Chapter Text
"You must be joking!"
Ronald Weasley's voice reverberated through the quiet hospital wing.Despite of his words, the ones around him used expressions that were far from mirth.Harry Potter's lips weren't twitching with amusement,instead they were pulled into a frown,the one he uses whenever he is seriously considering something.Hermione also completely ignored Ron's outburst,and was now staring directly into emerald eyes,searching for any signs of approval from the messy haired boy.
They have been talking for no longer then five minutes when Hermione confessed she had this peculiar idea.After the battle in the department of mysteries,she was as stuck as Ron in the hospital wing,their injuries this time being worse than everything they've ever faced.While his two friends could barely stay awake longer than an hour,due to the number of potions they were taking,Harry was the one with an ashen face and blank eyes.Between the excruciating nightmares throughout the year,occlumency lessons with Snape and the rebellion against Umbridge–all of that happening while he was preparing for O.W.Ls– the boy's sleeping schedule wasn't exactly healthy.Not to mention that watching his friends being chased down and attacked brutally in a battle and then seeing his godfather die minutes before being possessed by Voldemort,only worsened his mental health.
Although Ron and Hermione adored Sirius, Harry connection with him was obviously deeper.His godfather was someone he never dreamed of having and when he found out about him,the teenager went through a rollercoaster of emotions:betrayal and anger when he overheard a conversation in the Three Broomsticks;then sadness,longing and hope when he realised the truth about Azkaban.Sirius Black gave Harry a sense of belonging,he introduced him his parents in a different light,revealing things a son should now about his mum and dad.He would tell him his father's pranks and embarrassments throughout their Hogwarts years,tales from his mother and her friends,and how the couple went form animosity to friendship and then love.However,the ones Harry liked most were the ones they were a family:the way James would dress him in deer outfits at every excuse,the musics Lily sang him to sleep with,and how they would always put him in his crib at night,only to bring him to their bed later on to keep him close.Sirius shared his pain of being alone and missing a big part of his heart,he understood Harry.Now, he was gone and gave his godson another person to mourn for,surrounding him with a bunch of "what ifs".
The guilt was eating him alive,just as much as the sorrow.He wasn't the most cheerful person,but now Harry wouldn't even make sarcastic comments or offer his friends a half smile.He didn't eat,nor sleep and his radiant coloured eyes managed to look hollow and stoic.
That was until his friends saw a brief sparkle of his old self flash across those same emerald eyes when Hermione spoke five dramatic words.
Harry had just arrived for his daily visits.He took a seat between his two friends' hospital beds without uttering a single word.While Ron quickly engaged him in a conversation about quidditch(the topic that seemed to distract him the most),Hermione was chewing her lower lip,looking anxiously at Harry,who looked oblivious to his friend's apprehension.
Suddenly,she cleared her throat,catching the attention of the other two,both looking at her expectantly.She took a deep breath and said:
"I stole a time turner."
A look of shock crossed through their faces,then disbelief,only to settle on suspicion.
"You wouldn't."
"Yeah,like that's bloody likely."
Then,she huffed and shot them an exasperated look,reaching for something that she hid under her pillow.When she presented her fist to them and opened her hand,revealing the object in question,their jaws dropped.
"I wouldn't lie about something like that."
Silence.An exchange of stares.Then-
"What were you thinking?"
"I know we've been breaking rules for years now,but this is a new level of illegal."
"Honestly,you are the reasonable one out of the three of us!"
"Was it after you hit your head in the battle?That would explain a lot-"
"No." Hermione interrupted.
They went quiet,their questioning gaze prompting her to go on.She looked directly at Harry and said:
"It was before I hit my head.While we were at the Time Room with Neville."
She paused,looked at the both of them,took a steading breath and continued:
"We were hiding under the tables,and the one I was using had the last drawer open and this was in it."
Then,her voice started to tremble.
"I heard them coming in and I felt so hopeless.Even with our D.A meetings,we wouldn't be able to escape all of those trained death eaters intact.We were trapped and vulnerable,in a lower number and didn't know if the rest of the group was even alive.So I took it."
They didn't say anything so she felt the need to further justify herself.
"I couldn't live with the thought of losing any of you and I was so scared-"
She was cut off by a pair of arms enveloping her.A rustling sound indicated that Ron was leaving his bed to join their hug.The trio sat like that for a few minutes:Ron enveloping Harry,who enveloped Hermione,the witch's hands reached for Ron's waist and Harry's arm,squeezing both in an attempt to show what she was feeling without words.The boys understood of course,Ron kissed her head and Harry made reassuring circles at her back.After they broke off Harry was the first to speak:
"I should have listened to you" he held up a hand to stop her protest. "You told me it was a trap,I was the one who put all of your lives in danger.If I also lost one of you I-"
He cleared his throat,eyes starting to burn with the threat of tears.
"I wouldn't have had the strength to fight Voldemort when he entered my mind."
Both Ron and Hermione shuddered at the thought,imagining the terrible moment that their friend had to endure all alone.They reached for Harry's hand,to bring some sort of comfort and encouragement for him to continue.
"I don't blame you for your hurried actions,Mione" he gave her a rueful smile "It was because of one of mine that you ended up in that situation."
Ron was the one who added:
"If I was in either of your positions,I would've done the same thing."
They gave each other small smiles and a weight was lifted off their shoulders.
"I confessed my illegal doings for a reason,you know."
"What?It wasn't because of our pure ethical aura that expels all the deceit and fraudulence out of people?"
"I thought she wanted to make us accomplices so she wouldn't go down alone."
"That would be too devious for Hermione."
"Well,she is the one who set a teacher on fire-"
"Hey!"
"Fair point"
"-and currently has a dangerous object on her lap."
"And we thought we were a bad influence on her!"
"The manipulation was quite subtle,we couldn't have known."
"If you two are finished with the mockery" she interrupted,trying to prevent a smile from forming on her lips as she saw both of them smirking and teasing as if nothing had changed.
But it had,so she got back on track.
"I think we should visit the past."
The playfulness of them room was gone and the tense silence came back in full force.
"Hermione,even if we did,I don't think we could be much help in the battle without being seen.Besides,that was days ago,I thought time turners only went back a few hours."
"Not this one."
She took the time turner in her hand again and pointed at the purple writing that matched the sand inside the object.
audeat scire tempore
Ron reached for it,but Hermione slapped his hand away.
"Bloody mad woman!What did you do that for?"
Before she could retort,Harry asked:
"What does it translate to?"
"Dare to know time."
"Challenging Gryffindors with the word 'dare',huh,I wonder what could possibly go wrong" Ron said sarcastically,which earned him an attempt of a smirk from Harry.
"Where are you going with this,Hermione?"
"I think we should go to 1976"
"You must be joking!"
Silence.
Harry's contemplating look;
Hermione's steady gaze;
Ron's face full of disbelief and a bit of awe.
"You!Gryffindor prefect and teacher's pet not only stole a time turner but is also planning on using it to travel twenty years-"
"I could see Sirius" Harry said in a monotone voice and Ron closed his mouth. "And my parents."
Ron looked at Harry with sympathy,Hermione nodded,with a small sad smile.
"Okay."
Hermione blinked.
"Okay?"
"Yeah.Okay"
"Okay" an excited smile took over her face "Ron?"
"Well,you two are losing your minds,so someone has to look after you lunatics.I'm going."
"So where do we start?" Harry started to grin,and both of his friends' hearts squeezed for finally seeing it again after those torturous months.
Hermione once again reached under her pillow,amusement now shone in Ron's expression.
"How many things are you hiding in there?Honestly,it can't be comfortable to sleep on all of that."
"I can't risk anyone seeing!Everyone knows we are always up to something.I can't even entertain myself with simple research without someone sending me suspicious looks."
"Entertain yourself with research?"
"What did you find out?"
Hermione shot a disapproving glance at Ron before turning to Harry,her hands now held a parchment.
"I asked Luna to take books about it from the library and bring it to me.I returned to her the next day so she could give it back to Madam Pince without suspicion."
"No one would blink an eye about Luna researching random stuff" Ron said approvingly.
"I wrote everything I found useful in here,but it's not much.Time travel it's something majorly hypothetical,it's really unpredictable-"
"That's encouraging."
"Soothing words."
"-and we should be careful.No telling who dies and when it happens,or our real identity."
"What about our faces?If the pictures I saw and what people told me are accurate,my resemblance with my parents will be hard not to see."
Hermione gave a content nod,as if she was pleased he asked and more so that she has the answer to it.
"I've been practising a combination of spells from charms and transfiguration.They would be able to alter our appearance for about twelve hours."
"What about the Marauders Map?"
"This will be tricky but I've been reading and trying to figure out what incantations they used on it and they are really complex.I think I might be able to change our surnames but that's all I can do.Even if we manage to put different last names,I'm not sure how long this alteration will last.The Marauders were amazing wizards,these are very advanced spells and practically impossible to break through."
"Obviously you would be the one to find a crack in their foolproof map."
"I've befriended the right people.I bet Dad and Sirius would be proud."
A peacefulness stalled into the hospital wing,they stayed quiet,in their little circle in Hermione's bed.Their gazes flickered from the time turner,to the parchment,to each other's faces.
"How and when do we come back."
Hermione took a deep breath in and exhaled,her eyes finally showing signs of unease.
"I'm not sure.I didn't test the time turner even in short periods of time,Madam Pomfrey is always keeping an eye on me and I couldn't even walk with steady legs until this morning.I believe that we could be able to come back if we spin it in the other direction.That way,we will be sent forward."
She raised the time turner again,Harry could now see the difference between this one and the time turner they used in their third year to save Sirius.The former was pretty similar to the latter,having golden chain and rings,however unlike the one used two years ago,the object Hermione found had a purple writing,the same colour as the sand.Looking even closer,he saw three cylinders with a bunch of different numbers,he looked up and saw Hermione face set into determination.
"It's going to be alright.We've got a plan."
"Oh yeah,our plans always work wonders."
"Never got us in grave peril or anything."
"Are we really doing this?"
"We are."
"One more adventure!And this time no one will even know who we are so they won't have the urge to kill us!That's a first."
"I don't think that's true,Ron."
"What do you mean?"
"Voldemort’s reign was at its peak during the late seventies,and since we won't be able to use pureblood names without anyone questioning us..."
"We will be targets just like any muggleborn."
"Specially when we appear out of nowhere,that's bound to draw some attention to us."
"Nothing we are not used to."
"What about Pettigrew?"
Harry stiffened.
"What about him?"
"He will be there,Harry.I know it will be hard to keep your temper in check but we have to remember that he doesn't go dark until his twenties."
"I could hit him with a trip jinx for you,mate."
"Do it when he's close to the stairs."
"Boys!"
"Come on,Mione,we know you want to have a go at him as much as we do."
Hermione closed her mouth,looked at both of their smirks and her lips twitched when she admitted:
"Fine.We need to get approval from the Marauders anyway,pranking them will be the way to go."
"Brilliant!"
"Have I told you how incredible you are?"
"Save the flattery when we get there safe."
"What do we do now?"
"I will change those handsome features of yours while you think of new surnames,alright?"
"Aw she thinks we are handsome."
"Of course she does,Harry!Look at us!"
"Shut up both of you."
Hermione pointed her wand at Harry's face.
"This is so weird."
She changed Harry's eyes to an icy-blue,then she altered his dark eyebrows and hair to a light brown.Next,she made his nose upturned and applied a glamouring spell on his scar,not being able to make it disappear but reducing it to a single line in the right side of his forehead,passing through his eyebrow.Hermione handed him a mirror and said:
"So what's your name?"
"What about Tempus?"
"Absolutely not!"
"You might as well write 'time traveller' on your forehead."
"Okay,okay.I'll just copy Hermione's and say we are siblings."
"Lazy arse."
"Your turn,Ron"
His red hair is now a 'dirty' blond and his blue eyes darken to brown.Hermione glamours his freckles to disappear and shortens his nose.
"Your uncles will probably be there.I don't want to risk them noticing any resemblance to their sister or their brother-in-law."
"Fair enough.I'm Ronald Huxley,nice to meet you."
"Nice."
"Would you hold the mirror so I can do my face next?Thank you."
Hermione lightened her dark brown hair,to look similar to Harry's.Then,she made her eyes hazel and upturned her nose as well.She ended her transformation by thinning her chin and cheekbones,copying Harry's thin face.
"So,darling sister of mine,what surname shall we have?"
"Westbrook.Harry and Hermione Westbrook."
“What a poshie name” Ron snorted.
“Let’s see if my foot would look posh when I use it to kick your-’
“Alright!” Hermione interrupted, “Honestly you two would make more sense as siblings.”
“I can threaten to kick your arse too,Mione,if it makes you feel better.”
“You wish.”
“I defeated Voldemort when I was one,you know.”
“Well,I was your tutor in potions.” Hermione lifted her chin and said confidently “Highly doubt there’s anything more challenging than that.”
“Oi!”
“Don’t worry” Ron smirked, “You two could pass off as siblings just fine.”
Hermione smiled sarcastically to Harry,who in return,sent her a mocking kiss.She pretended to take it with a closed fist,using her other hand to take something from her bedside table.
“Why,in Merlin’s name,would you need a handbag in the hospital wing?”
“To bribe Luna into bringing her books,I bet.”
“As a matter of fact,I would never do that.” she looked at their raised eyebrows and sighed “I may have appealed to the value of our friendship,but no money transaction happened.”
She threw Harry’s kiss back at his face,which earned her a dramatic fall from him.Then,she opened her handbag,completely ignoring Ron’s snickers and put her parchment in there.
“This is our supplies.We can’t arrive there with just the clothes on our backs.”
“We could be nak-”
“Ron,for Merlin’s sake!”
“In what way is parchment a ‘supply’?” Harry reinforced his point with air quotes
“Well,it's not just the parchment” she blushed “I may have both of your trunks in here.”
“WHAT?”
“This is concerning on so many levels.”
“I asked for Ginny to bring them to me” at their incredulous faces,she continued “this time,a couple of galleons were involved in the persuasion tactic.”
“Believable enough.”
“Sounds like Gin.”
“I put an undetectable extension charm on the bag.I’ve taken some money,our trunks and a few potions for emergencies.”
A beat passed,the boys just blinked owlish at her.
“Brilliant.”
“I could kiss you right now.”
“Oi!That’s my sister you’re talking about!”
“Thank you for the passionate reactions” Hermione felt her cheeks warm up and desperately wanted to get rid of her flustered state “If you guys have anything to add to it,now is the moment.”
“The map and the cloak are with me.”
“I’ve got a few chocolate frogs,I believe that’s all I need.”
“Alright” she closed her bag and stood up “Shall we?”
“Don’t we need to have the chain around our neck?”
“We do.However,I think it would be best we have an ally in the past.Someone who knows our identities and can help us whenever we need.”
“Dumbledore?”
“McGonagall,actually.”
They contemplated this for two seconds,then nodded approvingly.
“Let’s go to her classroom then.We should use the time turner in there so no one see us leaving or arriving.”
They left the hospital wing without any hurry,as Ron and Hermione were still recovering.A sudden thought came to Harry:
“How come Madam Pomfrey and McGonagall weren’t around the hospital wing?I thought you said they were keeping an eye on you.”
“They were.Until Colin Creevy had an accident on the quidditch pitch while using the portable swamp from Weasleys’ Wizards Wheezes.”
“Hermione Jean Granger,you did not pay Colin Creevy to hurt himself!”
“I did not!” she let out an exasperated sigh “I paid him to cause a distraction,that’s his interpretation of it,I guess.”
Harry shook his head in disbelief,while Ron pressed a fist into his mouth to contain his laugh.Hermione stared straight ahead,messing with her hands,the only sign of her anxiety.
“Here we are” she reached for the door,while Ron looked to the right side of the corridor and Harry the left side.When the doors opened,the three rushed in and Hermione took the time turner,opening the lock from the chain,mentioning for the two boys to get closer.
It was quite the vision:three teenagers with Gryffindor colours,their faces unrecognisable to anyone at the school,all huddled together with a strange necklace around their necks.
Hermione fiddled with the cylinders that Harry saw earlier,the numbers not so random now.
19 9 22
Nineteen years,nine months and twenty two days.
“I think it’s best we arrive a day before the rest of the school.So,that would be-”
“August 31st,1976” Harry finished for her.
She nodded,taking a deep breath.
“Ready,you two?”
“Born ready.”
“Technically where we’re going you are not born yet-”
“Harry!”
“Ready as I'll ever be.”
Hermione spinned the time turner,the circles twirling backwards,in her direction.
A blinding light surrounded them
and then...
they were gone.