Chapter 4- 19 Years Earlier (And Then Some) *Harry*

My head hurts, I can't remember exactly what happened. Oh, Hermione! My arm stretches out of its own accord, and when I find her beginning to sit up next to me I release a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

"Are you ok?"

I just stand up in response, pulling her to her feet with me. I give her a once over; she seems ok, but then I realise she's looking about like she's seen a ghost. With a sinking heart I take note of the horribly familiar surroundings, the stone walls and arches, the gleaming suits of armour, the group heading towards us wearing solid black robes.

"Well, well, well…" I know that voice. I've seen that face. Tell me this is just a nightmare, because there is no way we are standing in Hogwarts before a group of the vilest Death Eaters ever to be recruited. I hear Hermione gasp next to me and notice what she has seen in an instant, that these people are teenagers. It doesn't take long to put it together; we've been thrown back much farther than the potion was intended for.

"Strangers, what a pleasant surprise… and who might you be?" Bellatrix purrs. A few of the others are shuffling in the background, clearly uncomfortable. I wonder why, until;

"Bella, they are obviously scum. This one looks like a Potter, and the other… I've never seen the likes of her before, but I know a Mudblood when I smell one," the blonde boy, a spitting image of Draco Malfoy, hissed. His face screwed up like he did indeed have a foul smell under his nose.

This is bad. We need a plan of escape, but every second we stand here it looks more and more unlikely. Just as I'm about to draw my wand, I hear a whoosh coming towards me. It's the only warning I get to grab Hermione and duck before a red jet of light flies straight through where my head was, and hits Lucius right in his still sneering face.

"Run!" I don't need telling twice. Letting loose a few stunners of my own at the group, I charge through the halls. The days of sneaking around these halls and our experience of the Marauders' Map comes in handy, as we tear through secret passages and hidden doors, trying to find an empty room to hide in until the Slytherins leave.

We don't stop until we hear nothing, and Hermione sprawls out on the floor, panting heavily. I stay on my feet, wand out, alert. A knock on the door sends my brain into overdrive, but before I can blast it open and curse the intruder into oblivion, Hermione cries "Wait!"

Of course, they knocked. The people chasing us are far too subtle for that, so it must be a third party. Cautiously we aim our wands at the door, and watch as it opens. I'm too shocked by our guest to do anything; it's a Slytherin alright, but not one I was expecting to run into.

A smaller, thinner version of the Sirius Black I had seen in pictures, his robes lined with green, addresses us. "Are you alright?" I just stare, open mouthed, and Hermione nods mutely.

Regulus Black is alive. He just saved us from Slytherins, and is having a conversation with us. We're definitely a long way from home.

After briefly introducing ourselves and thanking him for his help, we suggest a trip to Dumbledore's office. I tell him we arrived quite unexpectedly and ought to announce our arrival, to which he raises no complaints. He doesn't sound like the boy Sirius told us about, who parroted his parents' beliefs and willingly pledged himself to the Dark Lord. Maybe we should reserve judgement on him…

We reach the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance, Regulus giving the password, and make our way up to the office. It looks just the same as I last saw it, with the exception of the portraits no longer including Dumbledore and Snape. Another slight issue is that there is no Headmaster currently in the room, either.

Hermione sighs and sits down, Regulus raising an eyebrow and standing his ground. Of course, he has been trained to be a perfect gentleman and that includes standing to attention like a soldier. Ugh. Maybe I can convince him to loosen up a little.

"We don't know how long he will be. May as well get comfortable," I try. It doesn't work. As I sit I begin to realise how serious the situation is; what can we say about where we come from? I don't trust the Headmaster, after all his manipulations and placing me with the Dursleys. I know Hermione would disagree, in fact I can hear her voice in my head right now – "awful things happen to wizards who mess with time Harry!" – but while we're here, would it really hurt to make things better?

The war came at such a cost because we just didn't know what we were doing; this time we have all the answers, we could finish it early, save all those unnecessary deaths… I could save my parents! Sirius! Remus! My mind is set, I will kill Voldemort if it's the last thing I do.

I'm lost in my thoughts for so long, I almost miss the footsteps announcing another presence in the room…