The Story of Sheila Riddle (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 35

After the disastrous meeting with Delphi, Sheila was able to work up the courage to tell her fiance about her Time-Turner. He didn't react at all the way she'd thought he would. He was not upset in the slightest; he told her he trusted her to make the right decision in the end.

It was not long afterward that the Time-Turner activated. Sheila was pulled back in time to the date of the first task in the Triwizard Tournament, where she witnessed some unexpected meddling. Cedric Diggory was disarmed by two students disguised in Durmstrang robes, who Sheila guessed were the 'helpers' Delphi had mentioned. Albus Potter and Scorpius Malfoy. Sheila didn't know what to think at first. Luckily, she was not seen by the crowd of onlookers, and the trip through time only lasted five minutes before she was deposited safely back in her hideaway, where she met a frantic Barty. She explained everything to him, concluding that the excursion had been a failure, as seemingly nothing had changed. She wondered to herself how Delphi's wish to bring her father back aligned with Amos Diggory's wish to get his son back. And what did two Hogwarts students, the sons of two very influential men, have to do with it? 

However, when the Time-Turner activated the second time, circumstances were quite different.

Sheila and Barty had been sitting together at the time, talking quietly. Sheila felt the Time-Turner whirring in her pocket, and next thing she knew, she and her fiance were underwater. Panic instantly seized them and they struggled to reach the surface before they suffocated. When they were inches from the surface, Sheila felt the Time-Turner whirring again. She broke the surface, gasping for air.

Only, Barty wasn't beside her anymore.

She dove back under the surface, searching for him desperately, but to no avail. She resurfaced, sobbing in terror and confusion as she looked around. She could see the castle of Hogwarts. But it certainly didn't look the same as she remembered it, and the sky seemed darker too. 

A high voice addressed her, "Really, finding students in the lake is bad enough. But teachers? Really, Sheila, sweetheart, what were you thinking? I hope young Malfoy didn't get the idea from you."

Sheila turned to see two figures standing on the shore. Umbridge, unmistakable in her sickly choice of pink apparel, and Scorpius Malfoy, his robes soaked through, staring at Sheila in confusion.

"My dear, what's the matter? Have you been crying?" Umbridge asked in a sugary tone.

"No." Sheila emerged onto shore and took several deep breaths to calm herself. "I just needed a swim."

"Fully clothed."

"Yes," Sheila replied stiffly, "Is there a problem with that?"

"Well, if I'm not wrong, which I most sincerely doubt I am, you should be teaching class just about now."

"Class?"

"Let's hope you've not forgotten your duties as Transfiguration teacher."

"No...of course not."

Sheila looked down at Scorpius, who was regarding her with wide eyes. She bent over to wring out her clothes, and Umbridge took Malfoy in hand and led him away to the castle. Sheila followed shortly, trying to gather her thoughts. Scorpius had looked just as shocked as she was, and Albus was nowhere in sight. The two must have completely altered time without really realizing what they were doing. There was no telling what they'd done. What if they were stuck there forever?

After much confused wandering through the castle corridors, Sheila managed to find her classroom. The students were waiting with bored stares. Sheila uncomfortably moved to the front of the room and cleared her throat nervously.

"This may sound silly to all of you, but do any of you remember what I last taught?"

Sheila was saved from the derisive stares by the arrival of a tall, dark-haired young man. Sheila sucked in her breath as she recognized Barty. She felt a surge of relief. Where had he disappeared to? She looked down at her hand instinctively and saw the ring. Of course, Barty must have been there the whole time. But maybe it was just a different Barty.

"Professor Riddle, can I speak with you?"

Sheila joined him in the corridor and waited for him to speak.

"Professor Umbridge told me she found you in the lake, fully-clothed. She said she thought you maybe had another of your..." His voice trailed away. He gave himself a small shake before asking, "What were you doing? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Barty..."

"Barty?" he echoed, his eyebrows knitting in concern. "Oh, mother, not again," he moaned.

Sheila felt like she'd been struck by lightning.

"Mother?" she repeated, "Barty, what are you..."

"Mom, I'm not Barty. He died in the Battle of Hogwarts. Don't you remember? I'm your son, Tom. You named me after my uncle. Please tell me you remember."

"No, no..." Sheila groaned, holding up her ring, "That can't be true. I'm engaged to Barty Crouch."

"Mother, that's the ring Snape gave you."

"Snape?" Sheila could hardly believe her ears. "Snape's dead," she insisted.

Tom was looking more and more concerned, "No, he's not."

"But Snape would never marry me!" Sheila shrieked, losing her nerve, "He told me that years ago!"

"After Dad died, you two grew close again. I remember when you told me he had proposed you were so happy. It was one of the few times I've actually seen you smile."

"Who...who won the Battle of Hogwarts?"

"Lord Voldemort did, Mother. Harry Potter was killed that day. You like to mention that excessively."

"Were Barty and I ever married?"

"No, you two were never engaged or anything of the sort. I remember you two spoke of it quite a lot but it never actually happened."

"You look exactly like him. When were you born?"

"Only a few months before Lord Voldemort's downfall, the day that Harry Potter's name became famous."

"Then you're...you're..."

Sheila's hand flew to her mouth as she felt the tears rushing to her eyes. Her baby, the one she had lost, the one that had caused her so much grief, was standing before her, an independent young man. She opened her mouth to speak but no sound came out.

"After Dad's death," Tom said, "You were never the same. You became very withdrawn. It was Professor Snape who brought you around again. But sometimes you still get...strange fits, and you can't discern between the past and the present. I've had to remind you a thousand times."

Sheila stared at her son for a long time, not wanting to look away in case it turned out that he was just an illusion.

"So...so Snape is here, at the school?" she asked after a moment's silence.

Tom nodded.

"And...my brother is alive?"

Tom nodded again. Sheila suddenly grabbed him in a big hug, squeezing him tightly.

"Just in case," she said, stepping back, "I want you to know that I love you, and I'm proud of you."

She turned and walked away, determined to find Snape. She stopped as a sudden thought occurred to her. She turned back quickly, shouting down the corridor at the unmoved figure of her son.

"One more thing!" she said, "How are you the same age as me?"

"That is thanks to your Rebirth Spell," Tom shouted back, "And don't you have a class to teach?"