The setting sun shone through the windows, filling the classroom with bright, burning light. Hermione carefully adjusted the pillows on the floor again, before standing in front of them and facing Harry and Ron.
"Alright, I'm ready," she said. "Try the Stunning Charm again, Harry, but this time try not to hit me in the face."
Harry nodded absent-mindedly, studying his wand in his hands.
"Focus please, Harry!" Hermione said in exasperation. "The third task is only three weeks away."
Harry shared an amused look with Ron, but shook himself and stood ready across from Hermione.
"On three. One… two…"
But he was interrupted from his attempt by the door crashing open and Hermione stumbling into the room.
For a moment everyone stared at the newcomer, but their shock at seeing a second Hermione present was quickly replaced by terror when they saw she was drenched in blood.
The moment ended when the new Hermione collapsed to the floor.
Harry was the first to act. Briefly glancing at the original Hermione, he rushed over and checked on her doppleganger.
"She's… she's dead."
Ron was jolted out of his stupor by the news. "But how?! Hermione's right here! How can there be two of her? Why is one of them dead?!" He looked at Hermione.
"Don't ask me!" Hermione shouted. "I have no idea what's going on."
"Hermione, look at this," Harry said. He reached around the dead Hermione's neck and pulled off a delicate golden chain with a familiar device hanging off it.
"It's a Time Turner," Harry said.
"Oh," Hermione said softly.
"One of those things you had last year?" Ron asked. "What does that mean?"
A strange calm had settled over Hermione. Everything was starting to make sense in her mind.
"What it means is that, in a few hours time, I'm going to find a Time Turner, travel back in time, be mortally injured and die in this room."
Ron and Harry shared an uneasy look.
"We won't let that happen to you, Hermione," Ron said.
"Yeah," agreed Harry. "You're not going to die."
"I already have died, look!" Hermione said, pointing at what was now obviously her future self. "It has happened. It's going to happen. It's part of the fundamental nature of reality."
"I don't care," Harry said earnestly. Ron nodded besides him.
Oh, boys.