Author Note: The Return of Dave. He has arrived at Hogwarts with his girlfriend and will begin to encounter the current denizens.
The four travelers came flying through the magic door way. Dave landed and ran forward in a crouch pulling his AR up and racking a round. He dropped to his knee looking around. Seeing no threat he called "Clear left."
Ginny had come through and tried to land gracefully. She managed to maintain her feet and copied Dave's actions. Having been drilled and drilled and drilled by Dave on this, in between being drilled by Dave in other ways her mind threw up as a stray thought due to the Adrenalin. She dropped to her knee and called "Clear right"
Harry and Hermione had been drilled by Dave as well in their part and came out swinging around to check behind them. The doorway shut in a spiral of flames. The Potters had their wands up pointing around. Hermione casting Homenium Revelio and then calling "Clear"
"Okay we move out for the Shrieking Shack and set that up as our CP. Got it?"
"Yes sir." The other three called back letting Dave set the pace and direction of their actions. His experience in this they acknowledged. Although if magic started flying Hermione thought he would be the first one down.
They slowly snuck over to the Shack and entered it. Using magic they secured the place and began to set up. Looking around they noticed a few butterbeer bottles and a pair of used knickers.
"Well the mere fact that the building is here as well as looks relatively untouched tells me we're before the war. I don't know how far though."
"Well brains you wanted to be before the war didn't you?"
"Yeah just I have no idea how far before the war we are. We could be just before it, long before it but no earlier than the seventies. Which could be even more awkward but useful." Brains considered with a frown.
"Well looks like me and red need to go take a look around." Dave grunted.
"Why do you two need to go again?" Harry grumped.
"Well you two could go and leave us here. I don't care. Unless someone recognizes you two and then things get weird right? Its not like you guys aren't famous."
Hermione sighed, "Okay you have a point. Ginny is better with her short hair. She looks vaguely enough like a Weasley but not too much."
"Yeah and no body knows me here." He got a thoughtful look then grunted in amusement.
"What?" Ginny asked unpacking their sleeping gear.
"I was just wondering if I was here and depending on when we are where I am."
"When we defeat the Dark one we can help you look if its that big a deal." Harry said while helping Hermione unpack.
She handed Ginny a list, "Stop by the apothecary and see if you can get this. I'll need it to brew some health and other curatives. Also if we want any poly-juice."
"Okay Mia."
"You two better change clothes."
===xxx
Dave and Ginny came out wearing somewhat less muggle clothes. Both of them looked like somewhat more wizardly people than they had. Dave was not overly happy.
"Well frak I look like discount store Gandalf you know." he said flapping his robe.
"You look just fine Dave." Ginny chuckled swatting him on the rump.
He checked that he could still access the sidearm and knife he had on him. He picked up the wand he had bought at the comic book store and waved it around. When nothing happened he shrugged and tucked it in his belt.
"I still like a good Springfield better."
"Yes well try not to shoot anyone. Until we know when we are and what the situation is it could cause problems." Hermione reminded him.
"I know. I know. That's usually what happens when the shooting starts, somebody has problems. Well you ready red?" he asked turning to her.
"I guess" she said taking a deep breath.
"What's wrong Gin?" Hermione asked worriedly taking her friend's hand
"We may run into people we knew." She said swallowing her grief.
"Yeah that's likely. You may run into yourself even." Hermione agreed.
"Oh that would be fun."
===xxx
Dave and Ginny had walked down the short lane to the village and looked around. It was a nice October morning they discovered. A Hogsmeade weekend for Hogwarts. Ginny looked at the date and gasped, "Oh shit. This is the day Hermione pushed Harry to create Dumbledore's Army."
"Yeah the resistance group so what?"
"Well it didn't go as well as in the books."
"Well how bad are we talking?"
"Umbridge had spies there and punished all three of them. She punished Hermione the hardest because Harry cared about her. She almost killed her. She threatened to give her to the Inquisitorial Squad."
"Damn. That wasn't in the books." Dave grumped.
"I know. Our lives were quite a bit darker than the books." Ginny agreed.
"Well what can you expect trying to make kids into soldiers to fight terrorists. That would be like having the kids from Belmont High go against the Taliban or Muj."
"We have got to stop them." Ginny said.
"I have an idea. Jest folla mai lead." Dave said with a grin.
===xxx
The teens were approaching the Hog's Head when Dave stepped out from the side of a building. "Hey there kids. You seem to be lost."
Harry smiled nervously and said, "We're not lost. We were just thinking about trying the Hog's Head. We've heard some good things about it."
"Kid if you've heard good things about that dive then you're listening to the wrong people. Trust me on that. The place has too many flies on the wall. Know whut ah mean there little miss." He said giving a wink at Hermione.
Hermione looked at him then seemed to realize what he was meaning, "Whose side are you on?"
"Well let me say I'm a friend and I got a much better place to meet. Much more isolated and secured. Plus some more friends that are willing and wanting to help you guys."
Harry looked at him distrustfully. The others were milling about a bit in confusion and looking uncomfortable. "Why should we trust some random stranger?"
"Because I am saving your life kid. The pink bitch got a trap set up for you at the Hog's Head. She'll do some very not cool things to punish you guys for setting up an insurrection against her and her precious Ministry."
"How do you know all of that?" Hermione scowled not realizing she had just confirmed their entire plan.
"Cause I got it from the horse's mouth."
"Right. I don't recall talking to you before. So who told you?" Harry growled.
"Well you and she did."
"Pull the other one." Ron huffed.
"Right and why would we tell you this?" Harry said humoring him.
"Cause we are your friend Harry." Red said coming up behind them. "Sorry Dave, you needed some help."
"Hey its all good. I was wondering if we was gonna have to kidnap them for their own good."
"You had better be joking mister." Hermione said as her hand slid down to her wand with the others following suit.
Dave grinned, "Look here after dealing with you for over a year I wouldn't joke about something like that. Plus I'd not throw down with that wand girl. According to brains they can heal bullet wounds pretty good."
"I don't know you. I've never seen you before today." Hermione said with a scowl. Although she did move her hand away from her wand.
"Yep you're right YOU never did." Dave looked around warily
"Look mate you're making less sense than Luna does." Ron grumbled.
"Actually I think he is making sense Ronald. Look at your sister." Luna said.
Ron glanced at Ginny. "Yeah so what about her?"
"No your other one." Luna said looking at Red.
"What?"
"Right in one Luna. Nice seeing you again." Ginny said with a smile. "I've missed you."
"Great now that the reunion is over can we get out of the street and into cover. I have no idea where the Ali Babas are." Dave was looking all around like he was expecting people to start shooting at him.
"Good idea. Now look Harry. Please trust us." Red implored.
"Prove to me I should."
"Alright fine. Neville. The night of the Yule Ball you and Ginny went together. She sucked your dick and swallowed every last drop. You hadn't expected it but she was feeling excited and a little bit naughty. Like a full fledged princess that night. A very naughty and precocious princess. So far you and your magic wand are the only ones she's ever seen or handled."
Harry and Hermione looked at the two people mentioned and the bright red blushes climbing their faces told them it had been true. "Okay so how do we know you didn't use legilemency on them." Hermione huffed.
"Because I'm her. Take a good look Mia. Don't you recognize me or do I have to mention the birthmark?"
Hermione's turn to blush still didn't stop her staring at Red before she frowned. "Its impossible."
"Look we can take you to the brains of this outfit and let her explain it or we can let you walk into a trap and get tagged by the pink bitch of doom. Your choice." Dave growled out his hand sliding under his robe as a person came out of nearby structure and turned up the street.
Luna started walking to him, "I think we will go with you. That sounds far more interesting than a trap."
"Yeah it does." Dave agreed. He had always like the Luna character and meeting her did not diminish that in the slightest.
The others fell in behind Dave and Luna as they walked towards the shack.
"Blimey Gin. You really did that?" Ron grumped.
"Shut up Ron." She growled while Red laughed. Neville just tried to look at the ground.
===xxx
When they reached the shack the two teams stood looking at each other. The older ones with slight grins of amusement while the younger ones stood there with frowns or scowls of doubt.
"This can't be. Blinovitch's Third law would prevent you from being here. It's impossible for two instances of the same person to be in the same place." Hermione exclaimed eventually.
"Not entirely. That only applies to the exact same instance of the same person. You and I are not the same person. I'm seven years older and have had a lot of injuries and other issues happen. Our cellular structure has been replaced multiple times over. Even our magical auras are not the same." Brains declared.
"But if that's true then everything they said when I had the time turner was wrong."
"Yes it is. They neglected to integrate quantum theory into the mathematical equations governing temporal hyper dimensional travel. You see when you time travel you actually do not..."
"And on that note we'll jest ask you to take that conversation out the door so the rest of us without the big brains don't get hurt trying to keep up." Dave interrupted as he shook his head.
Ron and Harry both laughed while Bolts just chuckled knowing better than to outright laugh.
Looking slightly put out Brains nodded, "Okay sorry. But anyhow we are you and we are here to help because you failed. We came back to prevent you failing."
"Yeah okay. So why are there only three of you and who is he?" Harry asked pointing at Dave.
"I'm just a stray dog they picked up along the way." Dave joked as Red put her arm around his shoulders. "But a very nice one." She smirked.
"Hey wait. You're involved with him? What about Neville?" Ron grumped. Suddenly approving of Neville it seemed like.
The adult versions looked at each other or the ceiling before Dave started quietly speaking. "They died. The three adult versions of you are all that was left of the child soldiers your headmaster wanted to create and throw at trained professional terrorists. They showed up on my doorstep hurt, bout half dead and starved thinner than a toothpick. I helped em get their shit put back together and develop a plan. Now we're here to train you, teach you how to fight cause your fancy discount Gandalf ain't gonna do that. He has a grand plan and it don't involve Harry Potter living to the end of the book."
Harry looked at the older version of himself. "Is that true?"
Bolts nodded, "Yeah. Its true. It was only due to an unexpected fluke that I survived and Voldemort died."
"Give us a few moments to discus this." Harry said.
"Sure take all the time you want." Bolts said as his team moved to another corner of the living room.
===xxx
"Hermione is this possible? I mean is it really possible that they are us from the future?"
"I suppose. Neville, Ginny did you guys really do that at the Yule Ball?"
Ginny sighed and nodded, Neville blushed but said, "Yeah we had been dancing and I got, uh, excited. She was teasing me a little bit about it and one thing led to another and we were in a closet."
"Okay. And well he looks like you Harry. He sounds like you. She sounds like me. Their version of you Ginny sounds a bit different and she definitely looks different but I think she's the same."
Ginny frowned. "I guess. I mean there are a couple of things I could ask her but I would want to be alone with her."
"Yeah and if they are death eaters in disguise that could let them hit you with an Imperious or something." Ron angrily pointed out.
"Yeah I know."
"I'm immune to the Imperious. I can resist it. I'll talk to the adult version of me. If he is me I'll know. If I say they're us then there will be no more arguments. Got it?" Harry declared.
Murmured assent came from everyone.
"Okay. I want to talk to myself alone for a few minutes and then we'll know if all of this is true." Harry said coming back over to the adults.
"Fine by me." Bolts said.
===xxx
They had stepped into the kitchen while the others kept to their sides of the living room just down the hall.
"So if you are really me you'll know the stuff I've never told anyone. Not even Hermione."
Bolts leaned against the sink and sighed, "The things like you've thought about the various ways you could kill yourself and make all this crap end. Taking your wand and sticking it in your mouth, throwing yourself off the astronomy tower, or something muggle like a butcher knife to the wrist. About how when you stood in front of the dragon last year you almost let it kill you. Just to make the pain stop, the loneliness. How without Hermione's love you would have gone crazy and done it already. How Ron is like a brother but there are times you would love to just effin kill him for getting on your last nerve. How Luna's cute and you'd like to get into her knickers, but you know it would hurt Hermione too much so you just imagine. Stuff like you have actually stood there chopping vegetables and considered stabbing that fat pig Dudley or Vernon in the heart with the knife? Stuff like that? All kinds of stuff that Hermione doesn't need to know or hear ever."
"uh yeah. That kind of stuff." Harry sighed with a shiver.
"Yeah well. Someday you two do get close enough and she tells you things she has kept buried. The two of you spend a night talking, doing nothing but sitting and talking until the sun came up. Sharing your life story with each other because you thought you were going to die. Instead of driving each other away it brought you closer. Hermione, or as our friend Dave likes to call her Brains, is my wife. We almost had a child in spite of the war only she miscarried. It did something and she can't have one. It must have been one of the curses or something. She has almost died several times as have I. So I will do anything, anything, to protect her and make sure you two have a good life together." The intensity Bolts was feeling showed by how tense his body had become, how he was clenching the sides of the sink so hard his knuckles had turned white. His voice had never wavered or shifted from a calm, flat, monotone though.
Harry stood there quietly for several minutes before Bolts turned around to look at him. Harry frowned then nodding with a sigh said, "I believe you. I believe you're me."
"Good. Thank you."
"So now what do we do?" Harry asked.
"We go back out and start teaching you and your friends how to fight. This Dave fellow was a soldier in the US Army. He actually fought so he can teach us. Help us."
"And Ginny and him are together?"
"Yeah. She was going to stay behind forever if he hadn't come back with us." Bolts said with a grin.
"Well Ron's going to love that." Harry observed.
"He'll get over it." Bolts said.
===xxx
While the two Harrys had stepped into the kitchen Hermione had asked Brains to explain what she had meant about quantum physics. Dave shook his head and left them to it.
"So Ron. Nice to meet you bro." Dave said holding his hand out.
Ron frowned but shook his hand. "So you're a muggle?"
"Yeah. About as muggle as they get I guess." He shrugged.
"And you corrupted Ginny?" Ron said glaring at the older version of his sister.
Red turned and glared at her brother, "You know you can be such a prat. I did not get corrupted by him. I fell in love with him."
Ron scoffed but Ginny smacked him on the back of the head.
"Hey what was that for?" He yelled.
"For doubting me. Her. Whatever." Ginny glared at her brother.
"Hey probably best to think of the older versions of yourselves as somebody else. Hence the codenames. Trust me this is messing wit my head big time too." Dave said honestly.
Hermione nodded, "This is why most wizards do not mess with time travel."
Brains sighed, "Trust me this is not how I had planned for this to go."
"So you ready to get trained and become a force with a power nobody gonna expect?" Dave asked with a grin.
Harry and his friends looked across the room at their older counterparts and their friend. He nodded with a grin, "Let's see what you've got."
Review Responses:
DennisUD: Did I say she had not made it? I would point out Disney villains have shown us unless you see the body there is no proof of death.
IdlemanRPG: yes it is depressing. Sometimes my mind dwells and walks in the dark places. This is one of those places.
OfficerDonNZ: That would be quite the tale of woe that we cannot allow to be. For Harry to not have his Hermione.