Magical Miracle
by Teddylonglong

Please refer to chapter 1 for my disclaimer and warnings. Thank you.


To Harry's relief, his Potions OWL as well as the Charms OWL exam were relatively easy in comparison to what the professors had expected from him during the remaining four weeks of the holidays.

By the time they finished the exams and began to look forward to the upcoming school year, the question arose if Harry and Hermione would have to be sorted. However, Godric simply informed them that Sopho had already told him that he would only sort them into the founders' quarters just like Ceridwen anyway.

"In the future, we're probably going to be sorted though." Hermione cast Harry a thoughtful look.

"Perhaps, we can ask Sopho to simply sort us into the founders' quarters again. I mean, Hogwarts told us that she considers the three of us her founders, so why not? Harry quirked an eyebrow at his sister, who nodded, thoughtfully.

"I really hope so," Ceridwen agreed. "I would not want to live in one of the dormitories without the two of you. People might notice that I'm strange, because I did not grow up in your time."

Hermione pulled her friend into a bear's hug. "Don't worry, Ceridwen. In the worst case, you can still stay in our parents' rooms if you're not allowed to live in your own room. Harry and I will be with you in any case."

Harry smiled, as he observed how Inu and Luna gently licked Hermione's hands in silent gratitude.

HP

While Harry had been worried that he was going to miss his family in the future, he thoroughly enjoyed himself staying in the past without having to time travel twice a day.

After they finished studying for the day, they spent the evening in one or the other common room until curfew. This changed, however, in the summer after their fourth school year, when Rowena and Helga gave birth to their first children, Helena and Desmond. From that time onwards, the now twelve-year-old trio spent the whole evening in their rooms assisting the professors to look after their babies.

"They're so cute."

Harry grinned, as the girls fawned over the babies. 'They're cute, all right, but do they have to make such a fuss each time they see them,' he thought, suddenly missing his own little sister, Lily.

"Harry, you know that Helena and Desmond are your many times great grandparents, don't you?" Hermione sounded slightly reproachful, almost as if she had been able to read his thoughts.

"Well, should I call them Granny and Granddad?" Harry quipped, causing his sister to roll her eyes in apparent annoyance.

HP

Their fourth and fifth Hogwarts year passed uneventfully, and while they prepared themselves for the OWLs and in Harry's case his Potions and Charms NEWT, Harry's thoughts frequently lingered on the question if he wanted to add two more years in the past to take his NEWT in all subjects or rather return to the future and become a first-year again. 'I wonder if Hermione is pondering the same question,' he thought, surprised that she had not brought up the matter yet.

It was only in the evening after their last exam, when Hermione spoke up. "Harry, Ceridwen, I don't know what you think, but I'd rather stay here and finish my NEWTs before returning to the future and become a first-year again."

Harry cast Ceridwen a questioning look. "I'd like that," she said, simply, smiling in apparent happiness.

"I think so, too," Harry admitted, "although, frankly speaking, I'm not sure if I really want to begin studying from scratch again."

He looked up in surprise, when Rowena suddenly made her way over to them and sat on the sofa next to Hermione.

"Harry," she addressed him in a soft voice. "I can understand that the idea of becoming a first-year again is not very appealing. However, due to the visions I had from the future, I know that the magical world needs you in the future. Voldemort is not gone yet, and according to a prophecy, you are the only person able to vanquish him. While Hermione is not mentioned in the prophecy, in my visions, she was always with you and supported you."

"I will help them, too." Ceridwen smiled, only to add, "Can't we simply go to the time, when he was born, and prevent him from being born though?" She cast Rowena a questioning look.

Rowena shook her head. "No. We must not change history too much. However, I promise that I'll join you in the future every now and then, and I will show you my visions. We can then decide if the path you chose in my visions is the best or if we have better ideas. Nevertheless, I believe that it is a good idea for you to enjoy two more years here in my time and finish Hogwarts in this time."

Harry and his friends nodded in understanding. "Thank you for your advice, Rowena."

Harry gratefully nodded at Hermione. "Yes, thank you, Rowena."

"Now, as the two of you have already finished Charms and Runes, every morning during the holidays as well as during the class times of these subjects, I wish to do research together with you. At the same time, Helga will teach Ceridwen."

'Cool,' Harry thought, wondering what they were going to study. He only faintly recalled that Rowena had told them something about electricity years ago; however, he did not have a clue how they would be able to research such a thing, especially in this time, when people did not even have electricity in the muggle world.

'What about Potions?' Harry wondered and asked Salazar a few days later.

"You're going to study for the mastery." Salazar seemed surprised that he had even asked. "As Rowena has already decided to occupy you during the mornings, you will spend the afternoons with me. You should be able to take the mastery exam at the same time as the NEWTs in the other subjects.

"Thank you, sir, for teaching me." Harry felt very grateful to the professor, who was moody and rarely ever commended him for good work, but otherwise was a very good teacher.

"You're welcome, Thunderbolt."

HP

It was on the first day of the summer holidays that Rowena shocked them greatly.

While Ceridwen was studying Healing under Helga's tutelage, Rowena made Harry and Hermione come into her office.

The two thirteen-year-olds, who only looked as if they were eleven due to the potion, which Salazar had given them two years ago, stared around the office in surprise.

A modern computer was sitting on the desk along with some single screen and what seemed to be a very small telephone.

Rowena chuckled in apparent amusement at their stunned expression. "I went to a time when you had just finished your fifth year in the future. You helped me buy these in the muggle world. However, it was horrible. Terrible things happened, which we need to prevent from occurring at all costs. I spent about a week in the future talking with your parents as well as Roxana and Severus, and we developed some ideas how to prevent some things. When you're going to return to the future, I will accompany you."

"Thank you," Hermione once again beat him to a response.

"Thank you," Harry echoed, before he pointed to the devices on the desk. "Excuse me, but what are these?"

"These are a personal computer, a tablet and a mobile phone, and our task is to develop a combination of runes and charms that allows us to operate such eclectical muggle devices by magic. I don't know if we'll succeed, but there is no other way than trying. I suggest that we use the mobile phone for our research."

"Let's do it." Hermione grinned in obvious excitement. "That sounds extremely interesting."

"Yes, that sounds great." Harry fully agreed.

HP

"Rowena, are you all right?" Helga cast her friend a concerned look, when the seven founders of Hogwarts had dinner together in their living room with the small children peacefully asleep in their cribs.

Rowena shook her head. "Not really. Sorry dear, you just know me too well. Earlier this morning, I travelled to the future. To a time, when Harry, Hermione and Ceridwen just finished their fifth year. It was a disaster. While I know that we should not change the future, we must remedy this."

"Rowena?" Hermione cast the older witch a questioning look. "Please tell us what happened. Are our parents still alive? What about our brothers?"

Rowena let out a deep sigh. "Your closest family was all right. Your mother was the head of the Black family and your father the minister of magic."

"What?" Harry cast the witch a look of pure disbelief. "What happened to Grandfather Arcturus? Even if he was dead, Uncle Sirius should be head of the family."

"Are they both dead?" Hermione's eyes widened in apparent shock, which Harry shared completely.

"Your parents told me everything together with Amelia Bones. When you left your time in the morning of your eleventh birthday, the Wizengamot met for a meeting to elect the new minister of magic."

"Oh right, Umbridge had killed Minister Fudge on the previous day," Hermione recalled.

"Yes, and apparently, she was in custody, but she escaped and somehow got into the Wizengamot chamber in a snake Animagus form and bit everyone in the chamber, killing off the whole Wizengamot. Except for Amelia, because she had just left the room to enquire why there was an alarm ringing in the Auror's division, probably when… Umbridge, was it?... escaped. She even managed to transform into her human form and cast the killing curse at some of the members. Unfortunately, everyone was too shocked to react fast enough, and she got away. Ever since then, she has been killing people left and right together with remaining Death Eaters. Apparently, she is possessed by the Dark Lord."

"Voldemort," Hermione added, knowingly.

"Can't we simply go to the day before my birthday and ask the Unspeakables to kill her off instead of taking her into custody? If you tell Mum and Granddad what they told you this morning, they'll surely be able to prevent everything from happening."

Rowena sighed. "Will they believe us if we tell them, before anything even happens?"

Hermione nodded. "Mum will believe us."

"I think so, too," Harry added, somehow feeling terrified. "I'm sorry, Rowena, but can we perhaps go right away? I want to remedy this, before we even begin to further study here."

"Harry, nothing happened yet. This is one thousand years into the future, and it does not matter when we remedy what is going to happen."

"I understand that, but still, I'd like to go and prevent this from happening right away. Perhaps, we could travel to the time where you went and take Mum with us to the day before my birthday. If she tells her own younger self what is going to happen, she'll surely believe it."

Rowena nodded. "Very well. We shall go and discuss the matter with your mother."

"Rowena, it will suffice if you leave in the morning after getting a good night's sleep." Helga's voice was firm and allowed no contradiction.

"I shall accompany you after breakfast tomorrow morning." Harry looked at Godric in surprise. 'Cool that he'll go with us,' he thought, when he recalled that the reason for their travel was not exactly pleasant.

"May I go with you?" Ceridwen cast Rowena a pleasing look.

"I don't like it." Helga looked at her younger sister in understandable concern.

"Helga, we won't endanger Ceridwen," Harry beat everyone else to a response. "We will not take her with us to the ministry of magic. Only I will go there together with my Mum. Ceridwen will remain at Hogwarts the whole time."

Helga cast him an appreciative nod. "Under this condition, Ceridwen may accompany you."

"Harry, you don't think that I will allow you to endanger yourself either." Rowena stared at him in apparent disbelief. "We will merely speak with your mother and perhaps one or the other Unspeakable."

Harry nodded in understanding.

HP

First thing the following morning, Rowena, Godric, Harry, Hermione and Ceridwen travelled to the future, leaving Inu and Luna in Helga's care for the time being. Of course, it had taken much reassuring that they were going to be back in a few minutes as well as a couple of dog treats for the canines to agree.

"So, we need to travel to July 5, 1997 around 9 o'clock in the morning," Rowena informed them, reaching out for Ceridwen's hand. "As it is your first time, Helga insists that you travel with me."

"I am not a baby," Ceridwen complained, mutter something about much too protective older sisters under her breath.

"May I take Ceridwen with me?" Harry asked in a soft voice, and Rowena agreed, much to Ceridwen's apparent pleasure.

"Thanks, Harry." She smiled, as she slid a delicate hand into Harry's.

"Rowena, our older selves will be there as well, won't they?" Hermione cast the older with a concerned look. "Is it all right if they see us there?"

"No, all three of you have gone to enjoy your holidays in our time." Rowena smiled. "Let's go."

HP

After confirming that they had all arrived at the correct time, they left the time travel chamber and entered the empty living room. Rowena motioned for everyone to take a seat. Perhaps, one of us should go and forewarn Bellatrix and Arthur instead of showing up there all together. I only left a few minutes ago. What do you think?"

Hermione and Harry shook their heads. "No, Mum and Dad won't have a problem if we just arrive together." 'I can't wait to see them after staying in the past for two years,' he could not help thinking. 'I just wished we had just come to say hello instead of having to solve some problem a few years ago.'

They quickly made their way to the Black-Weasley quarters, glad that they did not meet anyone on the way.

HP

A few minutes later, they were seated in their own living room, where their mother hugged Harry, Hermione and Ceridwen like she always did. Harry happily leaned into the touch.

"Harry?" His mother cast him a questioning look. "When was the last time you were at home?"

Harry let out a deep sigh, and Hermione quickly explained that they had remained in the past for two years to finish their OWLs.

"You once told me that you stayed in the past for four years and completely finished Hogwarts, before you came back here for your first-year. But, sorry, I believe that you did not come here just for chitchat today." She cast Rowena and Godric a questioning look.

"That is correct. We would like to take you five years into the past, to the day before Harry's eleventh birthday. We believe that it would be the best if you spoke with your younger self and your grandfather or other Unspeakables and ask them to kill the Dark Lord or Umbridge, before they will be able to run amok at the ministry."

His mother remained pensive for a moment, before she hesitantly agreed. "All right then, let us travel to the morning of July 30, 1991 and speak with my younger self. Let's discuss with her how to proceed best. We should arrive at a time, when the children have left for their respective studies, which means after breakfast."

HP

This time, Hermione took her mother with her, while Harry travelled with Ceridwen, closely followed by Godric and Rowena. However, when they entered the Black-Weasley quarters and their mother got a glimpse at her older self, they suddenly found themselves at wand point.

"Who are you?"

"I am your five years older self. Go on, ask me something that no one but you and me know."

The younger version of their mother remained pensive for a moment, before she spoke up. "Why did I decide to become an Animagus when I did, and who suggested my form to me?"

Her older self chuckled. "Father grounded me during the Christmas holidays of my first year, after the Lestrange gits complained that I had been spending too much time with Gryffindors. I then wrote to Professor Scamander and asked about a magical animal that would be useful and able to fly and flash."

"All right. Why are you here?" Her cheery expression soon changed to horror after hearing the story from her older self. "I shall go and speak with Grandfather. Harry, would you be willing to accompany me to the Unspeakables' office?"

"What about me?" Hermione glared at her mother.

"Hermione, please keep Ceridwen, Rowena and Godric company," Harry replied in a soothing voice, before he held out his hand to his mother, so that she could pop them to the ministry of magic.

HP

"Harry, I must take you to Croaker and ask for permission to bring you into the Unspeakables' office first. Perhaps, he will request you to swear an oath to keep our secrets." With a flick of her hand, his mother was dressed in the grey Unspeakable robes, which Harry had seen one or the other time.

Harry shrugged. "That's no problem, Mum."

Together, they entered a small office, at least it seemed small to Harry, as it was cramped with books and parchments. Not only the shelves that completely covered the walls, but even the chairs and the windowsill were loaded with piles of parchment.

"Croaker, we urgently need to speak with you. This is my son, Harry."

"Medusa and Harry, come in." Croaker's voice was firm but warm, and Harry immediately liked the older wizard, even he could not see his face.

His mother informed Croaker about Harry's ability to travel through time at Hogwarts, before she told him what according to her older self was going to happen later the same day and on the following day.

"Are you absolutely certain? Umbridge is possessed by Voldemort and going to kill Minister Fudge later today and the whole Wizengamot tomorrow?" Croaker sounded calm but alert at the same time.

"Yes sir."

"Yes sir," Harry echoed.

"My older self told me that she headed to the ministry together with Ra, and they encountered the snake but merely stunned it, so that Alastor Moody could take it into custody. Obviously, that didn't work out well."

"Obviously not. Harry, would you be willing to tell Alastor Moody and Amelia Bones the truth about yourself?"

Harry nodded. "Aunt Amelia knows everything anyway, and Uncle Sirius, too."

Croaker nodded in understanding. "Let's speak with the three of them then."

An instant later, three dark blue tortoise Patroni consecutively left the tip of his wand and shot throughout the nearest wall.

"Let's go. I am sure that Amelia and her colleagues will be waiting for us, when we arrive."