After The Darkness: A Time Travel Fanfic (Marauder Era)

Chapter 2

This chapter is dedicated to befuddled_thoughts for being the first person to vote on this story. Love you.

This amazing cover has been made by @AnkitaBarat. I'm trying to change it soon!

Into The Past - Beginning of Another Task

"How will we be able to go down The Chamber? You can't speak Parseltongue anymore right?" Hermione asked these questions without breathing, as she and Harry headed towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Harry remained quiet for sometime before he spoke.

"Maybe not as good as before, but you know,being with a language whether it is snake or not, for almost sixteen years does give you some indication of its meanings and speaking method. Maybe I can just manage."
They arrived in the front of the entrance. It took Harry two times to get it right. Hermione kept silent throughout the process.

They slid through the tunnel and landed roughly into the slimmy floor of the chamber.

"Hermione, are you alright?" Harry asked, concerned.

"Yeah." Hermione responded quietly as Harry helped her up and taking her hand, lead her into the main chamber.

"This place gives me creeps." Said Hermione, shivering.

"Me too." Harry let go of her hand and advanced towards the basilisk corpse, which had turned more scaly and dry like a skeliton. Many of its fangs were gone. Harry suspected that Hermione and Ron took them last time. He ignored the dull ache in his heart on the memory of Ron. Carefully, he pulled out some basilisk fangs and wrapped them up in an old, worn out robe. He walked towards Hermione. She was staring transfixed a the side of the chamber. Only towards one spot.

"Hermione?" Harry called. He stood besides her and saw her eyes full of tears. "Hermione?"

Hermione pointed the spot where she was staring. "See that place Harry? That was the place where I kissed Ron for the first time. He said 'I love you' for the first time. And also the last." She was crying now. Harry's eyes felt wet. He held Hermione, who continued crying on his shoulder. His shirt was getting wet, but he didn't care; she had gone through as much as him- he lost his love, one of his two best friends. Now his other best friend was a broken wreck. Just like him.

After sometime, Harry let go of Hermione, she had calmed down a bit. She looked at him with her tear-stained face. "I am sorry, Harry." She said in a small voice. "I was just being so stupid, I made you sad too. And now I made your shirt wet." She sniffed. Harry gave her a watery grin.

"No, you are not being stupid." He said gently. "There is nothing wrong to cry for the one you love. As for my shirt, I can afford one wet shirt for my best friend."

Hermione returned his smile. Together they flew out of the chamber by summoning Harry's firebolt. They bid farewell to Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore's portrait before they came out of the Hogwart premises.

"What did you do with the money?" Harry asked Hermione. "I took all of mine with me." Hermione motioned towards her beaded bag. "Undetectable extension charm." She said. "Along with all yours too."

"Well done." Said Harry. They had packed two different trunks of their belongings, seventh year textbooks for Diagon Alley, and a small sack of money each. However, both of them had collected almost all their money and put it into the beaded bag. They'll be needing it. They put their communication sickles in their pockets. They were ready to go.

"Ready?" Hermione asked. "Ready." Harry nodded.

Hermione put the string of the hourglass over both their necks. Carefully, she started turning the hourglass. Harry saw the scenes, places changing around them, they were almost falling through space. Harry felt his feet hovering in the air for a few moments before they landed on solid ground. Harry found himself in front of Hogwarts gates, just where they had been.

"When are we?" He asked Hermione.

"We are few days earlier than the Hogwarts express is due to come in 1977. We have to go inside in gap of few days. Then there will be no suspicion. One of us will go now, the other one will go in the day of the Hogwarts Express, via London. Do you want to go now, or do you want to board the Hogwarts Express?" Hermione finished.

"Let us consider I'll go in now. Then what would you do? Wait a week at Leaky Cauldron?" Hermione looked at him, exasperated. "I have the time turner Harry."

"Oh, sorry." Harry said sheepishly. "Maybe I should go inside now. I can't handle the time turner accurately."

Hermione nodded, understanding. "See you after a week then Harry." She said, and apparated. Harry stared at the spot where Hermione had disappeared for sometime and sighed. He now had to manage this alone for a week before he'll meet Hermione again. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the gates and entered the Hogwarts grounds.

He walked towards the Castle, his mind twisting and turning. He tried to plan a good cover story. None came. Maybe he had to trust his instincts yet again. Entering the castle, he walked in front of the gargoyle when he realised he didn't know the password. He thought about knocking. Cautiously, he knocked on the gargoyle.

"Ouch! No need to be rude boy! Its your fault you don't know the password!" The gargoyle startled him by speaking, annoyed suddenly.

"What's the problem?" Harry almost cracked his neck to face the voice coming from behind. Dumbledore was standing behind him, his piercing blue eyes looking at Harry over the half-moon spectacles. His eyes twinkled in amusement.

"Sir, I.... um.... wanted to meet you.... er...." Harry trailed off as Dumbledore eyed his trunk. "Why don't we talk inside, young man? I'm sure you'll like to have a conversation in a more convinient place." Harry nodded. Dumbledore faced the gargoyle, which was still grumbling and massaging its forehead with its stone hands.

"Cockroach Clusters" Dumbledore said, as the gargoyle sprang apart. Harry had to stifle a laugh, remembering Dumbledore's unique choice of passwords.

Dumbledore motioned him to sit infront of him. "Lemon drops?" He offered. Harry politely declined. Putting a lemon drop in his mouth, Dumbledore said, "Lets see what you have to say."

Harry hesitated. Dumbledore was looking at him expectantly.

"Sir, I am a muggleborn wizard. But I lived in France. I was homeschooled by an elderly wizard of the neighbourhood since by parents didn't send me to Beauxbatons. A week ago, my house was attacked by deatheaters. My parents were killed but I escaped. The wizard in our neighbourhood just gave me directions to Hogwarts via Hogsmeade. He was unable to do anymore. But he said that help is always given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it. So I came here in hope that maybe I'll able to complete my education." Harry blabbered out whatever came in his mouth. He mentally patted himself for a convincing cover story. Dumbledore listened with rapt attention. Then he raised his eyebrows.

"But you don't seem to have a French accent."

"I wasn't born French, sir."

Dumbledore looked thoughtful.

"How old are you, Mr....?"

"Potter. My name is Harry Potter. I am seventeen."

Dumbledore looked surprised. "Mr Potter, do you have any siblings? And are you sure you are muggleborn?" Harry nodded nervously. "I don't have any siblings sir." Where is he going?

"Curious is, Mr Potter, a student who is due to start his seventh year as well, looks very much like you. And you know the more curious part? His name is James Potter. He is a pureblood." Harry swallowed hard. Damn his 'you-look-like-your-father-but-you-have-your-mother's-eyes' face!

"I am a muggleborn sir. My parents Mr and Mrs Potter were muggles." He wasn't sure why he clarified that again. Dumbledore nodded and asked no more questions.

"Well Mr Potter, I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am going to sort you into a house among the four houses of Hogwarts. They are Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. And your house shall be henceforth your family...." Harry nodded, not really listening. He already knew everything. Finally, after sometime, Dumbledore put the sorting hat on his head.

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