Rating:
PG-13
House:
Schnoogle
Characters:
Ginny Weasley
Genres:
General
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Quidditch Through the Ages Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Stats:
Published: 08/05/2003
Updated: 09/12/2004
Words: 181,356
Chapters: 34
Hits: 75,719

Broken Fate

Qwi_Xux

Story Summary:
In a future world ruled by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, the next generation travels back in time in an attempt to change fate. SPOILER WARNING: Takes place after Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 05

Chapter Summary:
The future: where Voldemort and his Death Eaters rule. In a desperate act, the children of the Trio, Ginny, and Neville travel back in time in an attempt to stop something that changed everything for the worse. SPOILER WARNING: Takes place after Order of the Phoenix!
Posted:
10/12/2003
Hits:
2,231
Author's Note:
Thanks to all the reviewers of Chapter Four--


Chapter Five ~ The Gourl

"This Sorting is taking forever," Ron moaned. "I'm hungry."

"Honestly, Ron, is that all you can think about?" Hermione clapped with the other Gryffindors as "Gelvey, Alison," was placed in Gryffindor.

Ron considered. "No. I can think about loads of other things, Hermione. Quidditch, for one."

Hermione sighed. "You're hopeless."

"Hey, Ron," Seamus Finnigan leaned across the table. "I didn't see your Mum and Dad at the train station, and they're always there. Are they all right?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. "Yes, they're fine," Ron said. "We took the Knight Bus to the train station."

"Alone?" Seamus blinked. "With...everything going on? You-Know-Who back and all? They let you go alone?"

Hermione sighed. "Don't you read the Daily Prophet, Seamus?"

"Um...sometimes."

"Hall, Alisa!"

"Well, if you did, you might have read about how the Ministry has placed Aurors on the Knight Bus, and other magical areas. They're in disguise, so you never know who is an Auror. They also placed Aurors at the train station and platform nine and three-quarters today to keep an eye on the students," Hermione explained. "So we weren't alone, if by alone you meant we didn't have someone watching us."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Alisa Hall headed for the Gryffindor table.

"Oh."

The Sorting continued. Harry and Ron got into a discussion about Quidditch; Harry was going to get to play this year, and Hermione watched his face as he described a technique to Ron. He was positively beaming. She was glad they were back at Hogwarts, and especially glad that Professor Umbridge was gone. Harry had had a hard Fifth Year. Of course, it seemed he had it hard every year, but last year had been especially bad. Everything that he loved had been taken from him. She was happy to see that looking forward to Quidditch brought some joy to his life. She could only hope none of the teachers they had this year were evil. I wonder who the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is, she mused. The seat at the teacher's podium was still empty.

She did notice that both Professor Trelawney and Firenze, the centaur, were at the teacher's podium. I guess they really are both going to teach Divination.

She tuned back into listening to Harry and Ron's excited voices, with Ginny pitching in every once in a while. She might not understand the fascination with Quidditch, but she was certainly glad it gave Harry something to focus on.

~*~

As they waited at the back of the Great Hall as instructed by Professor McGonagall, Will whispered, "Did you catch what Professor Dumbledore said?"

"That he was alerted to our presence in this time?" Shay murmured.

Will nodded. "I don't know if it was a person or object who alerted him, but I didn't know that unregistered Time-Turners would alert anyone. Do you think someone else knows who we are?"

Shay considered. "It's a possibility, but I doubt it. Dumbledore didn't say that whatever or whomever was alerted by an unauthorized Time-Turner knew anything about us, just that we traveled back in time. Dumbledore guessed we were the ones who traveled back when he saw our names--or so he said. I do think that she knows who we are, though." Shay jerked his head at Professor McGonagall, who had just called out, "Thiddely, Aaron!" from her list of First Year names.

Will nodded his agreement. "If there's anyone else in this time we can trust, though, it's Professor McGonagall."

Shay nodded. "I know." His admission was saying something--trust did not come easily to either of them.

Aaron Thiddely was Sorted into Hufflepuff. When the final First Year, 'Yates, Yvonne,' was Sorted into Ravenclaw, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat. "Before we begin the feast--" her words brought several groans from around the room "--we have two Sixth Year Norway transfer students that must be Sorted."

Whispers ran across the room. "We're going to stick out like sore thumbs, mate," Shay muttered. "I don't think any of these kids have ever had a transfer student."

Before Will could reply, Professor McGonagall called, "Shay Long!"

Shay immediately strode forward, the eyes of the whole school on him. He would never have admitted it, but the thought of sitting under the Sorting Hat made him a bit nervous. Which House would it put him in? His parents had both been Gryffindors, but Shay knew that it wasn't always parentage that mattered. It was what was inside of him.

Not only that, but couldn't the Sorting Hat see into your mind or something? What would it see in Shay's? Would it know who he was? Would it see how he had grown up? It might be only a hat, but Shay didn't like the idea of anything seeing inside his brain.

Doing his best to look cool and composed, Shay took a seat on the stool beside Professor McGonagall. She dropped the Sorting Hat on his head, and it fell down over his eyes.

"Hmmm..." the Sorting Hat's voice said in his ear. "Interesting...very interesting."

Shay stiffened. What was the Sorting Hat seeing?

"You have a great deal of courage and bravery in you," the Sorting Hat told him. "You would do well in Gryffindor. Except...hmm, this is very interesting indeed. There is something in you that runs very deep...a will to do whatever is necessary complete a task." The Hat was silent for a long moment. "Yes, that is a very big part of you. It looks like you would do best in SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table burst into a round of cheers and applause. Shay yanked the Sorting Hat off of his head and made his way over to the table, taking a seat amongst the other Slytherins.

"Will Warren!"

Shay watched as Will took a seat on the stool and had the hat placed on his head. It only took moments before the Hat yelled, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Shay was not at all surprised. Of course Will would be in Gryffindor. There was no other choice for him, really. He just wondered how it was going to be since he was in Slytherin. From all the tales he had heard, during their parents' days at Hogwarts, the Slytherins and the Gryffindors were at a constant battle with each other. In general, Slytherins and Gryffindors simply did not associate. It might make it a bit more difficult. On the other hand, the fact that they were in two different Houses could work to their advantage. Will would have the inside scoop on what happened in Gryffindor, and he would know what was going on in Slytherin. It will especially give me the opportunity to keep an eye on Draco Malfoy, he thought darkly. He glanced over at where Draco and his two cronies were sitting. Draco caught his eye and gave him a crooked little smile.

Shay looked away, disgusted and trying not to show it. Draco Malfoy had played a part in their parents' fates, and he had to again remind himself that he was here to prevent it. He couldn't afford to lose his cool in front of anyone--least of all Draco Malfoy, no matter what the slimy little worm had done...or had yet to do.

His eyes roved to the teacher's podium. He had noticed immediately that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher wasn't there yet, and he wanted to know where she was. It was essential to know where she was. She played perhaps the biggest part in why they were here now.

Before he could think on it further, Albus Dumbledore had stood up. "Before we begin our feast, I would like to welcome everyone back to Hogwarts. As I'm sure you all realize, this is a dark time in the wizarding world."

No kidding, Shay thought.

"I ask each and every one of you to keep your eyes and ears open. Watch out for your fellow students. I would also like to remind you that Forbidden Forest is, as always, forbidden, despite what some of our students seem to think." His eyes roved over to the Gryffindor table. "Mr. Filch would also like me to let you know that there is a list of all unallowed items posted in the Entrance Hall, as well as on each of the message boards in your dormitories. Also, I'm sure you've noticed that our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is missing, but fear not--there has simply been a delay in her arrival. Your classes will still be held according to the schedule you will receive tomorrow morning."

"Now, let's eat!" Dumbledore clapped his hands, and food suddenly appeared on the plates and dishes in front of them.

As the Slytherins dug into the food, Shay could only stare it it. He could not remember ever seeing that much food. How could all of the students just sit there, eating and talking, as if it were nothing?

Shay glanced over at the Gryffindor table and met Will's eyes, knowing he had to feel the same way. For the first time, he felt a twinge of guilt that Jamie hadn't been able to come. She would have been amazed.

Then he brushed it aside. Ah, Jamie'll be fine. We'll bring her food. And without further ado, he dug into the masses of food in front of him.

~*~

Harry Potter had never been happier to be at Hogwarts, and that was saying something. This summer had been very long and very hard. Something inside of him had been frozen, and nothing--not Mrs. Weasley's kindnesses, not chats with Lupin, not even seeing Ron and Hermione--had warmed that place.

It was the place in his heart that Sirius held.

And Sirius was dead. Harry wondered how long it would take before his heart felt completely warm again. Would it ever heal?

Still, being at Hogwarts--a Hogwarts where Dumbledore was once more Headmaster, where Umbridge was gone, where he could again play Quidditch--lightened him more than anything else. Sirius would be glad I'm here. I just wish he could be here, too, Harry thought with a mental sigh.

He listened idly to the chatting going on as people ate. As soon as the feast was over, everyone headed for their dormitories. He was stopped by Professor McGonagall. "Mr. Potter, a word, if you please."

Harry hesitantly stayed behind in the Great Hall while the other students filed out. "I didn't do anything, Professor, I promise," he said uneasily, wondering what on earth she could accuse him of doing already.

"You're not in trouble, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall offered him a small smile. "I've come to talk to you about the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

Panic began to well up inside of him. He was going to be allowed to play, wasn't he? They surely weren't going to tell him that he was still banned? "What?" he asked cautiously.

"Well, as you know, both Ms. Johnson and Ms. Spinnet graduated last year. The team captaincy was offered to Ms. Bell, as she is the senior member of the team, but she turned it down. So I would like to know if you would like the position?"

Harry could hardly believe what he was hearing. Him, team captain? "Seriously?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't serious," Professor McGonagall said, with some amusement in her voice.

"Well...sure...yeah...I mean..." Team captain! "Of course I'll take the position!"

"It will mean working harder this year. You're short two Chasers and one Beater, so you'll have to have tryouts."

When Fred and George had been banned off the team last year, Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke had replaced them. They weren't nearly as good as Fred and George. Jack Sloper, however, had been a Seventh Year, and had graduated. Andrew Kirke...well, he could work with him.

And Ginny Weasley said she was probably going to try out for Chaser this year. She had replaced him as Seeker the previous year, and was actually surprisingly good at flying. So if she does try out, and gets the position, I'll just have to find another Chaser and a Beater. He could handle that.

"I still expect you to turn in your homework on time, Mr. Potter."

"Of course, Professor." Harry's mind was already racing with Quidditch plans. "And thank you!"

"Good night, then."

Harry wandered toward Gryffindor Tower, and for one of the first times since a fateful day in June, he wasn't thinking about--or trying not to think about--the death of Sirius Black.

~*~

When Harry entered the dorm he shared with Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean Thomas, he was a bit surprised to see that a sixth four-poster bed had been placed in the room. Then he remembered that one of the transfer students had been made a Gryffindor, and as he was a Sixth Year, he would be sharing the Sixth Year dormitory.

The dorm was empty--or so he thought. His roommates were down in the common room. It wasn't until he passed by the newly-placed four-poster that he realized the transfer student--Will, wasn't it?--was kneeling beside his bed, rifling through a small bag.

"Hello," Harry said.

Will jumped. "Oh! Hello! I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." He hastily shoved something back in his bag and tucked the bag into the tiny trunk he had.

"Don't worry about it. Erm...are you settling in all right?"

"Fine, thank you," Will said. He stood to his feet. "I was just organizing a bit."

Harry hadn't really stopped to get a good look at Will. Though he had been traveling in the same compartment on the Hogwarts Express, he hadn't paid him much attention. Now that he really looked at him, he realized there was something almost familiar about him. He felt as though he should recognize him, but it wasn't much more than a faint sense of nostalgia. "You're from Norway, right?"

"Yes."

"But you have a British accent."

"I'm originally from England. Shay and I--our families worked together. They moved us from England to Norway before we had a chance to go to Hogwarts," Will explained, sounding a bit awkward.

Maybe he had seen Will in passing before Harry started Hogwarts? He couldn't think where else he could have seen him. "I see. Well, I hope you like it here." Harry moved over to his own bed, opening his trunk and hunting for paper, ink, and a quill. He wanted to write down some ideas for the new Quidditch season while they were still fresh in his mind.

"Thank you," Will said softly.

Harry almost didn't notice when he left the dormitory.

~*~

Will was getting a bit tired of everything being so odd and out of place. But I get that's what you get when you time-travel twenty-four years into the past, he thought ruefully. It was still hard for his mind to grasp that he was lying in a bed in the same room as his father, his uncle, Shay's father, and Seamus and Dean, who by their own rights had done plenty in helping to fight Voldemort. In fact, Shay had been named after Seamus Finnigan, because had it not been for Seamus, Shay would not be alive.

That was another whole story Will didn't want to think about, not now when he was still trying to get a grip on the whole idea that he was actually at Hogwarts. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. You have to go to sleep, Will. Tomorrow's your first day of classes. Tomorrow was a Wednesday, so they would be starting their schedules in the middle of the week.

Neville let out a loud snore. Will jumped, then wanted to laugh at himself. I wonder how Shay's doing in the Slytherin dormitory. He hadn't been very surprised when the Sorting Hat put Shay in Slytherin. Shay had shown on numerous occasions that if dirty work had to be done in order to complete a job, he would do it. Will had sometimes wondered if Shay went a little too far, but in the situations they had been in, Shay's actions had always been justified.

It was long after midnight before Will finally drifted into a fitful sleep. He only slept for a few hours, so he woke before any of his roommates. He dressed quickly, heading down to the common room. He didn't expect anyone to be awake, and when he saw who was sitting in one of the chairs in the common room, he wanted to turn and run right back to his bed.

"Oh, hello!" Hermione said, offering him a smile. "You're up awfully early, aren't you? Have a seat." A piece of parchment covered in tiny writing was laid across a book on her lap, and she held a quill in one hand.

Resigning himself, Will sat on the chair across from her that she was motioning to. "I couldn't sleep," he said quietly.

"I imagine it must be hard, being in a new place, and your only friend was put in Slytherin." Hermione's nose wrinkled at her last word.

You have no idea, Will thought. "Yeah," he agreed. "What are you doing up so early?" he asked curiously.

"Oh, I couldn't sleep either, so I thought I'd write a note to a friend." She dipped her quill in an ink bottle that sat on a small table beside her, then continued writing. "Everyone should be getting up in about an hour or so, and then they'll all be heading down for breakfast."

Will nodded. He had never been very good at small talk, and wasn't quite sure what to say. He was afraid Hermione was going to start questioning him about the school in Norway, and how he had come to be here, but to his relief, she remained bent over her parchment, scratching out her letter. It gave Will time to relax and get used to being in her presence, so that by the time she had finished her letter, he was feeling much better about the situation.

She waited for her letter to dry, then rolled it up and tied it shut. "I'm going to run this to the owlery. If you need anything at all, please let me know. I'll be happy to help." She smiled at him, then headed for the portrait hole.

"Thank you," he called after her. As soon as she was gone, he stood to his feet. See now, he thought, that wasn't so bad, was it?

~*~

Breakfast was another matter entirely. In her desire to make him feel welcome, Hermione plunked Will right between Ginny and Ron Weasley. Again, he had to coach himself to be at ease with them--he was finding it easier to do each time he encountered them, and he figured soon enough he might be used to seeing them. Or mostly used to it, anyway.

His biggest shock came when an owl arrived for Ron. It wasn't the fact that he received an owl--it was what the owl brought him.

"Hmm. What's this?" Ron untied a small package from the owl's talon. "I don't recognize this owl..." He pulled a piece of pink paper off of the package and raised his eyebrows. At Will's close proximity to Ron, he could smell a faint flowery scent coming the paper. "It says it's from a secret admirer."

"What?" Hermione shot a hard look at Ron.

Secret admirer? Will wondered. Had his father really had a secret admirer?

Ron slowly opened the package, and when Will saw what was within, he had to bite his cheek to keep from making any noises. That was the object that he had searched Ron's room for--the one he had been unable to find. Ron held up the small, round, metal ball and frowned at it. "What is it?"

Hermione sighed impatiently. "I was trying to show one to you, back when we got our Reciprocated Mirrors. It's a Gourl."

Ron and Harry looked at her blankly. It was Ginny's turn to sigh at them. She rolled her eyes and said, "It's a new object--it's only just started being sold. It stores information for you. You can take it to your classes and record important information, so you don't have to take notes."

Ron looked at it speculatively. "Well, that'll come in handy...no more note taking...I wonder who gave it to me, though? It sounds like something you'd give, Hermione."

Hermione snorted. "Well, I certainly didn't send it as a secret admirer. And honestly, Ron, I wouldn't trust it. Who knows who could have sent it? It could be dangerous."

Yes, that's right. Listen to her! Will thought at Ron.

"You're just jealous," Ron retorted.

"What? Jealous! What would I have to be jealous about?"

Will resisted the urge to bang his head against something. While he had grown up with his parents poking fun at each other, they had never been this bad. At this point in time, they seemed to get into so many petty arguments that he wondered if they actually enjoyed them. How could they sit here and argue about a secret admirer when Ron held the fate of his world in his hand? Of course, he didn't know it was the fate of the world...

Ron and Hermione continued their squabble, until Hermione said, "Will you at least let Professor McGonagall look at it and make sure it doesn't have any spells on it?"

"Hermione, you--" Ron broke off with a huge sigh. "Fine. If it will make you feel better."

"It will."

It won't matter if Professor McGonagall looks at it. She won't find the danger in it, Will thought. It will show that it does precisely what it's meant to.

Well. The answer to that was easy enough. After Professor McGonagall looked at it, he would simply steal it from Ron and dispose of it.

After all...how hard could that be?