"How can you explain what Lucy did?" Henry asked. Ron listened intently.
Hermione Potter quickly intervened, "We have every reason to believe it was someone disguised to look like Luna, the woman you know as Lucy."
"In our world, we have found reason to believe someone or something has been manipulating people in various realities. We, Hermione and I, have discovered evidence to this, and if you will keep an open mind, you can read it for yourself," Harry added. He reached into his pack and retrieved a pair of old manuscripts.
"I'd like to have a glance at those too, if you bloody well don't mind," Ron interjected.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, as far as we know only we, or our family members can read this, it's written in Parseltongue," Harry added, and handed both books to his counterpart.
"Parseltongue? There's no such thing," Henry replied.
"Yes, actually, it is an ancient language only a few can understand," Hermione hissed.
Henry paused a moment and reflected, "You said before she was in love with me, and now you say someone else was disguised as Lucy, and she knows all about it. Why? I don't believe someone is manipulating everyone."
"Harry," Hermione continued in Parseltongue, "she was about to ruin her life, I won't let her do that."
"How? You've not given me any shred of evidence," he hissed back.
"She was about to admit you have a daughter, with her. Ron believes she's his and we have to preserve that illusion for them. Harry and I have a daughter too, and a son. Our Annie is exactly the same as her daughter. She's the reason we're here," Hermione replied in hisses.
"A daughter?" he shouted in Parseltongue.
"Yes, it's quite complicated, but…" Harry started.
"Where is she, I want to see her for myself," he demanded and stood taking an offensive posture.
"Easy, mate. There's no call to get upset, she's not here. She's back home in Britain, and we must return and hunt out the root cause of all this," Harry hissed back.
"Ron has no idea. Hermione, his wife, has been distraught over this for a very long time," Hermione hissed.
"If you three don't mind?" Ron snapped again.
"Sorry Ron," Harry replied in English. "Harry, read the books, and hopefully you will be able to see what's happened."
"What is he blabbering about?" Henry asked quite annoyed.
"You three were hissing at each other, Parseltongue," Luna replied.
Henry shook his head still disbelieving these events. "Bloody hell," he sighed and flipped open the smaller of the two manuscripts.
He scanned the first couple pages, turning each page rather violently, and continued to shake his head in disbelief. The book he held appeared to be significantly older then the larger, thicker one.
"This is rubbish, you expect me to believe this?"
"We too, had our doubts, but it fits. Years ago I was told a similar story from a different and slightly twisted point of view. He actually believed he was one of them," Hermione Potter replied.
Ron stood, visibly agitated at being excluded, "If you don't mind, hand it here," he demanded. Henry complied and handed the book over. Ron opened to the first page, and all he could see were indecipherable squiggles and lines, none remained still on the page. After flipping through the pages, he tossed it to the table.
"Ron, I did tell you that you wouldn't be able to read it," Harry said, and picked up the book and handed it to Hermione.
She began to read and translate for all to hear.
Mission Log - TEAM 1205
Operators
- Aurellia of the House of Hoth
- Wolfgar of Ruusan
- Sorcath of Falleen
Note: with the sensitivity of this mission and the inherent dangers, I have been asked by my team leader to translate these directives and destroy the original to prevent accidental disclosure.
Sorcath of Falleen
Operational Orders from the Council on Prisoner Confinement
Team designated 1205 will consist of three members tasked to monitor and contain prisoner number 335525 for crimes against past and future humanity and the Continuum. His confinement shall remain in a state capable of containing him, and will continue until such time his special abilities have been rendered ineffective and he is incapable of interference with Continuum dealings.
Precautions must be maintained to prevent additional temporal interference created by the convict, and to restrict access to the portal to prevent accomplice or accidental involvement. To this end, this team has been selected based on their past experiences as a team and their immunity to the prisoner's specific abilities.
Team 1205 will be granted permission to use any and all force necessary in respect to the prisoner.
Signed by the High Council of Twelve
She paused at this point, for the others to absorb the information.
"So, this doesn't prove a thing," Henry argued.
"No, this is only the start," Harry replied." Read the rest, Hermione."
Transcript from Organizational Conference - Team 1205, in attendance with the Councilor Magistrate and the Consular Tribune for prisoner number 335525.
This conference is to ensure the rights of the convict and his humane confinement for the remainder of eternity. The success of the late Lord Hoth in bringing the end of the civil war instigated by the prisoner will not be marred by the resurrection of the revolt by the prisoner.
The loss of Emrys has left a void in our world. Until now, the council has been unable to find the just sentence for his brother, Wyllt, also know as Caledonensis. He shall be sent into The Chamber once it has has been readied for his banishment, this to be watched by the members of Team 1205, and their successive descendants.
"Emrys? Wyllt?" Ron asked disbelievingly. "Made up names if you ask my opinion."
"No, not made up; real people that lived and unless I'm mistaken, quite important to our history," Hermione Weasley added.
"Right," Harry agreed. "Would you care to explain? Ron and 'Henry' might believe it if you tell them."
"Nearly five-hundred years before Hogwarts was created, or so the legend reads, a man named began a movement with a Romano-British leader named 'Artorius' or 'Arturius' to force the Romans from England. Many of our laws originated from him, once he wore the crown," Hermione Weasley told Ron and Henry.
"Legends and myths, nothing definitive," Ron argued.
"No, verified fact; w e have additional documentation and information gained in a chance meeting with the man referenced as the prisoner," Hermione Potter replied regaining control of the lesson. "And this source is beyond reproach. Apparently, some time in the future he was captured and the team described in this book had accepted the duty of maintaining his confinement."
Hermione Weasley leaned to Ron and whispered a name to him, sending a wave of disbelief through his entire being.
"Him?" Ron asked, his face showed pure shock and horror.
Both Hermiones nodded, with Hermione Potter replying, "Yes, him. You can see our urgencey and need to maintain an illusion of only seeking Horcruxes."
"The obvious conclusion we've derived from this book," Harry added to refocus the conversation, " is they failed in the future and their prisoner escaped to return to a past era. They followed him, but as it seems they failed to track him or find him."
"And how do you derive that hypothesis?" Henry asked.
"This book has details of this team's effort in dealing with him, but the second volume is more of a historical journal of the time this team came from. There was a war detailed, and mentioned in this transcript, that seems to have mirrored the Wizarding War of our generation," Harry said. "However the results of that conflict included the Muggles as well."
"This is all fine, but I fail to see how any of this explains what has happened here, and what's this nonsense with the future?" Henry asked.
"Sorry, we've both read this so many times, the additional facts this fellow Sorcath wrote about are almost common knowledge to us," Hermione replied apologetically.
"The point here," Harry added, "is this information is proof that seemingly insignificant incidents and actions by others may well have been instigated by another being, namely the prisoner 335525. I won't say that every incident in history was caused by him, but the evidence we've seen showed he may be responsible for certain events that have plagued each of us, especially my issues with the Riddle family that extended for generations."
Hermione flipped through several pages of the manuscript, "Those next pages simply detailed this team's activities over a few years, without incident. However, almost five years later, if I calculated the times correctly, they noticed temporal inconsistencies. Historical alterations from what they themselves remembered, as if certain past events were re-written. That's when this log changed."
Log date 2561677.03127 14 July, 2301 12:45:02
Inquiries have been made from unknown sources of subject's status. Permission to release status has been refused.
Log date 2561682.8649 20 July, 2301 08:45:27
Subject has active within the chamber, subject may be attempting to devise a means of escape.
Log date 2561693.93179 31 July, 2301 10:21:47
Subject escaped. Reports of random acts of violence reported within the city. Additional reports of temporal errors based on Team 1205 knowledge. A conference is scheduled with the Council of Twelve for this afternoon.
Log date 2561694.24406 31 July, 2301 17:51:27
Ordered by the Council of Twelve to track subject and return him to confinement. We will remain in the era and endeavor to correct temporal deviations caused by subject.
Log date 2561694.29869 31 July, 2301 19:10:07
Preliminary plan for each member to begin independent searches within time frames to bracket identified temporal deviations. Current points identified include following years: 497AD, 992AD, 1479AD, 1996AD, 2021AD. Wolfgar and Aurellia will investigate the first dates; I will join them in the third if they are unsuccessful. Our priority is clear; to prevent the subject from causing the death of two key historical figures.
Log date 2561694.50078 1 August, 2301 00:01:07
All attempts in the past have failed; rapid historical changes have forced me to remain here in exile within the safety of the Continuum until the vortex is synchronized with my metabolic differences. I have only one chance for a successful transfer, since under the best circumstances this procedure could be fatal to humans, but the risks are lower for my race. I have instructed the date be set for the first point of temporal deviation.
"Temporal deviations?" Henry asked in disbelief.
Harry nodded, "Hermione managed to decipher these dates; they are from the year 2301."
She continued the lesson, "These numbers indicate the number of days that have elapsed since January 1, 4713 BC., by a simple calculation we can derive the date referenced."
"And exactly how would you have figured that out? Was there a reference?" Luna asked.
Hermione shook her head, "No, it's quite simple once you eliminate any other possibility, with a number of more than two-and-a-half million, and since it clearly says 'log date', there are very few possibilities."
"So we have a book, written almost three hundred years from now? And they talk of 'deviations' that occurred fifteen hundred years ago. Yes, quite believable at that," Ron said sarcastically.
"No, that's not entirely correct. The first parts were drafted in that year, but the rest tells a different story. The remaining entries date back nearly fourteen hundred years ago," Hermione replied and flipped a couple pages.
Log date 1957393.29997 19 January, 647 AD 19:11:57
I arrived safely with the barest of supplies and personal effects. I was able to identify the temporal destination without revealing myself; however I arrived centuries off target. I must find the rest of the team and coordinate our efforts.
Log date 1957636.38115 19 September, 647AD 21:08:51
Reunited with Wolfgar near his home in Ruusan in what is called the province of Tyskland in this era. No contact with Aurellia by either of us so far. Wolfgar reported arriving in the incorrect date as well. His research identified our calculations were correct but we have no idea why we both missed the target dates.
"So, this Wolfman fellow," Ron began.
"Wolfgar," Hermione Potter corrected.
"Right, this Wolfgar fellow was Russian?" Ron asked.
"No, I don't think so, German I believe. Tyskland was the ancient name for Prussia which is modern day Germany . This Ruusan may be a village in Germany that doesn't exist yet," Hermione Potter replied.
"Right, we tracked these details to that area and discovered medieval tales and folklore of a gifted wizard with a serpent-like familiar. We believe this was Wolfgar and Sorcath. We haven't been able to identify his home of 'Falleen' yet, but we're both convinced that may be the name of some future city," Harry added.
"The log further details how they spent centuries searching for evidence of their prisoner, and also eventually found their missing mate. What I found most intriguing was they all lived as immortals, until about one hundred years before Hogwarts was created. Sorcath wrote of Wolfgar and Aurellia leaving the group and having families at that time, while he continued the search on his own for several more years. The journal ceased about that time, we assume that was when he was killed," Hermione said, and closed the book.
The group remained silent for several minutes, the only sound came from the clock on the wall.
Tick… tick… tick… marked the passage of time.
Henry was the first to break the silence. "I still fail to see how any of this proves a thing you've claimed." He stood and placed the wand he had been absentmindedly fondling on the table. "Lucy, or Luna what ever your true name is; I expect you to have your things out of my house by morning. I'll spend the night in the 'Times'," he said and stormed out of the house; leaving the others to stare at the vacant seat.
"That went well," Ron drawled sarcastically.
After several moments, Hermione Weasley stood and ran out after Henry. He had just closed the cabin door on the boat by the time she reached the main path.
"Harry," she called, and stumbled onto the dock. "Harry please open the door," she begged.
"Go back to what ever life you people came from, and leave me alone," he yelled back.
She pulled her wand from her pocket, her hand shook as she tapped the lock. "No, I can't go back to that life, not without you," she sobbed and rushed to him. She anticipated his arms ready to catch her, just as those same arms held her so many years ago.
He stood still, as if she no longer existed. She ignored his resistance and threw her arms around his neck.
"Harry, I never stopped loving you, ever," she cried with her face buried in his shoulder.
"And what of your husband?" he snapped.
"I - I don't know what to do," she sobbed.
"You seemed so sure of yourself when you made me believe you were someone else. You seemed so sure of yourself when you decided to have my child. You seemed so sure of yourself when you left me alone, friendless on these islands," he ranted, and pushed her off.
She fell to her knees, and finally gave in to her emotions. "I never meant to hurt you."
"No, of course you didn't. No one ever intends to hurt someone they love. You were so wrapped up in your feelings and desires you never thought of me," he screamed.
She shook her head, "No, I tried to protect your wishes…" she began.
"'Protect my wishes?' Of course, so you just pop over here and disrupt my life, I spent four years looking for you, but there never was a record of you coming to the islands," he ranted.
"You… looked for me? Why?" she asked between gasps.
"I thought I was in love with you. Even after that other woman tried the same tactic you pulled, but… I've never been attracted to red-heads. When Lucy or Luna or what ever her name is came, I thought it was you, but I convinced myself you were only a dream. And now you and your friends have effectively destroyed all I believed. "He paused to catch his breath, "I want you all to leave this island, you've proven nothing to me."
She stood and wiped her cheeks, "No, Harry, I still love you," she said and wrapped her arms around him. Before he could protest, her lips covered his.
He resisted, but only for a moment before he responded to her advances, his lips hungrily attacked hers, his fingers lacing into her hair. This single moment bore through a lifetime of denial and years of longing.
His lips found the nape of her neck where he continued lavishing for several minutes. She allowed her blouse to slip from her shoulders leaving her bare from the waist up. Her only replies were the moans of pleasure she never knew in her marriage.
He pulled back and studied her face earnestly. "Hermione, I always loved you too, why do you think I wanted to leave?" he finally asked. "When you said you and Ron were to be married, I tried to move past us, but… I was too much in love with you," he whispered.
"You?" she breathed.
He nodded into her shoulder, her skin still moist from his kisses. "I couldn't tell you; that's why I asked you to help me forget. I wanted your eyes to be the last thing from that world I would see."
"You remember?" she asked shocked.
"Yeah, how could I forget your kiss? It haunted me for years," he said before he resumed on her neck.
"Harry," she whispered hoarsely, "I don't care anymore. I'd rather be happy for just a little while with you than go back to that life."
"No, that's not something I can allow. You belong with the family you brought into this world. I belong here, now," he said.
A soft knock on the door shattered the moment, forcing them apart.
"Yes?" Harry barked while Hermione covered herself.
"Sorry to interrupt, but we still have to talk, Harry. Are you up to it?" Hermione Potter asked from outside the cabin.
"Come in, if you must," Harry called out.
Hermione cautiously opened the cabin door and entered. She looked at the couple; her counterpart's cheeks were still moist and red from tears. She noticed her blouse out of place but chose not to comment.
"I came down to ask you both to help us. We…" she paused and wrinkled her brow. Without saying a word, she passed her hand over the buttons on Hermione Weasley's blouse, but without success. She glanced at her hand, and then used her wand to re-button the blouse.
"As I was saying, we need you both. Harry, if you remember what was said earlier, about Ann, we may need her to come too," Hermione Potter said.
"Why? Why us?" Harry asked.
"Actually, you and Ann, Harry, are essential to combat him. Hermione and I have a special ability that doesn't exist in others, one I doubt she has tapped. If we join our powers, we should have an adequate force to survive, if not actually defeat him," Hermione Potter said.
"So, we're all going to fly back tonight?" Hermione Weasley asked.
"Possibly, we have to be sure no one will suspect we've left the islands. We made certain we were observed arriving," she replied.
Harry looked at the woman he had just held, "Can you tell me about my daughter?" he asked.
Harry and Ron remained after both Hermiones had left; Luna too, had left presumably to pack. Ron stared at Harry, the minutes passed in weighted silence.
"So, what am I like in your world? A pathetic loser like I am here?" he asked.
"Actually you are my supervisor; you and Luna have a happy life and two great kids. Your son and my daughter have been dating since her birthday," Harry replied.
"How old are your children?" Ron inquired.
"Ben's twelve, and doing well in school. Even though he was sorted into Hufflepuff, he's seems to be fine with it," Harry said and paused.
"And your daughter?"
"She's just turned fifteen in May, but not as happy in school. We just had Professor McGonagall agree to let her transfer into Gryffindor," Harry replied, shaking his head as he spoke.
"So, where did that hat put her? Slytherin?" Ron joked lightly.
Harry's stare turned the joke to reality.
"The sorting hat wanted to put me there, but I talked my way into Gryffindor. Annie naturally assumed she'd be put there too," Harry replied.
"So your daughter is fifteen, interesting that's Ann's age," Ron said slyly. "A bit of a coincidence, eh?"
Harry blinked and realized he had been out maneuvered, "Right, just a coincidence," he finally said.
"Harry I want the truth. You and that other bloke are identical, my wife and your wife are also identical, I'd wager your wife has the same mole on her bum. Ann is really his daughter, isn't she?"
Harry nodded softly, "Yes, but you are the only father she's known. When we saw her, it was quite obvious. You know, Hermione even in my world has been able to keep her secrets from you, but you always managed to work out anything you needed to know from me," Harry said with a light grin.
"All I want to know is 'why?'" Ron muttered then fell silent.
Harry though for a moment, "Why did you let her leave then?" he asked.
"I didn't, she left and never told me," he replied.
"You didn't know she left? It was the summer of '08, she said she was gone a fortnight," Harry asked.
"I was at the World Quidditch cup the month of August, I had to support the team, I wasn't able to fly that year because of my accident," Ron said.
"Accident?"
"Yeah, I fell off my broom, it was a freak accident. I got hurt in the fall, but that's the risk of the game," he said with a shrug.
"Ron, did it ever occur to you it might not have been an accident? Your Hermione told my Hermione that she seemed overly upset at the time of your accident; she seemed out of character for her. And I've never known you to fall off your broom, accident or not, you always managed to hold on. I suspect this may be someone's doing," Harry said hurriedly. "Come on. We have to get back."
"Where? Ron asked as he stood.
"England, the Ministry, and then home," Harry said, he grabbed his bag and ran out to meet the others at the boat, Ron followed close behind.
"The Ministry?" Ron asked hastily as he followed Harry.
"We have to return, and face him," Harry said as his pace lengthened.
"Him, you've got to be kidding, how exactly to you propose to accomplish that? Hasn't he been dead for several hundred years?" Ron asked.
"Haven't you been listening? He commands time, so there's every chance he's out there-we just have to find him," Harry replied.
"That's like finding a needle in a bloody hayfield. How do you expect to accomplish that?"
"It's simple, how would you find a needle?" Harry asked.
"Levitate it and use Accio," Ron replied, his wheezing at the pace forced him to slow.
Harry stopped and turned, "And how would a Muggle do it?" he asked Ron.
"Don't know," he said catching up with Harry.
"They'd use a strong magnet, something to attract the target. That's what we'll have to do, use something to draw him out and face him," Harry answered. He turned to continue to the dock and paused to face Ron once more.
"I must have your word to never let on I told you about Ann. If 'he' suspects you know your lives were tampered we may lose the element of surprise," Harry asked.
Ron nodded his head grudgingly. "You've been honest with me, that's all I want. If Hermione had come to me when it happened I might have been able to understand. I swear to keep this secret even if she admits to me," Ron said. "You know I still love her."
"Yes, I know," Harry replied as they turned and stepped on the dock.
"About that book-I still don't get it. Why you? I can see that only you can read that book," Ron asked. At that moment, the door to the cabin opened.
"Ron," Hermione Potter replied, "We believe he's a descendant of Aurellia, I was told this in a… dream I had years ago."
"He can't be," Ron replied.
"I don't see how you can determine that," Harry said. The others left the confines of the cabin to join this new discussion.
"How much of that book is fact?" Ron replied.
"As far as we can determine, it's the most accurate depiction we have," Hermione Potter replied.
"And so now you have to find him and defeat him, right? Because you believe you're a descendant of this Aurellia," Ron surmised.
"What are you getting at, Ron?" Harry asked from the dock.
"You've always jumped to the first solution that came to mind; it got us all in trouble more than once," Ron replied.
"So, what's your conclusion?" Hermione Potter asked with interest.
"Have you discussed this with my counterpart from your world? You did mention he was your superior," Ron asked.
"No, we never had the chance," Hermione Potter replied.
"It's a simple mathematics, how many of you have you met?" Ron asked Harry.
"Two others, one didn't survive the encounter, and him. And one other was killed as a baby," Harry said nodding to his counterpart on the boat.
"Right, and there's two Hermiones we know of," Ron started.
"Four, that we know of," Hermione Potter interrupted.
"Four, and at least two of me, and we can then rule out our families. Plus we can rule out Dumbledore and other people we have in common, including He-Who-Must-Not-be-Named," Ron said.
"Voldemort," his wife interrupted.
"Right. Him. The point is who haven't you met a duplicate of? So far I think you've mentioned only two. That book said the team members were immune to the effects of time manipulation, so their direct descendants would also be immune. You and my Hermione both used a time turner, and…" Ron said.
"She's been sent to the past," Harry said pointing to his wife.
"There's one person that hasn't been found in the other realities, or haven't you looked?" Ron asked.
"Who?"
"This Abraham Kristiansen bloke you told me about when we were on the plane; there's no cavern under the remains of Azkaban, what you don't know is when the prison was destroyed in the war they didn't find a hidden cavern. This implies he never existed here; and if this reality is that close to yours, then he should have existed," Ron finished.
"So, you're implying Harry's not descended from Godric Gryffindor?" Hermione Potter asked.
"He may be… but not directly," Hermione Weasley added. "Any of us could have been related to any of the founders. We may never really know for certain."
"Then I would suggest verifying Kristiansen's existence in this world so we can rule him out," Hermione Potter added.
"As much as I hate to suggest this, but one of you has to return to the point of origin," Ron said.
"Point of origin?" Hermione asked.
"I had been thinking what's happened, and what you had said in the house; and hindsight being what it is, I realized every argument Hermione and I had, every time we were apart, neither of us were able to rationalize why," Ron replied.
"How do we find the point of Origin?" Hermione Potter asked.
"First you have to find the one reality where this began, then return to the exact moment all this began," Ron answered.
"Then that means 14 July, 2301, or just before. The journal implies someone had been inquiring about him, we need to find out who that was," Hermione replied.
"Correct-you have to find out how this began and why it's affected every reality. I would wager that there was only one common reality up until the point he went back in time; each modification he made created a different path and a splintered reality," Ron added. "Find the original reality by determining that one deviation that is not common, this Gnome fellow seems to be one, and venture to that reality's future."
"Time travel…" Hermione said reluctantly.
"Yes, to go back in time, you may find the answers there," Ron said. "If you use that pocket watch to return to your home; then use it to find the world Gnome's family came from and that's your starting point. I have no idea how you can find a time-turner to move that far into the past," Ron offered.
"Not a time-turner, but there is another means for time travel at home. We can use his own device against him, the time-portkey," Hermione said with optimism in her voice.
Harry shook his head, "No, you know how it's triggered. I won't pay that price."
"We'll have to find another way," Hermione replied.
"You've got to, or everything you've done would be for nothing. You have to return home as soon as possible," Ron said.
"Agreed, we should set out tonight," Harry said and crossed the dock to where the government launch remained hidden.
"You can't leave tonight, the reefs are not clearly marked for a night voyage," the local Harry replied.
"We'll have to take our chances and return to Tortola tonight, and with luck catch a Muggle flight home," Hermione Potter replied.
"Right, we expect you'll join us, we'll need all the help we can muster for this fight," Harry Potter said to his local counterpart.
"I can't promise I can help, but I will take you as far as the government pier," Harry replied. "If you have all you need, I suggest we leave within the half hour, I have to tend to Lucy."
"Luna-Luna Lovegood," they heard from the darkness on land. "I have all my things and won't return, if that's your wish." She added.
The sound of the twin engines of the 'Magical Times' roared to life, breaking the silence of the night. No one spoke; instead they remained in the cabin, leaving Harry to pilot his boat alone.
Hermione Potter sat at the small table of the galley and opened the log book, hoping for some clue they had missed, her husband sat at her side, pretending to inspect his rucksack's contents. Ron and his spouse sat at opposite ends of the sofa in silence, trying very hard not to look at each other. Luna remained below in the small stateroom she called her home when on the boat.
One man stood alone at the helm of the boat, the eerie green glow of the instruments was largely ignored. A constant blip of the screen was also drowned out by the sound of the twin diesel engines.
He maintained the speed and heading, monitoring his instruments as an afterthought, his mind occupied with the upheavals of the past few hours. The monotony of the trip was compounded by leaving in the dark,
"Blip… Blip… Blippppppp", the ignored radar sounded its warning, but his mind was elsewhere; still unseen in the distance, lay fate's hand.