A Walk Down Scrambled Memory Lane

So the three of them tried as best they could to continue with first year business as was usual for them when they were first years, all the while trying to make progress with their nonsensical mystery. Unfortunately, not really having much of a place to start, all they could really do for the time being was research. This was just fine for Hermione, who was almost always seen with her nose in some book anyway. However, Harry and Ron had to be a bit sneakier. After all, one of Percy's favorite jokes (of which there were very few) involved him questioning his youngest brother's ability to read. Harry could recall reading Quidditch Through the Ages as a first year, and so he used a clever cover-switching trick he'd implemented with his Potions book back in his own time. Ron, however, not being one to read for recreation, or even schoolwork for that matter, was unable to read through the library books without attracting suspicion and therefore was tasked with chasing any little lead they had, no matter how small.

The first (and, admittedly, only) item on the list was Hannah Abbott and a clumsy little owl that may or may not have belonged to her. Because none of the three had any idea what Hannah or the owl could possibly have to do with anything, Ron had no idea about how to go about investigating them. Harry and Hermione were both too busy to help him figure it out, however, so it looked as though he was on his own.

Not knowing what else to do, Ron decided to invite Hannah on a little stroll around school grounds so that they could speak in private. She seemed surprised by the invitation, but agreed to meet him in the Paved Courtyard later that afternoon. As she walked away down the corridor, she and her friend Susan turned toward each other and started giggling. Ron, not knowing what was so funny, blushed a little behind the ears.

"You asked her to go for a walk with you?" Hermione said suddenly, looking up from the book she'd been skimming through. That was the first time she'd looked up since Ron came to the library to inform her of his game plan (of which there was very little to tell, but still). "Since when are you into private little strolls around the grounds?"

"Er… Since I didn't know how else to figure out Hannah's involvement with our little problem?" Ron replied, taken aback by Hermione's sudden interest in what he'd been saying.

"There are other ways to have a conversation with someone!"

"Not very private ones! Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't! I have to get back to work. You should probably go figure out what you're going to say to Hannah during your little sight-seeing expedition."

Without another word, Hermione returned to her book and a bewildered Ron left the library to go meet up with Hannah.

"Hey, Ron!" Hannah Abbott said a little too quickly. She seemed to become self-conscious of this and blushed a little.

"Oh, hey, Hannah," Ron replied. "Er, thanks for meeting me."

"Sure, thanks for the invitation."

"Sure. So… Should we get going, then?"

"Sure."

The pair of them started walking,

"So, Hannah," Ron began, not really sure how to ask any of the questions he'd come up with without them sounding really strange. "Do you have an owl by any chance?"

"An owl?" Hannah repeated, clearly not expecting the question. "I've got a little barn owl. Pepper." she replied, grinning somewhat shyly at the name. "Um, have you got an owl?"

"Nah, I've got a rat."

"Oh! Well I'm sure it's… adorable."

"Bloody bit of rubbish, actually. But anyway, the reason I asked is because the other day I saw an owl that was a little clumsy, and somebody said they thought it was yours."

"Oh. Um, yeah, it was probably mine," she said, blushing again.

"Not that there's anything wrong with a clumsy owl," Ron said quickly. "My family's owl, Errol, is always flying into windows and stuff."

Hannah giggled. "He sounds funny."

Ron shrugged. "He's going to knock himself out one of these days. But tell me about Pepper. Is there, I don't know, anything unusual about him? Maybe he delivers letters really fast? Almost like he can travel through time? Or something."

"Um, not that I've noticed, no. And she's a she. I got her for my birthday last year, for writing home to my parents while I'm at school. She seems, you know, like an owl who is affected by time the normal way."

Ron nodded. He'd been expecting that, but he figured there was no harm in asking. "So, have you met anyone strange lately?"

Hannah raised an eyebrow. "Has anyone ever told you you ask some pretty weird questions?"

"It's the best way make interesting conversations," Ron explained quickly.

"I suppose you have a point. But no, I'm afraid I haven't met anyone strange lately. Not that I can think of, anyway."

"Anyone new then? Somebody you hadn't seen around the school before?"

"Well, I thought I saw somebody I didn't recognize at the Hufflepuff table the other day, but it turns out that Heather Mason just got a haircut. What about you? Meet anyone strange or new lately?"

"I saw Crabbe and Goyle pigging out in the Great Hall the other day if that counts."

"So, somebody repulsive, then."

"Repulsive and pathetic. So Hannah, do you have any experience with time travel?"

"Where do you come up with these?" Hannah asked with a giggle. "No, I've never traveled through time."

"Don't, if you can help it. It may sound fun, but it's actually a lot of work trying to make sure you don't accidently screw up the future or something."

"Um, thanks, Ron. I'll… I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Well, I guess we'd better start heading back. Dinner will be starting soon."

Hannah nodded, almost seeming a little disappointed that their walk had to be cut a bit short, and the two of them started heading back the way they came. After a moment or two, Hannah began to speak.

"Your research won't do you any good, you know. This magic is more powerful than even you three can break."

Ron stared at her, open mouthed. She knew. She knew all about their problem. But how? What was her role in all this? She continued, smiling at the expression on Ron's face.

"If you want to know what you have to do to get home, the three of you should come to the Quidditch Pitch tomorrow night just before midnight, under the Hufflepuff stands. Further instructions will await you there."

"How do you know that? Who the bloody hell is responsible for this?" Ron demanded.

Hannah looked the most confused she had all night. "What are you talking about, Ron?"

"You just said-"

"I didn't say anything, Ron. Are you feeling okay? Should I walk you to the Hospital Wing?"

"No! Erm, no, I'm fine. Sorry, I must be going crazy from the hunger."

Hannah looked genuinely concerned. "You're sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine. I swear."

Hannah seemed unconvinced, but allowed the subject to drop for the remainder of their walk.

"She had no memory at all of what she said?" Hermione asked after Ron recounted the details of his and Hannah's walk. The two of them plus Harry were sitting by the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room, far enough away from other people that they could talk quietly without being overheard.

"Either that or she was doing a bloody good job pretending not to. She looked at me like I'd gone mad or something," Ron replied.

"Wait, you're saying you haven't gone mad?"

"Shut up, Harry."

"So that means Hannah must have somehow been possessed! By whoever's behind all of this," Hermione deduced, ignoring her male companions.

"You really just came out and asked her if she had a time-traveling owl?" Harry asked.

"Well, I didn't know what to do!" Ron exclaimed defensively. "How would you suggest I ask a girl if she's got a nutter bird?"

"One thing's for sure, nothing good can come of this little meeting tomorrow night," Hermione continued.

"Whatcha mean?" Ron asked, finally paying attention. "This is the best lead we've gotten so far!"

"Maybe so, but it sounds like our anonymous enemy is going to have some sort of demands that we'll have to obey if we want to get back home."

"That's a good thing, isn't it? We'll finally know what we need to do to get out of here!"

"But whatever these demands are, they can't be anything good! Otherwise why would anybody go through all of this trouble?"

Harry groaned. "That's true. Whatever this person wants us to do, it's probably something we'd never do, no matter what the circumstances. I don't know if we should even show up tomorrow. I mean, doing what this person says probably won't be an option, and we already know how dangerous he is."

"Or she," Hermione added.

"Of course we've got to go!" Ron declared.

"I don't know, Ron. Harry's right, it's too dangerous and it probably won't do us any good."

"We won't know that if we don't go! Maybe we're wrong and it won't be a problem. And we know this person isn't going to hurt us. Whoever it is wants something from us. If he-or she-wanted to kill us, he-or she, Hermione, sorry-already would have."

"Fair point, Ron," Harry admitted. "So, I guess we should go. The only problem now is figuring out how to get out of the castle without getting caught."

"Leave that to me," Hermione said dismissively. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, but didn't question her.

"So, now we just have to talk about Quidditch," Harry said.

"That's right, your first match is tomorrow! I forgot," Hermione exclaimed.

"Of course you did," said Ron.

"Honestly, are you going to say that every time I forget about a Quidditch thing?"

"You're planning on doing that more times?"

"So… I guess you'll just be ready to set Quirrell on fire when he starts jinxing my broom, Hermione? You managed to keep me from dying last time, and I'd appreciate it if we were to pull that off again," Harry said.

"No, I'll be setting Snape on fire," Hermione replied.

"But Snape didn't jinx Harry's broom, even if he is a twat," Ron interjected.

"We know that now, but back then, or back now I guess-"

"Back tomorrow."

"…Thanks, Ron. Anyway, I thought it was Snape, so he's the one I set on fire the first time, so I'll have to do it again this time."

"That's just as well. He may not have jinxed my broom, but I wouldn't mind seeing him go up in flames," Harry commented.

"Here here! Looks like we've got tomorrow taken care of, then," said Ron.

"Almost. Do you two remember what we did after the game?" Hermione inquired.

"We… had a big party in Harry's honor?" Ron tried.

"We went to Hagrid's for tea," Hermione clarified.

"So we'll go have tea with Hagrid," Harry stated simply. "I'm sure we can all pretend to be normal first years long enough to fool him."

"That's not what I was worried about. It's just that that was the day he told us about Fluffy and Nicolas Flamel."

"And we're going to have to get him to do that again, even though Hagrid will be upset with himself over it and we already know about Nicolas Flamel and don't particularly want to have a conversation about that terrifying, disgusting beast," Ron said, catching on.

"Well, pretty much. Yes," Hermione confirmed. "It'll be fine. I know we can figure it out."

"It probably won't be the most complicated part about the day," Harry pointed out. "You're sure you know a way to sneak us out of the castle, Hermione?"

"Of course I'm sure. You probably ought to get to bed; you have Quidditch tomorrow and the pressure's on for you to catch that snitch. You don't want to change history and let Slytherin win."

"Now that, I can handle."