hogwartsexpressed | CLOSED: The WORST Double Date to Date (for: coreofdragonheart)

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CLOSED: The WORST Double Date to Date (for: coreofdragonheart)

Harry walked into the private dining room that Hermione had requested for their use that evening. He took a moment to search and take down any eavesdropping instruments he could locate and knew Hermione would or had done the same already. He didn't want this to get out to the public if they could at all help it. He had spent most of the day putting his Aurors through their paces and had perhaps had been a bit too hard on them but honestly, it wasn't any worse than what they could possibly face outside the walls of the Ministry. It was at that time that he regretted, again, that he hadn't sought further education and training from the ICW.

Once he was content knowing he'd taken down anything that could listen in on them, he cast his own set of privacy charms around the room that would allow their guests and waiter/waitress to enter but would not be able to listen in. He turned to look at Hermione and gave her a smile. Spending the evening talking with her and having dinner had probably been one of the best nights he's had in a long time. It had infuriated him to know Ron had been an even bigger arse in regard to Hermione's parents after the war. What gave him the right?

"Are you ready," he asked, walking over to her and watching her face closely.

He'd taken the potion already today and was glad that his intelligent and beautiful best friend had found something that would work. Harry loathed that they'd been treated this way after all they'd done for the Weasley family.

Ginny would be getting off work momentarily and getting cleaned up before she made her way to the restaurant. Ron... well he didn't give a rats arse. He was looking forward to knowing just how much the man knew.

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This is not how this evening should go. They've both been through so much and they're only just now learning that they have a chance to be together again. Again after so much was taken from them and now they just have this chance.

A chance like this, to stand in Grimmauld Place making out like school kids hiding behind curtains in Hogwarts.

The very sound of Harry's voice in that moment makes her knees weak, clinging to him as she cants her head to take more, to give him more in that kiss. "We should," she murmurs, panting softly. "Maybe..."

Nope, she doesn't want to stop things. She just wants this to go on.

"Maybe," he murmured but again, neither of them moved, and instead, Harry brought her in closer. Everything else was a blur outside of the way her mouth and body felt against him. He was beyond thrilled that they would, finally, have time to be together.

Finally.

As right as this felt, suddenly, something in his gut twisted and he frowned. Harry knit his eyebrows together and pulled back from the kiss. He didn't feel right. "Hermione, d'you feel that," he asked but as soon as the words tumbled out, he wasn't in Grimmauld anymore.

Harry squinted at the sunshine pouring through the window and could hear children and parents outside saying farewell. He looked around the compartment then outside and frowned.

What... how... he had so many questions. How'd this happen? He looked down at his clothes and frowned.

Merlin.

Remembering that day, he only had a matter of time before Ronald Fucking Weasley came in, setting them down that particular path. While he wasn't sure at all what was happening, he knew he wasn't going to allow that to happen again. Harry pulled out his wand and charmed his luggage so if he had to leave the compartment to get away from the redhead, he didn't have to worry about it being tampered with.

That first time, he hadn't known Hermione right away so he wasn't sure when she arrived. That didn't mean he couldn't go and search the train for her though - it was better than waiting. He stood from his seat and walked to the door, opening it and looking out both ways.

This was absolute madness. Absolute bloody madness.

All he'd wanted was a night with Hermione where they didn't have to deal with anything until he next morning - was that really too much to ask?

Memories of a love that hadn't died, but had merely been cursed away are flooding back to Hermione. Ones that started from the very moment she spied a shy boy in broken glasses on the train to the magical school she had been accepted to.

A moment that was so important because it's truly when her life changed in so many ways. In having Harry in her life. In becoming a witch. In going to Hogwarts. Certainly it led her to war, but that war would have waged anyway, and it likely wouldn't have been won without her there.

A moment when she had found the man she should have had a chance with, but had been taken from her with a love spell.

A moment she suddenly finds herself much more acutely away of, as she finds herself standing on the Hogwarts Express, by herself, wand in hand and... and...

She looks into the glass door of one car, seeing her frizzy hair and buck teeth and youthful face. No, not youthful as it had been moments before but young. Eleven years young to be exact.

"Bloody Hell," she growls, knowing in an instant what it must be. "You bloody horrible woman. I swear when I find you I will see you in Azkaban." Or dead, but she doesn't say that outloud. She's getting enough looks from students in robes passing her as it is and she realizes she might want to keep those thoughts to herself.

And find Harry.

So she starts hurrying through the cars, knowing where he'll be. she just has to get there before that bloody little ginger bastard does.

Harry started moving toward the front of the train, keeping an eye out for the other girl. Now that the shock had sort of worn off, he knew exactly who it was that caused this and he was pissed.

He exhaled a relieved breath when he finally spotted the familiar frizzy hair behind another older student. "Hermione," he called, waving an arm to get her attention. If luck stayed on their side, they could get back to the compartment before the bastard did and lock it. He apologized to an older student he accidentally bumped into before standing in front of her.

It didn't even cross his mind that this could be Hermione at eleven who didn't know him. He could only assume that this was his Hermione, the one that he had just been making out within their adult bodies.

"Hi," he said with a smile, there was a way to know quickly without being weird about it. "I solemnly swear," he started, but once he took a moment to look in her eyes and saw the furious look in her eyes, he knew. "I have a compartment."

Brushing past others, ignoring the looks she's getting and realizing she isn't one of those that others give way to, a close friend of Harry Potter. Though she nearly ruins that when she hears her name and she squeaks, pushing past another.

"Harry!"

She hears some whispering, wondering, and she flings herself at him. "How... how could she... What kind of magic..."

Thankfully her anger keeps her from saying too much, and realizing they need to talk about it, alone. "Is he there?"

On instinct, Harry wraps his arms around her in a tight hug. "I know," he murmured and tightened his hold around her.

"He wasn't when I left so let's get back and we can lock the doors," he said, grabbing her hand and moving down the length of the train to the compartment he had left his things in. He didn't give anyone else a second glance and paid attention to their mission of getting back before he got there. Which, if he remembered correctly, wouldn't be until the train started to move and thankfully they still had about five minutes before then.

They would have to come up with a reasonable excuse as to how they knew each other before school started but that was easy to come up with.

Practically dragging along her bag, holding tight to Harry's hand and not willing to let go. She has no idea what is going on but if this is real, they're in trouble.

"Have you thought maybe it's a dream? It could be that we're trapped in a memory, maybe?" She wishes she had a clue, that she was sure of that because none of it feels like a dream. It's feels so real and she isn't sure what to make of that. How it's even possible?

Hurry close to Harry, wanting to be behind a locked door, to be safe from all of this, all that it is. At least until they can try and make sense of any of it.

"I haven't," he admitted. "My first thought was to come and find you before he arrived." They finally got to the compartment and he opened the door, thankful that it was as empty as he'd left it. "He didn't get here until the train was starting to move last time so I imagine it'll be no different," he said, shutting it behind her once they'd entered. "What kind of locking spells do you think we can get away with?"

If they were truly... here in the past, then they had a lot of work to do and to discuss.

The train was one of those spots that were kind of between the muggle world and the wizarding world. They weren't at Hogwarts, but underage magic wasn't considered forbidden on the train. Unless someone was injured, or they complained, they were safe.

Shoving her back to the back of the compartment by the window, she turns to the door, considering.

She gives a flick of her wand, the lock slamming into place, then she dropped the tip and there was a clunking sound. "Oops, lock is broken," she says, collapsing on the bench seat. "What has happened, Harry? Could we really be back to year one?"

Harry stepped away from the door as soon as she locked it. His mouth quirked up before collapsing down next to her, exhaling a deep breath. "I don't know but I sure feel like we're back in year one." He lifted his hand where the old scar from Umbridge had left it's imprint and saw it bare. Which meant... he lifted the hand and traced the scar on his forehead, that was back.

"I'm not sure what happened but I imagine She did something that resulted us in being back here," he said with a frown, dropping his hand next to him then took her hand, clasping it in his. "Which means, we need to make plans. A list of everything we want to change and work toward. If we're stuck here, we might as well take full advantage of it."

"You look like you're back in year one," she says, giving him look. "And I think I do as well," she admits. "I was looking in the windows, because I can tell my hair isn't right. Neither are my teeth."

She sighs, collapsing on the bench across from him with a groan. "How can she be this powerful and we didn't know it? How?" She shakes her head. "I can't imagine I could have done this." Though she knows, maybe, if she tried. Maybe.

"I bet she thought we wouldn't remember and she could reset things."

Harry winced at even thinking he looked like that first year who came in malnutritioned with broken glasses. "Not my favorite by any stretch of the imagination," he said, looking over at her and pressed his head back against the seat. "On the plus side, if I can either find someone to prescribe them or find the ingredients, I can make some nutrient potions and not look like I've been starved for most of my life."

He exhaled and watched her. "I loath to think she's actually that powerful but... she did potion us for far too many bloody years. So... anything is possible."

"Oh, you could have. We could have, if we'd put our heads together." He probably hadn't been the most studious child at Hogwarts when he arrived. He wouldn't bother lying about that. However he would say he had enough power at his disposal and studied the subjects that interested him that really... he could have gone in any direction.

He snorted. "I bet she was banking on us not remembering so she could pull strings again. She'll be furious to know that not only do we remember every single thing but that we're not even friending her monster of a child."

"Least we know the things to fix our issues," she says, drawing her wand. Smirking at him, she gives it a wave. "Oculus reparo," she murmurs, nearly smiling at him as she does, fixing his glasses. "We'll get both of us where we need to be, and we'll figure this out."

She gives him a look. "I think part of that is you don't expect it. She's helpful and doting and outside of the purebloods, even if she is one. Except she is one," she repeats, making a face. "Not just in blood but thought. She's her ancestors, and we thought she was her parents."

She's quiet a minute. "We need to get the cloak," she says softly. "I need in the restricted sections. I... I read about magic like this but it's..." She's quiet, looking down and then up. "She would have had to offer a sacrifice for this. That kind of energy. But who?" She hates to think about it, about what she had to have done.

"I wish we could see her face. You think she told Ron to find us? Since she had to bypass the station. I bet there isn't enough magic on that side of the muggle world to have brought us back to then. She was looking for you at King's Cross," she points out. "When you first arrived."

The moment Hermione fixes his glasses, he chuckles and sends her an amused smirk. "Thanks for that," he said before nodding in agreement. "Which means we need to start a list of everything we need to do. Thankfully, we have around nine hours to plot and plan."

Hermione wasn't wrong. Molly Weasley was all of those things and doubly so with Dumbledore behind her. "Agreed, we need the cloak. I should receive it back come the holidays but... perhaps there's a way to get it sooner." He was, after all, the Master of Death after putting together all the Hollows.

He paused considering what she was saying and thought of it. "Herself? Do you think she could have sacrificed herself to achieve it, knowing she'd get a 'do over' essentially?"

"Definitely." There was absolutely no hesitation in his voice when he said it. "The first time around, the whole gang came through the muggle way, talking loudly about the platform and muggles in hopes that I'd overhear it." Honestly, Harry didn't recall how he'd gotten on the platform this time but he had assumed it was the same way. "If they'd gotten here later then, she definitely told Ron to be on the lookout. They want the gratefulness of an eleven year old Harry Potter to welcome Ron." There was not a single doubt in his mind that that's precisely what happened.

Now that the train had pulled away from the station, Harry withdrew his wand and whispered a spell that would reveal any tracking mechanisms on their luggage, not surprised at all when pieces started glowing. "Well that will not do," he said, considering the options. As an adult, it wouldn't take much to undo it but he had full use of his magic then. Now, he was a half starved eleven year old boy who didn't have full use of his magic.

Digging into her things, she pulls out a notebook and a quill. The book flips open without a word, the quill posing over the page. The quill marking the robe on the list, as well as notes about what's happened to them. She's not speaking them but they're going onto the page neatly in her precise print as does everything she does by hand. She had come into this with her knowledge of magic though, as a graduate and a survivor of the war, and she didn't need to dictate or work by word either.

Hermione goes a bit pale at that, even as her brow furrows. "You know? It's possible. It would make sense. Might also explain why we're still in possession of our memories," she points out. "But it also means she's in possession of them as well."

Hermione watches as he casts the spell, frowning heavily as she watches their luggage, her books, even the quill glowing. "That wicked witch," she mutters, rolling her eyes. "We have two choices. Try and counter it and risk her reaction, or we can leave it, and let him approach us, and when he does, turn him away. She can't force us to be nice to him."

"I would guarantee that she didn't plan on us remembering anything," Harry said, watching the quill list everything down and felt his mouth curl up in a smile. "it would make sense that she would retain her memories though," he agreed and that thought simply infuriated him even more.

"No, this isn't completely her. Considering she didn't have access to either of us before the train. This has Dumbledore written all over it. He, through Hagrid, did have access to me," he said and thought about their options. "I'd prefer there to be no tracking charms on any of our things and simply cast another that would give the illusion of the charms still in place." It wasn't completely unheard of and wouldn't be expected of two first years. "Thoughts?"

"But when will she realize? We've already changed things but she may not realize we know," she points out. "She will when we start moving on things though, and when we start changing the past. We'll need to watch for sweetening charms and set wards. She'll try it all, and if Dumbledore already is on things, we'll need to be extra careful."

She sighs, because they're not going up some angry pureblood. They're facing one of the most infamous witches, but what she knows from her research is that he's not the most powerful. Not by magic but by name and position.

"We'll work the illusion charms, set the wards for charms and hexes. On us, our things, and watch our things. We know how curses can be put on clothes and jewelry," she says, shaking her head. "We need others on our side, Harry. How do we make them believe us and follow us?"

Harry gave that some thought. "We haven't been here long. She has no reason to believe at this moment that we remember. He's always been rather lazy so I doubt he'd have tried to get in touch with her yet. And I haven't heard him try to get into the compartment yet so he probably hasn't bothered yet. The earliest I give it is late tonight when he owls her that he's been sorted and he doesn't mention his new best friends. The latest... tomorrow. We still have time," he assures her with a smile.

"It's Dumbledore that I'm more concerned about since she can't truly do anything not being at Hogwarts. He, on the other hand, can and has no qualms about meddling in our lives."

He nods in agreement to her plan. "We will work on it then during the trip. We can't be sorted into Gryffindor," he said, automatically when asked about how to make others believe them and follow them. "We'll have to be sorted into other houses this time and grow our allies. There are a few Gryffindors that I feel we need to approach though - Neville is one of them."

"If he doesn't remember, like a spell like that should work, then there's a good chance he won't realize anything is off. Not by that much." Hermione stops for a minute, eyes going wide. "Harry, what if it's the potion we were taking to counter the love spell? Is that's it, Ginny would remember."

It's hopeful thinking, not knowing how these things would even work. Even she hasn't done research on such things but logically it makes sense. If they remember, then why wouldn't she? If that is why they're remembering at least.

"And we'll know fairly quickly that we're not like he expects us to be."

She sighs, just thinking about it. Nodding though at that comment. "We never should have been, Harry," she says, giving him a hard look. 'I should have been Ravenclaw. I was glad to be with you and Ron but I was shocked otherwise. And you..." She gives him a small smile. "You really do look much better in green."

Harry nodded. "Agreed. There's a very good chance that he isn't even aware of anything being different other than he's not sitting with the Boy Who L- "

Just as Harry started to say it, he spotted a shadow stand in front of their compartment and attempt to open it. Hermione's spell held true though and didn't allow the door to open. He grinned and turned to look at Hermione again. "Next he'll probably go have to sit with Fred and George or find another helpless person to sit next to," he said. "I really hope that it's not Neville - that poor boy."

He considered the rest of Hermione's words and hummed. "If she is aware, because of the potion, then she'll likely get a hold of us sooner rather than later." It was hopeful thinking but either way, they would make sure they did what they could to protect the younger girl from her mother's manipulations this time around.

"No, we shouldn't have," he agreed with a wry smile. "But I didn't know any better in that life - at least as an eleven-year-old. Now, we do and we can start working on everything we were discussing back at Grimmauld Place. Our sorting is only the start. We need to start making a list of everything we want to change." He was absolutely sure that Molly Weasley did this so that she'd have a leg up. He was bloody grateful for... whoever or whatever saw fit to have them remember - for this second opportunity.

He had so many plans and ideas! It was... surprising even to him, honestly. But he wanted to get started as soon as they possibly could.

The moment she sees a shadow outside the door, Hermione goes quiet. She even reaches out for the quill, stilling it as if Ron can hear the scritch of a quill on paper through the door. After a while the shadow moves along and she only realizes then that she had been holding her breath, exhaling with a loud sigh.

"Wish we could protect Neville but we'll look out for him later," she says, gesturing for the quill to begin writing again and getting things in place for their plans.

She nods at that. "We should be aware, in case, because she might realize quickly how careful she needs to be as well so that Molly doesn't know the truth."

"We knew what they teach. Even from the upper echelons of wizarding culture they teach that Gryffindor is good, Slytherin is evil and the others are, what? Cannon fodder?" It's the way they act though.

She smiles, nodding. "I've got some ideas. We just need to find a way to stop this war before it ever happens."

"Agreed. We'll look out for him later," Harry said with a nod, watching the quill move before looking at Hermione again. "If Ginny is aware, I give it less than 24 hours before she reaches out to us somehow," he mused. "Hopefully, she'll realize how careful she has to be around her mother."

Harry nodded. "We'll just have to prove them all wrong," he said, with a smile. If there was anyone who could do it, it would be them. He had no doubt about it. "Which means, I'll take Draco's hand when he introduces himself later on."

"Agreed. If we can begin collecting the Horcruxes during breaks, then that at least won't be a hindrance later on." Harry paused and slowly smirked. "And, perhaps make a trip to the cemetery so I can pay my respects to Tom's dear old father." And by that, he meant burn whatever bones were left of Tom's "dear old father" so they couldn't be used in any sort of ritual their fourth year.

"There's so much I want to accomplish since we have this chance. I want to get Sirius out of Azkaban as soon as we can."

"I'm just thankful we contacted her before confronting Ron. It means there's a chance she knows what's going on. Though it means that maybe Ron does too," she admits, not liking that idea at all.

She nods at that. "And we'll have to get time to talk to him, or you will, without his father around and see if we can get him to our side. Maybe we can prove to him we're from the future and what we know. He may just be looking for a way out. We can only hope."

Otherwise, she's not sure what they'll do.

She snorts at that, smiling though it's a tight smile. "Sounds like a plan. Definitely have to get rid of them before he knows to go looking for them. But that is our priority. We need to get Sirius cleared, on our side, and taking over your custody so we can stay at Grimmauld Place on breaks and work on it all. I think he'll be the first to believe us."

"Ron never took a drink of the potion," he said, looking at her. "Unless Molly spent the precious few minutes she had before dropping them off at the station, I doubt he knows. Ginny though had the potion when we had dinner." Honestly, Harry wasn't sure which way he hoped it would go but either way, they'd make sure their real friends got through this a lot smoother than the first time around. "Besides, his own mother knows how much of a loud mouth he is. Doubt he'd be able to keep his mouth shut about any of it."

After realizing just how much Ron knew of their poisoning, Harry stopped even trying to be nice to his so-called-first best mate.

Harry nodded. "He won't have his father at Hogwarts so that should be clear for now. We'll have to make sure Crabb and Goyle stay away though," he mused. "I doubt we'll have much of an issue bringing him onto our side." He paused, thinking of her idea and hummed. "It would be a good option and if he does prove to be a good friend, then I see no harm in proving to him we're from the future."

"Agreed," Harry said with a chuckle and thought about that first year at Hogwarts. "So, what do we have in store for us - Professor Quirrel and the rather convenient trials leading to the Mirror," he said. "I vote we do not do that again, if we can at all help it."

She considers that, shaking her head. "You're right. He won't know then. She wouldn't do it. She has no way to believe my tonic spell would have done something else entirely, such as making it so that we remembered now ourselves. Like we're thirty in our eleven year old bodies. She couldn't have thought that would happen, or what would have been the point of it?"

Which again is there only defense in this. They have their memories and they know the one thing they hadn't known before. They're fighting more than one war at Hogwarts.

Her lip curls. "They're too stupid to fight their own wars. They'll do what they're told. Though we could, once we have him on our side, see if he could guide them to do what we need them to," she points out. "If they're eager to gain his favor because of his father,' she points out, and she knows that it is a possibility.

"Yes, lets avoid it. One, we should keep him from bringing in the troll. I think that would be a start. And get Fluffy on out side early."

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