plague.  Sirius put down the oil flask he was carrying.

"Well then," James replied stubbornly, "You could've at least let me squeeze in a nap!"

"That wouldn't be possible.  You sleep like the dead.  Once you're asleep, you're out for the night."

James scoffed.  "Right.  Now why did you drag me here in the first place?"

Sirius just smiled, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at the plaque.  "Tenamus."

Instantly, as if it was made of paper, the plaque rolled itself up halfway, revealing to them a small shelf built into the stone wall.  James stared.

"I've been doing a little, ah, nosing around lately, trying to figure out what that necklace of Remus' is, and I stumbled upon these."  He touched the books with a flourish.  "The most secret stash of information in here, they are."  He swelled with pride.  "And I found them, just when I needed them."

James shook his head in admiration.  "I don't know how you do it, Padfoot.  And I thought that passage into the witch's hump was something."

"It is something.  But, my dear Prongs, so is this."  He pulled a particularly shabby book from the secret shelf and flipped through it excitedly.  James read the title 'Objects of Ancient Time Travel' and instantly became nervous.  About what Sirius was thinking of, that is.

Sirius found the desired page, and in the dim light of the flask, read aloud, "The Time Turner.  Invented by the Romans as a quick way of redoing tasks, this device can transport the wearer to the past or future by a span of hours.  It's appearance is that of an hour glass attached to a chain that the user wears around his or her neck."  Sirius looked up, waiting for a reaction.

James stared at him.  "So...you think that is what he has?  But... how?  That book is based on devices that were probably invented thousands of years ago.  Devices like that can't be around nowadays, can they?" 

"Right you are, but, I have another card up my sleeve."  He smirked at James' blank look and pulled out some old Daily Prophet clippings and handed them to him.

James studied them.  They read in bold letters 'Germans create descendant of Time-Turner' and 'Britain Pays for Ten German Time Devices'.  

"New versions were made, Prongs," Sirius said excitedly, "And Moony's got one."

The situation dawned on James, and he became exited too.  "So all those classes he was taking...he was using one of those?!"

Sirius nodded.  "And such a secret kept between one Marauder and another shouldn't go unpunished."

"What kind of punishment are you talking about?"  James replied, his face suddenly stone.

Sirius flipped the page.  "A spell," He said as if he frequently found dangerous books hidden in walls, "To speed the turning time from hours to years."  James gaped at him.

"You wouldn't..."

"And why not?"  He was smiling like a stoned idiot.  "Justice must be served!  It is our pact as Marauders!  It's his fault and he'll bloody pay for it."

"This is time-travel, Sirius! Not some stupid prank!"

"Remus is a smart guy; he won't screw up anything important."

"I'm really not sure about this..."

"Don't worry about it, Prongs.  We'll slip him a note or something; tell him where the book is on how to perform the spell.  He'll be down-right pissed off when he gets back, but that's always a rare sight to see, anyway.  Am I right?"  James tried to find an excuse to scold Sirius in his devilish plan, but his couldn't.  The whole thing was perfect.  It was the best prank he would ever have the pleasure of pulling, even if it was on his best friend.

Sirius noticed his excitement, and took it for permission to proceed.  He folded his hands in a corny impression of Professor Bulstrove, their current Divination professor.  "I predict that Remus will suffer minor complications in arriving to his extra classes on Monday."

All James could do was smile.

*****