Chapter 2 – Where are we?
Lily came to before James. She was standing in the same dormitory…but somehow…it was different. First of all, it was neat as a pin. Second of all, it was snowing. Third of all, the calendar – Lily's stomach dropped into her knees, which gave way and she fell on top of James' chest with a resounding thud. She was so scared; she didn't even notice what she was sitting on. The calendar said: December 10, 1999. Wait…she thought. Isn't this the year 1979? Not 1999. Oh my God, oh my God. The Timeturner…oh shit. WHERE THE HELL IS THE TIMETURNER?
"James!" she shrieked. She grabbed the water pitcher off of the windowsill and dumped the contents onto his face. He came to, spluttering from the vast amount of water that had gotten into his mouth.
"Wha…?" he asked, dazed.
"Look at this!" Lily shoved the calendar into his face. A look of utmost horror arose on his face as his brain processed the information. "And you know what else? The Timeturner's gone, too! It's gone! We're doomed! We can't get back without it!"
"Lily," said James in a voice bordering panic. "Calm down. Take a deep breath. Dumbledore will know what to do."
This helped to calm Lily down. Of course Dumbledore would know what to do. He was the headmaster and the greatest wizard of their time, wasn't he?
James looked at a clock on the nearest table. 6:30. "Come on," he said to Lily. "Everyone will be at dinner. We'll head for the Great Hall and, being as inconspicuous as possible, sneak up to the staff table and ask to speak to Dumbledore, alone. Come on Lily, you can do this. Just keep calm and don't freak out."
Lily nodded, and James helped her to her feet. They walked out into the exact same common room that had been there 20 years ago. Out of the portrait hole, down several flights of stairs, through a secret passage, and down to the Entrance Hall. They stood in the doorway of the Great Hall and surveyed the scene. The whole school seemed to be sitting and eating dinner at the house tables. Suddenly, a girl near the door, at the Hufflepuff table, caught sight of James and Lily. "Oh…my…God." she said, her voice carrying clearly across the Great Hall, above the din. "Susan! Look! It's Lily and James Potter!"
James put his head in his hands.