Interwoven:
Harry Potter and the Five Keys
By StarRuby
OOTP Spoiler Warning!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter © J.K. Rowling. I own the story, Kaleb Risa, Eve Shikyo, Artemis Sileo, and Eclipse Atwater. So nyah!
Full Summary: Something has happened... something very, very wrong. Time is meshing together. And why are Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna the only ones who realize it? Dumbledore doesn't even seem to notice. Only the rest of the Order acknowledges the work of something possibly even bigger than Lord Voldemort himself. After Remus Lupin's strange and unexpected disappearance, putting Harry in even more misery, their group is determined to right what has been wronged, and finally wipe that smug smile off of Malfoy's face. But as new (and old) rivalries take place, spreading discord amongst almost everyone, fights and competitions lead them to a meeting with possibly the only one who can really help. She seems to know everything that's happening. But if she's on their side, why won't she tell them?!
Author's Notes: Review please! XD Yeah, I'm pitiful, but hey, I live for reviews! C'mon, humor me! ^-^ Kaleb and Eve don't (really) come in until later; I just thought I should mention them early. ^0^ So, here we goooo!
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Chapter Two – Back to the Express
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Harry, Ron, and Hermione casually leaned against the solid metal barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 at the train station, chatting indifferently. Within moments, they had fallen through, onto Platform 9 ¾, the scarlet steam engine called Hogwarts Express in front of them. They saw Neville Longbottom, a round-faced boy in the same year as the three, bidding his grandmother goodbye. He shot a grin at them, remembering their eventful 5th year. Harry had to admit, he did not want to remember just yet. Adding on Lupin's disappearance, Harry's 5-6th years at Hogwarts would probably be his most miserable. But he refused to think about it for now.
They boarded the train, and Harry headed towards the last compartment, the one that they had always been. He'd wait there for Ron and Hermione to come back from the prefects' carriage, as he did last year. So he changed into his robes and sat down by himself, occasionally looking up when he heard footsteps.
After the train started moving, Ron and Hermione appeared, looking extremely confused. They also had their Hogwarts robes on, but the prefect badge was missing. Harry stared. "What? Aren't you prefects?" he asked, also confused. Ron and Hermione shook their heads mutely.
"They said we never were prefects," said Hermione in a muffled tone. "They said the job belonged to somebody else..."
"You won't believe who," Ron exclaimed, apparently torn between bemusement and excitement. "We only saw one person there, from Gryffindor. Guess who it was? Professor Lupin!!!" Harry's jaw dropped. But before Ron could continue, the compartment door opened. Along with his open mouth, Harry's eyes widened. Standing in front of him were four boys their age, one with a prefect badge pinned to his billowing black robes. The one on the far left had messy black hair and hazel eyes, glasses in front of them. He could've been Harry's duplicate, if not for the hazel eyes and lack of his scar. Next to him was another black haired boy, but with dark blue eyes, which had a mischievous glint in them. His hair was glossy and shining, cut at his shoulders, bangs hanging messily, yet casually elegant, in front of his eyes. Beside him was one with light brown hair and kind amber eyes, the one with the prefect bage.. He also looked pretty worn out. And lastly, on the far right, was a shorter boy with pale blonde hair and watery blue eyes. Standing in front of Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the Marauders: Prongs, Padfoot, Moony, and Wormtail.
HIS DEAD DAD, DEAD GODFATHER, MISSING DADA PROFESSOR, AND PARENTS' BETRAYER WERE STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM!
With a strangled yell, he dove at Peter, who squeaked and stepped behind Remus. James stepped in front of him and caught Harry by the front of the robes with a small frown, knocking the air out of Harry at the impact.
"Hey," he said in a casual tone. "I have to admit sometimes Pete does deserve a good beating, and you're incredibly handsome, but looking like me doesn't give you the right to try and beat up my friend." Ron and Hermione gaped as James set Harry back down on the ground. Sirius grinned.
He addressed Harry. "You know he's only saying that because you look like him, right? Otherwise he'd say you were an ugly, obnoxious git and would beat you into the ground right here." James punched him playfully in the shoulder. Remus looked back at Peter and smiled.
"It's okay to come out now." His tone was gentle, but had a hint of amusement in it. Cautiously, Peter stepped back into view. Remus glanced back at the three in front of him, all staring with half-horrified, half-mystified expressions. "I don't believe we've introduced ourselves," he said politely. "I'm Remus Lupin, and this is Peter Pettigrew."
James and Sirius grinned at them. "I'm James Potter, but of course you already know me." It was Sirius's turn to punch him in the shoulder. James smirked but ignored him. "And this here is my sidekick Sirius Black." A bark-like laugh escaped Sirius and he shook his head.
"You've got it backwards," he corrected. "You're the sidekick, Jimmy." James rolled his eyes.
They Marauders laughed at the irritated expression on their leader's face. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, just stared, amazed and bewildered. Why were they just standing there, looking as if they were in their 6th year, and joking about, all alive? Sirius and James were dead, Peter had betrayed them all, and Remus had vanished from the face of the earth; popular belief told that he had been captured by Voldemort himself. And if they were here, where was Lily? But then they heard a compartment door open and close. James froze, looked behind him, and then ran a hand through his messy hair, rumpling it even more. Without another word, he left. Sirius smirked.
"Go get her, Prongs," he called to him cheerfully. Then he turned to Remus and Peter, leaning against the doorframe. "When will he learn that Evans just doesn't want to go out with him?" Remus and Peter both shrugged, grinning at the lovesick antics of their best friend. Hermione finally spoke up.
"You-you're really the Marauders?" she asked, stuttering. The three nodded and grinned.
"In the flesh," Sirius said, with a lavish bow. "At your service."
As Hermione rolled her eyes, Harry instinctively reached for his back pocket, where he kept the Marauder's Map. It was also gone. And he had a feeling his Invisibility Cloak was, too. If only he could go and get his trunk to check that it was there! He might've memorized all the passages of Hogwarts, and he didn't really need the Map, but he had almost no chance without the Invisibility Cloak. He had used it every year since he got into Hogwarts, and it would definitely be a sentimental loss to have found his own father's cloak gone.
"We didn't get your names," said Sirius suddenly, grinning broadly. "I haven't seen you around Hogwarts, which is saying something." Remus shook his head.
"Actually it's not," he disagreed. "Neither Peter nor I have seen them around Hogwarts, which really is saying something, considering all you notice are us, Snape, and pretty girls that fawn all over you." Sirius tried and failed to look indignant, and settled for just grinning.
"I suppose you're right as usual," said Sirius lightly. "But anyway, what are your names?" He had gone back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "You are the spitting image of James," he added, giving Harry a once-over. Harry felt the corner of his mouth twitch, wishing that he could just shout, 'OF COURSE I DO! I'M HIS SON!' But you don't just go shouting that at people, especially if that person doesn't even have a girlfriend yet. And it doesn't help shouting that at a person who's the same age as you either. So he kept his mouth shut, and gave a warning look at Ron, who had opened his mouth. Seeing Harry's look, he closed it again and just stared.
Hermione spoke up first. "My name's Hermione Granger. This is Ron Weasley, and this is..." She trailed off, watching Sirius's overly curious expression.
"I'm Harry," he said in a deadpan sort of tone. "Harry Potter." Remus cocked his head to the side, light brown bangs lightly swaying in front of his interested amber eyes.
"Harry Potter," Remus repeated. "I've heard of you. You're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts." Ron smirked and looked at Hermione, who was suppressing a smile. However, Peter was watching them all intently. He seemed about to say something, but then he paused and looked behind him.
James had returned, looking slightly disappointed. Sirius smirked. "Let me guess. She said no?" James just scowled and ran a hand through his dark hair, rumpling it more.
"She just... I mean she doesn't— And she..." he muttered in frustration. Remus patted him lightly on the shoulder.
"We'll be going now," he said lightly. "Pleased to meet you all, and we'll see you around Hogwarts, okay?" The three nodded, and the Marauders left. As soon as their footsteps and chatter faded, all three burst into wild and frantic speech, unable to understand each other, each desperate to get themselves heard.
"How are they here?"
"Harry's dad is here!"
"Harry's mum isn't dating his dad?"
"My mum used to hate my dad!"
"The Map is gone?!"
"Is the Cloak still here?"
"HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!"
And then the compartment door slid open again. The three of them ceased shouting immediately and looked up. This time it was a young girl standing there. She looked to be in about her 7th year, and sure enough, they caught sight of a Head Girl badge on her black robes. Her shining black hair was drawn into a high ponytail, spilling to her shoulders as it faded to pale blonde in waves. Her eyes, bright with curiosity, were a vivid violet. The three of them blinked and looked up at her. A casual smile then swept across her face.
"I'm sorry," she said in a soft voice. "I heard shouting. I came to ask you to keep it down." Harry, Ron, and Hermione muttered an apology, looking down. The girl smiled, and then turned to leave.
"Oy! I haven't seen you very often!" called Ron. "Who are you?" The girl paused, and then turned her head slightly to look back at them. An odd expression flitted across her violet eyes and then was gone. She continued walking, but as she closed the door, she spoke.
"I... am Eternity."