THE TIME-TURNER
by chipped purple nail polish
this update: April 30th, 2007

a/n: Thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews!

Chapter Four

Gretchen leaned back in her seat, arms crossed. She looked at Hermione sharply. "You're asking me to...to poison someone that could very well not be the person you're accusing him of being?"

Hermione bit her lip. "Er...precisely."

Gretchen shook her head. Leaning forward, she sighed. "All right... I don't know why the heck I'm doing this- I've never been the type to, well, want to do someone in before, but I suppose- I mean, you did prove you're from the future and you told this terrible story that no one in their right mind could think up- you are in your right mind, aren't you?"

Hermione stifled a smile. "Yes. I am perfectly sane."

"That's what they all say, isn't it?" Gretchen asked rhetorically, her violet hair catching the light. "All right... I guess- I'm in."

Hermione released her smile. "Good. Where do you think we should start?"

"Well you, Hermione," Gretchen began, standing. "Ought to stay here. Hardly anyone knows about this room, and, anyway, I highly doubt that they'll know the right thing to say to find you in here... So, yes... And I don't really talk much, and I spend an awful lot of time in the library-"

Hermione got a fleeting image of herself.

"-so it won't be too suspicious if I'm not around too much... But this potion thingy- how exactly do you slip it to someone who sits three tables away without him being suspicious? And, anyway, how on earth are we going to make it?"

"I can brew it," Hermione said, tapping the protruding cauldron in her bag. "I got an 'O' on my O.W.L.s for potions. We just need to choose a potion whose ingredients aren't too crazy and doesn't take forever."

"Okay..." Gretchen agreed. "But it still doesn't solve our problem. How do I slip it to the guy?"

Hermione closed her eyes for a moment. Opening them, she said softly, "Lord Voldemort... doesn't have friends, Gretchen, I doubt he ever has. So this will be difficult, oh so difficult, but it's the only way, truly, I suppose- Anyone could do it, I guess, he may be a Dark wizard but he still has a Y chromosome..."

"What are you talking about?" Gretchen demanded.

Hermione grinned. "I need you to make Lord Voldemort fall in love with you. I don't care how. It just needs to happen."

"Wha- no! Ew!" Gretchen cried.

"Oh, come on," Hermione chided her. "It can't be that hard, can it? And you can't say he isn't good looking..."

"Well, yeah, but- I mean, he's nefarious. EVIL! I can't- I can't love him."

"It doesn't matter if you love him. It just matters if he loves you, Gretchen." Hermione pointed out. "I'll fix the potion, and you'll fetch the ingredients if I need them, and you will get Voldemort to fall for you. Some way or another. Seduce him. I don't know. I don't care."

"No, I will not!" Gretchen cried, standing. "I am not going to play dumb with Lord Voldemort! I don't care if he kills hundreds, thousands- millions!- of innocent people. I refuse to do that."

Hermione inhaled, and sat back in her chair, sighing. "You don't care? That's fine, if you don't, I'm not forcing you to do anything. But ought I give you a better idea of just how bad it is? Of how many people have died?"

Gretchen stared at her, anger etched onto her olive face. She didn't say a word.

Hermione dipped her head. "Remus Lupin... He's in his forties now... His young wife, Tonks- oh, I miss her so much- was murdered a couple of months ago by Voldemort. And when Remus was a little kid his father accidentally offended a Death Eater, and Lord Voldemort sent Fenrir Greyback after him. Greyback's a werewolf. Now Remus is too."

Gretchen's hand went to her mouth.

"And then Susan Bones- a girl in my year... She's lost all of her family to the Death Eaters. And Neville Longbottom... his parents were tortured into insanity by some Death Eaters... They're at St. Mungo's now, and they don't even recognize him..." Hermione drifted off, letting the power of her words impact Gretchen in the troubled silence.

A tear glistened in Gretchen's eye. "All right, all right..." she whispered. "I'll do it, I'm not sure how, but I'll try-"

Hermione nodded. "Okay," she answered softly.

Gretchen made for the door. "I'll be back soon, and we can talk about this more, okay?" She wiped her eye with the back of her hand.

"Okay," Hermione agreed. "See you."

"See you," Gretchen replied. And she was gone.

Hermione closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair. A tear slipped beneath her eyelid and ran down her cheek. Even though she knew she'd never give it to him, Hermione slipped out a piece of parchment and began to pen a letter to Harry.

Dear Harry,

You wouldn't believe it if I told you (I am still finding it hard to believe myself) but I am in the year 1944. Odd, isn't it? I found a Time-Turner in the Room of Requirement, and it brought me back here... And I'm going to kill Lord Voldemort. I don't know how, but I am. I did the math, and I know that the only Horcrux he has made so far is that awful ring of the Gaunt's. I don't know how I'm going to find it or destroy it, but I know I must. There is no other way.

I'm so sorry, Harry, about Ron and I. I didn't tell you why I stayed at Hogwarts; I was pretty sure you knew, and if you didn't know, you would figure it out. Before the end of term last year, Ron confessed his feelings for me... But I have never felt more than friendship for Ron, and I felt awful after telling him that. He was angry with me; that entire summer was awfully awkward. I knew that I couldn't stay with you and Ron. Ron needed time to heal, and Hogwarts needed a member of the Order, now that they've recruited us.

I told no one, however, of the Order that I was coming here, and part of me wishes I did. I know Dumbledore is a teacher here (in 1944), but I don't see how I could go to him and get his help. He told you he was always weary of Riddle as a child, but I suppose he never quite foresaw what he would turn into... It's hard to believe, though, that I could speak to Dumbledore if I wanted. I still can't believe he died...

I met a girl here. Her name is Gretchen, and she's a lot like me, except for her bright violet hair. She reminds me of Tonks almost... She's going to help me on my quest to kill Riddle. It took ages to convince her he was truly evil and that she could trust me, but once I did she seemed to believe me. We decided to make Riddle fall in love with her... I don't know how, really- he never was one to get close to anyone. But he is still human, and he is still a boy...I wonder how accomplished he is at Leglimency right now? If he's really good, than I suppose there's no point of Gretchen even trying... But perhaps he isn't? Perhaps we have a chance?

I miss both you and Ron. Good luck on your journey, and hopefully someday I will join you once more...

All my love,

Hermione

Hermione shoved the letter into her bag and pulled out her potions textbook, thumbing through the pages, searching for a potion that could help them. The only one that might was The Draught of Living Death, but there was an antidote... She needed something more...permanent.

Rubbing her eyes, she suddenly felt very tired. Stretching, she thought about bed. Suddenly, she looked around and found herself in a squishy armchair in the middle of a luxurious suite, complete with a restroom, office, and kitchen. Smiling, Hermione walked to a dresser. Inside it she found a stack of maroon silk pajamas. Slipping out of her robes and into the sleepwear, Hermione yawned. She walked over to the bed and tunneled under the covers. The moment her head hit the pillow she fell fast asleep.

chipped