Harry, followed by Ron and Hermione, got to the Charms corridor after lunch. Daphne Greengrass had eaten salad, and then an iced finger bun, and then left the great hall.
She turned up a bit later, with a book-bag.
"We'll need a room." said Greengrass.
Hermione went into a disused classroom, Harry followed, and Ron came last, shutting the door after Greengrass.
"Well, as you're Harry's best friends, and have already had loads of secret adventures, I know you can keep several important secrets." said Greengrass, getting out a sheaf of parchment, and looking at the top sheet.
"What's going on?" asked Hermione.
"Oh, an older me time-travelled and gave me this information, and a brief lecture." said Daphne "She was really old, probably nearly forty," she explained.
"Marriage contracts?" asked Hermione. Ron snorted.
"Look. This makes more sense when you know how the year is going to go" said Daphne.
Harry lifted his eyebrows.
"This year, Harry is having nightmares about a black door" said Daphne, and Harry swallowed. Shit. There was no way she could know that unless… either a Voldemort plot, and she was in the loop about the dreams, or from the future.
"Harry?" asked Hermione, her eyebrows doing that thing they did that looked like hairy caterpillars head-butting.
"Well yeah." admitted Harry.
Hermione glared at Greengrass.
"During the History of magic OWL exam, Harry will have a fit. There's a nightmare vision of Sirius Black being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. It's a trap, the vision is false. The Department of Mysteries holds prophecies, and He-who-shall-not-be-named hasn't heard all of the one about Harry. But only he or Harry can retrieve it, hence the trap," said Daphne.
"But the door is real" said Harry. "The old man that died was real. I just know it."
Daphne referred to the parchment. "Oh yes. The gardener at Voldemort's father's house. By the graveyard, apparently."
Daphne looked up from the parchment at Harry "I'm terribly sorry about that. It must have been horrible." she said.
Harry glowered at her. She seemed singularly unmoved.
"The upshot is that Sirius Black dies rescuing Harry and friends from the Department, with several friends of Dumbledore's." said Daphne "you-… Voldemort is seen in the battle. Fudge resigns, as he's spent all year pretending it's not happening."
"Sirius dies?" said Harry, drawing his wand.
"And we need to stop that" said Daphne "He's the only person who can prevent Mrs Malfoy's plot."
"Marriage plot?" asked Harry.
Daphne gave a sharp nod. "Look, if Sirius Black dies, Draco Malfoy inherits the Black family wealth – his mother was a Black, you see." said Daphne "Now, as Sirius was planning to adopt Harry, his will leaves everything, including his house in London – which apparently is an absolute tip, his mother died there – to Harry. Now Mrs Malfoy knows he's back, and that Harry's top of He Who – Voldemort's death list." said Daphne.
Harry nodded. That was true. And she was trying to say Voldemort not he-who-should-not-be-named. Like Professor Dumbledore did.
"So, once Sirius Black is dead, she gets my father, who is a coward, to betroth both his daughters to respectively, Draco, because he inherits the Malfoy wealth, and the heir of the house of Black. At present, that's Draco. Harry will doubtless be part of the will soon, but if Harry is dead, it goes back to Draco. So he ends up betrothed to my little sister, who fancies him, and me – and I'd rather take my chances with Potter."
"So?" asked Harry. Mrs Malfoy clearly thought he was an idiot. He'd survived Voldemort loads of times already.
"In the future, there's a war. Draco goes to Azkaban, Harry doesn't die, and I end up having to marry him. I'd rather have Sirius Black not die, he can cancel the agreement, or better still, cast Narcissa Malfoy nee Black out of the family, so she can't sign contracts for him next year, when Harry's underage, but still heir of the house of Black, and thus in an awkward legal position."
"And then not marry Harry" said Ron.
"Well, actually, I've been instructed, by me from the future, to take him to Hogsmeade" said Daphne "Future me is convinced he's marvellous."
Harry looked out the window quickly. His leg jiggled.
"So… you ended up marrying Harry involuntarily?" asked Hermione.
"Future me, but yes." said Daphne.
"And want to date him anyway?" asked Hermione.
"Oh come off it Granger!" said Daphne "He's got to be the best school quidditch player in like, forever, and she assures me by sixth year, he's five foot eleven!"
Harry turned and stared at Daphne Greengrass, weirdo. "I get tall?"
"Tall, dark and handsome. Well, and quite wealthy, and being an absolute bally hero" said Daphne. "That's one hell of a growth spurt." said Ron (five foot eight).
"Oy!" said Harry, shortest team member, and starting to get sensitive about it.
"What about Voldemort?" asked Hermione.
"Harry defeats him in the war, and there is apparently a lot of luck involved, and many good people die along the way." said Daphne "We can skip a lot of that, I gave myself a checklist, because the secret of Vol-Voldemort's immortality, well, Professor Dumbledore apparently knows, and with a little knowledge from after the war, Voldemort can be made not immortal before next year, and die in a clash with, for example, Professor Dumbledore, who vanquished Grindelwald."
"Time travel is incredibly dangerous!" said Hermione.
"I gather," said Daphne, "but future me let me know, so we can skip most of the suffering… and she was quite fond of the house."
"His parent's house, that's a ruin," said Ron, "everyone knows." Harry frowned at this. Everyone knew things, but didn't tell him any of them. They just assumed he knew things.
"Not Harry's house… Voldemort's house." said Daphne "Harry is technically his last living relation. It has central heating – which sounds cosy, some muggle thing? And en-suite bathrooms."
"Last living relation?" asked Harry.
"You're both descended from Peverells, apparently," said Daphne "Peverell is an old pureblood family that's been extinct on the male line for positively ages."
"But I'm a Potter" said Harry weakly.
"Potter's are related to the Peverells. A Peverell witch married a Potter." said Daphne, checking her notes "Apparently Harry also needs to go back to The Chamber of Secrets, and loot the secret room behind the statue's mouth. There are some scrolls there he must recover as soon as possible."
Harry and Ron's eyes met.
"I hate that place" said Ron.
"I hate it more" said Harry firmly.
"I haven't even seen it" complained Hermione.
"Until today, I thought it was a myth," said Daphne "But apparently Harry took me on a date there once we were married, and found the secret room."
"Why would married people go on dates?" asked Ron. "They're married. It's over."
"Oh god" groaned Hermione.
"What on earth is wrong with him?" asked Daphne.
"He's a boy" said Hermione sourly.
"Well I need him to do that, as my … my sister is ill, and there's a spell in there that can cure her." said Daphne.
"Ill how?" asked Hermione.
"Ill, as in, healers can't heal her" said Daphne.
"But… she's at Hogwarts" said Hermione.
"And most days she's fine. The Healers predict she won't live past thirty." said Daphne.
"Oh shit" said Ron, paling a bit.
"Quite" said Daphne concisely and politely.
"So, um, I should do that this afternoon?" asked Harry.
"Squeeze it on before Divination" said Ron.
"But I've got classes. I want to see it" said Hermione.
"Trust me, you don't" said Ron "It's down a sewer."
"Ron, it's a pipe. We call it pipes, and don't think about it being a sewer," said Harry.
"We'll go after dinner" said Hermione. "Though why you're in such a hurry to help her?"
"She said we have to get married" said Harry.
"No, Harry, she said if you don't change things, you'll have to get married. Honestly" said Hermione. Harry felt unfairly picked on.
"Of course, once he's got the spells, I will take him to Hogsmeade at the next opportunity" said Greengrass "Future me was quite insistent that, believe it or not, he's the perfect man. Well, for me anyway. I'm dubious."
Ron couldn't hold in a snort.
Harry huffed. "Oy. Ron, don't start. Like you're perfect."
"Well I don't have girls dragging me off to claim they married me in the future and that I'm their perfect man."
"Actually, she said you were moody, bad-tempered, often stubborn, and prone to disastrous adventures." said Daphne, and she looked down her nose at Harry.
"Hmm. Sounds like she knew him alright" nodded Ron. Harry gaped like a fish momentarily, then recovered.
"I'm hurt." countered Harry, "My future wife comes back in time, and says I'm moody, bad-tempered and stubborn. Makes me doubt that she loved me." he added sarcastically.
"And she mentioned that he is always sarcastic." said Greengrass, with an eye-roll.
"Only when he's breathing." said Ron.
"Yes, well." said Daphne "About that. I've got a page of notes on Defeating He- Voldemort. For Harry and Professor Dumbledore. Future me had them, so I think they're correct, though it all seems a bit unbelievable."
"Hand it over," said Harry in a suddenly cold tone.
Daphne sorted through the pile, handing over a sheet of parchment.
Harry started reading. There was a list of things to destroy. The Diary was number one. "Hah. The Diary!" he said abruptly. "Knew it was more important than just memories."
Harry read on, and his brow furrowed, and then he swore "Oh. Fuck."
"Language, There are ladies present" said Daphne.
"I have to fight him and lose. Once, sod that." muttered Harry.
He folded the parchment.
"Well, as you evidently have the afternoon off, you could go talk to the headmaster about it" said Daphne.
"Yes. Of course" said Harry "I'll just go barging in on the headmaster. That'll go well."
"Oh come on" said Ron "It's not even in the top ten worst things you've done."
"Not helping" said Harry sourly.
"Well maybe if you sent Professor Dumbledore a letter" said Hermione awkwardly.
Daphne sorted through the sheets and handed Harry one more "Read this. I don't know if you want to tell them."
Harry read and frowned. There were some pretty wild claims about Harry's inheritance. Green eyes and being a parselmouth.
"What is it?" asked Hermione.
Harry lifted his left hand, gesturing for quiet, and kept reading. Then he crumpled and jammed the sheet in his robe pocket, and looked up at Daphne "Closest relative. He's my fucking distant uncle."
"Well yes, it does say you called him uncle Tom after the war." said Daphne.
"Well, I'm going to see Dumbledore" said Harry "As apparently my time-travelling wife sent me the password for the headmaster's office."
"Isn't it on the map too?" asked Ron.
"What map?" asked Daphne.
"Nothing," said Harry, "Hermione, have a lovely time in classes this afternoon."
"You've got divination" said Hermione.
"Oh Trelawney will know beforehand if I don't make it." said Harry with a sigh.
"She's an absolute fraud" said Hermione.
"But it's an easy E" said Ron, and he looked over at Daphne "You seem comfortable with all this?"
"No I'm not, I just scream on the inside" said Daphne. Ron nodded. Harry wondered about that for a moment and decided that sounded like an approach.
"Future me said I should try communicating more clearly with him. Like… saying beforehand that an arranged marriage is social death if Harry was to turn down the contract. But it won't matter, because we're going to keep Sirius Black alive, and Harry will write to him, and Narcissa will be cast out of the family, and it won't happen."
"But that would change history." said Hermione.
"Yes, my history. Hers was immune to me changing it, she said. She did not explain, as I needed a lot of convincing that the diminutive boy there was going to end up tall, dark and handsome. And father of my children. Which reminds me of something rather important." said Daphne.
"Your children?" said Harry, flushing.
"Do keep up, Potter" said Daphne. "Now, our eldest daughter is called Cassiopeia Potter-Black, and she has, apparently stolen the time travel thing before, and come to Hogwarts, to our time, to ensure that her mummy and daddy start dating as soon as practical."
"Someone who hasn't been born yet." said Harry.
"Time machine," said Daphne drily, "Now, apparently she looks a lot like me, but with his green eyes and glasses. Oh, and our eldest is a boy, Altair Potter-Black, who could be mistaken for him, though she assures me Altair's stockier."
"Harry's quite weedy" quipped Ron. "Also, just… important point. Kids not born yet."
"But they used the time machine, so it's possible they'll turn up" said Daphne.
Hermione muttered to herself for a bit "Are we in a timeline where all three have time-travelled, or just older Daphne. How does that work anyway?"
"I have absolutely no idea," said Daphne. "Yesterday I thought time travel was impossible."
Hermione tried not to smirk, and Ron elbowed Harry.
"Oh god!" said Daphne, putting her hands on her hips, "How much time-travel?"
"Only a few hours at a time" said Harry "Tiny stuff. Don't worry about it."
Daphne closed her eyes and took several deep breaths.
When she opened her eyes Hermione said, "Don't worry, you get used to it." Ron snorted.
"Well, I'm off to Runes" said Daphne "Potter – Harry, this afternoon the information of Dumbledore, and this evening, after dinner, the Chamber of Secrets."
"God, your life's going to be one giant to-do list" quipped Ron. "Totally the wrong bird for you."
"I'll have you know future me assured me that he practically worshipped the ground she walked on." said Daphne.
"I'm not seeing that" said Ron.
"Oh he's awful!" said Daphne to Hermione.
"I can't see what would be the appeal" said Hermione snidely.
"Well… I expect it's organising to finish the war three years early, with little loss of life, probably" said Daphne, picking up her book-bag and walking briskly out of the classroom without saying anything else.
Ron waited a second then said "Well, she can make an exit."
"RON!" Hermione exclaimed.
"So, Harry likes girls that like, swoop out of the room and are organised and stuff then" said Ron.
Harry left before he got embroiled in a spellfight. Though she did seem quite organised, and was sort-of pretty when not complaining.
The instructions from the future said "Use the Map to get the password." And the Marauders map did have a password for the headmasters office "Aniseed Sprats" said Harry, and the Gargoyle jumped to one side. Harry shrugged and took the stairs up.
"Come in?" said Professor Dumbledore after Harry knocked. He sounded surprised, which was new for Harry.
Harry stepped into the headmasters circular office. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind the huge desk, doing wise old wizard things with stacks of parchment. He looked up at Harry over his half-moon glasses.
"Harry," said Professor Dumbledore, "You somehow have the password. I trust Professor McGonagall had a good reason for sending you… you haven't done anything wrong?"
"She didn't send me" said Harry, and he clutched the parchments for inspiration "I've got information about Voldemort. From the future." Harry looked up at Professor Dumbledore "Apparently my wife came back in time to tell herself, and well, I've got a whole page about Tom Riddle. He's got eight soul anchors apparently, and the Diary from second year… that was one."
Professor Dumbledore blinked, and stared at Harry. Harry felt a weird itchiness in his eyes and his mind wandered a little. But it passed. Harry decided to ignore it, and explained some more.
"So. The other ones are all on the list. But, and I don't understand it, apparently I'm one. But what worked last time – will work, anyway – is getting him to hit me with a killing curse. The future she's from had a long war, lots of people died, she thought we could skip all of that."
Professor Dumbledore smiled politely. "Assuming that was possible, surely it would cause a paradox?"
"Well she told younger her that her timeline's immune to being changed by us" said Harry. "And that makes no sense at all. And I've done time travel myself."
Professor Dumbledore nodded distractedly. "And this mystery woman came and told her younger self, and left without talking to staff?"
"It appears so" said Harry.
"If you would indulge an old man's curiosity?" asked Professor Dumbledore.
"Oh, you'll never guess" said Harry. Professor Dumbledore nodded slowly.
"Daphne Greengrass." said Harry. Professor Dumbledore's face crinkled into a frown.
"Not who I would have expected, given time-travel and shenanigans." said Professor Dumbledore.
"Well, let's say she had personal reasons" said Harry.
"Personal reasons?"
"Our kids borrowed the time machine and came back to this time." said Harry. "So my um." Harry stared at the floor.
"Your what?" asked Professor Dumbledore in a warm, kindly tone.
"My daughter time-travelled to make sure her mum and dad dated at Hogwarts, and finished the war sooner," said Harry "Daphne came from the future to make sure she knew, and the war and stuff."
"Ah," said Professor Dumbledore, and Harry looked up to see the headmaster looking at him with twinkling eyes. "You are so young to discover parental responsibility. But… I must admit some of the staff here would consider this poetic justice."
"It's not my fault!" complained Harry loudly. "Every crazy thing I've been involved in is a Voldemort plot. Oh… and there's one this year, I um should have told you about."
"Told me. What precisely?"
"Oh. He's sending dreams about a black corridor and a black door. But that's all a… " Harry referred to the notes, "all a trap. He wants the full prophecy. – I'd love to know what that's about. But to save time…"
Harry walked over to the headmaster's desk and slid the two pages over.
Professor Dumbledore read through the sheets quickly. "Ah." he said "This ties in with theories I was making. We should make haste to get these before someone moves them."
"Well, the sword of Gryffindor is right out. Says on page two not to use it on the locket, because the ding in the back never comes out" said Harry. "I'll go to the Chamber of Secrets and get a Basilisk fang."
"Harry" said Professor Dumbledore, standing up "I would prefer if you didn't stage expeditions to dangerous secret rooms in the castle. You were badly hurt last time."
"It's okay – apparently I took my wife on a date there once we were married, and it was just a bit mucky." said Harry. "But I… we could go get a fang this afternoon, and that's done?"
"I must insist you show me where the entrance is, so we can block it off" said Professor Dumbledore.
"Eh, how about $open$" Harry hissed, and the part of the wall of the headmaster's office slid outwards, exposing a spiral staircase. Harry wanted to say something very smug, but resisted. Even the notes from the future didn't say this; they did say hissing 'open' opened all the secret doors, but an entrance Dumbledore didn't know about appearing was amazing.
"I would have thought I would have noticed it being there" said Professor Dumbledore.
"Well it's AN entrance" said Harry. "And we're already there." And Harry felt like he'd actually surprised the headmaster. And in a good way too. Harry felt proud (of being sarcastic.)
"I really must insist you tell me where the other entrance is, so we can block it off" said Professor Dumbledore. "It's a safety issue."
"Nah" said Harry "It only opens to parselmouths, and apart from Tom, that's just me. And when have I ever recklessly gone somewhere dangerous?" said Harry.
"When have you not?" said Professor Dumbledore, in an annoyingly grownup-guardian of Harry nine months of the year sort-of way.
Harry walked over to the spiral staircase, lit his wand and and started down.
"Harry!" complained Professor Dumbledore, chasing after him.
"Look" said Harry as they descended a seemingly endless spiral staircase "It's a bit mucky but apart from that and the water leaks, it's just a cavern."
"It's not really appropriate for you to have a secret hideout at Hogwarts."
"I've got a secret clubhouse and it's miles better than the Chamber of Secrets" said Harry.
He could have sworn Dumbledore made a grumbling sound. He decided that he wasn't going to tell Dumbledore about the Room of Requirement. That would remain a secret, just him and his two best friends. Well, and the entire DA.
-==0==-