The Sick Joke

Harry was woken by Ron throwing a pillow at his head "Wake up slow coach, look what we have got" He gestured to the small pile of presents at the bottom of his bed. Hermione began to stir, awoken by the commotion in the room. The three were alone in Gryfindor tower this year, not one other person was staying for the holidays so Hermione had decided to temporally move in with the boys. The room was still littered with empty sweet packets from the midnight feast of the night before. Hermione groaned as she got up, but all sleep was eliminated as she spotted her pile of presents at the end of her bed.

The trio took a matter of minutes to rip off the wrapping paper surrounding each packet until the floor was totally covered in various colours of paper. Hermione had got a necklace from her parents and piles of sugar free confectionary and a few other assorted goodies. Harry and Ron had almost identical piles, a set of joke products from the twins, some pies and woolly jumper from Mrs Weasley, a book a piece from Hermione and a couple of other things, including a book of 4 second class stamps from the Dursley's for Harry, rather alarming this could possibly be seen as a improvement on previous years.

After getting changed (Harry and Ron had to turn their backs while Hermione was doing so) it was decided to go to the common room and make a start on the sweets they had received. Before leaving Harry and Ron helped Hermione put her necklace on, it was a finely crafted silver drop with a sole diamond in the centre on a fine silver chain. Walking out of the common room the group heard voices, "Who'd come back on Christmas day? Seems odd," mused Harry.

When they reached the bottom of the fire there were a young couple huddled together. "Hi guys. When did you get here?" Hermione asked as the couple turned round. The trio gasped in shock and instinctively reached for their wands. In front of the fire sat carbon copies of Lily and James Potter. From the red hair and green eyes of Lily to the messy hair and hazel eyes of James

"That's sick, Malfoy if that's you I'll go and give you another shiner." Hermione said in a tone of forced calm.

"What are you going on about? You're the ones who have suddenly arrived out of no where, and what's with the polyjuice potion to look like James?" The woman asked.

Harry was now fuming, his original shock had subsided and now he was fuming "I've been through worse than that Malfoy, that is sick. They are dead, I know they are dead so what is the point? Go back to your common room and leave us alone"

"Yeah, piss off you Slytherin scum" came Ron's reply. "We seriously don't know what you are going on about. The last Malfoy left here 5 years back and we are definitely not Slytherins. Now, your turn. Who are you and what are you doing here?" The boy stood up and started reaching for his wand.

"Just give up on the joke, it's sick. You know who we are. I'm Ron Weasley, that's Hermione Granger and then you have Harry Potter but you obviously know who he is as I guess he is the target of this stunt."

"There isn't a Harry Potter, trust me, I should know. What the hell are you lot playing at?" Came James reply

Hermione had been sifting through the information in her head and was starting to form a basic conclusion in her head; maybe it wasn't a prank. Maybe something had happened. Maybe the people in front of her were who they claimed to be...but that would mean time travel and that makes no sense. But how would the Slytherins have found out the password and were they really petty and determined enough to go through such an advanced transfiguration for a wheeze?

"Erm, Lily and James? I am not saying I believe you but what year is it?"

"1977, but what has that got to do with the price of fish?" Came the reply "That's an easy lie to make Hermione. It proves nothing; anyways time travel more than a couple hours is impossible. You know as well as I do that it makes more sense for this to be some Slytherins trying to get a cheap laugh at our expense"

"Ron, think about it. Why would the Slytherins put in this much effort? How would they have got the password, us three are the only ones who know it. That transfiguration if it is a trick is too good for a student"

"We made polyjuice in second year" Whispered Harry

"Polyjuice only works when you have something from the person you want to be, where would they have got anything from your parents Harry? I think someone is in a time they don't belong." The three lowered their wands and sat by the fire.

"So, what's going on?" Said the possible future mother of Harry rather hesitantly

"These 2 have gone soft, this is a wind up. Go get your map Harry and we can prove who these pillocks are once and for all." Came Ron's reply Removing the battered piece of parchment from his pocket Harry tapped it three times and muttered "I do solemnly swear I am up to no good" to which lines appeared over the paper and sure enough in the common room where 5 dots labelled Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Lily Evans and James Potter.

"Shit" came the simple reply from Harry's mouth before he dramatically paled.

Ron took the map and looked at it "Well, it appears I owe you an apology...I'm sorry, but you can't deny it's not every day that your best friends parents come back from the dead."

This comment earned him a sharp dig in the ribs from Hermione. "We can't tell them the future, it could screw everything up" "Hang on, if I'm going to die I want to know how" Shouted James

"He has got a point, anyways I think whatever has happened has successfully fucked up the timelines anyway"

But Hermione was having none of it, she shook her head. "We can't tell them anything, imagine what would happen our whole future would be different, the first thing we have to work out is when we are. I think we need to speak to Dumbledore"

"Let's get going," agreed Lily

The walk to the headmaster's office was quiet. No one dared say anything to anyone else. Harry looked like he might pass out at anytime. James and Lily where linking occasionally shooting concerned looks at each other trying to comprehend just what had occurred. They were only 17 and had just discovered they were going to have a son and where going to die before he finished high school. Hermione and Ron walked behind James and Lily with Harry. No one attempted to speak and Harry was grateful for this, his throat was so tight he seriously doubted he could have spoken a word. Getting to the gargoyle a variety of sweets, both muggle and wizard, were shouted before the stairs started to ascend. Knocking on the door Harry felt a feeling of dread at the pit of his stomach. How had this happened? The one thing he wanted most in his life was starting to scare him now that he finally had it.

The doors opened and behind the desk sat Dumbledore, looking much like he ever did. Maybe it was them who'd gone forward in time and Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the right place all along. This feeling changed as Dumbledore spoke "Morning, Lily, James and friends. How may I be of assistance?" He had acknowledged his parents but not Harry. They had gone back but how? They did nothing out of the ordinary. They went to bed last night woke up, opened presents and went downstairs. Nothing unusual there.

Lily was the first to speak "Sir, we where in the common room this morning and these three came downstairs. We don't know where they came from"

Hermione interrupted "You see though, Harry is their son" she said nodding at Lily and James in front of her, "and I think there's time travel occurring here. We are from 1997 so someone has travelled" Dumbledore looked perfectly calm at the thought of 3 time travellers appearing in the middle of his school

"Well it appears you three are the travellers. This is 1977, what are you three called?"

"Hermione Granger"

"Ron Weasley"

"Harry Potter"

"Well, I can't deny that this is most peculiar. What happened directly before you met Lily and James here?" Dumbledore enquired

"Well last night we stayed up in the Gryffindor tower together. We are the only ones there so I slept in the boy's dormitory. We woke up this morning, opened our Christmas presents then came down and those 2 were there". Nothing odd happened at all, nothing at all" Hermione recited. She had obviously been throwing idea around her mind in the same way as Harry.

"Well, with no idea what sent you here I have no way of sending you back. I suggest you think through possible explanations and if you think of anything tell me. Until then I think maybe you should change your names. Harry, it's too late for you. Mr Weasley I think you should be Mr Wesly and Miss-"

Hermione interrupted once more "I'm muggle born, it will make no difference and lying more than we need to will just increase the chances of us giving ourselves away".

"I agree miss Granger"

"Oh and there one more thing professor. Do you think that Voldemort could be behind this? He's been after Harry since he was born and, as one has to kill the other one it makes sense he's try and get him away from The Order and those who could help. Could that be the reason". Harry looked distinctly uncomfortable in the office. Burying himself further into the red leather chair he was sitting in he wished the ground would just swallow him up.

"Maybe, but I still encourage you to think about other possible causes Miss Granger. I have to be off now, I recommend you go downstairs for the feast."

Thanks for the reviews y'all. Please keep them comming for this and my other stories. There will be more very soon but until then...

Spottery...Your wish is m ycommand, give me a week or to though jus tto settle into uni, please stay with me.

Hermione21...thanks, if you like the way this one is please check out my other stories. Most are time travel based but all vary quite a bit from each other in every other aspect.

Tigris T Draconis...An update will be very soon, if you like Time trvel fics check out my other ones. Also if you know of any good ones feel free to drop me the link. Thank you :)

Keep smiling and please keep reading and reviewing. Thank you