In The Time After
Jakia
[Ootp, U.S. Edition. Copyright JK Rowling]
"It's time," said Hermione in an awestruck voice. "Time..."
The Death Eater shook his ugly head again, trying to clear it, but before he could pull himself together again, it began to shrink back to babyhood once more...
There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream.
"RON?" Harry yelled, turning quickly from the monstrous transformation taking place before them. "GINNY? LUNA?"
"Harry!" Hermione screamed.
The Death Eater had pulled his head out of the bell jar. His appearance was utterly bizarre, his tiny baby's head bawling loudly while his thick arms flailed dangerously in all directions, narrowly missing Harry, who ducked. Harry raised his wand but to his amazement, Hermione seized his arm.
"You can't hurt a baby!"
There was no time to argue the point. Harry could hear more footsteps growing louder from the Hall of Prophecy they had just left and knew, too late, that he ought not to have shouted and given away their position.
"Come on!" he said again, and leaving the ugly baby-headed Death Eater staggering behind them, they took off for the door...
...right next to them. When he opened the door, however, rather than going into another hallway like the rest of the rooms did, in this room there was nothing but black space, like some sort of vortex.
They fell.
***
"Oof!" Harry cried, tried to lift up his body. "Geroff me, Neville!"
"Sorry Harry." Neville said, standing up. He held out his hand, which Harry gladly took to help him up.
It was painstakingly obvious that they were no longer in the Department of Mysteries. The walls surrounding them were cole black, the wallpaper that hung on the walls was falling off, but the place had familiarity about it. He also knew it was very, very cold.
"Harry," said Hermione, shivering herself. "The room we were just in-the time room. I think the vortex may have been some sort of portal. I think," she paused, gathering her breath, "we might be in a different time."
Harry opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to ask was soon forgotten, for there were voices coming.
"Hide!" Hermione whispered, pulling both Neville and Harry behind a desk The three of them stood quietly, watching as two people-a boy and a girl, walked in.
"Ow, ow, ow! Do something, Julian!" The girl mumbled, holding her nose in a great deal of pain. She was a very pretty girl, Harry noted. Her hair dark brown, in a short ponytail of messy curls that seemed to have a mind of their own. She was rather thin and pale, built like a Seeker like himself. She seemed about his age as well.
"I will! I'm trying, Evelyn!" The boy, Julian, said. He had jet black hair, with the same sort of messy curls the girl had. He was noticeably younger, but by how much Harry had no clue. "Now where did I put that book..."
"Never mind the book!" Evelyn shouted. "Just do the spell to fix my nose! Quickly before Uncle comes!"
"Alright, but if I screw up you can't blame me..." He said, holding his wand to the girl's nose. "Guar il Naso" He said quickly. The blood and broken bone healed with a small swish. The girl smiled.
"Thanks Jules. You're the best little brother in the world." Evelyn said, grinning. She held a pair of smashed glasses in her hand. "These are useless now. Might as well throw them away..." She set them down on a small table near her, staring at her glasses as though she had lost her best friend.
"Right," Julian said, standing up quietly. "I'm going to go try to finish reading Hogwarts, A History" Hermione's eyes shot up with glee. "Before Uncle calls us again." He turned to leave, but his sister stopped him.
"Please stay, Julian. Just talk to me. I can't do anything with my glasses broken, and you know Uncle Dudley isn't going to buy me a new pair." Harry visibly shook. No way had she just said what he thought she said. Had to be coincidence. No way was she referring to his cousin.
"He might have to. You are awfully blind without them."
"Just like Dad." She said with a painful, sad smile. The two children fell into a comfortable silence. Then, the girl began to cry.
"Why'd they have to die?!" She moaned, leaning on her brother's arm for support. Tears began to cascade down his face as well, though he tried to hide it more.
"I hate it here. I hate this stupid place. I hate living here with Dad's stupid cousin, the stupid ass hole." She cried. "Why won't Dumbledore let us leave? We can go live with Uncle Ron..."
"You know as well as I do it's because it's safe. Uncle Dudley is Dad's only living relative-it's blood magic. The same people who killed Mum and Dad are out there right now, hunting us as well." Julian said, in a painful familiar bossy tone that Harry was so use to hearing.
"We can't even go to Hogwarts anymore, because it's not safe." Harry closed his eyes sympathetically. From what it sounded like these two had a home life much like Harry did. He tried to imagine what it would be like if Dumbledore had told Harry he could no longer go to Hogwarts, and instead had to stay at the Dursleys year around.
"If only we could find the key to our parents volt," Evelyn said. "Then we could convince old Mrs. Bones next door to take us to Diagon Alley, then we could empty the volt and run away." She said with mock confidence. "Sure, it may not be the brightest future, but it beats being here with-"
"JULIAN JAMES POTTER!!" A loud, heavy voice came screeching downstairs. "EVELYN LILY POTTER!!!" No no no, this wasn't happening...That voice was too familiar..the names...
"-That guy." Evelyn said, before yelling back. "COMING UNCLE DUDLEY!!!" The two ran downstairs quickly, and the trio jumped up. Harry would have ran after them, but Hermione was holding him back.
"Let me go, Hermione! Those are my children!" He felt a wave of protectiveness he had never felt before flow through him. "I have to help them!"
"No, Harry." Harry turned to look at her. He could see the tears running down her face. That's funny, he hadn't remembered her crying. "Remember what I told you third year? We can't change the past!"
"This isn't the past! This is the future!" Harry yelled back, trying to get her to let go of him. "Bloody-effing-hell, Hermione, those are our children!" He moved his free hand between the two of them.
"I-I know." She stuttered. "I know those are our children, Harry. I can tell. The girl has your eyes, for God's sake!" Harry hadn't noticed. "B-but by changing something here, Harry, we're affecting our time, which could change their time. Harry, we could completely erase them!"
"C-can't we do anything to help?" Hermione shook her head no. Neville, who had been surprisingly quiet through the whole ordeal, spoke up suddenly.
"Best thing we can do now is to get in that vortex thing that brought us here and go back to where we were. You still want to save your godfather, right?" Sirius-how could he have been so selfish? Sirius was still in danger!
"Your right. Come on!" And they jumped through the time hole once more.
*end chapter*
Will be more soon. Can't really tell you were this one came from. Probably somewhere in my deranged mind. It may seem AU at the moment, but by the end it won't be, trust me.