A/N April 27, 2005: Once again, "C" means the present time, but somewhere other than Hogwarts. This the first 'C' chapter, and I hope you are extremely confused by the time you finish reading this chapter.
-Ah ha! here's a look at the Valley! Finally I get to spring it on you without even a warning! I just love that. Sorry if you're getting mad at me, I hope I'm not toooooo annoying.

DarkLordLongbottom: You will have to see about Chapin & Vix. But, I can say that Vix and Snape are a lot alike. The Valley is somewhere where... oh! I can't say it! Sorry, you'll have to get info bit by bit. Yes, there are a lot of questions, but I thought perhaps it would be better to read about the Valley now instead of learn everything all at once right before... oops! Can't say what. Humm... Well, it should be less boring this way. (Notice I put Vix & the Valley in the same chapter as Nev's parents so that ya might enjoy it more & keep ya reading!). Is it working? Oh, and if you are wondering why Frank & Alice have a house, just think of where they are as an alternate universe type of place, and they're the only ones there. Okay? Okay. Enjoy!

-

Turning Your Time Around

By: Cheelalaucha

Dedicated to: All the writers in my 'Favorite Stories' list.

C, Chapter 14: "Frank & Ally II"

-

"You know him?" Frank asked Chapin as they made their way to the house.

Chapin didn't reply until they all were inside, and even then it seemed as if he was trying not to let the words come out.

"I. Know. Him." Chapin spoke with pauses, just as he had before, but taking deep breaths in between each word.

Alice noticed his actions and asked, "Are you alright? Would you like something to drink?"

Chapin's eyes turned to her, and without moving his lips he replied, "Yes. I'm fine. Thank-" (here he let out a loud coughing fit) "-Thank you."

Alice glanced at her husband who returned the worried expression. She got up from her seat at the table and went off into the kitchen to get some water.

"So.. Chapin," Frank began after a long silence. "Thanks for, er, hitting that guy. Who was he anyway?"

Chapin looked Frank over for a moment and then replied, "Goes by the name Zudan. Not a friendly. Guy."

"How do you know him?" Frank asked, getting into auror mode.

Chapin gave a forced laugh, but then came more coughing. Alice came in with the water and handed it to him. After a few sips, Chapin set the water aside and said, "He came to the Valley. It didn't turn out well."

"What does he want?" Alice asked while Chapin gulped down some more water.

Chapin's eyes moved to look at her and he replied, "Seems to me. Your kid. Isn't that what. He said?" He directed the question to Frank.

Frank looked over at his wife, then back to Chapin. Without a word, he just nodded.

"Wonderful." Alice sighed and put her head in her hands, looking extremely tired. Her head came back up as she heard Chapin ask a question.

"If ya don't. Mind. Why are you. Here. When your boy. Is our there somewhere?"

Frank and Alice exchanged sad glances, and Alice put her head back in her hands. Since he figured she wasn't up to answering, Frank replied to the question.

"We don't know where he is." Frank looked down at his hands and then continued. "Actually, we have a pretty good idea, but he doesn't know where we are. I don't even know where we are."

"How did you. Get here?" Chapin asked, trying to change the subject. But, it did nothing for the mood of the conversation.

This time, Alice responded through her hands. "One day we were at home with.. our son.. and the next day we're here. I can't really remember much of that day. I suppose people are wondering where we are, myself included."

"Have you tried. Leaving?"

"Of course!" Alice practically yelled. "But there's no where to go! We walk to the boarders of the land and we find all we find is the place we started. This whole place is a maze!"

"Apparating?" Chapin asked, but not with much hope. If they could have apparated, they would have before.

Alice shook her head, which were still firm in her hands. "I hate this place."

"Ally," Frank said lovingly, holding out a hand for her to hold.

She looked up at her name and took her husband's hand. She gave a tiny smile of thanks, which Frank returned.

"I guess. I better learn to. hate it too," Chapin said, mostly to himself.

"Do you want to stay here?" Alice asked kindly.

Again Chapin's eyes turned to her. "I would be. Most grateful. Thank y-you." Another coughing fit came to him.

Alice and Frank got up together and came over to Chapin. Frank bent down and tried to get a look into the man's eyes. When he did he saw something he didn't expect from such a young man. Those eyes looked tired and worn out. It was as if this man had lived two lives already and couldn't stand a third. They held gazes for a moment and the coughing stopped. It reminded him of Dumbledore, and how he sometimes looked 300 years older than he was.

"How did you. Come up with such a nice. Place? You said. You were lost." Chapin asked as he looked back into this kind man called Frank's eyes.

"Long story."

Frank sighed and took the chair closest. Alice could see he was tired, so she put her hand on Chapin's shoulder gently and said, "Why don't we find somewhere for you to sleep?"

Surprisingly, Chapin nodded and got up from his chair rather quickly and followed Alice up the stairs to the second floor. One minute this guy was weak and coughing, and the next he could sprint up stairs. How very creepy he seemed.

Alice came back down after fifteen minutes and found Frank had not moved a bit from where he was. He just stared straight ahead out a window as the sun was setting. She frowned slightly and went over to him. He did not move until she held out her hand, just as he had done a little while ago. He took her hand and stood up, then he followed Alice to their bedroom. When they entered, she turned around to face him, hands still together. Frank slowly spun her around into his arms and held her.

She smiled at him and rested her head on his chest. She felt so safe in his arms, she always had. Back when they were younger, they would spend hours just sitting under the stars and relaxing. Of course, that was after everyone thought Voldemort was gone for good and there was nothing to worry about. Those were the days.

He held her close and thought how much there should be a child between them, one 'big' family. They'd be happy and safe together. But, those things were not to dwell on. The day when three stood together was most unlikely to ever come. Nope, there was nothing to change that. He'd tried all he could do, but with little results. They were lost- cut off from the outside world.. Neville wasn't. He should be grateful for that, right? He would rather have them lost then for it to be the other way around. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.

Listen to yourself! You're turning into a lost soul! Get a grip on yourself, Frank!

"I want him back," Alice whispered suddenly.

"I know, Ally, I know," Frank soothed. "We're going to find him, don't worry. He'll be fine, we'll be fine. All of us together will come someday and then we will have forgotten all this time now. Don't you even dare think otherwise, got it?"

Alice nodded slowly to show she knew what he wanted. But... she couldn't help but feeling that those days would never come. They'd just live on hope, and then they would die with it. And if Neville had the same ideas that he'd see them, then he would die with that as well. Such a sad story, but there wasn't a thing they could do about it. No one could help such a thing. No! There is someone coming to help us! Or at least, that's what she kept telling herself.

A tear came down from her eyes. And then more came after. She sniffled and hugged her husband tighter. He held her like that for over an hour, but had taken to lying on the bed instead of standing. The quiet through the entire house just made Alice feel worse. But, she stayed with Frank, close. At least she had him. But, she would NOT leave it at that. Oh no, sir! Her boy was out there somewhere, and she vowed to get him back, no matter what. Too many thoughts, only one brain!

-

Different place, same time.

-

Vix glanced at the long list of Hogwarts students. Severus said he was going to this place, but was he still there? No, he wouldn't be there after all these years. He should have checked earlier, but he had to wait until he was old enough to get into the Valley Community Rooms. That included nearly every place that was even slightly interesting, in his opinion.

So, nothing in the list of students. But, maybe the staff? No, that would be stupid. Severus Snape, a teacher? Never.

He put that scroll down, deciding it was useless anyway. He'd looked on every list he could think of: The Missing Wizards List, England; The List of Married Wizards, England; The List List of Azkaban Prisoners... But, he'd also checked one every time he researched: The List of Dead Wizards, England. His name was never on it. Technically, that was a good thing, but where in the world was he?

Vix sighed and headed back towards the Inner Valley, the place where the "Ballencers" lived and roamed when they were not on duty. The Ballencers, much like caretakers, would watch over the land and set every event, person, and thing in order so that things ran smoothly. Most days, a Ballencer would go for a walk around the perimeter to keep an eye out for intruders, not that they'd really got many. When they did get one though, they did not last long.

To most communities, someone who did all this work would be respected. That was not the case here, not by a long shot. The 'higher authorities' of the Valley saw them one step above insects. They were considered to be bellow wizards, but they were not the worst thing in the Valley. For some Ballencers, that was a good thing, but there had been those who spoke out against the unfair treatment. They refused to work altogether. But, the amount of time they stayed alive was shorter than that of a mayfly. They were killed, locked up for good to go crazy or... they might just get the punishment themselves.

Vix was one of the few who got the punishment.

Back in the early days, the 'higher authorities' gave the perfect, at least in their minds perfect, name to the people who worked so hard, even though they were not liked (Ballencers). They had gotten the name because of the belief that they were there to "ballence out" the lowers and the highers. They, of course, there on the lowers. The Highers needed no reason, they just took control of what they pleased, not bothering to ask a Lower's opinion. That is what would get them in the end. You can't have a one-sided group of people run things. Sooner or later, they would make a mistake. Unfortunately, they hadn't done much of the sort in decades, so most were still happy and alive. Some living that is.

There were only a few ballencers in the Valley, and many more common people. Common people were those who were too young to be considered Ballencers, in other words, under 17 years old. All but one of the Ballencers were above 17. The youngest one, a girl, was only 15 years old. She must have worked for it because there were hardly ever exceptions to the rules. Perhaps she had worked a deal with the Highers, or had saved someone's life and was granted one wish she had. But, was that a good wish to make? Who knows...

Vix didn't care much anymore, and why should he? No one cared for him (or that's what he thought) and no one liked to be around him. Did they think he would snap if they spoke to him? Was he a bomb waiting to go off? Was he crazy? No, no, no. He wasn't those things, or he hoped he wasn't.

Severus was probably having a great time where ever he was if he hadn't even tried to find Vix again. Old "Seth" would be living in some manor, eating, drinking, and doing what he pleased. Of course, he was at the top of the mountain, while Vix lay down at the bottom, hoping for someone to save him. He hadn't been that bad as a child for Seth to hate him. All children were like that, weren't they? Of course they were, Vix assured himself. Wow, if Seth could take a moment from all his fun to take a look at the underdog, he'd have better knowledge of how the world worked.

Vix made a mental note to punch Severus for being a rich, stupid, living-like-a-king, uncaring git. Take that, Severus! Vix took out the small tree he saw that reminded him of Seth.

That will show him.

-

Different place, same time.

Death Eater Meeting.

-

"My Lord," Severus spoke softly to Voldemort, kneeling low in front of him.

Severus kept his head down as his 'Master' told him the plan. In certain points, he thought he would lose control of his mind and every single Order secret would be unleashed. But, thank Mer- uh, no. He didn't much care for the man now that he'd met him. Thank the stars, I guess, that he had not let himself slip. He was lucky.

"You will see that the.. Gryffindor.. child.. is alone when our dear Lucius arrives, will you not?" Voldemort's voice was nothing that even seemed to resemble a human.

"Yes, my Lord," Severus replied.

"Good," Voldemort let out, then got out his wand and pointed it down at the Death Eater Severus.

Severus held his breath as he knew what was coming.

"Crucio!"

-

A/N: Uh oh... Which Gryffindor is it! Hehehee... It could be any of them! And now you have a character's name, our baddie, Zudan. He is the one who has been talking to Esor. For some reason, he wants our dear Neville. Strange, huh?

If you've still got the thought that the Valley is a nice place to live, then shame shame shame! It's horrible most of the time. It turns otherwise kind, or semi-kind people into monsters! Sound like anyone we know. He's from every HP book, he just got Crucio-ed... ring anything:)

Please review, thank you. BTW (by the way), next chapter is about Ronnie! Also, Kimpson, Snape, Lup- oh! did I say that?

PS- I know this is shorter than the last, but I will most definitely try to make the next one longer. It shouldn't be too hard, seeing as what's going on. :)