Turning Time (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Letter Universe, pt. 1

Harry waited fifteen minutes until he was sure Ginny wouldn’t return. He put on his cloak, then Apparated to Diagon Alley. The crack from his Apparition resounded in the early morning quiet of the street.

The street was deserted. A few months ago, homeless witches and wizards would’ve shivered in the winter weather, but with the Ministry back on its feet and under new order, many centers were provided for those displaced by the Second Wizarding War. 

Harry, under the cover of the invisibility cloak, spun the Time-Turner to September 17th, 1981. The street was dim, and many shops were closed. An old woman sat nearby, holding a sign that read, “Squib. Lost Everything in the War & have no Family. Please Help.” Harry reached into his pocket, then stopped. His influence had to be controlled, limited. As much as it clawed at his insides, he could only interfere in the minimal way he planned.

The Leaky Cauldron was dimly lit, outside and in. The bar was empty at the time (four in the morning) except for the bartender, whose head rested on the counter. Harry, expecting something to be wrong, quickly approached, until a snore signaled that the man was alive. Harry set one of the two letters in his pocket down on the counter, then sat down in the back and began to wait.

An hour and twenty-one minutes later, a cloaked figure hurried down the stairs, rousing Harry from his doze. He stood, still invisible. The woman noticed the bartender and like Harry, checked to see if he was all right. Then she noticed the letter, reading the print on the front: “Raven Faralyn.” 

Harry watched as she looked around, stowed the envelope in her cloak, and hurried out the door. After a couple minutes, Harry left the Leaky Cauldron, then Apparated to the Shrieking Shack. He traveled nearly ten years in the future to the first of September, 1991, at six in the evening.

He went through the tunnel, out beneath the Whomping Willow, across the grounds, and to the front entrance of the school. 

The first years had reached the shore, where they gathered before Hagrid. Harry got out of their way, searching the faces for — there he was. A young Harry Potter, nervous and excited.

Hagrid knocked on the towering doors before them. Professor McGonagall opened them, then led the first years inside. Harry slipped in last. He cast the Muffling Charm on himself before hurrying up the stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room. He could only remember the password to the common room because the first day at Hogwarts was so important to him. 

“Caput Draconis!” 

“Who’s there?” The Fat Lady asked, peering around. But she had already swung open.

Harry went up to the boys’ first year dorms and left the letter on the proper bed.

Harry’s return to Hogsmeade lasted forever, it seemed, as his greatest worries found a way of snaking into his mind. He set his expectations for improvement extremely low, so he wouldn’t be disappointed if this new future didn’t work out. He Apparated on the edge of the town and spun the Time Turner to eight at night on 2 July, 1998. 

He pulled his wand out from his pocket and pointed it so it grazed the invisibility cloak. Hogsmeade looked as it had when he first visited in his third year, but when he peered into the Hog’s Head, he saw himself, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, all around his own age, sitting at a table. A journal rested in the center of the table.

Harry stepped to the side of the Inn and stowed the invisibility cloak in Hermione’s purse. “Accio journal!” 

The journal crashed through the window and flew at Harry. As soon as he caught it, he Apparated into the Shrieking Shack.