'Hermione! I just got out!'

Hermione Granger turned to find Ron Weasley running down the corridor towards her. Madame Pomfrey's Skelegrow had once again done its trick, and Ron was back on his feet less than twenty-four hours after Sirius Black had broken his leg.

They caught each other up in a hug of joy before realising what they were doing, so let go and stood there just a little embarrassed with themselves.

'So, come on then. Tell me what actually happened last night. I know' he continued over her protestations 'that you and Harry got Sirius out of the castle, but how did you do it? You were there, right in front of me, and then you weren't.'

'I can't tell you, Ron; I've promised Dumbledore. I'm sorry.'

'OK' he shrugged. 'I'll ask Harry.' He knew that would persuade her.

'No, Ron! You mustn't; we could get in to awful trouble.' She stood there wringing her hands, trying to make her mind up. 'Alright, I'll tell you, but you mustn't breathe a word of it to anyone else.' She looked around the Entrance Hall and spotted the cupboard she and Harry had hidden in last night. 'Come on.'

Once inside, Hermione fished inside her blouse – Ron looked away rather suddenly – and brought out a rather large necklace shaped like an hour-glass.

'We used this; it's called a time-turner, and you can use it to travel back in time.' She smiled shyly at him. 'It's how I've been getting to all my extra classes this year.'

Ron laughed. 'Hey, that's great! Can I have a go?'

'No, Ron, you can't. Professor McGonagall let me have it under strict rules. Anyway, I have to give it back to her. They're dangerous things, and you can be arrested for misusing them.'

'Oh come on, Hermione. Just a few minutes. It'd be fun!'

She stared at the floor, chewing on her lip, and then looked up at him. 'OK, just a few minutes, but don't touch anything.' She put the chain around both their necks and held up the hour-glass so he could see it better. 'Now, all I have to do is turn it for the amount of time we want to go back.'

'Like this?' said Ron, flicking it with his finger. The glass began to rotate very quickly, and then spun out of its mounting and on to the floor, where it broke in to a thousand pieces.

'RON! YOU IDIOT! Oh no, Professor McGonagall's going to KILL me for this. AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!'

'But we haven't gone anywhere, Hermione; we're still here in the cupboard.

'OF COURSE WE'RE STILL HERE, BUT WHERE IS HERE? WE'VE GONE BACK IN TIME, YOU FOOL! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW?'

That question was answered for them when the door was yanked open and they spun around to see a teacher looking at them. At least, they assumed he was a teacher, even though he wasn't wearing a robe.

'What are you two doing in here? Answer me!'

They said the one thing you never say to a teacher, an immediate admission of guilt. 'Nothing, sir.'

He looked down at them as they stood there, small and slightly trembling. 'What are you wearing? Robes? Why are you in here? What's going on?' They looked at their shoes, even Hermione speechless for once.

The teacher looked at their House badges. 'Gryffindor?' They nodded. 'Right, we'll let your Head of House sort this out; I'm already late for dinner. Follow me.'

They followed, casting nervous looks at each other. The teacher led them through the corridors, where they received several strange looks from passing students, some of whom started giggling and pointing. All the other children were wearing blazers and trousers or skirts. The teacher stopped at a door they recognised as the Gryffindor Head of House's room. He knocked and a male voice said 'Come in.'

The teacher opened the door and put his head inside. 'Sorry to disturb you, Professor, but I found a couple of your House locked away in a cupboard playing dressing up games…and Merlin knows what else besides.'

'I'll deal with it, Professor Bernard, send them in.'

Professor Bernard turned to the two of them, making a swishing movement with his finger. 'Go.' He shut the door behind them after they had entered.

They stood looking at their "new" Head of House who was, himself, sat behind his desk looking back at them with wide-eyed with astonishment. 'Ron? Hermione? What are you doing here?'

Professor Longbottom was certainly not the Neville Longbottom they remembered. For a start off, he wasn't thirteen anymore, but closer to forty. His hair had started to recede slightly, and was beginning to show grey over his ears. He stood up, and moved towards them with an easy dignity very different to the hesitant, almost clumsy, walk they remembered.

'I take it you are Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger?' They nodded, still speechless. 'How did you get here?'

Hermione held out the broken necklace. 'Is that, or was it, a time turner?' She nodded. 'Alright, sit down. Let's start at the beginning.' He motioned them to a couple of chairs.

'Where are we, Neville? I mean, Professor?' asked Hermione, finding her voice at last.

'At Hogwarts, of course. If you mean where you are in time then it is the year 2020. And I think it's probably acceptable for you to call me Neville.' He smiled at them both. 'Where did the time-turner come from?'

'Professor McGonagall gave it to me, so I could do all my third year classes.'

Neville nodded. 'Aah, so that's how you did it! I see. Where's the rest of it?'

'It broke when it fell on the floor. How are we going to get back?' Hermione was close to tears.

Neville ran his hands through his hair. 'I'm not sure. You see, all the devices held by the Ministry were destroyed.' He shrugged. 'I'm afraid the three of us had a rather large hand in it.' He stopped to consider for a moment.

'You know, I think it might be best if we let Minerva know you're here; see if she can suggest anything.' Noticing the confused looks on their faces he added 'Professor McGonagall, she's Headmistress now. Excuse me a moment.'

He crossed to the fireplace and Hermione took the opportunity to hiss 'I am going to kill you, Ronald Weasley.' before slumping back in her chair with her arms and legs tightly crossed.

Neville threw some Floo Powder in to the fireplace. 'Headmistress, sorry to disturb you, could I trouble you to come to my study for a moment?' Moments later, McGonagall appeared, brushing ash off her dress as she stepped on to the hearth.

She was even older than they remembered her, but her white hair was still swept back into a severe bun and her eyes were as bright as ever.

'Good evening, Professor. What appears to be the…good gracious me! Weasley? Miss Granger? What are you…?'

Neville headed her off at the pass. 'A slight problem with a time-turner, Headmistress. I believe you may already know the background?'

'Miss Granger, you were under strict instructions to keep that a secret, and not to go showing it off to your friends. Of course, I fully agreed with Albus' request regarding Sirius Black, but that was an entirely different matter.'

'I'm sorry, Professor. Honestly I am.'

'I've a good mind to send you back with a note to myself. This merits a weeks worth of detentions, at least!'

Hermione hung her head in shame as Neville broke in. 'We have a problem there, Headmistress. You see, it's broken; I'm not sure how we can get them back. You don't know of another one, do you?'

She thought long and hard. 'I'm afraid I don't. Technically, only the Ministry were allowed to keep them. However, I believe our best course of action is still to contact them; they may be able to come up with something we can use. In the meantime, we will have to make arrangements for these two to stay here.'

Neville nodded, and then suddenly started. 'Headmistress, what are we going to do about…' he nodded his head at them. 'You know?' McGonagall looked confused. 'Perhaps a word in private, Headmistress?' They withdrew to the far corner of the room and stood with their heads close together, occasionally looking around at the two children who were still sat in their chairs, quiet and nervous.

Eventually, McGonagall and Neville came back to them, apparently having come to some agreement. It was the headmistress who spoke first. Her voice was much softer than it had been previously.

'Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, obviously you can stay here at the school whilst we try to sort out this problem, but we shall be breaking up for the summer soon, and we will need to find somewhere for you to go…'

'That's not a problem, Professor' said Ron. 'We can go to my house.'

She smiled sadly at him. 'I'm afraid not. Unfortunately, your father passed away several years ago, and your mother now lives with your brother Bill and his family. I shall contact them, of course, but they may be stretched to find room. I'm very sorry.'

Ron sat very still, trying not to cry, and Hermione automatically held his hand. 'I'm sorry, Ron. We can go to my house.'

'Also not possible, Hermione' said Neville. 'Your parents emigrated many years ago to Australia, I think. It's a long story.'

'Did I go with them?' she asked.

'No, Miss Granger' said McGonagall. 'You remained behind, here in Britain, with your husband. We think, perhaps, they might be best placed to look after you.'

'My husband?' She hesitated. 'Who did I marry?'

Both Neville and McGonagall looked at Ron.

'HIM?' Hermione dropped Ron's hand like it was a hot coal. 'I MARRIED HIM? Oh no!'

'What? That's like some kind of major disaster, is it? Oh, I'm so sorry I completely ruined your life, Hermione!'

'As I said' said McGonagall, rather loudly, 'your…you, as adults, are probably best placed to look after …you. Miss Granger, this is exactly why I told you the time-turner was not a toy!'

'There is one other thing' said Neville, thinking the conversation needed to be brought back to reality, 'not only are you married…aah, you have children.'

Hermione shrieked and put her head in her hands.

'STOP LOOKING AT ME RON.'

'I'm not!'

'Yes you are! I know it. And take that look off your face, as well.'

'What look?'

'That look that says…not only are we married, but we've got children. That look that says you've just realised what we've…had to do to get them! DON'T YOU EVER LOOK AT ME AGAIN!'

Ron looked totally confused, then suddenly smirked. 'Oh yeah!' His face dropped. 'I mean, sorry.' He looked at Neville, a new realisation dawning on his face.

'Neville, these children. Where are they? At the moment?'

Neville smiled; somewhat surprised it was Ron who had made the connection, ahead of Hermione.

'They're here, Ron, at Hogwarts.' Hermione's head snapped up in disbelief. 'Would you like to meet them?'