Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter either. It belongs to its creator J.K. Rowling and probably Warner Bros. too. I'm not too sure about that. This piece of literature is simply the work of a humble fan. I also credit Jim Butcher for various themes, subjects, or references that I may use.
Author Notes: This is a Harry Potter crossover with the Dresden Files the book series. All my knowledge of the Dresden Files comes from the books. I've never seen the TV series. For the timeline that will be stated later. Thanks to the folks at DLP for help with editing.
Awaken Sleeper.
Chapter Ten: Three Years Gone
by: Water Mage
Left. Right. Left.
Run. Run. Run.
Blood pounded in his ears. All he knew was the heart beating in his chest, and his screaming thoughts that urged him to keep moving. They were right behind him. He couldn't hear them. Oh no, they were too good to make noise, too inhuman to move with anything but supernatural grace. Technically he was just as supernatural, and there was no way they were going to catch him. At least that's what he told himself to make him feel better.
Right. Right. Left.
He was almost there. The money he spent for the house's floor plan was worth every penny. Without them he would have been long dead by now.
Come on just a little bit more to go.
He rounded a corner and found his way blocked by one of his pursuers. He came to a smooth stop and surveyed the obstacle. This one must have doubled back around. The Asian man blocking his path was taller than him. His dark gaze was strangely resolute, and the tiniest smirk on his face promised a great deal of pain.
"There's no escape," said a feminine voice, breaking the still silence. "Surrender now and I won't rip your spine out while you still draw breath."
Her negotiation tactics needed some work. He turned his head a fraction of an inch, and frowned beneath his mask as he regarded the newcomer. Long black hair shined beneath the light, and sea green eyes only enhanced her exotic beauty. She wasn't full blooded Asian. He could see other bits of various ethnicities around her cheekbones and eyes. Just like many supernatural females her beauty rivaled her deadliness, and it was best never to forget that.
He backed up closer to the wall keeping them both within sight. "I'd rather not, thank you very much."
They creped closer, barely noticeable, causing him to take the same opposing steps backward. The woman smirked. "Give us the scroll. You fear us. I can smell it. There is no escape for you."
"You forfeited your life when you broke in here," said her male counterpart, his eyes shining with an eerie hunger. He threw up his head and gave the air one long, animalistic sniff, his eyes slipping closed in pure pleasure. "And such a sweet life you're giving up. I can't wait to get a taste of you."
"I'm not into blokes sorry, fang face," he replied, noticing the window in his peripheral vision. "It was nice of you to offer though."
The woman raised one perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Oh, this one is brave. I will enjoy feasting on his chi."
"You're going to regret coming here this night," hissed the man.
Their faces simultaneously began to revert as their human masks fell away to reveal their true selves, vampires. White bled from their roots in a flood of contrasting color, enveloping all the black in their hair, as their eyes took on a gold sheen. His heart thudded loudly in his chest and he knew they could hear it. Their faces twisted losing all color, as their skin thinned and stretched tightly against the bones, making them look more like the walking undead that they were.
There was no time to waste. He threw his arm out as they sprung forward. The wand in his grip exploded in a blast roaring, billowing noise and violet light. The Charmed Fire swept through the hall led by a quartet of phoenixes made completely of fire. The vampires hissed in pain as the magical flame lashed out, consuming everything in sight and burning the hall with unforgiving accuracy.
"Wizardry will not avail you!" the woman screamed, angrily.
Was she kidding, since when?
They jumped through the flames with a roar of pain and anger, as the fire licked at their clothes and skin, easily burning both. He jumped backward and his back felt like it exploded as he threw himself out of the window behind him. A tingle of energy danced across his skin as his body fell past the wards on the house. Fingers scraped against him and the ground rushed forward. He held tighter to the scroll and twirled his body around, feeling the in-between darkness swallow him whole as he moved between time and space.
The darkness vanished and he felt his body rematerialize, and he promptly fell hard on his back against hardwood floor. He snatched the ski cap off his head and wheezed out a pain filled breath of air. Groaning, Harry grabbed at his head that took the fall just as much as his back. He raised his arm and brought the scroll to his eye level. A slow smile spread across his face. He had done it. Two months of staking out, back alley dealing, and bribing had gained him his prize.
"Can't be done my ass," he grumbled, chuckling.
They didn't know his record.
Harry climbed to his feet and sat the scroll carefully on the coffee table. His loft thankfully hadn't burned down or got broken into since his two month absence. The penthouse was designed like a modern loft with floor to ceiling windows, two bedrooms, two baths, and tons of living area space. The open space was perfect for grand furniture or magical rituals that teased the edges of the universe, and played with space and time inside a closed system. Perfect.
He kicked off his boots and stumbled to the bathroom. He splashed some water on his face and took in his reflection in the mirror. He needed a shave. It was only a five o'clock shadow, but he normally kept his face bare. It looked better with his hair that he kept very short, rather than the long unkempt style of his youth. It made him look him older, and saved him from the endless how do you get your hair to do that questions. Six foot, decent shape, no rock hard abs yet not a soft marshmallow either, but overall not bad for pushing twenty four.
His sock clad feet padded softly against the floor as he crossed the living area to his bedroom. He winced at the brightness of the sunlight. Merlin's Might. It would never get old instantly apparating from one end of the world to another. The abrupt shift from night to day or vice versa always played havoc with his internal clock. He toed off his socks and fell onto the bed. Sleep came before he could even contemplate his tiredness.
Something was ringing.
The noise jarred his liquid black dreams, and he growled with annoyance when the grip of slumber left him. His body protested against moving as he sought out the disturbance. Harry found the phone buried under a pile of dirty clothes.
"Yehow?" he mumbled into the receiver.
"Harry?"
Yawning, he wiped the last of the sleep from his eyes. "Hey, Mum."
"Harry, where have you been?" she demanded in that voice that only mothers ever use. "I've been trying to get in contact with you for months now!"
"Hello to you too, Mum," he said with far too much cheer.
He could hear her frown through the phone. "Don't try that charming act with me, Harry! I'm immune to it. Now where have you been?"
Harry sighed. He hated when she got all maternal. She could sniff out a secret like a Doberman. "Fine. Not over the phone. Can you come around to my place?"
"Why don't you come to the house," she suggested hesitantly. "It's been so long since you've been here."
The phone made an odd sound as he clenched the plastic tighter in his grip. He stared emotionlessly at the floor. They both knew exactly how long it had been since he last stepped foot within that house. There was no need to be obtuse or coy.
"Is he going to be there?" he asked gruffly.
There was no need to say the name of him either.
Lily was silent for a long moment. "No. He's busy. Things have gotten a bit hectic lately."
"How so?" Harry asked, switching the phone to the other ear. This was news to him.
"Looks like I have to catch you up and you have to do the same," she said, skillfully evading the question. "So will I see you soon?"
Was that triumph in her voice? He shook his head smiling. She sure knew what button to press to get him to agree. She triggered his curiosity. Once his interest was sparked then he had to see it through till he got his answer. A trait he wished he could stop since it had gotten him into trouble too many times in the past. Yet the same trait had kept him in the know, and had often provided information that got him out of the same trouble he regularly fell into.
"Fine," he finally agreed after almost a minute of silence. "I'll be there in a little while. Bye, Mum."
He hung up the phone. He still wasn't too big on the mushy stuff like saying I love you or any of that, especially when on the phone. It always felt automatic or forced saying it at the end of a conversation. He took his time getting ready. It was his first time being in his own shower, and his own place for two months. It was nice to enjoy the comforts of home after being gone for so long. He was tempted to just go back to sleep, but that would only lead to another phone call and the process would repeat till he got there.
Harry put on a pair of slacks, a black shirt, and threw a blazer on over it. He grabbed the scroll and stuffed it inside a cylinder, and then slipped it inside of the coat pocket joining his wand. He spun on his heel and dissaparated with a crack of displaced air.
Same manicured lawn, pristine paint job, and quiet neighborhood. The house hadn't changed in three years. Had he expected it to? A large part of him had imagined there to be a huge change in his absence. That day had been one of the most awful days in his entire life. His life had changed that day. Harry kept in touch with his mother and brother, but never here. Never had he come back to the place his father had forbidden him entering ever again.
The door swung open and Lily Potter appeared in the doorway. She was dressed in a dark red shirt and a long white skirt. One hand was on her hip and her smile was bemused as she stared at him expectantly. Her eyes were just as bright and her hair was the same vibrant red as when he had first met her. Only the lines that creased her face when she laughed hinted at her true age.
"Is there a reason you're just standing here on the porch?" she asked, cocking her head. "I thought you were a boy scout asking for a donation or something."
Harry shrugged, smiling. "I was trying to kill a minute or two. It's always best to be fashionably late."
"Oh hush and get in here!" she laughed, waving him in.
He stepped into the house and then followed his mother through the foyer, and into the sitting area. The furniture was different, and they had painted the walls a rather boring shade of white. But it was still the same house. The same room that revelations had been shown. They took a seat on the couch. He let out a whoosh of air as she threw her arms around him in a tight hug.
"It's so good to see you," she said, her voice thick with relief. She let him out of the hug. "I've been calling you everyday. I didn't want to think the worse, but I couldn't help but worry."
"I've been fine," he promised, wondering if he sounded as awkward as he felt. "I swear."
"What have you been up to?" she said, not buying the innocent act for a minute. "You look tanned? Did you skip town and go on a vacation?"
"I've been in China for the last two months."
"Doing what?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Seeing the sights?"
"I did that the first day." Harry reached into his coat, and sat the cylinder between them "I spent the rest of the time planning a robbery."
Lily froze in place, stunned. It took a long moment before she found her voice. "You're joking, right?"
"No," he said, deliberately casual. "Last night I broke into Heng Zhu's house and stole that from his personal library."
Her face filled with stark disbelief. "Heng Zhu as in the Lord of House Zhu? The bloody King of the Jade Court vampires!"
"You know him?" he asked, tongue firmly in cheek.
"This is not a time for jokes," she snapped, eyes flashing. "Do you know that Lord Zhu is the lord of a whole country full of life force sucking vampires?" Lily leaned forward, staring at him grimly. "Jade Court doesn't play games, Harry. Surprise and fear are their main weapons. They take the breath from your body, and with it come your life force. You would age faster than you could scream."
Harry's jaw dropped. "You do have a way with words, Mum. You still tell Aiden bedtime stories?"
"Just like your father," she sighed. "Always joking. This is serious. Do you understand that right now the White Council is at war with the Red Court?"
"There are three main vampires Courts right?" asked Harry, frowning. "Red, White, and Black."
She nodded. "That's right. The Jade Court is old, really old. They usually stay out of Vampire Court politics. They see such things as beneath them. But if Lord Zhu thinks that a wizard robbed his house, he might suspect the White Council. If the Jade Court gets involved in the war then it won't be a war. It will be a bloodbath."
Guilt weighed down on his shoulders like the weight of the world. "I've been out of the loop for awhile. Merlin's Might, I've been focused on other things." He closed his eyes, massaging his temples to stomp down the rising headache. "What war?"
Lily laughed, but it was without humor. "You've seriously been out of the loop. Seven months ago the Red Court officially declared war against the White Council. A wizard who was representing the Council, killed one of their nobles, members of her household, and burned her house to the ground."
Harry whistled, impressed. "Bloke must have had some balls on him. I take it he had good reason, or did he just have a death wish."
"It was a trap," she answered. "They baited him to do it. They've been salivating over the thought of war against the White Council for centuries. The wizard was just a means to an end."
He connected the dots. "So that's what you meant about things being busy. With the White Council at war then the Venatori Umbrorum, as allies of the Council, are helping in the fight. Is that what Dad's doing?"
"Your father is in Illinois now. The White Council is meeting there to discuss the war, and they invited all their allies to attend so they could officially declare their allegiance."
"I had no idea," he admitted, softly.
She nodded, her face set in a grim expression. "And now you might have inadvertently tipped the scales in the vampires favor. Let's pray that the Jade King doesn't blame the White Council for your actions. What is so important about this thing anyway," she tapered off, as she unrolled the scroll and got a good look at it. "Oh."
The ancient paper was filled with script that he already knew was from a language long since dead and blurred sketches due to age dominated the middle of the parchment.
"That scroll is said to have been taken from the grave of Genghis Khan," Harry explained, watching as she intently studied the document. "It's said that he stole it right before he torched Shrangi-La. The scroll is supposed to hold the secrets of enlightenment. With it a person can find the answer to the question that burns brightest in their heart."
"Any question?"
Harry nodded. "If your greatest question is to know what is the meaning of life, then the scroll once deciphered will tell you."
"This is incredible!" she gasped, staring wondrously at the parchment.
"Do you think you can translate it?" asked Harry. "Your resources are better than mine. It would probably take you half the time it would take me to figure this thing out."
"I don't know, Harry," she said, regretfully. "This is stolen property and if Lord Zhu somehow traced it back to me, I could put the Venatori, your Dad, and Aiden in danger as well."
"Even if it would help find out how what happened to Harrison?" asked Harry, his tone as neutral as his facial expression.
She glared at his blank face. "Don't go there, Harry. You know I—"
Harry hung his head, instantly feeling guilty. "I'm sorry, Mum— I didn't think." He took the scroll from her hands and stuffed it back in the cylinder. "You're right. I can't bring that kind of trouble to you."
The front door slammed. Harry's wand was out and touching his head before the sound even registered to Lily. She watched surprised as Harry faded from sight like a ghost. If it wasn't for the weight she could still feel on the couch's cushion then she would think that he had gone.
Aiden walked into the sitting room. Even with his reddish brown hair that fell in his eyes, he still took more after James rather than his mother just like Harry did. The smile he entered the room with slowly fell as he gazed around with a puzzled expression. His toy sword fell to the floor with a clutter as his hazel eyes landed on the space that the disillusioned form of Harry occupied. Aiden's face brightened with a jubilant smile as he ran to Harry, and threw his arms around his unseen brother.
"Harry!" the eight year old cheered, smiling widely.
Harry's body reappeared as he ended the spell, wrapping his arms around his little brother. "You're getting big, Aiden." He poked him in the side. "And heavy too!"
The younger boy batted the digit away. "Harry, stop! That tickles."
"That's kind of the point, brat," he grinned, poking him again.
Aiden let out a squeal of laughter and wiggled out of Harry's grip."Are you staying long?" he asked, rocking back and forth on his heels, as he grinned up at his older brother.
"Just for a little while," replied Harry, smiling. "Why don't you go up to your room, I'll be up there in a minute. And you can show me all your cool new toys."
His face brightened at the prospect of showing off for his older brother. He dashed off without another word. Harry watched him go with a fond smile. The smile slipped once he turned back to his mother.
"He's good," he said, amazement clear in his tone. "Not many people can see through a Disillusionment Charm with so little effort and in that short amount of time too. Have you had him tested yet?"
"We want to wait till he's eleven," Lily answered, running a hand through her hair. If she was surprised by Aiden's talent she didn't show it. "That's when magic is supposed to manifest. The fact he's showing power so young will only raise eyebrows. Right now with the war going on, I'm hesitant to even have him tested at all." She shook her head, expression determined. "I don't want my baby to grow up in that world."
He refrained from brining up the fact that the rest of the family was already knee deep in that world. "They say that magical power is gained from the mother's side."
"I can't do a fraction of what you're capable of, or what Aiden will eventually be able to do," she said with a snort. "Minor spells, like helpful charms or tracking spells, I can do. But that's about it. I couldn't pass the test to get into the White Council when I was fifteen."
Surprise, surprise. "I didn't know that."
She shrugged. "It's not my proudest moment. It's rare that someone his age shows so much power. But it does happen. Aiden's power is too strong for it to fade away from disuse. He'll have to be trained at some point."
Harry eyes widened as she trained her stare on him. He took the hint. "You want me to train him?"
"You don't have to sound so shocked," she laughed. "You're a wizard with considerable skill."
"I don't know," replied Harry, stunned. It still hadn't sunk in. "I've learned a lot about the magic in this world, but I couldn't teach him the higher level magic. So he would have to eventually learn on his own or find another teacher." He shook his head, trying to shake off the surprise. "I'm shocked you even trust me with this, Mum. Considering…"
Lily reached across the couch and took his hand in hers. "I made my peace with you a long time ago," she said with heartfelt sincerity. "I mean it. I would love nothing more than to know for sure what happened that day three years ago to bring you here, but I know its not your fault."
That actually meant a lot to him even though he knew in his heart she didn't mean it. He knew she would love nothing more than to have Harrison back, and she would trade him for her actual son without thought, but the words did ease his soul just the same.
"Look," began Lily, seeing him still considering the offer. "You don't have to give me an answer now. He won't need training for years."
"I'll think about it," he conceded. He rose to his feet. "I better get upstairs before Aiden comes looking for me."
"Harry," Lily called after him, causing him to stop in the doorway. "The scroll… Your question… Do you really think it will work? Do you think you can find out about Harrison?"
He didn't turn around to face her as he stood frozen in the doorway. His eyes closed as he tried to ignore the anxious, almost desperate longing in her tone. She probably didn't even realize how she sounded. It still stung. He couldn't lie about that. He ignored the pang in his chest, and schooled his face as he turned around to fully face her.
"I really hope so," he replied, honestly.
He turned back around and left the room.
It was late into the night when he returned home. A million thoughts buzzed in his head. His mother had drilled home how exactly out of touch he was. He leaned against the island counter in the kitchen, and poured a hefty glass of scotch. He smacked his lips after he downed the liquor, feeling the immediate warming in his gut as it settled home.
"That hit the spot," he moaned, exhaling loudly.
The conversation with his mother replayed in his mind. He couldn't resist the frown that formed on his face. It was about time he got back in tune with the world around him. He couldn't believe that so much was going on without him being aware. For months, he had been following the clues and vague stories that hinted at the location of the scroll. Then it had taken two months of careful planning to steal the scroll from Lord Zhu. The vampire lord's house was fortified to handle attacks, and protected against even those who employed more esoteric means. It had taken sixty two days for him to carry out his plans and successfully complete the robbery. Now in the end it may seem his actions might have far reaching consequences.
The Jade Court could tip the scales of war in the Red Court's favor, and with their combined might the vampires would turn the war into a massacre. Things never went according to plan for him. He slammed the empty glass down and crossed the room to the living area. Books and aged papers, that had seen better days, littered the floor around a ring of silver metal inlaid in the hardwood. Babylonian symbols traced the edges of the circle in a neat black script.
He wasn't lying earlier when he told his mother that he didn't know the higher magics the wizards of this world employed. He didn't. He knew of the theories, and he knew advanced magic from his own world. The two definitely didn't mesh well, just as two magnets were both magnetic, but each had an opposite charge that repelled the other. It didn't stop him from trying to mix the two for his own benefit.
He sat the scroll next to one of the many books that he had scoured the globe for. A book so old that it predated the fall of the Roman Empire. Its pages were full of a dead language chronicling early wizards attempts at mastering the world beyond their comprehension. It was how they had learned of the Nevernever, and the darker things that existed at the edge of being.
Harry took a seat at the desk and turned on the lamp. Light illuminated the work space as he unrolled the scroll, and stared at the yellowed parchment. None of it made sense to him. Nothing recognizable immediately clicked in his mind, which made sense if the scroll was as old as the legends said. It was going to take months for him to accurately translate. He didn't recognize any of the characters. If he squinted and cocked his head then it looked almost Sumerian, if the person writing was drunk off their ass.
"Bloody hell," he sighed tiredly, and dragged his hands down his face.
He glanced over at the open book near his elbow. It was still turned open to the page that he referenced for his last project. One of many projects he had attempted to connect to his past. Inside that silver ring on the floor a window in space and time had formed for the briefest of seconds. A window that was supposed to let him see into a world beyond this one, and if one knew the exact other world then the window would tune into it. At least that was what the ancient wizards that researched the concept believed. The window had formed all for a nano second before the gears of quantum physics came into play and crushed the disturbance with merciless efficiency. The backlash of energy had knocked him unconscious for a day and a half, and damaged his nervous system enough so that it took two more days before he fully recovered.
The book closed with a heavy thud, and he pushed the tome away. "Definitely won't be trying that one again."
It was what he got for attempting to manipulate forces greater than his understanding. Everyone could read a cookbook and attempt a recipe, but that doesn't mean the dish will come out great. The scroll was going to have to be translated with no errors whatsoever, or who knows what disaster would befall him if he got any portion of it wrong during the actual attempt.
Let's see. He would probably have to start with text on Shrangi-La to determine common languages, and then see if the scroll was influenced by one of them. That wouldn't come cheap. His contact in the black market should have an idea of who might have what he needed.
The telephone ringing jarred him from his thoughts. He groaned. Probably was his mother again. He found the phone on the floor partially underneath the bed, exactly where he dropped it earlier after getting off the phone. Harry snatched the phone up and pressed the talk key.
"Hello?"
There was a pause then came a hesitant female's voice. "Hey, Harry."
He almost dropped the phone from his hand that suddenly went slack. "Hello… Elaine."
"You sound good," she said, obviously stretching to fill the silence.
Harry wasn't going to make it that easy. "So you're finally giving me a ring, eh? It's been six months, Elaine."
"I've been trying to call you for awhile now," replied Elaine, defensively.
Harry snorted. "Like a phone call kept you from contacting me before. We both know that you could have tracked me down if you really wanted."
"You could've done the same," she challenged. "You didn't go looking for me."
"Why should I?" he demanded, dropping down on the mattress. "You disappeared. Obviously you didn't want to be found. I know how you are, Elaine. Where did you go?"
"There was some things I had to see to and I— things got insanely busy."
He really laughed this time. "Join the club. So why have you finally decided to get in touch? Are you checking up on me?"
"You could use a checkup now and again. How are your projects going anyway?"
Harry could hear the honest interest in her voice. "I've made some progress. I understand the concepts and practices better than when I first started out. But I could use help from someone with experience at this kind of magic."
"Good luck. I've never been that strong in the more heavy magic," she replied. "The magic you're messing with is old, Harry." Her voice got somber as she warned him, "You're basically toeing the seventh law. So be careful."
The seventh law of magic, thou shalt not seek beyond the Outer Gates. The place that was marked as the furthest edges of the universe. Breaking that law, or any of the laws, resulted in death. He only had limited knowledge of the Outer Gates, and that was for good reason. No one parted with that information freely. Even knowing beyond the basics of the Outer Gates would make the White Council come calling. He didn't care about the seventh law of magic. If his home existed beyond this universe, beyond the Outer Gates, then he would continue pursuing a way to reach it. White Council be damned.
"No need to worry about me," he said, dismissing her concern. "Don't think I didn't notice that you dodged my question. Why have you decided to give me a ring after all this time?"
Elaine sighed. "You still have that knack for detecting I see." She took a moment to collect herself. "Harry, I need help."
"What's going on?" he asked, sitting up. Elaine was never the one to idly ask for help. The world must be coming to an end or hell had finally frozen over.
"Queen Titania has called in my debt."
He swore. Queen Titania calling in Elaine's debt was a mixed blessing. On one hand she would finally be free from Faerie influence, but on the other hand there was no telling what the Faerie Queen would have Elaine do to earn her freedom.
"What do you need me to do?"
He could hear the relieved breath she let out. "It feels so good to hear you say that. I'm with Aurora—"
"She's with you right now?" he interjected.
His question carried so much ice cold anger behind it that it surprised even him. He closed his eyes and counted backward from ten. The anger that rose to the surface like a dragon taking flight settled down, as he took deep calming breaths.
"I know that she and you have problems, but—"
He cut her off again, "Don't, Elaine. Just don't. Okay?"
"Fine," she reluctantly agreed. "This is bigger than you and Aurora. Like end of the world as we know it big. And I'm smack dab in the middle."
That definitely got his attention. "What's going on?"
"Ronald's been murdered."
"The Summer Knight?" he asked, surprised. "Damn. Whoever did it must have guts."
"His power has been stolen and the Summer Court is pointing fingers at the Winter Court. Unless the culprit is found then the Faerie Courts are going to war, and it will either be neverending summer or eternal winter all across the world. Neither is a good outcome. Trust me."
It didn't take much for him to figure out the rest of the missing puzzle. "Titania wants you to find the murderer and where the power has gone doesn't she? That's how you'll end your debt to her."
"And you continue to live up to your Hardy Boy name," she laughed. "That's why I need your help. You're better at this than I am. Help me find the killer and prevent this war, please?"
Harry shook his head, smiling. "Of course, I'll help. You don't leave me with any other option. End of the world kind of sold it for me. Where are you?"
"I'm in Chicago," replied Elaine. "Everything seems to be happening here lately."
"Well, add me to the list of things happening in Chicago. I'll be there tomorrow to help you save the world."
Saving the world— it's not like he's never handled that particular responsibility before.
The plot of Summer Knight has started. And Harry Potter is on his way to Chicago. The time jump may throw some off, but in a few more chapters there will be a chapter called Two Years Ago, that reflects back on past events. It will answer some questions caused by the time jump.