A/N: This is my new story and I have a rough outline with how I want it to go. Just be patient with my updates I may not be as fast as The Heist! Enjoy and feedback is much appreciated. This isn't strictly canon compliant and I haven't included dates or anything because i may reference modern tech that doesn't exist in 1998.

WELL APPOINTED PLANS

Third Person POV (Albus Dumbledore)

A point in the past

Albus Dumbledore thought he was a good man, someone to bring order and a little bit of control to the wizarding world. After all he did beat his previous nemesis Gellert Grindelwald and in such a spectacular fashion one must say, that he found himself a little bored. So, what was one to do if one found himself in need of another nemesis -a challenge?

Create one.

However, this is not as easy as it sounds. Sure, there were plenty of dark wizards running around but none that had the right... chutzpah. Such a shame really, that no one was intelligent enough, powerful enough and had the right je ne sais quoi. Until...

Until...Tom Riddle Jr.

Yes, Tom Riddle Jr such weird boy, an outcast. Orphan. Misunderstood. Bright intelligent eyes. Perceptive and bullied. A perfect combination if Albus thought so himself to be crafted into the ultimate opponent. With some time and manipulation. Everything would fall into place as if it was meant to be. Of course, he could have used his position and power to better the situation for the boy, but no he already had it all and besides where's the fun in that? The Order of Merlin Medal and full carte blanche as Chief Warlock, no what he needed was to remind these puttock's that he still is the best wizard since the founders. Cement his position for the rest of his life.

And this is perhaps were the plan started to unravel. He got too overconfident. Too cocky from being comfortable, too long resting on his laurels from Grindelwald's defeat. He tried to play the long game successfully...but things didn't entirely go to plan. However, he could learn to adapt to the situation, he was a great chess player. A master manipulator and tactician. He was good at reading the opposition and anticipating the moves. However, what he hadn't counted on was Tom Riddle being just as good at the game as he was. It was frustrating.

It was infuriating.

So, the plan was put in motion, then adapted, then adapted again. Everything was going along relatively fine, except getting 'cursed' and 'murdered', was not on the cards, but Albus played them to his strengths. A year of uninterrupted planning. Plotting. Scheming the demise of the most brilliant student he had ever had not that he would have admitted that out loud to anyone. Ever. A worthy adversary. Even more so than Grindelwald. Which is why this required his most ingenious plan yet! A specially developed…curse? Well he doesn't know if it is a curse per say but a perfect prison built outside of time and space. Trapped inside a time turner. Yes, it is rather the best he has come up with and took, a lot of work. A lot of calculations. Perfecting the 'walls of the cell', the illusion. Yes, when the Wizengamot find out what he did he will be hailed a hero once again, not just a dotty old man. Powerful, but still dotty. He did have to maintain his 'for the greater good' persona after all. No one could be suspecting of his darker side. If it was up to him with no repercussions, he would have murdered that snake faced idiot years ago. Most likely at Hogwarts, when it would have been quick and clean. But then things wouldn't have led us to the situation everyone is now in. Regrettable sacrifices on both sides. Unfortunate collateral damage. That is the price of war. They knew what they were signing up for. Did they think everyone was just shooting sunshine and rainbows? He snorts at that imagery. Idiots if they truly believed just because they were on the good side then everyone would miraculously survive. With their ridiculous self-righteous moral code. While he has to push this code, he doesn't truly believe in it. No. It is a good theoretical exercise on paper but doesn't work well in practice. The problem lies with human nature. We are still savages at heart. No matter how intelligent we are as a species. We are still 98% genetically matched with chimpanzees. We haven't come that far down the evolutionary tree just yet.

But some people believe otherwise- ignorance is bliss…as they say. While two wars were not entirely what he had planned, it did frame up what he was about to do quite nicely. The endless suffering of Harry James Potter who lost both his parents to the insufferable snake faced madman, getting saved by Albus Dumbledore riding in on his metaphorical white horse to save the day. Yes, he could get behind that.

Saviour of the Wizarding World.

Has quite the ring to it. Now….the plan how to set this plan in motion.

Hermione POV

Battle of Hogwarts

I find myself on one of the upper levels of the castle looking out at the grounds watching as some of the professors work to put up the dome of magic, a pretence of safety, though each of us know that if you think about it hard enough that this dome will only delay the inevitable. I don't mean to be pessimistic but when facing down death at the hand of Lord Voldemort's army it's hard to keep up the perky optimism. I feel Ron come up behind me, also to look out over the castle grounds. I can make out the figures of Voldemort's army gathered just beyond, but further enough away that you can't make any discernible features.

"Hermione, I was thinking…" Well that is a dangerous activity, "you know how Harry destroyed the locket, which was a horcrux with the Sword of Gryffindor and that was coated in Basilisk venom…couldn't we destroy the cup in the same way?", Ron said quietly as if just in case people could be listening which is unfortunately a very real possibility.

I turn wide eyed to Ron…understanding dawning on me on how utterly stupid we have all been in not figuring this out sooner. I whack him on the arm with an excited grin. "Ron that's brilliant".

We run off down the corridors, eventuating with us coming upon the large Hogwarts staircase that is the central hub for the chaos. Other students are panicking, their movements stilted and the look of sheer terror in their eyes, gives way to common sense. Self-preservation is the main element with all the shoving and wands raised flicking in every which way expecting a surprise attack by Death Eaters. I get shoved rather roughly from behind and nearly fall to the ground but at the last minute I stick an arm out and manage to brace myself against the side of the stairs. Saving myself from most likely being stampeded by the frightened students. I crane my head to try to find the shock of red hair, to see if Ron is still in my vicinity or got caught up in the frantic movements of the students. I see him wading his way through the throngs of students to get back to me so we can make our way down to the second floor to get to chamber of secrets through the girl's lavatory.

I feel him grip my arm and I let him pull me along silently, once we manage to get to the stairs that go down wards, we are free to ran, as we are heading in the opposite direction to everyone else. While running down the corridors dodging and jumping over fallen statues, portraits, flaming tapestries, it feels like this will never end and I come to realise how bone tired I really am. Explosions from outside light up the sky, the varying colours casting a kaleidoscope of light on the walls and floor. They rock the foundations of the castle in a relentless onslaught, a terror filled reminder of the ominous clock ticking down until they manage to breach the shield. I can feel my heartbeat wildly at the thought of having to face down hundreds of death eaters. I'm scared. I blink away tears, so I don't lose my footing. We have to move faster. The cup needs to be destroyed quickly. We are running out of time not just because of the domed shield but also because of Voldemort. He will come after Harry.

We look around frantically once we reach the entry to the girl's bathroom. No one is around as another explosion rocks the castle. It sounded closer, thus louder. You can see the dust heavy and thick in the air. I cringe at the thought of having to breathe that in. We walk in and it looks much the same, almost a time capsule of the era that once was when Voldemort was a boy. I catch sight of us in one of the mirrors, we look a sight. Cuts, bruises and dirt coating every inch of us; my braid half pulled out and matted. We looked worse for wear. But now was not the time to think about appearances.

Ron moves forward towards the tap with the Slytherin sigil on it and has a few torturous attempts at getting the parseltongue correct. I shiver as he finally gets close enough to the pronunciation that it startles me a little once the scraping sound of the sink moving out of the way revealing the hole in the floor permeates the air. Do we really have to go down the hole? I was so not looking forward to this. Ron waves for me to go first, and I close my eyes and drop down into the hole and am immediately sliding down the twisted tunnels and being deposited on to a rather large pile of bones. I quickly shift out of the way as much as one can while sitting on bones when I hear Ron coming. There is an 'ompf' and the displaced air creating a small breeze of dust and we cough.

"Doesn't look like much has changed since it was last opened, if there is that much dust floating around down here", I remark as we walk around another pile of bones, and the tunnel opens up into a small entry way- a wall covered in serpents entwined together. I remember that piece of information when Harry recounted the battle with Tom while saving Ginny. The hatch itself is still open, thank god because there was no way we probably would been able to fake enough hissing sounds to get it to open.

"Ready?", I look to Ron who is has a serious look on his face, this the most serious I have ever seen him. We are well aware of the stakes here if we don't destroy this horcrux. Ron helps me up onto the platform, why there is not an extra step I'll never know. A small innocuous observation delays, the fear welling upside me. I feel Ron come up beside me and he takes my hand. Like holding on to each other will anchor our fear and stop it from running away and becoming unmanageable. It's comforting. I gulp. We cross the threshold into the main chamber. It was nothing like I had imagined. I was expecting it to be more…. villainous in the interior…. but it was dark, dank with stagnant water that hadn't returned to wherever it goes. Instead it was a shrine, a homage to the Slytherin house symbol. It was still unsettling in atmosphere with Salazar's angry bearded face agape at the end of the pathway. It was lined again with many serpents rising from the water, all posed like they were on the verge of striking at us as we walked past. The bony skeleton of the enormous Basilisk lay like an offering it was, just off centre. I'm surprised I didn't notice it sooner considering the size, but I was too caught up with themed decor.

"I'll get it", Ron broke the silence, of just our laboured breathing. I hadn't realised how close I was to hyperventilating. This place while humorous in its own way still absolutely scared the living day lights out of me.

I watched as Ron tentatively gripped a fang being careful not to nick himself on the tip. He yanked sideways and the tooth snapped cleanly off. He turned holding it up like a prize and I reached into my beaded bag to get out the Hufflepuff cup. The Horcrux must have sensed its impending demise and let out a shriek. I cupped my ears to sound and let the goblet clang ungracefully against the moist concrete. I reached out gritting my teeth against the sound, in an unsaid directive for Ron to hand me the fang.

He relinquished it looking like he was unaffected by the noise. I breathed in a deep breath and brought the fang down in one swift movement, ignoring the images flashing through my mind's eye. It pierced the cup in a way that it naturally shouldn't, and blood oozed from the wound. Another ear-piercing screech (which Ron was also affected) and a upswell of rising water came crashing down out of seemingly nowhere, drenching our clothes. I felt like a drowned rat, at least it cleaned off some of the dirt clinging to our flesh like a second skin. I laughed, I was so twisted with emotion that I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Ron caught up in the small joyous moment in this otherwise depressing situation, moved to try to kiss me. I turned my head away and he caught my cheek. I never had any romantic notions towards one of my best friends. Contrary to popular opinion. Some bouts of jealous, looking back could be construed as jealous romantic affections. But it is more to do with being left behind, a fifth wheel if you will.

"I'm sorry Ron I just don't feel that way", I honestly didn't want a pity kiss, or caught up in the moment kiss that either of us will regret later. Besides if Ron honestly felt that way about me, he should have done something sooner. Not saying I would have returned the sentiments, but I didn't want to have to reject him right now in this moment. It makes me feel like dirt.

"Sorry Hermione, I just thought that you always felt that way, and since we could you know like die soon that we should express those feelings", Ron looked hopeful, but it slightly annoyed me that he would bring it up now. And I would be the bad guy in this situation. Just because we could potentially die soon, doesn't mean we need to start shouting from the roof tops about our feelings. Well you never know it may drive Voldemort away with all the fluffy emotions. But getting off track with that thought train.

"Ron, I haven't had those feelings, but can we discuss this later? Time is rather of the essence in this situation. We can talk about it after we defeat Snake-Man Ok?", I rubbed his arm reassuringly, he just nodded. Phew, I dodged a bullet there. He is my friend I don't really want to hurt his feelings, but in the middle of a battle is not the time. I'm sure some people would disagree with me on that.

We walked silently back to the bathroom, I turned had one last look at the tunnel hoping that nobody will ever see the Chamber of Secrets again. Dust and debris exploded inwards as a spell shot through the wall. We ducked with our wands raised ready to fight off whoever shot the spell. But no one came through the wall so it may have been a ricocheted spell.

"Come on let's keep going we need and go and find Harry", we remained a high alert shooting off spells here and there to assist people as we ran past, but never directing engaging anyone. It made me feel guilty, but Harry was the priority.

We ended back at the main staircase and nearly ran into Harry at full pelt.

"Harry!", I grabbed his jacket, him skidding to an abrupt halt but slipped backwards because of his forward momentum.

"I destroyed the tiara, did you-"

"Yes we did it. Do you have any idea what the last one is?"

"I'm pretty sure that it is Nagini"

"That giant snake? Damn", Ron said looking surprised by this revelation. I wasn't all that surprised, it made sense that he would have turned that snake into a horcrux….he loved that thing for lack of a better word.

"Ok, well how are we going to kill it? It rarely leaves his side and that in itself is the crux of the problem-", I was cut off by screaming and then dead quiet. You could feel the magic burrowing inside your mind. It was unpleasant and a little painful. Then a voice, his voice amplified almost like he was using a large megaphone, but instead it was all in our minds. I couldn't help but be slightly impressed by that feat of magic alone.

"You have fought valiantly…. but in vain. I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured" the violent coiled serpent hissed into the minds around the castle, the insistent hiss pressing down upon our consciousness. It makes me feel nauseas to have this unstoppable intrusion. There is a beat of silence, louder than any scream from battle. "Harry Potter, I speak now directly to you. On this night you have allowed your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonour. Join me in the forbidden forest and confront your fate. Should you do so I give my word that no other life will be lost on this night. You have one hour. If, at the end of that time, you have not given yourself up, then I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who tries to conceal you from me" Voldemort releases our minds from the corrupted magic stifling the air and it recedes much like a storm clearing.

"Harry you can't go and sacrifice yourself; we haven't destroyed all the horcruxes!" Ron virtually screamed in his face. I knew by the look on Harry's face that this wasn't up for argument, he had already made up his mind about what he was going to do. Honestly, I was feeling like I was drowning. Either way people were going to die, it was a lose- lose situation. We just needed to get that damn snake away from his side.

"We're coming with you", I said raising my voice. I lifted up my beaded bag and fumbled around trying to find the D.A galleon. Maybe with all of us there we could distract, it was really our only shot at this. Voldemort himself was the strongest of the lot even in his currently weakened state. I secretly had admired his strength and commitment, just not the way he was using them.

"Hermione what plan are you cookin' up?" I rolled my eyes, holding up the galleon I had retrieved from my bag.

"I'm going to call the D.A and we can all go down to the forest or whoever wants too. I realise that some people are going to want to check on loved ones…. But we just need a couple more people so we can try to distract Nagini", it wasn't a great plan, but it was something.

Perhaps thirty minutes had passed in the time we decided on a plan and wandered into the Great Hall. There were already lines of people who had died in the first half of the battle. I tried not to let it distract me from our current predicament. We needed to focus if we had any hope of this hair-brained plan succeeding.

Out in the Forbidden Forest

We stood out in a clearing that Voldemort had created because it just didn't seem natural. Harry was out in front with Ron and I on either side along with members of the D.A and some Order of The Phoenix. We came with the aim to distract and perhaps finish this once and for all if it came down to it.

"Harry you came….I admit I am surprised", he had a hissing drawl, it was a strange combination but he made it work somehow. I kept inquisitive eyes on him. It was hard to look away, he drew such a presence around him it was little wonder so many people followed him. He had a natural charm that Dumbledore didn't have. I wonder if it was a pre-requisite for villains, part of their playbook. Or just him. I felt his eyes flick to mine, and he held my gaze for what seemed like eternity but was actually mere seconds. I felt a mild thrill run up my spine at having his attention, but also scared beyond belief- the feeling akin to being prey to his predator. Harry moved slightly in front of me to stop Voldemort from looking at me again. Almost everyone caught the subtle movement. No one dared say anything.

"Well you gave me no choice Tom", Harry said reeling for his attention to return to focus on him. Tom/Voldemort scowled at being referred to by his given name. His unusual red eyes flashed in fury- barely restrained. Was Harry trying to provoke him into losing his control? Because that could either be a really good strategy or essentially condemn us all to death. Voldemort is more than capable at duelling multiple people at once, whereas most of us can barely keep up with one person.

Caught up in my thoughts I didn't notice what Harry had said and was the only one to not have raised my wand. I felt Voldemort's eyes on mine assessing… calculating something. Most likely if me not raising my wand meant anything. Nope, just me not paying attention to the male posturing. I tried to play it off as something I had meant to do. I looked around taking the whole scene in….something felt off but I couldn't pin point what it was.

Lord Voldemort's POV

I caught the attention of Harry's best friend the girl Granger… or something, a mud blood but an attractive one at that. She was smart, and I was rather partial to a keen mind. In another time and place I would have tried to secure here as an apprentice. She would have done rather nicely. She seems intrigued by me and I cannot help but preen slightly under her inquisitive gaze. I watch her out of my periphery, while keeping my main focus on Potter and whatever he is yabbering on about. I see her look around and frown, she looks perplexed. Something is wrong… I pull my full attention on to the girl. Taking notice of her body language and minor non-verbal cues. I send tendrils of my magic out, making some of my people shudder at the feel of it. I can feel it now, the magic is…off. I raise my hand for Potter to cease talking, only earning more shouts of protest in return. I cannot help but roll my eyes. Their stupidity astounds me.

"Something is wrong", I project my voice loudly, most people listen to what I am saying the 'light' side seem to think it is a rouse of some degree.

"No he's right, can't you feel it?", Miss Granger, says whipping around looking at her people. They stop talking and look at her like she has grown three heads. Finally, someone can talk some sense into these imbeciles. I will look back on this moment and realise what a stupid and amateur mistake I made. I turned my back on my enemy.

I turned my back.

I heard a few yells and screams behind me, I slowly turned to see what the all the ruckus was about. I see Harry running towards me and the girl trying to grab him. Everyone just watched like a train wreck about to happen that you couldn't take your eyes off. I vaguely heard Bellatrix cackle something and shoot off a few spells, but I lazily redirected them. I didn't want this all to end because of some hasty decision. Hermione managed to grab Harry and pull him back, however this made her trip on her footing and I ended up with an arm full of mudblood.

This is what you get when you let school children make all the decisions. Where there seriously no adults running the show? Do they think that I am not worthy enough for more than school children's attentions?

I looked down at her and she was looking back at me with comically wide eyes, I raised a brow. Neither of us moved. Everyone was stock still and silent, unsure with how to proceed. My mind was whirring at a million miles an hour trying to work out how to use this situation to my advantage. Because of this odd occurrence everyone was caught off guard…when…well I could barely process who the fuck I was looking at but none other than Albus grey-bearded arsehole

Dumbledore. In the fucking flesh. I had subtly pushed Miss Granger behind me and moved to completely face this supposed dead man. I could still feel Miss Granger clutching the back of my robes, but I will analyse that at another time.

"Dumbledore!", Harry yelled out, scampering off the ground to a standing position looking just as shocked as everybody else was. Mmm…. So, this was not planned. Because I focused on Harry for a split second, I missed Dumbledore throwing something at me, it was on a glittering gold chain. I just watched it sail and land in front of me. I didn't move to retrieve it off the ground. He chanted something, swirling his wand in the air and I tried throwing up a shield, but it was no use and then I felt myself being unceremoniously sucked into a portal the size of a key hole, much like a portkey. And all I could think was fuck.

Albus Dumbledore POV

As I watched Tom disappear into my perfectly crafted prison, I felt a great sense of satisfaction at ending this war. That it all worked out. Everyone was stunned at seeing me alive and that is why I chose this particular moment to strike. To catch Tom off guard. I had to take a leaf from his playbook.

What I was not expecting was the angry face of Harry Potter staring up at me.

"What they hell did you do? Where did you send him?", I was taken back by the venom in his voice, I was confused was this not what they wanted to rid the earth of Voldemort for once and for all?

I summoned the time turner to my hands wandlessly and placed it around my neck, nobody was having access to this chain.

"That is information that nobody but me is having", I looked down sternly at the incensed boy.

"Did you not see Hermione? She was right there with him! He stood in front of her (he frowned)…which was weird in itself but nonetheless she got sucked into" he swished his hand around the time turner "where that went. So, we need to get her out or both either way I want Hermione back!"

I stared back at Harry thinking this was not planned. If it wasn't for all the yelling and the fact that I had an audience, I would have just left the situation as is. Like I said previously casualties of war and all that. One person's sacrifice for the lives of many.

"Let me think on it", and this was me being honest. I did have to think on it because Voldemort was never supposed to get out of this prison. I needed to think of how to reverse this.