Chapter 5 - The Telling of the Story
(A/N. In this chapter, I am 'borrowing' some ideas from an essay by 'Cindysphynx' found at www.hp-lexicon.org, titled The Put-Outer and Magic on Privet Drive.)
"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, I must apologize," Albus said to the two bodies lying on the floor. They were unable to move, but they could hear perfectly well and there was a fire in both their eyes. "I sometimes forget that you are not aware of certain aspects of the power of magical people, since I find myself thinking of you in association with your talented daughter. Let me explain what happened, while at the same time give you a belated crash course in the finer points of Muggle/Wizard interactions. First, let me assure you your daughter is fine. In fact, if I had not acted the way I did, when I did, I fear that she would NOT be fine at this moment. I regret that I could not let you know in advance, but I had little time to react. I had to stun Hermione to prevent her from being affected, even partially, by the memory charm I am sure was being directed at Harry at that very moment. I hope I didn't adversely affect Harry by interrupting his bond in that manner, but I am confident I was successful in protecting your daughter. And, I need her powerful mind undamaged for us to prevail."
"Now," he said, "as to what happened to both of you. Magic folk, such as Harry, your daughter, and me, have some inherent, instinctual, protections. In fact, the manifestation of some of these protections is one way we have to detect witches and wizards born to non-magic folk like the two of you. To make a long story shorter, when you grabbed my wand arm, Mr. Granger, and you reached for my robes, Mrs. Granger, you were shocked by a spell called the Full Body Bind, normally invoked with the incantation "Petrificus Totalus". Hermione was able to successfully use this spell (inappropriately, I might add) in her first year; and Harry has used it to protect her even more recently. There are no permanent side effects, and if I leave you to your own devices, you will be fully recovered in about an hour since you are non-magic folk. But, I would much prefer to release you more quickly, if you have calmed down sufficiently enough to not strike at me again. I'm sure your daughter would prefer you to be mobile when I revive her, and the quicker we can do this, the quicker I can tell you all what I think is happening. If you are ready, please blink your eyes and I'll be glad to release you. Just remember, it is never a good idea to grab a witch or wizard in a threatening manner, and non-magic folk are especially vulnerable," he finished, sounding very apologetic.
Both the Grangers slowly blinked their eyes, and Albus waved his wand over both of them. They got up fully recovered but a bit warily; however, the kind look on Albus' face began to reassure them that things were as he had said.
"Good, good," Dumbledore said heartily. "Now, without further delay, let's tend to your daughter." And with that, he said "Ennervate!" as he pointed his wand at the young woman on the couch.
"Headmaster…what happened?" Hermione said, slightly groggy once again. "I was in contact with Harry, and then he screamed my name, and then…YOU STUNNED ME?"
"Yes, Miss Granger. As I was just explaining to your parents, who were also a bit confused by my actions, I had no choice." And, he proceeded to fill her in on what had just happened. When she heard that her parents had tried to attack her headmaster, she wasn't quite successful in keeping a smile from showing up on her face. "Oh, I guess I haven't ever told you about that, eh? Well, there hasn't been a reason for me to bring it up until now," she said, a bit sheepishly.
"Wait a minute, Headmaster!" she shouted, panic coming back into her voice. "I can't feel the connection to Harry any more…HE'S NOT THERE! Is he…is he…he can't be…NO!"
"MISS GRANGER!" Dumbledore cried, "PLEASE STAY WITH US! YOU HAVE TO CALM DOWN NOW!" WE CANNOT HELP HARRY UNLESS YOU CONTROL YOURSELF!"
At these words, Hermione visibly shuddered, and then forced herself to calm down. The realization that she could harm Harry's chances unless she restrained herself was enough to allow her to regain control. That is, until an unfamiliar sight outside the Granger home caught her eye. She looked through the window next to the sofa she was laying on, and then she pointed in disbelief as she screamed, "What happened to our neighborhood?"
They all looked out the large picture window, finally noticing that it was covered with a layer of ash and dust and had a large crack running through it. They saw a terrible scene. The nice neighborhood that the Grangers lived in was now completely different. Where there had been pleasant, well-kept homes and lawns there were burned out buildings, damaged streets with rusted car hulks here and there, and dying or dead vegetation. The darkened sky had a strange color to it, possibly because of the smoke that they saw coming from buildings in the distance. And, to top it all off, a bright new Dark Mark was visible, hovering over a home a few streets away. It was the forming of the Dark Mark that had drawn Hermione's attention to the window in the first place.
"Well, that's…about what I expected," Albus mused. It was almost as if he was the only one in the room, holding a conversation with an unseen acquaintance. "Tom, don't you remember that if you have to resort to bold moves based on the desperate circumstances you find yourself in, you have to be quite sure you know what you are doing. I think you have overestimated Bellatrix's abilities, and also underestimated a few things, besides. For one, you forgot to adequately account for all of your opponent's resources first! It appears you were able to make a few changes in the past five years, eh? Well, we'll see what we can do about that! I am pretty sure you've bitten off a bit more than you can chew!"
"Headmaster…could you please be a little more open with us? What is happening? What has happened to Harry? Why is the Dark Mark in the air in broad daylight…in my neighborhood?" Hermione asked, completely confused. She was doing better than her parents, though, who now looked almost as stunned as they had when they were under the full body bind just moments before as they viewed the destruction outside their window.
"Miss Granger, anything I could say to you would be supposition at this point. Between the four of us, we may be able to put a reasonable scenario together, but, if what I fear has happened is accurate, we do have time before we must act. In fact, in one sense, we have all the time in the world. But, the longer we wait, the more complicated things may become. I'll start right in with a few details about Harry James Potter, James and Lilly Evans Potter, Lord Voldemort, and the Dursleys that it is time that you knew in full. Please listen carefully."
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After Albus had explained the history of Harry, the Potters, and Voldemort, including telling them the full contents of the prophecy, there was, once again, silence in the room. As they considered that either Harry or Voldemort was destined to die at the hand of the other, they began to realize the gravity of the situation. Hermione had shed silent tears as she realized, once again, the love and sacrifice of James and Lilly that kept Harry…her Harry…protected from the Avada Kedavra curse that Halloween night so many years ago. She had heard bits and pieces of the story before, but to hear it sequentially and completely from the mouth of Albus Dumbledore was especially overwhelming.
Finally, her ordered mind noticed something out of place in what he said. "But sir, if you were able to establish those protections around Privet Drive, how is it that Bellatrix was apparently able to penetrate them and attack Harry?"
"Miss Granger, I promise I will award fifty points to Gryffindor at my earliest opportunity next term for your stellar analytical abilities. However, since I doubt that Hogwarts is actually the same place I left it at the moment, I will have to hold off on that for a while. Please remind me at the appropriate time, won't you?" Albus chuckled. "As to the answer to your question, I fear that I know what happened. I always knew there were risks involved with establishing the protections I did, but I hoped that we would be able to come up with better solutions before they were ineffective. Apparently I was wrong. Be that as it may, I will ask you a question, Miss Granger. Are you aware of the function of this item?" he said, as he pulled a device out of his robes that looked something like a silver cigarette lighter.
"Hmm, I'm not sure…,"she paused for a moment, reviewing the magical devices she had read about in the library or heard mentioned in class. "Is it…a Put-Outer? That's a device that can capture and release the energy from Muggle porch and street lights as needed. It is used by Aurors and others when they are conducting covert operations, among other uses," she explained to her parents as if she were reading a catalog description. They were still absorbing all the shocking things they had seen, but they nodded their understanding.
"Very good, Miss Granger. Well said! For, you see, it is those 'other uses' that we are most interested in. One of the other uses of this specific device is to serve as means for establishing ancient magic protections. I have adapted this device to serve in this capacity. When I placed Harry with the Dursleys, I used this to establish a twelve-point 'defense perimeter' of sorts around their home. It also serves as a means of monitoring his activities. As a result, and as I told Harry a short time ago, 'While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort'. The Put-Outer defines the limits of that protection. For one thing, the protections result in the Dursley home being undetectable by Wizarding folk unless they already know where it is. That is why I had to send a specific group of Aurors and others to pick up Harry from the house last year - they were the only ones who were already familiar with the Dursley's location. The exception was Nymphadora, who had to be taken there blindfolded by Moody and Lupin or else she would have been unable to find the house. Unfortunately, that very incident probably started the chain of events that has led us to our current difficulty. You see, I had Alastor use the Put-Outer to transfer some of the protections to the Order Headquarters while Harry was there this last year."
Dumbledore's eyes crinkled as he realized that Hermione was having trouble keeping her hand down as if she were in class, wanting to bring up a point relevant to the discussion. "Yes, Miss Granger," he said in his most professorial tone, "do you have something to add?"
"But Harry…I don't think he considers Privet Drive his home any more, and probably hasn't for a while, if he's honest with himself!" she blurted out. The loopholes in the protections were becoming very obvious to her. "And, it seems that the protections are only effective against Voldemort, or did I not hear you correctly?" she continued. "Oh, and if the protections were weakened by Moody, I assume that a determined Death Eater, as long as it wasn't Voldemort, could probably both locate their home and enter it from that time on, isn't that right, sir?"
"Yes, that is, as usual, a brilliant summation, Miss Granger. Have you considered a career in the legal field? Your skills are developing nicely, I think." Albus could not hide the pride in his voice as he complimented her. <To think, that a Muggle-born would be so powerful in both the mind and heart,> he thought to himself. <A perfect blend of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, bonded with a powerful blend of Gryffindor and Slytherin, and both of them as hard working and loyal as any Hufflepuff! The Wizarding World is surely blessed to have both of them among our ranks.>
He then, resignedly, responded to her analysis. "Yes, my dear. You are correct. We always knew that as Harry was exposed to the Wizarding World, including families like the Weasley's, close friends such as yourself and young Mr. Weasley, and, we'd like to think, generally caring faculty at school (with one noticeable exception) he would begin to understand that how he was raised was not in any sense normal. As a result, we were hoping to transfer him to Order Headquarters as soon as possible this summer, so he would only have one more short stay left there next year and he would no longer have to return to that terrible excuse for a family."
"Your other suspicion is also correct. When I cast the spells associated with the protections, I intentionally specified Voldemort as their focus. If I had expanded the protection to include all known Death Eaters, it would still not have worked well, since any unknown Death Eater or new recruit would be unaffected. I compromised on naming Tom as the focus of the wards, and I hoped that the other aspects of the spells, including the Undetectability protections, would be sufficient. As I have already told you, it appears I was incorrect. And, for that, I am very, very sorry. An old man like me makes too many mistakes, sometimes, especially when it comes to those we love."
Hermione again realized just how, well, there was no other way to put it…exhausted her headmaster was. His battles against evil were taking a toll on him. She just hoped that he would be able to put things right this time.
"So, what are we going to do about this?" Mrs. Granger said, finally recovered enough from the shock to participate in the discussion. "Apparently, by the looks of things outside our window, and the state that the window itself is in, Voldemort has somehow changed time itself to favor his desired outcome. And, it has something to do with both Hermione and Harry. What can any of us do to get things back to the way they were?"
"Mrs. Granger, I am once again reminded from where your daughter gets her…direct approach." Albus smiled. You are definitely not one to waste time on extraneous tasks. And, I, for one, agree with you. I would like to propose a plan that may be effective. I have been considering this since I heard what Hermione said when she was in contact with Harry's mind previously. As I recall, she mentioned something about…eleven years old …Harry's memory, and Vincent Crabbe with a baby face, before he was thrown into his old bed space at the Dursley home, is that correct?"
Hermione nodded. "Yes, sir. That is pretty well what I saw, although it doesn't make any sense."
"Miss Granger, since you are still learning how to sort out mental images, I would like to fill you in on some information you are lacking that may help make some sense of what you saw," he explained. "Recently, an inventory of the Department of Mysteries was completed. This was conducted as part of the investigation related to a certain unfortunate event there recently. We discovered that a time reverser device was missing from the Time Room. Miss Granger, you recently saw one of these devices in operation, including what happens when it is used incorrectly. Do you know to what I refer?" he asked.
"Do you mean that bell jar with the hummingbird in it, sir?" she replied. "The one that the Death Eater fell into and…and …his head changed to a baby head and back again? What does that have to do with Vincent Crabbe?"
"Not Vincent, but his father," Dumbledore responded. "The Death Eater that encountered the time reverser device was, indeed, your fellow student's father. He was partially exposed to a time reverser field, which is used for various research purposes. The field effect is limited to a relatively small volume, about the size of a cupboard, say. The time effect can also be set to send an item back in time if so desired. The time field you saw in action had been set to "fast repeat/no transport", which makes an interesting display for visitors to the Time Room, especially when a bird egg is placed in the field. The bird will go through its entire life cycle over and over again and can be removed at any time with no harm to the bird. Mr. Crabbe, however, was not supposed to be introduced into the field in that manner. While he is no longer in possession of a baby's head, St. Mungo's personnel have still not been able to fully reverse the effects, and it may not be possible. However, it may also be that Mr. Crabbe's mind isn't that different than that of a young child to begin with, so there may only be so much we can do."
"So, I assume the missing device has something to do with Harry's capture?" Hermione stated, trying to putting these new facts together with what she already knew. "They've used it to send him back to…when he was eleven, right? But, why? Why would that make so much difference in what we see outside?" she asked, again not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.
"To finally get to the point, Hermione," Dumbledore said with a twinkle, "It appears that Tom, by transporting Harry back to start his Hogwarts career all over again, has made a change of some kind to the time line. This change has either kept Harry from being a factor in Tom's rise to power, or, possibly, to have Harry somehow join forces with him. He has failed to defeat Harry on numerous occasions, so it appears he has decided to try to turn him instead. In any case, we need to find out what has changed, change it back if possible, and do this without interfering with any other aspect of the timeline we restore. As you are aware from your experiences with the time-turner during your third year, Miss Granger, magic folk that interfere with time have caused many terrible problems. You, of course, remember Minerva's lecture on the subject, I presume?"
"A repeated series of redundant lectures is what they were, sir," Hermione recalled, ruefully. "I thought I would never get her voice out of my head the whole time I had the turner. Whenever she saw me alone, it was, 'Do not go anywhere near your other self when you are time-shifting…Witches have gone mad at the very sight of themselves…duels, terrible things…keep track of the time and place you are shifting at all costs…' - Oh, yes, I remember, sir!"
"Good. Then I won't have to repeat them," he said, as he waited for her to catch on to what he had just said. As her eyes widened, he continued. "Fortunately, I have a modest ability to "multi-task" as the Muggle saying goes. So, while we have been having this stimulating conversation, I have also been considering the options we have. I have weighed the risks and possibilities, and I propose that Miss Granger go back in time to Hogwarts to rescue Harry."
"WHAT?" Again, all three Grangers spoke at once. "NO, she can't…I won't allow…But, sir…?"
"One at a time, one at a time," Albus raised both hands, trying to quiet the uproar. "Miss Granger, please go first and state all of your questions without interruption from ANY of us," he said, pointedly. "I think I know what your parent's concerns will be, and I hope to be able to answer them at the appropriate time if necessary. But, I think that your questions, taken as a group, will be more germane to our discussion at this time. Consider your questions for as long as you need to, but I'd like to hear what you are thinking."
After a few minutes in deep thought, Hermione began to speak. "First, how will I get back in time? We don't have a time reverser in the house that I know of. Second, if I do get back, how will I be able to be there the same time as my 'younger' self? I mean, two Hermione Grangers, five years apart in age, at Hogwarts at the same time are sure to cause tongues to wag, don't you think? Won't your 'other self' also be suspicious? Next, how do I explain things to a much younger Harry if I do see him? I'm not sure he's going to accept my story of time travel and saving the world from corruption at that age. I'm in the middle of it, and I'm not even sure I believe it." She said this last with a decidedly confused look on her face. Finally, how will I get the two of us back here in one piece, if I am successful in thwarting Tom's plan?"
"Is that all for now, Miss Granger?" he said. When she nodded, he continued. "Since we have found ourselves woefully lacking in time reversers, I am proposing an alternative means of temporal transport, one that you are already familiar with. In my robe I have the very time turner you used during your third year. Minerva returned it to me after you were finished with it. I have always found it quite useful in my responsibilities as headmaster. I know how to modify it to operate it in the mode necessary to send you to where you need to go. As to the 'two Hermione' problem, while it does present a unique solution to a concern of mine at one time during your fourth year about certain, shall we say, feelings among a certain trio-,"
Hermione's eyes narrowed and her lips became very thin as she realized what he was implying.
Dumbledore continued, deliberately ignoring her reaction. "-I agree that two of you would be hard to explain. Not to mention the impact to my poor staff having to teach TWO genius witches at once. Severus, for one, would be beside himself, if you were beside yourself, too." Everyone groaned at this bad play on words. Albus looked a bit guilty, but continued. "So, I am proposing that you change your identity, with the assistance of some charms I will teach you. I will also give you an aging potion, for I think that the best way to accomplish this identity change is to move you ahead of your peers. So, by the power vested in me as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot, Chairman of the International Confederation of Wizards, and member of the Order of Merlin, First Class, I hereby certify that you have successfully completed your N.E.W.T. level course work with grades of 'O' in all subjects offered at Hogwarts, including Divination and Muggle Studies. Under the circumstances, I gave you practical credit for establishing a confirmed mind link with another wizard, and the three hundred and twenty percent grade in your Muggle Study finals during your third year is considered sufficient justification for passing that course. Congratulations, Miss Granger! Do not fret, my dear! I am confident these are the grades you would have received, so I do not feel the slightest guilt at this action. As a Headmaster, I am a substitute examiner at Hogwarts for all internationally accepted N.E.W.T. exams, you know!" He said this last because Hermione appeared to be still recovering from the shock of hearing her N.E.W.T. results, considering she had never taken the exams.
He continued. "At this time, since you are now, officially, an unemployed witch, I propose that you consider pursuing a career in education. I happen to know that there has been an unfilled opening at Hogwarts as an assistant professor to Professor Flitwick for many years. He has always looked for someone that is skilled in charms work to assist him in teaching some of the younger students who are struggling, and I think that you would be perfect at it. We have never filled the position previously, but it is high time to do so. Besides, this will also give you a chance to work with Ravenclaw House. I seem to recall that you were seriously considered for that house during your sorting?" Hermione nodded. "Good! Although I find it interesting that you ended up in Gryffindor. That must mean that you are braver than you are smart!" he said with a wink at Hermione's parents. "That one fact may be the one thing that turns the tide of battle in our favor. I'll say it once again; Tom has a tendency to underestimate his opposition."
After a slight pause, he continued. "I will provide you with a letter of reference, along with an explanation, that you must give ONLY to my 'younger self' that will set things straight there. He…I will have means of verifying the message and the truth of your story that will be quite effective. I am certain that I…he…will also share the information with Minerva, in case my other self is otherwise occupied during your time there. But, you must not let anyone else know of these details. I'm sure you see the reason for that." She nodded once again.
"Now, as to how to deal with Harry," he resumed his instructions. "You must not! Until the time is right, you cannot reveal your true self to him. As you realized, at the age of eleven he will not be able to comprehend much, if anything, of what you could tell him. You are there strictly as an observer, although I dare say you may have to be actively involved in discreetly preventing additional damage to the timeline as you see it. Let your memory of those years be your guide, and, ask your headmaster for assistance as needed," he said as he winked at her. "But, in Harry's case, let your earlier self take care of that end of things. It looks like it has been working out quite well to this point, since you were already able to find each other in this timeline. Let the magic of your relationship have a chance to work out again. I am concerned, however, that your younger self may not have the same interactions with two young friends as she…you did the last time around, so it is just as imperative that you keep your earlier self alive, and at least somewhat happy. Since you know yourself the best, I'll leave it to your judgment as to how much you share with your younger counterpart. With Harry, however, you must be extremely careful. Remember, if this works as planned, he will be eleven years old when you see him next. He may have some residual memories of the life he knew in this timeline, since there are spell interactions that can cause memory charms to not be fully effective, but he will still be the boy you met on a train your first year once again. Unless you really want to have him come back to us, and you, that much younger physically than you are, you have to let him age normally until he is back to near the age he was when you last saw him. At that time, the answer to your last question should be obvious, especially if you have been successful to that point. Remember the last time you used the turner with Harry? What happened at the end?"
Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, after we rescued Buckbeak and Sirius, we ran back to the hospital wing and…and waited for our 'time-twinned selves' to time-turn before we went to our beds. Then everything was back to "normal", although I suppose Professor Snape would beg to differ!" She smiled fondly as she remembered the 'hippogriff adventure' she had shared with Harry that night.
"If all goes well," said Dumbledore, "we will have a similar happy resolution to this situation. One thing that Tom tends to forget in his overconfidence is that time is rather resistant to change on a grand scale. This is especially true when the changes are in the past. Individual events can be changed with relatively small amounts of energy, as in the time turner you have used. But, the large changes we see outside this window cause serious stresses in the fabric of time. It might be easier for you to think of time, in this case, as a large piece of flexible steel that has been bent out of its natural shape. If the bending force is removed quickly, the steel will tend to restore itself to the way it was. Tom has introduced a large bending force in a brute force manner, so to speak. Your job is to counteract that force when you identify it, and let things go back to the way they were before. I am confident going forward with our plan on the assumption that Tom may have overstepped the limits of his power and knowledge with this scheme."
"Can we speak up now, Albus?" Mr. and Mrs. Granger said after a short, private conversation. Up until that time, they had been listening intently to the exchange between Hermione and Dumbledore. "We feel we have a right to say something."
"Of course you do," Albus agreed. "Please say whatever you wish."
"I'll go ahead, because I have always been the calmer one in our marriage," Mrs. Granger started. "My husband, especially when it comes to his little girl, lets his emotions rule his decisions when he speaks even though he knows he shouldn't. Even when we were faced with the decision on her attending Hogwarts, he was the one that resisted and I was able to show him why we should let her go. And he…we, that is…have never really regretted that decision. As Hermione recently reminded us, if we had not made that choice, our daughter would never have turned out as she is, and both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds would be less because of it." She turned to her daughter and continued. "Hermione, we want you to know, no matter what happens, we love you and we are very proud that you are a witch."
For not the first time this day, Hermione could not hold back the tears caused by the depth of the love she shared with her parents. "Thanks, Mum and Dad. I love you, too, and I am proud you are my parents," she said fervently as she hugged them tightly.
Mrs. Granger continued. "Hermione, I'll make this quick. We know that, under the circumstances, you are the only one who can save Harry so he can save the world. After we heard the prophecy, we realized just how important and powerful of a wizard he is. If you can help him achieve this destiny, then we cannot stand in our way. We will be worried sick for as long as it takes until you return, but remember that we are waiting for you and Harry to return to us."
"Funny you should mention that, Mrs. Granger," said Albus, with a large smile forming on his face. "I just realized, based on my last experience with Hermione and the time turner that we won't be waiting at all if things go according to our wishes."
"What do you mean, sir?" Mr. Granger could not contain himself as hope rose in his heart for what he thought he was hearing. "How can that be?"
"Well, it ties into why I haven't been in a big hurry to get started with this operation. Since Hermione will be going back in time soon to a known point, she will be entering a 'time loop' which has been created through the assumed actions of Tom and Bellatrix. If she is successful in repairing the damage, immediately after she leaves our timeline, we, if I am not mistaken, will see her return to this timeline after the alternate time loop ends. The four of us, if all goes well, will be the only ones who remember the series of events that we are experiencing now. It will be as if none of what you see outside actually happened."
"So, Headmaster, when do we get started?" Hermione said; determination evident in her voice. "What can the three of us do to help you make the necessary preparations?"
Albus smiled as he saw the strength of resolve in all of their eyes. "Miss Granger, would you go to your trunk and bring me your potions equipment and ingredients? I will also need you to come up with a new name to go with your new identity, so I can include it on the notes and letter of recommendation I will be preparing for my other self. Make sure it is a name you will be comfortable using, since it will be yours for the next few years of subjective time. Mr. Granger, could you bring me some parchment and a quill from Hermione's room, and Mrs. Granger, your daughter will need a complete set of clothing suited to a more adult body, if you understand what I mean."
The next hour saw a flurry of activity in the Granger home, with a welcome surprise to start things off. As her father went up to her room, they heard him exclaim, "What a surprise…!" as her bedroom window closed. Before they could get too worried, Mr. Granger came downstairs, carrying a quill, some parchment, and…Hedwig, looking somewhat worse for wear. She hooted softly when she saw Hermione and Albus, and gratefully accepted a large drink of water from Mrs. Granger. "So, you made it back here, did you? Great, Harry won't have to be worried about you!" said Hermione, relief evident in her voice.
First, Albus created an aging potion, similar to the one that Fred and George had created in an attempt to fool the age line surrounding the Goblet of Fire during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. As Hermione assisted him so she could learn how to make more as needed, he explained to her the dosage and frequency required to maintain the ten year age shift they had chosen for her. This would make her appear to be 26, almost 27. This was to allow her to assume her chosen cover as an assistant to Professor Flitwick more easily. Her cover story would be that she was Muggle-born from the United States, raised in England until she went back across the Atlantic to a small, very elite Canadian school that also taught to N.E.W.T. standards. This would limit the chance that anyone at Hogwarts would have known of the school and ask embarrassing questions. It would also explain her British accent, and Hermione knew enough French from her travels with her parents that she would make a passable resident of Canada.
Albus also taught her some simple charms to change her outward appearance to both match her new age and make her look less like a Granger, in case anyone started comparing. He also told her how to make these changes more permanent, but reversible, when she arrived at Hogwarts. With the help of her mother, Hermione decided she would be a much taller woman with straight black hair, blue eyes, and a more refined-looking nose. Her teeth were adjusted slightly in both coloration and size, causing her parents to marvel at the possibilities in a dental practice. The major body changes that would occur along with her age change, would make her existing clothing both impractical and uncomfortable, as her still 16-year old form had not quite finished developing in some crucial areas. As her headmaster attempted to explain this, his face turned red and Mrs. Granger had to come to his rescue. Hermione understood her explanation quite readily. When they were ready to make the changes, she excused herself to the downstairs bathroom with the appropriate garments to maintain propriety.
Finally, Miss Harmony June Puckle, candidate for the Assistant Charms Professorship at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, stood in the hall next to her trunk, a slightly-modified Time Turner around her neck. As a 16-year old Hermione, she had been beautiful in a quiet way. However, the 26-year old Harmony was more striking in her appearance. As she looked in a mirror, she thought "I could get used to this. Cho, eat your heart out!"
As Albus was putting the finishing touches on his letter of recommendation and note to himself, Mrs. Granger commented, "Now, how did you come up with that name, dear?"
"Well, I've always been tired of people mispronouncing my first name, but I didn't want to have to change my initials since I have engraved my personal items with HJ. Practical me, I never added a third initial since I didn't know what it would be when I grew up," she said with a grin. "Harmony, obviously, is a mixture of Harry and Hermione in honor of the subject of my quest, and it is easy for people to remember. June is close enough to Jane and lets me keep my middle initial, not to mention 'Harmony June' sounds so…American, and Puckle is because…well, I don't know, really. It just sort of came to me out of the blue." (The three "true adults" in the room also noticed that her new initials were now exactly the same as Harry's, but they didn't let on.)
"Ready, Miss…Puckle?" Albus said. "According to my calculations," he said, once again consulting his unique pocket watch, "you need to set the coarse adjustment lever I have attached to the time turner to a year offset of -5. Then, on the fine adjustment dial, advance the setting to the 31st of August at 9:00 AM to get you to the right day and time. This will be much easier and more accurate than trying to turn it the appropriate number of times as you used to have to do for small displacements. When you verify that you have arrived at the correct time, take the Knight Bus from here to the Leaky Cauldron. I'm sure you have enough sickles of the appropriate date in your trunk to pay the fare. When you get to London, go to Gringotts with this key, and withdraw the funds you think you will need to tide you over before your receive your first pay from your new position. This is my personal account, so I trust you'll be reasonable in your expenditures," he chuckled slightly. "The goblins will not be suspicious, as they know I have a history of using others to handle my financial affairs. Next, go to the Diagon Alley Post Office and send an owl to me at Hogwarts with this letter and note attached. I have sealed them in a way that my earlier self will recognize, and only he...I…whatever, will be able to open them. Rent a room for the night at the Leaky Cauldron. If all goes well, you will receive a return letter straightaway with your appointment to the Assistant Charms Professorship, and a pass to allow you to travel on the Hogwarts Express with the students the next morning. You know what to do from there, I take it?"
"Well, yes and no," 'Harmony' grinned. "Since you have implied strongly that I will have to 'play it by ear', I don't have a lot to go on." But, yes, I get the general idea. Go back in time, keep an eye on Harry, protect both of my selves, ruin Voldemort's evil plot, and help Harry save the world from the powers of darkness. No problem at all," she smiled cheekily. Her inherent Gryffindor bravery was showing through, and she was actually beginning to look forward to the adventure she was about to undertake.
Mr. Granger couldn't wait any longer. "Sweetheart, be careful. We love you, and we hope to see you, and Harry, back in one piece immediately if Albus is correct." Tears were in both of the Granger's eyes, and they gave their daughter a big hug, first as a group, and then individually, with kisses all around. During this time, Albus' eyes were glistening also, and he found himself examining a rather interesting hair that was sticking out of Crookshanks' ear.
They went outside on the front porch, since it wouldn't do to have a stranger show up in the middle of the Granger living room uninvited. As they looked out on the eerily quiet, battle-scarred neighborhood, 'Miss Puckle' said, "Normally I'd say take care of Crookshanks and Hedwig for me, but I guess that isn't necessary since I won't be gone long at all, will I?", as she set the dial on the Time Turner to the correct indications. See you in a flash!" And, firmly grasping the handle of her trunk, she released the catch on the side of the time turner and it began to spin rapidly.