Title: Time Warp: Year Two
Author: Laen
Chapter: (5) The Journey
Summary: After being attacked and nearly exposed, Harry and the gang finally make it back to Hogwarts... but what exactly happens in the process of doing so?
Disclaimer: All characters below belong to Joanne K. Rowling; the idea of Harry going back in time came from Back to the Future.
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Aionxn, thank you for helping me find the way back to the fictional world when I was lost in the horrors of reality.
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"We're in the Forbidden Forest."
"What?" Percy cried out as he lunged forward and grabbed Harry by his t-shirt.
"What do you mean we're in the Forbidden Forest?" he asked as he lifted Harry up from the ground slightly, and began to shake him.
"Students aren't allowed to be in the Forbidden Forest! Why do you think it's called the Forbidden Forest—"
"Percy calm down and stop choking Harry!" Ginny Weasley shouted as she placed herself in between Harry and her brother, forcing the Gryffindor prefect to drop the twelve-year-old.
"I... I... I'm going to get expelled for this! I'll lose my badge! This has never happened before! Why does it happen now?" Percy looked like he was at the point of breaking down.
"Listen Perc, calm down already! We'll find a way out of here! George and I have been in this place a million times!" Fred said as Percy paled.
"That's NOT reassuring!" Percy cried out. Fred flinched, with a look of obvious insult on his face.
"Well sorry!" Fred snapped as his ears began to turn red.
"You guys—shut up!" Ginny shouted and silence fell upon the group.
"We need to get out of here," Harry whispered at last, breaking the awkward silence.
"Obviously, I bet we'll end up missing the feast and—"
"Not because of that," Harry said, cutting into Percy's sentence.
The young Gryffindor seeker looked around their surroundings carefully, with a grim expression on his face.
"Wands out," he instructed as everyone did as they were told—even Percy.
For a few seconds, nothing could be heard in the forest, but suddenly, oh so suddenly, sounds of shuffling began to approach them. There was a barely perceptible clicking sound that caused Harry to shiver.
"What was that?" Ron asked in a quivering tone.
"It's the spiders..." Harry whispered as sounds of whimpering came from Ron.
"S—S—Spiders?" Ron asked with a terrified expression.
"Yeah, make sure to keep your eye out because they might eat you—"
"AHHHHHHH!"
Harry's sentence was cut short when Ron suddenly screamed. Everyone turned around just in time to see a spider at least a foot tall jump onto Ron's face.
"Ron!" Fred and George both cried out at once as more screaming could be heard from the Gryffindor second year.
"Ginny, out of the way!" Harry instructed as he brandished his wand.
"Accio!" Harry shouted. The spider was jerked violently from Ron's face, and began to fly towards his direction.
"Incendio!"
The spider burst into flames in mid air and began to shriek in pain. Then, to Harry's dismay, it didn't drop to the floor, instead, it continued its flight towards his direction.
"Bloody hell!" he swore as he dove towards the ground, avoiding the spider by inches as he crashed to the ground, and began to twitch.
"You alright Harry?" George asked as he helped Harry back to his feet, as he did, Fred and Ginny were trying to calm Ron down (during that time, Percy was studying the effects of what occurred when an overly sized spider is set on fire).
"What in the world was that?" Ron asked when he finally managed to talk again.
"The spawn of an acromantula," Harry said as Ron gave him a confused look.
"The spawn of what?"
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say the spawn of... that," Fred Weasley gulped as he raised his hand and pointed behind Ron.
A look of pure shock appeared onto Ron's face as he began to shake, and Harry raised his wand, preparing for battle.
"Aragog," Harry whispered as all movement seized, and heads all turned towards his direction.
"How do you know of my name—human child?" the large spider asked as Harry gulped.
"I have my ways," Harry said cryptically, as the sound of quiet movement could be heard approaching.
"You're calling your children," Harry stated. Aragog nodded.
"How about letting us leave unharmed?" Harry suggested halfheartedly. Hagrid's pet shook his head.
"I cannot deny human meat to my children when it enters the forest so willingly." Aragog said in a rough whisper.
"Trust me, it wasn't that willingly," George said as he suddenly found his courage.
"But really, if you truly want to eat us..." Fred continued with a smirk on his face.
"Eat Percy first." The twins finished together, causing Percy to pale.
"As you wish." Aragog replied, erasing the smirks off Fred and George's faces.
"What? We were only—joking!" Fred shouted as he jumped ducked a flying spider.
"Incendio! Incendio! Incendio!" Harry shouted as quickly as he could. Fire shot out of his wand towards the large group of spiders that was beginning to surround them.
"Deletrius!" Percy cried out. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry noticed the spider he aimed at disintegrated.
"Reducto!" the twins both shouted at the same time. The spiders around Ginny and Ron exploded, splattering guts over everyone.
"Harry look out!" Ginny shouted as Harry's eyes widened.
More spiders were now approaching, and if it were any possible, looking rather murderous.
"Shielding charm! Those who know it! On the count of three—one—two—three—"
"PROTEGO!"
A layer of white light surrounded the six Gryffindors immediately, and they all began to back up, inch by inch.
"Harry, we can't hold this for much longer!" George said as three spiders came charging at the shield at the same time.
"I realize that..." Harry hissed as his wand hand began to shake from lack of control.
"But if you've got a better plan then this, let me know... setting them on fire isn't working anymore and—BLOODY HELL!" Harry cried out suddenly as centaurs came charging in towards them from all directions.
"Stop this!" one of the centaurs Harry knew as Bane cried out as everyone stopped what they were doing.
"Aragog! Leave this area—now!" another centaur Harry recognized as Firenze said. The spiders began to back away.
"You are violating enemy territory Aragog... leave..." Bane growled as the centaurs around him all raised their weapons in a threatening way.
The spiders were gone within seconds. Only after the centaurs were sure the spiders were gone, did they turn to speak with Harry and his friends.
"What do you think you are doing in the forest—human?" Bane asked angrily as his weapon somehow made its way to Harry's neck.
Harry merely raised his wand and stared into Bane's eyes.
"Mars is bright tonight... don't do anything stupid," he whispered as the centaur flinched.
"How did you—"
"You must be the one changing the patterns of the stars!" one of the centaurs suddenly shouted. Whispering began making their way through the centaur ranks.
"Change what?" Ginny asked in confusion. Harry just raised his hand to silence her and then moved away from the others so that they didn't hear everything he was going to say.
"What difference does it make to you?" Harry asked derisively, fed up with the centaurs after what had happened in his past and their future. Several of the centaurs frowned at him.
"These changes will cause deaths!" another centaur cried out. Harry glared at him, refusing to believe it.
"I'm trying to prevent them!" Harry stated.
"Listen—Harry Potter..." Firenze whispered softly, but unfazed by Harry's words. Harry's attention snapped towards him.
"Everything in life happens for a reason. Meddling with the past can lead to horrible consequences..."
"I realize that, but sometimes if you don't change it—" Harry spoke up, but was silenced when Firenze shook his head at him.
"You don't understand..."
"I understand perfectly! What do you know about the future anyways? Do you have any idea who dies?" Harry shouted angrily as his hands formed into fists. He glanced to the Weasley's who were staring at him, unsure what the argument was about.
"Perhaps we should have this conversation another time," one of the centaurs suggested, glancing at the faces of the other students with Harry Firenze nodded his head.
"Sang is right. We shall have this conversation another time. Right now, you must get to Hogwarts—the teachers are beginning to worry." Firenze said as the rest of centaurs all turned to leave.
"Wait!" Percy shouted as several of them paused.
"How do we get out of here? And how long would it take?" he asked, hoping the centaurs would answer him.
"Follow the moonlight, you will reach Hogwarts shortly." Bane instructed before he turned and disappeared in the darkness along with the rest of the centaurs.
It wasn't until they were alone in the forest that Percy realized there was no moon out that night.
"What do we do now?" Ginny asked as Ron approached Harry.
"You alright there mate?" he asked as Harry nodded his head.
"Perfect..." Harry muttered as he placed his wand in the palm of his hand.
"Point me..." The wand began to spin, and after a few turns, stopped.
"This way," Harry stated as he began to walk away.
As he did, he mumbled: "Lumos" under his breath.
"Are you sure that's the right direction?" Fred asked as the Weasleys chased after him.
Harry didn't reply. He just continued to walk. Silently, and quickly.
Several minutes later, Ginny sped up and grabbed Harry, preventing him from walking.
"What happened back there?" she asked, demanding an answer.
"What happened?" Ginny repeated as Harry looked downward.
"Nothing, nothing at all," Harry lied while the Weasleys all looked at least other.
"Harry—how did you know those spells you used back there? You're not supposed to learn the summoning charm until you're in fourth year..." Percy pointed out. Harry stiffened for a moment.
"I read it out of a book," Harry mumbled and continued forward again.
A look of curiosity and suspicion appeared onto Percy's face, but the prefect didn't question any further...
Close to an hour and at least five miles later, Harry and the Weasleys finally reached Hogwarts.
"Yes, follow the moonlight! You'll be there shortly! I swear, if I even find that Bane I'll kill him!" Ron exploded angrily as he dragged himself up the stairs towards the Great Hall.
"Oh shut up Ron!" George snapped, throwing him a dirty look.
Harry couldn't help but smile slightly, realizing that the Weasley twins did have a limit with their cheerfulness.
When they finally reached the doors of the great hall, everyone paused and looked at one another.
"Who's going to knock?" Percy asked as Harry sighed.
He looked down at the clothes they were all wearing, and realized that practically all of them were covered in dried guts and goo.
"Ah what the heck, might as well," Harry muttered to himself as he turn to the door, and shoved them open with the leftover energy he had.
The doors swung opened with a bang, and every head in the great hall turned to see Harry James Potter, and the five Weasleys enter covered in what looked like guts and blood.
Silence fell upon the crowd, and it wasn't until Harry had spoke, did whispers of curiosity and disgust break out.
"Um... hi?"
A/N: So... good or bad chapter? Please review!