Summary:Neville Longbottom just wanted to stop by to see his parents before lunch with his friend... and maybe ask out the cute mediwix.
Clarissa Starling was having a perfectly normal day at work caring for her patients at St. Mungos.
Hadrian Potter-Black was tired and looking forward to his lunch break. Thank mother magic Luna was finally back in the country!
Luna Lovegood knew nothing good was going to happen today, but the nargles assured her everything would work out for the best.
An explosion in the Janus Thickey Ward has an interesting side effect of sending four friends back in time to the start of the Triwizard Tournament and the beginning of the Second War against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Follow along as our protagonists are given a second chance and proceed to fuck up the timeline and maybe find love along the way.
Tags: Time Travel Time, Travel Fix-It, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Ron Weasley Bashing, Ginny Weasley, Bashing BAMF, Harry Potter, Good Friend Neville Longbottom, Sirius Black is Harry Potter's Parent, Harry Potter is Lord of Multiple Noble Houses, Pureblood Politics, Wixen Culture
Chapter 1: The Goblet of Fire (Again)
Evie's Notes:Hello all, I have recently fallen back into my Harry Potter hyper fixation and decided to give this plot bunnny of mine a go. I hope that you all enjoy the this new story - Xo Evie.
Clairissa Starling's fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was off to a roaring start. The announcement of the infamous Triwizard tournament had set everyone a buzz over the last two months. There were bets made over who of the seventh year students would be deemed worthy by the goblet of representing their school. As proud Hufflepuffs, Clarissa and her friends hoped that it would be one of their housemates.
The chaos came to a head on Halloween night during the feast. The Great Hall was filled with happy and excited chatter as the students enjoyed their meal and eagerly anticipated the Goblet's choice.
Helping herself to some delicious ham and fixings, Clarissa chatted with her best friend and roommate, Madelaine Edwards. "So who did you bet on?"
"I put my galleons on Lydia Jenkins. With her boyfriend graduating last year she seems to be more focused. Plus she is quite the powerhouse according to Professor Flitwick"
Clarissa hummed approvingly at her friend's choice, the seventh year Ravenclaw was quite talented… especially when it came to quidditch. "I bet on Cedric" she said with a secret smile.
"Well that sucks, I just lost five galleons" pouted Madeleine.
"The goblet hasn't announced anything yet" argued Clarissa, though she snickered internally.
"Oh please! Everyone knows not to bet against you and your sight"
"The future isn't…"
"...Set in stone" finished her friend, "Yeah, yeah you say it like every day. That said, you are right more often than not".
Little did Madeleine know just how much Clarissa was aware of due to her "sight". Two months ago Clarissa had awoken in a train compartment on the Hogwarts express after being caught in an explosion at work and exposed to strange fumes five years in the future. She had originally thought that it was just a very detailed dream… but as she played along and the days passed she came to the horrifying realization that this was now her reality.
She had been dropped back into her Hogwarts years as if the horrible second war with Voldemort had never happened. This of course did not stop Clarissa from doing everything in her power to research a possible way to travel back to her time. Unfortunately, she had not had any luck so far… it seemed like she might be stuck here for good. So she was forced to play along… not that it was that much of a hardship. She had missed her friends and family members who had died during the war and was happy to have a second chance with them. Plus she wasn't alone, the very fit auror who had tackled her to 'safety' when the strange package had started leaking fumes had traveled to the past with her along with her two best friends.
"Guys! It's starting" hissed Susan Bones, elbowing Clarissa in the side snapping her out of thoughts of the life she had left behind.
Wincing, Clarissa turned her attention to the front of the Great Hall where Headmaster Dumbledore stood at a podium on which the Goblet of Fire sat spitting rainbow flames.
The whole school sat with rapt attention as the goblet spit out sheets of paper with the chosen champions on them. The students roared with approval when Victor Krum was chosen to represent Durmstrang. There was quieter applause when Fluer Declour's name appeared next. That left only the champion for Hogwarts.
Clarissa squeezed Madeleine's hand tightly as Dumbledore announced, "Cedric Diggory!"
The Hufflepuff table exploded in excited cheers. This was the biggest thing to happen to them since they had won the house cup six years ago.
"Told you!" teased Madeline, as students began to toss money Clarissa's way.
One of the perks of dropping being back in time meant that Clarissa was aware of key events which occurred around her. She was luckily able to play off this knowledge as just being her "sight" which she did have an affinity for. Her tarot and palm readings had earned her a place of respect in Hufflepuff House both in this timeline and the past/future, her words held weight despite her current self only being fourteen years old. She also wasn't too shoddy working with tea leaves and a magic ball.
Given that Clarissa was going to be stuck living in this timeline for the foreseeable future, she had set to work making changes. She had all this future knowledge, so she might as well use it. Her first order of business had been to locate the fit auror who had maybe saved her life and was now stranded in the past with her… Neville Longbottom. Neville was an absolute sweetheart and the pair bonded over their future knowledge and their mutual friends Hadrian Potter-Black and Luna Lovegood. Clarissa was happy to connect with the sweet boy who she knew grew up to be an amazing and brave man, so she happily introduced him to her friends in Hufflepuff. Neville quickly became a constant fixture in the house of black and yellow.
Unfortunately, beyond their brief initial meeting and freakout on the train, Clarissa hadn't been able to get close to Hadrian and spend any significant time with him. This was because Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger kept stealing him back and glaring at her whenever she partnered with him in classes or tried to talk to him in the halls. Hadrian didn't want to tip off the powers that be about their accidental time travel which would likely end up with them being dragged off to the Department of Mysteries to be poked and prodded, so for the time being he was playing along and keeping both his head and grades down till the pair fucked up and he could drop them. Clarissa wasn't too stressed about it because she knew what was coming for "Harry" and soon the pair wouldn't be a problem, it just sucked that she couldn't hang out with her best friend in the meantime. Hadrian and Clarissa had grown close in the future while they went through their healer training at St. Mungos. Clarissa planned to make sure that Hadrian didn't feel alone this time and that he had the support he needed to succeed in whatever path he decided to walk. She wouldn't let him settle for the shitty friendships provided by the pair who claimed to be his best friends who dropped him at the first sign of trouble… her, Neville, and Luna were much better choices! She was going to get her bestie back and let him shine if it was the last thing she did!
The most important change she made was Luna Lovegood. The third year Ravenclaw was a good friend to her and Hadrian and was such a light to those who knew her. Clarissa had basically adopted the blonde at first sight when she had met the girl decorating the long term spell damage ward, chattering away to the patients about her various travels and creatures. Luna was a well known Magi-Zoologist who also ran the Quibbler. It made her so sad to land in the past and see the adorable third year being bullied by her housemates. Clarissa wasn't going to stand for it. The detention she had gotten for punching Cho Chang in the face on the train for teasing Luna was well worth it… especially when she saw the smile on Luna's face, even if she was "acting like a muggle". The pair then joined their time traveling companions in a locked compartment and had a truly epic freakout. As they planned their next moves, Clarissa swore to make sure that Luna always knew she was loved and appreciated, she wasn't in Hufflepuff for no reason after all. People tended to overlook her house, but what people forgot was that badgers were fiercely loyal and would do ANYTHING to protect their loved ones.
Unfortunately for the gathered students and teachers, the Goblet of Fire did not seem to have gotten the message that all the champions had supposedly been chosen, because just as the Headmaster was headed back to his seat another piece of paper appeared. The time traveling quartet had discussed exposing Moody early and stopping Hadrian's participation in the tournament, but they feared making any major moves while they were still trying to get their feet under them. So in the end they let fate play out the way it had before… much to their disappointment.
The hall grew deathly silent as the students looked on in confusion. Snagging the paper, Dumbledore read aloud the surprise name "Harry Potter". With that the Great Hall exploded in a cacophony of noise and chaos. Clarissa gaped in shock, making sure to widen her eyes so that those around her would believe that she hadn't seen this coming. The time traveling Gryffindor dejectedly made his way to the back room with the other champions, poor guy… school was going to suck for him for a bit, but Clarissa was going to do her best to try and limit some of the outrage, she would have to speak to her housemates as soon as they got back to the common room to try and spin the situation in her friend's favor. On the plus side… Ron Weasley was about to put his foot in his mouth meaning she would have her bestie back by morning and their plans could truly begin!
The rest of the feast was filled with angry yelling and grumbling by three of the four Hogwarts Houses, only the Gryffindors seemed happy about this turn of events. Clarissa just helped herself to some treacle tart as she contemplated this situation and her next steps.
Since it was a school night, Professor McGonagall stepped up to dismiss everyone as Headmaster Dumbledore had followed the other heads of school into the back room. Catching Neville's eye, Clarissa motioned for the boy to keep an eye on their friend tonight. The Gryfindor nodded back, ensuring that their not so little lion would have some support this evening. Taking her treacle tart to go, Clarissa munched on her sweet treat as she wound her way down into the lower levels of the school to the Hufflepuff common room.
* Loyal Brave & True - Loyal Brave & True *
Sitting on the couch in front of the fire in the Hufflepuff common room Clarissa shuffled her purple and silver tarot deck as she listened to her housemates' disgruntled complaints.
"I can't believe Harry fucking Potter managed to get past the age line" complained Zacharias Smith, a particularly annoying third year. Clarissa had never liked him.
"If anyone was going to do it, it would be him" shrugged Wayne Hoppkins, one of Clarissa's year mates.
"Still sucks that Hufflepuff is once again overshadowed," pouted Leanne James, a fifth year student. "I was looking forward to people having to treat us less like a joke". The girl's friends all hummed in commiserating agreement.
"I just don't understand how he got past the age line!" ranted sixth year student Rosalind Crane.
"It doesn't matter how he did it… all that matters is that he is now a champion and stealing the Puff's glory. Didn't see that one coming, did you Starling?" snarked Smith.
Clarissa rolled her eyes at the slight, "Don't you take Divination Smith? You know that isn't how the sight works. I can see certain outcomes but rarely get the whole picture. For example I foresaw Cedric being a champion but not the other three".
"You're just mad you lost your money betting against Lis" chuckled Cecil Ryder, one of Clarissa's friends and yearmates. Clarissa shuddered despite the warmth of the fire, it was still hard to look at her old friend without picturing his broken body lying bloody on the battlefield.
Smith's comeback was interrupted by the doorway opening and the black and yellow champion returning. Looking at the shaken seventeen year old, Clarissa swore to do her best to ensure that he didn't die this time around. Honestly, what kinda adult decides a tournament with a high death toll was a good idea to bring back? Dumbledore, Fudge and the ministry as a whole were idiots of the highest order.
"So? What did they say?" demanded Hunter Clearwater, Cedric's best friend and roommate.
"They said Potter has to compete due to the nature of the contract. He keeps claiming that he didn't do it… but I don't know" shrugged Cedric, bummed that his glory had been stolen and starting to get worried about his own safety.
"Well that's easy enough to find out" announced Clarissa drawing the eyes of everyone in the room to her. She shuffled her tarot deck again as a heavyweight hung in the air. "We have a question right? Let's just ask Lady Magic, afterall she is never wrong"
A brief grumbling started up amongst some of the students but the house quickly settled down around the fire watching the redheaded witch closely.
After lighting a few candles around her, Clarissa closed her eyes and took a moment to breathe deeply to center herself and connect to her magic. When she opened her eyes those around her could see a faint silver glow that surrounded her bright blue irises signaling her sight was at work. "Mother Magic we come before you today we ask that you help settle a question we have regarding one Harry James Potter. Mother… Did Hadrian put his name in the Goblet of Fire?" flipping over a card Clarissa leaned forward to study it. "Mother you have shown us the Upright Fool… a symbol of Innocence" a gasp of disbelief filled the common room. Many of the students began to murmur to their neighbors.
Knowing that her housemates needed more than that, Clarissa continued. "Mother Magic, if Harry did not put his name in the cup… then who did?". This time Clarissa felt the urge to pull three cards. Studying them in the flickering firelight she decoded them for her friends "You have shown us the reversed High Priestess meaning Hidden Agendas and Secrets. The Reversed Magician meaning Evil Powers and Manipulation and finally an Upright Emperor meaning Authority" a few of the younger years whimpered in fear and held onto each other. No one liked the sound of Evil Powers moving in their school.
"Mother Magic… Have I read your meaning correctly? Harry Potter did not put his name in the cup but instead a figure of Authority with Evil Powers did so for a Hidden Agenda?" asked Clarissa as she flipped the final card. "Thank you dear mother, you have shown us an upright High Priestess meaning Intuition and Divine Truth. We thank you and honor you for your insights… blessed be".
"Blessed be" chanted back her housemates, as Clarissa blew out the candles around her and put her cards back in the blue velvet sack she kept them in.
"Well that's that then" declared Amelia Davies, one of the sixth year girls, clapping her hands together. "Looks like the kid's gotta compete against you Ced. Poor guy I'd hate to have Evil Forces chasing after me"
"Potter's always got Evil Forces on his trail" agreed Nolan Ridley, a fifth year student. "Still he is a fellow Hogwarts student so we should do our best to encourage him and make sure those Evil Forces or whatever don't kill him".
"Yeah! I mean who else is going to give us a run for our money in Quidditch if he's dead?" demand Flynn Dunbar, 6th year beater and die hard Quidditch fan.
"If anything that's a point in the 'let him die' category" snarked Zacharias Smith.
"Shut up Smith" shouted the room as a whole.
Rolling her eyes Margret Sinclair, seventh year prefect and head girl, rose to her feet and called for the room's attention. "Alright, you all heard Clarissa. Potter didn't put his name in. He is probably freaking the fuck out right now and is in need of support. He might not be a Hufflepuff, but we will support BOTH of our Hogwarts champions. If you have any problems with this you take it up with me… not Potter" that last part was aimed towards Smith and his friends. "Hufflepuffs are Loyal but also Just. Let's put that loyalty to good use. Now it's late so third years and down off to bed".
Grinning from her spot in front of the fireplace, Clarissa listened in the soft conversations that filled the room as the older students shifted to play games or do homework.
"What has you so happy? See anything good?" asked Madeline, bumping her shoulder against her friend's.
"All the good things, especially for you my friend" replied Clarissa as she pulled her best friend into a side hug. This time Madeline would live to graduate and take on the world the way they had always talked about when they were younger. "Well I am beat. I'm going to try and get some sleep. See you tomorrow" she waved good night to her year mates before climbing the stairs to her dorm room. Slipping into bed she prayed to Mother Magic that her sleep would be peaceful and not haunted by memories of death and destruction from her future/past.
Evie's Notes 2:Thank you all so much for reading ! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, let me know your favorite part of in the comments! I hope to see you all next week !
I love hearing from y'all! Let me know what you think of the chapter and the story as a whole in the comments or my Tumblr Find-y0ur-j0y! Have a great week and stay safe! - Xo Evie