Title: Retrograde
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: Harry's trial before fifth year goes differently because someone knows more than they should about Harry. Time Travel Fic.
Harry walked around the corner near the bookstore that supplied Hogwarts students, it seemed Flourish and Blotts was not around in '65. He had received back his confirmation of his transfer into Hogwarts from the Deputy Headmaster and he had even gotten approval to take Ancient Runes instead of Divination, on the excuse that his previous school had not offered the subject, but he was going to have to get tutoring and do extra classes in the subject to get him caught up.
In the last four weeks he had spent a lot of time learning the ins and outs of the entire Magical Shopping District and had even ventured out into Muggle London on more than a few occasions. He had received his booklist two weeks ago and he could easily have gotten his books at any time, but he had held off for one of the oldest reasons. A girl.
It had been three days before he had gotten his acceptance to Hogwarts when he had first seen her. It had not been a visual thing that had gotten his attention. No, it had been her laugh. That first day he had not even seen her, just heard that laugh that seemed to make him want to laugh as well, just so he could share something with her. It had been two days later when he had heard the laugh again, but this time he had caught a glimpse of her. Long burgundy red hair and a simple summer dress walking off down the Alley with an older boy and a younger boy in tow. He had seen her a few more times around the Alley but he had not seen her in the last week and a half and there were only a few days left before the Hogwarts Express was due to depart.
He walked into the book store and began to browse through the shelves for all of his books. Unlike Flourish and Blotts, this book store did not do bundles of books for Core Hogwarts Subjects. Harry had gathered most of his books and turned into the Ancient Runes section when he accidently collided with someone and they both fell to the floor.
"I am so sorry." Harry said, scrambling to his feet and holding out his hand to assist the other person up.
Only then did he notice two things. Firstly, he noticed that the other person had long, burgundy red hair. The next thing he noticed is that the person was a young Witch. It was the same girl that he had been seeing around the Alley. After a second, she took his hand and he pulled her to feet. Once she was on her feet, she pushed her hair out of her face to reveal a pretty and somewhat familiar face.
"Thank you." She said.
"Completely my fault." Harry said. "I was not looking where I was going. I was just looking for some Ancient Runes books."
"They are just over there." The girl confirmed. "I don't recall you in the Ancient Runes class."
"Oh, I am just transferring into Hogwarts this year. Fifth Year." Harry said. "My name is William Tenor, but my friends call me Harry."
"Harry?" The girl asked. "From William Tenor?"
"Middle name is Harold." Harry replied. "I don't really like my first name."
"Melia. Melia." A younger boy, about eight years old, called and began to hug the girl's legs.
"Edwin." The girl said with a long suffering tone.
"Sorry Amelia. He got away from me." The older boy who Harry had seen with her before.
"That's ok, Edgar." Amelia replied. "Take Edwin and I'll be along shortly."
The two boys walked off, the older one holding the younger one's hand.
"Again I apologise for knocking you over." Harry said.
"That's ok. Perhaps we will see each other at Hogwarts." Amelia said.
She turned and walked away, joined a few feet from Harry by her two brothers. There was something in her walk that sparked a memory. Walking behind Director Bones from the Court Room to the DMLE offices.
The Amelia that he had just met, the girl he had been noticing for so many weeks, was the younger version of Director Bones. The only one who stood up for him. The one who knew he was going to go back in time. That could not be a coincidence… right?
Harry was early to the Hogwarts Express but he was not the first one there by any stretch of the imagination. He walked down the corridor trying to decide which compartment when a door opened and he found himself on the floor.
"Mister Tenor." Amelia said. "I'm so sorry."
This time Amelia helped Harry up and he saw her elder brother Edgar over her shoulder.
"I would properly apologise, but we have not been formally introduced." Harry said.
"Oh, sorry." Amelia said with a blush. "My name is Amelia Bones."
"A pleasure to formally meet you, Miss Bones." Harry replied. "I was just looking for a compartment."
"So was I." Amelia said.
"What?" Edgar said. "I apologised."
Amelia simply huffed. Harry offered Amelia his arm and, after shooting a withering glare at her brother, she accepted and put her arm into his. They found an abandoned compartment and claimed it as their own. Harry spoke about his friends, Ron; Hermione; Neville and The Weasley Twins, without giving away too much about their true identities. Amelia spoke about her time at Hogwarts, the teachers and some of the pranks she had played on her older brother. By the time they had reached Hogwarts, Harry and Amelia had become firm friends.
Following Amelia into the 'horseless' carriages, and having to resist the urge to ask about the skeletal looking winged black horses, Harry got into a carriage with Amelia, who was now in her Hufflepuff robes, and a pair of older Gryffindors who ignored them after a casual, though curious, glace at Harry's robes which were all black and had the Hogwarts crest rather than a House's crest and colours. When the carriage arrived at the front doors, the two older Gryffindors hurried ahead while Amelia watched with an amused smile as Harry stared around the entrance hall. She saw the wonder of a first viewing; he was soaking in the feeling of being home again.
"Mister Tenor." A deep male voice said. "I am Deputy Headmaster Hunter. Please follow me, so we can sort you in private before the First Years come up from the lake. Miss Bones, please proceed into the Great Hall."
Amelia glanced at Harry for a moment and then left for the Great Hall. Harry followed Professor Hunter into a small room near the Great Hall and the Sorting Hat was placed onto his head.
"Well, this is indeed very interesting." The Hat said. "I have not met a time traveller in quite some time."
"I'm not even going to ask." Harry replied. "So, which House am I going to go into? And let's skip all the showy stuff you do for the First Years."
"Alright." The Hat said. "You are clearly linked with Miss Bones, so let's go with Hufflepuff."
The Hufflepuff was said aloud so that Professor Hunter could hear. The Professor simply nodded, waved his Wand so that Harry's robes took on Hufflepuff colours and emblem, and then escorted Harry to the Great Hall and gestured to the Hufflepuff table before heading for the Antechamber where the First Years were waiting.
Harry walked along and slid into the seat next to Amelia before she noticed.
"Harry!" Amelia said in shock.
"Looks like I'm a Puff, Lia." Harry said with a grin.
"Lia?" Amelia asked with a slight growl.
"Would you prefer Amy?" Harry asked. "Or what was it your little brother called you? Melia?"
"God no." Amelia said. "I hate both of those."
"So Lia it is." Harry said with a grin.
"I hate you, Tenor." Amelia groused.
"No, you don't."
TBC…