Disclaimer: Anything you don't recognize belongs to ME. However, if you have never read Harry Potter, don't go running to JK Rowling saying "that girl says she owns Harry Potter!" because that is not my issue since it is not true. Thank you.

Summary:

Every 75 years, it is said that a portal opens at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry admitting students from 20 years into the future. What happens if the portal just so happened to open during the Marauders' seventh year? Partly AU.

Chapter 4- Through The Portal: 1997

Where am I? Harry thought as he woke up drowsily in an unknown area. Looking around, all of the previous night's events came back to him. The news, the meeting, the eavesdropping, the overdose of firewhiskey afterwards (to drown his sorrows in), everything…well, maybe not everything. He couldn't remember what the news was, or what the meeting was about, or whom he had eavesdropped on, or why he had chosen to have so much firewhiskey. All he knew was that he was in the Room of Requirements and was clutching an empty bottle in his right hand. If he were sober, he would have solemnly sworn never to drink again.

The random thoughts left Harry's mind when he suddenly realized he wasn't feeling too well. He could feel nausea coming up his throat. Before he knew what he was doing, he had vomited beside the plush sofa he had fallen asleep in.

Ugh…perhaps he'd skip breakfast and see if Madame Pomfrey would give him a hangover potion…no! What was he thinking! No way in hell was he going to ask Madame Pomfrey for one, no matter how bad he felt, he decided. He'd just have to sneak one.

With that thought, Harry quickly cleaned the mess he made, all the while ignoring his pounding headache. Bad choice. As he got up, the world spun in circles and he fell to the floor moaning and groaning about the pains of drinking.

Ginny scanned the hall during breakfast. Everyone seemed to be there except for Harry. Briefly, she wondered where he was before deciding he probably overslept or something. Nevertheless, she quickly finished her scrambled eggs, curious as to know what he was doing.

"Where are you going so early? Breakfast's only begun," Ginny's friend, Maria, said curiously when she saw her friend getting up to leave.

Rolling her eyes, Ginny replied, "I'm going to wake Harry up because Ron obviously forgot." And to say goodbye, she mentally added. Maria smirked as if reading her thoughts. Ignoring her look, Ginny left through the doors of the Great Hall.

She started a steady but slow walk back to Gryffindor tower. Why did she want to say goodbye all of a sudden? It was only a couple of days ago that she was mad at him for shagging that blonde in the Leaky Cauldron.

Shaking those thoughts off, she stopped at the portrait of the Fat Lady and said the password. As she began heading toward the boys dormitories, more thoughts clouded her mind, and she had half a mind to turn around.

He's probably in there with another girl or something…ugh.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny flung open the door…only to find it empty. Harry wasn't there.

Where could he be?

Taking a wild guess, Ginny turned back around and sprinted to the next best place – the Room of Requirements.

Meanwhile, Harry was nursing his headache and cursing his luck back in the Come-and-Go room when the door slammed open, causing him to jerk back and making the headache return full force.

"Why? Why?" he moaned. Standing in the doorway was Ginny Weasley in all her red hair glory.

"I've been looking for you everywhere! You weren't at breakfast, or in the – were you drinking last night, Harry Potter?!" she exclaimed when she saw the state he was in. Knowing he couldn't get away with this, Harry nodded weakly.

"Help me?" he asked almost pitifully, not quite managing to pull off a puppy-dog face. One look at it and Ginny laughed. She threw her head back and her shoulders shook in mirth.

"You really are pathetic, you know that?" she shook her head. "This is the Room of Requirements. You can make anything you want appear." Closing her eyes, she wished for a hangover potion. With a 'pop', it appeared on the mahogany table beside Harry, who took it gratefully.

"You owe me, Potter," she said after he drank it and got to his feet.

"What? I do not!" Harry looked at her. "It's not like you went out and brought it to me. I could have wished for it myself! As a matter of fact, I did that with the firewhiskey last night!"

"But the point is, you didn't this time."

"You're impossible, you know that?"

Ginny ignored his comment, and began thinking of ways he could repay her.

"Hmm…go out with me?" she asked.

"No," Harry responded in an almost bored manner. "Can't you do better than that?"

"Oh shut it, it was worth a shot…let me have your Firebolt then."

"Absolutely not!" Harry gasped dramatically. "This is stupid, you know that?"

"Stupid is it? I'll show you stupid…strip-tease in the Great Hall during lunch to a Madonna song," Ginny challenged him.

"Is Madonna that lady in the music videos that Dudley watches while he practices his aerobics with Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked curiously.

"I don't know!" Ginny gave him an odd look. "Hermione told me of her. Said that a really popular song of hers nowadays was 'Like A Virgin'."

Harry's eyes bulged out, causing her to burst out laughing. "You look like the time when Percy was constipated in second year!" she said at the same time Harry exclaimed in a moment of stupidity, "I'm not a virgin!"

Everything went silent. Harry began searching for an exit but found none, due to the fact that a very pissed off redhead was blocking the doorway.

Ginny tried to absorb this piece of news, but found it impossible. The silence continued until Harry jumped forward and engulfed the redhead in a hug, believing that kissing up was the next best option when he couldn't flee.

"Are you still drunk?" Ginny asked confusedly while "trying" unsuccessfully to pry Harry's arms off of her. Truth be hold, she kind of liked this feeling…reminded her of the days they had dated back in fifth year. Judging by the last thing he said however, it seemed as if he really was over her.

"Please don't tell anyone!" Harry begged. "I didn't mean for it to happen!" Eew. Ginny really didn't want to get into this. The first piece of news was shocking (and, in an odd way, depressing) enough as it was. Harry pulled away after realizing that she wasn't hugging him back.

"Ginny…you know I was kidding, right?" he asked concernedly. "Ginny? Ginny? GINNY!" Harry grasped the girl's shoulders and began shaking her vigorously when she didn't respond. "Do you want me to perform CPR?"

"Oy! I am not a rag doll!" Ginny came out of her stupor and slapped Harry's shoulder. "What's CPR?"

"Mouth-to-mouth. Muggle thing." Harry grinned. Ginny slapped him again on the shoulder.

"Prat! That whole thing wasn't funny! What possessed you to say that?" Ginny asked, feeling upset. She didn't entirely believe him.

"Ginny…I swear on my mother's grave that it's not true," Harry said softly. He added a dazzling smile for effect.

"Then why did you say it!" Ginny repeated, throwing her hands up with an air of someone announcing that the world was coming to an end.

"To see your reaction," Harry retorted cheekily. "It seemed to have upset you quite a bit, but that's okay." Here he paused to pat the girl's head almost sympathetically, and directed her to the sofa he had vacated earlier. "I am every girl's fantasy after all." That earned him a third slap from the redhead.

"So you're a virgin?" Ginny asked, just to be sure.

"I never said anything about that. I simply said I was kidding."

"You aren't a virgin?!"

"Let's drop this topic, okay? We'll never ever bring it up again."

"Best idea you've had all morning…I don't know about not bringing it up again though," Ginny gave an evil grin. "Think of all the blackmail!" At Harry's look, she changed the topic. "How about…you take me with you," she said excitedly, all the while wondering why she hadn't thought of the idea earlier.

"With me where?" Harry looked at her oddly, obviously forgetting that he still owed her. He suddenly asked, "Are you feeling okay?"

Ginny ignored his last comment again. "To the past! Take me with you to the past…come on," she tried to persuade him when he looked unsure.

"But how Ginny?" he asked her. "Have you put some thought into this?"

"Well, we can try…nevermind…" Ginny herself now looked (and felt) unsure. It didn't help that Harry had inched closer to her and snaked his arms around her waist. His muscular arms, she might add…damn him and his sexiness…

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she realized Harry was talking.

"– is it? If you can think of something, then say it. It'd be pretty cool to have you there…and we could hook up again," Harry whispered slyly into her ear after lifting the offending hair out of the way gently, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

Harry hid a smile. Merlin, he loved teasing her. But he was being serious about hooking up. He was beginning to forget why he had broken up with her in the first place. Protection…how pathetic of him. She was better than any other girl he had shagged over the summer. They all lacked personality…argh! What was he thinking!

"Maybe you can put an expanding charm on the inside of your trunk and I can go in there," Ginny suggested with renewed vigor after Harry pulled away with an odd expression on his face.

"My trunk? Have you seen the inside of it? It'll be a rather painful ride, but if you're up to it…"

Harry shook his head and seemed to be holding in laughter. In truth, Ginny hadn't seen the inside of his trunk…ever. She said the next thing that popped out of her mouth.

"Take two trunks then, and put me in one and your stuff in the other. Be sure to cushion my trunk though," Ginny said. This time Harry laughed but agreed nonetheless.

"Seventh years are dismissed from classes early today to get last minute stuff together. I'll make your trunk…cushiony," Harry said. "What do you intend to do when people here find out you're gone?"

"I'll leave them a note…honestly, Harry, do you think I'm as daft as Ron?" Ginny rolled her eyes and cracked a smile. "Be sure to bring your invisibility cloak and give it to me at lunch though."

"Consider it done."

"Oh shut it. This talk isn't over."

"I was kidding! I swore on my mother's grave! And that's saying something!"

The day was half over and the students were filing into the Great Hall once again for lunch. When Harry walked in with Ron and Hermione, Ginny frantically waved him over. She was sitting with Maria again today.

"Hey guys, I'll be right back," he said, looking at Ginny humorously. Ron simply shrugged and went to sit at an empty part of the table. Hermione, however, shot him a curious look over her shoulder before following Ron.

Not moving from where he was when he first entered the hall, Harry continued to stare Ginny down gleefully until she couldn't take his immaturity anymore.

"I think he wants you to go get him Ginny," Maria said with a giggle. Ginny did just that. Too bad Harry wouldn't move that easily.

"Give me a kiss," he said childishly, tapping his cheek. After many strenuous attempts, Ginny (with the help of Maria and some blackmail threats) managed to get Harry into a seat.

"Ah, how may I help you two lovely ladies this afternoon?" Harry asked, placing an arm around each girl. Ginny immediately slapped his hand away, not unlike earlier.

"I honestly don't know how Ron and Hermione put up with you," Ginny shook her head sadly but smiling nonetheless. "Anyways, how about that cloak?" Deciding not to annoy her any further (he probably ruined her day as it was), Harry retrieved his invisibility cloak out of his pocket (it barely fit) and "discreetly" handed it to her. Maria watched the exchange curiously but decided not to say anything. She'd ask Ginny about it later.

After giving the redheaded girl a thump on the back and saying "good luck!" Harry got up and went back to Ron and Hermione.

"Ron! Do you have any extra pillows?" Harry yelled across the boys' dormitories that afternoon, which was a mess thanks to him. No one had even unpacked their belongings yet.

"Harry, why do you need two trunks, one of them being a trunk full of pillows?" Ron asked exasperated. Every time any of the guys asked this, Harry refused to comment. He would simply grab some more pillows off someone's bed and place another expanding charm on the trunk.

Eventually it was almost time for dinner and everyone cleared out of the dormitory…except for Harry. He had said that he needed to fix his hair (as if that was possible – besides, it was sexy when it was messy), and his roommates, surprisingly, had fallen for it. Now all he had to do was wait for Ginny to come up.

Minutes passed. Harry began doubting that Ginny would come.

If she stood me up, I will kill her…I spent a lot of time gathering those pillows!

He then began plotting different ways to kill Ginny. What he didn't notice was that she had already come up and was sitting on his bed, examining the trunk she would be traveling in.

"I'll pelt her with dungbombs until she dies of the smell…" Harry could be heard murmuring.

"Help me in, would you?" she finally asked when she grew tired of waiting for his muttering to cease. Startled, Harry looked up.

"When did you get here?" he questioned. Sensing she wasn't going to answer, Harry leaned over and opened the trunk. Ginny hesitated.

"Will I be able to breathe?" she asked faintly. Harry heaved a sigh and motioned for her to get in.

"I trust you, Harry," she warned before going in. She was able to stretch out almost comfortably. Harry gave her a lingering kiss on the forehead and then cast a long-lasting bubble head charm on her.

"So you will be able to breathe," he mocked her grinningly before closing the lid.

"Seventh years! In a line please…alphabetically Miss Brown, go back to the front…" It was dinnertime and McGonagall was in a frenzy attempting to arrange the students in the Entrance Hall, where the portal would be appearing at 6:50. She looked to make sure that all the students had their belongings.

"Mr. Potter! Why do you need two trunks?" She asked, feeling frustrated.

"To bring extra pillows!" Hermione piped up from in between Gregory Goyle and Daphne Greengrass. She had found out he was bringing pillows when he came up to her and asked for some.

"I won't even argue," McGonagall rubbed her face, feeling older than ever. At least they would be out of her hair soon.

Doing one final check on all of the students (Neville had apparently lost his toad), McGonagall felt pleased. Everyone was fidgeting and waiting impatiently now, wishing for the portal to come. Harry was holding on to his trunks as if they were containing glass, making her wonder if he really was carrying pillows.

Within the next minute, a dim blue light was forming in the center of the room, gradually increasing in brightness and size. The students, as well as their professor, all had to shield their eyes from the glow until it stopped getting bigger. Now everyone was staring at it in awe until the headmistress broke the students' trains of thought.

"Well…Miss Abbott, you'll be going in first. Be sure to follow her in the line you are currently in. I should be waiting at the other end…and please behave yourselves when you get there!" McGonagall directed the last part to Harry and his friends.

One by one, students began entering the portal, starting with Hannah and ending with Blaise Zabini. Once all of the students had left and the portal closed up again, McGonagall turned and went back into the Great Hall. There was to be 33 less students this year…or so she thought. She had yet to realize Ginny's disappearance.

After stumbling out of the portal, Harry dusted himself off, levitated his trunks carefully and looked around. Behind him, Dean Thomas was doing the same, though with slightly more awe. The castle didn't look much different. At least, not the Entrance Hall.

Once the last student had stepped out of the portal, it began to shrink back into nothing. This time the students paid no heed to it.

"Is everyone here?" A voice asked from the shadows once the portal had fully disappeared. Stepping out into the light, all of the students were able to get their first look at McGonagall twenty years younger (with the exception of Harry and Padma). Many couldn't refrain from letting out a laugh. Seeing the most strict teacher at Hogwarts with less gray hair and fewer wrinkles was rather amusing. Harry caught Padma's eye and they both grinned. Padma also blushed.

"Yes, Professor. Everyone's here," Hermione answered for all the seventh years.

"Very well. Kindly get back into your line; it is already 6:55. You will be entering in 5 minutes." Apparently McGonagall wasn't any less strict when she was younger. The students scrambled to get back into alphabetical order. Parvati could be seen hurrying away from Lavender.

"Talk to him," Padma hissed vehemently at her sister when she arrived before standing straight and facing forward again as McGonagall walked by.

Only the previous day had she and her sister talked about Harry Potter in an abandoned classroom off the second floor corridor. Padma remembered her sister's words clearly: You fancy him, Padma. Face it, love can do crazy things. Never being into romance as much as Parvati, she had responded by asking "but is this love?" Shaking her head sadly at that point, most likely wondering why she was blessed with such an unromantic sister, Parvati promised to talk to Harry for her.

"It is 6:59. Is everyone where they should be?" the future headmistress called out. Hearing the chorus of yeses, she smiled, satisfied. Perhaps these students wouldn't be as much of a handful as she'd initially thought. Little did she know, that would be the understatement of the year.

The last minute was spent in silence, broken by the sounds of shuffling feet. Each student was looking anxiously at the clock or their watches, counting down each second…

"It's time."

A/N: CURSE YOU, MADONNA! The whole chapter was ruined because I decided to write about you! Now I hate the chapter. Why did I ever think about elaborating! The story now sounds like its written by a whore…

Review, nonetheless.

(I'll dedicate the part about strip teasing is dedicated to you, Miss Whiskers :) I'll say that I would have used Milkshake, but it wasn't around in 1997…)

Let me explain how Ginny was able to go through the portal when she's not a seventh year. If you remember in book 6, Harry could go on the boat with Dumbledore because he was still underage and his magic wouldn't be noticed. It's similar with the portal. Her magic wasn't noticed. There's a different magic though that's similar to an age line, which won't allow anyone over seventeen to enter (unless they turn eighteen in their seventh year, but whatever). It's supposed to be really simple, so no need to over-analyze and harass me with questions.

Be sure to check my profile for story update info and a list of all the people who went to 1977! (Now you now who the secret person is – Ginny Weasley).