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Time's Paradox | ||||
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Category: Time-Turner Challenge (2014-2), Time Turner Challenge (2014-2) Characters:Harry/Ginny Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, General Warnings: None Story is Complete Rating: PG Reviews: 13 Summary: Written for the Time-Turner challenge. A Time-Turner latches onto Harry during the battle at Hogwarts. What will happen when he accidentally travels back in time? Hitcount: Story Total: 4385 Disclaimer: Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R. Note the opinions in this story are my own and in no way represent the owners of this site. This story subject to copyright law under transformative use. No compensation is made for this work. Author's Notes: Hi, welcome to the first story I've posted in over a year. I hope it is worthwhile and helps to get me back into writing (Harpies sequel... cough). Anyway, hope you enjoy! |
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2 May 1998 - The Battle of Hogwarts The intense heat of towering flames blazed from the vast room behind Harry. His feet pounded against the stone floor and muscles ached with the agony of being pushed beyond their limits. Wisps of smoke trailed from his clothes. He just needed a few more seconds, but the flames dove down towards him like a demonic dragon unwilling let its captor go. As a final shout of determination escaped Harry’s throat he dove headfirst out of the Room of Requirements. The moment his feet left the Room the door slammed shut leaving nothing but the cold hallway of Hogwarts. In the sudden quite he only heard his ragged breaths and beating heart. It was almost the closest he’d been to death, almost. A pair of arms wrapped around his middle. Familiar red hair filled his vision and the smell of remembered floral shampoo flooded his senses. Without thought he turned and let his arms snake their way around the person he'd missed for so long and barely had time to greet earlier. "Ginny," he breathed out finally. Any doubts about their relationship vanished. She still loved him that much he could sense. His words only caused her hold to tighten. He kissed the top of her head, something he’d missed doing. He wanted to remain like this for hours, but the battle was not done. Voldemort and the final abomination remained outside waiting to kill Harry. He pushed her away. "I'm sorry." "Harry?" Her questioning gaze pierced his heart. He stumbled backwards knowing that he could do little to ease her pain and that it might only increase before the night’s end. "I'm sorry." It was little more than a whisper. The hurt filled eyes, haunted by nightmares, remained with him hours later even as he walked to certain death. The Forbidden Forest, dark and ominous, felt more foreboding than even the night he first met Voldemort so long ago. This time Harry knew the dangers. As he walked the legs bearing him knew they were their last. Back then he'd been terrified of dying, now he was already dead in all but the deed. A cold wind rustled dried leaves littering the forest floor. A body not yet willing to die wrapped arms around its body. A hard metallic pain came from his chest where hands had thumped against his chest. Trembling fingers slowly removed the metal object that had intertwined itself with his limbs moments before he had leapt from the room to save himself from death. It had been as if the chain had willed itself free from the deathly flames. He sighed. It was a rather odd thing, metal with a little sundial like face and an hourglass in the middle. It vaguely resembled something he had seen before, but the image remained like a name on the tip of his tongue. His foot caught an exposed root and he slammed into the soft moss covered ground. It left him with a mouthful of dirt and a body not pleased with its current state. Who could blame it? Harry was cut, bleeding, half-frozen and walking to an execution. He shook his head then crawled to a thick tree and leaned back between two large and ancient roots. They provided some shelter from the wind and he didn’t bother to remove his Cloak to block the cold. The ancient looking item on the chain was covered in dirt so Harry blew softly on the face and found himself staring unblinking at the hourglass. Hermione would have given him a brief ten minute lecture on exactly what the item was. He managed a small laugh and realised that his mind was probably addled. With another laugh, one born of new found insanity, Harry spun the little hourglass. It proved oddly therapeutic. A hand closed around his arm. "Merlin, Harry. Do you know…" He looked up into worried brown eyes and her voice washed over him. He could not reply even if head heard everything. The guilt he felt at leaving proved too much. Her gaze held no anger, just worry. It was then that things started going wrong. The night disappeared, instead replaced by a bright midday sun. "What just happened?" A wide eyed Ginny asked. Harry laughed. The dream was over, he'd died and gone to a world much better. He stood and walked away from the Ginny of this afterlife. The warmth proved comforting and the lake glittered like it used to. He ran a hand through his hair, it came away slightly red from a wound he’d received hours before. "It's... not exactly what I imagined." A hand touched his shoulder. "Is this heaven?" He asked the Ginny. "I don't remember dying." "Neither do I." He spoke more to forest than the spirit behind him. "I just hope my death meant something." He exhaled. "That it worked." Oddly he could not remember meeting Voldemort. The hand gripped his shoulder tightly. "Are you sure we died?" "I went into the Forest to die..." The hand roughly spun him around and an angry freckled face glared at him. "I thought you went to fight!" His head shook. "No. Definitely went to die. He had to kill me." Her eyes studied him. "I'm a Horcrux. Its destruction was linked to my destruction." He laughed again. "I'm dead now, so he can be killed." Her expression clouded over. "I don't think we're dead, Harry." “Of course I am,” he said loudly, hands in the air. “The night was blown away like a passing bank of fog.” He pointed at the school. “Even the towers and walls are undamaged!” The Ginny before him shivered. “It doesn’t feel… you know… like death.” “It feels normal enough to me.” He frowned. “But what would I know about death. You’re the one from this side. You should know.” She stamped her right foot against the soft ground. “I’m not from here, Harry.” Her eyes glared like twin daggers. “So you died last night as well,” he laughed. “We’re both free then.” A cold and hard hand slapped his face. A resounding crack broke the laughter and then there was nothing but the silence of the forest. “Dying is not funny!” she scolded, eyes brimming with tears. “I have brothers, a father and a mother.” He blinked once, twice. “I’m… sorry,” the words came out slowly and softly. “I…” She sniffed, wiping a running nose with the back of a hand. “Where’s a tissue when you need one.” Harry unconsciously swirled his wand and a handkerchief appeared. Ginny grabbed it and turned away in an attempt to discreetly blow her nose. The loud sound and added sniffs left little to the imagination. But he gave it no thought, for starters his mind was already far away and deep in thought. His fingers touched the famous Scar, which remained slightly warm and sensitive. “I’m not dead,” he finally managed to say. “We’re not dead.” Ginny spun around quickly. “Are you sure?” Her eyes glimmered with a hint of hope. He pointed at his scar. “It’s warm and… well you know.” Her face paled. “It’s… he’s… s-still in there?” He nodded. “So you have to die?” He couldn’t look her in the eye. “Once everything was in place, I become the final offering.” “Offering,” she repeated slowly. Her hands clasped his forearms. “There has to be another way.” Harry shook his head. “Dumbledore couldn’t think of a way. Hermione couldn’t…” he paused mid-sentence. “She never knew. I never knew until tonight.” Ginny’s grip lessoned ever so slightly. “So there might be a way?” “Highly doubtful if Dumbledore never managed to unravel the problem.” “But there is hope, Harry.” She sounded so sure. He nodded, she needed the reassurance much more than he did. Since he first learned of the prophecy Harry had been ready to die. “Perhaps we should head to the school.” He motioned towards the path. “And maybe we should remain on the lookout for Death Eaters.” Her eyes widened again. “I forgot they might be out here.” He nodded, wand out and ready. “I hope they left with the darkness.” The laborious process of winding their way back to the school felt much longer than the direct route towards death he’d taken less than an hour before. It felt as eerie now as it had done the night before, perhaps more so. The day was warm, the breeze pleasant, and yet the grounds remained as silent as a graveyard. There should’ve been laughter, shouting, anything. Even during the quietest of times the grounds held life during days like these. “It’s all wrong?” Ginny voiced his thoughts aloud. He did not reply, instead he ploughed on until they reached the main entrance. Untouched stonework only refreshed memories of toppled and smashed works of art. “What happened?” he wondered. “Something.” Was the only reply she could muster. He pushed the large wooden doors open and stepped into the cold interior of Hogwarts. The ancient stone kept the heat of spring from entering the corridors as much as it kept the icy Scottish winters at bay. At last they heard the many voices of excited students and then the sound of the last person he’d ever expected, Albus Dumbledore. Ginny shared a confused look with Harry. “Am I hearing correctly?” she asked unable to disguise the sudden fear enveloping them. “This is all wrong,” he muttered. She shook her head. “It must be a trick. Nothing could bring him back to life and time travel is limited to only a few hours.” Harry almost stumbled. “That’s where I saw this.” He pulled out the item on the chain around his neck. “A Time-Turner.” Ginny gripped it. “But still… they can only take you back hours. Dumbledore’s been dead for a year.” He scrunched his nose slightly. “I found this in the odd room where we hid the Potions book.” He held it up to a ray of light shining through a window on the second floor. “There were some pretty odd and ancient things in that room.” “Powerful things,” she added. “This is not good, Harry.” He grinned. “Or it’s the best thing that ever happened!” he proclaimed. She stared at him flatly. “If we are back far enough in time then…” His words were cut-off by the maniacal cries of Mister Flinch. “Another one has been taken.” Harry’s blood went cold. He remembered that exact voice saying those exact words. Ginny prodded him. “You’ve gone deathly pale.” “Merlin’s beard,” Harry whispered. His body and mind were torn in two. He made a split second decision, one he sincerely hoped he would never regret. He stunned Ginny, caught her suddenly limp body and rushed towards the nearest abandoned corridor. He closed his eyes and hoped that nothing had been changed. Even though he had settled himself down, the rate of his pounding heart continued to thump rhythmically in his ears. He counted down the minutes while trying to remember the course of events. Even though he was a stronger and more proficient wizard than back then he doubted Dumbledore himself would have wanted to face a Basilisk on his own. Harry’s head shook. It would be certain death to go down there. He prayed that luck would still be on the younger Harry’s side. After an hour he dared to leave the confines of the abandoned corridor. There was only one place to go. Ginny hung limply over his right shoulder, her arms limply swinging behind him. She was going be seriously mad when the rather powerful stunning spell wore off. He reached the stone gargoyles and miraculously remembered the correct sweet the Headmaster had used that day. He attributed it to hundreds of haunted dreams of this day’s events. Harry emerged into a familiar office with an even more familiar old man sitting behind the usual large wooden desk. He looked old and weary, but not as frail as those last months. The Headmaster stared with narrowed eyes at Harry. The old man cleared his throat. “I should have expected a day like this.” “So you’ll simply accept me for who I am?” Harry asked, genuinely surprised. He had not really thought about what to expect, but casual acceptance without a word was not one of them. “Only a fool would try to impersonate a time travelling Harry Potter.” “Whose says I’m time travelling?” he asked. Dumbledore rolled his eyes. “You’re wearing a rather unique Time-Turner, my dear lad. One that has been lost to Hogwarts for centuries.” Harry glanced down at the time turner. “Ah, that would probably explain it.” Dumbledore leaned back in his large chair. “So how far back have you travelled?” “Um…” Harry decided to put Ginny on a chair before he accidentally dropped her. “I was at the end of my Seventh Year…” “About five years,” the man said in a troubled voice. “A former Headmaster banned that Time-Turner for a reason.” “It’s too late for that, but I have experience with normal Time-Turners,” Harry said quickly. “We will have to live the entire five years. And I doubt our current selves will find this Time-Turner, and even if they did, why would they travel back in five years’ time?” Dumbledore leaned forwards, resting on his elbows. “How did you come by this knowledge? Students hardly ever touch Time-Turners.” “You leant Hermione a Time-Turner in our third year. She wanted to take more subjects than the syllabus allowed.” The old man chuckled. “I can somehow believe such a tale.” “Hermione and I also used it to free Sirius, who is innocent by the way, at the end of that year.” Dumbledore’s forehead creased. “Ah… so how much do…” “I know everything including the fact that you know that I have to die to destroy the Horcrux.” He pointed at the Scar. “I see, that is most interesting. And how close were you to destroying Voldemort?” Harry breathed in to settle a rising anger. Dumbledore could be too calculating at times and so Harry changed the topic, slightly. “Harry, the one of this timeline, is about to destroy the first Horcrux.” That startled the Headmaster, good. “That is simply not possible. Even if he found one, there would be no manner for him to destroy the abomination.” “Basilisk fang,” Harry answered curtly. “As we speak he is saving Ginny from a Basilisk and the enchanted diary of a certain Tom Riddle.” Harry spoke in a firm voice. “He kills the snake with the Sword of Gryffindor that he pulled from the Sorting Hat then drove the broken fang through the diary. Of course he needed Fawkes to heal his arm where the Basilisk fang had cut into his upper arm.” “Quite the tale. One I am not so ready to believe.” Harry shrugged then sat in one of the guest chairs. “Time will reveal many truths.” The two stared at one another, the tick-tock of a Muggle clock the only sound in the office, that and the now snoring Ginny. Eventually the door to the office opened and a tiny Harry with an even smaller Ginny walked into the office. A shorter version of Ron followed and Fawkes flew in with the Sorting Hat in one claw, the Sword of Gryffindor in the other. “See,” Harry stated. It was probably the first and only time Harry would ever see the old Headmaster truly surprised. The older Ginny decided to wake. Harry caught her confused gaze, a finger on his lips. Wisely she did not say anything. Instead she watched in fascination as the younger Harry explained what had happened. The dazed younger versions of themselves did not see Harry nor Ginny, but he knew others were about to arrive and so he removed the Invisibility Cloak and threw it over them. A few minutes later the office doors opened again and Lucius Malfoy entered. It was like watching a play that you’ve seen years before. In minutes young Harry had angered Malfoy and managed to free Dobby. Ginny shook her head in wonder beside him. Her mouth moved. “You really did all that?” He nodded with an unabashed smile. He could be rather brilliant at times. Though those moments were few and far between. Hermione would likely have added a too far between to his thoughts. Eventually the office had emptied and only Dumbledore remained. The man now smiled genuinely. “Greetings, Miss. Weasley,” he greeted. “Afternoon, sir,” she replied. “It’s good to know that you recovered so remarkably from this ordeal.” His head shook. “I would have been seriously worried about your long term health had I not seen you standing before me.” She grimaced and stiffened beside Harry. He took hold of her hand. It felt warm and familiar. How long had it been since he’d touched her so tenderly? Too long. “I have my share of nightmares.” She smiled up at Harry. “And friends to support me.” Dumbledore clapped his hands together. “I should have known you two would start dating.” Ginny was about to say that they had broken up. He sensed it and spoke before she could. “It took me foolishly long to realise how much I care for her.” Her words died even before they could reach the tip of her tongue, but her grip tightened and even more light returned to her gaze. “Most excellent.” Dumbledore said. “Even in these dark times there are rays of light.” “This Time-Turner has given us a chance for a brighter future. I know the location of all the Horcruxes.” He paused, breathing in. “At this moment, Voldemort is very weak, and his servant, Peter Pettigrew has not returned to him.” “Pettigrew is dead,” Dumbledore said harshly. “Hardly,” Ginny said angrily. “At this very moment he is inside this castle.” “Impossible!” Dumbledore declared. “He’s an illegal Animagus,” Ginny hissed. “My brother’s pet rat.” Dumbledore, Harry was pleased to notice, was completely shocked for the second time this evening. “This will require further investigation. If, and only if, there is truth behind your words then I will deal with him.” “I suggest making him take an Unbreakable Vow to never aid Voldemort,” Harry said with quiet intensity, never once doubting that Dumbledore would learn the truth. “I could not kill him, but he caused the deaths of many people I cared for and destroyed many of those I love.” Dumbledore gave no response to Harry’s words, but instead steered the conversation away from Peter. “Are you going to hide? If Voldemort were to learn of your presence he could hide all these Horcruxes.” Harry could not refute the point. “I refuse to hide for long. I need to finish my Seventh Year, as does Ginny. If all the Horcruxes can be destroyed then we will start school at the start of next year.” Ginny nodded in agreement. Things were happening fast, but their lot had been drawn. “Where will you be staying?” Dumbledore asked. Harry shrugged. “I was hoping you would be able to provide a place for us.” “Indeed.” /// 3 Months Later — 1st September 1993 /// A year late, but Harry was finally starting the Final Year of Hogwarts. Ginny stood by his side, head resting against his shoulder. Students had entered the Great Hall half-an-hour before and the Sorting was about to be completed. Being the centre of attention was not something Harry liked, but unless he and Ginny wanted to live the rest of their lives wearing charms or taking polyjuice potion then this needed to be done. And like the old Muggle thought, it was better to rip the Band-Aid off quickly than slowly. Contrary to him, Ginny rubbed her hands gleefully together. “This should be fun.” Her eyes sparkled and he could not help but laugh. “Imagine the look on the twin’s faces.” He grinned. “I’m rather looking forward to the younger you realising she’s got me.” Her eyes widened even more. “Brilliant! I forgot how shy I was back then.” “How the other you still is,” he muttered, just to confuse himself. “Right, something like that.” “It’s odd, you know.” “What?” she asked. He ran a hand through her beautiful long red hair. “We’re so close to ending this.” She nodded. “It wasn’t easy getting to those Horcruxes.” The only kink in the plan had been Sirius. The man had escaped from Azkaban before Dumbledore had been able to submit proper evidence for Sirius’ retrial. Now the man was an escaped convict with a growing list of offences. The thought brought with it two vivid sets of memories. The first being Harry’s first encounter with Dementors on this very day years ago and the second being this day when he had to walk by them to get into Hogwarts. Both ended with him screaming and fainting. Luckily only Ginny had been around to witness it this time around. A small hand squeezed his. The warmth of the touch proved comforting. “Are you ready for this?” Ginny asked. He leaned down, lifted her chin, and kissed her softly. “No, but we just need to get this over with.” As he pulled away a small patch of bushy brown hair disappeared behind a suit of armour. Harry hid a smile and turned to the door. The door opened. A signal from Dumbledore that they were to enter. “It is my pleasure to announce two new students that will be starting their Seventh Year, Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley.” The Great Hall went silent. The world around Harry began to wake suddenly. His younger self sat with a jaw hanging open. Ginny’s smaller doppelganger fainted, a smile plastered on her girlish face. It was a relief when dinner ended and the pair finally managed to reach Gryffindor Tower long after most students had left the Great Hall. The night, however, would not be ending. Every Gryffindor had remained awake and they all sat or stood waiting. Their conversation hushed the moment Harry stepped into the room. “Awkward,” Ginny whispered after following him through the Portrait. “The thought crossed my mind,” Harry spoke. Both their voices travelled over the silence. The young Harry Potter stood by the fireplace. Red flames flickered from behind casting his face in a dark shadow. The three remaining Weasley boys stood around him and their little sister. The twins, contrary to other Gryffindors had eyes sparkling with opportunity. Harry could only shake his head. The identical pair had always been different. Hermione had her arms crossed, her fingers playing with an item hanging from a chain. The Time-Turner. Harry had to smile, some things were always the same. “What game are you playing?” Naturally, the question came from Hermione. “Time travel is not possible.” “Is it not?” The Ginny by his side replied. Hermione, being a smart witch, immediately realised that they knew about the Time-Turner she wore. “Not for more than a few hours,” she countered immediately. Harry shrugged. “Limits are imposed by certain people who try to keep the world a better place.” Hermione frowned, so he elaborated. “Too many little paradoxes.” “And you don’t call this a paradox?” Ginny said, once again questioning the plan. “We made a decision. We are going to hope that our younger selves don’t attempt to kill us.” Ginny gave a big and obviously fake smile. The thought of being sent to oblivion by yourself was definitely not comforting. The younger Ginny shied away from them, hiding behind Ron. Harry smiled. How could he not when seeing friends, alive and well in a world free of Voldemort. His mood turned melancholy. There was a curse, these people were not his friends, just like his old friends. Then the fact remained that most Death Eaters still lived. By hopefully pre-empting the war no charges would be able to be made against the likes of Malfoy. Harry suddenly clapped his hands, the sound terrifyingly loud in the silence. The Gryffindors jumped almost as one. “If the rest don’t mind. Ginny and I would like to talk to our… um… well… family.” Ron sneered. “We’re not family.” Ginny winced. A pain Harry felt as well. He swallowed down a reaction and reached out to squeeze her hand softly. The younger Harry looked on with wide eyes. The younger Ginny almost fainted. It was, as Ginny had said, what she had always wanted. The room cleared slowly, but eventually only the Weasleys, the Harrys and a single Hermione remained. Harry walked across the Common Room and dropped into his favourite chair. Hermione bristled. “That’s Harry’s chair!” “I know,” he replied, before putting his feet on the table. “Oi, Harry never did that.” Ron pointed out. “See, he’s not Harry.” “I was too short in my Third Year to do this,” Harry pointed out. “Only managed it comfortably in my Sixth Year.” He exhaled. “Merlin, I haven’t been in here, like this, in over a year.” “Time-Travel…” Hermione began. Ginny cut her off. “Are you really going to start this again? Especially considering.” Hermione blushed, but rallied as only she could. “Alright, then how did you manage to travel back over five years?” “Time-turner,” Harry answered. “Not possible, Time-Turners are only capable of transporting a person back in time a few hours.” Ginny spoke up after sitting beside Harry. “Limits determined by the Ministry. Any longer and it becomes almost impossible to insure the original you travels back in time. If that happens then there are always two versions of the person and the risk remains that they could erase one another.” Hermione had the all too familiar look on her face that said she would be going to the library the next day. “But you are going to remain here and…” “No one knows the affect this will have,” Harry answered truthfully. “How could you have been so foolish?” Hermione demanded. Harry glanced away. “It was an accident.” Hermione laughed bitterly. “People struggle to travel back in time for even a second and two of you manage to travel back by five years, accidentally.” “Ancient relics,” Harry answered. “Long story, Hermione. I am sure Professor Dumbledore will be willing to discuss it with you. I don’t have the knowledge.” The younger Harry had edged closer and moved out from behind the twins. “Are… are you really me?” he asked in a soft voice. “The very same.” Harry’s voice was low and contained the pain he felt. “I slept in the same cupboard, got hit by the same Dudley, saw the wonders of Hogwarts the same as you.” He kissed the top of Ginny’s head. “And saved the same wonderful woman from the same Basilisk using the very same Sword of Gryffindor that was pulled from the same Sorting Hat and got healed by the very same tears of a Phoenix.” Harry pulled out his wand. “I even carry the same wand, with the same Phoenix feather core.” He lifted the bangs covering his forehead. “I even bear the same scar that was created on the same night when our mother and father gave their lives for us.” Harry paused. “Ask me anything?” The younger Harry pressed his lips together in thought. He was small and frail. It looked like a small push would break him, but Harry knew better. It would take a storm to crush the younger version of himself, even if that younger version did not understand his own strength yet. “What… what did Dumbledore see in the Mirror of Erised?” the young boy squeaked out. “Himself with a new pair of socks,” Harry answered quickly. “What did I see?” the question barely audible. Few people knew this story and Harry doubted any of his friends would’ve betrayed the secret. “Family,” Harry answered just as quietly. “You could’ve guessed that?” Hermione said loudly. Both Harrys gave near identical grins that held that hint of frustration. “Fair enough,” he said. “Why don’t we let Ginny ask a question?” Both red haired girls looked up. The one sharply, the other timidly. Harry could scarcely believe the transformation. It was no wonder he barely noticed her all through the years at Hogwarts and at the Burrow. The younger Ginny gestured Fred to bend down so that she could whisper a question into his ear. She did look frail, but some of the future passion and strength still remained in her gaze. Unfortunately, the Diary stole a lot from her and left behind a darkness even the Ginny he knew still wrestled with. Fred frowned. “Are you sure?” he asked his little sister who nodded. He faced the older pair. “She says she believes you.” Ginny smiled at her younger self. “Thank you.” The small girl blushed and hid herself again. The Common Room was silent after the reply. The fire crackling in the hearth remained the only source of noise, while the dancing flames created moving shadows. “So you are from the future?” Fred asked. “Any nice pranks you care to join with us?” Both Harry and Ginny snorted, but she answered first. “As if we are going to give your devious minds any more ideas.” The pair looked aghast. “Please,” they begged together. “We promise to never use them on either of you two,” George went on to say. Harry continued to shake his head. “Don’t worry, you have more than enough creativity between the two of you to keep pranks alive for years to come.” “Why do people become less fun when they grow up?” Fred moaned. George sighed in a manner as dramatic as his brother’s. “Age, it destroys the mind, you know.” “Poor things,” Fred replied, looking at the younger Harry and Ginny. “To think what will become of these two fine specimens.” “A true shame,” George, agreed. “And we once loved our little sister.” Harry actually laughed and Ginny smiled as well. It felt good to be around her family again. Ron and Hermione, however, glared daggers at them. Harry had expected as much. Ron took time to process rapid changes and Hermione would always remain disbelieving until something had been proven beyond doubt. A few, not so easy, questions and answers were never going to convince her. Harry had expected more from everyone, but the Weasleys and even his younger self drifted off to bed. The day, including Dementors, had probably been too long for them. Hermione alone remained. “Why don’t you just use it already,” Harry said the moment they were alone. “Use what?” Hermione replied sharply. Harry inhaled. “I know what Dumbledore and Minerva gave you today since you just had to study more than time allowed.” Her expression remained innocent. “I saw you hiding behind some armour earlier,” he stated exasperated. “Just go, try to find what you are looking for and I’ll see you soon.” Hermione could not argue with the logic. Her mind had probably been contemplating that very plan all evening. She gave a short nod, and then began to turn the Time-Turner. Just as she vanished the door to the Common Room opened and a pale and exhausted looking Hermione stumbled into view. Adding a few more hours to an already long day appeared to be too much for her. “Learn anything interesting?” he asked. She gave a firm nod even while her body swayed about. “You had the same reaction as Harry on the train.” Ginny answered. “He, like the Harry you know, sees his mother being killed by Voldemort.” Hermione paled a little more. “You know he mentioned screaming. That was his mother’s cries and the flash of green the Killing Curse.” Harry was looking away. Even after all the years he hated being this weak around Dementors, but he was also angry with himself for not casting a Patronus to keep the creatures at bay. “I’m not convinced yet,” Hermione said to Ginny, but he’d lost interest in the conversation. His attention was drawn to the window. Outside Dementors flew around the border of Hogwarts, relentless in their search for criminals and desire to devour souls. He rubbed his shoulders. Even at this distance he could feel their coldness. When he returned from the haunting thoughts the room was dark and empty. Hermione must have gone to bed and Ginny had learned to let him be when his mind wandered. With nothing left to do he walked up the stairs and entered the room prepared for him. It felt nice and at the same time completely wrong to go to bed in Hogwarts without the snores of other students. It was not the first time he fell asleep with silent tears rolling across his cheeks. /*/ Two Weeks Later /*/ Dumbledore appeared very tired. “I’m sorry for interrupting your weekend,” the man began. “Please take a seat.” Harry obliged and took the seat closest to the Headmaster. “I gather this is rather urgent.” “Both troubling and urgent,” the man began. Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. “I’m not going to like this, am I?” “No,” Dumbledore said simply. “To be brief, Voldemort is very much alive and well.” Harry swallowed. “It had been too easy up until now.” “I wouldn’t want to know what you call difficult if all those Horcruxes had been easy.” Harry ignored the implied question. “How did you learn of this?” “Severus,” the Headmaster replied. “Voldemort received a new body, Merlin knows how, and is preparing to attack the school.” Harry sat straighter, remembering the horrors of the Battle of Hogwarts. “Can we get the students to safety?” Dumbledore shook his head. “Too late. Severus was bound by some serious oaths that I only managed to break a few moments ago.” “So?” Harry questioned. “The attack will begin in an hour or two.” Harry slumped in the chair. “But we can get them into the Room of Requirement. They will be safe and we might be able to get them into Hogsmeade through the tunnel to your brother’s place.” Dumbledore’s blue eyes widened at the mention of his brother. “You know about him?” “I even know about Grindelwald,” Harry said angrily. “This is not the time to be talking. We should be getting ready.” “Of course, of course,” Dumbledore mumbled. Harry growled in frustration. “Get the Professors and Prefects in here. We need to get organised.” Dumbledore quickly sent letters out to everyone using the school’s magic. The group swelled quickly and once they were all there Dumbledore outlined the coming problem. More than a few faces were ashen by the end. Harry stood. “We need to get the younger students and those who do not wish to fight out of the school. The other students should meet with the Heads of their Houses in order to organise the defence.” Professor McGonagall spoke up. “And what gives you the authority to dictate what is to happen?” Harry glared at her. “Because I have already been through this and if we do not get organised as quickly as possible a lot of students will lose their lives this evening.” He rounded on Dumbledore. “And send messages to all the former student. Most of them should be able to get to the school before the Death Eaters. Tell them to floo to Aberforth and to take the tunnel to the school.” “What tunnel?” McGonagall asked. “Never mind,” Harry said to her. “It’s there and the students need to use it.” Things started to fall into place and soon the students started moving to the Room of Requirement and out of the school. With less than ten minutes remaining the world calmed down. Harry’s heart beat a little faster knowing that just outside the wards the enemy was gathering. Harry’s heart dropped at the sound of a voice beside him. “Am I supposed to be this scared?” He looked down at the younger version of himself. He was standing there with Hermione and Ron. “What are you still doing here?” “It is my responsibility, isn’t it?” the young boy asked. Harry shook his head. “No, that is why I’m here.” The young boy looked a little unsure. “Are you me?” “Yes,” Harry answered while turning to look out across the grounds. “Then I am as responsible as you, am I not?” Harry swallowed. “Why do I get the feeling Hermione thought about this?” “The prophecy includes one or both of you,” she countered. “And you cannot be sure which and as such Harry has to be here.” He groaned, hands rubbing his forehead. “Why do you always have to be logical?” “Someone has to think for everyone,” she stated firmly. Ginny reached the corridor in which Harry and the rest stood. Her face paled at the sight. “What are you doing here?” “Fulfilling the prophecy,” Hermione said to her. “Harry is could still be the one who has to fulfil it.” Ginny glanced at Harry. He shrugged. “She’s right. It could refer to him as much as me, which is even more likely since I failed to kill Voldemort a month ago.” Ginny’s mouth opened then closed. “Is Ginny here?” A tuft of red hair emerged from behind a stone statue. “Just bloody brilliant.” “And it’s too late. The Room sealed itself after a large group of wizards entered to help.” Harry added. His Ginny appeared as worried as he felt. He walked over to hug her. “They’ll be alright. I promise.” She nodded then pointed her wand at the young students. “Stay out of trouble.” The words barely left her mouth when the Wards around the school began to crumble under an immense barrage of spells. “It has begun.” HGHGHGHG Harry and Ginny sat on the stone staircase by the entrance. The stone guards had marched out the door and guarded the bridge. It would still be a while before the enemy would arrive at the gates and hopefully their numbers would be reduced. “He’s got less people now than before,” Ginny said. “Yes, and none of the Giants.” Harry replied. She rested her head against his shoulder. “What did you do with the Time-Turner?” “Hid it,” he answered quietly. “Back in the Room of Requirement.” He kissed the top of her head. “It should be safe for another century or two.” “I’m scared,” she whispered. “What if we fail again?” “We won’t,” he replied. “We have more people on our side, he has less, and Dumbledore is here this time.” She pressed herself tighter against him. The world vibrated from another explosion. It was much closer than the previous ones. “We should get ready,” he said to her. She stood slowly and readied her wand. Sounds of fighting started to come from other parts of the School. Unlike before they had little time to seal all the entrances. Around them people began to gather. Most found suitable places to hide behind. The wait lasted for what felt like forever when finally the front door exploded into tiny pieces. Harry ducked behind a stone column, his body instinctively enveloping Ginny’s. He winced as a splinter sliced through his clothes and cut a fine line on his upper right arm. With time of importance he had little chance to feel or consider the injury, but the warm trickle of blood could not be fully ignored. Death Eaters dove through the mangled door as coloured spells began to brighten the dark halls of the once quiet school. Harry fought hard to steady his nerves. Though he had fought in a battle like this once before it still did not make him a veteran. Ginny, however, was already shooting spell after spell towards the invaders pilling in and he watched as they fell, but still their numbers grew. Harry tightened a bloody hand around his wand and winced slightly at the pain in his arm. Then he joined the fight it earnest. “Stupify!” he called out, knowing a stunner would only incapacitate the invaders for a few minutes at most. “Stupify!” Another masked man dropped to the well placed spell. The next three attacks missed their marks by more than a country mile. Harry ducked behind the stone pillar again to catch his breath. “Focus,” he whispered to himself. Chips of stone dug into his exposed skin and he wavered. The absolute mad abandon that he had fought with a few months earlier was not there. Being in the past robbed him of all desire to fight. Then his eyes fell upon the younger version of himself. The boy was hopelessly out of his depth, he fumbled over broken stones and spells narrowly missed his frail young body. Hermione and Ginny clambered over the very same stones. Behind them Ron heaved his small, but still lanky body across nearby rubble. All four had looks of complete determination, a look that would probably lead to their deaths. “Ginny,” Harry called over the din of battle. She pulled back and stared up at him, face lined with cuts and trickling blood. “We need to go after them.” He pointed at the four younger students. Ginny nodded and the pair hurried between cover in an almost hopeless attempt at catching up. But Harry fought on with Ginny by his side. He aimed a much steadier wand and helped carve a path. Death Eaters dropped motionless to the ground and wherever Harry and Ginny were the tide of the battle turned in favour of the defenders. When Harry had almost given up hope they caught up with the trio. The three youngsters were holed up in dark corner. Their faces covered in dust and their eyes were wide with terror. Harry felt his heart ache. He had been through many trials, but none this big at such a young age. Witches and Wizards lay bleeding on the floor, some even cried out in pain, many even lay with eyes open and vacant in death. It was almost too much for the older Harry. “You better get out of there,” Harry called out to his younger self. The boy nodded. “Head towards the Great Hall. It’s the safest there.” The young Harry stood and Hermione had to help Ron to his feet. “We’ll cover your movement.” The three, almost crying, barely responded. Ginny dove to the far end of the corridor and immediately began casting spells down the long corridor. Harry gave a quick glance at his doppelganger and then joined the fight with Ginny. The pair worked hard, but only with the help of various defenders who began to rally around them did they manage to hold off the relentless advance. When the wing seemed stable enough Harry called out to Ginny. “We should go find those three again.” She nodded and quickly joined him to hurry to the Great Hall. They arrived to scene from a Horror movie. Voldemort, in all his glory, fought against Dumbledore while the young Harry tried valiantly to do something to help. It was of little use. Around them Hermione and Ron duelled a masked Death Eater who was laughing more than fighting. A small Ginny, with the help of her mother, was trying to fend of Bellatrix. Neither Weasley would be surviving for much longer. Harry began towards Voldemort, but Ginny pulled him back before he entered the hall. Her lips met Harry’s for a brief moment before vanishing. “Be careful.” Then she darted off towards her mother. Harry’s finger curled around his wand and then he darted out of the corridor and into the hall. His first spell rid Ron and Hermione from their attacker and his second distracted Bellatrix long enough for Ginny to reinforce her family. His third spell, a disarming spell cast mere feet from Voldemort, was ruthlessly blocked and it rebounded to strike Harry squarely in the chest. All he could do was watch in horror as his wand was wrenched from slippery, blood coated fingers. The vile man’s eyes narrowed with even more hate than Harry had ever seen. It was a sign that little good would be coming their way. The games were over. Voldemort rounded on the young Harry and raised his wand. The killing curse began to roll of his tongue. It did not take a degree in physics to know that neither Dumbledore nor the young Harry would be able to stop this attack in time and so Harry did the only thing he could, he tackled Voldemort hard enough to make any rugby player proud, but Harry was still too small to knock the large wizard off his feet, but it did delay the curse. As they steadied from the tackle Voldemort began another curse, but this time the young Harry was ready. Their spells connected in mid-air and then Voldemort’s curse rebounded. Harry woke in the middle of a cloudy expanse. A baby cried in the distance, the noise almost painful to the ear. He stood slowly and stared out across a white expanse of nothing. Beside him a person groaned. He glanced down and at first he saw nothing. The mist thinned slightly to reveal Ginny who was beginning to move. He dropped to one knee and helped her upright. “Are you alright?” he asked. “Where are we?” she asked, this time both of them were more than confused. Harry shrugged. “I don’t know. The last thing I remember was clinging to Voldemort and...” His mouth went dry or at least he thought it went dry because he could hardly feel a thing in this place. “A killing curse rebounded.” She shivered. “I only remember diving in front of Ginny.” He laughed mirthlessly. “What’s so funny?” It took a moment to calm. “Not funny, but this time we did die.” He scratched his head. “Or I think so at least.” A deep voice reverberated over them. They turned to find the older version of Dumbledore standing before them. “This is indeed the beginning of the next Great Adventure or death if you like.” Harry snorted. “Well at least that solves that paradox.” “An inevitable outcome, I’m afraid. The universe can only contain a single entity of a soul.” “But you are both dead and alive,” Ginny pointed out. “Oh, I am not Albus Dumbledore,” the man said. “I am merely a depiction of what you would like to see. You see, I am the guide to your new life.” “So where are we going?” Harry asked. The Albus look alike smiled. A strange expression on the old man’s face. “An interesting question, and one I have given since that Time-Turner was hidden.” Ginny moaned. “Is the day going to get any worse?” “Let me give the news first, Ginny, you see…” HGHGHG Harry stood shaking, his wand outstretched before him. Voldemort remained standing for a few seconds and then his body slumped forwards. The older Harry still clutching the man fell as well. Both remained unmoving. Leaderless the remaining Death Eaters began to flee in panic as Dumbledore drove them out. The Professors and remaining witches and wizards were also able to make short work of the remaining threat. Harry, however, stood with his arm still outstretched. It had only been a disarming spell, but it had killed two people. He collapsed to the hard floor of the Great Hall. He had killed himself. His mind understood the mechanics. It had been Voldemort’s own Killing Curse that had been reflected, but it had still been Harry’s disarming spell that had caused their death. The corner of his gaze caught sight of Ginny leaning over a body. He stood and shuffled his feet lethargically towards her. Her mother had arrived before Harry and tried to pull Ginny away from the person. Molly managed on the third attempt. Harry stepped back in shock when the pale face of the older Ginny was revealed. “I killed her!” Ginny wailed. “She tried to help and I killed her.” Harry felt his own guilt rise. His feet moved himself away by their own accord and just in time as he cleared the contents of his stomach in the corner of the hall. Both their other selves were dead and both by their younger self’s hand. Hermione approached. “Are you alright, Harry?” she asked. “I killed him,” he breathed out. “I killed Harry.” Hermione pulled him into an uncomfortable embrace. “It was bound to happen. It’s one of those laws of the universe.” She squeezed harder while trying to make things better. “The Ministry limits travel because if you outstay your welcome…” Her words drifted away, it was not needed to state the obvious. Harry’s guilt got squashed by a sudden anger. “How could he do that to me? How could he come back here knowing that I would kill him?” “He never intended for this to happen,” the wizened voice of Dumbledore said. “Their arrival as you well know was purely accidental.” Harry fought down his anger, but his hands began to shake. Madame Pomfrey arrived and threw a thick blanket over Harry’s shoulders and forced a potion down his throat. “Take it easy, Mr. Potter,” she said. “It’s been a long day.” Harry did not reply. Instead he watched the woman scurry away to treat Ginny. Her eyes were swollen and red. Her hands and legs were shaking as well and as he studied other people he realised that neither of them were alone. Few of the witches or wizards present appeared unaffected. Many people, however, lay with faces and bodies covered by conjured white cloth. Two of those would be Harry and Ginny. He fought back tears. There had been so much he had wanted to ask them, but they’d never gotten the chance to talk before tonight. He stood to head over to their bodies when his mind was assaulted by hundreds of foreign images and emotions. He turned sharply at Ginny and felt emotions so strong it frightened him. Her eyes were locked onto his and he saw a depth he’d never seen before. She stood and hurried into his arms. The feeling was both new and yet intimately familiar. And then he knew, just as she knew, that there had never been two, just one spread over time and space. Author’s Note: There you go, all done. I hope you enjoyed this little tale. |
| Reviews 13 |
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