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.
Amelia entered the apartment, dropping her badge and wand in the draw of the side table near the door and hung her Auror robes on a hook on the wall.
"Harry, you home?" She called out tiredly.
It had been four years since their Graduation from Hogwarts and it had been generally, but not wholly, a good four years. Amelia had graduated top of her class from the Auror Academy and had been earmarked as an Auror to watch for fast track promotion, being tutored by legendary Auror Augusta Longbottom.
Harry had gotten his Defence Mastery and a Muggle Masters Degree in Military History from Cambridge. When the Defence Mastery paperwork was done, the Magic cause two Certificates to appear, one in the name of William Tenor and the other in the name of Harry Potter. Professor Miller had just shrugged and gave Harry a look that said he got it. 'Cover Identity' was unspoken between them.
Harry had even surprised Amelia a few months ago when the owners of the Apartment had finally decided to sell it to Harry. He had insisted that her name was also on the deed. 'I want a place that is ours. Not mine, ours.' He had told her.
Not everything had been rosy. For about two months they had been ecstatic. Joyful beyond belief. They had confirmed it six times, both Muggle and Magical. Amelia had been pregnant. Harry had even insisted that they go to the only Hospital in Muggle London that had the new Sonogram technology and they had seen the small life growing and the beating of the baby's heart. But it had all crashed down. Running after a suspect, dodging a spell and hitting a wall. Agonising pain and blood even though she had not been hit by a spell.
That had sent her spiralling into depression for a long time, even now she still had moments where she would simply break down crying when at home. She would not let it affect her at work but it was hard and only a few weeks ago, after over eighteen months, that they had even started to talk about children again.
Today had been a bad day as well. A group of murders had happened over-night, even having been reported in the Daily Prophet that morning. Amelia had been running back end research rather than being directly involved in the investigation, but it had still had hit her hard as one of the victims was a two year old girl. Amelia's job had been to investigate a strange magical mark that had been left behind, the image of a snake emerging from the mouth of a skull. Despite spending her entire day researching she had found no previous record of the mark but for some reason it chilled her to the bone.
Moving into the combined dining kitchen area of the Apartment, Amelia found folded peace of parchment under a simple vase with a red rose in it. Opening the letter, she began to read.
Dear Lia,
As I write this, I desperately wish that you never have to read this letter. I hope that instead of finding this letter, I will be there with a romantic dinner prepared and a smile on my face. Unfortunately, given my luck, I expect you are reading this with that cute expression on your face you get when you are confused.
I read about the murders this morning and the Mark that was left behind. I wish I could tell you what it means, but I can't. If you aren't reading this then it does not matter what it means because it will mean that I have succeeded in what I have to do, but if you are then know I had to try. I had to try for you, and your brothers and the memories of your parents… and everything we have lost. I love you and everything I do is for you.
Never believe I have abandoned you. There are only two reasons I would not return to you. Firstly, if I am dead, and secondly, if I have somehow returned to 1995. If you find my body, live and move on. Don't let the memory of me drag you down. If you don't find my body, then don't give up hope. Either way there is something that I want you to have. It is in my bottom draw on the right. I had hoped to give it to you this weekend, on our special day.
There are dark times coming. Darker than you can imagine for the entire Wizarding World. I know you can survive it, because you survived… everything. I hoped to spare you everything to come but I guess I couldn't and for that I am truly sorry. The only consolation I can give you is that you will see me at least one more time. Unfortunately, that me won't know you, but this me will always love you.
Eternally yours,
Harry.
Amelia stared down at the parchment in her hands in disbelief. She held tight to the letter as she rushed to the bedroom and rummaged through Harry's bottom draw until she found the small jewellery box which she flipped open and saw the engagement ring settled in the velvet of the box. Dropping to her knees, Junior Auror Amelia Bones broke down in tears.
Director Amelia Bones could not help but look at the photo of Harry and herself that her mother had taken so many years before, before turning back to the parchmentwork in front of her. After the 'Disappearance of the Boy-Who-Lived' as the Daily Prophet has dubbed it, she had put the picture back on her desk from the draw it had previously been stored in.
Harry's body had never been found so she had held out hope for almost thirty years. She knew now what pain he had tried to spare her. The loss of all of the rest of her family except her Niece Susan. For a few years she had never felt so alone, but Susan had helped fill a damaged part of her heart, a part ripped away from her.
Dealing with 'young Harry', a Harry who did not know her, had been almost excruciating for her, but it meant that her Love may be returning soon. For the first week after 'The Disappearance' she had felt giddy with excitement, hoping that her Harry would show up again. But he had not. A week turned into a month, that had now turned into almost a year and there was no sign of him.
She had tried to keep hope but the mask she wore at work, the tough and uncompromising Director was slowly seeping into her private life with Susan.
The door opened and then closed without any announcement.
"I thought I gave orders not to be disturbed." She snapped.
"Oh, come on Lia, is that any way to greet me?"
Amelia's head snapped up and there was her Harry, just the way he had been the day he had disappeared in 1972. For a moment Amelia was back to her teenaged self and let out an involuntary squeal of joy, before catching herself and touching a rune carved into her desk. Harry felt the privacy wards go up.
"Harry." Amelia said, getting up and giving him a big hug, before stepping back. "I'm sorry. I gave up hope. And look at me now."
"Look at what?" Harry asked. "Oh, do you want to get naughty at work?"
"I got old, Harry." Amelia replied, looking down. "I must look so bad to you."
"Lia." Harry said as he put a finger under her chin and lifting her eyes back to his. "You have never looked more beautiful."
With that he kissed her, and for the first time since 1972 she was home.
The man had walked through the Auror Bullpen like he belonged there, even though no one immediately recognised him they did not question his presence. A moment after he entered the Director's Office there was a noise then the Director's privacy wards went up.
If asked later, every single Auror in the Bullpen would agree that they had to be sharing a mass hallucination. That was the only explanation. There was no way that the formidable Director Bones had squealed like a teenaged girl. That way lead to madness. Yep, hallucination. Much more sane and safe explanation.
TBC….
A/N: You know how they say 'The Past is Prologue'? Well, yeah. I know, ten chapters in and we are just finishing the 'Prologue'? Insane, right. But now we are back to 'the present' the real story of fighting Voldemort is about to start.