Disclaimer : I AM NOT JK ROWLING AND DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS!! just so I've got that straight...
TO UNDERSTAND
'This isn't happening. This is NOT HAPPENING!'
'Ginny are you okay?'
'Oh yeah Harry… I'M BLOODY WONDERFUL!'
Chapter 1 : Shocked on Arrival.
WHAM!
'OW!' I yelled as I hit the ground.
'Harry, are you there?' grunted the girl next to me and I scrambled up quickly picking her up onto her feet. 'Where are we?' she asked confused.
Oh shit. The order is going to kill me. We were only trying to make a 'finding' spell and what happens? A big bang, a poof and now me and Ginny Weasley just so happen to end up in . . . well actually I have no idea where we are! However by the look of those trees, that lawn and the enormous castle perched on that mountain I'm gonna take a guess at-
'Hogwarts?!?' screeched the red head beside me causing a wave of pain over my already pounding head ache. 'WHY ARE WE IN HOGWARTS?!?'
'I have no idea. . .' I whispered quietly, taking in the surroundings that I hadn't seen for near on a month now. Not since . . . not since Dumbledore's funeral.
'Well ok.' I said calmly 'we're . . . we're just going to have to say calm and . . . and go find someone to help us get back. McGonagall will probably be up in her office right now and can floo us both back. . . No big deal!'
'No big deal?' Ginny growled beside me and I cowered slightly 'NO BIG DEAL!?! MUM IS GOING TO KILL ME!! WE DESTROYED THE KITCHEN!! WRECKED SUNDAY LUNCH AND NOW HAVE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TRANSPORT OURSELVES ABOUT 700 MILES ACROSS BRITAIN!!'
'WELL THERES NO NEED TO GET ALL UPSET ABOUT IT IS THERE!'
'Hmm, let me think about this . . . YES!'
She stormed away from me her fists clenched, dusting flour violently from her old dungarees and began to jog impatiently up to the castle.
'Ginny wait!' I yelled exasperated and began to sprint after her.
All me and Ginny had done together all the summer I'd stayed at the Weasley's was argue. Whenever we seemed to be having a good time together it would seem to tail off into an awkward silence so one of us would instantly start a petty row over nothing at all. I guess it's just her way of . . . of getting the thought of me as 'more than a friend' out of her head. She'd avoided me when I'd come back from the Dursleys and I suppose arguing is better than aching after her all the time… Sitting opposite her at dinner and not being able to smile at her and flirt like we used to, is agony. It's cruel. That's partly why Hermione, Ron and me are setting off to find the horcruxes tomorrow. We're going to set off really early so no-one can stop us as Remus has been threatening to and as we know Mrs Weasley will. A bit cowardly I know but . . . It's also the easiest. This way I won't have to say goodbye to anyone and we'll all leave on good terms…all apart from me and Ginny, which I know I'll regret. However things are better this way. She could never come with me to . . . well to kill Voldemort. I don't know what lies ahead but no way am I just going to just let her wander into the line of fire. If Voldemort ever got his hands on her, I'd never forgive myself … But that won't happen. I won't let it happen...
I caught up to her as we reached the front doors and with a glance at each other, shoved them open.
'Where do we go now?' she asked 'Headmistress' office?'
It sounded weird to hear the word headmistress and not 'master'
'I guess. Come on'
We'd only taken a few steps when a familiar smell filled my nostrils; the smell of Hogwarts when the school is full. This castle has been empty for weeks and even before then there weren't that many inhabitants! Since so many kids had left to go back to their families, the castle mostly smelt of rock and musty wood but now it smelt of cooking and teenagers, when it most defiantly shouldn't... I looked around the entrance hall and found that the dents left from the last battle with the deatheaters had gone. They couldn't have fixed them so quickly could they? Ginny had started to notice too and stared around the hall.
'Harry what's going on-?'
A loud bell began ringing, the one usually signalling the students to move but there aren't any students too move. Hogwarts had to be closed and it's the summer holidays for god's sake! A loud rumbling of feet, chatter and scraping of chairs filled the room and soon about 40 kids started trooping up from the dungeons. Ginny moved closer to me as I shook my head disbelievingly.
'Hey James!' waved one boy who was wearing Ravenclaw robes 'Good luck for the match next week!'
'Um thanks.' I said weakly. James?!?
'Lily!' shouted a Hufflepuff girl coming up behind Ginny 'Hey Lily- Oh! Sorry! I thought you were someone else…'
The girl blushed and walked back to her friends, heading into the great hall.
'Lily?' hushed Ginny biting her lip. 'Harry what's going on?'
'I don't know' I replied 'but we've just been called James and Lily. Bit of a coincidence?'
'There aren't supposed to be kids here Harry. The school is closed!'
'Apparently not.' I said my mind running in circles. Lily and James? That's too much of a coincidence…
'Let's go to McGonagall, she'll explain.' I said trying to keep calm.
We started to climb up the main staircase and were again bombarded with calls of:
'James!'
'Hey Potter!'
'How you doing, Captain?'
Ginny grabbed my arm and we ran the rest of the way, shoving through the crowds. We both stood out wearing denim and t-shirts, pushing through the sea of black and received many strange looks and a reprimand from a 7th year wearing a prefect badge. We eventually reached the corridor with the large stone gargoyle standing guard and gasped catching our breaths. Ginny realised she was still clutching my elbow and let go hastily. Another boy wearing Gryffindor robes walked up beside us with his hands in his pocket. He was popping chewing gum in his mouth and mmust have been about 17.
'What cha' get caught doing this time Potter?' he asked me, grinning 'Not gone an' stuck Snape's ed' in a cauldron again av' ya'?'
'What?' I asked.
Did he just say Snape?!?
'Well I gotta admit the last time ya' did it, it were bloody hilarious!'
The boy started laughing happily and I exchanged bewildered looks with Ginny.
'So, what did ya' do then? Must ta' bin pretty bad to be up in front of old Dumbledore!'
Both our jaws dropped.
'Don't you mean McGonagall?' asked Ginny politely. Surely this boy was mistaken…
'No…' He replied slowly. 'Her office is down't hall last time I checked! Did she send you ere' then?'
What's going on? Dumbledore? Dumbledore is dead! Surely this kid knows! Everyone knows! I looked at Ginny who was looking pretty scared now; she looked up at the boy quickly as an expression of wild understanding crossed her face.
'What year is it?' she blurted
'What cha' on about?'
'What year is it!?!'
'1975 duh!'
We both froze. WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?!?
'They were calling you James . . . 'whispered Ginny
'Lily and James...' I murmered in shock 'They're here aren't they? My parents are alive and it's 1975.'
'This is insane Harry. This can't be right!'
'What other explanation is there?'
'This is a joke! This isn't real!'
The boy beside us was looking at us strangely and for the first time I looked at him closely .There was something familiar…
'Frank..?'
'Yeah...' He replied uneasily
'Frank... Longbottom?'
Ginny gasped beside me.
'Now I dunno what's up wit' you today James Potter but you better get your ed' in gear for the match next week I should tell ya'!' The boy glanced at us once more before turning around and stalking off. 'I'll ask Sirius to knock some sense inta ya'!'
Ginny stared after the boy before swivelling round to me.
'Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God.' She started chanting holding her hands to her forehead. 'This isn't happening. This is NOT HAPPENING!'
My mind was numb. How had this happened? How had we managed this?
'Ginny are you okay?' I said concerned as she began pacing in circles.
'oh yeah Harry… I'M BLOODY WONDERFUL!' she yelled at me.
'Okay… We need to sort this out-'
'Harry we're stuck! We're possibly in the biggest shit we have ever been in. WE'VE GONE BACK IN TIME FOR GOD'S SAKE!'
'Ginny don't panic-'
'WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO DO?'
She stood there glaring at me and when I didn't answer turned and stared out the window.
'Ginny we don't even know for sure if we are back in time...'
'Well how do you explain the two hundred teenagers walking around the place and everyone calling you James, Harry? Because I think this has gone too far to be a joke somehow…'
I sighed. There was only one explanation. That somehow we'd managed to travel through time and across hundreds of miles of Britain…. Oh shit…. We are in so much trouble…
'Well what do we do now?' she asked, her voice shaking 'Go to Dumbledore? I mean he's alive now, apparently…'
'No' I replied, it would just be too …weird to talk to Dumbledore. I saw him die only a month ago… Anyway the Dumbledore of 1975 will just think we're mad and tell us to go back to our dormitory… Although knowing him maybe he won't. 'No we can't.' I said finally.
'Then what do you suggest Harry?' she said faintly, sitting on the window sill.
Right, um… Let's think about this… We're both stuck in 1975. There is no way at present that I can think of, of getting back to 1997. Apart from telling Dumbledore…However in all probability this potion will wear off pretty soon anyway!
'Well?' she said 'Any ideas?'
'We could wait it out…' I shrugged. 'Wait until the potion wears off. It's bound to at some point…'
She looked up at me with her eyebrows furrowed.
'But how long will that take?'
'I don't know…'
'So we'd have to stay here?'
'I guess…'
She blew a long low whistle.
'That's going to be risky Harry…'
'But it's the only thing we can do…and until one of us thinks of another way home… I think it's best to stay where we are.'
'I guess that makes sense…Anyway it'll be good for you to stay…'
'Why?' I asked and she looked up smiling.
'You'll get to meet your parents Harry.' She said softly.
Oh yeah… They're here now aren't they? The 17 year old versions of Lily Evans and James Potter! Sirius is here! Remus! I'll get to meet them all! A strange feeling was welling in my throat…I'd get to see my parents!
A sudden thought struck me. It's 1975. The 1st war has started.
'Ginny I'm actually not so sure about this.' I said suddenly. 'It'll be dangerous. We're probably slap bang in the middle of the first war! There are still deatheaters around and Voldemort is probably at full strength.'
'No different from the place we just left then…'
I guess not.
'Ginny are you sure-'
'No Harry. Not really. But we're at Hogwarts; probably the only safe place in Britain and Voldemort is not the only person who's at full strength. Dumbledore's still here and he's the only one You-Know-Who was ever scared of…'
She has a fair point there.
'It can't harm to stay here for a little bit, can it? We'll get in Gryffindor and you'll meet your parents... We'll see Sirius in his prime, before Azkaban.'
She's right. This is an opportunity that I'll probably never get again…But still, what about Ginny? I can't just drag her into a different time and take her away from her family. The Order, her mum and Ron would kill me. It's not fair to risk this with her.
'Ginny you can't.' I said firmly. 'It's too dangerous. If I stayed here I'd only be risking my life but I can't risk you! You can't stay here; we need to get you back to the Order.'
Her jaw dropped.
'What?!? You really think you can just whisk me off home! No way are you just going to stay here while I have to explain to the Order what the chosen one has decided to do now! 'I'm sorry everyone but Harry has taken up residence back at Hogwarts … Oh sorry I forget to mention that it's the Hogwarts of 1975...' Oh yeah, I bet that'll go down well!'
'Ginny you can't-'
'Harry I can and I will. If you're staying then I'm staying. End of story.'
She stood defiantly in front of me with her arms folded and a scowl on her face. I couldn't help but admire her stubbornness even though it would probably get us into a whole lot of trouble somehow.
'Fine.' I said reluctantly, feeling the weight of her safety begin to rest on my shoulders. '1975 here we come. So what do we do now?'
'Get sorted I guess.' She said shrugging 'We'll need to enrol here.'
I began to walk up to the gargoyle when Ginny grabbed the back of my shirt.
'What are you doing?' she asked
'Going to Dumbledore…' I said slowly.
'Looking like that?' she said with her eyebrows raised.
I stared glumly down at my ancient jeans and t-shirt that were faded and ripped in a few places. I guess going up to the Headmaster dressed like this wouldn't be the best of ideas.
'Fine.' I sighed 'then what do you suggest?'
She smirked and grabbed my arm pulling me off back down the corridor.
We didn't meet many people on the way as they were all now in lessons but every now and then a random straggler would wave at me happily or flick their middle finger if they were in Slytherin… Guess nothing's changed there then.
I turned a corner and my mind wandered back to the boy we'd met in front of the gargoyle...
Frank Longbottom. That boy is Neville's dad. I've seen him once before, looking gaunt and dishevelled at a permanent ward at St Mungo's. In about 7 years time Frank Longbottom and his wife will be tortured by deatheaters to get information on Voldemort. The torturing-by way of the cruciatus curse-will be so severe that they'll lose their minds, leaving their baby son Neville to be brought up by his Grandmother…All for the cause of Lord Voldemort... 3 lives ruined for the cause of Lord… bloody… Voldemort... And who were the people who wielded the wands that drove the Longbottoms insane? They were Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange and Bartimus Crouch. Evil pieces of scum that were then sent to Azkaban for their crimes, though none of them served their full sentences. Bartimus escaped and went on to rejoin his 'Master' killing his father and trying to murder me... Though I guess he got what he deserved. He caused the Longbottoms to lose their minds but in the end he lost his soul...
Bellatrix and Rodolphus were 'liberated' by their 'Lord' and went on to join the plan to get hold of the prophecy. They failed in getting that little glass sphere as ironically enough Neville Longbottom smashed it by accident, thwarting his parent's killers. Though Bellatrix still managed to kill Sirius Black, her cousin and hated blood traitor. He was my godfather and the closest I've ever really got to a Father or Brother in this twisted world. God I hate her so much... I haven't seen her since the night Snape killed Dumbledore. Murdered Dumbledore…
I bet she's here at Hogwarts now with her leering future spouse. A happy 17 year old with a grudge against muggleborns, a perfect little Slytherin…
'Alohamora' muttered Ginny beside me pointing at a door I didn't recognise and I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
'Ginny where are we?' I asked confused as the door opened with a satisfying click.
She turned to me and grinned as a feeling of apprehension settled in my stomach. Where are we going?
'You'll see.' She said mysteriously and shoved open the door…
Hey, I hope you liked it as this is my first Fan-Fic and I worked pretty hard on it. However I am always open to Critism but if you do decide to critisise it then please make it constructive! No just saying that it's 'crap' or so on...You must have a specified reason to say if it's crap! Lol. Anyway please review with any comments you may want to post! Thanks for reading.
Cyanide Sonnets.