Chapter Text
"I am going to lock you in. It is -" Dumbledore consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."
"Good luck?" Harry repeated, as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"
But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath a very long, very fine gold chain.
"Harry, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"
Harry turned towards her, completely bewildered. She was holding the chain out. He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.
"Here- "
She had thrown the chain around his neck, too.
"Ready?" she said breathlessly.
"What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost.
Hermione ignored him, now engaged in turning the hourglass over, muttering, " Just in case-" and looking contemplative. She started turning the hourglass- one, two, three, now four- and out of control it felt, with the hourglass slipping from her sweaty fingers. It turned and turned as Hermione gave a dismayed cry, trying to regain control and in that moment, Ron's muddled voice and cry of alarm pulled her thoughts.
He was lumbering towards her bow, staggering from the pressure of excess pain and just as he managed to get a hold of Harry- who looked mystified and befuddled- the world beneath the three of them seemed to give away.
The dark ward dissolved. Harry had the sensation hat he was flying, very fast, backwards. A blur of colours and shapes rushed past him; his ears were pounding. He tried to yell but couldn't hear his own voice; couldn't feel anything but Ron's hand gripped tightly onto his sleeve-
And then he felt solid ground beneath his feet, and everything came into focus again-
He was standing on the border of the forbidden forest with a disgruntled Hermione and barfing Ron, where the slivers of sunlight wove into the dusk, turning into wisps of pink and orange that merged into the fading sun.
"Hermione! Where are we? " Harry burst out, now completely gone, blinking as if he were in a dream. "How are we here? The hospital wing- "
"Do be quiet for a while Harry! Let me figure out where we are!" Hermione replied back, looking cross. "This is Hogwarts, alright. But where is Hagrid's hut?" she mused.
Harry and Ron- who had recovered and was now perilously wobbling on one one foot, his bandaged leg a few inches above the ground - shared a look.
"Oh! The time-turner! It's shattered!" Hermione cried out, wringing her hands out in despair. And so it was. The hourglass was shattered and the sand has spilt out, the golden chain no longer around their necks. "It must have been during the journey!"
"Hermione- " Harry started.
"Oh shut it!" Hermione almost snarled, bent on her knees and looking at the object.
"There's someone here! Hermione!" Ron said, exasperated with her behaviour.
"What? Oh no! What are to do? Ok, both of you keep mum while I figure what's happening, " she said, smoothing over her robe.
"Who are you? What are you doing here? " a sharp voice called out. The approaching figure wearing slytherin robes and looking very intrigued indeed.
"Oh! Well, you see- We seem to have lost our way! We were trying to use a portkey but clearly, it malfunctioned. We ended up here, near the forest and castle. May I know where we are exactly? " Hermione asked, her tone taking on a scared yet composed quiver.
"Well, since you are wearing Hogwarts robes, you must know where you are! But never mind, I'll tell you. You're at Hogwarts of course! " the boy answered, his face a perfect mask of confusion.
"Is this Hogwarts! What a magnificent castle!" Hermione exclaimed in awe, not betraying her previous knowledge of the castle. The boy smiled.
"It is. Are you students here or refugees from the war? I've certainly never seen you before," he asked, with a slight smile.
"Refugees in some manner, I suppose. Could we please see the headmaster? We need to speak to him, " Hermione asked.
"I will guide you to his office. I notice you've not given me your names, " the boy responded.
"I'm Hermione. And this is Harry, and Ron. What's your name? " she introduced.
"Your friend seems to be ill and the other wounded. Are you alright? " the boy asked, courteously.
"Harry! What's the matter? You seemed fine just a while ago," Hermione asked worriedly.
Harry was looking frightfully ill and clutching his scar. Ron as beside him, leaning on Harry for support while looking distraught. Hermione nearly hit herself. How could she have forgotten about them! She held her hand to his forehead, checking for a rise in his temperature.
"Hermione! Ron! That's Voldemort! " Harry exclaimed softly. Then he fainted.
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"Mr. Riddle! Where have you been? Your classmates have been most worried about your disappearance. And who is it in your arms!" a voice called out as they entered the castle. Harry was being carried by the boy while Ron took Hermione's support walking to the castle. They had had no choice but to follow the charming man they now knew as Voldemort inside after Harry had lost consciousness.
"Professor Slughorn. Pardon my tardiness but as I was returning to the castle, I found these three persons near the forbidden forest. They aren't students of Hogwarts and seem to have lost their way while transmuting through a malfunctioning portkey. They asked to meet Headmaster Dippet and I thought it would be appropriate to guide them to his office, " Riddle answered, giving his professor a small smile of worry.
"You're truly kind, my boy! As for these children, let me take them to Headmaster Dippet. You enjoy the feast," Professor Slughorn replied jovially.
"Thank you professor. Let me take my leave. I hope to see you again. And where shall I take the boy, sir?" Riddle asked.
"Wingardium Leviosa. I'll manage, Tom. You go," the professor said and levitated Harry behind him as he gestured for the duo to follow him.
"I think a visit to the hospital wing would be most prudent. Your leg needs looking after lad and the young lady seems alright. I'll call the headmaster right away as you get your wounds treated," the old man said as they approached the hospital wing.
He lay Harry gently on a bed as the matron came over, fussing over Ron who seemed faint, too. Soon after, hurried footsteps could be heard and the doors opened as an old man in robes, accompanied by a startlingly young Dumbledore.
"Who is it, Slughorn? " the old man asked as he looked at Hermione who grimaced in return.
"Three refugees by the look of it. Young Tom Riddle found them by the forest. They seem to have had a mishap," Slughorn replied.
Dumbledore and the man accompanying him looked at them and shook their heads sorrowfully.
"The war has claimed so many lives. Well, who are you my dear?" the old man asked.
Hermione had already come up with their new identities, after realising where she was truly and after having gazed at the copy of the daily prophet by Harry's bedside. The 1940s. They had ended up so far back in the past that even she didn't know what to do. She would have to explain everything to Harry and Ron of course but later, when they woke. Harry was still unconscious and Ron had drifted to sleep under a powerful sleeping draught. She shook her thoughts away and gave a sad smile.
"I'm Hermione Graner and my friends here are Ronald Weasley and Harry. We were touring in France with our parents and the blitz caught up to us. Our parents were killed but they had managed to make a portkey with their remaining magic, to Hogwarts. We heard of Hogwarts and its defence and they thought we would be safe here, " Hermione said, tinging her voice with sadness and letting her suppressed horror take effect in the form of tears.
"We're sorry for your loss. Hogwarts shall ever be open to all those in need of it and I see you're already in possession of our robes," the old man- who Hermione had assumed was Dippet- said softly.
"Yes. We've wanted to attend Hogwarts for a long time and since our parents wanted to homeschool us, they got us these robes to pacify us," Hermione sniffled.
The three men exchanged a look amongst themselves and Dippet raised his wand, muttering a spell as Hermione gave in to sleep. The last thing she heard was "Rest for now my dear. We'll confer tomorrow."
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Morning dawned softly and the castle bathed in warm sunlight streaming through the cracks in the curtains. The chirping of the birds and the sound of students entering the great hall filled the quiet corridors. In the hospital wing, three silhouettes of the trio could be seen huddling up as Hermione gave them a brief idea on their new identities.
"But Hermione, why don't I have a last name and why does Ron keep his name? It's risky," Harry asked.
"Well, you're an orphan so its harder to place you and the Weasleys have a lot of relatives who have been removed from the family tree. As for me, I'm muggle and no one's going to bother to check the name out when the war's wiped out bloodlines entirely, " Hermione responded.
The other two nodded and Hermione shook her head exasperatedly. Then, recalling something, she turned to Harry and asked, " What did you mean about Riddle being Voldemort?"
Harry looked dazed and then with a tired frown explained the fact.
"Remember the diary I wrote in during the fiasco of the Chamber? The diary belonged to Tom Marvolo Riddle and then in the chamber I met him, and he rearranged his name to Lord Voldemort. That's what I'm talking about. He is Voldemort. I'm sure of it. That evil prick! "
"No! We can't kill him here Harry. We'd go to Azkaban and there's no guarantee that he is that Voldemort. We need to research about him and see if there's been a killing yet. Let's wait, " Hermione said, the creases in the forehead deepening and her eyes filled with worry.
"No we should kill the slimy git. He killed Harry's parents Hermione! He's the most wicked dark wizard and if we kill him, all those lives he took will be saved! " Ron burst out angrily, his face turning the shade of his hair.
"Ron, get it in your head! We'd go to AZKABAN and stay with the dementors! We don't want to do that. And the time-turner's broken. We need a plan of action and I've got one. First we need to fix the time- turner and then, depending on how Riddle is by then, we decide whether to- "
The sound of footsteps approaching cut Hermione off as a look of panic flitted across her face and she leaped to her bed; Ron following her in the same fashion. The three of them tucked themselves under their blankets and closed their eyes, pretending to be asleep. The footsteps got louder and the three of them waited with bated breath, trying to minimize any sound they made.
The doors opened - Dippet, Dumbledore and the professors entered the room, muttering amongst themselves.
"I think they should stay at Hogwarts. They've got nowhere else to go!" "Oh the poor children! We must do something, "
"Let them decide for themselves. I don't think they're any harm to the school, "
The voices quietened as they realised the trio were still in bed.
"Of course, they must be tired after the ordeal and they have been most gravely wounded. The poor blighters! Hush you all. Let us wake them up with some peace surrounding them. They must've been terrified! We really must do something about the war," a soft voice laden with pity said.
The three were 'woken' up and Hermione blearily blinked her eyes, pretending to be exhausted.
"My dears, let me introduce the staff, " Dippet said. "I am the headmaster of this school. You many call me Headmaster Dippet and this here- with whom I met you last night- is Professor Dumbledore, the transfiguration professor. There's Professor Kettleburn , the Care of Magical Creatures teacher and Professor Slughorn, of course, you met him last night. Professor Merrythought- the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Madam Ignatia- the matron. The others are in classes right now."
The three of them nodded, a bit caught up with the names of the different professors. After all, they only recognized one of them.
"Are you alright my dears? I've healed you to the best of my ability but you may yet be tired for I cannot heal your mental fatigue. Are you alright for a discussion now?" Madam Ignatia asked.
They nodded again.
"Well then, I shall get straight to the point. Do you wish to pursue your education here at Hogwarts? " Dippet asked with a kindly smile.
"Of course. We would be so very glad to! " Hermione said beaming. The others agreed.
The professors smiled and after a while left. The three of them gave each other tiny smiles, worried for the future but excited and ready to fulfill their plan. They failed to notice Dumbledore's disapproving glance at Dippet as he left.
Whew! Chapter 1 done! This is the longest I've ever written and I'm so excited to have you accompany me in this journey. I hope you all liked this and please comment. I love reading the comments. Thank you for your time and of course, Harry Potter belongs to JKR but this story is entirely my own creation with her characters! See you all in the next chapter!