Chapter 4: Making a list and checking it twice . . .
"Wish I could take my laptop back, but not only would battery reliability be a problem, connecting to the web would be more than iffy." Emma sighed. "There are SO many Harry Potter websites out there with all kinds of space devoted to dissecting every chapter and cross referencing, well, everything to do with the stories and the movies. We'll have to divide the books up and then . . . "
"Emma!" Draco interrupted her stream of consciousness to the delight of Ron and Rupert.
"Brave for a Slytherin," whispered Rupert.
"Be glad it wasn't my wife," added Ron.
"I heard that!" Both Draco and Hermione shot back at the same time, with much giggling from Dan, Tom and Harry.
"Emma, my dear," Draco tried again. "I need to put your mind at ease about something."
"What about, exactly?"
"See this?" Draco pointed to the middle Time Turner, resting in the box on the coffee table.
"Yes. Is it different from the others, besides looking more modern?"
"Indeed it is! This is what we're going to use to 'freeze' time, so that you can explain everything to us, back then, without worrying about running out of time, getting all of the information assimilated by everyone."
"AH, getting the message through some thick skulls, huh," Tom intoned, elbowing Draco. "Some people, and I'm referring to YOU, Draco, were not always willing to admit you were wrong and change, were you?"
"Or Severus, or Sirius, or Percy . . . the possibilities are numerous." Harry smiled. "I'm probably the worst offender, with my stubborn belief that EVERYTHING was somehow, my fault."
"NOT your fault, though, old man," asserted Dan. "That's high on my list, talking to you and Albus about getting a few things out in the open ASAP!"
"AND Severus, AND Sirius, the whole lot, come to that," added Rupert. "But, I don't know if we should include Percy, he needs to come to his senses by himself. Unless you think he'd make a good spy in the Ministry?"
"We'll think about that one for a bit," Hermione replied. "Right now we need to decide what to do first and whom to gather together after you get there."
"I have a suggestion," Harry said, as he stood up. "Let's gather what we need and go to #12 and then Ginny can add her voice to this discussion . . . we've been talking for some weeks, now, about timelines and how we can introduce you to us, back then, without you getting a "Bat Bogey" hex sent your way."
"We need the books," Emma reminded them.
"Have a set of paperbacks in my bag," Hermione reassured her, lifting her purse.
"Undetectable Extension Charm?" Emma grinned.
"Of course. Would you like me to put one on your tote bag?"
"I'd better not, bit hard explaining to people if I were to pull out a kayak," giggled Emma.
The guys just rolled their eyes and shook their heads.
"I've always wondered how girls get as much junk into their purses as they do manage, except the Queen, of course . . . but that's a whole different discussion," Tom muttered to Rupert who nodded agreement.
"Do you have a TV and a DVD player, Harry?" asked Dan. "Or should we bring mine?"
"Actually, we do; mostly for the children's movies - not Harry Potter, though. Not yet. Disney, Muppets, classic children's films. I'm not much of a telly watcher, but Ginny loves the cooking and gardening channels. I'll catch the odd football match. Wish they would broadcast Quidditch games on the telly and not just on Wizarding Wireless Radio. However, the Ministry is rather against Muggle devises, although they're getting more and more requests. Time will tell." Harry answered. "And speaking of time, shall we?"
X X X
'Pop' 'Pop' 'Pop' 'Pop'
Emma, Tom, Dan and Rupert opened their eyes, the three males looking around with great curiosity. They had arrived, with Hermione, Draco, Harry and Ron, in the front hall of #12 Grimmauld Place.
"Isn't it lovely?" Emma gushed enthusiastically, looked around. "And if you think this is an improvement, you should see the rest of it."
"Wait! Rupert held up his hand. "Where's the portrait of Sirius' mum? I expected her to be screaming her head off. I was SO glad they left that bit out of the movie."
"She's hanging in a place of honor, in the study, Rupert," answered Ginny Potter, as she walked up to him and gave him a hug. "Hello and welcome to our home, 'brother' of mine."
"Blimey, Ginny, you're just like Bonnie . . . or is she like you?" Rupert stood there with a perplexed look on his face.
"I think that would come under "chicken or the egg" classification." Harry laughed.
"True," Ginny agreed. "Hello Tom, Dan, welcome to #12."
"Hello, I'm very glad to meet you," replied Dan, giving her a hug. "Hey, you even hug like Ginny, I mean Bonnie!"
"Unhand my wife, sir!" Harry demanded, even though he couldn't suppress a grin.
"And last, but not least, Tom." Ginny turned to the blond double of Draco and stood there, comparing them. "Draco, your mum will laugh when she sees you two standing together."
"That's what I was saying, just a while ago. I think she'll take all this better than the four Gryffindors put together. Wish I could see the look on her face . . . oh wait, I will, I'll just have to remember it."
"I'll remind you, when it happens." Tom leaned over and patted Draco on the shoulder. "Put it on the top of my list of things to do."
"Speaking of which, let's go down to the kitchen for a bite of lunch and we can start comparing notes and ideas."
"Is Kreacher still here?" Dan asked, as they walked down the hall and turned to descend the stairs to the kitchen.
"Oh, yes, he's very proud of the house and accepts the Potter family as rightful heirs to Master Sirius. He's a bit reluctant being called a hero in the Battle by the other House Elves, but he's glad that his Master Regulus was avenged.
X X X
Dan, Emma and Rupert were astounded at the transformation that had been made to the kitchen level of the house; gone was the long, gloomy room with its dark cabinets and heavy, extra long wooden table. There had been a wall erected that effectively divided the kitchen into a prep/storage area and near the rear door, a sunlit eating area.
Tom was looking around and nodded his head. "I only saw the set once and if I remember correctly, this is WAY better than what Stuart Craig envisioned and made our 'reality'."
"Oh, man! Really, I mean, this is brilliant!" Dan was checking out all the details. "I really like this, Harry! Ginny, did you design the improvements or does the Wizarding world have interior designers?"
"Actually, Draco's father gave us the name of a new designer who was just getting his business established and he was marvelous! I got what I wanted and he came up with a few suggestions and voila! " She spun around, indicating the finished product.
"Put Matthew on the map, business wise, too," Draco added. "Designing for the famous Harry Potter! He was swamped with jobs in no time! Including a redo of my apartment. He's a genius when it comes to storage space, especially."
"Maybe I should have him take a look at my place, I never seem to have enough closet space," Emma giggled. "Maybe I just have too much clothing."
"Ah, yes, I've seen the magazines and you wear them beautifully," added Draco, taking Emma's hand and kissing the back of it and bowing to her.
"You haven't changed, totally, have you, Draco?" Emma blushed and then wagged her finger at Draco. "You're still a naughty boy!"
"Guilty, my dear," he admitted, holding out a chair for her.
"I may hurl, even before we eat." Ron remarked snidely to Rupert, who nodded and grinned.
"I feel a right slob, compared to 'Mr. Smooth'," added Tom, jerking his head to indicate Draco.
"All of you behave," chided Ginny, sounding remarkably like her mother, Molly, a thought that was shared everyone in the room, who all grinned, looking back and forth at each other and then bursting out laughing.
X X X
"That was a bang up lunch, Kreacher!" enthused Rupert to the ancient House Elf, who scuttled around the table, floating the dishes over onto the counter.
"Thank you, Master Rupert. Kreacher is proud to serve the House of Potter and Master and Mistress' friends. "
As he continued his work, the group of young adults turned serious. Harry started the ball rolling.
"I don't think we'll have too much trouble in establishing your identities, as we've all written notes containing something known only to ourselves back then. No doubt Hermione will see the sense of the Time Turners and our NOT coming back. Plus, Harry and she having grown up with Muggles will also see how, as actors, we'd know all about their characters and the story."
"We've given you lists of who we think we might be able to save, at least from their fates as written in the books. There are no guarantees about life, but we have to try," said Ron quietly, then sighed and Hermione took his hand. "I know we're making this a bit personal by trying to save as many as we can, but, maybe gathering those bloody Horcruxes and all will be a little less work. And I know we're asking an awful lot of you four, but if we can . . . ." He trailed off, but they all knew Fred's death was still weighing on his mind.
"Actually, I'm going to have a great time kidding Fred about how he's supposed to die . . . not fighting some Death Eater but having a honking great chunk of Hogwarts fall on the old noggin! He'll be properly indignant at the thought of getting snuffed that way in the middle of a bloody great battle!" Rupert leaned back and grinned at Ron, who slowly smiled and nodded.
"And George will have a field day, inventing all kinds of ironclad umbrellas for Fred to carry around," Ginny giggled. "I can see him now, being fitted for a suit of armor!"
Everyone roared at that picture, effectively pulling Ron out of his somber mood. Then they all decided to go upstairs and get comfortable and began working on their plans in earnest.
X X X
An hour or so later, Dan looked over at the wizard sitting opposite him. "Harry?" A paperback copy of 'Harry Potter and Half-blood Prince' in his hand, Harry looked up, waiting for Dan's question. "Can we talk to Professor Dumbledore . . . I mean right now, either by you going to Hogwarts and borrowing his portrait . . . Or could he come visit here, using Phineas Nigellus' portrait? I've got a few questions that he might be able to answer, seeing as how he died more than a year after we plan on dropping in to visit."
"Oooo, could we visit Hogwarts?' Emma sat right up and looked eagerly at Harry.
"Well, although we probably could go to the Headmaster's office, I should think that the less people who know about this, the better."
"You don't think the other Headmasters would ever say anything, give us away, do you?" Tom asked. "I thought they had to keep those kinds of secrets."
"If they were told explicitly that they can't talk about anything heard or anyone they saw, it might be worth it to go visit Albus and Minerva." Ginny explained, looking at Harry with a questioning gaze.
"Well, why don't we ask?" Ron unfolded himself off of the sofa and started out into the hallway, Hermione stood and followed, waving for the others.
"But," Rupert sputtered. "There's a fireplace right here."
"That one isn't connected to the 'Floo Network'; we keep the one in the kitchen for 'Flooing'," Harry laughed, as he ushered his guests back downstairs.
X X X
As they gathered around the ancient stone fireplace, Harry took the pot of 'Floo Powder' off the mantle, extracted a handful and tossed it into the glowing embers. Green flames shot up, making the Muggles in the group go wide-eyed and then grin.
"FX was spot on with that one!" laughed Dan.
"Too right, they were," agreed Rupert.
Meanwhile, Harry had called out, "Headmistress' Office, Hogwarts."
The flames flattened out in the front and then Harry leaned forward and put his face through the rippling green curtain of fire. Emma gasped, but Hermione patted her on the arm, smiling reassuringly.
"Minerva?" Harry called.
"Mr. Potter! To what do I owe the pleasure?" came a voice from the flames. They all smiled as they recognized Minerva's Scottish accent.
"Well, it's not easy to explain, but . . . if you're not busy, would you mind if I pop in for a few minutes?"
"Oh dear, I haven't heard those words in years . . . why do I get the feeling you and your friends are up to something . . . again?"
"She knows you lot like the back of her hand, doesn't she?" Tom snickered, as Draco shook with silent laughter.
Harry looked over his shoulder and grinned at his friends and then turned back to the fire.
"Minerva, you have no idea how true those words are."
"Well, then, come ahead, I'll call for tea."
"Be right there," Harry replied, stood up and turned to the others. "Why don't you all get all your notes together while I give her the whole story and talk to Albus. I'll be back in a bit."
"Right, let's get our things and bring them down here," Hermione suggested. "If I know Harry, he'll be back with a big smile on his face and you all will have you first trip by 'Floo'."
"Sounds like a plan to me," agreed Rupert, rubbing his hands together and heading for the stairs, Ron by his side, Hermione, Ginny and Tom right behind them.
Draco held Emma's elbow as they turned to follow the others "Ladies first." He held the door and bowed his head slightly.
"You, Draco, are a piece of work, you know that?"
"So I've been told. I love your quaint Muggle sayings; really sum things up quite succinctly."
Emma giggled as the door closed quietly behind them.
X X X
"Harry, my boy, how are you?" Albus smiled down from his place high above the bookshelf to the left of the Headmistress' desk.
"Doing well, Albus." Harry flashed a smile at his friend and mentor.
"Ginny and your children?"
"She's busy keeping them out of mischief and running the household, they're busy being kids."
"So, have a seat, Harry," instructed Minerva McGonagall, as she went around her desk and sat down in her chair. "Now, what are you three up to this time?"
"Nine of us, actually."
"Nine?! Who else have you dragged into your newest episode?"
"Well," Harry paused, then plunged ahead. "Ron, Hermione, Draco and Ginny, of course. Then there's Dan, Rupert, Emma and Tom."
"Do we know these persons?" Minerva asked, with a glance at Albus.
"Ah, yes and no. You see, they are the Muggle actors who portrayed Draco, Hermione, Ron and me in the movies that were made of my life, from those books that were written by Jo Rowling."
Minerva gasped, and looked up at Albus, shock evident on her face.
"How are they even aware that you really exist, Harry. I thought it was decided to keep the Muggles in the dark about the fact that the books were an account of real events, not fiction." Dumbledore leaned forward, a frown on his face.
"Ah, well . . . they didn't know . . . we went to them."
"Oh, dear. I really don't think I'm going to like whatever it is you're about to tell us." Professor McGonagall leaned back, rubbing her temples, then she took a deep breath and sat up straight. "Right! Out with it!"