Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 3: Loopholes and Birthdays

A book filled with Ancient Runes rested near the edge of the bed where an auburn haired boy laid, fully clothed and fully asleep. He shifted, causing the book to fall off the side. It hit the floor with a loud smack! and all four boys in the dormitory jerked awake.

"What in the bloody world was that?" Greyson Abbott said irritably.

Albus looked up at him groggily, and then realized that it was his book that had fallen. "Sorry," he said, reaching over the side to pick it up. A sliver of sun fell across the cover. "My book fell."

"Bloody big book," said Thomas Witherson, checking his watch. "It's breakfast time, anyway."

As Greyson and Thomas got out of bed, Albus looked over at Elphias. He was getting ready for the day as well. Slowly, he did the same and once the other two were gone, Elphias said, "Did you find out anything?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "It's mostly about how time-turners are created and how they work: nothing about reversing the effects."

Elphias shrugged as he ran a comb through his hair. "Might as well do what the Alchemist says."

Albus nodded as he packed his books for his classes. Might as well. Might as well.

Fawkes returning was the only eventful part of breakfast. Everyone in the Great Hall looked up when he came in with a poof of smoke and a letter tried carefully around his leg from Nicolas. Dumbledore read it quickly, nothing that Nicolas would start the Elixir as soon as he got the ingredients together. "'The time to ripen the Elixir will take six months,'" the letter said. "'However, it may take up to four to gather what is needed, since one of the ingredients is only available in the winter months.'"

He knew Harry wouldn't like that one bit. As Albus thought of it, he knew it wouldn't be good for what could happen in the future. He ran a hand through Fawkes feathers before the phoenix spread his wings and flew away. If Harry was there for ten months, that could throw off what was meant to happen in anyone's life Harry came in contact with. Albus shut his eyes, wondering what could be done about that.

Nothing came to him in that moment. He opened his eyes and was met with the sight of Aberforth sitting down across from him.

Albus stared at his brother as he filled a plate with toast and cheese. Aberforth had never chose to sit near Albus and he wanted to ask him why he was, but Aberforth hadn't once looked at him. Instead, he buttered his toast and ate the cheese without a word.

Then, Albus remembered something.

"It's your birthday," he said.

Aberforth looked up. "Took you long enough."

"Sorry, I've been caught up in something-"

He shook his head. "I understand. You're always doing something important."

This surprised Albus because he wasn't being as gruff as he normally was. But, Albus thought, maybe he just wanted to have a good day.

Before he had a chance to say anything, though, Aberforth stood, taking his buttered toast with him, and saying, "I have divination. It'll take a while to get up there."

Then, he walked out of the Great Hall with both Albus and Elphias's eyes staring at him.

"That was odd," Albus said.

Elphias shrugged. "He's on odd bloke; even odder than you. I don't know why he said that to you last night, about you being the oddest in the school."

Dumbledore ignored his friend's words. "I forgot to get him a gift," he said. He felt ashamed. How could he forget? Aberforth hadn't forgotten his! "Of course, I don't know what I could get him."

"Get him a book."

Albus shook his head. He'd never seen Aberforth read a book in his life, and he was sure that Aberforth enchanted his quill to record what he said to it for homework assignments.

"Maybe I could get him a sketchbook. The one he's got now is getting low on parchment."

"Brilliant idea. He does like to sketch," Elphias said, standing up. "We should get down to the dungeons."

Albus spent the next Double Potions period half concentrating on his potion and half attempting to think of ways to keep his distance from Harry.

It was obvious from the beginning that Harry had known him during his lifetime. Albus couldn't stop thinking about what he'd seen in a flash from Harry's mind. The bearded, old wizard had to have been him. They had the same eyes, only his eyes were tired and worn, like he'd seen a lot. He knew magical people had an extended life span, but to know he'd still be alive at 117 was immensely exciting to him.

He remembered, too, that Harry had called him 'Professor,' in the beginning. Did that mean he was a Professor? When he thought about it, he could see himself teaching Transfiguration after Garside retired. Garside probably had a couple more decades left of teaching as he was probably in his eighties.

He could imagine himself in that position, maybe even Headmaster at some point. But, he could see himself working in the Ministry, too. He wasn't sure what, maybe developing spells or studying in the Department of Mysteries for a time.

Dumbledore dropped peppermint into his cauldron. It turned an electric blue. Then, he reached for rat spleen, dropped it in, and a loud bang! reverberated through the room.

Everyone around him was plastered in electric blue. He felt himself blush as they turned to glare at him. "Oops."

"Mr. Dumbledore!" Professor Glumage said, making his way over and looking into his cauldron. "Rat spleen, not newt!"

"I'm sorry, I thought that was what I was picking up. I can-"

Without saying another word, he waved his wand and the entire amount of potion that had been scattered about disappeared.

"Be glad it didn't do any damage to anyone," said Professor Glumage angrily. "I'll give you half credit for the potion because it was the right color, but ten points from Gryffindor. You may leave."

He pointed toward the door and Albus gathered his things without a word. Elphias glanced at him. Albus just waved and made his way up to Merrythought's office. He felt a little shaken. He rarely made mistakes like that. Whenever he did make mistakes, it unnerved him. He should have been paying more attention.

He wondered if he could get permission from Merrythought to go down to Hogsmeade to buy Aberforth a new sketchbook. That would distract him.

He knocked on her door, which swung open not even a two seconds later. Merrythought was there; Harry was awake and looking as some kind of old parchment. From where Dumbledore stood, he saw that it had lines, not words drawn on it.

"Hello, Albus," Merrythought said. "You're out of class early."

"My potion blew up," he said.

Harry tried to hide an amused smile. Albus sent a glare at him, and then turned back to Merrythought.

"Professor, it's my brother's birthday." Harry looked up from his parchment again.

"Is it?" Merrythought asked.

Albus nodded. "May I have permission to go to Hogsmeade to get him a gift?"

"Yes, in fact, while you're there, could you stop by Scrivenshaft's and get a bottle of ink for me?" She rummaged around her desk and her hand emerged with a handful of sickles. "I expect change, Dumbledore!" she called out to him as he turned to shut the door.

"Can I go with you?"

Albus stopped abruptly and looked at Harry, slightly surprised that he wanted to go.

"Er, you may," he said against his better judgment. He shouldn't let him come, he shouldn't, but he was, and Harry was strolling next to him down the corridors and staircases, and down the path toward the front gates. Dumbledore caught him looking everywhere, studying everything. He wondered what was going through the boy's mind, the boy who was younger than him, yet older at the same time.

Harry still couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't believe that he was walking with Dumbledore to Hogsmeade just like the last time he'd seen Dumbledore alive. The only difference, though, was this was morning, not the evening like the time his life was coming to an end. Instead, it was beginning. His regrets that had haunted him in his lifetime hadn't occurred yet.

"Are the grounds different?" Dumbledore asked him.

Harry hadn't even been aware that was looking around. He found himself staring at a cabin sitting by the Forbidden Forest. He wondered who was living there now, if anyone was. He glanced behind him to see if the Whomping Willow was there. It wasn't. It was a clear space of land. Then, he jerked his head to look for Dumbledore's tomb. That wasn't there, either.

Nothing else looked different. It looked like the same old Hogwarts.

"There're a couple changes," he said hesitantly.

"Such as?" Dumbledore asked.

"Er, there's a Whomping Willow there," he pointed toward the side of the castle behind them. "It was put there in the 70's. Donated, I think." He intentionally left out information.

"Ah," Dumbledore said. He stared at the spot for a few seconds, and Harry realized for the first time that he didn't wear glasses yet. He turned forward again as they stepped in front of the gates of the school. Dumbledore tapped the locks with his wand and it sprung open. "Don't tell anyone I know how to open the gates," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

Harry laughed. "I won't."

Dumbledore continued to lead the way down to the village.

"I didn't know students could go to Hogsmeade outside of the weekends," said Harry, realizing that.

"If you're of age and have permission, you're allowed. I'm guessing things were different in your seventh year?"

Harry wasn't sure if he should respond. He shouldn't have said anything. "Yeah, they were," he partially lied. Of course they were, but Dumbledore couldn't know anything.

"Must be the Headmaster. Phineas Black is strict and favors the Dark Arts, but he tries to let a little freedom. I believe he's a little mischievous, myself." He smiled down at Harry.

"Er, yeah, must be the Headmaster," or the war, Harry thought. He realized when he said that that he was most likely insulting Dumbledore. But, then, he forgot that Snape had been the Headmaster during what would have been Harry's seventh year. This left Harry somewhat confused, so he didn't think much into it.

Dumbledore hummed a short tune. Harry thought he'd heard what he was humming before, but he couldn't place it.

"Do you know my brother?" he asked.

"Yeah. I haven't known him for as long as I've known you, but we've spoken a few times before."

After the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry had gone into the Hog's Head a couple times a month. Aberforth was an interesting person to talk to, as long as you got past his gruff exterior. Harry frequently asked him about Dumbledore, only because he wanted to know more about his mentor. Aberforth always said, "Him again?" and let out a gruff sigh, complained for a bit, then finally said: "Fine. What do you want to know?" once Harry managed to convince him.

Dumbledore gave a short nod as they entered the village. This, too, looked much the same. Harry noticed the Three Broomsticks nearby, open and running. A man in black robes stepped out. He nodded at Dumbledore and continued down the street. Dumbledore turned right almost immediately, leading Harry into Tomes and Schrolls, the bookshop.

It wasn't nearly as large as it had been during Harry's time, but it still had books filling the shelves. The proprietor looked up from dusting the shelves. "Ah! Mr. Dumbledore! Anything in particular you're looking for?"

"Yes, a plain book. Anything that someone could draw in."

The proprietor led Dumbledore toward the back of the store. While he did that, Harry picked up a newspaper called Transfiguration Today. It wasn't the title that caught his eye, but the face staring up at him in a small letterhead, indicating who wrote the story. Dumbledore's face smiled up at him, much younger than the last time Harry had seen his face in news print like that.

The title of the article read The Mind of Transfiguration by Albus Dumbledore and was down the left side of the front page. "When my friend Elphias Doge asked me if Transfiguration came more from the mind or from the spell, I said instantly, 'The Spell.' At the time, I did not realize how dreadful it was that I came up to that conclusion so quickly-"

Dumbledore and the proprietor stepped up beside Harry. Dumbledore, with a leather bound book, handed him a Galleon and a few Sickles, and said, "Thank you, and good day."

"Come again, Dumbledore."

He nodded curtly with a small smile. Harry was forced to drop the newspaper, although, for once, he didn't want to.

"How old is your brother today?" he asked him, running to catch up.

"He's fifteen," said Dumbledore. "Why, may I ask?"

Harry shrugged. "I didn't know. I mean, what year he's in."

"In the fourth, Harry," he said. "I believe I got the better birthday, at the end of the year instead of the beginning. He'd be a fifth year now if he were born a few days earlier. Mine is August 4th," Harry felt a pain in his chest because he hadn't known his birthday. "I'm not entirely sure you knew?"

Harry shook his head, kicking at the dirt road. "I hope I'm not still here to see your eighteenth birthday."

"No, but that could happen. Nicolas wrote back this morning and said it would take about four months to gather the ingredients and six months to prepare the Elixir."

"What?" Harry asked. "Ten months?"

Dumbledore nodded solemnly, sighing. "I'm sorry. It's quite impossible to not wait. I haven't found much else. I've read the book-"

"You've finished it?" Harry asked, remembering the thickness of it.

"Yes. It's all about time-turners, but not at all about what we need to get you back. I think Nicolas may be the best way to get you back. Of course, he did explain that you could choose what time you can go back to. Think of it as a vacation."

Dumbledore opened the door of Schrivenshaft's. Harry couldn't see the proprietor, but Dumbledore stopped talking, shifting his attention to the quills. But, Harry, like always it seemed, had more questions for him.

"Why isn't there a way to get back?"

"I don't know that answer, Harry," he said. "But you seem to forget that there is a way."

"I mean any other way. You said yourself that way is dangerous."

Dumbledore gave a shrug, which took Harry aback for a moment before he remembered that he was a teenager. Harry hung back as he picked up an ink well of black ink for Merrythought. The shopkeeper came out of the back as if called by Dumbledore's touch. She took the money Dumbledore handed to her, gave him back a few knuts, and then went into the back. Harry didn't question her quietness; he just followed Dumbledore back up the path to the school.

"Of course," Dumbledore continued on even though a few minutes had passed, "although magic has rules, some more complex than others, there's always room for a loophole."

He smiled down at Harry just as they reached the gates. He tapped the lock with his wand as if the lock were the loophole he was talking about.

"Is this a loophole? The Elixir?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I think so." Dumbledore flipped through the book he'd gotten Aberforth. "Do you think it would be cruel to write a small message when you know your brother is unable to read?"

"Er," Harry said. Honestly, he didn't have an answer for that. He stared at the book for a while, realizing that he'd seen the blue pressed border outlining the edge before. "I think Aberforth keeps that," he said. Dumbledore looked surprised. "I've seen it before. It's falling apart, but I know it's that one." He could see it in his mind sitting next to the old cash register in the Hog's Head. He'd never thought about the book, but to now know Dumbledore gave it to him made him wonder if Aberforth really did care more about Dumbledore than he thought.

Dumbledore hummed happily. "Excellent. I think I will write a small birthday wish. He should be able to know what that says."

They were approaching the castle entrance now. Dumbledore looked up and stared off into the distance. "A Whomping Willow. Why in the name of Merlin would Hogwarts need a Whomping Willow?"

AN: This was a fun chapter to write, especially the last line. I love that line. I love Lupin. I wish he could be in this story, but that's not possible. Oh well. Oh, and I realized when I was editing that I repeated some things from the second chapter, but Harry had some questions he wanted to get straight.

The chapters are going to start getting longer after this since the plot is starting. The next chapter should be up by Monday, August 30, but that's the last chapter that I have fully written, so there may be a bigger gap in between the chapters after Monday. Just a heads up.

Please review! I enjoy reviews.