Chapter Ten: In Which Time Is Turned
"Harry," Hermione muttered as though she knew exactly what he was thinking, "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. . . ." said Harry quietly.
"How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius. We're not supposed to be doing anything else!"
Harry snapped right back, "Are you a witch or not? Magic can find a rat in the dark!"
Hermione looked thoughtful. "There is a spell I read in 101 Useful Household Charms, and I'm not sure I can cast it yet, but according to the theory —"
"Hermione! I don't care how you do it! You have to try!"
She put on her determined-to-perform-a-difficult-spell face.
"Go somewhere safe, and stay there! We'll contact you as soon as your name's cleared. Ok?"
They were helping Sirius escape from his temporary prison. They had captured the rat, who was now under the Full-Body Bind. With only minutes to spare,. they had completed their mission.
"How can I ever thank —"
"GO!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.
Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.
"We'll see each other again," he said. "You are — truly your father's son, Harry. . . ."
He took off.
"We have to run! We must get to the hospital wing! We're behind schedule!"
They both started to run. They had only three minutes.
Harry stopped suddenly. "Why are we running anyway?"
"Because we don't have time, Harry!" said Hermione hysterically.
"Then make some! We have a Time Turner, and we are worried about time?"
"We can't, Harry!"
"Do you trust me?"
"Always."
"Then do the chain thing again."
She did, and gave the hourglass one turn.
Long story short, they ended up one hour in the past, in a corridor near the hospital wing. It seemed that their destination was always where they needed to be. Because they had already done it. Did that make any sense?
They hid in a broom cupboard and waited for Dumbledore to walk down the corridor. When he finally did, they burst out and handed him a Body-Bound rat.
"Professor, there is very little time. Listen to us!"
Dumbledore held up a hand. "I presume you used Miss Granger's Time Turner?"
"Yes, but —"
"On my orders?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Harry.
"What were my exact words?" inquired Dumbledore.
"It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck," recited Hermione.
Dumbledore nodded.
"That does sound like me," he said, pocketing the rat. "I must be going, Miss Granger. It is ten minutes to midnight now. Keep an ear out for the conversation, because you must get to the hospital wing entrance right after I close the door. Understood?"
They nodded.
"Be careful, Professor! You must not mention Pettigrew as part of our mission! Because you didn't do it when you were talking to us four hours ago! Or is that five minutes in the future? Just — just say the things you have already said to us. I mean —"
Dumbledore nodded and left. They hid in the cupboard again.
They heard Madam Pomfrey shriek about disturbing the patients. Then Dumbledore's calm, clear voice, "I would like to speak to Harry and Hermione alone."
Then some more indistinct conversation.
They heard Fudge and Snape walk down the corridor, conversing about Sirius Black's fate.
"I daresay Black will be Kissed, Minister?"
"Yes, yes. He caused mass panic in the Wizarding World and scared people into thinking You-Know-Who is returning," said Fudge. "He disturbed the stability of my administration. He deserves the Kiss!"
Their voices faded.
"I hear Dumbledore!" whispered Hermione.
"Three turns should do it. Good luck," said Dumbledore.
They crept along the corridor.
Dumbledore noticed them. "I think your past selves have disappeared. Get in!"
They did. Harry and Hermione shared a good laugh over Snape's reaction when he found out Sirius had escaped, of course.
"You have been charged with twelve counts of murder, failure to register yourself as an Animagus, accessory to two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. How does the accused plea?"
It had been three days since the Time-Turner incident. The wizarding world had been in a state of complete disarray ever since Dumbledore had announced that Peter Pettigrew was alive.
He shivered. He wanted to run away, to transform into a rat, to escape. He didn't want to be scared, he was tired. So tired . . .
"Guilty," whimpered Pettigrew.
"All those in favor of the death penalty?"
Very few hands were raised.
"All those in favor of the Dementor's Kiss?"
Quite a lot of hands were raised at this.
"All those in favor of incarceration until the end of the accused's natural life?"
Hands were raised, but less than before.
"All those in favor of dismissal of charges?"
No one raised their hand.
Fudge banged the gavel. "Peter Pettigrew is sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss. Court is now dismissed."
Sirius was exonerated and everything was great.
AN: Why would you look for a rat in the dark when you can just Summon it?
The change Hermione makes is capturing Pettigrew. This leads to him being Kissed, and Sirius becomes a free man.