Time Forward

Disclaimer: basically, I don't own anything that you recognize... that goes for this chapter and all others

Chapter Three – An unexpected encounter

'James'

The next few hours passed unnoticed by James, who spent them by planning many different ways to play some prank or other on the unfriendly Slytherins. There were still more than enough of those, although there were clichés all around Hogwarts similar to those of the Marauders. Of course, only the Marauders were responsible for any mischief that was ever wrecked at the expense of their fellow schoolmates, but those pranks were usually harmless and amusing.

They returned a second before curfew, and Anna and James went to their separate dormitories. As James opened the door to the sixth year boys' dorms, he heard a cheerful voice of Neil.

"I told you so. Had a good time, James?"

The teen grinned, roughing up his wild red hair.

"You can say that, Neil. Everyone be in the Great Hall at nine o'clock sharp."

By the intrigued looks on the boys' faces, James realised they already knew that it was something that had to do with a certain sextet.

"The Marauders had been planning that one for ages," Jake grinned. "I don't mind watching them pulling pranks, they're funny most of the time."

James grinned evilly.

"Well, all you'll have to do is to watch the Head Table."

That earned him some looks.

"One of the Professors?" Ted asked disbelievingly.

Neil smirked.

"Three guesses who," he said diplomatically. "Pranks are all well and good, but I suggest we get some sleep. We've got Transfiguration with Hufflepuffs first thing tomorrow morning."

The others groaned good-naturally, and followed Jake's advice. James went rather willingly, only now realising how tired he was all the time.

The next morning, James woke up when something cold and wet splashed over his face.

"Urgh, 'Arry, geroff," he mumbled.

The cheerful voice that answered him was very unfamiliar.

"James, get up. Break–fast." it ended on a tantalising note, deliberately stretching the last word.

Another voice wondered from his right:

"Who's Harry?"

Muttering something that sounded suspiciously like "Breakfast", James tottered to the washroom to tidy up his generally extremely sleepy appearance.

After another half hour, he re-emerged in the Gryffindor Common Room, where the other boys impatiently waited for him.

"So, who's Harry?" Jake prompted.

Uh oh, James thought, giving himself a mental slap. They were definitely not supposed to know that one.

"Um…one of my good friends from where I come from," he said, trying to sound convincing and realising he failed miserably, since all three boys regarded him suspiciously. "What? It's true."

Neil just shook his head.

"I can see you're not a morning person, James, so let's get to the Great Hall for breakfast. Maybe that will wake you up, at least."

James could not agree fast enough. He ended up leading the way with the laughing boys following in their wake.

As he entered the Great Hall, James took a look around. He could not help but smile at the familiar enhanced ceiling, which currently showed light blue sky with hints of light clouds. Morning sun's rays shot the clouds through, inventing hues of red, orange, and yellow in the most unexpected places.

Tearing his eyes off the sky, James followed the boys to the Gryffindor Table, where he saw Ted blinking furiously at thee sun.

"I predict a nice day," Ted grumbled as a greeting, as they sat down, James ending up between Neil and Jake. The boys snickered, and Jake sympathetically patted the black-haired teen on the shoulder. In response, Ted bared his teeth.

James watched with detachment as Jake quickly snatched his hand away from the other boy. Hm, I wonder what's up with Ted, spoke a little voice on the back of his head, which became fully awake, dragging James awake along the way. The teen kept the observation to himself, contenting himself to look up at the Head Table.

Some of the teachers he recognized, but he decided to ask Neil just the same.

"I think you know Professor McGonagall," Neil said. When he received a nod from the boy, he named all the others. The only familiar places James perked up on were Arithmancy, led by Professor Granger-Weasley, and Potions, led by Professor Malfoy, who also was an interim Head of Slytherin House.

Slimy git, James thought with distaste. You made a perfect ferret a couple of decades ago, I wonder if that's still true…

He carefully watched Malfoy, who now more than ever resembled the deceased Malfoy the elder, eat some of something on his plate.

Voila, and between Professor Granger-Weasley and Professor Vector sat an amazing, white, bouncing ferret.

James gaped, his last signs of sleepiness falling away fast as a lightning. There was a moment of dead silence at the Great Hall, as everyone stared at the Head Table, then everyone burst out laughing. Everyone at the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff tables, that is, supported by some of the Slytherins. Most of the Slytherins looked ready to murder someone.

Looking more closely, James realised that the ferret sported a piquant ribbon in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff colours both around his neck in form of a large bow. The other, smaller bow, was expertly tied on the ferret's tail, this one being in Ravenclaw and Slytherin colours.

"He looks so adorable now!" Jake managed to say in between bouts of uncontrollable laughter.

James and Neil were too far gone to reply, as were the rest of the students in the Hall, most of whom were rolling around.

"Wonder which one of the Marauders thought that one up," Ted said in amusement, as he finally took his laughter under control. Jake, Neil, and James barely managed to do the same.

"Good question, Teddy," Jake said then snorted with laughter as a camera went off down at the Gryffindor Table. "Creevey takes pictures," he explained to an amazed James. "Cassie got her love for photography from her dad."

Oh, so that's definitely a Creevey, James thought in amusement. Good thing, then, that I'm not belching up slugs and Malfoy sits on the Head table as an adorable white ferret face he is. By the way, whoever came up with those two additions, they look really pretty on him.

Glancing down the table, James noticed Anna and Holly on the edge of the Hufflepuff Table both wearing smug grins.

Well, that explains the colours on the Ferret Face's ribbons, he thought, flashing the girls a bright smile before looking away to watch the ferret turn into a red faced Draco Malfoy. Glaring in the general direction of the Great Hall, an extremely pissed off Malfoy stormed out, having just finished his dinner before his amazing transformation.

'Hermione'

Hermione Granger-Weasley was astonished when Malfoy – for the second time in his life, she was sure of it – had been humiliated so in front of the whole school. Then she thought she heard the familiar laughter. Glancing in the way of the voice, she saw a tall, lanky sixteen year old boy with wild red hair and a ton of freckles. She could not believe her eyes. The boy looked like one of her two best friends, now brother-in-law looked like.

She approached the four boys, who stopped laughing gradually, only then noticing her approach. The boy's eyes grew wide in astonishment. He obviously was surprised to see her there.

"Could I borrow your friend here, Neil?" she asked, recognizing Neil Talia as one of the boys the redhead was sitting with.

"Uh. Sure, Professor. Jamsie, did you sign up for extra Arithmancy or something?" Neil asked, trying to make a Joke out of situation.

"Dunno," the boy replied. "I guess I'll see you in class."

The other three boys made a shooing gesture at him, and the boy followed her, grinning in the process.

'Ron'

To finish laughing and to find your best friend standing above you was not an ideal day for Ronald Weasley. He did not notice Professor Granger-Weasley standing above him until Neil cleared his throat in amazement.

"Could I borrow your friend here, Neil?" the familiar voice asked, and Ron looked up to find himself staring at the familiar brown eyes, framed by the mane of the bushy hair.

"Uh, sure, Professor," the other boy replied. "Jamsie, did you sign up for extra Arithmancy or something?"

Following Hermione out of the Great Hall, Ron made a subtle gesture of cutting someone's throat when he came back. The boys snickered, still on high from the vision of the amazing bouncing ferret.

They arrived at the Arithmancy classroom, which was the room neighbouring with the History of Magic class, Ron was pleased to see. Hermione marched him to the back door where she had her office, and pointed down on his chair.

"Sit and talk."

"'Mione, what the hell am I supposed to talk about?" Ron sputtered indignantly. "You did some bloody charm, and I woke up in the bloody hallway to get the shock of my whole bloody life by meeting Anna Chang Potter, of all the bloody people, and YOU demand some bloody explanations!"

Now, it was Hermione's turn to stare at him.

"What charm?"

"The one we've been taught at the end of Grade Six. I have no idea of what that thing was, I just know that it worked."

The young Professor's eyes grew incredibly large.

"It worked!" she practically shrieked. "So, what on earth are you searching for, Ron?"

"Wish I knew," the teen sighed dejectedly. "I could not find it so far, so I guess I'm stuck here a little bit longer."

Hermione took a moment to digest the idea, but before she could ready her next question, Ron threw in his own.

"Hermione Granger-Weasley?" he asked incredibly. "To which Weasley are you married?"

"Bill, " she admitted, blushing prettily. "And we have two children, one in Ravenclaw, and another in Hufflepuff, both in your year."

Ron thought for awhile, then snickered.

"Are they Holly and Roger?" he asked. "Two of the Marauders?"

Still blushing, Hermione nodded.

"The very same," she admitted.

Ron got an evil twinkling in his eyes before asking the next question.

"So, how does it feel, being the mother of two notorious Marauders?" he asked innocently. – How many Howlers did your two get so far?

"Ron!" Hermione spluttered indignantly.

The teen shot a hand up to cover the Professor's mouth.

"Bloody hell, Mione, it's James to you," he admonished her. "It's not like we're back to good ol' Hogwarts, with Harry in our tow."

Hermione sighed, admitting her wrong.

"Good one, Ron," she said, lowering her voice to the normal whisper. "So, do you want to know what happened after you left the class?"

"I'll know it when… If I get back," Ron said, automatically correcting himself. "I really don't know what the hell am I supposed to find in the future, of all the things."

"Well, I'm certain you'll find what you search for," Hermione said, absent-mindedly sorting through her parchments. "Did you sign up for Arithmancy, by any chance?"

"Yes, I did," he admitted. "That helped me to avoid a certain unwanted confrontation each time I take Potions."

Hermione raised her eyebrow in surprise as she seemed to think that over. Then, her expression brightened.

"Oh, so you were warned that Malfoy joined the teaching staff?" when Ron nodded, she grinned.

"Well, then, I hope we'll talk more. James," she said. "Run along, now, and DO try not to fall asleep during History of Magic."

Ron grinned and gave a cheerful wave at the bushy-haired Professor, who should have been in Ravenclaw at her time, but was content that her older son was one.

A/N: after chapter four I'm stuck... so any ideas are welcome. That is, any reasonable ideas