I'mmmm baaackkkk! Yes, I sense your joy at my return. Blasphemy. Well, this is sort of a fill in chapter, the action of all actions will start next chapter... Remember how much I love MuggleBuddy, who is so far my sole reviewer and inspiration for updating. So be dearies and review, it only takes a moment... Please? begging

Disclaimer: JKR and publishers and all those people own Harry Potter and all his people. I own a shoe, my thoughts, and nothing more. And I don't own my thoughts, my invisible friends do, but I'll let you read now...

That One Time When I Got Warped Back Three Hours Into A Setting of Extreme Lunacy.

SNAP! We were standing in the entrance hall. Sunlight was filtering down through the huge doors, onto our feet. I was sort of surprised. But this was better than the hospital wing. Hermione shot me the look of the devil, and pulled Harry and me into a broom closet.

"WHO ARE YOU!" She hissed. I stared her straight in the face, unblinking. "Luna Lovegood." I eyed the closet. "This is splendid."

"Hermione- Lovegood- what-?" Harry was really disoriented. Hermione wasn't through with me yet. "Why did you come?" she demanded, grabbing me by the shoulders.

I shrugged away from her. "Time-Turners. Me Mum died using one." That was all that Granger needed to know. She shook her head stressfully (if that's a word) and turned to Harry.

"We've gone back in time," she told him, still glaring at me. She pulled the Time-Turner off of Harry. "Three hours back…"

"But-" Harry tried to say, but Hermione basically told us to shut it. "Someone's coming! I think- I think it might be us! Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going to Hagrid's!"

"Are you telling me that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?" Harry asked. Hermione was still muttering, "Yes, I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than three people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak- we've gone down the front steps…"

I turned to Harry. "We just went three hours back in time so that you can save the life of Sirius Black, I gathered." He seemed to acknowledge my presence now.

"Who the hell?"

I sighed. "My name is Luna Lovegood, I've been sitting in the hospital wing listening to everybody yell for a little bit now, and my Mum died using a Time-Turner and I was trying to help…" I decided to stop brooding on the fact that now, because of an unreasonable fear of Time-Turners, I had gotten sucked into their issues. I smiled, looking at the lovely brooms and mops. "These are nice." I began to stroke the nearest mop.

"Where did you get that?" Harry asked Hermione.

"It's a Time-Turner, like she said… I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies… I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But… Lovegood, what did you say Dumbledore wants us to do? I just don't understand how we can help him regardless…"

I snapped to attention, still cradling the lovely mop. "Well, from what I gathered, he wants you to save Black. So you have to change something, like bust him out of Flitwick's office or something with a broomstick, I suppose, or change the course of whatever you were doing to land you in the hospital wing to begin with. Yes, that's probably it, otherwise you wouldn't have needed the full three hours, right?"

Hermione's eyes widened, it was Harry who spoke though. "Alright, we were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…"

"This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's… We just heard ourselves leaving."

"Why were you going to Hagrid's?" I asked.

"To see Buckbea…" Harry trailed off. I could almost see the little cogs in his head spinning at an alarming rate. "Dumbledore just said- just said we could save more than one innocent life… Hermione, we've got to save Buckbeak!"

"God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs, with claws so long and sharp! God rest ye merry hippogriffs, with wings so long and strong, for it is for ye, hippogriffs, for ye, we sing this song!" I sang under my breath. Harry and Hermione stared quizzically at me.

"Erm… right… But, how will saving Buckbeak help Sirius?"

"God rest ye merry hippogriffs on this fine holiday, your wings and claws, strong and sharp, seem to want to saaaaay, God rest ye Merry Hippogriffs, for ye we sing this song, as you fly unto the sunset on a journey oh so looooong." I turned to where Harry and Hermione were just staring at me like I was deranged or something. I studied Harry's eyes while I spoke. They were a bright, vivid green. Like a potion, or the color that comes out when the Avada Kedavra is cast- I saw a picture in a most lovely book. "It's such a nice song." I said fondly.

Harry stared at me for a moment, and then shook away from my gaze. "Okay… That song… I've got it! Dumbledore said- he just told us where the window is- the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak- they can escape together!"

Hermione's face was the picture of terror. "If we can manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"

"Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" said Harry, pressing his ear to the door. I nodded, but I don't believe they really took notice.

"Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go…." Harry pushed open the door, and together we darted out of the closed and down the stone steps. The sun was slowly beginning to lower on this most beautiful evening.

"If anyone's looking out the window-" Hermione squeaked, looking at the castle behind us. "We'll run for it, straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout-"

"Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses! We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now." Hermione said. We followed her behind the greenhouses, around the Whomping Willow, until we reached 'safety' in the trees. "Right" Hermione gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, Harry."

We crept around the edge of the forest. We saw the very front of Hagrid's house, just as we heard a knock on his door. We hurried behind a tree and peered out from the sides. It took all of my energy not to burst out laughing. This was by far, ludicrous beyond anything, every, but since my companions couldn't find the undeniable humor, I remained silent. Hagrid appeared in his doorway, shaking and pale (poor man, if he wasn't purely insane I'd feel even worse than I did for him). Next thing we knew, we could hear Harry's voice.

"It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off." My head snapped to Harry, half expecting our Harry to be talking but he was silent, staring transfixed at the scene before us. I opened my mouth to speak, but Hermione Granger glared at me and whispered, "You- strange girl- be quiet." I nodded nonchalantly. Funny she should call me strange when she has a Time-Turner and is sitting three hours ago trying to bust an innocent criminal out of a horrid punishment. I was still glad I was able to stick with them though, if we got separated or lost, I didn't want to think about what could happen. All the more reason to be nice to these people.

The voices were still talking. "This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," said our Harry. "Let's move along a bit, we need to get nearer to Buckbeak."

We snuck about through the trees until we were right out side of Hagrid's pumpkin patch, with the huge hippogriff inside. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pumpkins, a peck of pickled pumpkins Peter Piper picked- IF Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pumpkins, how many pickled pumpkins did Peter Piper pick?" I wondered. At the name 'Peter' both of them jumped. I was reminded of what I had over heard. "So will you tell me later what is going on?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, but be quiet…" Harry looked over the pumpkin patch. "Now?" Hermione shook her head. "If we do it now, then those Committee people will think that

Hagrid set him free! We have to wait until they've seen him tied outside."

"That's going to give us about sixty seconds," Harry said. I smiled vaguely. "That's a really long time you know." Suddenly we could hear breaking china inside the cabin. Hermione grimaced "That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug, I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment-" She was right about that, a minute later, we heard her shriek from inside. I tapped Hermione on the shoulder "You could be a singer you know. The ability to create that much volume with your voice is highly regarded in the arts, I suppose you're a soprano." She just shook her head. Harry, as he had been, ignored this exchange, "Hermione, what if we- just run in there and grab Pettigrew-"

"No," she whispered. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen-"

"We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!"

"Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" Hermione demanded.

"I'd- I'd think I'd gone mad, or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on-"

"Exactly! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time…. Loads of them have ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"

I froze. That wasn't exactly how my Mum had died- but it was close. "Don't do it Harry Potter." I said quietly. They both stared at me for a moment, but said nothing. Suddenly, our attention was recaptured by the past/present. Fudge, Dumbledore, and a bunch of official looking people, one of whom had an axe, were coming down the steps.

"We're about to come out," Hermione breathed. And she was right; we could see Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley trooping out of the house with Hagrid. Hagrid is such a strange fellow- a bit of a joke in Ravenclaw. He really isn't too bright, and apparently all the Care of Magical Creatures students had to spend the year feeding Flobberworms. In any case, he could have been teaching about how to care for Crumple Horned Snorkacks, or Gliding Gizzillions, but he doesn't even know what those are. He should, you know, being a teacher.

"It's okay, Beaky, it's okay…" Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Turning to the students beside him, he said, "Go on. Get goin'."

"Hagrid, we can't-"

"We'll tell them what really happened-"

"They can't kill him-"

"Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!" the past students threw the Invisibility Cloak over themselves and vanished. "Go quick. Don' listen…."

I turned to Harry and Hermione, who were both staring at the unfolding scene as though nothing ever was more interesting. "Peculiar man, Hagrid…" I commented cheerily, as a knock sounded from his front door.

"Animals shouldn't be executed. They're mostly smarter than people." I mused. "That's the executioner?" Hermione answered with a tight nod.

Inside, we could hear them jabbering about official junk- this was it. Harry looked sort of nervous, and being the Harry Potter, I knew he was going to volunteer to get Buckbeak.

"I'll do it." I said it before Harry could open his mouth. "You don't know him, or any hippogriff-"

"I know how to deal with any animal, Harry. Respect. Just hold on." I left them where they stood, staring at me, thinking I was a loon. I didn't care. I was going to help them, not hinder. I shot out of the trees and hopped over the fence.

The hippogriff stared angrily at me, with fierce orange eyes. I knew nothing about how to deal with any hippogriffs, so, I treated him how I wanted to be treated- so to speak. I dropped a curtsy, looking him earnestly in the eyes the whole time. To my surprise, he sank to his knees for a moment, and then stood up. Animals liked music- I could do that. I began to hum 'God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs' as I undid the complex knot. He began to sway with the tune. We didn't really have too much time.

"Mr. Buckbeak, will you do me a tremendous favor and follow me into the wood there? Oh, there's a good fellow!" He was such a pleasant hippogriff. He nodded, and commenced to follow me over to Harry and Hermione. He shot a longing glance back at the hut. "Shhh shhh Sir, we can't have you getting hurt, now can we? Professor Hagrid won't ever forgive us if you do." I took hold of the rope and into the trees, about ten feet away from where Harry and Hermione were. They rushed back to where we stood.

"Good job, Lovegood," Harry whispered. I smiled, and dreamily wondered what he might look like in 20 years. I decided he would resemble one of the muggle Beatles, and left it at that. The Committee people, Fudge, Hagrid, and Dumbledore had all come outside and were exclaiming over Buckbeak's disappearance. We could hear some talking, some cussing, a door closing, then silence.

"Well… now what?" Harry asked. Hermione looked rather nervous that we had come so close to being seen. Poor thing was dreadfully nervous. "We'll have to hide in here," she said. "We need to wait until they've gone back up to the castle. Then we wait here until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours… Oh, this is going to be difficult…"

She looked behind her; the sun was setting. "No," Harry said. "We're going to have to move. We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."

"Okay," said Hermione. "But we've got to keep out of sight, remember…."

We continued to creep about the edge of the forest, the sun setting and slowly throwing us into a shadowy setting. Buckbeak followed me, when I asked him to, and all four of us settled down behind some bushes near the Whomping Willow. We could see Harry, Hermione, and Ron and this huge black dog moving, but as interesting as it may have been, I was whispering to Buckbeak.

"Well I know that wizards are prejudiced but- Okay, okay, we have an agreement on that. What? Yes, he was my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher last year… No, I didn't think he was cute at all. Pompous little pixie, he was." At this point, Harry and Hermione stared at me. "Err…. Lovegood-"

"My name is Luna." I interrupted. "Right," said Harry. "Luna, why are you talking to the hippogriff?" I stared at him. Strange that somebody so heroic, so important, could be so dense.

"Why does anybody talk at all, Harry?" I asked. Harry raised an eyebrow. "But he doesn't talk back. He's an animal." Buckbeak pawed the ground snorted in a tone, which told me he was mortally offended. "Not that I mean to be rude," said Harry quickly.

"You just spoke to him, you understand him too. All creatures have some form of intelligence, and all of us are equal. It's just stupid, prejudiced wizards who decide that something isn't smart or special."

"Err… All right." As Harry said this, Hermione turned. "In case you didn't notice, we have already gone into the Willow and Lupin is in the process of doing so, so be quiet for a moment." Harry and I both peeked over the top of the bush. Professor Lupin was holding a long branch and poking something near the base of the tree. He disappeared into it. I looked overhead and noticed that the moon was completely obscured by clouds.

"If he'd only grabbed the cloak, it's just lying there…" Harry said fervently. "If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and-"

"Harry, we mustn't be seen!"

"How can you stand this? Just standing here and watching it happen?" He paused momentarily. I began humming to a distant tune. "Harry-"

"Is that Hagrid singing?" I wondered.

"Yes," Hermione growled. "And Harry, if you had gone out there, he would have seen you! And then what would have happened?"

"Oh, we would probably get caught, then brought inside, and we would either not get back to the Hospital Wing in time, or somebody would see your doubles. And if we don't get back to the hospital wing then past versions of ourselves will keep popping up behind us. Hmm, or maybe not, because if we get back inside then we won't be able to have come back. And that means…." I volunteered conversationally, but Hermione stopped me there.

"I'd rather not think about it." Hermione growled. Beaky lurched forward, trying to get at Hagrid. I patted him on the back.

"No, Dearie, you don't want to go with the drunken giant to you? No, no," I cooed. "Just stay here with us."

"What shall we do with the drunken sailor, what shall we do with the drunken sailor? What shall we do with the drunken sailor, earlai in the mornin'?" I sang softly.

Harry and Hermione stared at me mutely. I smiled. "Lovely song, don't you think?" Hermione gave a blank half nod, and Harry paused for a moment, suddenly seeing something over my shoulder. I turned. Professor Snape came sprinting out of the castle, towards the Willow. He skidded to a halt beside the tree, picking up a silvery cloak.

Harry muttered something darkly under his breath. "Shh!" Hermione hissed. Professor Snape picked up the same branch that Professor Lupin had used, and thus proceeded to freeze the tree. Very funny tree, I decided. Rather like Muggle electronics- you hit a button and they stop. Poor tree must've been going mad.

"So that's it, we're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we're all back up again."

"What are you doing down there?" I asked, idly twisting the corner of the school robes I had been wearing. They turned to me.

"First," said Hermione. "You need to tell us why you came. This is none of your business Lovegood."

I smiled faintly. "Time-Turners scare me a bit. My mum died doing an experiment with one, and since then I've had a really inconvenient phobia of it."

"Err, I'm sorry," said Harry. I grinned. "Oh, no it's fine. But I didn't know I would end up here with you. But it's not turning out as bad as it could be." I looked at Hermione. "Oh, and please do call me Luna. It makes me feel connected to the moon up there."

The other two exchanged glances. "Being connected to the moon isn't always a good thing." Harry said after a moment.

"Are you talking about Professor Lupin?" I inquired. They both nodded. "How long were you listening?" Hermione asked suspiciously. I cast my eyes up at the clouds, hovering ominously above. "Since well before you woke up, I think." They sighed.

"So, have we got to fill you in on the details?" Harry asked. "Yes, please." I consented.

They did so. I could try to go into detail about precisely what the overly heroic Gryffindors described, but since you are reading this testament, I can only assume you already know. I felt so horrible for Professor Lupin when they reached the part concerning his lycanthropy.

"Well, when the werewolves and vampires have joined forces with the goblins to protest this gross injustice, Professor Lupin will be much better off." I said.

"I don't really get what you mean, but I can sort of agree." Harry said.

"It really is too bad that wizards are so prejudiced." Said Hermione. Then they continued on with there story. Sirius Black was innocent- he was an Animagus along with James Potter, Professor Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, who incidentally wasn't dead, he was Ronald's pet rat, and he, Pettigrew, had committed the heinous crimes. They told me of Snape's arrival, Buckbeak's trial, Pettigrew's sin, Lupin's transformation, and the dementors. Then they told me that they woke up in the Hospital Wing, not too sure how they had come to be there.

"How did you save yourselves from the dementors?"

Hermione looked at Harry curiously. He spoke slowly, thinking. "Well… I probably imagined it… I wasn't thinking straight… I passed out right afterwards…."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well…someone cast the Patronus Charm… and, uh…. I think… I think it was my dad."

A strange ringing sounded through my ears. I knew how Harry felt. I knew very well.

"I know it sounds crazy… but it really looked the was he did in photos."

"Maybe you saw his ghost?" Hermione volunteered.

"I don't think so… No… he looked solid." Harry looked as though he thought himself mad.

"Harry, your dad's-well- dead," Hermione said quietly.

"I know that," Harry said quickly.

"It could have been his spirit though. You know, somehow assuring that his son would be safe from harm," I suggested. They were silent for a few moments.

And for a while we just sat there. It didn't really matter then that Harry was "The Boy Who Lived", or that Hermione was a muggleborn genius, or that I was "Looney" Lovegood. We all just sat silently, left alone with our thoughts for a bit. Buckbeak had lain down next to me, and I absentmindedly stroked designs in his feathers, smiling slightly. I glanced up at the moon every few minutes. She danced in and out of sight, as though she knew that so much action on this night was because of her, and wished to rub it in slightly. After awhile Hermione suddenly jerked up.

"Here we come!" She whispered nervously.

We watched Professor Lupin, Ronald, and Peter Pettigrew traipsing out of the hole in the roots, then Hermione, then Snape, floating creepily, then Harry And Sirius Black.

"Harry," Hermione said abruptly. "We've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do…."

"So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again…."

"Mmm hmm." I said. Hermione nodded. "Luna's right Harry." She sounded as though it was hard for her to agree with my agreeing with her. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!"

"All right!" Harry said, glaring at us both.

The moon slid out from behind her cloud, giving us a cruel smile. It was time. The group across the ground all froze, and we could see movement.

"Poor Professor Lupin," I whispered sadly.

"We've got to move!" Harry yelped.

"We mustn't, I keep telling you-"

"Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!"

Hermione gasped. I untied Buckbeak hurriedly. "Come along Beaky, be a dear…"

"Quick! Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The dementors will be coming at any moment-"

"Let's go to Hagrid's, it's nearest." I said, wondering why that beautiful moon seemed to hate us all so.

We ran as fast as our feet could carry us, Buckbeak cantering along the rear. We could hear that poor werewolf howling behind us. We reached the cabin, and hurriedly rushed inside. Beaky let a croon of happiness at being back inside Hagrid's. His huge, repulsive dog gave a loud bar, and Hermione rushed to quiet him. "Shh, Fang, it's us!"

"That was really close!" She said to us.

"Yeah," Harry looked out the window, struggling to see what was happening.

"I think I'd better go outside again, you know," he said slowly. "I can't see what's going on- we won't know when it's time-"

Hermione looked up suspiciously.

"I'm not going to try and interfere, but if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius."

"I'll go with him and keep an eye on him, Hermione," I said, anxious to get out into the air. "And I won't change anything. I remember Mum," I said, in a cheerfulish tone.

"Well… okay, then… I'll wait here with Buckbeak… but be careful- there's a werewolf out there- and the dementors- keep him out of trouble, Luna."

Harry and I edged around the cabin. We stared out over the lake, hearing yelping in the distance, watching the dementors. They came from everywhere, gliding along the edges of the lake to where past-Harry stood on the opposite bank. Suddenly, Harry ran closer to the lake. He wanted to see his father; I could feel it.

Across the lake we could see glimmers of silver- past Harry trying the Patronus. Present Harry threw himself behind a bush to watch, and I followed suit. The glimmers of silver suddenly extinguished- we were going to see this hero. But nobody was coming. And then I realized. But I could say nothing. But I knew, and the second I realized it Harry did as well- it wasn't his father, it was Harry.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he yelled. A huge, bright silver animal burst from the end of his want. It was a stag. It galloped away, silently charging at the dementors. And they fled silently, until they were gone. Then the creature turned. It returned to Harry and stared at him, bowing it's antlered head.

"Prongs," Harry whispered. I was quite interested in this. Prongs had been his father, they had told me. So this was the spirit of James Potter. Not a ghost, not a nameless spirit- a Patronus. We heard hooves behind us- Hermione was dragging Buckbeak, and boy did she look furious.