Saviour of Nothing

The Betrayal

"Tell them I mean no harm!" Umbridge screamed. She was flailing wildly, trying in vain to escape the centaurs holding her down and tying her up.

"I'm sorry professor, but I must not tell lies," Harry said, hearing the acid in his own voice.

The centaurs subdued Umbridge and carried her deeper into the forest. Harry could hear her shouts for help fading away into the dark night.

Harry turned to Hermione and raised an eyebrow. He huffed a laugh when Hermione shrugged.

"Right then," Harry said. He pulled a tattered piece of parchment from his pocket and muttered the password. He watched the lines form, fascinated as always by the Map.

He searched for his and Hermione's names and began leading them out of the forest. Knowing he could trust Hermione to stop him before he ran into a tree, he began scanning the Map. He wanted to make sure they weren't caught by surprise by a teacher or any of the Slytherins.

Suddenly, Harry stopped and nearly dropped the Map. He gasped at the parchment, unwilling to believe what he was seeing was real.

Harry fleetingly noted Hermione passing him and turning back, noticing he had stopped.

"Harry? What is it?" Hermione asked.

"It can't be," Harry murmured, thinking aloud and not focusing on Hermione at all.

"What are you talking about? Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry saw her hand reaching for the parchment, and he jerked his head up. He looked into the forest for a second before dashing away, sprinting headlong into the thick trees surrounding them.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted.

Harry heard her following behind him. He didn't acknowledge her, instead, he kept running, looking more at the Map than the forest around himself. He was lucky he didn't run full speed into a tree. Harry stopped a few feet inside the tree line. Hermione narrowly avoided colliding with him.

"Harry —" Hermione started, but Harry held up a hand and shushed her.

He pointed in front of them. There were two figures just inside the tree line. Harry heard Hermione gasp and knew she recognized them, just as he had.

"Do you think it's really them?" Hermione asked in a soft voice.

"The Map has never been wrong before," Harry answered. His eyes never left the two people standing mere feet away from them.

"What do you plan to do?" Hermione asked.

Harry didn't answer her directly. Instead, he walked forward.

"Mum? Dad?" Harry called, voice tentative and wand in hand.

The pair in front of them jerked at the words. Harry noted that the woman had vibrant red hair, like Ginny's. Much more vibrant than his old photos had been able to show. She was also looking worse for wear, with twigs and leaves in her hair and tears in her clothes. The man, also looking raggedy, was almost an exact copy of Harry, with the exception of the obvious difference in age. His eyes, of course, were a soft hazel, rather than Harry's striking green.

"Harry?" They both spoke at once.

"How do I know it's really you?" Harry demanded. He kept himself slightly in front of Hermione. His wand was still in his hand, though hidden enough that he doubted the pair had noticed it.

"Would my animagus form work?" the man — James — asked.

Harry looked to Hermione, careful to keep the other two in sight as well. She shrugged.