"H-how did this happen?" Ron stutters, bewildered.
The trio talk in hushed voices as they stand in the midst of the corridors, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the Hogwarts students and the majestic beauty of the castle. The familiar figures of Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall serve as a glaringly obvious sign of their unprecedented time-travel.
Some students push past, their voices echoing in a cacophony of chatter. As they pass, Hermione is grateful she casted the muffliato charm, so that no one can hear what they are discussing.
She takes a deep breath, trying to make sense of their situation. "I can only assume the Time-Turner malfunctioned. Instead of just sending us back a day, as planned, it sent us back an entire year."
She continues to explain, her voice gaining certainty, "That would explain why everything looks so similar. I think we've just returned to the beginning of our sixth year."
Ron's eyebrows furrow as he looks around, trying to fit their current situation into his understanding of time and space. "Are you saying we're that far in the past right now?" he whispers, sounding incredulous.
Hermione nods, rubbing her temple as she feels a growing pain. She ignores the discomfort, the first sign of an impending headache, and resolves to drink a Pepper-up potion later.
"I think so," she answers. "Theoretically speaking, everything we experienced last year should be set to happen again."
"If we really are back at the start of sixth year," Harry mutters quietly, "then does that mean we might accidentally encounter ourselves or something like that?"
Hermione's mind races with the implications of their situation. Her eyes dart around the castle, taking in the familiar surroundings. "It's a possibility, yes," she admits. "If we're not careful, our presence here could alter the course of events. And we don't know what the consequences of that might be."
She pauses, gathering her thoughts. "We need to be extremely cautious and try to blend in with our past selves. We can't let anyone know that we've come from the future."
Ron lets out a nervous chuckle. "Can't believe we're going to school with our past selves. Imagine the weird conversations we might have if we bump into ourselves," he jokes in an attempt to lighten the mood.
Though she recognises the severity of the situation, Hermione can't help the smile that tugs at the corner of her mouth.
Harry, his thoughts still on the potential consequences of their situation, turns to Hermione. "What happens if we make a mistake and alter the past? Do you think it would create a time paradox or something?" He asks, his brow furrowed with worry.
She contemplates the possible repercussions. "Time magic is notoriously complex," she replies, her tone reflecting the gravity of the situation. "There's a theory called the Temporal Backloop Theory, which suggests that if we inadvertently change the past, we could create a time paradox." She pauses and takes a deep breath. "It's uncharted territory, and we could potentially get stuck in a loop, reliving the same events over and over in a paradox."
"Bloody hell," Ron remarks, frowning at the idea.
"That's not even the half of it," Hermione continues, her concern growing. "Time travel can cause disruptions to the causality order of events. It's like we're taking shortcuts through time, changing the way things were supposed to unfold." She looks around, noting the students that pass by. "We need to be extremely cautious and try to minimise any impact on the past. We're essentially walking on thin ice."
Her words linger in the air, the weight of the situation settling between the trio as they consider the possible consequences. The prospect of being stuck in a time loop or causing a paradox looms over them.
Hermione's attention is suddenly drawn to Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walking in their direction. Her eyes widen, her heart skipping a beat as she feels a surge of trepidation run through her veins. "Guys, they're headed our way," she whispers urgently.
Harry and Ron's panicked expressions mirror hers, as they quickly try to assume a more casual demeanour, trying not to draw any unnecessary attention to themselves.
Ron quickly cancels the muffliato charm just in time as the professors stop next to them.
"Good morning, Harry, Ron and Hermione," Dumbledore says, his voice carrying a familiar warmth. "Is everything alright?"
Hermione exchanges a quick glance with her friends, unsure of how to navigate the situation. Harry decides to take the lead. "Yes, sir," he replies, his voice steady and convincing. "We were just discussing some… schoolwork."
Dumbledore's eyes twinkle behind his spectacles as he regards the trio, a kind smile on his face. "Well, I am glad to see you taking your studies seriously. Always a commendable endeavour."
Seeing Dumbledore again is, in some ways, both comforting and disconcerting. On one hand, it's reassuring to receive his usual warm expressions and familiar wisdom, but on the other, Hermione's chest is heavy with the knowledge of his tragic demise that was inevitably to come.
McGonagall nods approvingly and says, "Very well, Mr Potter. Do ensure that you earn some points for Gryffindor this term."
Harry nods politely at their comments, trying to appear as calm as possible. "Of course, Professor McGonagall. We'll do our best to make Gryffindor proud."
"I expect so," she says, turning to glance at Hermione and Ron. "And as Gryffindor Prefects, I trust the two of you will be setting a positive example for the younger years and staying out of trouble."
Hermione's eyes widen momentarily, a knot forming in her stomach as she recalls the past year being anything but trouble-free. She quickly composes herself, nodding respectfully at McGonagall.
Ron, on the other hand, appears tense. He swallows, trying to keep his cool. "Of course, Professor," he responds, offering an uncertain smile.
Dumbledore nods approvingly at the trio, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, staying out of trouble and focusing on your studies are wise choices, Mr Weasley. And as for you, Miss Granger, I expect you will be leading by example for the younger students."
"Of course, Professor," she replies softly.
"Wonderful!" Dumbledore says, clearly satisfied with her response. "Now I shall leave you to your studies. Have a lovely day."
With that, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall continue walking down the corridor, leaving Hermione and her friends with a mix of relief, confusion, and a touch of apprehension.
"Well, that was nerve-wracking," Harry whispers, his gaze following their retreating figures.
"You can say that again," Ron murmurs, his voice tinged with unease. "Do you think they suspected anything?"
"I doubt it," Hermione answers, her mind still reeling from the encounter. "We've always acted kind of suspiciously. Especially last year. It's nothing new."
Harry considers this. "You're right. They've always seen us as troublemakers, so maybe they're used to it."
Ron scoffs. "It's honestly a wonder how they've appointed you as Quidditch Captain," he says, pointing at Harry, "and Hermione and I as prefects."
"Yes, but you have to admit, we're pretty good at playing innocent," Harry says with a smile.
"That's true," Hermione agrees, amusement evident in her voice. "We've definitely perfected that. Although in fifth year, I think we took it a bit too far with the Umbridge incident."
Harry and Ron both chuckle in agreement, remembering the way they tricked the annoying witch into the Forbidden Forest.
As their laughter subsides, Hermione glances around the corridor once more, taking in the students going about their business. "We should probably go before we bump into our past selves. It's too risky staying out here."
"The Room of Requirement?" Harry suggests.
Ron's stomach growls. He clutches his stomach and asks, "Don't suppose we can stop for breakfast on the way?"
Hermione ingests her Pepper-up potion as she leans against the stony kitchen wall. In fear of running into their past selves, the trio decides to avoid the Great Hall and have their breakfast in the Hogwarts kitchen, where only the House elves would see them.
She watches in amusement as Harry and Ron practically shovel their food down their throats.
"Please have some more," one of the house-elves says, bringing another platter of fry-ups to the table where Harry and Ron sit.
Hermione joins them at the table and helps herself to some eggs.
"Mm," Ron says, with a mouthful of bacon. "Is it just me, or did the quality of food go down the toilet when You-Know-Who took over the school?"
"I guess the house-elves weren't happy and that reflected in their cooking," Hermione answers instinctively. "Being subjected to the likes of Death Eaters would be infinitely worse. But can you blame them? They already receive poor treatment as it is."
Harry and Ron exchange a quick glance.
"You aren't going to lecture us about joining S.P.E.W again, are you?" Harry asks, slightly afraid.
Hermione rolls her eyes and chucks a bread roll at him. Harry catches it and takes a bite.
"I just think house-elves deserve rights too," she mumbles, cutting up her eggs.
Ron places a hand on her shoulder. "And they will, one day. Once they're ready," he says, reassuringly.
Hermione smiles at him, and they continue to eat their breakfast in comfortable silence. The adrenaline rush stemming from their earlier events was now gone, and exhaustion was beginning to creep in.
As he drinks his pumpkin juice, Harry suddenly sits up, as if remembering something. "I don't think we can hide out in the Room of Requirement," he says in a grave voice. "I've just remembered. Malfoy used it all last year – well, this year – to repair the Vanishing Cabinet that allowed all the Death Eaters to invade the castle."
"Right. And let's say we did hog up the Room of Requirement, it would cause a shift of events which would impact the entire timeline," Hermione says, reaching the same conclusion.
"How about Mrytle's bathroom?" Ron suggests. "We were using it as our base in the future, so maybe we can use it again now."
"It would have to be temporary," Harry replies with a frown. "From what I can recall, Malfoy also frequented Myrtle's bathroom when he was anxious."
"Of course he did," Ron says, rolling his eyes. "Well, where else could we stay? I mean if we have a whole year before time catches up to us, we'll need to stay someplace safe. Maybe we should try leaving the castle?"
"And go where?" Harry asks. "It's not like we can waltz over to your parents' house or Hermione's parents' house. And my Aunt Petunia and her family are definitely out of the question."
"We could stay with Charlie."
"All the way in Hungary, Ron?"
"Wait," Hermione says, interrupting them. "I have an idea of where we could stay."
The boys raise their eyebrows at her in question. "Well?" Harry asks.
"The Chamber of Secrets," she states sheepishly.
At their surprised looks, she continues, "I know it sounds silly, but it really is the safest place for us."
"Come again?" Ron asks, staring at her in bewilderment. "We're going to hide out in the Chamber of Secrets? That's your grand plan, Mione'?"
"Better there than in Hungary, Ron," she counters defensively. "Harry's already defeated the Basilisk, so that threat is eliminated." She turns her head and addresses Harry, "Plus, you're the only parcel-tongue in the entire school, so no one else could get down there."
"Besides the other me," Harry points out, chewing his toast thoughtfully. "But I don't recall visiting the Chamber since our second year, so that shouldn't be an issue."
"Exactly. And If we're careful, we should be able to avoid bumping into our past selves," Hermione adds.
Ron, still hesitant, chews on his bottom lip. "I don't know, guys. It's really creepy down there with all those spiders…"
"It's our best bet for hiding out. It's secluded and warded, and we can make it comfortable enough," Hermione tells him reassuringly. "And with everything we know about the upcoming months, we might just get an upper hand this time, by actually having the time to research about horcruxes."
At her words, the trio fall into a thoughtful silence. The possibility of hiding out in the Chamber of Secrets does indeed seem like a viable option, given its secrecy and lack of potential disturbances. The more she thinks about it, the more the idea makes sense. It's the perfect place to hide during this unprecedented episode of time-travel. Hermione imagines the amount of research they can complete, the possibility of tracking down some of Voldemort's horcruxes was promising, something they originally weren't able to do after Dumbledore's death due to the sudden lockdown of the castle.
Eventually, Harry speaks up, his tone decisive. "I suppose it's decided then. We'll make arrangements to stay in the Chamber of Secrets for the time being."
Finally in agreement, the trio clear up their mess in the kitchen and prepare to leave. Hurrying down the castle passageways as quietly as possible, Hermione, Ron, and Harry attempt to navigate the corridors without any detection, though it's harder than usual without Harry's cloak or Map to assist them. They make it to the east wing successfully and are close enough to Myrtle's bathroom and the Chamber of Secrets that lie beneath.
As the group turns a corner, they inadvertently bump into a dark figure and Hermione lets out a yelp of surprise. Professor Snape's looming figure hovers over theirs, his dark eyes taking in the surprise on her face, and he cocks an eyebrow, assessing the trio with his usual stern gaze.
"Potter, Weasley, Granger, what are you three doing roaming around the castle when you should be in class?" he questions, his tone laced with disapproval.
"We're heading to the hospital wing," Hermione answers, lying through her teeth. "We've had a bit of an accident in Potions class." Snape's eyes narrow as he studies them, the suspicion in his gaze evident. It's clear he doesn't believe her story, and his lips curl into a sneer as his gaze lands on Harry.
"Is that so, Potter? And what kind of an accident might that be? Tripped over your own feet again?"
"It was nothing, sir," Harry says quickly, trying to keep his tone even. "Just a small misunderstanding with a potion."
Snape's eyes narrow even further at Harry's response, the suspicion in his gaze growing more pronounced. He raises an eyebrow and says, "A small misunderstanding? Do enlighten me. What potion was it, Potter?"
"It was a Confusion Concoction, sir," Harry says quickly. "I accidentally used the wrong ingredient, causing it to react unpredictably and it splashed all over Ron." He motions to Ron, who pretends to zone out, adopting a loopy expression on his face. Hermione grits her teeth, aware that Harry's story isn't the most convincing, but plays along anyway as she pats Ron on the back.
Snape's eyes flicker towards Ron and his confused expression. His eyes narrow like slits, reflecting his scepticism and distrust.
"A Confusion Concoction, you say?" he says, his tone laced with suspicion. "How intriguing. And which ingredient did you incorrectly use, pray tell?"
"Er, a few drops of fluxweed?" Harry replies, his voice betraying his lack of confidence.
Hermione pinches the bridge of her nose as she watches Harry answer incorrectly. She knows she should probably step in, but Snape seems to only be directing his line of fire at Harry, as if insinuating he's the one responsible for their predicament.
"Your knowledge of brewing potions is clearly lacking, even more so than usual, Potter. Fluxweed will not cause any such reaction in a Confusion Concoction, as it does not have any reactive properties. Perhaps if you paid closer attention in Potions class, you would have known that fact." Snape's voice drips with derision as he continues to stare them down.
The atmosphere in the corridor is thick with tension as Professor Snape's gaze falls onto Hermione, expecting an answer from her. His eyes are sharp, his expression unreadable. "Tell me, Miss Granger, if you truly think Potter's answer was convincing. Because I find it hard to believe even a student as inept as him would be foolish enough to mess up a simple potion like that."
She stares sheepishly at the ground, unable to answer.
"I thought so," Snape sneers, disdain evident in his voice. "And Mr Weasley, stop trying to pretend you're disoriented and confused. Your acting skills leave much to be desired. You remind me of those muggle actors who can only scream and run. I suggest you stick to your schoolwork and don't let yourself be used by your friends in the future," he says, looking at Ron with contempt.
Ron looks taken aback by Snape's remark, his expression shifting from faked confusion to genuine indignation. He opens his mouth to protest but quickly thinks better of it, swallowing his words and dropping his gaze to the ground.
"I'll try sir," he mumbles, his voice barely audible.
Snape's voice drips with contempt as he continues. ""Twenty points from Gryffindor each. I expect an essay from each of you, detailing the correct brewing process for a Confusion Concoction. Due Monday morning. Now, get to class, all of you."
Hermione exchanges a brief but anxious glance with Harry and Ron, aware that their options are limited. Going to class is too risky, seeing as their younger selves would be there, and Snape's presence is hindering their plans of going into the Chamber of Secrets. Her mind races furiously as she tries to find a way to handle the situation.
Snape scowls, his patience wearing thin. "What are you three waiting for? An invitation?" he questions, his voice sharp. "Move along. You are already late to your next class as it is."
"We're going, Professor," Hermione murmurs, nudging Harry and Ron forward.
She recalls her timetable from last year and ushers Harry and Ron in the direction of the transfiguration classroom. To her horror, Snape walks a few feet behind them, trailing the trio as they approach the classroom.
Hermione quickly turns to her friends. "Harry, Ron, we can't go in there," she whispers urgently. "Our younger selves will be there!"
Ron nods in agreement, a frown etched on his face. "We need to shake Snape off our trail and find a way to avoid running into ourselves," he replies.
"What are you three waiting for?" Snape's voice cuts through their hushed conversation, his tone impatient. "Class is about to begin. I suggest you get inside at once before I dock any more points from Gryffindor."
"We understand, Professor Snape," Harry says quickly, his voice betraying a hint of panic. "We'll go inside right away."
He motions his friends to follow him inside the classroom, noticing their eyes widen at his actions. "We don't exactly have a choice," he murmurs, his voice only audible to his friends.
They follow anyway, their footsteps hurried and silent, and the trio find seats in the back of the room, ducking down as low as possible as to avoid any unwanted attention.
As they settle in, though, Hermione can't help but notice Snape's lingering gaze before he retreats further down the castle corridors.
Scanning the room for their younger selves, Hermione's eyes accidentally lock on to Neville's, who is staring at the trio curiously.
"How come I didn't see you guys at breakfast this morning?" he asks with raised brows.
Harry shrugs, trying his best to appear nonchalant. "Just wanted a bit of a sleep-in, is all," he replies.
Ron chimes in, his voice tinged with false cheerfulness. "Yeah, no use getting out of bed early unless we're forced to, right?"
Neville stares at them warily. "But you guys weren't in bed when I left our dorm for breakfast, or when I came back to fetch my school books before first period," he says questioningly.
"We went for a walk in the grounds," Hermione replies quickly, forcing a casual smile. Neville seems to accept this and focuses his attention on Professor McGonagall, who starts the lesson.
As Professor McGonagall delivers a lecture on Transformation Theory, Hermione pretends to focus on her notes as she discreetly scans the classroom. There is no sign of their past selves. She frowns, her anxiety mounting with each passing minute as she stares at the classroom clock. Their younger selves should be here, attending this very class.
But they weren't.
Professor McGonagall seems to notice Hermione's distracted state and raises an eyebrow. "Miss Granger," she says. "Is something the matter?"
Hermione quickly shakes her head. Professor McGonagall looks unconvinced, but she continues the lecture. "As I was saying…"
Despite her efforts to focus, Hermione can't shake the feeling of unease. Where in the world were they?
The rest of the lesson flies by in a haze. Hermione exits the classroom and meets Harry and Ron in the hallway, their expressions troubled. They look around to make sure no one is listening before they start talking.
Hermione is the first to break the silence, voicing the thought that's on all their minds. "Our past selves didn't show up to class." Her voice is laced with both worry and suspicion.
"It just doesn't make any sense," Harry says, his brow furrowing.
"Maybe they're just playing truant," Ron suggests weakly, knowing it's a flimsy excuse at best.
"I don't recall any of us skipping classes last year," Hermione reminds him. "I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right."
"Not to mention, they were also missing at breakfast this morning," Harry adds.
"True…" Ron agrees, his voice trailing off as he tries to make sense of their situation.
Hermione's face twists into a frown as a nagging thought enters the back of her mind. "What if… No, that's not possible."
"What?" Harry prompts, noting the trouble expression on her face.
Hermione opens her mouth to respond, but stops short when Ginny appears beside them, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" she asks, noting their serious expressions.
Ron's eyes light up with a smile, his mood shifting instantly at the sight of his little sister.
"Hey, Ginny," he says, his voice filled with warmth, "Just discussing some… er, things."
Ginny lets out a sigh, a knowing look on her face, "Oh, one of your secret discussions, huh?" she asks, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"Yeah you know us. Always keeping secrets," Harry jokes, trying to hide the happiness in his voice at seeing Ginny.
In their previous timeline, Ginny, along with Neville and Luna, were kidnapped by the Death Eaters whilst trying to help some of the Muggleborns escape the castle. It's been weeks since any of the trio have seen Ginny, and their relief at seeing the youngest Weasley again was palpable.
Ginny laughs and shakes her head. "Are you guys coming to the Common Room?"
Hermione and her friends glance at each other, silently debating. The mention of the Common Room is a potential opportunity to find out more about where their past selves could be, as well as a potential opportunity to regroup and come up with a plan.
"Oh yeah, in a bit," Harry says quickly, his eyes lingering on Ginny. Hermione rolls her eyes affectionately as she notices how infatuated Harry is with Ginny.
Ginny gives a smile as she walks ahead of the trio as they head towards the Common Room.
Ron notices Harry staring after Ginny, and nudges him with a grin. "You're drooling, mate."
Harry turns away, realising he's been caught staring. He blushes. "I wasn't drooling," he protests. "Just admiring."
Ron sighs and shakes his head, a mixture of annoyance and amusement on his face. Leaving the boys to their banter, Hermione quickly moves forward to catch up with Ginny. It gives her a chance to talk to Ginny alone, without the boys overhearing.
"Hey Gin," she says, falling into step beside her. "What did you get up to this morning?"
"Nothing much, just some studying. Trying to get a head start on my O.W.L.s. this year. You know how it is." Ginny's voice is casual, but Hermione picks up on a hint of something else. "What about you? Where were you guys at breakfast this morning?"
Hermione hesitates, considering what to tell Ginny. She trusts her, but the fewer people who know the truth about their time-travelling situation, the better. "Oh, we missed breakfast," Hermione says quickly, hoping Ginny won't notice her deceit. "We went for a walk around the castle grounds."
Ginny nods, seeming to accept this. "Do you think I should try out for Quidditch this year?" she asks instead.
Hermione looks surprised at the sudden change in topic, but is relieved for the distraction. "Absolutely," Hermione replies, glad that Ginny doesn't press for details on their whereabouts. "You're a fantastic flyer. The team would be lucky to have you on it."
"Thanks. I've been practising every day," Ginny says, a hint of excitement in her voice. "I want to be as good as Charlie."
Hermione smiles, knowing how much Ginny looks up to her brothers. "You'll be even better than Charlie," Hermione assures her, the confidence in her voice genuine.
Ginny laughs, her eyes sparkling. "You're not just saying that because we're friends, are you?"
"No, I'm being serious," Hermione says with a smile. "You've got real talent. It'd be a shame if you didn't try out this year."
They approach the Common Room, and as they do so, Hermione decides to bring up another matter.
"Ginny," Hermione starts, her tone more serious now. "I was wondering… Have you seen anything suspicious around the castle lately? Anything that seems…out of place or not quite right?
Ginny furrows her brow. "Suspicious? Not really. Why do you ask?" she says cautiously. The question clearly made Ginny uneasy.
"Oh, just curious," Hermione says quickly, not wanting to alarm Ginny any further. "After…after everything that's happened over these past few months…I'm just being paranoid, I suppose."
Ginny gives a sympathetic nod. "I don't blame you," she says quietly, her gaze dropping to Hermione's torso. "How are your wounds healing?"
Hermione glances at her in confusion.
"You know, from the time Dolohov hexed you with those purple flames in the Department of Mysteries," Ginny says. "Are you still having to drink those potions Snape made you?"
Hermione winces as she recalls the period of which Ginny is describing. It had originally taken a whole year for the wounds to heal and she constantly had to drink the healing potions for all traces of Dolohov's hex to disappear.
Suddenly, she feels a sharp pain in her torso where the healed scar should be. She shakes it off, dismissing it as phantom symptoms.
"Yes, I'm still drinking the potions," she lies. Well, it's not exactly a lie since her past self was most likely drinking the potions, as she had done in her previous timeline.
Harry and Ron approach them, both looking slightly anxious. From the way they're acting, Hermione can tell they've been talking about their current predicament. Ginny quickly excuses herself to find Dean, which leaves the trio alone again.
Ron leads his friends to a secluded corner of the Common Room and casts the Muffliato charm.
"What is it?" Hermione asks, her eyes flickering to Ron with curiosity.
He takes a deep breath and lifts the bottom of his shirt upwards. "Look," he says, pointing at his hip. "My wound is gone."
Hermione looks at the area carefully, surprised to see that he's right. She reaches out to examine the skin herself and her breath hitches in her throat.
"What? How? Didn't you say that it was inflicted by Dark Magic, hence it wasn't closing?"
"Exactly!" He nods furiously.
"This is crazy..." Hermione murmurs, her mind racing. "It's healed completely."
"Do you think this has something to do with us coming back in time?" Ron asks, his voice hushed.
"Maybe," Hermione admits. "But it's really odd. I was just discussing my wounds that Dolohov gave me with Ginny."
Harry's eyes widen in surprise. "You mean the ones that took forever to heal? I remember you had to keep drinking those nasty potions Snape made you."
"Yes, those ones," Hermione confirms with a frown. "But when Ginny mentioned them just now, I felt a sharp pain in my torso."
The trio falls silent, having reached the same conclusion. Hermione slowly lifts up her shirt, only to find an unhealed, jagged scar around the wound.
"Oh my God…" Hermione whispers, her fingers gently tracing the unhealed scar. At her touch, the throbbing pain intensifies.
Harry and Ron are speechless, their eyes fixed at the uneven skin on Hermione's torso.
"This…this doesn't make any sense," Ron finally manages to say, his voice hoarse.
"It's like our bodies have gone back into the past with us," Harry remarks. "Ron's injuries he got from the future are gone. And your injuries you've sustained in the past are still there and unhealed."
Hermione lowers her shirt as an uncomfortable feeling settles in the pit of her stomach. Realisation of their situation dawns on her and the panic in her voice becomes more evident.
"Harry, you're right. It all makes sense now."
Harry's eyes narrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I think..." she begins nervously, "the Time-Turner I used didn't malfunction. Did you notice how it looked different from the standard Ministry issued Time-Turner we used to free Sirius? I think this one belonged to Dumbledore and I think it was a True Time-Turner."
Ron's eyes widen in realisation. "You don't mean... I thought that was just a myth!"
"I did too," Hermione says. "But it's the only possible explanation that makes even the slightest bit of sense.
Harry's confusion grows. "What's a true Time-Turner?" he asks.
Hermione takes a deep breath. "A True Time-Turner is a powerful artefact," she starts to explain. "It's said to have been created centuries ago by a powerful dark wizard. Unlike the standard Ministry issued Time-Turner, a True Time-Turner allows the user to manipulate time in a more profound and dangerous way."
Harry frowns. "So you're saying..."
"We've not only travelled back in time," she continues, her voice hushed. "But we've travelled back in time to our past selves. That's why they weren't at breakfast or in class. We are our past selves. We're back in the bodies of our sixth year selves. We've essentially altered the fabric of time itself."
The weight of Hermione's words sinks in. The implications of what she's suggesting are mind-boggling. If they're not careful, they could cause irreparable damage to the timeline.
There is a heavy silence as the trio struggle to process Hermione's words. Harry is the first to speak. "This is…this is huge," he stutters. "We could mess up everything. We could change history".
"We have the power to change the past," Hermione confirms, her voice wavering slightly as the weight of her words fully hits her. "We can do things that weren't done before. We can change events, affect the course of history—for better or worse."