Author Note: From Time to Time
The six heroes of Hogwarts were sitting recovering from the battle and figuring out what they wanted to do next. They knew they faced a long series of funerals over the summer for family, friends and other people they knew and cared about. The Weasley family had been reduced down to Ron and his sister. They sat consoling each other with their friends, all orphans themselves.
"This is wrong. It shouldn't have happened like this." Harry was repeating as he threw rocks against the side of the castle.
"I know but what can we do about it? We can't change the past." Ron exclaimed.
Hermione and Luna exchanged looks as if they had both had a similar thought. "What if we could?" Hermione asked carefully.
Harry stopped in mid throw looking at her, "What do you mean? What if we could?"
"What if we could go back and change things. Go back and prevent all of this from happening?" Hermione repeated.
"How? All of the Time Turners were destroyed." Ginny pointed out.
"We would have to use something that was bigger and more powerful. Something that the Novikov Principle and Blinovitch both could be bypassed with." Luna softly said considering.
"Plus I would want it to be able to fly and be able to turn invisible so we could hide." Hermione stated.
"Sounds like you're describing a flying saucer." Harry scoffed throwing a rock again, "That's a real fantasy."
"Harry we live in a magical castle." Ginny pointed out.
"Alright. But there is no device like that so we might as well just forget about changing the past and face the future." Harry threw a rock harder, "No matter how painful its going to be."
"There might be a way we could sidestep all of those restrictions and develop such a device though. We would need to start work now because it could take some time to develop it." Hermione said biting her lip.
"You really think this is a good idea?" Harry scowled.
Ron stood up heatedly, "The only family I got left is Ginny. I got nothing else to give. I'm in. If we can build this thing and go back to stop Voldemort I'm all for it."
Ginny took her brother's hand as she stood beside him, "I agree with Ron. There's nothing else to do. I want to go back and change everything. Stop the pain."
Hermione looked at Neville and Harry. Neville frowned, "I've. I've never known my parents. I never knew family until I met you guys. I'm in."
"Harry? What about you?" Hermione asked hopefully. "We all need to be in agreement or this won't work."
Harry closed his eyes as he felt memories cross in front of his eyes. "What is there to lose? I mean its not like we could destroy the world."
"Not much of a world to save right now." Ron grunted.
Hermione held her hand out, "Okay we all make a pact. That we will do all we can to build a working time machine from this day henceforth."
Luna stood and put her hand on Hermione's. Ron and Ginny quickly joined them as did Neville. Harry took a deep breath and placed his hand on top last.
"We swear this. So say we all." They said in unison making the pact.
The last echo of their words faded from the ruined courtyard when there was a wooshing humming noise that grew in volume. A large cyclonic wind stirred the dust as a loud cracking thunderclap echoed across the valley. A large device that looked like two pie plates spinning in opposite directions appeared hanging in the sky in exactly the same way a brick does not.
"Is that what I think that is?" Harry asked in shock.
"I think this is our machine." Hermione said grinning as the device extended four landing legs before settling onto the ground in front of them.
The disks slowed then stopped before a ramp lowered itself. The six waited but no one came out so they went in.
The interior was a brilliant white and blight blue with a control room, a dining area, three sleeping quarters a hygiene room and a store room all on a single level.
"Look there's a note pinned to the controls. What does it say?" Ron asked in a tremulous voice.
Hermione plucked it from the panel and read aloud, "Dear Hermione. I remembered sending this back to you on this day. I'm sorry none of us could come back to help but it took all of our lives to build this. We focused and did nothing but develop this device. Then we grew old and each of us died in turn until only I was left. Once this device enters your point in time my history will vanish, turned into whatever you make of it. So you have a choice, you can either use the machine to change the past, knowing that you will never return to the world you left. Or you can destroy the machine and build your life from this point forwards and do something worthwhile. I will never know what choice you make but I hope it will be the right one. I will die now, the last of our group. I want you to know I loved all of you. My sweet friends. With good love your Luna."
Everyone stood quietly thinking as Hermione's voice caught in her throat.
"So do we use it?"
"Hell yeah!" Ron declared with a frown.
"No, I'm having second thoughts." Neville stated looking concerned.
"As long as we stay together when we use it. What does it matter?" Ginny asked. "We'll still have each other."
"She has a point. The purpose of this was to change our history. We'll not lose anything by using this."
"Luna?" Hermione asked quietly.
Luna sat in the control seat looking over the switches dials and levers. She stroked the bright brass control panel gently before nodding, "Let's see what we can do."
The others too their seats when Hermione nodded.
Minerva had begun to search for the six heroes. She entered the courtyard just in time to witness the ramp folding upwards and the disks beginning to spin again. The entire device wobbled into the sky slowly, drunkenly before stabilizing on its course. Rising higher and higher with a warbling groan as it ascended. Finally there was a sharp thunderclap followed by rushing air then silence as the device vanished. Leaving a blinking Minerva to wonder what had just happened.
Review Responses:
Latarra. Yes indeed. Things would get interesting.
Sparky40sw: Yes indeed. I liked this idea.
OfficerDonnz: Oh no doubt Petunia heard them. Hermione might have challenged her with that just to get Harry out of there. All part of her nefarious plan of pleasure..lol.
