Chapter 4: Getting Payback
"So what exactly should we do here." Sirius says now that Harry has laid out all his cards.
"Indeed we have about another hour before Remus gets a lot hairier." Severus says looking down at Ron and the rat, "If this is indeed Pettigrew we should turn him in."
"No…" Harry said. Everyone looked at him confused, "According to dead you." He point to Sirius, "It is Fate's design for Peter to get away tonight. Without him escaping Voldy can't come back, and if the snaked faced bastard stays as he is destiny can't play out, and I could die again. So I think we should basically let tonight play out as it did in my last life." Harry explains in detail the events of what happened on this night in his last life, "So lets mimic that as closely as we can."
"So we need to wake up Mister Weasley here and have the big reveal with Pettigrew." Severus said, "Please refrain from actually knocking me out you two." He says looking at Harry and Hermione, "I highly doubt Weasley there contributed much in throwing me back in your last life."
"I'll do my best sir." Harry says, "Can one of you obliviate me knocking that idiot out from his head." He nods to Ron, "Make him think he passed out from being dragged in, and get Pettigrew too. Don't want him remembering I tied him up before knocking out him and Ron."
"I'll handle that." Severus walked over to the unconscious red head and rat and began working on them.
Remus transfigured the bed in the corner that Severus was to be thrown into so he'd have a cushioned landing spot, Harry returned the cage to its original form in the floor boards. With the stage set they resumed. Ron stirred when Harry casted Rennervate Charm and acted as if he shook the red head awake. From there thing went pretty much exactly as it did in his old life. Remus came in and disarmed Harry who was acting aggressive toward Sirius. They gave the similar explanation as in his last life about Pettigrew before Severus remade his entrance. They acted it out perfectly, Hermione and Harry sent Snape flying into the bed just like last time only this time he had a cushioned fall. He laid their and listened to them continue the charade.
Soon they were arguing with Pettigrew, who Harry Rennervated silently just before they turned him back to his human form. Just like before Harry told them they should turn Pettigrew over, and soon the group made their way out. Severus was slightly annoyed about having to pretend to still be unconscious and carried out. Sirius helped Harry carry out Ron however unlike before he remained silent controlling his urge to throttle the red head. Almost as soon as they got outside Remus 'wolfed' out. However Remus, having took his potion, was in complete control, but he acted as if he wasn't swinging at them and snarling.
Remus and Sirius had their little wrestling match, while Pettigrew made his escape before Remus ran off into the woods. Harry went after a stumbling Sirius they convened at the lake where Sirius was completely conscious this time. "The Dementors will be here soon." He grumbled.
"Yea but remember Time Turner Harry will handle them I'll keep them back though." He told him as he felt the Dementors presence before he saw them. He began casting a shield like Patronus that worked effectively enough.
Moments later the lake was bathed in a blinding white light and the Dementors fled from the scene. Sirius let out a sigh of relief. Harry turned to him, "Oh I have a message for you from you spirit self." Harry said smirking.
Sirius raised an eyebrow, "And what was that?"
"Tell Severus the truth and stop being a chicken." Harry said and seeing his godfathers reddened face he raises his eyebrow, "You ponder that." Harry said tapping his wand to Sirius' head and the man fell unconscious.
Harry waited a moment then Severus came sliding down the slope. Harry smirked, "Alright you know the drill. Don't be too happy about knocking me out."
Severus smirks, "I'll do my best not to enjoy it too much." He drew his wand and like Harry did to Sirius tapped his wand to the young Potters head and Harry collapsed to the ground.
The next hour and a half went by, and exactly as before, Sirius was taken to the Charms tower and locked up. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were in the hospital wing. They had their meeting with Fudge where all three of them tried to convince him of Sirius' innocence. Of course he wouldn't hear it. Severus slyly implied they were Confunded and Fudge readily agreed. Harry rolled his eyes when Fudge turned away and began applauding Severus for catching Sirius. When the Minister looked away, Severus looked to Harry and smirked a bit Harry gave him a stern look.
After Dumbledore's arrival and dismissal of Fudge and Severus he gave Harry and Hermione the same speech Harry remembered from before then walked out, "Finally." Harry mumbled, "Lets go Hermione." He hissed quietly.
She looked at Ron and frowned, "Well you're not going anywhere." She then pulled out the time turner and wrapped it around hers and Harry's neck. She twisted it three times and Harry watched the familiar sight of things rushing backwards around them. When they stopped Hermione pulled the chain from around Harry and tucked it back into her shirt, "So Buckbeak first right?"
"Yea then we wait for Sirius across the pond." He says smiling.
"Lets go then." She says turning and rushing out the door with Harry right on her tail.
Hermione was still getting used the idea that Harry was not at all surprised by the time turner. She had rushed out toward Hagrid's eager to save Buckbeak. Harry had to grab her and pull her aside to keep her from running out and bumping into their past selves. He had pressed her against the wall and held a finger to his lips as the whole encounter with Malfoy occurred again. Harry smirked again watching her past self punch Draco, "You really have a mean right hook." He whispers then looks down at her finding himself pressed against her. Hermione's face was red and he quickly backed up, "Sorry." He mumbled.
"Its okay." She squeaked out.
"We're going down come on." He whispered as they stealthily followed their younger selves to Hagrid's.
Just as Harry had explained they waited for Fudge, Dumbledore, and the Executioner start heading down, and Harry nudged Hermione to toss the shells. She did so smashing the milk jug then smacking the back of past Harry's head. "Ow…" he grumbled, "Weird how you hit that me and I felt it."
"He's you Harry." Hermione reminded him.
Harry rolled his eyes, and as their past selves came out the back door they retreated into the trees. Once again Harry pulled Hermione behind a tree. Her face got a bit red again as they were close again, her back against Harry's chest. She shook her head to clear her mind then peeked around the trunk seeing their past selves hiding behind the pumpkins, "Is that really what my hair looks like from the back?" she mumbles. Harry quickly pulled her back as the other Hermione whipped around looking their way.
"I swear, this deja vu thing is getting really annoying." He mumbles as the past trio runs off up the slope, "Alright lets get Buckbeak." He said letting Hermione go.
The pair bait the hippogriff into the tree line as they did in his last life, before tying the hippogriff to the tree. They then went to the pond to wait. Harry sat behind a bush and sighed, "Finally, I can rest for a bit."
Hermione sat beside him, "So now that we have some time…can I ask you some questions."
Harry sat up and pulled his knees up against him and leaning on them, "Feel free." He smiled.
"So you're actually seventeen mentally, right?" she asks.
"Yes, I was about to turn eighteen before I died." He said.
"So technically now your older than me." She grumbled.
He chuckles, "Only mentally…this body is still thirteen while your already fourteen."
"So why do you think Dumbledore potioned us to like Ginny and Ron in your last life?" she asked.
Harry thought about this, he didn't want to tell her about the soulmate thing it might make things even more awkward between them, "I'm under the impression Dumbledore wanted us to be easier to control. We're both fairly powerful magically, and the Weasley's are his most loyal supporters so He wanted to hitch our wagons to theirs." He says telling her his half truth.
"I suppose that could make sense," she said part of her could tell he was holding something back though. "So you never thought about dating Ginny?"
"Not before sixth year. She was always more like a little sister then suddenly in sixth year I found her attractive." He said, "Looking back I can't believe I didn't notice it."
"What about me and Ron?" She asked curiously.
"Hmmm." He seemed to ponder this. "Well you never really seemed to have an interest in him like that either I mean the two of you constantly argued until sixth year. Then just like with me and Ginny, you suddenly had an attraction towards him especially after he started fornicating with Lavender Brown right in front of everyone."
"Ewww." She responded, "Seriously?"
"Yea," he said, "They dated briefly and would make out everywhere…wonder if she was under a love potion too." He said as he began to ponder, "He was never very popular, then sixth year he suddenly had you and Lavender infatuated with him."
"That does seem suspicious." Hermione says as she starts pondering this.
"I reckon he started liking you around the Yule Ball in fourth year." Harry said as he started thinking, "Your date ended up being a famous Quidditch player and you know how he gets jealous about someone being better at something he wishes he was good at. He saw you with that guy and well…lost his cool at the ball itself, it was embarrassing."
"A famous quidditch player?" she asked.
Harry chuckles, "Yea, there will be a big event next year and this quidditch player will be here at Hogwarts. I'll tell you more about that over summer break for now lets just say this event is where I meet the dragon who killed me the sixth time. I'll have to face it again…I better read up on dragons more this time."
"You're going to have to fight a dragon?!" Hermione exclaimed looking extremely worried.
"Yes, not willingly of course, but I will…" He said, "But this time we'll have more time to prepare. You'll help me right?"
"Of course, I'm not letting you fight a dragon without a solid plan!" She exclaimed, "How did you survive it when they sent you back."
"I summoned my broom and out flew it but it took too long I think we need a better method. That Horntail was savage."
"Oh god." She mumbles.
Harry continued to tell her random things about the life he led before. He told her about the prophecy and the Horcruxes. How they hunted them instead of going to Hogwarts for their seventh year. He told her how he already got one stored away until he can safely destroy it. Their talk went on and on until it was time for Harry to banish the Dementors. Harry watched as his past self shielded Sirius and himself then pulled his own wand and shouted, " EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Prongs erupted from his wand and began charging into the dementors.
The corporal patronus chased the horde off then they watched as past Harry knocked out Sirius then Severus knocked out past Harry before carting them both off, "Lets go get Buckbeak." He said as he rushed off down the path towards were they left the hippogriff. It took Harry a minute to convince Hermione to ride Buckbeak but soon she was seated in front of Harry. The hippogriff took to the sky Hermione closed her eyes at first then she felt Harry's arms around her waist. She opened her eyes and looked down seeing Harry's arms wrapped around her firmly. Her face got red as she thought about it but then turned her attention back to steering the hippogriff to were Sirius was being held.
Hermione blew the door off with a simple Bombarda spell and Sirius leapt to join them, "Everything has gone just as you said Harry."
"Yea lets get out of here. Hermione if you would?" He put his arms back around her waist which earned a squeak from Hermione.
"Off we go." She said nervously as they flew down to a safe place.
They each climbed down from Buckbeak's back. "You're plan went flawlessly Harry." Sirius.
"Well to be fair this whole plan was actually Hermione's. Had I not have come from the future she would've come up with all of this herself." Harry said patting Hermione's back her face was red, but not just from the praise she was still flustered from having Harry's arms around her before.
"Well according to Remus she is the brightest witch of your year." Sirius smirked, "I guess it's Fate's design, Potter men typically go for the smartest of their generation."
Hermione's face got redder, "W-we-we're not like that!" she stammered.
Sirius smirked, "For now." he then hops on the hippogriff's back, "Alright, so I'll be waiting at Hermione's parents house in my Grim form."
"I'll send word to you as soon as I head to open the Wills." Harry said.
"Excellent." Sirius smiled, "Well lets go Sir Buckbeak, I'll leave Buckbeak somewhere safe before I head to her house." He gently nudged the beasts sides and they took off to the sky.
Harry smiled watching them soar away, "Harry!" Hermione said, "We have to get back to the hospital wing." She said as she took his arm and tugged.
"Right!" he said following her quickly.
The pair returned to the hospital wing just as Dumbledore was closing the door. Harry let Hermione do the talking since if he opened his mouth now he might curse the old codger out. Just as before the old man feigned ignorance and quietly walked off bidding them goodnight. Harry rolled his eyes and entered the infirmary to find his and Hermione's past selves vanishing and Ron stammering about them being over there when they were just in front of him , "Are we sure he grew up in a magical family?" Harry whispered in Hermione's ear getting a quiet giggle and blush from her.
Ron eyed them suspiciously, "What are you two whispering about?"
"Nothing, nothing how's the leg." Harry ask with a fake tone of concern, 'I wish Sirius bit your foot off.' He thought.
Ron continued to eye them suspiciously looking from Harry to Hermione, "Its been better."
"Hmm too bad." Harry said, "Well I'm going to go to sleep, today has been a pain in the arse and I'm knackered." He then went to the bed he had been lying in when he woke up there earlier and laid down.
"Yes lets get some rest." Hermione said and took the bed beside Harry. Ron seemed a bit offended neither of them laid beside him but soon he was passed out and snoring up a storm. Harry cast a Silencing Charm around the red head's bed.
"How the hell have I ever been able to sleep with that horrendous snoring is beyond me." He grumbled and laid back down.
Hermione was on her bed facing him with a smirk, "It's a mystery."
He smiled at her, "Yea, anyway goodnight Hermione."
"Night Harry." She said back closing her eyes.
Up Next: On the train ride home Harry and Hermione sit with an old friend and discover something quite startling.