The wind blew harshly around Hermione, blowing her hood back every time she
put it on. It was noon of the day after the wedding and Hermione stood in
the middle of the courtyard in front of the citadel with Harry and Ron,
while Aragorn, Legolas, Alanna, Meridelle, and the rest of Minas Tirith
stood around the edges, watching.
Hermione had just said an extremely tearful goodbye to Legolas and they had agreed that he would keep the ring with him so Hermione wouldn't lose it and there would be no questions about it at Hogwarts.
Harry had said goodbye to Alanna, as Ron said goodbye to Meridelle, kissing her one last time until they met again in a few years.
Finally, Harry consulted his watch and nodded at the other two, "They should be getting out of lunch right now; no one will notice if we slip in."
All three raised their hands in a final gesture of parting as Harry placed the Time Turner's chain around all three necks and turned it forward three times.
As he let go, Hermione waited for that sudden rush and the tunnel of color to come.
But it didn't.
Harry tried once more.. with the same result.
He sighed and pulled the Time Turner off the others' necks and examined it closely.
It looked unbroken, but then Harry spied a small crack towards the bottom where it looked like the glass had been broken and put in again.
"It was me!"
All eyes turned to Meridelle, who was sobbing.
It fell out of Ron's cloak one day when I was cleaning it. All the sand spilled out, but I didn't know if it was any special sort of sand. I thought any sand would do, so I replaced it with normal sand and put the glass back in. I'm terribly sorry!" With that she resumed sobbing.
Harry and Ron just stared for a moment with their mouths open, contemplating this new dilemma, while Hermione said softly, "It is okay. We will find a way to repair the Time Turner."
She beckoned to Harry, Ron, Aragorn, Legolas, Alanna, and Meridelle to come to the guesthouse.
They left, and the crowd dissolved.
"What do we do?" were the first words out of Harry's mouth as he flopped onto an armchair.
"Well..." Aragorn thought for a second, his brows furrowed, "I certainly can't tell you that, and I doubt anyone in Minas Tirith can either. There is one person who might be able to help you."
He paused, and the room was silent except for the breathing of its inhabitants; all eyes were fixed expectantly on Aragorn.
"Gandalf," he said slowly.
"Of course," Hermione said delightedly, grinning, "we'll go to Gandalf!"
"Wait," Aragorn interrupted, "don't get your hopes too high. He may not be able to tell you what to do, but he is the wisest in all Middle Earth."
"So it is settled," Harry said decisively, "tomorrow morning we leave for Isengard."
Hermione had just said an extremely tearful goodbye to Legolas and they had agreed that he would keep the ring with him so Hermione wouldn't lose it and there would be no questions about it at Hogwarts.
Harry had said goodbye to Alanna, as Ron said goodbye to Meridelle, kissing her one last time until they met again in a few years.
Finally, Harry consulted his watch and nodded at the other two, "They should be getting out of lunch right now; no one will notice if we slip in."
All three raised their hands in a final gesture of parting as Harry placed the Time Turner's chain around all three necks and turned it forward three times.
As he let go, Hermione waited for that sudden rush and the tunnel of color to come.
But it didn't.
Harry tried once more.. with the same result.
He sighed and pulled the Time Turner off the others' necks and examined it closely.
It looked unbroken, but then Harry spied a small crack towards the bottom where it looked like the glass had been broken and put in again.
"It was me!"
All eyes turned to Meridelle, who was sobbing.
It fell out of Ron's cloak one day when I was cleaning it. All the sand spilled out, but I didn't know if it was any special sort of sand. I thought any sand would do, so I replaced it with normal sand and put the glass back in. I'm terribly sorry!" With that she resumed sobbing.
Harry and Ron just stared for a moment with their mouths open, contemplating this new dilemma, while Hermione said softly, "It is okay. We will find a way to repair the Time Turner."
She beckoned to Harry, Ron, Aragorn, Legolas, Alanna, and Meridelle to come to the guesthouse.
They left, and the crowd dissolved.
"What do we do?" were the first words out of Harry's mouth as he flopped onto an armchair.
"Well..." Aragorn thought for a second, his brows furrowed, "I certainly can't tell you that, and I doubt anyone in Minas Tirith can either. There is one person who might be able to help you."
He paused, and the room was silent except for the breathing of its inhabitants; all eyes were fixed expectantly on Aragorn.
"Gandalf," he said slowly.
"Of course," Hermione said delightedly, grinning, "we'll go to Gandalf!"
"Wait," Aragorn interrupted, "don't get your hopes too high. He may not be able to tell you what to do, but he is the wisest in all Middle Earth."
"So it is settled," Harry said decisively, "tomorrow morning we leave for Isengard."