Author's Note: Here's the next chapter folks. Thanks for all the support! Keep reviewing! It's a little shorter than usual but its out quicker than usual too. Also, I'm an Experienced Beta Reader and I'm free to help those who want my help.
"Excuse me?" said Hermione after trying several times to speak but having no success.
"We are not in our time anymore," Severus said as though it were the simplest answer in the world.
Hermione's mind moved fast. "What do you mean?" she asked, staring at him as though he was crazy. "Time travel is impossible. Even with the use of a Time Turner, you can only go back a few hours each time."
"Time Travel is impossible?" Snape looked at her. "Think of what you have seen so far and tell me if something is not off."
Hermione's mind raced. She was only vaguely aware of Ron moving a few yards behind her. Her mind's eye went over all that had just happened. The Burrow didn't look as run down as it always had. She remembered that she had heard children inside. Mrs. Weasley had looked a lot younger and thinner than she had in recent months. It could have been stress, Hermione tried to reason, but she knew better. Her mind arrived at the conclusion she hadn't wanted to believe. "How?" was all she managed to say.
"My potion," said Severus rather proudly. "I created it myself."
"Where…excuse me…when are we?" Hermione asked.
"It's the year 1981," he said. "November 14th to be exact."
"It's the same day?" she asked. Somewhere off in the distance of the forest, something moved. It sounded like an animal. She couldn't see what it was.
"I wanted to come back earlier," said Snape, though he appeared to be talking to himself. His dark eyes gazed up, looking to the darkness of the night sky. Bright stars were above him as the crescent moon was high in the sky.
"What's going on?" asked Ron, running to Hermione and pulling out his wand. He pointed it at Snape who merely stared at him. "Hermione?"
She reached into her bag and pulled out Snape's wand. Without hesitation she handed it back to him. He held in his hand as though getting familiar with it again. He sighed heavily, feeling relieved. Not having a wand makes a wizard feel naked.
"What in the bloody hell is wrong with you?" asked Ron, looking at Hermione in confusion.
"We're working together now," said Hermione simply. She turned her attentions back on Snape. "How does the potion work?"
His eyes focused on hers. "It is a very complicated potion. However, basically it involves some of the rarest potion ingredients known to man. It is the most complicated potion I have ever come across."
"Did you invent it?" asked Hermione.
"No," said Snape slowly. "I got it from…someone."
Hermione waited for him to explain more, but he didn't. "So, why did we come back to this year instead of any others?"
"I had my reasons," said Snape. He appeared to be eager to change the subject. "We need to find Potter."
Hermione and Ron's eyes bulged. "Harry's in this time too?" Ron asked, apparently forgetting that he was supposed to be angry with Snape.
"Yes, he is," said Snape, apparently just noticing that Ron was there. "I just hope he hasn't done any permanent damage."
"I doubt it," Ron said.
Hermione and Snape turned and looked at him, the same expression on both of their faces.
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"So when do we destroy it?" Harry asked Dumbledore. He and the Headmaster were in Harry's bedroom at Number Twelve Grimmuald Place. Harry sat on his bed; the diary of Tom Riddle was on the end table next to his bed. Dumbledore stood in front of him, his face illuminated by the brightness of the room. Though his eyes were focused on Harry, he seemed to be staring right through him.
Dumbledore didn't say anything for a moment. When he did speak, he spoke slowly as though debating what his next words would be. "I believe," he began, "that it should be destroyed as quickly and as quietly as possible."
"So which method do we use?"
"I believe that using the Sword of Gryffindor would be best, as it is our most accessible means to destroy it," said Dumbledore.
"Right now then?" asked Harry, peering at the clock. They had just gotten back from the Ministry of Magic after dropping off the Death Eaters they captured. James could be heard snoring from the room next door, and on the other side, Sirius was following suit. Harry turned and looked out the window, seeing the purple and red-orange lights of the morning sun rising.
"No Harry," said Dumbledore. A ray of light came through the window, shining on his face and illuminating the old man's face. "I will take the diary for the night. I must admit that I am a bit tired as well. However, I'd like to take it back to the school and study it."
"No problem," said Harry, not trying to sound like he was rushing the Professor, but his eyes were starting to burn from lack of sleep.
"I will see you tonight," said Dumbledore, opening the door to the bedroom. He paused for a moment. Harry saw a gleam of something in his eyes but couldn't tell what it was. "Harry, I may soon ask you to do something for me," he said slowly. "Loosing his top followers may set Voldemort on edge. If he prepares to retaliate, I will be needed."
"Sir?" Harry looked at him, perplexed.
"I will explain it all at another time Harry," said Dumbledore. He smiled weakly at him before closing the door, leaving Harry alone in the room. He lay back in the bed and peered out the window. His thoughts were his company now.
In one room were his parents, and in the other was Sirius. In all his life, he had wanted to be so much closer to them. Now that he had the chance, he had never felt more far away. He refused to try and get close to them because he knew that there was every chance his mission would fail and he would be forced to return to his own time without them. His mind wandered to thoughts of his friends.