A/N: For those who said that I said the snitch was after Harry a few times, it was indeed a bludger, and it was just a rogue one out of the beaters control. No one charmed it. I just made mistakes in the chapter saying it was the snitch. I was most likely tired from lack of sleep. Expect at least one or two more chapters before I go. I love updating this, and I can only do it at work now because of my damn sleeping schedule. I have two more days at work, so expect a possible two more chapters. At least one anyway.
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Tergum Vicis
Chapter 15
Talking to Dumbledore
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Despite Harry's protests about not wanting to stay in the hospital, he was forced to at least for another three more days so he wouldn't injure his broken arm further. He was given a Potion by Madame Pomfrey to take once every time before he went to bed for the next week or so to help his bones fully heal.
He was happy though, because Draco came to visit him every day for a while in between classes, and brought him his homework. He was even surprised, Ron had occasionally come to see him a few times after classes, telling him the events he had missed. Harry was pleased, the two were becoming fast friends, despite them being in houses that normally didn't get along.
Though, the visit he didn't expect was from Professor Dumbledore, who came to visit him the day before he would be released from the Infirmary. Surprised, he hadn't even really personally spoke to Dumbledore himself before he used the time travel spell after the events in the Department of Mysteries.
"Sir?" Harry asked as he watched him. Dumbledore took a seat in the chair next to his bed, which had occupied quite a few during his days in the infirmary.
"I don't believe we've talked since before the start of term, have we Harry?" Dumbledore asked in greeting, finally speaking up as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth.
Well, at least some things never change, thought Harry.
"No, sir. We haven't."
"And you've grown quite close to young Mr. Malfoy, I take it?"
Harry tilted his head. "Close?"
"Oh, come Harry, even you must have realized it yourself. After all, one doesn't do what you two did on the certain couch of a certain common room unless they've become quite fond of each other." Dumbledore's blue twinkling eyes and knowing smile caused a bright blush to run across Harry's cheeks.
"I...I don't know what you're talking about, sir."
Dumbledore merely smiled, a few minutes later finishing the lemon drop.
"Well, I suppose we should get down to business. I believe that's how muggles phrase it." When Harry nodded, Dumbledore continued. "You're not the same Harry Potter as you were before, are you?"
Harry tensed. He was sure that of all people, Dumbledore would be one to find out his secret sooner than later. He had told Draco in the common room, he should have known that portraits have ears as well as eyes that could go to Dumbledore at any moment.
"...No, sir. I'm not."
"And how exactly, did you change, my boy?" Dumbledore asked, curiosity clear in his voice as he stared at Harry from behind his half-moon spectacles.
"Well....you see, sir..."
::Flashback::
It had been only days after the scene in the Department of Mysteries. It was almost the end of the school year, and Harry had been called to Professor Dumbledore's office to discuss something. Harry thought he wouldn't want to see him after all he'd done--after all, he had most likely destroyed a few of Dumbledore's precious artifacts that day with his tantrum after Sirius's death.
"Acid Pops." Harry murmured the password and the gargoyle let him pass. Continuing on the spiral staircase that led up to Dumbledore's office, Harry was even more curious than before as to what Dumbledore wanted him to do.
He knocked on the door, and after getting what sounded like a "Come in" from Dumbledore, he slowly turned the knob, peering around the door for the professor.
"Ah, Harry. Come in, come in," Dumbledore smiled, twinkling eyes and all.
"Sir?" Harry asked as he sat down in the chair on the opposite side of Dumbledore's desk. "You wanted to see me?"
"Did I? Ah, yes. I did," Dumbledore said, popping a lemon drop into his mouth. "I did so because I lately have came across a spell that you might like to see, my boy."
"A spell? What is it?" Harry asked, acutally sounding interested. Dumbledore smiled.
"It's called Tergum Vicis," Dumbledore started to explain, taking out a book from his desk drawer. "It's ruffly translated to "Back in time"."
"But I thought it was dangerous to-"
"Ah, but that was with a time-turner," Dumbledore interrupted him. "This, Harry, is far more dangerous."
"How, sir?"
"Well, you see, there's a very good chance of one returning, as you and Hermione did, with a time-turner to their rightful time. With the Tergum Vicis spell, there's little chance of having the option to returning to your own time. This spell is so unpracticed, no one is really sure of what will happen when it's cast. Will it wipe out a time all together, creating a new one depending on what it's caster has done in the past or future? Will it create a different time, but keep the present one open? It's all theories."
"You said...future, sir," Harry said. "You can go into the future with this spell?"
"Yes, and it would have the same consequences as going into the past, my boy."
"What does this spell have to do with me, sir?"
"I thought you might like the chance to go back in time and see what you can do," Dumbledore said, eyes still twinkling. "You might not be able to come back, but you might be able to destroy Voldemort before he gets all too powerful, as he is now. I thought that might interest you, Harry."
It had. Harry looked at Dumbledore with nothing but interest and curiosity, already wanting to do the spell. He knew of the consequences of course, but if it meant saving his parents and allowing them to live happy lives, ones that were ripped too early from them, he was willing.
"So Harry, would you be willing to do the spell?"
"Yes, sir," Harry replied without a moments hesitation. Dumbledore smiled and handed the book to Harry.
"This is all that's known about the Tergum Vicis spell. Good luck, Harry."
::End flashback::
Dumbledore stared at Harry, appearing to be in shock. "So, you've accomplished the Tergum Vicis spell?"
Harry mutely nodded. Dumbledore smiled.
"Well, it appears we have a time-traveler in our midst!" Dumbledore said. "And not only that, but quite a powerful wizard. Only powerful wizards like you and myself, and possibly Lord Voldemort, would be able to cast such a spell."
Harry blinked. He hadn't known his magic had been that strong. "I'm not -that- powerful, sir."
"Oh, my boy, you underestimate yourself!" Dumbledore smiled. "You will be a great wizard, of that I am sure of."
He remembered Ollivanders words when Dumbledore said 'great wizard'. "We can expect great things from you, Mr. Potter. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, yes. But great."
"I can only assume that all of this new information has been overwhelming for you, Harry."
"Yes sir."
"What was most surprising?"
"That I'm in Slytherin," he repeated automatically. "I was in Gryffindor back at home."
"Ah, I see," Dumbledore replied knowingly. "There was nothing ... else?"
Harry's eyes drifted down to his lap. "Hermione."
"Who?"
"Hermione Granger," Harry said after a moment or so, staring back up at Dumbledore. "She was a muggleborn witch in my time, sir. She was really smart for her age, being able to cast spells and such that no one could. Sirius had even called her the brightest witch of her age. I was just.... sad, when I realized she wasn't attending Hogwarts."
Dumbledore seemed to study him for a moment, and then smiled.
"Ah, Miss Granger, I do believe the name sounds familiar."
"What? But she's a-"
"In your time, she's a muggleborn, Harry. There can be many different times, with many things that have been changed or manipulated, out of control because of a time spell. You never know what might happen. But, in this time, the Grangers are a pureblood witch and wizard family, and the Hermione you speak of, I believe, is attending Beauxbatons."
Harry blinked. "But, what could I have possibly done to alter her family, sir?"
"That's the mystery of the Tergum Vicis spell, Harry," Dumbledore told him. "We might not ever know why things change the way they do, whether they be for the better or for wrose."
Harry stared back down towards his lap, trying to register in his mind all that he had just learned.
"Well, I believe you're in need of some much needed rest, my boy," Dumbledore smiled and patted the sheets of his bed as he stood up from his chair. "We will talk about your many adventures in your time, another day perhaps."
Dumbledore bit Harry farewell, but even though he was tired, as the Professor said, Harry had trouble falling asleep.
This was how Draco found him around another hour later, tossing, turning, and punching the bedsheets occasionally for not letting him sleep.
"Harry?"
Said boy jumped, not having expected a visitor late at night. Draco smiled.
"Pomfrey actually let you in here?" Harry asked curiously.
Draco grinned. "She knows who my family is," was all he said and Harry rolled his eyes, but was happy nevertheless.
He crawled in beside him, draping an arm around his shoulders. "Can't sleep?"
"I had a talk with Professor Dumbledore today. It's keeping me awake."
"You two talked?" Draco asked curiously. "What about?"
"The Tergum Vicis spell, how I came to be here, that sort of stuff."
"Ah."
Harry nodded and rested his head on Draco's shoulder. Draco thought there was something more to the story, but let it slide.
Still unable to sleep, Draco thought softly as he noticed Harry just staring off into space. Wrapping his arm around Harry, he began stroking his hair gently.
Within moments, Harry felt his eyelids drooping to a close. Draco watched, and the last thing Harry saw before he fell into sleep was Draco's smiling face.
Of course, Harry was the only one who would ever see such a thing.
TBC
A/N: Why that's quite a long chapter. Innit? Anyway, this isn't fanfic related, but any ideas for a better sleep schedule? I need a new one, most definitely.
During the week when I have work, I get up at 9, having to be there at 10, drive doesn't come til about 9:40 am. Then, I get off at five pm, take a nap cause I'm exhausted in the morning. This could last anywhere from an hour to three hours, depending on how long it takes me to fall asleep. Then, supper and such, and I usually like staying up til like two or three to watch tv and roleplay. However, lately it's grown so drastic I'm up til 6 or 7 am. It's only been this late for the past two weeks, and I'm going on a trip next week and I have a hard time falling asleep in hotels now as it is. Any suggestions here?
Long author's note, but I've seen longer ones. ^_^;;