The Grandfather Paradox

The Grandfather Paradox, by James Bow

Chapter 3: Next Morning

Ron wondered if he should have gone to Quidditch practise. When he got up that morning, he thought that it would be better than sitting around in the dormitory, pacing, but Harry's absence left a vacuum on the Quidditch pitch as well as the dormitory, which meant that Ginny's absence was right there to gnaw at his self-control. Ron couldn't get yesterday's events out of his head, and practise was terrible.

He came off the field and was met by his brothers, Fred and George, who had dropped everything and come to Hogwarts the moment they heard the news. They didn't taunt him about his son. There were rings under their eyes from lack of sleep as well. They clapped him on the shoulders and complimented him on his practise. All lies, of course, but Ron appreciated being spared his older brothers' taunts for once, even if the reason for being spared was abominable.

"Well, if it isn't the three Weasels!"

Ron closed his eyes. Of course, Draco never stopped taunting. Ever.

Fred and George turned with Ron. Draco was flanked by his usual lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Don't, Malfoy," said Ron. "I'm not in the mood."

"Like that's going to stop us," said Draco. "I hear you've added another member of your already too-large family, and from a Mudblood, no less."

"You heard him, Malfoy," said George. "Go away."

"I guess it's hardly a surprise," Malfoy continued, his gaze fixed on Ron. "You and the Mudblood are clearly made for each other. No one else will have either of you. Did he really come back through time to try and save Potter and your brat sister?"

The three Weasleys tensed in unison, preparing to pounce.

"Figures that he would fail. I can see the family resemblance right there."

That's it! thought Ron.

Then a staff came down between them. Wesley cleared his throat. "Please don't fight. McGonagall is looking right this way."

This lowered the tension a notch, but the Weasleys and Draco's lackeys eyed each other warily. Draco turned his attention to the newcomer.

"So, you're the new Weasel everybody's talking about," said Draco.

Wesley faced him, a small smile on his lips. "Malfoy," he said.

"Shame to come all this way on a wasted journey."

Wesley's expression didn't change. "I guess it would be," he said evenly. "But it's not wasted yet."

Draco paused. A complete lack of reaction was not the reaction he wanted. He dug deeper for an insult.

"It's amazing," said Wesley. "You know, you're exactly the way I pictured you. They say, when you meet someone famous in person, people expect the celebrity to be taller, but not you. You live up to your reputation."

Draco stared at Wesley, his insults forgotten. "I have a reputation?"

"Oh, absolutely. And may I say that it's a pleasure to meet you." And without warning, he reached out and shook Draco by the hand.

Crabbe and Goyle gaped. So did Draco.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Malfoy, Headmaster Dumbledore has summoned Ron, and mustn't be kept waiting." Bowing slightly to Draco, Wesley took Ron by the elbow and walked him off the Quidditch pitch and towards Gryffindor house, leaving Draco, his lackeys, and Ron's older brothers staring.

When they were out of Draco's sight, Wesley began wiping the hand that shook Draco's hand across the front of his robes.

"Ick," he said. "His hand's even sweatier than I pictured it."

Ron laughed. "I get it! Brilliant! Draco didn't see that one coming."

"McGonagall really was looking our way. A fight would have delayed us," said Wesley. "Besides, you should go a little easy on Draco Malfoy. That boy has some very hard decisions to make in the near future."

Ron gave Wesley a sidelong glance, but Wesley said nothing more.

***

Dumbledore was standing in the centre of the common room, flanked by house elves holding potions and parchments. Hermione was taking notes when Wesley and Ron arrived.

"The thing that disturbed me most about this spell," said Dumbledore, "was that it could occur in Hogwarts. But it was a good place to start the investigation. We have charms and spells that provide heavy protection against significant magical assaults, but if one could get a hole through the shield, then evil could enter." He held up a spider. "This is our hole."

Wesley took the spider by one of its legs. "That would mean this was planted. Somebody betrayed us!"

"Not necessarily," said Dumbledore. "A sufficiently planned deception could have penetrated our shields. It's hard to defend against something so small."

Wesley tried to hand the spider to Ron, who backed away quickly. He passed it instead to Hermione.

"Spiders are designed to make their own way to their target," said Hermione. "It could have been placed in somebody's luggage, or dropped on us at Kings Cross or at Hogsmeade. I didn't know they were powerful enough to break through the shield charms, though."

"Mysterious, isn't it?" said Dumbledore, taking the spider from Hermione. "But that's not the only thing this investigation has turned up. I've examined the enchantment this spider was designed to plant. It doesn't exist."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other in surprise. Wesley's eyes widened.

"It doesn't exist," said Wesley. "Or it doesn't exist... yet?"

"I've seen a similar spell in the planning stages," said Dumbledore. "It hasn't been perfected. This one has." He handed Wesley a parchment. "Do you recognize some of this?"

Wesley looked at the parchment and sighed. "Remember when you said, Hermione, if Time spells were possible, why haven't you seen so many of them? Well, here's evidence of a second time spell. Whoever cast this enchantment was from my time. I guess the first time spell is the hardest, and the rest come easier after that."

"What does the enchantment do?" asked Ron.

"At it's root, it's a severely enhanced Accio spell, designed to work on people over very long distances," said Dumbledore. "It's also designed to hide the destination to whoever investigates the spell afterwards."

"It's a few steps up on a spell I know," said Wesley. "Which gives me an idea. Would it help if we talked to the person who planted this spider?"

"Absolutely," said Dumbledore.

"Let me try something - Is the Quidditch pitch free?"

"I think it should be by now," said Ron.

"Good." Wesley leaned close to the spider, then hesitated. "Could you all cover your ears for a moment, please?" Everyone blinked at him, but when Dumbledore put his hands to his ears, they all complied. When Wesley was satisfied, he leaned close to the spider again and whispered a long spell beneath his breath. When he was done, he asked for a glass jar and put the spider inside it. Then he led the way through the portrait hole and Hogwarts' corridors to the Quidditch pitch. As Ron had predicted, it was empty.

"What do we do now?" asked Hermione.

"We wait," said Dumbledore. "I assume, Mr. Granger, that this spell might take a while?"

Wesley nodded.

They waited. A minute passed, then another. Then they became aware of a distant yell, growing louder as it got closer. They saw a black speck in the sky that grew to a blob, and then a body.

A dishevelled character landed in the centre of the Quidditch pitch with a thud and a grunt.

"Wormtail!" the four exclaimed.

Wormtail looked up, and saw several wands and one staff aimed directly at his long nose. "How did you bring me here?"

"Never mind that!" Ron stormed. "Where are Ginny and Harry?

Wormtail smirked. "You think your puny threats will work against me? As soon as Voldemort knows that I'm gone, he'll take me back, and he'll leave Hogwarts behind in ruins. He can, you know. He's already stolen your precious Harry Potter despite all of your charm shields!"

Hermione flared. "You tell us, or so help me..."

Wesley leaned on his staff and held up a hand, palm open. In the centre of his palm, a small light appeared, and grew, until it was a sphere of blue energy as big as a golf ball, and it was still growing.

Wormtail was still sneering, exuding arrogant confidence that infuriated Ron and Hermione. "He has a host of new spells that you know nothing about. Your time is finished-"

Then he became aware of the sphere of energy in Wesley's hand, now the size of a cricket ball, and fell silent. The others stared too. Wesley paid attention only to the sphere, his other hand making gestures as though helping it grow. Then he looked at Wormtail, and blew on the ball of energy.

The ball shot out of his hand and exploded on the grass, inches from Wormtail's head. Wormtail flinched.

Wesley held out his palm again, and another light appeared at the centre of it, growing larger.

"So, Wormtail," said Dumbledore. "We have some new spells of our own, and an angry young wizard that needs a test subject. Where is Voldemort holding Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley?"

Wormtail swallowed hard. "I can't tell you. He'll kill me."

The second ball of energy exploded on the grass, closer this time.

"We could offer you the protection of our dungeons," said Dumbledore.

Wormtail gave a sardonic laugh.

"Lighting balls are too easy," said Wesley. "Who'd like to see me try acid balls?"

Ron put up his hand. "I do! I do!"

Hermione smiled. "Won't they ruin the pitch?"

Ron shrugged. "We'll just have to throw them at something other than the pitch then, won't we?"

Wormtail scrambled back, covering his face desperately. "Okay! I'll show you!"

"Good," said Dumbledore, "You three wait here until I come back. Then we'll plan a rescue party." He reached down and pulled Wormtail to his feet. "But first we take you to see that you are properly secured! " He hauled the snivelling man off the Quidditch pitch.

Hermione and Ron stepped up to Wesley. "Who taught you to do that?"

Wesley sighed. "You did."

Hermione and Ron looked at each other, and then back at Wesley. "When did we learn to do that?"

Wesley shrugged. "You never told me."