PROLOGUE: THE BREAKING POINT
It was clear that the long standing tradition between the Keeper of the Hourglass and the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had been tarnished. From the moment Geras felt the shift, he had given every ounce of his attention to the Hourglass. The sigh that left the Sentinel of Time was of disappointment and frustration, although not necessarily in that order.
To the untrained eye, the Hourglass looked to be working optimally as expected; to those who know the machinations of the device, it was clear to see the contamination. A few rogue grains of sand flowing against the current, defying the sanctity of the timeline.
Only the Headmaster knew of the Time Turner's existence. For that, the blame fell solely upon Albus Dumbledore's head. To say it was unexpected would have been a lie, for this was not his first offense.
No, Dumbledore had done this before. His attempts to rewrite his past failures had set off a possible cataclysm of unimaginable proportions. The first offense was when he sought to save the life of his sister, Ariana. While a noble intention, it was her death that made Albus the man he was supposed to be.
At the behest of his master, Fire God Liu Kang, Geras sought Albus out and stopped him before it was too late. Under normal circumstances, the consequences of threatening the timeline would be dire to say the least, making repeat offenses impossible. It was fortunate for Albus that he was the Headmaster, a position deemed necessary by Liu Kang for keeping the Time Turner safe.
Counteracting the damage Albus had caused proved troublesome, but the timeline had been realigned to its intended course. It was Liu Kang that chose to let Albus stay in his position as Headmaster given he stayed his hand and left the Turner in its resting place. Even Liu Kang himself admitted this was likely a mistake, given the Turner's immeasurable allure. He couldn't bring himself to deny Albus a second chance when he had done so much to help others throughout his lifetime.
His offense was egregious, given that fixing Ariana's death would have reverted decades worth of events. The following changes would have been catastrophic, as to even revert a single day could create waves of change let alone decades. Liu Kang had meticulously fought to create an era of peace, and any change to that sacred vision could have jeopardized the god's mission. In order to see his vision through, Liu Kang had to remove certain malefactors from the equation; removing the power from various threats such as the sorcerer Shang Tsung, Quan Chi, the elder god Shinnok, and Shao Kahn along a few others that had proven dangerous in the past. If any of these villains regained the power they once wielded in the prior timeline, Liu Kang's vision would be compromised… That could not be allowed to pass.
How Albus discovered to properly wield the Turner enough to go back that far was beyond Geras. A device such as the Turner and the Hourglass required extreme skill and control that should have been beyond the likes of any mortal wizard. Even Liu Kang required Kronika's crown to control the Hourglass originally, so to wield even a fraction of that power was miraculous.
However, that act of good faith was wasted upon him as Albus sought to once again fix his past by stopping Gellert Grindelwald's fall to darkness. Geras had watched as the sands revolted and became a swirling vortex as Albus traveled back decades, threatening to destroy everything in his path to resolve his past failures. This time would be different, as Geras would be the one to deliver the punishment.
Geras made it impossible for Albus to use the Time Turner any further, as the Headmaster quickly discovered when he began to age rapidly at twice the speed he should have. He informed the Headmaster that any subsequent usage of the Time Turner would burn away the last of his life, marking the end of the wizard. While initially reluctant to do so, Albus relented at last. The Turner was then locked away in its rightful place, and for nearly twenty years things had unfolded as intended.
To see the sands revolting after all this time, there was no way to explain the disappointment he felt. Geras wasn't sure what to make of the development; Dumbledore shouldn't have been able to go back, unless it wasn't him. Then, while he was still comprehending the situation, something curious began to happen. The sands moved rapidly, drawing more strength into its vortex before suddenly dying back down all at once. He tilted his head momentarily as the sands rose back up and swirled into a brewing tempest, only to settle once more. What was happening?
He'd seen the sands struggle to break free before, but that was due in part to Liu Kang stopping Albus before things got out of hand; Liu Kang certainly didn't know of this. What could be causing this?
When the sands did not revolt again, Geras knew he had an opportunity. He began to search through the Hourglass to discover who the culprit was. Soon enough, the sands swirled and formed the image of a teenager being given the device by Albus, infuriating the sentinel. He gave a mere child one of the most powerful devices known to creation…
"Ms. Granger, understand that you can only use this for your studies and nothing more." Dumbledore's voice called out from the Hourglass. "The consequences of altering the past can be devastating…"
Geras could feel himself losing his composure at Dumbledore's words. He was warning her of the dangers, yet still gave it to her… what was he thinking?! He needed to know what caused the timeline to be thrown into danger. The image as it was, was too unclear and out of focus. Only the shapes of the two mortals were discernible and their voices, while intelligible, were distant and full of static. Geras closed his eyes, melding his mind into the Hourglass and focused, letting it take him. The familiar sensation of the Hourglass' pull felt like he was sinking into the sand, and while most would be afraid to let it, Geras accepted his fate and sank into the vision.
As the sands formed the cascading image of the castle grounds, it was worth noting that Geras was merely a spectator to the scene, unable to know what the subject was thinking internally.
The skies above Hogwarts were a dour shade of graphite due to both the weather and the blackened shade of Dementors as they flew on patrol. The Ministry had taken Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban seriously – as one could tell if they read the Daily Prophet's headline on the coffee-stained paper strewn atop the mahogany desk of the Headmaster's office. The first successful break-out attempt in the hundreds of years the island prison had been home to the scum of Wizarding Britain, undertaken by an associate of the Dark nonetheless. One who betrayed their closest friends in a most shocking turn of events. The man's actions cascaded into a series of consequences that led to the deaths of two exceptional wizards of the Light, in which, left their child – the prophesied savior – a waif.
Black's return was the latest item in an alarmingly growing list of signs and warnings that the Dark had begun to make their move. Long considered to have been dealt a severe blow on that fateful Halloween night, it would seem Voldemort's forces were now stirring and preparing to awaken from their slumber. The thought worried Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and he pondered what could be done to safeguard the Boy Who Lived. He both trusted the wards of the castle to hold and the faculty who would lay down their lives to protect their students if need be – but Dumbledore knew that would be nothing more than an inconvenience if Voldemort's forces truly wished to storm the castle.
The Headmaster breathed deeply, then sighed through his nose as he turned from his balcony overlooking the castle grounds; the Dementors ruined the peaceful landscape and made his attempts to clear his mind far more taxing. Still, he needed to take measures to assuage his own worries in regards to the safety of Harry Potter. He couldn't spend every waking moment fretting over the Boy Who Lived, not when he had a school to run and the DMLE to appease, nor could he assign the faculty to watch him over all the other students. Nevertheless, when the alternative meant the boy's untimely end, to sit idle was simply not an option. He couldn't bear a repeat tragedy of the Potter family, or Ariana for that matter.
The image of his sister in his mind gave Dumbledore pause. There was a tool that could be used as a last resort in case the worst came to pass and there was nobody nearby to help Harry. He knew the risks that came with its usage, but the prophecy was clear and Harry Potter had to live. This was a high risk gamble, yet the price for failure would be too steep to pay. He had to try.
With his mind made, the Headmaster climbed the cast iron stairs in his office and approached the vault afforded to him by the position he held at Hogwarts. He tapped his wand upon the lock and patiently waited as the heavy tumblers slid back with solid thunks and the handle spun to open. Inside were some of Hogwarts' most valuable magical artifacts, tomes, and treasures, but none of those were important to Dumbledore at the moment.
"Oh, it's you again Albus. To what do I owe the… pleasure?" a voice called out.
The Headmaster gazed up to the moving portrait of Merlin. Now, while the painting was not of the actual man – this being merely a representation of him – it was still said to possess a fragment of the great wizard's presence. It was certainly a painting several centuries old and it was imbued with some of the most powerful charms Dumbledore had ever come across and for good reason.
"Tempus rerum imperator," Dumbledore said without batting an eye. He did not see the point in pleasantries at this moment, given what he expected the portrait to say once he gave him the password. The moment he said it, the portrait's expression lost all its previous levity and scornful drawl, souring into a much more serious demeanor.
"Really, Albus? You wish to make use of it again? You know what happened last time."
"I know," Dumbledore said with thinned lips.
Merlin shook his head then stood from his seat in the painting. He waved his arm to flutter his robe and the portrait slid away to reveal nothing but more of the castle's wall. Dumbledore used his wand to draw runes as he muttered an incantation, which once completed emanated a blue glow before vanishing from sight. The masonry then began to shift as a hidden compartment opened up to reveal a small box. It was covered in the deep verdant green of dragonskin leather – procured from the scales of none other than Kilgharrah – and it was made out of the wood from the foundations of Camelot, if the stories were to be believed.
There was a heaviness in the air that weighed over him as he gazed upon the box, unable to shake the nerves associated with this undertaking. Part of him felt like he was about to touch something volatile, capable of exploding and causing him dire harm at any given point, which in a way wasn't far from the truth. With a deep breath, the Headmaster gingerly took the box and left the vault, sealing it behind him.
He sat it down on his desk and took his seat before it. With hard eyes, he flipped it open and pushed the red velvet shroud away to reveal the Time Turner. It was such a diminutive little thing: a pendant smaller than a galleon, and yet it was an artifact of incredible magical power. The thought of its capabilities were staggering and incomprehensible to any mortal mind.
When he'd first learned of the Time Turner, he thought his predecessor was playing a joke on him as one last retirement gag. However, he quickly realized how serious Professor Dippet was. To think, something so little could do unthinkable damage.
Now what was he to do with the Time Turner? Dumbledore knew Harry to be an impulsive teenager, and therefore it would be a terrible decision to give him the Time Turner. Especially since it was doubtful he would be in a position to use it as his enemies were now hunting him and the risk of an ambush was high. It was more prudent to let one of his closest allies keep it. Ronald was an unlikely candidate as well, as he and Harry had gotten into their fair share of mischief over the last couple years. Wherever Harry Potter was, Ron Weasley surely wasn't far behind.
The only one that was left was none other than Hermione Granger. She was a prime candidate as she was the most responsible of the trio and would be unlikely to abuse the Time Turner, certainly less so than either Harry or Ron. After all, it's important to keep unwanted attention away from its use. With his mind made, it was a simple matter to figure out how to give Hermione the artifact.
During a pre-year faculty meeting, he heard from Minerva how Hermione's class schedule was rather conflicting; she overloaded herself with electives and often had multiple classes being undertaken at once, making it effectively impossible to attend all of them on time. That was a piece of information he filed for later, as he now had a reason to approach Ms. Granger in private, and all it would take was a call for Minerva to fetch the girl.
Once Hermione was left alone in the Headmaster's office, she fidgeted in place as she hoped to not be in trouble; Dumbledore didn't even need to use Legilimency to deduce that. He offered her a sherbet lemon to calm her down and assured her she wasn't in any trouble.
"Then, if you don't mind me asking, what am I doing here Professor?"
"It's come to my attention that your class schedule is rather bloated. You're a brilliant witch, Ms. Granger… and I would be disheartened to hear that you were not able to live up to your full potential." Hermione raised an eyebrow, seemingly confused by what the Headmaster was leading to. "As Headmaster, I possess a relic that I feel would be of great use to one as studious as yourself."
He began to explain what the Time Turner was and its properties. The witch gaped in awe at the golden pendant as she could scarcely fathom that time traveling was real.
"Professor, wh-where did you even get this, and why have I not heard of it or read about it in any book before?" Hermione asked with a stutter as she couldn't control her incredulity. She held the locket with such reverence that it amused Dumbledore, as if the Time Turner would shatter into a million pieces and vanish at the sight of a mere breeze.
The aging Headmaster stood to feed Fawkes as he mulled over what to tell the young witch. Hermione had already been hooked, that he knew, but the consequences of leading her down this path still weighed on him; should he put her on a collision course with the forces of the Dark so soon? They were but children and unprepared for the true evils of Voldemort and the world, but he grew older and wearier with each passing day; his magic was waning, and soon his health and body would fail and without his magic to safeguard the magicals of Britain, the enemies of the Wizengamot would rise and feast upon the defenseless. That was a fate he needed to avoid at all costs. To say nothing of his own failures in regard to Ariana, Grindelwald, Voldemort, and the Potters… he couldn't bear to repeat such a tragedy. This time he would do it right. This would be the beginning of his atonement for his past failures.
"Magic is a well of mysteries and secrets deeper than any one of us could ever hope to unravel in its entirety," he said with his back turned to the girl. "Artifacts of immense power long thought forgotten or locked away are everywhere to those inquisitive and daring enough to seek them. This is one such item. It's ancient, older than the very foundations of this castle. Its existence has been passed down from Headmaster to Headmaster, and no one else, for centuries."
All of that was true. The Time Turner was one of a kind. It had been safeguarded by every Headmaster of Hogwarts before him back to the time of the Founding Four and even before them, to Merlin himself. Its existence had been kept in absolute secrecy and it had only ever been used under extreme circumstances. He'd argue this was one of those times.
"B-but why me?" Hermione asked with a splutter as she unconsciously gripped the Time Turner more tightly. It seemed that her desire to not lose it no matter what superseded her awe and trepidation from earlier. Dumbledore paused before he turned back to focus his full attention back to the young Gryffindor. He slowly walked up, measuring his words carefully and spoke with as much gravitas as he deemed necessary.
"I'm telling you this because I believe you're capable of harnessing its power, Hermione Granger. You are a witch of great talent – a bright, shining light for the future of Wizarding Britain – and one whom I believe would benefit from its boon. I expect a great many things from you, and I would be remiss not to nurture such talent." Dumbledore plastered a smile on as he placed a wrinkled hand on her shoulder. He fought to keep a grimace off his face as he saw the state of his body. He needed to endure, the cards weren't good enough to be dealt yet. That would soon change, he'd see to it.
"O-oh…" she whispered dumbly as she was completely at a loss for words.
"Now, do you understand what I'm saying?"
"I do, Professor…"
"Excellent. Now, understand that you can only use it for your studies and nothing more," Dumbledore said, throwing her a cheeky wink that he hoped would convey his approval for her to use it should the situation call for it. The girl nodded and seemed to beam up with pride at being allowed the privilege of using the device. "As long as you're careful to not disrupt the past, there should be no worries."
She promised him she'd be careful and with a smile Dumbledore dismissed her. Once she left, Dumbledore felt the years pile onto his shoulders and he slumped in his seat with a heaving sigh. There, what's done is done. He only hoped this had been the correct choice to make sure everyone was kept safe.
If he was wrong, the ramifications that would follow with Geras and Lord Liu Kang would be too dire to escape from. He closed his eyes, and just like that Dumbledore's hands began to turn to sand and crumble, scattering in an unnatural wind that seemed to originate from nowhere. The sands began to spread further and further along his body until he was completely transformed, along with every piece of furniture, baubles, and the very castle. All of it washed away in the end…
"Albus, you fool…" Geras hissed, opening his eyes as he exited the vision. He let out a lengthy growl as he swept the image away, letting the sands fall back into their rightful place. Out of everything that came from the lessons with the Time Turner, that's what he took from it? To not disrupt the past while using it? How ignorant could he be to believe that… to give it to a child?!
The sands no longer seemed to be in flux, but it did not excuse Hermione Granger's actions. Whatever she did put the entire timeline in jeopardy, and therefore needed to be dealt with accordingly.
"I must inform Liu Kang immediately," he muttered to himself, walking away at last to go find his master. This insubordination had to stop here and now.
It was amidst the crackling flames in the inner sanctum of the Fire Temple that the god found a quiet place to rest, taking in a deep breath. Located in the caldera of Paektu Mountain, it was a beautiful structure that put most Shaolin monasteries to shame. It was Liu Kang's base of operations and also housed the Jinsei – Earthrealm's life force – warded by the most powerful magic in all the realms. Liu Kang was seated next to the fire pit overlooking Heaven Lake in one of the most beautiful locations in the entire realm.
After all these eons, he found meditation to be the only way to alleviate the endless strain on his mind. Meditation brought him back to simpler times, when he was no god but rather a man. Much of those memories were of the friends and loved ones he left behind, especially that of his beloved Kitana Kahn.
Nobody remembered him for the Shaolin Monk he used to be. All anyone knew was the Fire God, and perhaps that was the worst part of Liu Kang's role: the loneliness that followed. When he rewrote history, the changes had meant that while these were the same people he had come to know and cherish, they were completely different. Whatever emotional attachment he had belonged to a bygone era.
He'd settled into his role as Earthrealm's protector quite some time ago, but for him it felt like the blink of an eye. When one has lived for eons upon eons, time becomes relative to a degree. Even so, the mind of a god developed strain much like that of a mortal – therefore meditation gave him a much needed respite.
Liu Kang listened to the crackling of the flames as he centered himself, a content smile spreading across the god's face. His muscles relaxed, the tension releasing gradually in a way that sat on a fine line between pleasure and discomfort. With one final breath, he sank into his meditation completely…
That was until he heard the all-too familiar sound of a sandstorm blowing through the window. Not opening his eyes, Liu Kang let out a chuckle.
"Geras, my old friend… I wasn't expecting you." Liu Kang greeted as the sentinel formed from the sands and placed his hands behind his back.
"Greetings, Liu Kang. I apologize for the intrusion," Geras bowed as Liu Kang opened his eyes, sensing the construct's unease from across the room.
"No need to apologize. It's always nice to see you; I'd say to take a seat, but I know you're not one for house calls. What has happened?" the god inquired as he rose to feet, watching as Geras let out a discontented growl.
"Albus Dumbledore is back up to his old tricks."
Liu Kang's smile quickly melted into a frown.
"Tell me everything."
It was then that Geras recounted the events he'd witnessed, from the grains of sand revolting against the Hourglass to the vision of Dumbledore's abhorrent decision to give the Time Turner to a child.
"Albus…" Liu Kang grumbled under his breath, looking away from Geras and gazing upon the lake. "How long ago was this?"
"The disruption happened about four hours ago… but the Time Turner has been in Hermione Granger's hands for almost the entire school year." Geras explained.
"I knew Albus had his personal demons to contend with when he took on the position of Headmaster, but I had hoped he could rise above them. Once he learned of the Time Turner's existence, the allure of its powers was too much. While being misguided, his intentions were pure… that's why I let him go with only the warning."
Geras cleared his throat, stepping forward. "There was another incident after your warning, Liu Kang. You were predisposed at the time, so I was forced to act on the matter myself. Albus Dumbledore is unfit to wield that power…"
"What did you do, Geras?"
"I locked him out of the Time Turner, and cursed him to age at an accelerated rate. I thought it would be sufficient enough to dissuade him from his course, but I was mistaken."
"As was I, apparently…" the god sighed. "And what of Hermione Granger?"
"There's been contaminations in the timeline for some time now; hundreds of errant grains that defied the Hourglass' flow, yet they always corrected themselves in the end. I believe them to be Ms. Granger's indiscriminate usage of the Time Turner. Based on what I saw transpire between Albus and Ms. Granger, I believe she was using it precisely as she was instructed, to ensure she made it to all of her classes on time."
Liu Kang couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of a powerful device such as the Turner being used for a student's curriculum.
"These would have gone by without a second thought had it not been for what transpired tonight, when she – along with Harry Potter – hadn't decided to save the life of Sirius Black and… a hippogriff." Geras explained with a tone of befuddlement, whereas Liu Kang blinked.
"A… hippogriff?"
"Correct." Liu Kang waited for further clarification and when none came, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Even though Ms. Granger was unaware of the consequences in no thanks to Albus' indiscretion, she nonetheless abused the Time Turner for her own devices, and Harry Potter was complicit in her ploy to spare Sirius Black of his fate. I must head to Hogwarts to evaluate what happened and pass down judgment. Have Bi-Han and Kuai Liang collect the children; I will speak with Albus at once."
"Right away, Liu Kang."
The Fire God then opened a portal and stepped through it to reach the Scottish Highlands.
Hello everyone, welcome to Shatterpoint! This is a collaborative work between myself and TheZod that came about over a chat regarding my HP and Arrow fic, Reforged Destinies. As some of you may know R.D. is the first installment in a giant universe that consists of multiple fandoms blended into one world. The idea started over Zod musing about whether the Time Turner could have been one of Geras' trinkets, and it quickly evolved from there. Currently, we do not know the full scope of what this story will tackle… but when compared to Zod's Star Wars fic Penumbra or Reforged Destinies, it is far smaller. Now, that does not mean you should expect it to be a short run. We are looking at least 25 chapters at the very bare minimum based on what we've discussed already.
This first and foremost is a fun project that we will work on in our free time when not working on our respective fics, so don't be surprised if the output of new chapters isn't fast. We have a process on how we're doing the chapters that makes it slower than if we were on our own.
Secondly, another motivation for creating the story was that when we dove into the MK and HP crossover fandom, we found there were a scarce amount of fics to be found. So, we figured we would throw in our contribution to this seemingly niche fandom!
Finally, I hope you guys enjoy reading the story as much as we've enjoyed creating it. There's so much we want to tell you, but we don't want to spoil the surprises that are in store. I'd like to take the time real quick to toss it to TheZod, as without him Shatterpoint would not have even been conceived.
-Arsenal597
Thank you Arsenal, it's good to be here. My fellow Fanfic-ers, rejoice! For tonight you have been bestowed by the great blessing in creative writing that is Shatterpoint: The absolute pinnacle of Mortal Kombat & Wizards and the epitome of cool. A passion project that has but a single goal in mind: being awesome. While the initial pitch was indeed a funny thought experiment, the more Arsenal and I expanded upon the concept, the more excited we became with the possibilities. It was bloody unfair how easy it was to make things fit together cohesively too. This story definitely has potential and I hope you all join us in the fun.
-TheZod, Co-Author and Creator of Penumbra