With the entire story retold, including the hour-that-would-never-be, they waited nervously for Ron, Neville and Luna to react in some way, knowing that they had precious little time to formulate a new plan.

"…Did I also catch a talking Zigzagoon who has an obsession with guns?" The blonde asked, watching Percy sweep up broken glass.

"No." Nasrin answered, starting to smile.

"Good. That means I can cosplay as Rocket!"

"Say something." Ginny whispered when the boys remained quiet. "Say you believe us."

"What?" Ron voiced, blinking from his thoughts. "Of course I believe you! I'm just shocked I did something so stupid."

"Yeah, but all of us tend to run off without thinking." Neville reasoned. "It's almost a tradition at this point."

"Still, getting caught like that? I'm a bloody idiot."

"You believe us?" Harry clarified, surprised.

"Mate, think about it. Our first Battle Instructor was possessed by Voldemort, and I killed him before he could take control of a legendary Poke Ball that can capture anything. They year after that, our Battle Instructor mindwiped students, Cho Chang was possessed by Voldemort, you Fused to fight and capture the Beast of Slytherin by wielding the Sword of Gryffindor, which happened to be a Cobalion that's still alive even after all these years. Scabbers being your godfather's brother? That's tame for even this year."

"Remember when Luna spent a week dressed in a jumpsuit trying to drive out some ghost she called Peeves?" Neville reminded them. "Now that was weird."

"Who you gonna call?" Nasrin admitted, shrugging.

"Where was Slimer when you needed him?" Luna agreed.

"So you're all on board with us?" Hermione clarified.

"Scabbers is evil. Snape is Harry's uncle. Neville died, Luna and I almost died, you have a Legendary that can travel back in time. Yeah, I think I have it all."

"I wish we led duller lives." Ginny grumbled.

"What's the game plan?" Neville asked Harry and Nasrin. "I assume we're going to go about this a bit differently this go around."

"Hell yes." They assured, Harry pulling out his Pokedex.

"Tonks?"

"What the hell took you so long? I've been pretending to take a piss for the last eight minutes so I could get your call in private! Sirius is going to think I have bladder issues! It's bad enough that I suddenly found myself an hour back in time while I was in the middle of a jump! I about broke my ankle, you no good bloody-"

"Okay, okay, sorry for the wait!" Nasrin placated quickly, Mulan helping cover Melody's ears while Rapunzel hugged a startled Duchess in comfort.

"But we're here now so we can come up with a battle plan."

"The game plan is what it should have been from the start. You seven stay in the tower and don't even think about interfering."

"Exactly." Harry and Nasrin echoed. "We agree one hundred percent."

"…Why do I suddenly hear someone screaming 'it's a trap'?"

"Oh, was I shouting that out loud?" Luna wondered, blushing.

"It isn't." Harry assured.

"I admit that we all screwed up."

"We want Regulus to pay, and we're willing to sit back and let you do the work."

Tonks stared at them, disbelieving.

"Still think this might be a trap."

"It's not, we swear."

"Harry…"

"Alright, fine!" Nasrin huffed.

"We're going to wait till you sign off, and then go to the back door that Regulus used to escape the Shack and stake it out."

"See, was that so hard? And now I can have Castform guard that door, giving you no reason to go to the Shack. Thanks for your offer, though."

The call ended, and Neville raised a brow.

"That isn't your real plan, is it?"

"Nope." They confirmed, already heading for the teleporter with Eevee and Pongo on their heels.

"We're going to the Shrieking Shack, aren't we?"

"Nope." They shot down.

"We were being honest about wanting to stay out of Sirius and Tonks' way."

"But we're still going to help." Ron voiced, confused.

"Yeah." Nasrin assured with a smile.

"If Sirius fails, then we're going to make sure Regulus doesn't harm another person ever again."

After the break-in, Madame Bones had installed a state-of-the-art security system at Professor Dumbledore's request to hopefully prevent a similar happening.

Sporting anti-teleportation shielding, it also had a Lock-Down Procedure that shut every room and hallway to trap any intruders while protecting students, with an alarm that would warn the staff, Aurors and government as a whole of danger at Hogwarts.

This system was marketed as hacker-proof, with six different types of encryption that created layers of protection against manipulation.

Ginny had cracked it weeks ago, just for fun, and Mulan covered her ears when the alarm blared.

"Did you have to set off the loudest bloody alarm in the entire school, Gin?" Ron shouted, covering his ears as said Weasley rolled her eyes.

"There's only one alarm that's triggered when the Lock-Down Procedure is in effect, Ron!"

Disconnecting her Pokedex, Ginny turned to Harry and Nasrin as Ariel ground her teeth in a growl.

"Alright, if the sirens and flashing lights weren't enough, I did it."

"Good." They replied, firm.

"So now we wait it out, right?" Neville clarified, heading to a nearby open classroom that Hermione had already disappeared into.

"Seems kinda boring." Ron complained, following with Luna.

"Well, I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about. We can discuss why Harry and Nazz betrayed us."

"Why they did what?"

Ginny yelped when she shoved across the threshold, door locking at her back.

"HARRY! NAZZ!"

"Sorry." Harry whispered as Nasrin pressed a hand against the door, teary-eyed.

"But we're not going to risk you again."

The memories of their aborted fates were too fresh, Neville's beaten body and Ron's slit throat and Luna's dying wail vivid as fresh blood, and neither would allow a chance for any of it to be repeated.

"That was pretty sneaky."

Mulan yelped as the pair whipped around, Harry cursing to find that Hermione had slipped out of the room before it locked.

"And there's no need for that language. Now then-"

"Hermione-"

"Don't." Hermione replied firmly. "I'm with you on this, whether you like it or not."

"You don't have to do this." Nasrin reasoned, Ariel cooing softly in her ear.

"You've proved yourself enough. I forgave you for Lockhart-"

"You think this is about forgiveness?" Hermione cut in, scowling. "Harry, I know you've forgiven me. I know. This isn't about that at all. This is about you being my friends, and me standing beside you till the end. I couldn't during our First Year, and the second…Well, you know what happened there. But this year? This year, I help you save the day."

Her eyes flashed, and Nasrin felt the depth of resolve hidden underneath.

"Besides, he hurt my friends, too."

Their gazes connected for a moment, and Harry took a deep breath.

"Alright." They agreed. "But we play this our way."

"What's the plan?" She agreed, following as Nasrin led a run through silent, flashing hallways.

Empty and cast in unnatural light, the castle turned into a foreboding, hellish backdrop as she pulled open a door that revealed a flight of stairs and a teleporter pad that led straight to their destination.

The astronomy tower.

With a few spins, the trio were surrounded by a quiet night, the alarm a distant reminder of their urgent mission even in the dark classroom.

"What are we looking for?" Hermione asked softly as the pair split up, Nasrin floating to check the top of equipment while Harry moved along the walls with both hands.

"Regulus didn't have the Control Ball with him."

"If he had, he would have used it right in the Shrieking Shack."

"We're betting he stashed it here."

"Why couldn't he have hidden it somewhere else and just brought it here?" She wondered, checking the student's tables.

"He might like theatrics, but he isn't a fool."

"He needed to get to the Control Ball and activate it without any time to spare."

"It's here."

"What's a Control Ball, anyway?" Hermione mused, checking Professor Sinestra's desk. "I've never heard of it before."

"That's because it isn't your typical Poke Ball."

"A Control Ball is about twice the size of a normal Poke Ball, and can hold other Poke Balls and activate them in one burst."

"Sirius uses one to control his Dusknoir, and Regulus does the same thing."

"So it's too big to carry all the time, and can't be shrunk down like a normal Poke Ball." Hermione deduced. "So he must have hidden it in the tower after he escaped the dorm, sent the Dusknoir to Le Fay's Landing…But when he failed, he couldn't get the Ball back."

"And the Dusknoir slowly returned in the night." Harry agreed, turning to a nearby bookshelf as Nasrin checked underneath furniture.

"Waiting for their master to return."

The boy smiled as he removed some ill-organized books, reaching into the gap.

"Too bad we got to it first."

Nasrin smiled as she joined him with Ariel and Mulan, taking in the heavy silver Ball with black markings.

"I give you the Control Ball."

"Thank you, Harry."

The trio twisted away, Harry and Hermione falling behind Nasrin as Regulus entered through a window, recalling his Crobat.

"I'm very glad you found that." He continued with a conman smile. "My name is Regulus Black. I've been working with my brother, Sirius, to help stop-"

"Save your lies." Nasrin bit out, Ariel and Mulan thrumming aggressively.

"We know who you are, traitor." Harry agreed.

"We know everything."

Regulus paused, mouth puckering, but continued to sound pleasant.

"So you puzzled it all out. Perhaps you're smarter than those you keep the company of. My brother and his little allies were all quite startled when I made my appearance."

He took a single step forward, hand extended.

"Now let us see if you're smarter than your parents. Surrender, and I will let you live."

"Piss off." They snapped back, pink light flickering.

"As dumb as they are, I see."

Mulan practically hissed when he advanced another step.

"What do you plan to do now, Rose Quartz? The Control Ball is bio-locked to me. You can't use the Dusknoir. Maybe you're thinking of fighting me?"

With a flick of the wrist, Regulus released his Empoleon, Manectric and Crobat.

"Your Pokemon are weak compared to mine. They aren't even fully evolved. My Pokemon are older than you three combined."

Nasrin's jaw clenched tight, knowing he was right.

Only Ariel would have the experience to take on even one of his Pokemon, and she would not risk any of them in a battle with such odds.

"You could fight them yourself, of course…And hope you can take all four of us, without leaving your precious Harry and Hermione exposed. Or Fuse with dear Harry…and leave Hermione all alone."

Ear-sensors trembling, Mulan glared at him with a fierceness not meant for her small size, eyes bloody-red and furious.

"Of course, you could call forth the Beast, or the Lion, and you would get the pleasure of seeing the look of surprise on my face just before the floor collapsed under their weight and all of us plunged to our deaths. We'd probably take out what remains of your family. I had a head start, but Sirius and his merry band must have begun the chase by now. They won't get here in time to save you, but they'll be halfway here when Zygarde and Solgaleo crash down on them!"

A flash of frustration, and Nasrin reigned it in, knowing that losing her temper would end as badly as the aborted timeline, while Regulus turned to Hermione with sickly-sweet smile.

"Hermione, always the logical one. Harry and Rose aren't playing the odds. If you don't give me the Ball, I'll kill you. You know that's a fact. I will destroy your Pokemon, and then I will slit your throats. Giving me the Ball, however…Well, I myself don't know what I'll do, honestly. But isn't a maybe better than a certainty?"

He lunged a step, and Nasrin jerked to block him, Mulan pressed back against her shins and snarling.

"Because it's a certainty. I'm going to kill you if you don't give me that Ball. Come on now, why don't you take a gamble? Live a little."

Hermione's gaze flickered to Harry, then Nasrin, before settling on the mad Black.

"You want to talk about certainties? Okay, let's do that. I don't know for certain what will happen if we try and keep the Ball from you. You'll try to kill us, but Nasrin could throw you out the window, or Sirius could get here first, or we might get in a lucky shot. But I know for certain that if you get this Ball, innocent people will die. So, yes, I will play the better odds. Asshole."

Regulus' features twisted into a snarl, and Nasrin's gaze flickered down to meet red eyes, seeing the same resolve there that she felt.

Together.

A Love Ball shattered into brilliant pink-tinged light, a sun exploding, and Regulus' lunge was cut short as a pink-white-black blur burst from within and slammed into Empoleon, the Water/Steel-type crying out as he was thrown half-through a wall.

Hermione gaped as she recognized this new force as a Lucario.

Where most were blue-furred, with a sandy-yellow chest and black stripes, standing roughly four feet tall even at their highest, this one was edging towards six, vibrant pink and white with stark black bands and paws, Gem flickering as a bright blue light created a bone in one paw to absorb Manectric's Thunderbolt and smash the Electric-type into a new crater that splintered the floorboards.

An Icy Wind smacked Crobat in the face, another yelp escaping when Ariel shot off a Bubble Beam that destroyed a whole row of desks after grazing the larger Pokemon's belly.

Seeing Regulus try to take advantage and approach, Harry held up the Control Ball, which stopped the man in his tracks like Missus Norris when she spotted catnip.

"You think I'm weak-willed." He voiced, waving the Ball back and forth so Regulus' eyes tracked it, apparently deaf to Nasrin/Mulan striking Empoleon with a series of Power-Up Punches that sent the Emperor Pokemon flying up into the ceiling. "You think I don't stand up for myself, and that I allow myself to be cowed. But here's the thing. I think the same about you."

Ariel and Crobat crashed into desks and walls around them, the Brionne using Aqua Jet to keep up with her opponent's sheer speed.

"You're a coward who hides and refuses to stand up like a man and fight. No, you prefer to hide in the shadows like a yellow-bellied snake who's skittish of the light. So, maybe we're the same, Regulus…Except for one key difference."

Nasrin/Mulan froze, ear-sensors rattling, and turned with wide, dark eyes, blood-red flashing near a pointed iris as Harry planted his feet.

"I remember where I'm standing."

And the window behind them shattered, shards of glass shimmering as they flew after the Control Ball into the darkness, Regulus scrambling too late to catch his prize.

"You-You-"

Hands clamped onto their throats, and Nasrin/Mulan roared as Empoleon and Manectric tried to slow their charge, Ariel crying out as the pair of Third Years were hoisted out the empty window frame.

"No, this is better! This is so much better!"

"Regulus!" Sirius screamed as he burst through the door, freezing in place even as Empoleon was thrown past him with a snarl.

"Yet another one you couldn't save, brother."

And dropped them.

A howl shook the whole castle to its foundations as the Lucario leapt out, heedless of the fall, only thinking of Harry and Hermione and saving them saving them saving them-

A flash of red light, Hedwig burrowing into Harry's chest, and they scooped Hermione up as the pair were consumed in glorious white light.

Landing lightly on the grass below, Nasrin/Mulan watched as a great white Noctowl pulled out of their dive, heart lifting with them.

Knew you could do it.

A ripple, and dark eyes flickered to find Regulus flying away on his Crobat, a growl rumbling through into a startled Hermione.

No.

Setting her down as Remus/Mooney landed nearby in their Zoroark form, the Lucario took off as Harry/Hedwig dove, striking the Bat Pokemon and it's rider into a tumble that ended with the Poison-type hitting the grass and Regulus tossed like a ragdoll.

Whomper appeared, Luna riding on his shoulder and their friends safely surrounding his feet, but there was only a moment of sheepish pride before Nasrin/Mulan were driving Pokemon and trainer apart, Harry/Hedwig driving their sharp beak through the fleshy membrane of Crobat's wing to ground it before joining them.

In that moment, the greatest flaw in Regulus' scheme came to light.

All that time spent as Scabbers engrained one thing into the Black's mind.

A fear of birds.

"Stay-Stay back!" Regulus screamed, scrambling back as Harry/Hedwig flared out their wings with a cry. "No! No! Stay back! Stay back!"

He reached for a Poke Ball, only to cry out as the appendage was broken by a weak, well-aimed Aura Sphere, Nasrin/Mulan baring sharp fangs.

There was no escape here, no crack to slide through.

Remus and Sirius, in their Pokemagnus forms, were covering the east and south, Tonks had the north, where her Rotom was gleefully shocking his Rattata, Whomper was shaking a fist from the west with the young Gryffindors, and Professor Snape-

Regulus released a second scream at spotting Seviper, another great predator of rats, eyes flickering around the closing circle before turning skyward as Harry/Hedwig dove at him with talons extended.

Nasrin/Mulan watched, quiet as the eye of a storm, as the Noctowl tore his skin to ribbons, blood splashing across the grass in payment for all the pain Regulus had wreaked upon them all.

"Harry!" Remus shouted as he separated from Mooney, pausing at the low growl that escaped the Lucario. "Nazz, that's enough."

Ear-sensors vibrating, the massive Aura Pokemon split in a flash of pinkish light, and Nasrin stepped forward to press a hand against ivory feathers.

The Noctowl hooted, unwilling to stop, and she nodded.

"I know."

Channeling her Veela powers, the half-Gem poured them into the Pokemagnus, the simmering rage and steady calm and worry that was filling the night from everyone.

Yes, Regulus deserved to die…

But that was not blood that needed to be on their hands.

With a shudder, the Noctowl let out a cry before separating into Harry and Hedwig, the Hoothoot joining Ariel and Mulan in glaring at Regulus Black.

"Okay, Remus. We do it your way." Harry replied, clearly disagreeing.

After a moment of thought, his foot lashed out and caught the man's chin, snapping his head back into the ground and unconsciousness.

"There. Now I'm done."

"Remus Severus!"

Everyone turned at the shout to find Professor Dumbledore rushing from the castle, with the other Heads of House following close behind.

Filch trailed in their wake, caught between tears and screams at the mess that had been made.

"What is-Miss Tonks? And…Sirius Black? My boy…And Regulus?"

The headmaster nearly stumbled, seeing so many faces he had thought long-gone.

"I gather I've missed quite a bit, haven't I?"