"Be sure to return here at the same time," Dumbledore said.
Dudley had no idea what was going on. He tried to ask Hermione, but she shushed him and merely hung the chain around his and her neck. She turned the hour glass on the end twice.
The room dissolved. Dudley had the sensation that he was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colors and shapes rushed past him, his ears were pounding, he tried to yell but couldn't hear his own voice -
And then he felt solid ground beneath his feet, and everything came into focus again -
"Hermione, what happened?"
They were in the same room, only, Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen.
"We've gone back in time," she said.
"Huh? What? What do you mean?"
"Two hours back."
"But ... no, Hermione, come on. That hourglass thing?"
"It's a time turner," Hermione said. "And I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies. . . I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But I don't understand, what does Dumbledore want us to do?"
Dudley sat down in the empty chair. "He said prevent some of what happened tonight, wait, hang on, let's get my head around this. Ok, we went to save Luna ... only it was Black, we captured Black and then Snape came. He gave Black to the Dementors."
"Then Lupin came," Hermione said, softly, she looked sad at what had happened.
"Black got the Dementor's kiss first," Dudley said. "Then, Lupin came ... hang on, he had the twins map. The Marauder's Map—I bet that's how he found us."
"And he came to see what was happening," Hermione finished. "You don't think we're meant to stop Lupin from getting the map, do you?" she asked.
"It seems like it, Dudley said, "I mean, if we stop Lupin from going down, then he won't turn into a ... blood hell, Lupin's a werewolf!"
In all the excitement, he had forgotten about that.
"Well, of course he is," Hermione said, impatiently. "It was obvious if you paid attention."
"How?" Dudley gaped at her.
"His boggart was the Moon, and all those times he was off ill was during a full moon," Hermione said.
Dudley shook his head softly. Lupin, who had been a really good teacher, a werewolf—he could scarecely believe it. "I suppose we better go and stop Lupin, maybe we can break into his office and steal the Marauder's Map?"
He moved to the door, but Hermione grabbed his arm. "No, wait! We can't be seen!"
"Huh?"
"Time travel is very dangerous, many wizards and witches have died doing it, we can't be seen by ourselves, or by anyone who knows where we've gone," Hermione said. She looked thoughtful. "I think Lupin gets the map tonight—if he had it before, he would have probably gone to the Whomping Willow earlier."
"Ok, so what do we do?" Dudley asked.
"Let me think," Hermione sat on the floor, her lips pursed as if she was musing over a tricky transfiguration problem.
Dudley opened his mouth to speak, but she shushed him.
After a few minutes, she gave a nod.
"Ok, I've got it," she said. "We need to watch the Whomping Willow for when we go down."
"Ok," Dudley said.
"When Dobby goes to find a teacher, he'll find Snape—that's when we try and intercept Lupin."
"Why?" Dudley said.
"Dumbledore must know that Lupin is a werewolf, right?"
"I suppose so,"
"Which means Lupin can be safe. I think he takes the Wolfsbane Potion."
"The what?"
"The Wolfsbane Potion, Dudley. It repressed a Werewolf's violence—keeps them tame. I think Snape is meant to bring him the potion tonight ..."
"Only Dobby gets there first!" Dudley said, excitedly.
"Yes. So Lupin goes looking for Snape and then, I don't know, finds the twins doing something and confiscates the map," Hermione continued.
"Or," Dudley said. "He had confiscated the map before and decides to check it to see where Snape is. The twins are always sneaking out."
Hermione pursed her lips, considering this theory.
"Ok, we follow Snape," she said, finally. "When he leaves with Dobby, he'll probably put the Wolfsbane Potion aside. We can then take it to Lupin."
"And he won't go down to the Whomping Willow," Dudley finished, cottoning on.
"Let's go to the dungeons—but be careful! Don't be spotted."
Together they crept through the corridors. It wasn't curfew yet, so they didn't have to worry about being out of bounds, but Hermione was terrified of being spotted by anyone.
Once, she dragged Dudley into a broom closet to hide when the Fat Friar floated past. Another time she got them to crouch behind a sofa when Penelope Clearwater, one of the Ravenclaw prefects walked by with a friend of hers.
Finally, the reached the dungeons and Snape's office. Hermione dragged Dudley behind a stuffed troll to hide.
"How long do we wait for?" Dudley grumbled. He felt in his pocket and pulled out a cauldron cake. He offered half to Hermione who shook her head. She looked anxious.
"Is that him?" Hermione said, peeping out from behind the troll. "No, it's what's his name—Theodore Nott. What's he doing creeping around?"
"I hate that guy," Dudley muttered as he chewed his cake.
"I don't think he likes you very much either," Hermione pointed out.
They waited in silence for what seemed like an age but must have only been 20 minutes before they heard the clump of footsteps.
It was Severus Snape. He was carrying a bottle in his hands as he headed up the corridor.
"Let's go—quietly," Hermione said.
On tip-toe, they crept out of their hiding place and after Snape, following far behind so he didn't spot them while still being able to keep an eye for him.
After a few minutes, on the first floor, there was the patter of tiny feet. Hermione grabbed Dudley's arm and they ducked behind a curtain. Dudley peeked out through a hole.
"Professor! Professor!" It was Dobby, panting heavily. "You are a professor?"
They couldn't hear Snape's reply but he looked angry.
Dobby was speaking in a loud, high-pitched voice.
"Master Duddy Durzy ... sent Dobby to get help. His Lovegood is in danger. Big Black dog!"
Dobby took a deep breath. Snape must have asked him to repeat it.
"Master Duddy Durzy tell Dobby to fetch a professor. Master Duddy Durzy needs help—at the big hitting tree," Dobby said in a calmer voice, but still loudly. "A big black dog attacked his Lovegood."
"Take me!" Snape said, he put the potion on a shelf and took off after Dobby, his wand drawn.
"Let's go!" Hermione said. They dashed forward. Dudley reached for the glass containing the potion, but Hermione took it instead.
"Let me, I'm not as clumsy,"
Dudley started to argue, but decided that Hermione might have a point.
"Lupin's office is this way," Dudley said, leading the way. "Let's hurry it's on the other side of the castle."
Hermione had seemingly forgotten about secrecy now in her haste. She sidestepped two Hufflepuff students and hurried after Dudley.
"Hurry, Hermione!" Dudley called.
He broke into a slightly faster jog. This part of the castle was deserted.
Suddenly, something caught Dudley around the ankles. He tripped, falling face first onto the floor.
"Dudley!" Hermione cried, stopping to help him. "What happened?"
"I dunno, tripped on something," Dudley said, pushing himself to his knees.
"I have so been looking forward to this," a soft voice said.
Out of the shadows stepped Theodore Nott, his wand was raised.