Chapter I

As in we see things as they are, and never hope to be.

Harry let out a heavy sigh as he closed his eyes. "Alright, Zabini. Who's dead this time?"

Blaise shifted from foot to foot. The parchment in his hand crinkled in his nervous grasp. At Harry's harsh frown he gulped. There was a reason Harry Potter had become head Auror just three years after defeating the darkest wizard the world had seen yet, and there was also a reason he had kept the position for four years. Fame was not that reason. Blaise subtly wiped the sweat from his brow, disguising the action as merely brushing his hair away from his dark eyes. Now, how to tell Harry bloody Potter about this raid's death count. Blaise only wished he had updated his will before coming to the meeting.

"Well," Blaise Zabini started. He cleared his throat nervously. Harry continued to frown at him with harsh green eyes. Blaise knew that Harry did not hate him- or Slytherin anymore, for that matter- but the raids were wearing him thin. "Here's this List." Blaise handed him the parchment and hoped Harry would be less angry with him. "Those on the right side are at St. Mungo's. Or, at least they were this morning."

"That bad, huh?" Harry asked. He glanced over the right column and noticed Ron's name at the top. Another sigh escaped him and he closed his eyes for a bit longer than a standard blink. He pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose to stave off the impending tears. He was almost too scared to look at the left half of the parchment. At his first glance, it looked like a long list- longer than it should have been. Harry replaced his glasses after rubbing his tired eyes. "What didn't I go on this raid?" he asked, almost to himself. Harry did not expect Blaise to answer.

But answer Blaise did. "You were having a well-deserved rest. When was the last time you slept, Potter?"

Harry swept his arm across the desk. An assortment of muggle and wizard items alike fell to the floor with a clatter. The parchment and paper fluttered slowly through the air with a crisp noise. Black ink dripped off his desk onto the carpeted floor below. Harry stood, breathing hard through his nose. Blaise smartly backed away, although Harry had kept a tight lid on his magic. Yes, this was one reason Harry Potter was so revered. His temper was well known within the department, and no wizard would dare purposefully provoke it, and if they did they usually found themselves winding up at St. Mungo's.

"It doesn't matter," Harry finally shot back as he stormed from his office. "I have to go take care of a few things. Can you manage until I get back?"

Blaise sighed but kept his mouth shut. Harry had already gone. The Slytherin alumni waved his wand in a practiced motion. The items flew back into their rightful places, as if Harry had never let his temper get away from him in the first place. Blaise thanked every deity he knew, plus some he did not, that Harry had not waved his wand this time. The man only hoped Harry would not punish others as the Dark Lord he had worked so hard on vanquishing had been known to do. Of course, Blaise did not think Harry would actually do such a thing, but there was always that lurking fear in the back of his mind that told him to be weary. He never ignored that small voice in the back of his head; it was what saved him during the war and in every battle he ever fought.

So Blaise Zabini prayed as he had never prayed before.

There was nothing, absolutely nothing, that Harry Potter hated more than his aurors dying. Well, Death Eaters tied for the number one spot on Harry Potter's Most Hated list, but his aurors' deaths were certainly making headway at the moment. When he had agreed to becoming Head Auror four years ago Harry had not known how hard it would be to watch the aurors- his aurors- die on missions he had sent them on. Harry had made a pact with himself four years ago when he received the position: he would rid the world of the remaining Death Eaters quickly and not many would die.

Harry had failed miserably. Four years and Voldemort's few remaining followers were putting up quite the fight. Perhaps Death Eaters were number one on his list of things he hated most. However...

Harry frowned at the sour thought. The Death Eaters had been led astray by the greatest wizard the world had ever seen. The thought of hating them for thoughts they could not control left a bitter taste in his mouth. So, his aurors dying was once again (for the third time that week from the same argument- and it was only Monday) at the top of his most hated list.

But Harry had an idea. It was not a very well thought out idea, but it was an idea nevertheless. He couldn't not try it; doing so would brand him a coward. A coward, Harry Potter was not. He was known to do reckless things quite often. One could just ask Harry's deceased Potions Professor slash Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (for sixth year only, please and thank you) slash Occlumency teacher slash hesitant protector.

Harry planned to do exactly that.

Why would he ask a dead teacher anything is not the question to be asked in this point in time. The why is simple, obvious; the how is more obscure. Harry had the idea, he had the plan... He just needed the details ironed out just a bit more. He also needed help. Help from a reliable source would be appreciated, thank you very much, and there was only one person he trusted.

His feet stopped him in front of the door that had plagued his nightmares for nearly a decade. Harry shuddered; even though a friend or two worked in the Department of Mysteries he had never quite gotten over his fear. Just a brief thought of his fifth year made his blood run cold. He almost turned away, but he had to do this. He needed to do this, to calm his soul. Hermione would scold him for this idea, this plan, surely, but Harry found he could not bring himself to care as much as he thought he should have.

Suddenly, the door opened. Hermione shook her hair free from its ponytail and nearly ran into Harry. "Merlin, Harry!" she exclaimed, one hand pressed against her chest as if to still her racing heart. She smiled brightly at him and pulled the door shut. Harry appreciated it as she led him away from the dark door. "Whatever are you doing down here?"

"I need your help." Harry stopped not far from the door. "You've been working with Time, haven't you?"

Hermione frowned at him, obviously disapproving of his question. "You know I-"

"I don't care, Hermione!" he yelled, shocking her into a wide-eyed silence. His face contorted into the ugly visage of anger. "This is a matter of life and death. Now, how far can you send someone back?"

Hermione stared at him for several moments before she spurred into a lecture. Since the final battle she had learned to ignore his mood swings. She couldn't blame him. "Well, we know we can send someone back nearly twenty-four hours without serious side effects." She paused to leaf through a few of the papers in her hand. "Draco and I... We might've found a way to lessen the side effects, but we haven't been able to test it yet."

Harry merely grimaced at Draco's name, but otherwise did nothing. He was silent for several moments before asking, "What kind of side effects?"

"Go back too far and your heart may stop working."

An angry sigh escaped him. Harry closed his eyes and rubbed at his scar out of habit. Now what was he going to do? He wanted to go back a lot more than twenty-four hours. Harry wanted to go back years, and if he had done his math correctly, then he wanted to go back exactly twelve years. "What if I want to go back years?"

The young woman's eyes widened before she bowed her head. "Harry, you could make a mistake and change everything," she told him quietly.

"That's the whole point!" He turned his eyes to look down at her. "I want to change everything, Hermione. I don't want Sirius, or Remus, or Snape to die. I don't want Ron to land in St. Mungo's because of me." He poked her harshly in the chest, making her stumble into the wall. "I don't want us to grow up as we did. You will find me a way to stop this all from happening."

Tears pooled in her eyes. Harry felt bad- he really did- but he had to be adamant about this. Hermione must have seen something in his eyes because she lowered her head again and sighed. "Harry, we-"

"Potter," a low voice said in greeting. Harry turned back to the door and glared at the blond. "I don't know why you are keeping our findings away from him, Granger. You know-"

"It's experimental!"

"If he wants to die trying to change things, let him," replied the indifferent Draco Malfoy. "Honestly, I want him to change things. This is getting a bit ridiculous, if you ask me."

"I didn't ask, but thank you for agreeing with me." Harry turned back to his friend and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Hermione for what I said earlier. But... Please, Hermione. Please."

Hermione berated herself as she looked into her friend's eyes. She knew she shouldn't have. She knew better! Harry Potter was the only person who could ever sway her with his lovely green eyes. She looked over at Draco- big mistake. His eyes were just as pleading as Harry's. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Draco beat her, his voice desperate.

"Granger... Hermione," he corrected, his face pinched in a grimace. Harry turned and faced him in surprise. "Even if you say no, I'll help him." Draco turned to Harry, now, and nodded. "I believe with just a bit of tweaking with our formula we can send you back... How far, did you say?"

"I didn't." Harry looked between the two and gave a definite nod. "Twelve years exactly. A month before my eleventh birthday."

Harry told the two his idea. He told them he planned to save himself from the Dursley's first, and how he was going to save Sirius and expose Pettigrew for what he really was; alive and the real traitor. Getting Sirius guardianship of Harry was his top priority. Harry told them how he planned to destroy every last Horcrux and the basilisk hiding in Hogwarts' basement before the younger Harry could learn of them and concern himself with having to destroy them as a child. He also described his idea to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher after exposing the possessed professor they had in their first year at Hogwarts. He would work there because it would be easier to look after his younger counter-part.

He told them of how much he wanted to save every single important person in his life who had died.

Draco responded by telling him he was being stupid. He rolled his eyes and pulled his knees up to his chest to rest his chin on his knees in a very un-Malfoy-like way. Harry was violently reminded that Draco was human, too, a fact he still had a little trouble with after all their fights in their school years. They had moved to sit on the ground- Harry sitting against one wall with Hermione and Draco sitting across from him- when Harry had started his tale.

"You can't just run around as Harry Potter," Draco told him when Harry gave him a hurt look. "Harry Potter will already exist, right? You'll need a new name."

Harry stood and began pacing. On his third time passing the two Unspeakables, he asked, "What do you suggest, then?"

"It's up to you though, isn't it?" asked Hermione as he passed by her again.

Harry continued pacing with a thoughtful frown. He paused in front of the two still sitting. When he turned, Hermione frowned at the strange twinkle in his eye. He was amused, yes, but by what? What about this situation was so funny? A grin slowly graced his lips.

"I had a friend named Felix, once."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Of course! But you can't use Felix Felicis- it would be too obvious!"

Draco looked between the two, very confused at their banter. "I don't understand. Felix Felicis is a potion. Why would you use that as a name?

As Hermione explained the significance of the potion to Draco, Harry pulled out his wand and spelled the potion's name, not unlike Tom Riddle had done in the Chamber of Secrets a decade before. Harry snorted at the memory and ignored the two who had given him a strange look at his noise. Instead, he studied the letters before him. Felicis... How could he change it? He wanted to keep the letters because the potion had greatly helped hem when he needed it. Well, that and he could not think of a better name. It was a great idea, using the potion for a name, but how to make it into a human name...

He squinted and waved his wand. What if...? There! Harry grinned bitterly and flicked his wand. The letters disappeared. "Felix Siclife," he announced to Hermione and Draco.

"Siclife?" asked Hermione, perplexed at his choice. "Why that?"

Harry shrugged, his green eyes twinkling in that eerie reminiscent way. "Now, for my appearance... I can't very well walk around looking like Harry Potter anymore. People would definitely question it and that could be disastrous."

"He's right." Hermione stood and brushed her robes off. She stared hard at Harry before waving her wand. His hair changed into a light brown and his eyes to a deep blue. Draco stood as well to get a better look and he conjured a mirror for Harry. Hermione plucked it from his grasp. She held it up so Harry could look at his reflection. "What do you think?"

Draco took Harry's glasses off. The blond frowned, placing a finger to his chin, as he studied the other young man. "No, light brown won't work. He still looks like Harry."

Harry grabbed the mirror and brought it closer so he could see. "I... I don't want to change my eye color. That's the only thing I have of my mum's." He tugged on a piece of the light brown hair, still as messy as always. "Let's try red."

Hermione sighed after waving her wand. Harry's hair was now a deep, messy nest of red. The blue melted away to show the original green of his eyes. "Now you look like Lily's twin brother or something. That might seem a bit suspicious; it's too much." She frowned and tapped her cheek with her wand. "Draco, what do you think?"

Without a sound, Draco flicked his wand. Harry's hair was now shorter and a dark blond. Draco frowned and waved his wand again. The scar disappeared. Now, Harry Potter was unrecognizable. He stared at his blurry reflection in awe. He liked it- he really did. Whenever he heard the name Felix... This was what he imagined. He turned his deep green eyes back to the blurry form of Hermione- well, he hoped it was Hermione; the blob had a lot of brown.

"How can I make this permanent?" he asked, handing the mirror back to Draco.

"They have a spell, now, that will fix eyesight," Hermione replied. She waited until Draco gave Harry back his glasses before she continued. "That is, if your eyesight has stopped changing. It should have by now. There is a... complicated potion we could try for your hair. Go to a salon for that and ask for a permanent dye." She watched the scar reappear and the hair deepen to black as the Glamour faded. "As for your scar... I would suggest make-up. You might have to go to a plastic surgeon for that." Here, she turned to Draco. "Do they have anything like that in the wizarding world?"

A raised, pale eyebrow was her answer.

"I take that as a no." Hermione turned back to Harry with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, but that will have to be done in the muggle world. I'll help you with that. We can go do that now, if you want. It shouldn't be closed, yet."

Harry nodded with a smile. "You mean... I can get rid of this scar?" At her nod he gave her a tight hug. Harry would take any chance he could to get rid of the scar that had changed his life- and not for the better, mind you. He turned to the blond hesitantly. "Malfoy... Draco... Can I trust you to get everything ready?"

"Of course Potter- I mean... Harry." Draco gave him a pained smile.

The Man-Who-Defeated-Voldemort smiled brightly and clasped the other man's hand. "Brilliant! Thank you, Draco!" In his moment of happiness Harry threw his arms around Draco and gave him a quick hug. He pulled away, just as quickly, and ran back towards the lift. "Come on, Hermione!"

Hermione gave Draco an apologetic smile and jogged to catch up with the cheerful young man. Draco just rolled his eyes and went back through the door he had come from nearly an hour prior.

Draco Malfoy had work to do.

Two weeks, an eye appointment, a scar removal, a haircut, and a tweak of a formula later found the three young conspirators in the kitchen of an empty Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Harry Potter looked very different since they had first decided this. He now had short, dirty blond hair, no scar, and green eyes not obscured by glasses. Draco hardly recognized him, and wouldn't have been able to easily if he hadn't known about the change in the first place.

Harry Potter was no more.

In his place stood Felix Siclife, a young man ready to change the outcome of the future.

Hermione had tears in her eyes as she hugged her best friend. "You're so brave," she whispered in his ear. "Good luck."

Harry- now Felix- smiled down at her but said nothing. What else was there to say? He turned to Draco and held out his hand. "Thank you for your help, Draco. What do you want me to change for you?"

Draco gripped his hand, but did not shake it quite yet. He stared into Felix's green eyes for several moments, judging to see how far he would go for an ex-Death Eater's sake. He had a hard look in his pale eyes as he told Harry his request. "Make sure I do not become a Death Eater. I... I never wanted to be one in the first place, you know."

And he did know. Felix was already going to do that. He had decided that when he first thought of the idea- he was going to prevent Voldemort from ever rising again, and if he somehow managed to, he would keep Draco safe. Draco had never wanted to become a Death Eater, and Felix could not stand by and watch it happen again if it did turn out that way. So, he gripped the hand tighter and nodded his head. "Of course. I was planning on doing that from the start. Anything else?" Draco shook his head. Felix let go of his hand and turned to Hermione. "You?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, Felix." Over the past two weeks she had started calling him by his new name, if only to get him into the habit of responding to it. "Just do what you can. Here-" She handed him a small phial full of deep red liquid. "Take this. It will strengthen your heart. Take it right before you turn the Time Turner." She then handed him a larger version of the Time Turner they had used when they were thirteen. It nearly didn't fit in the palm of his hand. It was colored in a beautiful gold with intricate runes weaving about the surface. It shimmered and sparkled in the dim lighting. "Twelve turns, Felix. You'll land back exactly twelve years, give or take a day or two, back in the past. You must destroy it once you get there. In the wrong hands..."

"I understand." Felix slipped the chain around his head. He let the hourglass rest against his chest. He pulled out the stopper of the potion and raised it as if to toast his farewell. "I appreciate what you two have done for me. Thank you so much." He downed the liquid with a grimace at the metallic tasted. Even though he hoped this all disappeared... "Tell Blaise Zabini he's in charge now."

Before they could protest, he turned the hourglass twelve times and the world disappeared in a whirlwind of color and sound.