Tamper with Time

Written by: HoshiHikari

Disclaimer: I do not own HP! That's right, the characters still all belong to J.K Rowling As for the plot, it might have been done before, so I won't take credit for that either

Summary: Complete darkness had befallen across the entire world, wizardry and Muggle alike. The final battle between Harry and Voldemort takes an unexpected turn. Now, the remaining survivors are thrown back into time. Harry must now face a younger and stronger Voldemort, the Voldemort that is currently at the height of power. Can Harry fulfill his destiny before the entire world collapse around him and is consumed by Darkness…again?

Author Notes: "…." talk Italic thoughts/dreams /…/ Parseltongue Snake language underlinetext/letter/writings bold/italicslyrics from songs

Author Notes, note: so, having fun guessing who Swallowtail is? Love reading all the speculations. It makes me laugh. Some of you are arguing pretty well, and others, I do not understand the reasoning behind it. Everything, and anyone is possible.

So the possibility of Harry himself, has sprouted a few times. The main question to that is WHY? Why in the world would he betray the world? Why would he betray his family? Why in the world would the battle still occur if Harry's already working for Voldemort. On the other hand, why couldn't it be him? As Snape said, he's the least suspected character (which is proved false by the reviews). Truthfully Harry grew up with a rough life. To say the least he watched everyone die before him once. Maybe he doesn't want that to reoccur by sacrificing himself and those specific people Voldemort asked for, just to save everyone else. Maybe he's had enough of the world, and just gave up. Maybe he worked out a pact with the Dark Lord with certain arrangements. Maybe it is him who is Swallowtail.

Remus occurred a few times as well. Though most of you are against him being Swallowtail. It is possible both ways. He may look innocent on the outside and there are no offenses against him, but is he another Peter? Maybe he's just setting up someone else.

Snape, well he's possible. It could be all part of a bigger plan to make up such a person so that suspicion on Snape would lesson. But then, maybe it's not him. Maybe he could fool everyone, but then is it possible to fool both Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort had mentioned that one of them (Snape/Swallowtail) is a spy, so it suggest that Swallowtail does exist as well as it can't be Snape. Then again, as some of you suggested, it's possible that Snape and Swallowtail are one person, that he is the alter ego of the other half.

Cho, most of you said you hope that it is her. Current evidence stands against her. Yet, is she being set up. Maybe it's one of the others and she just fell pray to them.

Pleione: glad you like it!

lilith: so think its Cho? Or maybe Harry? How so if it is unconsciously, and why would he want to do it in the first place…I mean it's his own family. Well you've got to read to find out, just pointing that out.

Marguerida: so another it must be Cho. Not Remus? I'll keep that in mind.

japanese-jew: glad its interesting and not confusing. Still think it's Cho? Or maybe Harry? shrugs not telling

A-man: haha! Think it's everyone? At least I did something thing right. That was suppose to happen, suppose to make you all think. If it's Cho, why would she set it up to that extreme, I mean she's gambling her life, just to prove that she isn't when she really is? Why though. Possible Remus? If it's him, how can it be possible to be at two places at once…like he was with Harry that night. Hmm, Snape and a split personality. That's possible. Him jumping back and forth just to save his own life, so he's making it up to release stress. Harry! Another count for him. What would his reason be though, if it was him. If it is him, why would he do it the first place? It is his family. Then again, maybe he's tired of everything, and just wants it to end, so he strikes a bargain with Voldemort. But what would or could he get out of it?

sami1010220: strange? How so? At least its caught your attention!

DarkDaughterofDarkness: thank you for pointing that out. I'll change it once I find that chapter. Glad you like the fic!

Chapter 20

"Harold Stone!" The man spun around to see the headmaster striding up to him. "I think you ought to come with me. You have a lot of explaining to do, my boy." Harold rolled his eyes. He had just left the Hospital Wing about a minute ago, and was now already cornered by the Headmaster.

"Headmaster" Harold greeted. "I believe I have a class to teach. I will speak with you afterwards." Dumbledore only stepped in front of him, so that their eyes were parallel to each other.

"I do not believe this can wait. How can you not be fazed and remain calm with such composure after an attack within the very grounds of Hogwarts to your beloved friend?" The headmaster continued to look evenly at him. "I will not deny the fact that an attack such as this is not expected in times such as these…but…"

"Throughout my life" Stone cut the headmaster off abruptly. "I have lived as Voldemort's number one target." Dumbledore opened his mouth with objection apparent in his eyes. "My parents were murdered right before my very eyes. Of course I can not recall it clearly, as I was merely one. My Godfather died before my eyes. At 15, I watched helplessly as he fell, and would have charged after him through the veil if it wasn't the fact that Jay pulled me back. Since then, all of my friends, my closet and dearest people who've raised me have died." Stone bit his lower lip. "No, if you think I am inhumane then you are mistaken. I am not fazed because it is expected. Those who know me, expect it. Year, after year, for 24 (I forgot how old I made him, but its between 21-26. Someone tell me, and I will correct it, until then, he's 24.) bloody years, I have witnessed death and destruction before me. I have looked death in its eyes too many times to fear it."

A heavy silence descended upon the two. Stone shifted his weight, feeling uncomfortable. "Harold…." Dumbledore said slowly. "What is it that you are keeping from me? I'm just trying to help, and you've shut yourself from me. Nothing which you speak of, makes any sense. The only thing I can think of that may validate what you say is…."

"Don't interfere with my life Professor. Don't begin making assumptions before you even know half the story. All you need to know is this is my war. I'm in charge. It's personal business and Voldemort understands that."

"I'm not trying to interfere. I am just trying to help. I would know the entire story if you just share it with me."

Another silence.

"I'm sorry. I can't do that. In time you will know. I can assure you that." Harold seem to glance at what seemed to be a watch. "I best be off, I am already late for the first class of the day."

"Harold." The younger man gave a soft sigh. "If you really want to help then interrogate Violet for me." Another pause. "Go and inform me, when Xi wakes up. In the meantime I will teach my class and during break, I will go and see if I can find any clues left behind in Xi's chamber."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "I believe I can do that."

"I don't think so. Last night, I've warded the place so that nothing else can enter and leave. Everything except for the body hasn't been touched or moved. I've already made sure of that."

"oh?" The headmaster seemed curious.

Harold chuckled. "Unless you can un-ward it, in that case I will give you credit, then you may have the pleasure of examining the crime scene."

It was the period before lunch. Already, Xi's absence in class, as Professor Flickwick began teaching again, had spread across the school. Speculation as well as rumors began to build, one on top of the other. In and out of class, students and Professors were talking to each other, murmuring about the situation. Through the Professor talks that some students overheard, they had found out that Xi now resided in the hospital wing, but for what cause they did not know.

There was a knock on the door. Professor Stone looked up to see McGonagall standing by the doorway. "Professor McGongall, how may I be of assistance?" Stone asked. The deputy headmistress motioned for him to come outside. "Excuses me class. I will be back shortly. Turn to page 53 in your textbooks and read about Dementors." He told his 3rd year students. With that, he followed McGonagall out of the classroom.

"Professor Dumbledore has informed me that Xi has awakened. He said that you've asked to be notified." Harold nodded. "I will be teaching your class for the rest of the day. You are allowed to see her now." "Thank you, Minevra." Harold smiled, before half-jogging up to the hospital wing.

He was met at the door by his two guardians. "So you've heard as well?" Harold asked. The two men nodded. Jay knocked, before the three filed in.

The hospital was empty, with the exception of Dumbledore, and Xi.

"Come in boys. Take a seat." Dumbledore produced them from thin air. Just by the tone, Harold knew that something was wrong.

"Now, you all have a lot of explaining to do." The headmaster looked at each one seriously. "before I make the decision of sacking you."

There were a shocked look from Swell, a confused look from Wolfe, and a steady, well composed look from Stone.

"Headmaster, what happened?" Stone asked, trying to act politely.

"While, waiting, Xi and I had a decent chat. She has brought light into a very touchy matter. Something that none of you should have kept from me, but chose to do so."

Stone eyed Xi, searching for a reaction, but found none. He wondered how much she had told him, after they had all sworn to keep the past a secret and protect the others from it.

"You are a Death Eater Samuel Swell and of Voldemort's inner circle." It was a statement, not a question. Swell's eyes flashed opened, his body tensing, took a look at Dumbledore and then at Xi, giving her a look of betrayal.

"Yes" he replied slowly, as there was no point in denial.

"and you, Jay Wolfe, you're a werewolf." Wolfe seems to have been slapped in his face as such a touchy subject matter was brought to light. He looked worse then Swell's reaction as there was a look of regret, pain and sorrow. He slowly nodded.

"Samuel's a spy for me. I trust him with my life." Stone's left hand was on Swell's shoulder, his right on Wolfe. "Jay's my legal guardian. Having grown up with a werewolf, I know the Ministry laws by heart. Prejudice does exist, but that fact cannot be used to sack someone, anyone. It is not valid."

Dumbledore nodded. "However, that only applies if the employer has given consent. I have not known, so how can I give my consent."

"by hiring, both the employer and the employee have given consent to all the terms and conditions that apply." Stone interrupted.

Again, the headmaster nodded. "I know. However, you violated my trust." He muttered. "I am giving you all a chance to explain yourselves before I make my final decision. You Stone, have much more explaining to do. A lot of explaining."

Stone nodded. Then he turned to Xi, giving her a hard, angry look. He wondered how much the other had told the headmaster. How much the headmaster already knew, how much the man didn't know. Still, that wasn't what was bothering him. What was bothering him, was simply that Cho had said a bit too much. She had revealed things that she wasn't suppose to. The others had trusted her, and now it felt like she had sold them out.

"How much did you tell him." Stone asked softly. He never got a reply from her, as Dumbledore seemed to put a protective had on her shoulder as though he was protecting her from the others.

Stone sighed. He had to walk carefully. He wasn't going to ask anymore. He was just going to answer only the ones that the headmaster asked, for fear of accidentally slipping something that he did not known.

"Ask away." Stone closed his eyes, hands now folded neatly on his lap as he waited.

"Swell, how long have you been a Death Eater?"

"16" came the reply.

"Does Voldemort trust you?"

"yes, because he does not know the truth. He does not know that I am a spy."

"Why does Harold trust you?" Swell took a glance at Harold.

"That is between myself and Harold. I will not answer it."

"Aside from the four of you, does anyone else know?"

This time, Harold replied. "yes, There is someone out there who does. He brought us together. Made us see through our differences and to accept each other. At first, I was like you. I didn't trust him, in fact I hated him, loathed him. I don't believe in second chances, but Swell here gave me a reason to believe so. He eventually showed me that sometimes people aren't who the seem to be. That we all make mistakes and those who sincerely wish to redeem themselves should be given a second chance."

"Under what circumstances did you meet? Who is that other someone? May we meet?"

"Professor-student. He's my dead father's childhood nemesis. Naturally the mutual hate existed long before I did, but as time proved, we did overcome it, and he now has become one of he most influential people around me.

The other someone you may not meet. I am in no position to say who it is. Maybe you will someday. Maybe some day, you will understand. Until then, I will say no more."

"Harold Stone, if you continued to speak in riddles my suspicion of you will only increase. You are a very mysterious person. I know very little, if at all anything. This secrecy must end, otherwise I will be force to sack you for acting this way. You seem to know everything about me, the people here, and the world around us. Yet, no one knows anything about you and your life. Suspicion has lead me to believe you are hiding something from me, something of a greater magnitude that would make your guardian's lives seem minuscule in comparison."

Stone gave an open laugh. "Yeah, very observant. I do have something that I must keep from you. My past must remain in the past until the correct time when I must reveal it. I cannot afford to inform anyone as the treat of Voldemort is enough to keep me from doing so.

Yes, you could say I'm in hiding. Yes, you could say I'm a coward. Yes, you could say Voldemort knows who I am, and where I am at. Yes, you could say I am a threat to the world and endanger all its inhabitants, at lest those who have found a place in my heart.

That however is aside from the point. I am telling you now all that you need to know, all that I can say. You either accept me or you don't. You either trust me or you don't. Judge me now for who I am, not who you think I may be.

You've once offered your hand of friendship. I have gladly taken it. However, I must make this clear. If we cannot trust each other, then I will throw that hand down the drain. If we cannot work together for the common good if you must continue poking a finger at my back, then I will leave. I will leave once and for all. I will no longer side with the people who can see my faults, and not the good that I have done"

Both Samuel and Jay stood up at that. Both men seem to stand protectively around Stone.

"Frankly I'm tried of being stepped on, crushed for being different, for being someone I'm not. I was given a life I didn't want. Headmaster, don't you dare push me any further then you already have. I am warning you now. The minute I walk out that door sacked, you will regret it."

Stone then turned to Xi, giving her a nasty look. "I will not be betrayed by those closest to me. Xi, you've done that. You had no right to expose anything to the headmaster. You violated my trust." He gestured at his guardians "our trust"

Dumbledore now had a hand on Xi's shoulder. He was standing over her, the way a grandfather would.

"I didn't violate anything." Xi snapped. "I did what was for the best. Aside from the truth, then how else was I suppose to tell the headmaster how I ended up in this state!" she spat.

Then ever so softly, she spoke again. "You think it's me. You think it's me." She repeated louder. "You think I betrayed you. You think I sold you out! You think I sold" she gestured at Swell. "him out. You think I set up the attack." She sucked in a deep breath. "You think I enjoy being strapped in bandages. You think I enjoy being in the Hospital Wing! You think I enjoy being interrogated over and over again for the same incident."

"Well welcome to my life." Stone huffed.

Then in a very soft pleading voice she said. "Harry, it's not me. I am not Swallowtail. I would never"

"Harry?" Dumbledore asked out loud. "That's what my friends call me. The name is Harold, but they like to shorten things" Stone grumbled, giving Xi another deadly look for she exposed yet another thing. However, the interruption did cause Xi to falter and someone else spoke again.

"Swallowtail?" Swell repeated. "Who is that? I don't recall knowing anyone like that…" Stone gave him a funny look, before understanding swept through him. He hadn't told Cho of Swallowtail, therefore she couldn't have known such a person existed. Apparently Swell hadn't either, for he was questioning her, playing the ignorant role. Wolfe was the only one looking at them with a very confused expression.

"Last night's detention" Dumbledore cut in. "may I say was a disaster?" Three nods, as Xi was physically unable to do so. The headmaster turned to Swell. "Last night you left, not because you weren't feeling well, but because there was a Death Eater meeting." A nod of confirmation.

"You saw the initiation?"

"Yes."

"So you saw who was there, or who was sworn in"

"Yes"

"I will ask for no names. However, can you testify to the fact that most, if not all were those that Xi was watching?"

"Yes"

Dumbledore turned back to Stone, took a glance at Xi, before continuing. "This is what she told me. Last night, a person broke in. Whoever it was identify themselves as Swallowtail, claiming to be the loyalist Death Eater. Swallowtail's appearance had caught Xi by surprised, was placed under the Cruciatus Curse until she blacked out. The next time she awoke was when you decided to check up." A pause. "I have already interrogated Violet and there seems to be no forceful break-ins or let-ins through the portrait."

"That still doesn't explain why Xi, you would link Shallowtail to me thinking that you betrayed me." Stone spoke evenly. He silently tried to break into her mind, but the wards snapped up.

"Shallowtail claimed to be close to both you and Voldemort. The Death Eater said that s/he is one of your closest friends. I thought that if you thought I sold you out to Dumbledore then you would think I sold you out to the Dark Lord."

Stone shook his head slowly. "I was unaware such person existed. Samuel would have notified me if there was one." He purposely lied. He then turned to Swell. "Were you aware" Swell gave a funny look before shaking his head.

Stone turned back to Xi and Dumbledore. "I think it is about time we get to the bottom of this." "Yes" Dumbledore confirmed, standing up. "If you wish to come, you are more welcome to do so." Stone turned to his guardians. "Come, lets check it out. The more eyes the better. I fear I might miss something, overlook something." The two nodded to Dumbledore who said he would come after he finished taking care of the patient, before following the young man out of the Hospital Wing.

"Guys, keep your suspicion up." Stone lowered his voice once they were walking down the empty hallway with a silencing barrier over them. "I think she's Swallowtail" Wolfe stopped and turned to look at him. "What?" a pause. "have I been missing something?"

The three continued to walk slowly, eyes kept on the surroundings and not on each other. As they walked, Stone told Wolfe about what had occurred, why he had made a point for Jay to go away. Now, he apologized for it, apologized for assuming his guardian was the spy. Swell listened softly, making no comment.

"You see, I'm sorry. I should have known better." Stone said at last as they now stood before Xi's room. "For a minute there, Severus had me convinced…" Stone's voice faltered as Wolfe had a hand on his shoulder.

"Can you forgive me" Wolfe shrugged. "Hey, I'm use to it. Didn't Padfoot and Prongs think I was the spy?" he forced out, choking on the words, obviously meaning that he wasn't. "Heck, if Severus had come to me, or if I was in your shoes, I would have thought the same."

Wolfe gave a reassuring squeeze. "Just keep your eyes open. You never can be sure. Maybe it isn't Cho at all. Maybe she was attacked. Until we have proof, I don't want you going around giving her the cold shoulder."

"I know Remus, I know…"

Stone then took a look at his two guardians. After they gave a nod, Stone undid the wards to the chamber. Taking the lead step, he walked through the now empty portrait.

Wolfe took in a deep breath, his senses consumed by dry blood. His eyes were close, but he didn't need his sight to tell him what had happened.

"She wasn't alone." He said at last. "There was definitely someone else in here. The sense is unfamiliar, but distinctive." The werewolf slowly opened his eyes to look around. What he saw, startled him.

Dry blood was everywhere. The room and its objects had been completely overturned. Nothing was where it was suppose to be.

"Harry?" he asked, watching the younger man examine the fireplace.

"The room's windowless. Hogwart's wards would not have permitted apperation." The young man said, his fingers touching the mantle. "and because Violet has testified that she didn't let anyone in….it could only mean…"

"that the fireplace was the only entrance and exit. Perhaps illegal floo?" the headmaster's voice once again filtered into the room. The inhabitants spun around to see the headmaster standing in the doorway.

"Professor" Stone acknowledged. Dumbledore gave a nod, before fully entering, and examining the room himself. "Definite signs of struggle." He whispered. "I wouldn't put pass it that more then one Dea"

"Hey look" Swell interrupted. The rest came to the corner that he was standing at. The Potion Master's finger was pointed at what seemed to be a sealed enveloped. The group exchanged looks.

"Acio Envelop." Stone waved his wand at it. Using another spell, he opened it, levitated it, and then stared at the writing that was written on it.

Potter: 1 down? more to go. One by one, I'll pick them off. You can't protect them forever. If I can't kill you, I'll kill everyone else around you. Either way, you will die. Swallowtail has once again returned into my service. You can run, but you can't hide. Consider this a warning. Voldemort

"Now, Mister Stone, this is getting out of hand. I must interfere as it involves the safety of a student. In my office now, all of you." Dumbledore spoke evenly.

Harold nodded slowly. His fist was balled and his knuckles were white.

Voldemort. Now you've done it. You can hurt me, and kill me for all I care. You won't hurt my friends, and especially not my family. How dare you threaten those closest to me. I swear, the next time I see you, will be the last time we meet.

Ok, so a couple of things happened. Tell me what you think! Review!