Chapter 9: Past, Present, and Future

Chapter 9: Past, Present, and Future

"We need to speak to Professor Dumbledore," Harry said, barging into Sloan's room. Drake was there and they were drinking firewhisky and playing cards. Sloan turned and looked at the five of them. Hermione stepped up beside Harry.

"Why?" Sloan asked. He faced the teenagers and stretched. Harry looked from Hermione to Ron. Then he turned his gaze back to Sloan and Drake.

"It's really, really important, Sloan. It's about Voldemort," Harry said quickly. Sloan stared long and hard at him. Then he looked across the table to Drake. Drake was tapping the cards against the table, making a very annoying sound. Neville cringed at it. Sloan finally stood up and walked towards the group.

"Professor Dumbledore might be busy. I will call for him, though. He might not be able to come until tomorrow or the day after. What is it you must tell him?" Sloan asked. Harry looked at Aurora, who stepped closer to Harry. She looked up at Sloan with her head almost looking straight up.

"Before term started, I was attacked by a dementee-thingy," Aurora said quietly. Sloan raised an eyebrow. Then he looked back at Drake, who shrugged.

"A what?"

"A dementor. She can't say it correctly. Someone sent a dementor for Aurora, and it attacked both her and Neve," Hermione said. Sloan looked at Aurora, the look on his face asking if it was true. Aurora nodded. Sloan looked very thoughtful for a moment, and then pushed passed the quintet.

"I'll alert Dumbledore immediately. He's going to want to hear this story. Get to bed, all of you," Sloan said. Drake stood up, cracking his knuckles very loudly. The girls jumped and looked back at him. Drake was definitely not the friendliest person and took joy in scaring everyone. They immediately filed out of the room.

**********

Aurora went to the kitchen and looked down on Draco and Neve. They were still in the body bind. She shook her head and waved her hand. They sat up immediately, breathing hard. Glaring at each other, and then glaring at Aurora who waved sheepishly at them.

"Hello. Sloan said get to bed." And with that, Aurora was off. She heard Neve growl something illegible and then heard footsteps. Smiling to herself, Aurora thought how great it is to be a Soliopath.

**********

Later, Harry sat in Ginny's room, looking at her. Ron and Hermione had just left to do God-knows-what. Ginny's hair had grown, given the two months she'd been asleep. There had been no word from Dumbledore yet. Harry wasn't sure when the headmaster would come. Sloan hadn't given them any news. Suddenly, Harry was almost knocked out his chair.

Ginny sat up gasping and screaming. Her arms flailed about, and she tried to hit Harry. Harry stood up and backed away from her. He knew he should go get Aislin, but he just stood there. Ginny seemed not to recognize him. Harry stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders, forcing her back on her pillow. She kicked her legs and continued screaming. Her eyes were not focusing on anything. Her eyes were wide. She had almost no irises.

"GINNY! GINNY! FOCUS ON ME, GINNY! FOCUS!" Harry screamed. Suddenly, the screaming died down, and Ginny blinked once, twice, three times. Her pupils became smaller and her eyes drooped. She looked at Harry. He stared back, wondering if she was back to normal. "Ginny, are you ok?" he asked quietly. "Are you back?"

"Harry? What happened?" Ginny tried to sit up, but immediately decided against it. Harry released her and sat back in his chair. He was amazed that no one had come running. "Oi, my head hurts," Ginny moaned. Harry sighed with relief that that was the only thing that was bothering her. Dumbledore had said it was a common side effect.

"Oh, Ginny! Do you have any idea how much you've worried us? Do you have any idea how long you've been unconscious? You gave us all quite a scare," Harry said loudly. Ginny flinched a little.

"Ah, Harry...Please don't yell." Ginny looked over at him, bewildered. "Unconscious? How long?" she asked, looking extremely puzzled. Harry smiled back at her.

"For two months now. I was only out for about an hour," Harry said, staring off into space. Ginny's eyes widened once again, and then she rubbed her head. She propped up her pillow and leaned back against it, sighing in pain.

"Two bloody months! Are you serious?" she yelled, clearly not happy about it. Harry nodded meekly. "Ow. Yelling hurts. I must be so far behind. Wait a minute...how did we pass out?" she asked, looking pointedly at Harry. Harry flushed a little and looked down at his fingers.

"Well, to make a long story short...It turns out that we're both telepaths like Aurora. At least, that's what they assume that you are. We performed the same action, and I guess we cancelled each other out. Dumbledore said you might only be a partial telepath, though. That's why you were out so long. We also learned something very interesting and mind-boggling yesterday from Aurora. She and Neve..." Harry began.

"...were encountered by a single dementor on Knockturn Alley while looking for Fred and George's joke shop. Harry, while I was out, I saw Death Eaters. A sort of meeting," Ginny said, finishing Harry's statement. Harry stared at her for a moment, unblinking. Ginny stared back, and then Harry blinked. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes. Death Eaters, you say? Was Voldemort there?"

"Yes. So was Bellatrix Lestrange. I couldn't see any others. Aislin's coming," Ginny said the last sentence inattentively. Harry cringed at the sound of Bellatrix's name and then turned to look at the door. It did not open, and the blonde did not come through. He turned to look at Ginny.

"Oh..." Then something dawned on Harry. His eyes widened as if he was facing new presents. "Wait a minute! Did Aurora or Neve tell you about their encounter?" he asked. It was Ginny's turn to blush.

"Harry, slow down! Tell me what you know of their encounter."

"Well, they were on Diagon Alley. Neve said she wanted to go to the sweet shop..."

"...and something told Aurora to stay with Neve," Ginny finished. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. So, they went looking for Fred and George's joke shop instead. Then..."

"...they made a wrong turn down Knockturn Alley. That's when the dementor appeared," Ginny finished off his sentence again. Harry continued to stare at Ginny like she'd grown antlers and a red nose.

"She didn't say it was Knockturn Alley."

"Trust me, Harry. It was Knockturn Alley."

"Okay. Well, then the dementor went for Neve. She fell unconscious, and the dementor prepared to Kiss her. Aurora didn't know what to do until..."

"...she heard someone tell her how to make a Patronus," Ginny finished. Harry still looked shocked at her knowledge of the event; her terrifyingly accurate knowledge of the event she was not told about.

"Ginny, how do you know all of this if no one told you?" he asked, sitting up closer to her. Ginny suddenly became very interested in her fingers. She felt very nervous when Harry got this close to her. "Gin?"

"That brings me back to the Death Eater meeting. It seemed that I'd gone back in time before term started, but after the dementor event. I was invisible to them. I figured that out by the way I fell straight through a tree. It was very cold, and I saw three dementors floating overhead. I don't know why they weren't affecting the rest of the Death Eaters. The certainly weren't affecting Voldemort. Voldemort asked whether it was done. Bellatrix told Voldemort what'd happened with Aurora, Neve, and the dementor. I didn't see her on Knockturn Alley, but she could've been on the roof of one of the buildings. Anyway, Voldemort said that the Seer that was working for him told him that Aurora would be alone. I deduced that Voldemort wanted Aurora dead. Seers are NEVER wrong, Harry. NEVER," Ginny said, emphasizing her words. Harry nodded and she continued. "Bellatrix said the dementor didn't distinguish between Neve and Aurora and went for Neve instead. Then she said that Aurora produced a Patronus. Voldemort was definitely not happy about this. He knew that she didn't know how for a fact because Meloni didn't teach it until seventh year, and Aurora was just beginning sixth year. He suggested that you and Aurora may have another connection other than being opposites," Ginny paused. Harry took a moment to finally breathe. He was astounded at the fact that she knew all of this.

"Then what happened, Gin?"

"Then I felt a sort of tugging. Almost like the feeling you get when you use a Portkey. I found myself on Diagon Alley a few feet away from Neve and Aurora. They were about to split up, so I figured that I was transported even further back in time."

"That's not possible. If they split..."

"...then Aurora would die. I gathered as much from Bellatrix and Voldemort. Remember that dementors do not distinguish the one they're after and the one who gets in their way. I knew they couldn't split, and I knew that they couldn't hear or see me. Then I realized that Bellatrix had said that Aurora wasn't alone. I figured out my power of telepathy a while ago. Like, when we first started training here when I read Ron's mind by accident. I didn't tell anyone. I wondered if Aurora could hear me think. So, I tried. What harm could it do, right?"

"So, it was you, then?"

"Yes, it was. I told Aurora to stay with Neve. To make Neve follow her. Neve begrudgingly agreed and followed Aurora down Knockturn Alley. That's when the dementor attacked them, and I knew that Aurora had absolutely no idea how to do a Patronus Charm. So, I told her mentally. She did it, and then the dementor was driven away. It was pretty amazing that she produced a corporeal one on the first try. It was unicorn and very beautiful. Anyway, that's when Neve woke up." Ginny took a deep breath. Harry sat, stunned and appalled at what he'd just heard.

"Ginny, something is not right. Technically..."

"...Aurora shouldn't be here. Neither should Neve. But, I remembered the prophecy Dumbledore told us about. I also realize that a Seer's words are written in stone. I need to see Fionnula or Dumbledore or someone about this," she said, looking worried.

"Dumbledore is supposed to be coming. We called for him after Aurora told us what happened. Hermione was right. Voldemort does know about the prophecy," Harry said. That's when Aislin walked in. Harry turned to look at her. She looked amazed at Ginny.

"Oh, Ginny! You're awake! Good. Harry, Drake is calling for you. Your friends are waiting for you. Professor Dumbledore is here. Ginny, you can go, too, but only if you're up to it," Aislin said, waving her finger. Ginny nodded and swung her legs over her bed. She stood as Aislin walked out. Harry looked at Ginny again.

"How did you know she was coming?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said that she was coming a good ten minutes ago. Then she just appeared. How did you know?" Harry inquired. Ginny shrugged.

"Lucky guess, maybe? Let's go," Ginny said. Harry nodded, still looking bewildered.

**********

Dumbledore was sitting in a large armchair with the students surrounding him when Harry and Ginny made their presence known. They all turned and looked at them. Ron looked ecstatic to see Ginny standing there. Ginny smiled and waved.

"Ah, Miss Weasley. It is nice to see you awake again," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Now, what's this I hear about a dementor attacking Neve and Aurora?" he asked in a more serious tone as Harry and Ginny took their seats on a loveseat next to Aurora. Aurora raised her hand. Dumbledore acknowledged her.

"Well, it happened the day before we left for Hogwarts..." She began her story. After she was done, Dumbledore pondered long and hard. The teenagers exchanged looks until Dumbledore dropped his intertwined fingers.

"You say you heard a voice telling you what to do, right, Aurora?" he asked. Aurora nodded. Then Ginny raised her hand. Dumbledore looked sternly at her. "Something to say, Miss Weasley?"

"Yes, sir, actually there is something else. While I was out, I saw..." Ginny told them about her experience and why Aurora was compelled to do what she did. Even Dumbledore himself looked utterly shocked and amazed. Everyone stared at Ginny, and she shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"This is awfully strange. You altered time, Ginny. Aurora and Neve should not be here. Well, Neve might be here. Aurora would be dead. But, you say a Seer told Voldemort about where Aurora would be. Seers are never wrong," Hermione said. Ginny looked in her direction. Dumbledore nodded.

"I'm afraid that Miss Granger is right, Ginny. That means, in another time frame, you, Aurora, did die. In another time frame, none of this would've happened. We would not even be here."

"How do you know, sir?" Draco asked. He looked positively confused at all of this.

"Well, for one, Draco, the scene between Harry and Aurora revealing their powers in class would not have happened, therefore, I would have no reason to send you off to training with the Magi. Thus, Ginny here would not have discovered her power, because she was not here. Consequently, Aurora, you would have been alone and would not have known what to do in your time of need." Dumbledore said. It was silent for a moment. Neville and Neve looked utterly confused. Neville blinked.

"Run that pass me one more time," Neville said.

"What he means is something happened along the way before Aurora came here to alter her destiny. It was Aurora's destiny to die. Something happened to alter time. Something that happened way before we met. Way before her father came. But what was it?" Hermione asked, looking over at Neville. Neve seemed to be in very deep thought.

"Someone knew what was going to happen beforehand and decided to change it. But who? Who would've known how to do something like that? A Seer, maybe?" she asked, looking at Dumbledore.

"No. You would need to go way back in time to do something like that," Dumbledore said. Something in Ron clicked. He looked over at his sister.

"Ginny was born. That's what changed," he said quietly.