The Pauper's Time by Jardyn39
Chapter 5: The Lady
Harry woke slowly, realising he was cold and stiff from lying for some time on the wet grass. He looked around and rolled over, pushing himself to his knees. He wondered thickly how long he had been unconscious, and realised it must have been for some time. It was now night.
Hermione was lying next to him and beginning to stir.
"You okay?" he whispered.
"Yes, I think so."
Harry looked up into the clear night sky and the canvas of stars. It was a full moon.
Harry scanned the horizon looking for the castle. There was no sign of it.
"Um, Hermione? I thought we'd move in time, not distance. I wondered if we had come to a time before Hogwarts, but this doesn't look like the clearing either."
"Well, no. I read that because of the movement of the planets, long term time travel would probably result in moving as well."
"How do we tell where we are?"
"When is probably the more pertinent question."
"How so?"
"Well, did Carmen stay here or did she travel back further?"
"You mean to meet someone that could help her? Like Gryffindor?"
"Exactly."
"How long before the plant flowers again, do you think?"
Hermione was studying the small plant.
"Could we take it with us?" suggested Harry.
"No," she said firmly. "We don't know what it needs to make it flower and it might just die."
"Good point," he agreed.
"Looking at these flower buds, I would say we have until tomorrow morning. There is only one more bud, so I imagine the flower will vanish from here after it flowers."
"Okay, let's see if we can find some traces of civilisation. Maybe someone remembers seeing Carmen."
"Are you sure? I'm only guessing really."
"Your guess will do fine," Harry replied smiling and taking her hand.
They found a rutted cart track a few yards away and took a chance on the direction to walk in after marking their location with a discrete pile of stones.
They walked in silence for a few minutes.
"What's wrong, Harry?"
"I just keep wondering what Dumbledore will say when he finds out. I feel I've let him down."
"Well, I suspect he knew what your decision would be before you even knew you would have a choice."
"How?"
"I'm only guessing, but it I was him, I would have demanded to know the other Prophecies about Carmen. They would give some clue as to what will happen. Anyway, if he knew the outcome, he might influence your decision."
"So Carmen might make it back?"
"Not necessarily," Hermione said sadly. "She may just influence our future from her time."
*
"What's wrong now, Harry?"
"It's this stupid nappy thing. It itches and it won't stay up!"
"It isn't a nappy, Harry!" said Hermione laughing. "It's a pity Dobby didn't have time to check your precise undergarment requirements before we left."
"Payback time, isn't it?" he asked smiling. Despite the itching, Harry felt better than he had in years. He was free of Voldemort and his scar felt like normal skin again.
"I don't know what you mean," replied Hermione, still smiling.
"Well, come on. You spend the whole time that Saturday trying not to scratch."
"I'm sure we'll both get used to it after a few years. Or, perhaps you could consider it extra motivation to get us home."
"These outfits had better be for the right time period. If we come across a dinosaur around that bend, I'll feel very stupid in this. If I have to fight dinosaurs with an itch, I won't be pleased."
"We are following cart tracks, Harry. I don't think there will be any dinosaurs!"
*
Harry was just wondering if the track would ever come to an end, when Hermione suddenly held out an arm to stop him. Harry silently followed Hermione as she left the track and climbed up a small mound from which they had a good vantage point.
Hermione pointed ahead.
There stood a small stone cottage. Lights could be seen burning through the small window slits.
"I wonder what year this is," whispered Hermione.
They suddenly heard a muffled scream from inside the house. It sounded like a female voice.
Fearing it was Carmen, Harry set off at once at full tilt, ignoring Hermione's whispered pleas.
He ran through the yard at the front and kicked the door open. Still panting heavily he entered, wand outstretched.
In the middle of the room on the straw covered floor was a quivering mound of rags. Above her, two heavy set men in chain mail and ill fitting helmets were standing. They didn't look up.
"If you know what's good for you," said one, "you'll keep quiet or we'll 'ave you accused of witchcraft."
Before Harry could react the other kicked her. Before her cry of pain had subsided though, both the men had been stupified. It was only then that Harry wondered why they hadn't looked up when he'd kicked the door in. They must have been expecting someone.
He turned and with a shock of horror saw a third man entering through the door, his sword out.
There was a red flash and soon he too was sprawled out on the floor.
"Thanks," said Harry with a small smile.
"No problem," Hermione answered, going over to the woman now getting up from the floor.
"What have you done?" the old woman cried in anguish. "Don't you know what will happen to us when her Ladyship find out some of his guard have been attacked. She's hung people just for laying a hand on one before."
"Don't worry," said Hermione gently, helping her up, "they won't remember a thing."
"We're looking for a friend of ours," said Harry while Hermione inspected the unconscious men. "She's about nine years old and her name's Carmen."
The woman remained silent but her eyes grew wide as she looked at the two new strangers in her home.
Harry was just wondering what she could find so curious about them, when the warmth of the room appeared to reach his nostrils. The stench was quite unbelievable although not surprising considering the livestock that shared the living area. Even the woman appeared to have rolled around in dung, perhaps to improve the smell.
*
"I do wish we'd learned to Apparate," Harry said in a whisper as they crouched behind the last of the undergrowth in front of the castle.
"I told you at the DA, it is too dangerous to try to learn without proper tuition," she whispered back.
"We have to find a way in."
Harry looked out at the moon lit castle. Although not big, its moat and high walls were impressive enough. The drawbridge was raised and he could just make out flickering lights in the watch towers.
As he watched, the castle faded into darkness as a heavy storm cloud moved in front of the moon.
Hermione was watching the storm cloud intently, deep in thought.
"I wonder," she breathed. Then she turned back to Harry and whispered urgently, "We need to hurry. I'm worried that the plant may be affected by a lightning strike. I remember a flash when we went."
"No, I want to check here first," replied Harry. He couldn't explain why, but something about the castle made him feel drawn there.
"How are we going to get in, though?"
"I have no idea. What is that?"
They listened in silence as a small group moved towards the castle on foot dragging a wheeled cart behind them.
They were the group of three guards that they had stunned earlier and from the sound of their raucous singing and laughing, they were now very drunk.
Harry waited for them to pass before signalling to Hermione. He took out the invisibility cloak, covered them both and followed. Harry's plan was to try and get into the back of the cart.
Harry supposed it was as good a plan as any. The three men were so drunk it might work, after all.
They crept up behind the cart, which was now moving slowly and wandering a little on the wider path that approached the entrance. They were now very glad of the darkness afforded by the approaching storm clouds.
Harry leaned on the back of the cart and made to hoist himself up. Unfortunately, he immediately realised that his weight applied to the back of the cart could be felt by the two men trying to pull it along in the front.
"Was 'hat?" said one.
"Wot?" replied the other, apparently oblivious to the strange movements the cart was attempting to make.
Harry gently released his weight and he and Hermione continued their approach behind the castle.
From somewhere out in front, the third guard hailed the castle.
Harry and Hermione instinctively crouched down, listening to the argument. For a long while it looked like the men, who had been expected back hours ago, would not be let in.
The three of them had a short drunken discussion as to what to do if they were refused entry. It sounded like they should have remembered that the drawbridge was raised at sunset and not lowered again until dawn.
They were about to turn when the drawbridge started to come down.
One of the guards inside shouted, "Hurry up. Her Ladyship wants a word with you three."
The cart stopped abruptly.
The man out front appeared to sober up instantly hearing those words and said, "We don't need to disturb her Ladyship. We'll stay outside."
Harry could hear the other two agreeing.
"Get inside, now," said a cold new voice.
*
They followed the three drunkards as closely as possible. Fortunately they were incapable of hurrying, although the realisation of who they were about to see appeared to be sobering them up rather quickly.
They trudged though a series of dimly lit stone passages until they entered a large hall. Straw covered the timber floor and tapestries covered the rough stone walls. The high ceiling was cloaked in darkness.
Ahead a large roaring fire dominated the room.
The three stopped and stood in line in the middle of the room, each struggling not to sway so much and nervously looking around.
A woman swept out of a side door and all three bowed at once, obviously terrified.
She was tall and slim and wore her grey hair high making her look even more imposing. Her deep blue gown had a high turned up collar making her look quite out of place.
"Welcome," she said loudly without smiling.
Two of the guards looked at each other and shrugged. The third just passed out and collapsed onto the floor.
"Um, thank you, my Lady," one of the guards struggled to say.
"Not you, idiot. Both of you remove that one at once. If I catch you this drunk again while on duty you will pay dearly. Be thankful I'm in a forgiving mood this evening. Now, leave us."
"Us?" said the other guard.
The other nudged him roughly and the two of them dragged the other out of the hall, both clearly thankful to have escaped intact.
Harry stood still.
The woman smiled to herself and went over to a large cabinet where she poured three glasses from a fine decanter.
When they heard the door slam shut, she said, "That's a rather nice cloak you have there. A friend of mine had one once when I was a child. Won't you join me for some refreshments?"
Realising they were caught, Harry lifted off the cloak, folded it and placed it carefully inside their bag.
For a moment the woman just stared at them both in wonder.
"I'd forgotten how young you both were," she breathed.
They approached and as Harry got closer, he recognised her eyes.
"Carmen? Is that really you?" he asked.
"There's no simple answer to that question, I'm afraid," she said handing them each a glass. "I am Carmen, but I'm not your Carmen. See?"
She held up a delicate cuff and a tiny golden snake popped its head out. It was incredibly golden now.
"You see, I'm from your futures. I came back here originally to wait for you. That was several years ago, and I rather like having this place as a kind of retreat. It's a much simpler existence, once you get used to the smell. Please, take a seat."
They sat and sipped their drinks.
"So, um, where's our Carmen?" asked Harry.
"Safe but rather afraid. I'll send you to her shortly."
"You can move through time?" asked Hermione. "Did you leave the watercolour and the blanket?"
"Yes, I was trying to correct things. You see, this is all my fault. If I hadn't tried to stop Carmen finding that plant, she would never have become trapped."
"What happened?" asked Harry.
"Well, I was there the afternoon Carmen disappeared. I waited for her up in her bedroom. All I needed to do was delay her for a few minutes. I knew she would dash upstairs to get her book before going out into the garden. That was when I saw the watercolour. I always loved that painting but the backing stopped you from seeing the proper view. I removed the tape and the frame came away.
"Then I realised, to my horror, that Carmen already had her book. I dropped the frame and Apparated outside. She was close enough to examine the plant but in no danger, but I think the popping sound made her jump. She completely forgot about the plant and moved away from me, clearly sensing danger. At that moment the plant caught her and she was off."
"Did you remember wrong, or were things actually different?" asked Hermione.
"I honestly don't know. I was sure at the time, but it was many, many years ago."
"Why did you want to stop her going, anyway?" asked Harry.
Tears were forming in Carmen's eyes, but she didn't answer.
"Okay," he said gently, "it doesn't matter. Whatever happened, happened. How do we get our Carmen back?"
Carmen composed herself and asked, "You have the book?"
Hermione fished it out of the bag and handed it to her.
"Wonderful. I knew he'd do this for us."
Carmen lovingly caressed the cover.
"Godric," she mused with a smile. "He was so sweet. We had kind of a tryst. I broke up with him though. He would keep going on these gallant adventures. I wouldn't mind, but he would insist on my remaining at home. He was rather old fashioned like that.
"You know? We started seeing each other after I beat him in a duel, using a few moves you taught me, Harry!"
She took a quill and wrote a message inside the front cover.
"You must take this book to Carmen. This message will confirm what she has to do. I say confirm, because this was her plan from the beginning."
Carmen offered the book to Harry but he didn't take it.
"You've seen our future," he said. "What happens with Voldemort?"
"No, Harry," interrupted Hermione. "We mustn't know that. It would affect what we do."
"She's right," said Carmen sympathetically. "But actually, I couldn't answer anyway."
She stood and drew out her wand.
"Please stand and hold each other's hand tightly. It will be a little bumpy at the other end. Please don't tell Carmen about Godric or the children."