It Begins with a Long Journey...
Warmth and light were the first things I noticed, then a ferocious headache. It pounded away at my temples, making me feel lightheaded. I was unwilling to open my eyes, hoping the pain would fade away on its own. I could smell the sweet scent of grass, feel a slight gentle breeze, and sense the warmth of the sun on my skin. Gradually, the throbbing faded to a bearable twinge.
It was with relief that I sat up, holding a hand to my head to steady myself. I still felt oddly faint and dazed. Maybe I had hit my head on something. After a while, I felt well enough to look around. Where were Bella and Cissy? Why wasn’t I at the dress shop still? Something was wrong; completely wrong. I should be trying on wedding gowns. I should be picking out the dress I was going to wear on one of the biggest days of my life. I should be posing before the three way mirror for my sisters and my mother. Why wasn’t I?
The fresh onslaught of thought made waves of pain break out. Ouch, that hurt.
Looking around me, I realized I was sitting in what looked like a wild field. Flowers bobbed in the wind cheerfully while the sun cast a warm glow over it all. Springtime, as always, was a lovely time to be outside. If only I could find my wand, I could DisApparate and be back to getting ready for my wedding. It didn’t seem to be in pocket anymore.
I got up on my knees and noticed a bag lying within arms length. I snatched it up, wondering if maybe this held a clue as to what I was doing here. It seemed to be rather full of objects. Turning it upside down, I watched as several items fell out of it. A history book, a map and… was that a Time-Turner? I laid the bag down. What was I going to do with these things?
A fluttering against my leg caught my attention and I looked down. Oh, it was just another piece of paper. I picked it up and glanced at it. I almost threw it down when I realized writing was on it. It looked vaguely familiar.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, Andromeda. It’s time to fix those mistakes.
It clicked. Dumbledore had written this, and I knew precisely why. He was completely right, too. I couldn’t fix it though. I didn’t even know where I was.
Thinking upon this, I slowly placed the things before me in the satchel, including Dumbledore’s note. I left only the map out, picking it up as I rose to my feet. I glanced at it briefly before looking around me; I still had to find my wand. Ah-ha! There it was. I strode over to the bush I found it in, pulling it free of the plant. It felt so good to hold it in my hands again. If only I knew where to go next…
I tried to DisApparate back to a place I knew. However, when I spun on the spot, nothing happened. I felt a weird tingling sensation down my spine and then…nothing. I sighed heavily, picked up the satchel and started walking. If only there had been a broom in that bag.
Maybe I could summon the house elf. She could bring me something worth using. As I thought upon this, I found myself shaking me head. Dumbledore wanted me to do this on my own. Surprisingly, I wanted to do it.
I looked down at the map I held clenched in my hand. It didn’t seem to be a map of this area. Disappointment flooded through me at the thought. What use was it then?
“Andy?” A feminine voice broke through my silent thoughts.
I spun around to see my younger sister walking towards me. “Cissy? What are you doing here?”
I was astounded to see her. Dumbledore couldn’t have meant for her to be here too, could he?
My sister stopped in front of me, looking disheveled and out of breath. I could only stare at her.
“I don’t know what I’m doing here. One minute I was going to knock on your dressing room door, the next I find myself lying in the grass. Do you know what we’re doing here?”
I could hear the disgust and annoyance in her voice as she spoke. Once, we had been close. After my time with Ted, I didn’t feel as comfortable and true to myself around my family as I previously had.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m on a mission.” I spoke quietly, knowing my voice sounded like a resentful child’s. I didn’t want her here. Hopefully, if she tried to DisApparate, it would work for her…
Without another word, I turned my back on the sister I looked least like and strode off. I didn’t know where I was going, but I just wanted to get away. Cissy followed, of course, asking questions about what I meant. Between questions, she whined about how she wanted to go back to the dress shop, and how she probably looked a mess. I love my sister, but quite frankly, I wanted her to shut up.
Eventually, after my continued silence, she gave up the chatter and settled for silence. It was accepted with great relief on my part.
Silently, we walked together. I just wanted to find a town, to get my bearings. I was about to give up when Cissy gave a loud shout and pointed. There, beyond the hill, was a road. I grinned and indulged my sister with a few excited squeals and jumps. She always had made me feel like a child again.
We ran for it, laughing all the way towards the road. I felt like I was ten again, and when I glanced at Cissy, I think she felt the same way. When we reached the road, we stopped to catch our breath.
“Which way?” I asked her. I figured, as much as I didn’t want her there, I could use her for an advantage.
I watched patiently as she looked up and down the road. Both ends seemed to disappear around a curve into the grass. After a while, she looked at me and smiled.
“That way.” She pointed down to our left. It was a good enough choice.
I shrugged and offered my arm. A laugh escaped her lips as she took it. Together, we strolled down the road, exchanging meaningless talk. In the back of my mind, a voice insisted it was wrong, all wrong. I shouldn’t be walking along with my sister and talking about a marriage to a man I didn’t love.
Cissy didn’t even know she was intruding. She was just cheerfully accepting our fate as she always had. Out of all of us, Cissy was our little optimist. I glanced at her and sighed inwardly. Surely I could lose her somewhere along the way.
Once again, my thoughts were broken by an exclamation from the blonde at my side. I looked in the direction of her pointing arm and nearly sobbed at the sight.
A town! We glanced at each other and ran for it. Never mind that we were sophisticated and well-bred women; it didn’t matter here. I was the first to see someone as we neared it. I grabbed the sleeve of Cissy’s robes and pulled her back. We didn’t look the same as the people in the village; their robes were different than ours. They looked like the robes we had worn in school eight years before. Those robes were looser, more like dresses on the girls. I looked at our smoother; more form fitting robes and back again.
“Cissy, we have to change our robes. Look at them.”
She looked at me and nodded, waving her wand in my direction. I felt the change instantly. I returned the favor and watched as she stared down in disdain at the vintage robes. Little buttons ran up the front of our robes, the baby doll style hanging from our shoulders.
“Yuck. I hate these robes,” she whined.
I rolled my eyes at my little sister and grabbed her arm impatiently. I wanted to investigate (and hopefully figure out a way to lose my sister in the process).
“Come on, let’s go.”
Cissy sighed heavily and followed along behind me. We passed a store selling dress robes. Another store advertised Chocolate Frogs and other magical candies. All in all, the village seemed to be a wizard community. Someone could help us here,or at least I hoped.
I spotted a newspaper on a bench, leaving Cissy’s side to retrieve it. It seemed to be a fairly recent edition of the Daily Prophet. Here was another piece of evidence to enforce my impression that the village’s populace was all magical. I looked around for Cissy, finding her studying a display in the apothecary’s storefront.
Reassured, I glanced down at the paper absently, and then did a double take. I remembered reading this very headline just eight years ago in the Great Hall. My eyes shifted to the date in the upper left corner. The sight of those numbers caused my jaw to drop in shock. But, but, but… that wasn’t possible! Surely, that wasn’t possible. I peeped up at my sister, then back at the date. It was only days after I had left Hogwarts for the last time…
I looked up at my sister wonderingly. That golden glass thing on the chain had looked just like what Raphael told me was a Time-Turner. Was it possible that Dumbledore had sent me back in time?
My eyes focused back on my sister, only to spot a too familiar and dreaded head of black hair. Despair filled my heart. If she were to see us…
I started towards Cissy, feeling frantic. I couldn’t let Cissy see her either.
“Cissy, we should go sit down for a while. This place looks nice.”
I dragged her away from the window, ignoring her protests.
“Hey Andy, look! B-” she started to speak, excitement in her voice. Abruptly, I cut her off.
“No, Cissy, just go!”
She looked surprised but followed meekly enough after that. I directed her towards a pub, pushing her into its door. She stopped short inside the shop, her eyes wide. I darted in after her, having spotted that familiar hair closer than ever in the street outside.
“Whoa… Andy! It’s the Leaky Cauldron!”
My sister’s loud words drew my eyes from the pub’s windows to the interior of the place. Shock pounded through my body at the sight. It really was. That must mean…
“Well, well, well… Look what the Kneazle dragged in,” a sarcastic, bored voice broke through my scrambling thoughts.
It was a voice I knew all too well, as did Cissy. Her exuberant greeting towards the newcomer was almost embarrassing and made me more than willing to be rid of her.
“Hello, Bella,” I said once Cissy had let go of her.
I met the knowing, dark eyes of our older sister, feeling a shiver go down my spine. Bella, I remembered, had begun her works for the Dark Lord around the time I entered seventh year. She could only be in this remote place on his orders. Quite frankly, I feared her, more than I ever had as a child.
Even as fear pounded through my veins at the sight of my sister, I kept my hands still, my head up and my eyes straight on her. I hoped, beyond hope, that things she had learned in the last year weren’t ones that she would dare to use on her own sisters. I braved hoping the fear didn’t show in my eyes.
“Cissy, Andromeda.” Her voice was warm, inviting as she uttered our sister’s name. The warmth left with a sort of finality that sent a shiver down my spine, leaving her voice cold and distant when my full name left her lips.
So this was what I was reduced to now. She was still angry about my retaliation and rebellion earlier that year. Our sisterly bonds, no matter how faint they had been before, were nothing now. I could see that in her eyes.
I stared into the eyes that were far darker than mine, eyes I had known for all my life in the faces of both Bella and my mum. It was almost a battle of will as we stared at each other, coldness radiating from us both. I refused to give into her.
“Let’s go sit down…”
Cissy sounded worried, anxious. Through the corner of my eye, I could see her looking around, her brow furrowed in distress. Bella simply sent me a mocking, smooth smile before looking at our sister. The rough edges in her face, which were evident when she looked at me, smoothed out. She looked like the stunning woman she had become.
“Yes, let’s.”
She guided us to a table in the back, blatant about being unwilling to touch me. It was almost as if she feared catching a disease, one that made people love Muggles and Muggle-born wizards. I felt uneasy with her at my back. It would be just like her to pull something on me when I wasn’t aware. Together, we settled into chairs, Cissy still looking between us with uncertainty. She didn’t know much about the argument Bella and I had after Christmas. She didn’t know much of anything about Ted Tonks at all.
Finally, the silence was broken by Cissy, her voice wavering at first in her confusion. “Wh-What are you doing here Bella?”
The same mocking, bitter smile curved her lips as she threw a glance my way. I had the strongest feeling I wouldn’t like the words coming out of her mouth.
“I can’t very well go telling the likes of you,” she said smoothly.
There were undercurrents to her smooth voice that had fear pounding more strongly through me.
“We thought you were with him.” Cissy’s tone was reverent.
Hot and harsh, loathing flooded through me for what my family had created. Traditions, history, purity… I felt like I had an enraged dragon lying within my breast, flaming and spitting. Never before had such aversion to all that I had been raised with filled me. My baby sister, the protected and adored darling of the family, was sitting here, just drinking it all in. In that moment, I found I couldn’t forgive them for it.
I had fallen into it for years myself, forgotten the morals I had developed at Hogwarts out of loyalty to my family. I was about to marry someone who held the traditions I so hated at the moment so dearly. I was only second to those values in his eyes.
My eyes fell to the large engagement ring on my finger, barely listening to Bella distract Cissy. Maybe Bella felt that Cissy shouldn’t be dragged into this as well… Oh, who was I kidding? Bella would love to have her treasured sister join her in the ranks.
Silently, I drew the gold ring from my finger, tucking it surreptitiously into a small pocket. I didn’t want to be reminded of what waited for me when I returned.
It Continues with Many Riddles...
Staring at my bare finger, a sense of desperation and recklessness rose up within me. I wanted out, and I wanted to be gone. I wanted to just get on with what I had come to do. It was suffocating, clogging my senses and my mind as I sat there across from my sisters. It wasn’t only them I wanted to leave. My family and the values they had stuffed in my face since infancy were suddenly just too much to handle.
Rising abruptly, I had to snatch at the back of the chair to keep it from tipping over. My sisters looked at me, flabbergasted by my impulsive behavior. I looked at them, Cissy especially, my eyes pleading with them to understand.
“Bella, Cissy, I’ve got to go. I just “ I have something I have to do.”
I shot them one last glance as I left, wondering if they’d ever be able to comprehend, or at least tolerate, my emotions. For every wish in my heart that they would, I doubted I would ever be forgiven for what I was doing today.
Out in the street, I paused, breathing deeply in attempt to clear my head. All around me, the people seemed oblivious to the monumental thing I was about to do. They were going about their daily business, but here I was, in a time that wasn’t even mine. Not one person seemed to notice me standing there, staring around myself. Still, with the great blue dome of the sky overhead and the wideness of the street I stood in, I felt confined. I was confined and lost, nudged every which way by the passing people. Where was I going to go? Where was I heading?
I didn’t even know.
Not moving, I contemplated my surroundings, every little detail standing out sharply against the next. With every breath, it felt as if a weight pressed on my chest. Feeling more and more panicked with every moment; I darted into the closest building to me.
It was an apothecary store. The smells of ingredients such as lavender and rose were mixed with more unpleasant odors, but it was still soothing. They were familiar smells, comforting because of their familiarity. Slowly, little by little, the pressure on my chest eased. I still fought to gain control of my breathing, strolling down a line of shelves, and looking at the bottles on them absently.
Thinking that this was probably a waste of time, I continued to stroll through the shop, scanning the shelves. It was somewhere around then that one bottle caught my eye. It was a tiny glass bottle the color of bubblegum; bright and cheerful with silver writing on it. I leaned in closer to read the writing and smiled to myself at the label.
“Essence of Youth,” I said quietly.
My mother used it before we went shopping for my wedding dress. She had been using it for years but I didn’t have much use for it at my age.
I was about to walk away when something occurred to me. I was eight years older than the recently graduated Andromeda that Ted knew. I looked different; I was different.
My eyes flew back to the small bottle. I could use it; Ted would never know it was the future me if I did. All I would have to do is remember to write my younger self a note to distract her.
I grabbed the bottle and purchased it, slipping it into a pocket in my robes. As I did so, my fingers brushed the cool smooth metal of my engagement ring. That coldness seemed to spread up my fingers through my arm, filling my entire body. Quickly, as if I was burned, I jerked my hand out of my pocket. Maybe I should just pull it out and throw it as hard as I could, then I’d be rid of it forever…
“Ted, over here!”
A familiar voice caught my attention from down the street. I searched the people, finally finding the tall, pretty blonde girl I knew had spoken. My eyes followed her line of sight only to feel my heart plummet and bounce within my chest. It felt as if it stopped and fell, only to restart and bounce back into place, thumping away like mad. I could still remember the way he made me feel, his gentle touch and kind eyes. The reaction had been similar to what I felt now. Only then, loyalty to those who had raised me prevailed over my own wishes. Not anymore.
Several minutes passed before I managed to tear my eyes away from the sight of Ted Tonks. He looked like I remembered him; his blonde hair messy and falling in his eyes. He was smiling, a difference I couldn’t help notice from the last memory I had of him. Guilt flashed through me at the thought. He had been so hurt, so angry. Even around my anger, I had felt pain thinking that I had hurt him.
I couldn’t just march up to him as my younger self and expect a warm welcome though. Surprise, of course, but happiness upon seeing me? I wouldn’t be amazed if Aveline hexed me as soon as she saw me. I watched a while longer, thinking that I could have been there. I could have been there instead of Aveline, the girl grabbing his hand in her excitement and tugging him to a store window.
I could remember Aveline well, even after all these years. She was beautiful; tall, blonde and stunningly thin. She had intimidated me, all those years ago, because she knew Ted so well. They were inseparable for years, the best pair of friends I had ever seen.
Aveline… She was the one stopping me from marching right up to Ted. I needed to distract her. I could hex her or use a charm on her, but that was a bit too obvious. It was likely I’d hit someone else from this distance. I bit my lip, debating when an idea hit me. I could just send someone else to distract. I only needed to find the right guy to use…
POP!
I jumped about a foot into the air, holding a hand to my chest as if that would stop the frantic beating of my heart. Before me stood a house-elf wearing a tea towel, toga style, who eyed me shrewdly. I could see the Hogwarts crest in one corner. It was from Dumbledore?
“Miss Black?” She piped up; her soprano toned voice drawing the attention of several passersby.
Quickly, I motioned for her to be quiet. “Call me Andy.” Only my close family ever called me that. I was reluctant for anyone to know who I was.
She grinned at me and nodded. “I is having message from Master for you.” She waited for me to tell her go on patiently and began once she got it. “Master is saying you is failing, you must not leave sister alone. Bad, bad things happen. Darby knows, she does.”
Her eyes grew wide as she delivered her message. I could see the worry in them. I shivered involuntarily at the thought. A lifetime of values I didn’t agree with and a man who didn’t love me… It seemed far worse than a lifelong sentence in Azkaban. I couldn’t imagine forsaking my mission now just for Dumbledore. I needed to do that in the worst possible way.
“Is that all?” I asked her.
She shook her head impatiently. “No no. You must not ignore Master. There be more. You is needing to go to there, miss,” she pointed at a cheerful looking building before continuing, “and buy very last box of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. Inside, you finding more instructions telling how getting what you is needing to make sure bad, very bad things don’t happen, miss.”
I stared at her, unable to take in all she said at first. I was to do what? She looked at me almost pityingly and bowed.
“That’s what Master is telling me to say,” she chirped. Patiently, she nudged me in the direction of the store and disappeared with another loud POP.
Stunned, I walked over to the store and entered it. It was a joke shop. Why would Dumbledore leave me instructions in a joke shop? Then again, I thought as I drifted around a group of young girls, Dumbledore always did love his candy. I looked around me, searching for the Bertie Bott’s beans. I picked up the box in the back, staring at it. It looked like any other box of jellybeans.
Curious, I paid for it and left the store, opening it as I went. What was that? A tiny piece of parchment was tucked into the fold of one side. I wiggled it out of the tight spot slowly, knowing I probably looked rather silly with my hand in a box of beans.
Once I held the parchment in my hand, I moved off to the side of the street, sitting down on a bench. Placing the box of candy beside me, I opened the letter. I was unsurprised to see Dumbledore’s handwriting, and I read the instructions eagerly.
Andy,
You’ll find me in the pages of a book you’ve seen before. What this book contains is your well known lore. I’m not under a rock, nor in a store. I’m not found outside or through a door. I’m not high and I’m not low. I’m neither fast nor am I slow. With every step, I’ve been here. Secretly placed just for you, my dear. Open the pages and read what’s written, a tale of two oh so smitten. That’s where you’ll find me. That’s where I shall be.
Sincerely.
My eyebrows drew together as I thought over the cryptic message. Of course Dumbledore wouldn’t make it easy…
---------------------------------------------------
Every bookstore seemed filled with people, even the secondhand ones. A few of my old classmates were selling their schoolbooks for some extra money, and one bookstore seemed to be having a book signing. I passed them all up. Someone was more likely to see me there. I strolled down the street and nearly jumped with excited upon seeing a dusty, quiet little shop called “A Blocked Soulful Room”. This was the place.
Inside, it was as dusty as it looked outside, the shelves and books covered in a thin layer but for a choice few. There were quite a few scrolls as well, making me think of Ancient Egypt. I recognized a few titles of books I had read before and grinned. This seemed to be the place Dumbledore was talking about.
As I looked around, I began to realize the place was completely disorganized. If this was the place… My heart sank at the impossibility of finding whatever book I needed. A scuttling noise broke through the silence and I turned around to see an old woman peering up at me.
“Hello, dearie. May I help you?”
Her voice, instead of being hoarse as I expected, was warm and smooth. I stared a moment longer at her, taking in her wildly waving hair, tattered but clean clothes. I offered a smile hesitantly.
“Yes. I need to find a specific book to fit this riddle.”
I handed her the slip of parchment and watched her read it silently. She laughed a soft low sound that unnerved me.
“Why, my dear, you’ve had the answer with you all along.”
My eyes grew wide. Was she insane? I didn’t have any books with me. I shook my head.
“No, no. You’re mistaken, ma’am. I don’t have any books.”
“But you do, a book of a most curious nature. Let me see your satchel, dearie.”
The woman stretched out reaching hands for the bag on my shoulder. I had forgotten all about it and let it slip into her hands. She searched through it, pulled the items out and placing them on a counter. A Time-Turner, a map and… a Book. Her lips curved into a smile as she picked up the book and brushed dust from it.
“Open it, open it.”
She shoved it into my hands, and I read the title on the cover. “Your History.” That was all it said? Curious, I opened it slowly.
The first few pages were blank, but then I saw something that made me jump. It was a picture of an infant. I looked closer, and realized that child was me. Writing was scrawled across the page beside it, telling a story. I watched as the picture acted out the actions and words in the story, brushing my hands along the written part. It scrolled down, revealing more. I almost dropped the book, catching it on the edges of its binding at the last minute. What kind of book was this?
The woman gave a low chuckle, and began messing with a stack of scrolls as I flipped through the pages. As it went on, I got older; other people came into the picture. I felt the book slip a little when I saw the dark blue eyes and blonde hair of Ted Tonks staring out at me. I ran a finger down the side of the picture and smiled.
“Keep going. The thing you seek is at the end, but do not skip. The spell will break then.”
The woman warned me patiently, her smooth voice filling the silence. I nodded briefly to show I heard her and continued going through the pages. It showed my memories on the pages. My thoughts and feelings as if I had written them down in a diary.
Suddenly, the pages went blank, as if waiting to be written. I flipped past them, looking for something, anything more. There was one last page. It was the memory of Dumbledore giving me this mission. In the corner was an unbelievably realistic drawing of a Time-Turner. It twinkled once in the dim light of the shop, catching my eye.
“Touch it. It’s just a drawing, right?” the woman’s voice came again, taunting me.
I brushed the drawing with my fingers and jumped. I could feel the coolness of the metal and the different indentions of its design. I placed my whole palm over it and dropped the book when I felt the object slip into my hand. I was holding a second Time-Turner.
“Is that what you were searching for?”
It Ends with a New Beginning...
I could only stare at the woman, astounded. I had not just one, but two Time-Turners! Amazingly, I had pulled one of those from the pages of a book. Never before had I ever come across a book like this. Bending to pick the object in question, still clutching the Time-Turner in the other hand, I stared at both in wonder. The woman smiled mysteriously.
“Come along dearie. I’ve something to show you.”
I watched as she hobbled away in silence. More curious than I cared to admit, I threw the items back into my bag quickly, taking care to slip both Time-Turners around my neck. Hurriedly, I ran down an aisle to the back of the store to catch up. The woman was a surprisingly fast walker.
She led me down a dimly lit hallway, the end of it lit softly with a silvery glow. Suddenly, she stopped, and turned to me.
“You must finish this on your own. I leave you now.”
Quietly, she opened a door that I hadn’t noticed before and slipped inside, leaving me alone in the hallway. My eyes were drawn back to the faint light at the end. I could see a shadow down there, shaped like a person. Was there someone down there? Feeling intrusive, I walked towards it anyways, ignoring my better judgment. The woman’s advice hadn’t hurt me yet. Why try to do damage now when she could have from the beginning?
About halfway down the hallway, I noticed that there was an alcove off to one side. Within the indentation, I found a statue of a majestic looking woman holding a tablet. It was too dark to be certain, but I thought I could see writing on the thing in her hands. I pulled out my wand, uttering a soft Lumos as I peered at the stone. I was right; there was writing.
“There is a secret feeling in all of us, a feeling that is right and just. If you perceive that this fits you, perhaps you should meet a similar two,” I whispered to myself, hearing the uncertainty in my voice.
I was caught off balance as there was a flash of silvery blue light and all other colors around me faded away. It was like being inside a swirling tornado of silver, gray and blue. I didn’t have much more time to think about this than my feet made contact with the ground roughly. Stumbling, I feel to my knees and looked up into the leaves of a bushy plant. Beyond it, I caught flashes of red and black as I heard the raises voices of an arguing couple.
I rose slowly, and brushed off dirt from my robes. Everything beyond the bush came into full view. Both were glaring at each other fiercely in anger, one with vivid red hair and the other with a messy mop of hair that reminded me of my younger cousin’s.
“Lily, just listen! It was for a good reason, I swear!”
“No! I won’t listen! Picking on other people never has a good reason!” She stomped her foot emphatically, as if she were trying to make her point.
The boy looked put out by her logic, but plunged right on ahead. “He was being a prat to Remus. You know how that bugs me! It’s not like I chase after you asking you out anymore.”
With sudden clarity, I realized who the pair before me was; James Potter, my baby cousin’s best mate and the infamous Lily Evans.
She blushed, a response which made the boy smile smugly. “Tell a professor or give him detention! Don’t take it upon yourself to punish him. You should know better.”
His smile only widened. “I know enough to know I want you, Lily Evans,” he said quietly.
I smiled as I watched this, unsure of whether to make my presence known.
James took a step toward her, so that they were almost touching. “Lily, I won’t punish him myself next time, I promise. Please forgive me.”
Lily bit her lip, and looked up at him. “How can I trust you not to? You’ve said that before.”
The dark haired boy looked at her, his face serious as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She gave a half-hearted attempt to shrug them off, the fiery anger still flashing in her eyes. “I’m more serious than I’ve ever been. I wouldn’t lie to you now. Not after…” His voice trailed off.
To my surprise, pink bloomed on the girl’s cheeks, suggesting a sensitive subject had been brought up. She swatted at his arm almost playfully, the anger on her face being replacing with a stronger emotion.
“All right. Just don’t do it again,” she finally said, her tone daring him to argue with her.
His face broke out into a brilliant smile, and he took her hand, leading her away from me.
I could only guess I was brought to this to learn something. Was it really that simple? An apology could cure the rift that I had caused in loyalty to the family that never really knew me? Would he accept it as easily as “ The vortex of silver and blue surrounded me again as I was flung back to the small, dim hallway. Maybe it was worth a try…
Wonderingly, I picked up the wand I had dropped, its tip still lit. I didn’t know what to do, but curiosity was pulling, telling me to venture further down the hall. Unable to resist, I kept walking, venturing further into the dimness. I held my wand high, illuminating as much as I could. A shadow caught my eye, and I turned towards it. Another alcove was on my left, the light of my wand reflecting of the smooth surface of a mirror. I startled upon seeing my reflection, a hand flying to my chest as if to still the rapid beating of my heart.
Waiting for my heart’s beating to calm, I studied the mirror. It seemed like a normal mirror. I held my wand higher, and caught sight of the Time-Turner inscribed in the frame. My breath caught in my throat at the sight. Was this another enchanted object?
I ran my hand over the curved pattern in the frame, feeling the smoothness that came for years of gentle wear. It didn’t seem very old, but I knew appearances could be deceiving. My fingers brushed over the edges of the Time-Turner’s design, causing me to jump when the mirror’s surface twisted with a silvery blue glow. I glanced behind me after seeing the mirror’s depths. There was still just a dark wall, nothing more. Within the dark confines of the frame, the scene shown was nothing like what was behind me.
I reached out to touch the cool glass and startled when my hand touched nothing. It simply slid right through, faint in the lighting of the scene. I pulled it out wonderingly. Contemplating the object, I realized that it was taller than me. Unafraid, I stepped through it and felt my physical self slip away. As I adjusted, I became aware of other thoughts, of motions that were part of me and yet, they weren’t. I let myself fall into the thoughts, absorbing them. I was curious, after all.
“Grandmum, tell me about Grandpapa again,” I begged her.
I always had loved hearing about my mum’s father, about the man that made my Grandmum fall into memories. I loved watching her as she spoke of him, hearing the loving caress in her voice.
Grandmum gave me a silly smile, brushing hair out of my eyes. “Teddy, how many times have I told you about him before now?”
I smiled cheerfully. “A million and one times. I like hearing about him, and you just told me about Mum and Dad last week.”
She laughed, the sound bright and amused. “Of course I did. All right. Get comfortable.”
I settled onto my stomach and had stretched out on the floor before the fire. Slowly and musingly, her soft and cultured voice began spinning the tales I knew so well.
“As you well know, my relationship with your Grandpapa was as confusing and complex as your mother’s was with your father. I knew him almost immediately once we entered Hogwarts because he once ran into me in the hallway. We were inseparable for a while there, at least until your Great Aunt Bellatrix stepped in. My family didn’t approve of Ted Tonks; he was considered to be of inferior birth to us.
I didn’t care. I fought against it, but my fears for his safety (my sister never was very stable and often violent) made me leave our friendship. I didn’t think about him for years, allowing myself to drift along with my parents’ wishes…”
So the tales went on as I relaxed, learning more about my Grandmum that way than by asking her directly. I found out she was bold and imaginative. She dared to see beyond the confines of beliefs she had been raised with. She was brave and passionate to have left her family for a man she dearly loved.
I couldn’t imagine having to fight the bonds my family cast on me because of my blood and leaving them in tatters to be with someone. Grandmum had made sure I was raised knowing every point of view and leaving me with my own.
I had learned that my Grandmum was kind and sweet, her compassion stretching beyond what she had known as a child. It was amazing to learn that she was able to be fierce and strong, but also soft and giving. She was so diverse; I couldn’t imagine why a man wouldn’t love her.
I could only imagine marrying a woman like her. Maybe not the same coloring as Grandmum who was dark haired with light brown eyes and fair skinned. I knew that I wanted someone who was exactly like the woman who raised me, and who had raised my mother. I wanted someone daring enough to defy the comfortable for something adventurous like love. She was my hero.
Suddenly, I found myself standing before the mirror again, its surface reflecting me standing before it. That was me, the woman those thoughts had been thinking about. I had a grandchild who loved me so much; I could still feel it all around me. My life had been happy, I could tell that much. I had married Ted Tonks…
At that thought, sudden longing flared up inside of me for that future life, for Ted. I realized that I still had much to do. I needed to get to Ted, and talk to him.
I pushed open to the door cautiously, wondering if my sisters were still hidden within the pub’s gloomy depths. Noting that Narcissa was sitting in the back alone, I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Bellatrix was gone; and I could only feel thankful for that fact. I knew only that I had one last thing to take care of before I could go see to my own mission. Dumbledore’s orders were of the most importance.
I slipped inside, and strolled towards the bar swiftly. Impatiently, I waited for the bartender to notice me. He was standing there wiping at a dirty glass with a dirty rag, not really cleaning at all. Finally, I tapped on the wooden surface of the bar, drawing his attention towards me.
“Love is like Butterbeer, isn’t it?” I asked in response to his inquiring glance.
He smiled and reached beneath the countertop. He put a glass on the counter and a long, wooden box. It was about the size of a writing box.
“Two turns should do it,” he whispered gruffly.
I looked at him and nodded. My attention fell back to the box curiously. I studied it as he filled the glass with butter beer. Placing money on the counter, I picked up the box and glass before carrying them to Cissy’s table. She looked up at me in surprise.
“Hello, Cissy. Come with me; I’ve got a gift for you.”
I smiled at my sister cheerfully, feeling a twinge of guilt about what I was about to do. I took her hand and led her to the bathroom; we’d have the most privacy there. Flicking my wand, I warded the door before turning to my sister.
I pulled the second Time-Turner from my pocket, looking at it a moment. Cissy watched me inquiringly, trying to glance at the object in my hand. Quickly, I slipped the thin gold chain around her neck, watching her face light up; Cissy always loved jewelry. With a fast flick of the wrist, I turned the hourglass in the Time-Turner twice, following the bartender’s words of advice.
“Andy? Wha-”
“This isn’t the best place to be. I’m sorry, Cissy,” I interrupted her.
Before my eyes, she faded out before disappearing altogether. She was finally gone. I could only feel a sense of comfort in that fact. Releasing the ward on the door, I walked back to the table and the box. I sat down, unable to fight the urge to open it. Pulling it towards me, I lifted the lid.
Disappointment was sharp as I stared at the stack of letter size parchment, the quill and ink. On top, there was an unopened letter. I snatched it up, thinking it was another note from Dumbledore. Imagine my surprise to see that the handwriting was one I hadn’t seen in years.
“Dear Dromeda,
I never thought I’d be writing to you after the end of this year. I wish things hadn’t happened that way. Dromeda, forgive me for pressuring you, for expecting things of you when you weren’t ready to give them to me. I hope you’re happy, no matter what I said in our argument. Maybe you found the right guy by now, one your family will accept and that loves you for you. You’re still a part of my thoughts, of me. Know that I’ll never forget you, the friendship you gave me, the love I felt. I loved you. Actually, I still do. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, every moment. I asked Dumbledore to give you this after a while had passed. I should just send this to you as soon as I finish writing it. I’ll always be here if you ever have need.
Loving you always,
Ted."
Tears pricked my eyes as I looked at his familiar writing. Without hesitation, I drew out the quill, ink and parchment. I didn’t have to think about what to say; it was all there at the front of my mind. Impatiently, I began to write, wanting to get it all out. I had faith in my words, in my feelings. I hoped that this would be the beginning of the rest of my life, the right way.
My Darling Ted,
Seeing your familiar, beloved writing, you could never imagine the way I felt. I’ve missed…