The Changed Timeline
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC! Time travel!
At exactly midnight, Harry flashed the three of them into the Gryffindor common room, where the other three Marauders were already waiting impatiently. "Harry's some lazybones! He probably simply fell asleep," Harry heard Sirius rant when he flashed into the common room.
"Sirius, maybe you should go and get your mouth washed. I'm not lazy; it's exactly a minute after midnight," Harry replied in a slightly upset voice.
"Harry, it's all right. You know Sirius, he is always like this, but he doesn't mean it, especially since the biggest lazybones here is Sirius himself, and believe me he knows it," James spoke up in, attempting to calm Harry who was really feeling annoyed by Sirius' accusation.
Harry sent a grateful smile in James' direction and asked, "Where are we going to go, and how do you want to go? Shall I flash us somewhere?"
James pulled the map out of his pocket. "Look here, this passage seems to lead to some part of the castle which isn't used anymore. Maybe you just flash us to the furthest point here on the map, so that we can explore the area?"
"All right" Harry agreed and transformed again.
HP
Harry flashed them to where James had pointed on the map, but flashing five people was so tiring that he stayed in his form and went to sit on Lily's shoulder for a few minutes. He noticed that everyone eyed him in apparent surprise, but he could not care less and simply trilled to Lily. #Lily, do you mind carrying me like this for a few minutes? Flashing five people was so tiring that I don't have the power to transform back at the moment.#
"It's fine Harry, no problem. I don't mind at all," the young version of his mother replied, gently.
"What's he saying?" James queried with apparent interest.
'Oops, can I maybe hear a bit of jealousy in his voice?' Harry thought in amusement.
"He asked me if I mind him sitting on my shoulder being carried, because he used too much magic flashing all of us."
"Oops, are you all right Harry?" James asked worriedly, and Harry nodded in his direction.
"All right," James began to explain, "here just behind us is the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room. I suggest that we try to go in this direction and see where it leads. This part of the castle seems to not be used at all."
"I can see that," Sirius said. "Look how dusty it is. Does anybody know a spell to get rid of the dust?"
Remus took his wand in his hand, pointed at the dust and said, "Scourgify. Sirius, are you a first year?"
Severus smirked and uttered, "Thanks Remus. Let's go."
They walked along a long aisle, passed in front of two or three classrooms on the right side, while there were windows showing the view on the Forbidden Forest on the left side.
"Look" James said excitedly, "A door with a portrait of a phoenix like our door to Gryffindor with the portrait of the fat lady, just that here's not a person to talk to on the door at all. Let's see if we can go past it."
The door was in fact closed, and Harry tried to talk to the Phoenix on the portrait. #Hello. Are you living here alone in this part of the castle?#
#Yes. Where do you come from? I have never seen a phoenix here apart from Fawkes,# the phoenix trilled back in apparent enthusiasm.
#My name is Icicle,# Harry introduced himself. #I'm an Animagus; when I'm not in my phoenix form, I am a Gryffindor student. By the way, what are you guarding here? May we go inside?#
#I am guarding Merlin House,# the phoenix informed him. #No one has come here for a few hundred years; it's really a pity.#
#Merlin House? Is it a Hogwarts house like Gryffindor or Slytherin?# Harry enquired in surprise.
#Yes. Roxana Ravenclaw, the sister of Rowena Ravenclaw, who married the grandson of Merlin, founded it thinking that Merlin should have a house here as well. But some time about 500 years ago, this knowledge was lost for some reason, and since then Merlin House hasn't been used anymore. I'm waiting for someone to come and revive it, so that I'll be able to do my job again,# the phoenix explained.
While Harry was talking to the phoenix, Lily interpreted the bird's conversation to the other Marauders what he was talking about. For some reason she could understand the phoenix as well as Harry in his phoenix form.
#Does Dumbledore know about you?# Harry asked, feeling slightly excited at the idea of having discovered a long lost fifth Hogwarts house.
#No; sometimes I visit other portraits, but he has never seen me. I've seen Fawkes, but he hasn't seen me either.#
#But if you talked to Dumbledore, would he be able to help you revive Merlin House?# Harry suggested, causing the other phoenix to stare at him in apparent excitement.
#I want you and Dumbledore to help me,# the phoenix replied in obvious determination. #You're both descendants of Merlin and should be able to revive my house.#
#All right,# Harry decided, bobbing his head up and down. #I'll come alone or with Dumbledore during the day to talk to you. At the moment, I'm exploring the castle together with my friends. Do you think you could let us in, so that we can have a look at your house?# He gave the other phoenix a pleading look.
#Of course, and come again soon,# the phoenix trilled, pleasantly. #I'll be waiting for you.#
#Thank you# Harry replied, gratefully.
The portrait opened, and they entered a room like their own common room. In fact, it was very similar to the Gryffindor common room with a large fireplace, many dusty tables, sofas and chairs, and there were two stairs going up to other rooms, probably dormitories like in Gryffindor. James, Sirius, Remus and Severus each took a parchment and started to draw different parts of the area on their own copy of the map.
Harry trilled to Lily, #Lily would you mind talking to the phoenix some more?#
"No Harry, of course not." She went out of the Merlin entrance door.
#Sorry to bother you again# Harry apologized, causing the other phoenix to shake his head.
#You are not bothering me at all, I'm very happy that you finally came# he assured his guests.
#I've some more questions,# Harry announced. #What kind of students were sorted into your House?#
#Mostly students who would have fitted into more than one house at Hogwarts, mostly very open minded students,# the phoenix explained, pensively.
#And why do you think the Sorting Hat never told anyone about this house?# Harry asked in confusion.
#I have no idea,# the phoenix admitted.
Harry was still sitting on Lily's shoulder talking to the portrait, when the others stepped out of the common room, eyeing them with apparent interest.
"We've got everything on the map. I think we should head back. It's almost half past four, and we still could get two hours sleep," Remus suggested, and the others nodded, approvingly.
"Harry, are you able to flash us back, or shall we walk?" Severus asked and looked straight into his eyes.
#Lily, can you please tell him that I'm fine and can flash them back, no problem,# Harry replied.
"He says he is fine…" Severus snorted, "…and that he can flash us back," Lily translated for Harry, who flashed them back straight to the Gryffindor common room.
#Do you and Severus want to go back immediately?# he asked Lily then.
"Shall we go back to our rooms Severus?"
"Yes please, but we can walk as well."
Harry shook his head and turned his tail to Lily and Severus for them to each grab a tail feather. In a flash of ice, they were gone and arrived in their apartment, where the three of them went to bed right away.
#Please tell Severus good night,# Harry trilled to his mother, #I'm too tired to transform now.# With that, he flashed right into his bed.
When Lily went to Harry's room to wake him up, he was fast asleep in his phoenix form, huddled under the blankets on his bed. She called and tried to wake him but to no avail. Ten minutes later, Severus came to call Harry for breakfast, realising that he was still asleep but began to slowly wake up when Severus began to carefully pet him.
"Harry, you have to wake up, we'll be late for classes," he informed his friend in a firm voice.
Harry cracked an eye open and shook his head. "You don't want to go to classes?" Harry nodded. "Are you ill?" Harry shook his head. "Are you tired?" Harry nodded. "Can you change back now?" Harry shook his head. "You cannot change?" Harry nodded. "Are you too tired?" Harry nodded again.
HP
When Harry did not accompany his friends to the Great Hall for breakfast, Pomfrey strode to his room to check on him, motioning Lily and Severus to accompany her.
"What's wrong with him? Why is he so tired?" the healer asked, impatiently.
"Yesterday he flashed James, Sirius, Remus, Lily and me all together to a far away part of the castle and back, and he probably has used too much magic in order to do this," Severus explained to the healer. "I don't know why he changed back during the night, maybe he thought he'd feel better in his phoenix form, but now he's too tired to change back."
Harry nodded in agreement.
"Could we just let him sleep until he is better?" Severus asked and Harry nodded, but Pomfrey shook her head.
"We should ask Minerva to change him back and give him a Pepperup potion, so that he'll be better soon." Harry shook his head, but Pomfrey insisted, "Severus, when you see Professor McGonagall, please tell her about it and ask her to come here as soon as possible; she'll have to change him back."
Harry vehemently shook his head and flashed away.
Inwardly grinning, Severus said, "Oh my, is he going to get in trouble again."
Pomfrey sighed. "Very well then, don't tell Minerva anything at the moment. Otherwise she'll worry too much about him; he'll have to answer to me later on."
HP
Harry flashed straight onto Fawkes' perch in Dumbledore's office.
"Oh my, that's a surprise. Good morning Harry," the headmaster greeted him, pleasantly.
#Hi Icicle, glad to see you,# Fawkes added.
#Hello Headmaster, hi Fawkes; is it all right to disturb you for a moment?# Harry trilled in a soft voice.
"Of course, Harry, you're always welcome," Dumbledore reassured him. "How are you on this fine morning?"
#Fine Granddad, but there's something that I'd like to talk about with both of you.#
"Very well my boy, why don't you transform back and have breakfast with me?" Dumbledore suggested, pointing invitingly to one of the chairs in front of his desk.
#Sorry, Granddad, I just have a slight problem and can't change back at the moment# Harry explained, inwardly groaning.
"What kind of problem might that be?" his great grandfather wanted to know.
#It's nothing# Harry replied in annoyance. #Yesterday I've flashed five people together, twice, and apparently that was a bit too much, so I just can't change back right now, but otherwise I'm fine.#
#Five people at one time?# Fawkes threw in, glaring at Harry in disbelief. #Are you nuts? I never flash more than three or occasionally four people, and I am used to it.#
#Yes Fawkes; now I know better,# Harry trilled back, feeling extremely annoyed. #Anyway, what I wanted to talk about is something else. Yesterday, my friends and I went to explore the castle. We passed Ravenclaw tower and went straight on until we came to a portrait of a phoenix. Do you know the portrait, Granddad?#
"No, my dear boy," Dumbledore replied in apparent surprise.
#And do you know what it is guarding?# Harry queried in excitement. #It's guarding Merlin House!#
"Merlin House?" the headmaster queried in apparent disbelief.
#Yes. Hogwarts has another house,# Harry informed him and told Fawkes and his grandfather what the phoenix had said to him. #Granddad, we should try to revive this house,# he suggested. #I think it would be just the right house for me. Why don't you ask the Sorting Hat about it; he should know everything.#
Dumbledore talked to the Sorting Hat for a few minutes, and Harry listened with interest. Sopho, the Sorting Hat, knew of course of the house but was charmed not to talk about it until asked. Now as Dumbledore had specifically asked him about it, he was able to speak about it. He recalled, that Roxana Ravenclaw when she founded Merlin House had put a charm on the house. Therefore, only an heir of Merlin could be the head of the house, and at a time when there were no teachers at Hogwarts who were heirs of Merlin they hadn't been able to use the house at all for several hundred years.
Suddenly Harry thought of something. #Granddad, could you please ask Sopho for me if he'd place me there if the house was active?#
tbc...
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