Turning Time (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Hero Again, pt. 1

“Missing? For how long?”

“Since Voldemort was killed. It’s been—it’s been a year and a half.” Raven’s face was hard to make out in the yellow wash of the streetlights, but it seemed splotchy. “So, I mean, he could be alive. I’m sorry, Harry.”

“No, don’t apologize…” Harry felt his chest tighten as he willed himself to lose hope. He was content with the survival of Remus and Tonks; more and he was asking too much.

“I looked for him, even in the camps. You might know this, but the Death Eaters had camps for Muggles, Muggleborns, blood traitors…anyone who went against complying Purebloods. The vast majority, if not all, of the camps have been found; there were hundreds of people.” 

Harry nodded. In his time, they hadn’t yet come as close to finding everyone. 

“Where was I? Oh, yes, so I met up with you in the Forest of Dean. When I told you about the Horcrux you harbored, and what had to be done, you were, of course, upset, to say the least. Ron was furious, while Hermione, it seemed, had suspected there was something Albus’d been keeping from you. They both refused for you to die, and you pretended to agree. We spoke alone, however, and you told me to do it while they slept. As much as I didn’t want to, I didn’t want your friends to have to do it, or Severus, least of all Voldemort. So I killed you.

“You met Dumbledore in Limbo, and he explained that the Elder Wand, coupled with your and your mother’s sacrifice, would be enough to defeat Voldemort. When you came back to life, we had to tell Hermione and Ron. After everything calmed down, I had to leave. I was helping others who were on the run.

“You three decided to purposely trigger the Taboo curse and were brought to Voldemort. By some miracle, Harry, you defeated him. The witnesses fled, and the War was over.”

Harry nodded. So there was nothing particularly extraordinary or consequential in the way Voldemort was brought down. 

Raven cleared her throat. “Why don’t you list off people, and I’ll tell you if they’re alive.” 

“Alright…Ginny.” 

Raven nodded. “Alive.”

Harry kept listing, continuing if she nodded. “Fred. George. The Weasleys. Luna, Neville…Hedwig.” Harry paused, eyes prickling, before he felt ready to go on. “Er, Hagrid. What about Dobby? Grindelwald—” 

“Dead. Grindelwald is, I mean.”

“Hogwarts professors?” 

“Alive.” 

“Hogwarts students?” 

Raven paused. “There were a couple that left school, I can’t remember names, or if they’re alive.”

“Okay, and…Sirius Black?”

“Yes, he’s alive.” 

Harry blinked, shock so great he couldn’t manage a smile. “Thank you.” His fingers, weak with relief, trembled as he took out the Time-Turner. Despite the assurance of the number of lives now saved, he could not yet bring himself to perform the spell to seal the universe. “Would you—would you say this time is good? You wouldn’t change anything?” 

Raven looked away, thinking. Or was she doing something else? Her eyes searched the space five meters in front of them. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“It’s just…it’s nothing.” Raven took a deep breath. “Look, this time is probably better than yours, but it’s not perfect. There are things I would change, if I could…” She cleared her throat. “But that doesn’t matter. Severus died in your time, too?”