So it turns out I am bad at math(this was not news to me), and Charlie's last year should be the 1990-91 school year instead. I always thought that Charlie graduated a full year before Harry, Ron, and Hermione started Hogwarts, but according to his birthday of December 12th 1972 he would only be a sixth year in 1989. My confusion stemmed from the fact that in their first year Wood says that they had a bad season the year before and that Gryffindor hasn't been good since Charlie left. That is what always made me think that Wood had been captain for a year after Charlie left but before Harry got there and became seeker. So either Rowling messed up her years, or they were bad Charlies last year, which doesn't make sense to me since it was said that he could have played for England.
Either way I am sticking to how I have written things. Lets just pretend that there is a year gap between Charlie graduating and the trios first year, and keep his seventh year as 1989 so I don't have to change titles. I like to stick to cannon minus epilogue as much as possible, but with this vast universe sometimes kinks get thrown in.
Disclaimer: JK owns HP; Always.
1989
Chapter 8
When Hermione entered Dumbledore's office, there was already a short balding man talking animatedly to him. Assuming that it was Mr. Harper, she slipped the broken time-turner from underneath her shirt, and unclasped it from her neck as she approached them.
"Ah, Miss Walters." Dumbledore gestured to her. "You are right on time. Arlington, I'd like you to meet Jean. The young lady in question."
Arlington Harper looked at Hermione through his overly large spectacles, as if assessing her. He himself looked to be in his late seventies, with a severe receding hairline and a long thin nose.
"Looks a bit young to have been assigned a time-turner." He commented.
"Yes. A bit." Dumbledore agreed. "But she needs your help nonetheless."
"Agreed." Mr. Harper said, as he moved toward the desk. "Come over here so I can take a good look at your piece please."
Both Hermione and Dumbledore followed the man as he began taking things out of his handheld pouch, and laid them out in a row on the large oak desk. When he closed his bag and set it on the floor, Hermione extended her arm out to hand her damaged device over.
He gently accepted the gold necklace, and laid it down under the bright spotlight and magnifying glass before taking a close look. For several minutes he turned it and stared at it, making sure he gave it a thorough examination until finally he laid it back down.
"Well it doesn't look good if I'm being honest." He removed his glasses as he turned to them. "I'll need some background information if I have any hope of getting you back to your own time."
Hermione instantly deflated at his words. It sounded like she was definitely stuck here for a while longer. "What kind of background information?"
"First off, I'll need to know where and how you obtained this time turner. Who gave you the authorization, how long you've had it, and where else you've traveled with it recently." He said. "Second, I need to know where and when specifically you traveled from, where and when your attempted destination was, and how the time turner ended up broken. I'll need to file a report so the Department of Mysteries can run reconnaissance if necessary."
"I thought I was supposed to keep everything private?" She answered.
"To everyone else, yes. To me, no." He informed them. "Coming back this far and by accident is one thing, but the amount of time you are going to be here for will most likely lead to issues that The Department of Mysteries alone should be the ones to handle. My report will let them know to be on the lookout for anything harmful that could arise from this unfortunate incident. In the rare cases of people traveling back in time more than the five hours allotted, The Department of Mysteries has to know how and when people used their time-turners in the future so that they can make sure those specific ones will be available. They don't want to risk time rifts or other inconsistencies if things end up altered. It also helps paint a general idea of the future so that we can attempt to keep everything on course. I can assure you that anything you say will remain in this office and with my department only."
"I don't think you can guarantee that." Hermione sighed. "But if you insist and it's my only chance of getting home, I'll cooperate."
Dumbledore conjured a few more chairs so they could get comfortable. "Why don't you start at the beginning, Miss Walter's. And tell us your real name so Arlington can mark it in his report."
Hermione took a deep breath before starting. "My real name is Hermione Granger and I am a muggleborn from Heathgate, London. I started Hogwarts on September first, of 1991."
Mr. Harper began writing as Dumbledore looked at her curiously.
"On May 2nd of 1998, there was trouble at Hogwarts and I ended up in a room on the seventh floor that is known as the room of hidden things. I was attacked by one of the men causing trouble, and my wand ended up broken in the scuffle. I ran from him to try and get away, and unfortunately hit a dead end. I found the time-turner on a desk in that room. I grabbed it just as I heard my attacker approaching again. My intention was to only go back ten minutes, as I was hoping I could try and stop him from breaking my wand in the first place, but he sent a tripping jinx to my legs before the dial was able to finish its turns. I fell, and the device must have broken from the impact when I hit the floor. When I stood up, I was here in 1989. Almost nine years in the past."
Dumbledore seemed to be deep in thought, as if he was trying to put the last few pieces of a puzzle into place. Mr. Harper was scribbling away on his parchment.
"That takes care of the when and the where, but how did you know how to use the time-turner when you spotted it among the hidden things?" Mr. Harper asked. "You seem much more familiar with it than a seventh year muggle born student should be."
"I had one in my third year." Hermione answered.
Dumbledore was still looking curiously at her as Mr. Harper continued with his interrogation. "Preposterous. No third year would ever be given access to a device as sensitive as a time-turner."
"Well I was." Hermione defended herself. "I was taking every single class on the roster, so Professor McGonagall wrote to the minister so I could have special approval for one. Though I only had it one year before giving it back due to exhaustion."
"Fudge must be a bit barmy in the future." Arlington muttered before scribbling that information down as well. "So you'd used one for a year in 1993 and 1994, giving you the knowledge of how to use this one when you picked it up off a desk in 1998?"
"Correct."
Mr. Harper scribbled away at his parchment for a few more minutes before he began to pack up. As he reached for the time-turner and placed it into his bag, Hermione felt a wave of panic crash into her chest. She would not be returning to her friends today.
"How long do you think it will be before I can go home?" She asked, trying to keep the panic attack at bay.
"I'm not positive Miss Granger, but I would estimate a few months at best." He replied. "I'll have to talk to the department and find out if there are any spare parts we can commandeer. If so, we can replace those parts of it and send you on your way. If not, we will have to repair what we can and use verbal spells for everything else. I'll return in two weeks; same time, same place to let you know what I've discovered. In the meantime I suggest you stay on alert and keep to yourself as much as possible."
"Yes, sir." She nodded solemnly. "Thank you for taking time out of your retirement to help me."
"You are welcome young lady." He tipped his glasses at her before turning to Dumbledore. "Good to see you as always Albus."
The floo roared green as he left the headmaster's office, who turned to her as soon as they had been left alone.
"He's come back hasn't he?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
Hermione looked taken aback. "Who, sir?"
"Voldemort, my dear."
She flinched at the name. Not because of the name itself, but because the last time she heard it she had been abducted by the snatchers due to the taboo and sent to Malfoy Manor. The place where she had undergone several rounds of the cruciatus curse at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange, and ended up with that nasty scar on her arm. The scar she always made sure was covered.
"You and I both know I cannot answer that question." She replied.
"You said there will be trouble here at Hogwarts in almost nine years time. 1991 is the year you say you start here, so I have no doubt that you know who Harry Potter is and his history, as he is due to start that year as well. Both of Potter's parents were in Gryffindor, leading me to believe that not only are you in the same year as him, but also in the same house. If Voldemort returns and goes after him, the one responsible for his downfall, I imagine that he or one of his followers is the one who ends up causing trouble here at Hogwarts the night you say you ended up here in 1998."
"You always have been spot on with your theories." Hermione said, trying to admit as little as possible.
Dumbledore chuckled at her coyness. "Your aversion to my question tells me that he does indeed find a way back, and that it is not as far into the future as I would have hoped. Tell me though, is Harry Potter still alive? Or has Voldemort taken over entirely?"
Hermione sighed but nodded her head. "Harry and I only separated minutes before I was attacked. He's alive and well for the time being, but that could change at any moment. We were right in the middle of a big battle when I was pulled away and dropped here. That's why I'm so eager to get back. My friends need me."
"Then there is still hope." Dumbledore replied, reading between the lines. "Though, you do speak of him as if he's a close friend, not just a housemate."
"He's my best friend." She admitted unwaveringly. "Which is how I know that you need to follow your instincts when it comes to him. I'm just as much a part of it as he is, and what you do leads us on the path toward victory. We are so close to taking him down for good, and it's all because of the strategy you left us with."
"Really?" A brief flicker of what looked like relief flashed across Dumbledore's face.
"Yes." She answered. "There are no guarantees of course, but we are close. Now please don't ask me anything else. What you do and don't do is what leads us on the right path. You need to find things out on your own and come to your own conclusions."
"Agreed, Miss Granger. I'll not inquire any further." He nodded singularly, his fingertips touching. "You have only confirmed suspicions I already had. The question now, is what are you going to do when you return?"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "I'm going to find my friends and we are going to finish what we started. Now that I have a new wand I will be armed and more prepared for when I get back."
"That's precisely my point." Dumbledore answered back. "Preparation. You find yourself with an unordinary amount of extra time. Not something one usually comes by when they are right in the middle of a big battle. You can use this time wisely to plan for your return. You may not be able to change the future between now and May 2nd, 1998, but that doesn't mean you can't change what comes after. You have time as an advantage over Voldemort. You know what's coming, so use that to your advantage to help Harry defeat him once and for all."
These words seemed to inspire her, and Hermione's eyes widened as her mind raced with the possibilities. "Do you think I could be granted access to the Restricted Section of the Library while I'm here? I scoured every text I could get my hands on for information while I was here before, but was never allowed to browse through the one place that might hold the answers I was looking for."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he nodded again. "I'll owl you a key and let Irma know as soon as we are done here. Just make sure everything is returned in a timely fashion, and that you don't take anything with you when you return to your time."
"Of course not Professor." She half smiled. "Thank you."
"You are more than welcome." He gestured to the door. "Now scurry back to your dorm so I can take care of your key."
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I see you didn't end up leaving after all."
Hermione looked up from the book that she had already checked out due to her special permissions. She had curled up on one of the squishy chair and halfs in the corner of the common room, her feet propped up on the matching ottoman.
"Yes, unfortunately." She replied to the second eldest Weasley son as she lowered the book. "But there is a plan in place that should lead me home eventually at least."
"That's good to hear." He said as he sat in the adjacent chair, trying to get as comfortable as she looked.
"So have you finalized your picks for quidditch yet?" She asked with a stretch, trying to deter him from asking any more questions about her meeting with Dumbledore.
Charlie sighed. "Not yet. I'm in a dilemma with who to pick for keeper. I want to pick Devon, but every time I try to write his name down on the roster I get sidetracked thinking about that third year, Oliver Wood."
Knowing who he ends up choosing in the long run, Hermione decided this was one thing she could reveal. She could help him with this decision and save him some time. "Do you want to know what I think?"
He cocked his head to the side as he looked at her. "I'm not sure I should take advice from someone who doesn't even like quidditch."
She leaned toward him to smack him on the arm, causing him to laugh and lean out of the way out of reflex. "I may not like it, but that doesn't mean I don't understand it. And who knows, I could help you rationalize what you are already thinking and help you come to your decision faster."
"Alright." He grinned. "Give it to me, what do you think I should do?"
"You should pick Oliver. He was slightly faster and had more confidence, not to mention younger."
Charlie's smile faded. "How is his age a factor? Plus, Devon is my best mate. He would be crushed if I chose a third year over him when they had the same stats."
"Well Avery is a shoe in for chaser." Hermione argued her point. "Meaning if you choose Devon over Oliver you would have a team made entirely out of seventh years."
"And what's so wrong with that? Having an all seventh year team would make us stronger don't you think?"
"Well it will this year, but what about next year?" She tried to explain to him the importance of thinking in the long term. "You'd be leaving no experienced players, and setting next year's team up for failure."
Charlie threw his head back against the back of the chair with a loud groan. "Shit, you're right."
"Devon will understand you don't want to leave next year's team without a proper captain and that you need to think about the future of the Gryffindor team, not just the one present." Hermione continued to justify why that was the best decision. "You should just let him know your decision before revealing it to the rest of Gryffindor if you go that route."
"I know." He groaned again. "I didn't want to see it because I wanted to play with my best friend for my last year, but that's probably what's been nagging in the back of my head all day."
"So you're going to choose Oliver after all?" Hermione asked even though she already knew the answer.
"Yeah." Charlie sighed, sinking further into his chair. "I am. It's what's best for Gryffindor." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Thanks for the advice."
"See." Hermione gloated as she opened her book back up and flipped to the right page. "I can dislike quidditch and still be helpful."
He rolled his eyes at that, but clearly thought it was funny. "Right. I'll try to remember that."
"You should, seeing as I am all knowing." She smirked, but her eyes stayed focused on her book as she flipped to the next page.
"All knowing?" He decided to tease back. "Or just a know-it-all?"
Her eyes snapped back up to look at him with a clearly offended look on her face. "I am not a know-it-all!"
"Oooh. I think you're protesting a little too much." He grinned devilishly as he threw one of the small throw pillows at her. "See you tomorrow Jean."
He laughed as he ran up the stairs to escape her wrath. Luckily, he was well out of sight before she could draw her wand, no doubt intending to throw a nasty hex in his direction. He had a feeling he might pay for that one later.