The characters and locations used in this story are the property of J.K.Rowling and/or Warner Bros. The storyline is based on a challenge by 'pok' on the Portkey Forums ). This is a work of fanfiction and no money is being made with it, so please don't sue me.
Chapter 3 -- Problems
"Dobby, could you help me please!" I called softly and within a minute the was a crack and Dobby appeared out of thin air.
"Harry Potter is calling Dobby, sir! How is Dobby helping Harry Potter, sir?" Dobby inquired beaming at me.
"Dobby I need you to take this to Professor Dumbledore and ..." I began to explain my problem to Dobby and handed him the broken time turner. "... and hurry I've only got ten minutes left!" I finished.
"Dobby is hurrying to help Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby said before vanishing with a crack.
I waited for what seemed to be an eternity, but couldn't have been more than nine minutes. Then, when my time was almost up Dobby reappeared looking sorry.
"Dobby is sorry, Harry Potter, sir. But Professor Dumbledore is saying as Harry Potter has to come to him himself. He says to give this back to Harry Potter and to tell Harry Potter that the password is being 'Hershy Bar'." he said handing me back the timeturner which was still broken. Just then everything went blurry again and I found myself back in the Room of Requirement.
I had to get to Dumbledore so first of all I had to get out of here! Therefore I quickly slipped into the alcove. Hermione entered and wandered to the center of the room looking for me. This time I started earlier and managed to get out of the room without her noticing. I ran off towards the stairs at full speed. This way would take me close to the library and was part of the shortest - but not quietest - path from the Griffindor Common Room to the Room of Requirement. I noticed that particular fact when I tried to haul myself around a corner at the bottom of the first staircase. On the other side of that corner and moving towards me at high speed was Neville. As neither one of us saw the other we just slammed into eachother with full force.
I was thrown backward across the corridor by the impact and so was Neville. We looked at each other and Neville was about to start shouting at me when I saw Mrs. Norris wander towards us Filch following closely behind her. Neville must have noticed my horrorified expression because he didn't shout. He just turned around and watched Filch's approach.
"Running in the Hallways, are you?" the caretaker asked leering. "That's gonna be detention for you. Come along boy's to my office ... now!" We had no choice but to follow him. Needless to say that I didn't manage to get to Dumbledore's office this time.
On my next try I approached the corner with more care, but I was too slow. Neville turned the corner before I had time to react and spotted me. I tried to doge him but he was too close. Now I had to face Neville and reason with him. It didn't help matters that my ears were ringing from his initial outburst. Actually, I was quite relieved when Filch showed up ... at least until he insisted that I had to come to his office as well.
The next time I managed to dodge Neville and was now headed towards the moving stairs. Unfortunately the staircase I needed to take decided to move at this moment. And again I was left with two choices, wait for it and face Neville who was mad with jealousy or jump before the stairs were out of reach.
I knew what was waiting behind me but I couldn't jump I had tarried just a moment too long. As I wasn't keen on falling down the stairwell I turned round and charged back towards Neville. This move took him completely by surprise and as he slowed down I managed to send him stumbling into a suit of armour. The resulting crash also took care of Filch whose attention was now solely focused on Neville.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs to the seventh floor I spied Hermione at the top. Unfourtunately she saw me too and began to rush towards me.
"Harry! Harry, wait! I need to talk to you!" Sorry, but ... not now I need a break! So I turned around and headed towards the library.
Luckily Madame Pince was busy so I could slip in and rush over to the invisibility section. When Hermione entered I hid myself in there. But I should've remembered that the library was her realm. She managed to search the room within minutes never giving me a chance to slip out unnoticed. Soon the only section she hadn't searched was the one I was hiding in. So it was either talk to her or use the time she needed to cross over here to try and get into the next row. Then get to the other end of that row to reenter the invisibility section when she left it on the other side.
I wasn't keen on talking to her as I didn't know how to explain my evasiveness so I chose to take my chances in the next row. Everything went fine but I stumbled over large tome on locking spells that was sticking out from the lowest shelf. I grabbed the book and hid myself just in time. After another five minutes Hermione gave up and I could get to a table and sit down. As Madame Pince was back at her Desk I figured it would be wise to pretend to study. That way I wouldn't draw any unwanted attention.
Thinking about my progress so far I didn't pay any attention to the contents of the page in front of me. If I managed to jump the stairs next time I should be safe from Neville and Filch. The fastest route from there on would lead me past the transfiguration classroom. Unfourtunately my watch told me that I would have to pass through that corridor between classes. That would probably mean dodging McGonagall on the way. I could really use more time to think this through. Sighing I looked down at the book for the first time.
The spell described was a locking charm that was easily performed but very resistant. I remembered it from charms because even Hermione had problems to break it. Hey ... that's it! With this spell I can lock the door and stop Hermione from entering. Together with a silencing charm this should get me the time I need to think. Maybe I'll even find something useful in the books up there.
AN: That's all the finished chapters ... more to come ... and please review.