Only Time Will Tell

Chapter 16

Memories And Reunions

Hermione and Remus found themselves in the Gryffindor Common room again. It was full of students, none of who they recognized nor seemed to notice that two people had just appeared in their midst from a different time. Hermione glanced at Remus, and they exchanged nervous looks, "When in time are we?" they both thought. Just then a group of people caught Hermione's eye. Three of them had flaming red hair, one was slightly chubby, and one had untidy hair that only Harry had.

"I'm Ron, and this is my friend, er, John Brown." she heard one of the redheads say. Ron was here! She realized with relief. But who was he talking to, and why was he revealing himself? And then who was John Brown, and where was Peter?

"C'mon! We've got to follow them! Ron's here, I'm not sure who he's talking to, but we need to stay close." Hermione whispered, and Remus nodded. He placed the ignoring charm on them, and they followed Ron and the group out of the common room.

Being careful to stay back, Hermione and Remus strained to hear what the group was talking about in hopes of finding out who the people with Ron were.

"You have a forest?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Course we do, you do to!" the other redhaired boy told him, and the redhead girl interrupted to explain, as Ron looked very confused.

"Aurors get paid very well, didn't you know?" She told him.

"How is Grawp, anyways?" He asked after a slight pause, during which Hermione had been temporarily stunned by the news that Ron was going to be an Auror, and well, that he was going to have a forest.

"Same as usual, always reading, just as intelligent and well-mannered as ever." the girl replied, and Hermione nearly fell over. Intelligent and well-mannered? Reading? Surely they meant another Grawp!

Just then, they heard footsteps coming from the other end of the corridor. "Quick! You can't be seen!" the other redheaded boy hissed urgently, and there was a mad scramble to get behind a tapestry. Ron was about to duck behind it when the person spotted him.

"Weasley! What are you doing there?" Ron froze, and Hermione and Remus blanched. Sure enough, Severus Snape, looking older, was standing before them.

"Follow me, Weasley." Snape told him imperiously, and Ron gulped. Hermione was confused. They were obviously in the future, because Snape was older and Ron was apparently an Auror. Then why did Snape want him to follow him? And who were the others that he was with?

"We need to talk to them, they can tell us what's going on!" Remus told her, and they slipped behind the tapestry where the group was hiding.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione and Remus recognized Peter, as he asked the others in a worried whisper behind the tapestry.

"I don't know, but we've got to get him out of here!" the redhead girl squealed, watching from the opening Ron being led away. She looks really familiar, Hermione thought vaguely. But now was not the time!

"What's going on?" she asked them, removing the charm. "Peter, what year is this?"

The group stared at her in shock. The one boy looked so much like Harry, it was uncanny, and the redheads had some resemblance to Ron. The girl asked, "Who are you, and who is Peter?"

Remus put together what was going on. Ron had told these people that Peter was John Brown. "I'm Peter!" He told them quickly, also removing the charm. Hermione and Peter looked at him curiously. "And I'm not sure what year we're in!"

"And I'm Hermione. We're friends of Ron, we're also from the past." Hermione explained, but the three others' eyes widened. "We'll explain later, I'm not sure why Snape has taken Ron, but leave it to me to set it right.

After saying this, Hermione darted out from under the tapestry and put the charm on her once again. This is a very handy charm, she decided. She sprinted to the other end of the corridor, where Snape and Ron were heading towards, and followed.

"We need to discuss your potions grades, Weasley." Snape told him as they continued to march down the hall. Ron smiled inwardly, his son must be as bad at Potions as he had been!

"Professor, I think Potions just aren't my strong point, I think you'll remember how well my father was in your class." Ron answered, and Snape looked at him, puzzled.

"Your father was abysmal at Potions. He only got into my NEWT class because Dumbledore wanted him to become an Auror, everyone knows that. You, however, have an exceptionally rare gift for Potions." Snape finished impressively. It was Ron's turn to look puzzled. Potions? His son was going to have a rare and exceptional gift for potions?

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, and Snape looked at him as if Ron were incredibly stupid for asking.

"You've gotten an Outstanding on all of your grades so far, I consider that to be exceptional."

Snape turned and began to walk again at his fast pace. Hermione decided now was as good as ever, and stuck out her foot, much as James had in 1996. The result was much the same, and Snape ended up sprawled on the floor. Ron looked around, bewildered. Hermione grabbed his arm, and began to pull him towards the tapestry. Too stunned to protest against the thing he couldn't see that was pulling him, he followed the tug. Safely behind the tapestry, Ron found himself face to face with not only his children, his nephew, and his pet rat, but also Remus of all people. And he began to suspect who the invisible person had been…

"Hermione?" He whispered, and Hermione materialized before them.

"This is so weird. Mum and Dad come to visit from the Past!" Annie muttered, and Hermione nearly fell over, Mum and Dad?

"I'll explain on the way, they know how to get us back to our time." Ron reassured her, and Hermione nodded weakly.

"Weasley! Weasley! Where are you?" They could hear Snape hollering from the hallway, and finally, stomping off. The coast was clear.

"These are our CHILDREN?" Hermione asked, and Ron nodded as they headed once again for Hagrid's Hut.

"And we're MARRIED?" Another nod.

"And Harry and Ginny?" She asked, and Ron nodded.

"I know it's weird. I would never have guessed Harry and Ginny." Ron shrugged. Remus and Peter sympathized with them, remembering how James had reacted when he met Harry. Annie, Charlie, and Sirius had always known their parents had a strange habit of having unusual adventures, but they had never imagined them to this extent. It was especially weird to hear them talk about how they never thought Ginny and Harry would be together, as Harry and Ginny had always been together during their lifetimes.

"Ron, forget about Harry and Ginny! You and me? What about that? We always fight, Harry is always having to come between us! How can we be married?" Hermione asked him incredulously, and Ron scratched his head.

"Well, when you think about it, it's not really that far-fetched. I mean, we've known each other since first year, we're friends and all." Ron replied as they left the castle through the oak doors, heading for the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's Hut.

"But Harry and I are friends, too. And what about Ginny and Dean? I don't understand how it happened, or, actually, how it's going to happen." Hermione continued, and Ron looked hurt.

"Don't sound so excited about us getting married, Hermione." He responded dully, and Hermione blushed.

"Ron, it's not that I don't want to marry you! It's just that, right now in our time, we're always fighting over homework or stupid stuff like that! I guess I just never thought I'd be marrying you, that's all." Hermione tried to explain, but felt that somehow her words had hurt Ron even more. Ron waved it away as if it were nothing, but now he was really hurt.

True, they did fight about homework and teachers and even pets, but Ron knew deep down he cared for Hermione. Up to this point in his life, he had felt that his care for Hermione was no different than care for Harry or Ginny, as a friend or a sister. But ever since he had come here, met his children, learned of his future, he had been reevaluating this care. Was Hermione more than a friend? He hadn't been happy when Victor had asked her to the Yule Ball in their fourth year, but that was just because Victor was competing against Harry, right? Or had he been jealous? Well, Hermione apparently felt they were just friends, he reminded himself as they passed Hagrid's Hut.

"It's just a little ways back in here." Annie told them, and they entered the forest. They walked for a couple more minutes deeper into the forest. They finally reached a clearing, similar to the one Grawp had been in when he hadn't been so well mannered, but what ran through the clearing was very odd. It was a stream, but instead of water running through it, the fluid was silvery. It reminded Hermione of a substance Harry had once described to her, like wind made liquid, found in a device called a pensive.

"What is this place?" Remus asked, asking the question on Hermione's mind. Annie, Charlie, and Sirius exchanged nervous looks.

"Actually, we have no idea. When we were first years, Dumbledore called us to his office and told us something very peculiar. He told us that there was a river in the Forbidden Forest that our parents might need one day, and then he showed us where it was. But he never explained why, only that the river could take you through time. And, truthfully, to this day, I'd pretty much forgotten about it. But this morning Uncle Ron appeared, and then Aunt Hermione, all from the past. It's weird, like Dumbledore knew you all were coming." Sirius told them, accompanied with nods of agreement from Charlie and Annie.

"Somehow, Dumbledore always knows!" Ron said, bending over the river to examine it more closely.

"How does it work, d'you reckon?" Peter asked, also examining the river.

"Dunno. Maybe you get in it?" Charlie suggested. Hermione didn't much like this idea, messing with a strange substance in the wizarding world wasn't usually a smart idea, but what else could they do? For all she knew, Dumbledore could be dead now, and not much help to them. Cautiously, she extended her wand and touched the strange fluid. It swirled around her wand, and showed her reflection for an instant before returning to its calm, silvery state.

"Anyone venture a swim?" Ron asked, stepping into the substance, which swirled around his ankles. Everyone watched him with bated breath, and the seconds lengthened but still Ron remained virtually unchanged. Taking heart by this, Hermione, Remus, and Peter waded into the river as well.

"Now what?" Remus asked, the question stumping them all. Just then, a strange rumbling began to rise from further in the forest. It sounded oddly like a waterfall, and it was coming closer. Ron looked down at the fluid, and found that a change had come about. It was no longer silvery, but currents of pictures were floating by. He opened his mouth to mention this to the others, when the rumbling became distinctly louder. It was so loud, it was almost deafening.

"What's going on?" Annie called from shore, the ground shaking with the noise. The source of the noise became clear at once. A tumbling wave of the silvery fluid was crashing its way towards them, roaring as it picked up speed. It grew and grew, ten feet, then fifteen, twenty, swelling up. It reminded them of a tsunami, and it was rapidly approaching, washing out trees and other plants as it cleared its path.

"WHAT DO WE DO?" Hermione tried to yell to the others, mere feet away from her. Perhaps they hadn't heard her over the roar of the water, or perhaps they simply didn't know, but there was no response. Everyone remained transfixed, watching in horror as it came closer. Finally, the wave curled over, encompassing Hermione, Ron, Remus, and Peter in the silvery fluid.

Hermione felt as though she was drowning, there was no air for her to breathe! The force of the water knocked her over, tossed her around, caused her to tumble head over heels as it rolled on. She opened her eyes so she could try to find the others, but she no longer was swimming in the silver fluid, she was swimming in pictures. Pictures of herself as a baby, her mom cradling her while singing. Pictures of her with her muggle friends from elementary school, playing jump rope in the school yard.

Pictures of her during her first year of Hogwarts, telling Ron he had dirt on his nose. Harry, going after Malfoy during their first flying lesson. Ron and Harry, rescuing her from the troll. The room filled with potions, her telling Harry that he had to go on and face Voldemort with the Sorcerer's stone…

Pictures from her second year, Malfoy calling her a mud blood, Ron belching slugs. The rogue Bludger, chasing Harry. Lockhart, the polyjuice potion, peering around the corner with the mirror and meeting yellow eyes…

Pictures (were they just pictures? Memories?) from her third year, meeting Remus as the professor. Watching Harry fall from the air against Hufflepuff. Pulling Crookshanks off of Ron. Ron, blaming her for Scabbers' death. The shrieking shack, meeting Sirius for the first time. Sirius and Buckbeak flying away…

They must have been memories, more than just pictures, from her fourth year, watching the Dark Mark rise at the Quidditch World Cup. Harry's name coming out of the Goblet of Fire. Victor, dancing with her at the dance. Ron, first mad at Harry, then mad at her for dancing with Victor. Harry emerging from the maze, holding the Triwizard Cup and Cedric's body…

Memories from the year before, cleaning Grimmauld Place with Ron, eavesdropping on the Order of the Phoenix with the good ole' extendable ears. Harry, blowing up at Ron and her. Umbridge, what a horrible memory! And hearing about Mr. Weasley, comforting Ron during the Holidays. The DA meetings, Hagrid introducing her as "Hermy" to Grawp, hearing about Sirius's death after the night at the Ministry…

Hermione was certain she was dead. Her life had just flashed before her, that was a sure sign! But the pictures didn't stop there…

Happy pictures flashed before her now, pictures she had never seen before: She was Head Girl, telling Malfoy off for terrorizing the first years. She was hugging Ginny, who was telling her about something wonderful. She was walking through Hogsmeade, watching Ginny and Harry kiss as she and Ron spied from the invisibility cloak.

But then, sad pictures flashed by as well: Herself, shouting a curse at Bellatrix Lestrange, while other spells flashed around her. Watching Neville fall, hit with a stunning spell. Ron, carrying her away as she looked at her own blood streaming from her side. Harry, facing Voldemort, the battle becoming one jumble…

And then there were some that Hermione wasn't sure how she felt about: Ron, lifting her veil on their wedding day. Ginny, very pregnant, Harry helping her up. Mrs. Weasley placing flowers on a grave, oddly quiet. Herself, holding two small infants, each with flaming red hair. It was all very strange…

Quite suddenly, Hermione felt as though someone had yanked her up, the pictures fading from before her. The strong hands dragged her out, and she felt oxygen rush to her lungs as she sputtered and coughed. She was surprised to find that her eyes were closed, and she managed to open them, blinking in the sunlight, looking up into Ron's face.

"Hermione! Are you okay?" He asked, helping her to her feet.

"I think so…" She managed to say, unsure of what had just happened. She looked around, they were still in the forest, the very same clearing. But there were two major differences: Annie, Charlie, and Sirius were gone, and the silvery river was no where to be seen.

"Where's the river? How did we get here?" Hermione asked, and Remus, Peter, and Ron shrugged.

"It might not have been here yet, whatever time we're in." Remus answered.

"Then why did you have to pull me out of that liquid, if there wasn't a river?" She asked.

"The river kind of spit us out, and then we all sort of came to. You looked like you were still in there, as if you were drowning on land. It was weird, so I pulled you out of whatever you were drowning in. Peter was flopping like a fish for awhile, too." Ron told her, puzzling Hermione very much.

"We could be anywhere in time, 1971, 1996, or somewhere else entirely different!" Peter moaned, and Remus felt he was getting a little tired of this time travel business.

"Well, I just hope we're in a time where Hogwarts exists." Hermione told them, and they began to forage their way through the forest. Before long, to everyone's great relief, the Castle came into view.

As they headed for the castle, Hermione wondered whether any of the others had seen memories and what was coming… if they had, they were keeping it to themselves. Hermione tried to imagine what Ron had seen. And then she realized, Remus and Peter might have seen their futures, too! She desperately hoped they hadn't….

Stepping inside Hogwarts, they still didn't have a clue as to what time they were in, as Hogwarts rarely underwent drastic changes. Ron gazed around the Entrance Hall, looking for some indication of when they were. What he did see came as a relief and shock. Four people were running past on the second landing, two with untidy hair, one with longer dark hair, and one with red hair in the arms of the untidy haired boy in the lead.

"HARRY!" Ron hollered, and Remus, Peter, and Hermione, looked to see why he had shouted. Meanwhile, Harry, stopped and searched for who had called his name. Spotting Ron, he nearly dropped Ginny. How had they gotten here?

"RON!" He called back, and the others hurried up the stairs to meet them. It felt like ages since they had seen each other, in the year 1996. Everyone was at a loss for words upon seeing the other group, and Ron found his voice first, realizing the limp redhead in Harry's arms was Ginny.

"What happened to her?" He gasped, and Harry sighed.

"It's a long story. We're going to find Dumbledore now, he's setting up the thingy in the Time Chamber, and maybe he can help her." James told them, and they set off.

"What year is this?" Hermione asked Sirius as they hurried along.

"1943." He replied, and the year clicked instantly with her. 1943- TOM RIDDLE.

"Where did you come from?" He asked her.

"Sometime in the future, 2021 I think Ron said." She replied, remembering her children and nephew.

"Sounds like fun!" Sirius grinned, and Hermione returned the smile sweetly.

"If I remember correctly, the future sounding fun to the Marauders is what got us into this mess in the first place." She laughed as the smile dropped from Sirius's face.

"Oh yeah…"