Chapter One

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With a flash and a *pop* the four students arrived once more in a deserted Great Hall. Looking around, they could see the House tables were all set up ready for the students to arrive, but none of the teachers were anywhere in sight.

“ Well, this is familiar,” Hermione stated, thinking back to the year before when they arrived to an equally empty Hall.

“ Yeah, it is. I wonder what time we're in. Do you think we're home yet?”

“ I doubt it, Ron. I think we'll have to wait at least another year.”

“ Well, why don't we go up to Dumbledore's office? He's sure to be there, and I want to see him surprised,” Ginny suggested.

When everyone nodded, the group picked up their trunks and followed Harry to the nearest wall. Placing his hand there, he created a door into his room. Once inside, they looked around to see if it looked the same as when they had left. A few alterations had been made, such as the furniture being moved and a few extra pictures on the walls. The four dropped their trunks on the floor and headed over to look at the pictures. Harry was the first one there, and gasped at what he saw.

“ Oh sweet Merlin, that's Minh and Eustace. It's their wedding.”

“ What! They got married?” Ginny exclaimed.

“ It would seem so. Look, there's more. A few of their wedding day, and their last years here at Hogwarts. They look so old.”

“ They will do, Harry. They were twelve when we left, and in these pictures they're adults.”

“ I know, `Mione, but it just seems weird.”

“ Yeah, I know. Hey, look at this one. It has Minh holding a baby.”

Ron pointed to a moving photograph of a grinning Eustace and a smiling Minh, holding a small baby wrapped in a blue blanket in her arms. Underneath, written in silver ink, was the inscription `The Potters with baby James, 1960'.

“ That's my dad. Minh's my grandmother. It never occurred to me before. I remember Lolide telling me I must have elven blood in my ancestry to be able to do elven magic so well, but I never thought about where it would come from.”

“ That means little Gaerwyn you met 1000 years ago is your great grandmother,” Hermione pointed out. Harry groaned and put his face in his hands.

“ I don't know if I can even think about that. It's making my head spin. This time travelling thing is really getting confusing.”

“ You're only just getting confused? Lucky you. I've been confused from the beginning.”

“ I'm sure you haven't, Ron.”

“ I have, Gin. I can't get my head around it.”

“ Um, guys? I think we should get to Dumbledore's office. The students will start arriving in a couple of hours, and we still don't know when we are.”

“ Good point, let's go.”

Hermione went over to her luggage and let Crookshanks out so he could roam around for a bit. She didn't like keeping him locked up for too long. Ron did the same with Pig, telling him to go up to the owlery. When they were ready, Harry put his hand on the wall and asked for the headmaster's office. This was a feature he had added just before they left 1944. Before, they would leave the room and come out of a door in a corridor near the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Now they could specify where they wanted a door to appear. Harry hadn't told Dumbledore about it yet, as he was hoping to surprise him. When he pulled the new door open, he stepped though into the round office, the others right behind him. The headmaster was sitting at his desk and looked up, startled, when they stepped in the room. Giving them a puzzled look, the four were amused when comprehension hit him and his eyes suddenly widened.

“ Yes we are, Professor,” Harry said.

“ Well, it's been a while. I was wondering when you were going to turn up again.”

“ Actually Professor, could you tell us when we are, please?” Ginny asked a little sheepishly.

“ Of course. It's September 1st, 1975.”

“ Really? Then that means my parents will be here…”

“ In their fifth year, right Harry?”

“ Yeah Ron, I think so.”

“ Ah, you'll be talking about our young James Potter, and from your alias last year, am I right in assuming Miss Lily Evans?”

“ That's right sir. Did Minh and Eustace really get married?”

“ Indeed they did. I officiated, actually. The whole Order was there. Why don't you sit down and we'll discuss things.”

The four took seats in front of Dumbledore's desk. As soon as he sat down, Harry felt a gentle weight resting on his shoulder. Looking up, his eyes were met by those of a beautiful phoenix. Harry lifted his hand and ran his fingers lightly over the feathered head. Fawkes let out a trill of phoenix song in contentment. Tuning his attention back to the headmaster, the boy continued to stroke the bird as it fluttered into his lap.

“ Now, since you left quite a few things have happened. Grindelwald's apprentice has become the new Dark Lord. He calls himself…”

“ You've heard of him?”

“ Really? And he didn't kill you?”

“ He tried. And failed. Five times.”

“ Yes, but I'm not prepared to elaborate. It could change time.”

“ Very well, then. As you probably know, then, he has a number of followers called…”

“ Death Eaters.”

“ Yes, Harry. Death Eaters. He marks them with…”

“ Yes. Is there anything I need to tell you?”

“ A few things, but it might be easier to tell you what we know, and you can fill in the blanks.”

“ Alright, then Harry. Go ahead.”

“ Voldemort, formerly known as Tom Marvolo Riddle, Head Boy and Slytherin student, is the self proclaimed Dark Lord. He is a half blood, his father being a Muggle and his mother a witch. Calls himself the heir of Slytherin, as he is a parselmouth, and this has been proven by a self updating genealogy book of the founders' bloodlines we found while looking up the Ravenclaw line. His aims are to rid the world of `Mudbloods and Muggle scum'. He does this through his followers, the Death Eaters. Each Death Eater has a Dark Mark in its original form on his or her left forearm. His followers are called to meetings by pain in their marks. He got the idea and incantation for the Dark Mark in 1944, when I branded one into his arm at the final battle. His primary objective is to take over control of the wizarding world. How am I doing so far?”

“ Well, it would seem, Harry, that you know more than me. You gave him the Dark Mark?”

“ It was a matter of continuity. I have the only book I know of that documents the Dark Mark. In our time, he uses them on his followers. He had to learn it from somewhere. Also, there is a little known fact that will play a huge part in the future.”

“ And what is that?”

“ You can't kill the one who marked you. Meaning that none of the Order can kill me or you, as ours are the controlling marks. As I created yours, I can control all of those created by you. This means I can summon anyone who joined the Order after 1944, as I hold the first mark. Yours was changed a little so you could summon those marked by me, but mine holds all of the power. The same goes for Voldie. I marked him, so he can't kill me. He marked his Death Eaters, so they can't kill him. However, I am again the one in control, so I control the Death Eaters through him.”

“ My head's spinning.”

“ Sorry, Ron. It's a little hard to follow.”

“ You're telling me.”

“ So Harry,” Dumbledore interrupted, “ What don't you know about this time?”

“ Well, all I do know is that my parents and godfather are at school now, as well as my potions professor and school rival's father. Voldie is in power, and wreaking havoc, and the Order should be actively fighting him.”

“ Well, that's about all you should know. One thing I find surprising, though, is that you call him by his name. You even give him a nickname. Most people refer to him as `You-Know-Who' or `He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named', as they are too afraid to call him by his real name.”

“ Sir, fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. If we are afraid to name him, it makes us more afraid of the real thing. I find this idea idiotic.”

“ I fully agree, Harry. Well put.”

“ Sir, what happened to all of our friends?” Ginny asked.

“ Well, as you know, Eustace and Minh married and had a son, James. Both are Order members. Minh helps Poppy Pomfrey in the hospital wing, so you will be able to see her soon, and Eustace is an auror. As for Peeves and Lady Ravenclaw, they are still about the castle. I'm sure you'll run into them soon enough.”

“ That's good. Sir, we're near our time now. There are a lot of people we know in the future, and knew in the past. How are we going to get around being recognised?”

“ That's an excellent point, Miss Granger. I suggest we call an Order meeting right away. You will be rejoining, I assume?”

“ Of course Headmaster,” Harry said.

“ That's good. Everyone, bar the ghosts, who knew you well in 1944, is either a member of the Order or a member of the Death Eaters. The Death Eaters won't be a problem, because you will not see them much, if at all. The Order members include some of your current teachers. Everyone else you knew, especially those in other years, are off living their own lives and will never be any the wiser. As for looking like relatives, I don't think that will be a problem.”

Looking at the four, Dumbledore knew he was right. Hermione was a muggleborn, so she wouldn't look like anyone at Hogwarts. The Weasleys looked a little like Arthur, but Ginny especially looked more like her mother. Despite the Weasley hair, no-one would be likely to make the connection. As for Harry, he looked rather different from his father. Having seen pictures of Harry when he was younger, Dumbledore knew that as he matured he looked a lot more like his mother. The fact that he had short spiked hair and no glasses made him look even less like James. No, he thought, they won't be recognised.

“ I think you will be fine as you are, except you will have to change your surnames again, except for you, Miss Granger. Harry, the only suggestion I would make would be to place a concealing charm on your scar. It is the only thing that makes you stand out, and if people see it, it may cause trouble in the future.”

“ Alright, I see your point,” Harry said as he waved his hand, concealing his scar.

“ Now, before we summon the Order, what are we doing about school for you four? You'll be in your sixth year, but what Houses are you in this time? I know you're trying different ones, so where am I putting you?”

“ Well, Ron's Gryffindor, Hermione's Hufflepuff, Ginny's Ravenclaw and I'm Slytherin.”

“ Very well, Harry. I'll make the announcements at the feast. Would you like to do the honours of calling the Order?”

Nodding his head, Harry felt for the connection of the Order marks and sent out a summons. Once he knew everyone was coming, he turned to thinking about the new school year and what it would be like to see his parents. As his musings turned to the Marauders, a sudden thought struck him.

“ Oh, Merlin,” he said with a groan.

“ What's wrong, Harry?”

“ I'm a Slytherin, Ron.”

“ You have my sympathy, mate.”

“ It's not that.”

“ What is it, then?”

“ What are my parents going to say?”