Someone at Hogwarts is having strange dreams of the past, and of the future. The new DADA teacher has ties that bind her to both Snape and Lupin. A new student enters Hogwarts for safety, a dark past stalking her. Harry and Ron stand united in the battle for the future of the wizardding world. Hermione and Ginny search for a way to spare Harry from Voldemort's clutches. Luna shows her potential as a seer. And Neville finds the bravery inside to stand against a tide of evil.

Disclaimer- If I owned, or was affiliated with, Harry Potter in any way, I would be A- married B- rich and C- British.

As none of the above is true, I obviously do not own Harry Potter. The characters (save Macy and Ainsley plus a few other various characters) and the central story are entirely the creation of the superb JK Rowling. This singular plot is my own.

Times Like These
Chapter one: Echoes

"Gryffindor?"

The man turned slowly at the sound of his name. He was a younger man, and his dark hair hung in thick waves to his shoulders. He looked at the woman behind him. She was nearly twenty years his senior, yet of extraordinary beauty. She was the widow of one of his greatest friends.

"Lady Hogwart." The greeting was accompanied with a half bow.

"I hate that name Godric. At least your new name does not make you think of a pig. How are you, my dear?"

"Salazar betrayed us, my Lady; he was like a brother to me. And a son to you, he killed your husband. He tried to kill my wife. I don't know if I can ever forgive him."

"If your can not, you are as guilty as he."

"I know, Lady."

The background suddenly blurred, and the two figures were standing elsewhere. A battlefield. There were screams of curses and battle cries echoing in the night. The young man was standing with three others, the woman from earlier and two other women. One laid a hand on Gryffindor's shoulder.

"My love? You are certain he will meet us here?"

"Yes, I will be here!"

"Salazar!"

"Hello my old friends."

The other woman stepped forward, challenge on her face, "We are no longer your friends Slytherin."

A high cackling laughter rose from the dark figure of Salazar Slytherin. "This war is not over my friends. It has only begun. We will meet again Godric, on another field, as other people, and in a new time."

With that, Slytherin apparated away, leaving only an echo of his laugh.

The battleground slowly faded from view, leaving a new scene, the man and women from before sat around a table. Age now lining their once young faces. An old friend from the past sat at the head of the table.

"What is it, seer?"

A breathy laugh filled the room.

"Just as impatient as before, my dear Godric."

The woman's voice was beautiful, even in her age. Harshness had never entered it. The voice was still light and airy as it had been 100 years earlier, when she had predicted the desertion and betrayal of Slytherin.

"I call the three of you to warn you. Know this, and remember. And behold the enemy friends approach on the battlefield once more. The truth shall be known. For the sons are the fathers. And the foe is the trusted. The lion and the snake once more to meet. The dark lord shall rise, and the dark lord shall fall. When the forgotten behold the weaknesses in the strong.

"What does it mean?"

"I do not know my dears, I do not know."

The young man's eyes were open in an instant. His dreams were growing stranger, yet more realistic at the same time. The clarity of them was stunning, even though the details were already slipping from his mind. He knew who the people were, the ones he saw in his dreams. One he saw everyday in the mirror, it was himself, and the other was his closest friend in reality and the dream. There were others in the dream as well, but their names were already slipping from his mind as a voice began to call his name.

A persistent beeping woke Harry, how had six am come so quickly? He was reluctant to get out of bed; packing had to be done that day. Harry had been putting off packing for as long as he could; this was the first time he did not want to return to Hogwarts. School was starting in a mere two weeks, his last year at the place he had begun to think of as home. If the year never started, then it would never end.

He rolled reluctantly out of bed, his feet hitting the cold floor, and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Same messy raven hair, shockingly green eyes, and, depressingly, lightning shaped scar.

In a mere six hours the Weasleys were coming to pick him up. It would be the highlight of his summer vacation. Although his Aunt Petunia showed more affection for him than she ever had, his Uncle and cousin were still lumps of dung. In Harry's opinion, though, piles of dung had more intelligence then Vernon and Dudley combined.

Harry stood slowly. He had grown over the summer months, but he would never be as tall as his best friend Ron Weasley. An unopened letter from him sat on Harry's dresser. Harry dreaded opening the letter. Ron's letters were normally short and to the point. Now they were long and drawn out, convoluted.

Harry sighed and began to change. A person couldn't hide from their destiny, no matter who they were.

Ron trudged slowly down the stairs. He was caring for himself and his sister, Ginny, currently. He would be until the weekend, when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley returned to the Burrow. Even the thought of Grimwald Place sent a shiver down Ron's spine. It would be for the best, anyhow, to have Harry away from reminders of Sirius. Sirius' death had been extremely hard for Harry to except. Just now, two years latter, Harry was coming to terms with the death that changed his life.

Ron began to pull out pans for breakfast, and the ingredients needed. At a flick of his wand eggs, potatoes, bacon, and pancakes began to cook themselves. He was 17 now, legally able to perform magic outside of school. He had taken his apparation test a month ago and had passed without any problems.

A slight noise by the stairs had him turning to face his younger sister. They were quite similar in looks, both having the sapphire blue eyes that could flame up at any given moment and flame red hair inherited from their parents.

"Mornin' Gin."

"Morning Ron." Ginny tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. "Where's Charlie? Wasn't he supposed to check on us today?"

"He came, made sure we hadn't killed each other, and left about a half hour ago."

"You've been awake since eight?"

"Little before that. He came in around 6:30 and deemed it necessary to wake me up."

Ginny looked at her brother, a confused look on her face. It seemed to her that Ron had been using words he never said before. And something about him was scaring Ginny. He knew where every member of the immediate family was at any given time. For some reason, though, the bond between Ginny and Ron was the strongest. Ron knew the emotions that she was feeling.

Ginny looked over her brother, noticing changes in him suddenly that she hadn't
seen before. He still had light scars twisting up his arms from what had happened in his fifth year. A sad quality was in his eyes; true it had always been there, but never this evident. Ron knew magic that Ginny was sure he had never learned in school, and that made him more confident. He held himself straighter. He was taller of course, now nearing 6'5, towering over his siblings and parents. Ginny suddenly realized that was what Ron was in this family, a tower of refuge.

Hermione walked slowly down the stairs. The Weasleys were going to be there in a mere half and hour. She had been packing since seven, and still had not eaten lunch; her stomach was beginning to growl. Being Hermione, she had rearranged her clothing until she was able to fit more books in her trunk.

"Mum! Do we have any ham left?"

Hermione tapped her mother on the shoulder as she spoke to her. Her mother was reading a new book from the library. Hermione grinned; it was no wonder where she got her love for books.

"Check the bottom shelf, love."

Mrs. Granger looked up at her young daughter as she spoke the words. Hermione had changed in the past few years. Her face had grown thinner, more of an adult face than a child's; Hermione was growing into a beautiful woman.

"When will you're friends be here, dear?"

"I expect them any minute." Hermione's voice floated in from the kitchen, along with the sound of drawers opening and closing.

Hermione looked down at the counter, not paying attention to the sandwich she was making. This was her last year at Hogwarts. The only thought in her head was if Harry, Ron, and she would remain friends. She wasn't sure what she would do without them.

A sudden ruckus from the living room caused her to spin. Standing in front of the fireplace, covered in soot, was Ginny Weasley.

"Gin? Where are your parents?"

"With...friends...yeah, they're with friends. Ron is getting Harry now, that's why he's not here. You ready?"

"Sure, I guess."

Hermione and Ginny ran up the stairs to get her trunk. They struggled with it down the stairs and to the fireplace.

"I'll see you at the Burrow. Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

Hermione stood looking at her parents for a while, and then launched herself into their arms.

"Bye mum. Bye dad. I love you both."

"Goodbye, love."

"Goodbye, honey."

Hermione turned and walked to the fireplace. Her trunk had already been sent through. Taking a pinch of Floo Powder, she stepped into the fire and shouted out clearly, "The Burrow!"

She immediately began to whirl, and soon found herself stepping out of a fireplace in the Burrow. Hermione turned and looked back at the fireplace, how crazy everything had become. She realized, suddenly, that nothing could be done to stop the whirlwind that was engulfing her and those she loved.