The Way of It

Those who say 'history never repeats itself' must be truly mistaken, because at that moment Harry was sure Professor Binns was a stuck record. He looked over at Hermione who seemed to be the only person actually listening to their teacher’s droning, her quill poised, ready to scribble down notes when needed. Glancing over at Ron, he saw he was staring blankly out of the window, his head propped up on his hands. Knowing his friend, he was most likely to fall asleep any minute now. Yawning, Harry closed his eyes, ready to do the same, and before he knew it, he had fallen into a dreamless slumber...

Someone poked him sharply in the ribs and he woke up with a start, causing him to almost fall off his stool. " Wha--? I, didn't mean to-I," he stuttered, taking off his glasses and rubbing his bleary eyes, before putting them on again.

“Class is over Harry,” Hermione said severely, shaking her head. “Honestly, I don’t know how you two are going to pass your O.W.L’s if you both keep this up. Don’t think I’m going to let you keep copying my notes because I won’t, and…are you listening to me?” she snapped, her eyes drifting over to Ron, whose head had fallen onto the desk and who seemed to be snoring. “Right, that is it!” Picking up her wand, she prodded him sharply with it, and he sat up quickly, looking around with startled eyes. “Ron! I cannot believe you!” she cried. “Did you even listen to a word I said? At least Harry had the decency not to fall asleep- Oh forget it, come on.” She picked up her bag and headed for the door, with Harry and a red eared Ron behind her.

“I wasn’t sleeping, Hermione,” he protested, looking at her innocently (or a least as innocently as Ron could look), “I was simply resting my eyes.”

Hermione didn’t have time to answer, for just then, a scrawny, rat faced first year that she knew by face but not by name, scuttled up to them.

"Er...'Scuse me? Aren't you 'Arry Potter?" he said breathlessly.

Harry nodded, ready to pull out his quill, and give the boy an autograph, which was what he most likely wanted.

Instead though, he continued talking. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in 'is office. All of you," he said; now looking around at Hermione and Ron.

Bewildered, they followed the boy in silence to Dumbledore's office. They passed Snape on the way, who shouted at the tiny first year for trying to keep up to the older student’s pace by running, and took off five points from his house, before realizing he was in fact, in Slytherin.

They continued walking, and before they knew it, they were standing beside the old, cracked stone gargoyle, which led to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore himself stood a couple yards away, talking in a hushed voice to Professor McGonagall. When he saw them waiting patiently for him though, he rushed over and tapped the gargoyle with his wand, whilst muttering something that sounded like 'ice mice'. 

They entered the room, one after another, and to their surprise, saw Draco Malfoy and Ron's younger sister Ginny there. They were both glaring at each other and sitting as far away as possible.  Hermione had a strong suspicion that if they hadn't entered the room when they had, that they would both be in the midst of killing each other.

Dumbledore motioned for them to sit down, and with a wave of his wand three more chairs appeared. Gingerly, they sat on them. Hermione looked around the room in amazement. It was the oddest, most bizarre place she had ever been in.

Just then, the old headmaster cleared his throat, and began to talk. "I am about to tell you something very important,” he said. “Please do not interrupt me, however startled you may be. Now, as you know, one thousand years ago, Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw founded this school. I think the time has come that you know the truth. You are, in fact " he now looked around at their expectant faces, "The heirs of these founders. Virginia Weasley is the heir of Helga Hufflepuff, Draco Malfoy the heir of Salazar Slytherin, Hermione Granger of Rowena Ravenclaw and Harry Potter of Godric Gryffindor." 

Ron opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Dumbledore held up an old wizened hand, which immediately silenced him and anybody else who would be about to speak. He continued to talk.

" I was not to tell you this until the end of seventh year, but a very unexpected thing has happened. 

“The story goes something like this.

“Just a couple of years before the founders turned this castle- their home at the time- into a school, one of their friends, Ixion, if I do recall his name correctly, began to make a powerful jewel in secret, known by the name Bhellliom - The Sapphire Rose. With this, he could create complete chaos throughout the entire wizarding world. Fortunately, things didn't go to plan, as he told Salazar about this stone, and tried to revert him to the evil side. Slytherin, who was of course good at the time, told the others, who in turn told the Ministry of Magic. Ixion was then given the Dementor’s kiss. But, realising his stupidity after confiding in Salazar, before he was given the Kiss, Ixion hid Bhellliom in a place that I do not even know.

Nobody has found it- that is until now. One of my sources has told me that it is in the hands of Lord Voldemort.  With it he can cause destruction and fear throughout the entire world. More terrible than ever imagined." 

The room fell into silence, with this last sentence hanging like an inevitable doom, casting a shadow upon everybody.

Draco broke the stillness. "And your point is?" he drawled, leaning lazily back in the chair.

Dumbledore glanced at him, his blue eyes flashing. "I need you to go back to the time of the founders. All of the heirs." he said; now looking around the room.

"Excuse me, Professor," said Ron timidly, "But I don't think my mum will let Ginny go by herself. I think I should go too. Just to look after her, you see."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Of course we can't have you missing out on this adventure. You can pose as one of Helga's brothers from Ireland. She had about twelve, so nobody will think much of it."

"Er...I don't really understand." Ginny admitted, shaking her head ruefully.

"I will give you a potion, all except for Mr Weasley, who can go as he looks now." The headmaster explained patiently. "It is quite like the Polyjuice potion, only it lasts for as long as you stay in that era. It will change you into the form of the founders, and the real founders will simply disappear, until the potion wears off."

"And what will happen to our bodies?" asked Hermione.

"Time here will stand still until you return. Your bodies will remain here in my office, frozen just like me."

"Why do we have to go?" Hermione said, questioning him once again. "Why not somebody else, who's a little more responsible, like you or Professor McGonagall?"

"Only the heirs can use this potion. It will work on nobody else. For example, if I were to drink it, the most it would do would be to make me a little taller. It was made especially for the four of you, and it will only work if the four of you drink it."

"I'm not going." Draco said resolutely.

 

"Oh yes you are, Mr. Malfoy. The world as we know it will be destroyed if you do not."

"So? The Dark Lord will only kill those who do not follow or obey him, along with Mudbloods. People unlike me."

Dumbledore looked at him, and stood up. Instead of seeming the kind and gentle old man that most people knew, he seemed to radiate a power, so fierce that all in the room cowered back in fright. "Come here, Mr Malfoy,” he said quietly, stooping down to pull something out of his desk drawer. Draco slowly stood up and walked over to the headmaster.

“Yes?” he asked, one eyebrow raised. 

Dumbledore held up a tiny glass bottle which was filled with a clear, sparkling substance. “This is Imperots. It works slightly like the Imperious spell. When one drinks it, it makes them unable to do Dark Magic, and although it allows you to do and think of your own free will, if you attempt anything…shall I say…evil, it will completely paralyse. Understand? ”

Draco looked at him, shocked. “You can’t make me drink it.” He said firmly, glaring at the headmaster.

 

“But I can.” Dumbledore told him, and with a wave of his wand and some words which were incomprehensible, Draco was frozen to the ground, his mouth wide open.

Dumbledore unscrewed the lid of his tiny glass bottle, and poured the substance down Draco’s throat. “Now listen to me. All of you,” he said, looking around the room before returning his gaze back to Draco. “I know some of you have your differences, and however big they may be, I want you to put them behind you.  You are all in this together, and I am putting my trust in all of you. You must remember that you will be unable to return home until you get Bhelliom, as the time turner will only work to get you there, and will only work again when it contracts some of Bhelliom’s power. So, if you get the temptation to do wrong-” (Harry was fairly sure he was talking to only Draco now), “Please remember that. Now if we are all ready, I just need to talk to Harry for a moment, and you shall depart.” With this, he pulled Harry into the corner, and spoke some words to him, before handing him something which Harry slipped into his pockets, so as the others could not see. Then they were ready.

Dumbledore slipped the time turner around each of their necks. (The chain had been made so as it looked tiny, but could actually fit around them all with no problem, Hermione noted). He then pointed his wand, said the words Finte Incatem to Draco, and they were off.

 

 ***

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With a great *thud* followed by an array of tangled arms, legs and an immense lot of cursing, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco and Ginny landed on the bleak, flagstoned floor of an unfamiliar, murky cylindrical room, which was most likely a tower.

Hermione looked around, her mouth slightly opened in awe. Everything and everybody seemed so different. She had, of course, seen pictures of the founders before, in Hogwarts: A History, so she wasn't too startled by her friends new appearances - Harry's eyes were now a cloudy blue, so dark that navy was an almost better word. He was much taller, his jaw more firmly set, and he was broader, yet he still retained the messy black hair. The clothes he wore had also changed. Instead of the plain grey Hogwarts uniform and black robes he had been wearing before in school, he now wore a heavy scarlet cape that fell to his ankles. She didn't look long enough to see what was under it.

Her eyes moved from him over to Ginny, who seemed absorbed in brushing the dust of a pale green silk dress. She hadn't really changed that much - the scattering of freckles, the heart shaped face and the coppery ringlets were all still there. It was her eyes that made such a difference in her face. Instead of almond shaped and a soft brown, they were a sloping forest green.

Ron - Well he was just plain old Ron.

As for Malfoy - Where was Malfoy?

Her question was answered just then by a high-pitched shriek coming from the other end of the room.

"Is somebody killing you?" Ron called to Draco in an extremely hopeful tone.

"Worse!" came Draco's voice, but without it's usual drawl. It was now choked, as though he was almost in tears.

Ron looked as though Christmas had come early. Sighing, Hermione slowly crossed the room to see what was the matter with him, more out of curiosity than anything else.

He had has back turned to her when she reached him, and was standing in front of an expensive looking, yet rather ugly, gold mirror, clutching his head as though it was about to fall off.

"My hair..." he wailed sorrowfully, to nobody in particular, "My beautiful hair..."

He began to frantically scan the room. ""Where the hell are the windows?" he demanded. "I need a goddamn window!"

"What do you need a bloody window for?" she snapped, annoyed by his vanity.

"To throw myself out of!"

Hermione glanced up at him. She couldn’t tell if he was joking or not, but he was right about one thing. His hair was different. It was now a dark blonde colour instead of his usual silvery blonde. His face had also changed. It wasn’t as sharp and pointed, yet he still had the same cold grey eyes and smirking mouth.

Sighing, she walked back to her friends, leaving him alone to stare in the mirror and contemplate suicide as much as he liked. “It’s his hair,” she said in explanation as she returned, causing them to look up at her.

Harry was the first to speak. His mouth widened, in shock. “OH my God…Hermione!” he gasped, “You look…”

“I look what?” she asked, giving him a bewildered look.

“Go and see in the mirror,” he told her faintly, his eyes not leaving her.

So, once again, she walked over to the mirror that Draco was still standing at, by the looks of it trying some lightening charms on his hair. Pushing him out of the way (which caused him to fall on top of a planked, rickety table), she gazed at her on reflection. Her hair was the same as always; dark brown and curly, but it was sleek and not as bushy. Her eyes were a clear blue, like two pools of liquid. She had a rosy hue to her cheeks, different from her usual pale, almost transparent skin. The dress she wore was beautiful too. It was velvet turquoise, almost the exact same colour of her eyes. The sleeves were just off her shoulder and she wore a pair of pale blue silk gloves, which reached her elbow.

Just then there was a knock at the door and a pretty young maid who looked to be part veela walked in. She gave Draco a shy smile before lowering her eyes. “Dinner is ready.” She said coyly, her silvery blonde hair tumbling down to her narrow waist.

They followed her out of the room, Draco, sulking behind them all. Hermione could have sworn that he was eyeing the veela-maid’s hair with envy. 

They walked down the winding stairs, into a room, which bared a remarkable resemblance to the Great Hall.  The maid ushered them to a large table, which looked as though it would seat thirty, yet only nine people sat at it. Hermione was sat next to a burly looking man with wavy strawberry blonde hair and blue - green eyes. From Hogwarts: A History, she knew this was Rowena’s husband, Darwin. When she saw Draco, she shot him a sympathetic look. Although she didn’t like him, she did feel sorry for him. He hadn’t came here willingly after all. He was seated next to Salazar’s wife, a strict looking woman with wavy black hair, sloping cold blue eyes and a pointed face with high cheekbones. “Salazar, darling, “ she drawled, clutching his hand. “These are my brothers I was telling you about - Cain, Finn, Daryth, Kalten and William.” She pointed at five similar elegant looking, yet extremely frightening men, each whom had curly black hair and blue or grey eyes. They frowned back at Draco, who quickly looked away.

“Lucinda, aren’t you going to introduce me?” came a woman’s silky voice.

This is my sister Lilah,” she swept her hand over to another woman with the same pointed face and high cheekbones, but her hair was piled high into a sweeping elegant bun, and she seemed younger than her sister. Her eyes weren’t blue either - they were black, as dark as coal. She slipped him a seductive smile, which he returned with a wink. His wife shot him a dark look, so he quickly absorbed himself in ordering a mince pie, which appeared on his plate in a flash. Before he got to finish eating it though, another man who had been seated at the far end of the table, walked up. He had a wispy brown goatee beard and long brown hair.

“Yes Ixion?” asked Lucinda icily as he reached them.

The man (who was presumably the Ixion they had came to see,) ignored her, and instead turned to Draco. “Salazar,” he said in a booming voice, “I need to speak to you later. It’s very urgent.”

Draco gulped. “Er…”

Suddenly Harry was at his side, “He’d love to talk to you.” He said hurriedly.

Draco gave Harry a dirty look. “Could you excuse me for a minute, I need to talk to Pot- Godric.”

“Sure,” Lilah said, before Lucinda could answer. She fluttered her eyelashes at Draco.

Draco pulled Harry into Harry into a tiny corner beside the door. “What are you playing at Potter?” he snarled, “Do you think I can’t answer for myself?”

“Listen, Malfoy,” Harry snapped, “I don’t like being here with you anymore have you do, but we have to put the past behind us to get through his. Don’t you understand? We all have to work together. ” He held out his hand for Draco to take it. “…Friends?” 

Draco hesitated for a moment, remembering when back in first year on the Hogwarts Express, he had made the exact same offer to Harry.

He reached out and shook his hand.