"That wand's more trouble than it's worth," said Harry. "And quite honestly," he turned away from the painted portraits, thinking now only of the four-poster bed lying waiting for him in Gryffindor Tower, and wondering whether Kreacher might bring him a sandwich there, "I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."

Harry should have known better.

"R-Ron? Hermione?" croaked out Harry, his voice coming out huskily. He heard a small groan and the sound of someone scuffling to their feet.

"We're here, Harry," said Hermione slowly. He felt a pair of hands on his arm. He stood up and stared into the frightened gazes of Ron and Hermione.

"What… what happened?" Ron and Hermione shared a meaningful look much to Harry's chagrin. Was this what he had to look forward to when dealing with their newfound relationship? Perhaps Harry would find Ginny and attempt to do the same in front of Ron. Harry was sure Ginny wouldn't mind exploiting their relationship in front of her older brother. Hermione swallowed and held out her hand.

Lying in her palm were shards of sand and glass.

"Er," began Harry confusedly, "Am I supposed to know what this is?"

"Harry, this is a time turner. This was a time turner." Harry felt himself grip his wand tightly, the right wand he noted to himself. How good it felt to have his old Holly wand back in his grip. Harry found himself looking around his two friends. They were in Hogwarts, he realized. There was just one main difference.

It wasn't his Hogwarts.

The walls all stood upright. The floors gleamed as if just having been polished with the sun gleaming down. Harry looked over his shoulder. To his surprise, the gargoyle guarding the headmaster's office no longer looked beaten down and punch drunk. It stood upright and proud, leering at the three students who stood in the hallway in front of it.

"Where… where the bloody hell are we?" asked Harry, his eyes narrowing at the gargoyle before he turned back to his friends. Hermione swallowed before answering.

"I think the real question, Harry, is when are we?"

"Excuse me!"

The trio froze. Hermione and Ron's eyes widened and Harry closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened his eyes.

Minerva McGonagall stood in front of them, looking about 50 years younger. War really does age a person, mused Harry. Her wand was pointed to the three of them.

"I should have known, Mr. Potter. I don't know what you're up to, but- goodness, Mr. Potter? What's happened to you? How did you get so hurt?" Harry blinked and looked down. His clothes were raggedy and torn and singed. He was pretty sure dirt, grime, and blood mixed all over his hands and face. McGonagall paused, her outstretched wand arm faltering slightly. "Who are you two? How did you get into Hogwarts?"

"Professor, it's us," said Ron quickly. McGonagall shot a spell at Ron's feet and he jumped. "Bloody hell, professor! If this is the thanks I get for saving you from Grawp's feet…"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Mr. Potter, what is going on here? I knew Headmaster was out of his mind when making you Head Boy-"

"What did you just say?" asked Hermione quickly. Harry froze. Head Boy? Headmaster? Harry suddenly froze.

"Hermione," said Harry, grabbing her sleeve suddenly, startling her in the process. "Guys… guys my dad was Head Boy… you don't think.. she thinks… oh my god."

"Mr. Potter! I won't ask - "

"Oh, Minnie, what's all the ruckus about?" asked someone coming up from behind McGonagall. Harry stiffened. Harry would recognize the easy-going voice of James Potter anywhere. After all, for the longest time, the only time he'd heard his father was when he told his mother to run. And, that was only in his head.

They looked just like each other.

Harry had never paid attention before, but it was so true, now he realized. No wonder Snape hated him so much. In fact, Harry felt as if he was staring into a mirror. A mirror with hazel colored eyes.

"Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked the boy hesitantly. "If you… then… who is…?" James turned his gaze away from his Transfiguration professor to the three students standing before him. His grin slowly disappeared as his gaze fell upon Harry. Suddenly, Harry found himself staring at the end of his father's own wand.

"Wait! Please, we… we're in trouble," said Hermione. Both James and McGonagall stared at Hermione and their gazes softened into expressions of worry. The word Mudblood blared at them. Hermione's hair was back to its usual state of frizziness, though blood and dirt were woven into the strands. Her face, too, had been dirtied. Ron stepped up to Hermione's side, grabbing her hand in his. "We need to see Professor Dumbledore."

"What do I owe the pleasure, Miss?" Harry's breath hitched in his throat as Dumbledore stepped off the last step of the staircase that led to the Headmaster's office. Just only moments Harry had been speaking to his portrait, asking if he thought it was okay to hide the wand so that it's power would die out. Harry swallowed and took a deep breath when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Harry looked up and met Ron's gaze gratefully, who nodded back at him.

"Hermione Granger, professor Dumbledore. Can we speak somewhere privately? The matter on which we must speak requires the utmost discretion," said Hermione. Her hands were trembling and Harry's own body felt as if it were out of control. He took a hesitant step towards James, who eyed him warily. He took another step. Then another. Another. He swallowed as he stood right in front of his father.

Just a few hours ago he had spoken to his father. Asked if it hurt to die. James tilted his head slightly to the side as he eyed Harry up and down. Harry found himself feeling rather shy. This was the first time his father was really seeing him. This was the first time Harry was seeing his father in person. Harry reached out then immediately shrunk back, coughing and turning away.

"Harry," said Hermione softly.

"I know. It's not him. Not really. I just - " Harry wiped at his eyes tiredly.

"Anything you need to say in front of the Headmaster, you can say in front of me as well!" said McGonagall with a huff.

"The same goes for me," said James. "I'm Head Boy. If you three are in any sort of trouble, you can talk to me about it, regardless if you're students here or not." His voice was filled with such conviction Harry felt as if he should simply tell his father everything.

"It is quite alright, Professor McGonagall. Mr. Potter. I am undoubtedly sure that I will be perfectly fine. Shall the four of us retire to my office?"

"Yes, please," answered Ron with a nod. The three students hesitantly followed the headmaster into his office. Harry noted that it looked exactly the same as it had from previous years. Fawkes trilled and landed in front of Harry, nuzzling his beak against Harry's palm which he brought up to stroke the bird. Harry smiled at it fondly. He hadn't seen the bird since the funeral. Harry blinked and took another deep breath. No. It hadn't happened yet. Harry couldn't focus on that now. Harry couldn't be emotional. He had to be logical.

"Fawkes seems to be quite taken with you," said Dumbledore airily. Harry nodded slowly.

"He's saved me before," replied Harry with a grin. "I never did thank you for that, did I, Fawkes?" The bird trilled at him and nipped at his fingers affectionately.

"I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand. He's saved you before?"

"In my second year here." Dumbledore looked confused and Hermione finally interjected.

"Professor, my name is Hermione Granger. This is Ron Weasley and that is Harry Potter." Dumbledore's usually schooled expression turned to one of surprise. "We come from the future. 21 years from now."

"Well, this certainly wasn't what I had in mind for what I was going to do today," Dumbledore finally said after a long silence. "May I ask how you have done this?"

"I think it was the time turner," said Hermione, slowly depositing the broken shards of the object onto Dumbledore's desk. "Unfortunately, it wasn't just that. Time turners at most, can send you back a few days. I think it was Hogwarts that sent us back this far."

"What do you mean, Mione?" asked Ron, sharing a confused glance with Harry who shrugged.

"Well, after the battle, Hogwarts was just… nearly destroyed. The professors used some very old, ancient magic to get the school to fight and defend itself. Didn't you notice during the battle? The school was fighting, too." At Harry and Ron's sheepish glances, Hermione sighed exasperatedly. "Honestly, you two!"

"Hogwarts fought?" Dumbledore asked gravely. "Hogwarts only brings up its most ancient magic when it's got no other options left… what… what did you children go through?"

"Too much," retorted Harry bitterly, holding the gaze of his old headmaster briefly. Dumbledore looked away first, looking flustered. He gently picked up a piece of the time turner and studied it.

"These devices have just been created. A prototype. I'm not quite sure we have the knowledge to send you back." The trio stiffened.

"Professor Dumbledore, please! You have to help us! I just.. I just want to go home," said Hermione softly, her head hanging. Harry put on a hand on her hand and Ron pulled Hermione into his side. She sniffed and wiped at her eyes.

"Of course, my dear," responded Dumbledore in kind. "I will contact an old friend in the Department of Mysteries. Do you mind if I send him this time turner? Perhaps we can speed up the research if we give them a head start." His eyes twinkled mischievously. Hermione bit her lip. Of course she was weighing the pros and cons. Harry knew that they had already broken so many time traveling laws. Harry sighed. Hermione shouldn't have to make a decision like this. None of them should. They were barely seventeen, and they had grown up way too fast. She finally relented and nodded slowly. "Excellent, Miss Granger. Now, while we wait for news, we must figure out your sleeping arrangements. As much as I'd like to hear about your… future, I'm afraid of what that might do for the timelines."

"Could we just go to Gryffindor tower, professor? Harry, Hermione, and I were all Gryffindors. We'll keep to ourselves and everything. You won't have to worry," said Ron with a firm nod. Harry sat up straight at the prospect of his four-poster bed. Dumbledore smiled.

"Of course, Mr. Weasley, was it? First things first, we must change your name. Yours as well, Mr. Potter. I don't think we need to change yours, Ms. Granger. Do you have any wizarding relatives?" asked Dumbledore, turning back to Hermione, who tugged on her sleeve, desperately. She shook her head.

"I'm a muggle-born, sir."

"Wonderful! Any ideas of what you two would like to be called?"

"Can we keep our first names? I can go by Ron Wilson," said Ron with a grimace. Harry felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. Ron was proud to be a Weasley and wouldn't like that he'd have to hide his name.

"You can call me, Harry… Green," Harry finally muttered, thinking of his eyes.

"Green? That's the best you could come up with, mate?" asked Ron jokingly, a smile playing on his lips.

"Shut up, Wilson," retorted Harry, though he was smiling himself.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Green, Ms. Granger. Now, shall I call our Head Boy and Girl to collect you?" Harry looked back up and held back a sigh.

"I would suggest a glamour charm, but dad's already seen me. McGonagall too," Harry said to his friends.

"So Mr. Potter is your father then? I assumed as much," said Dumbledore with a smile. "May I ask who your mother is?"

"Lily Evans," said Harry without thinking.

"I should have guessed. You have her eyes." Harry nodded.

"You look too much like him, Harry," said Hermione. "I mean, even McGonagall couldn't tell that you weren't your own father."

"Perhaps we should let Mr. Potter in on the fact that his son is here? Perhaps he could even vouch for young Harry here. They could be cousins," said Dumbledore slowly, looking back at Harry who bit his lip before nodding.

"I'd… I'd like for one of them to know, at least," replied Harry thinking of his parents. This time it was Hermione who gripped his hand. He smiled at her. "You're not mad that I'm screwing up the timeline." Hermione gave a watery chuckle.

"Oh, we've all screwed it up way too much already."

"Very well. Fawkes? Could you please retrieve Mr. Potter for me?" The trio watched as the bird disappeared from the window. Now, all they had to do was wait.

A/N: Just a random idea I had! :o Rate/review! :D