Next Time Around

Egypt

Authors note:
Wow guys, I'm getting a lot of reads suddenly. Thanks!

Finally, this chapter will be bringing the plot back together again. Hint: time-travel to the extreme! I can't wait to give you guys the next chapters- there is going to be so much fun stuff to write!

Disclaimer: I don't have any rights to the hp universe.

Enjoy!

The days after the rescue mission were tense. Many of the longer residents of the shell were very weary of the new kids, not being sure if they could be trusted- especially after an incident that had happened after Harry had gone to bed.

A Death Eater- wounded, but still- had been able to also grab ahold of the portkey and had been trying to kill others who were lying, wounded and defenseless, on the ground. Padma, torn up about her sister's death, had heroically thrown herself in front of the spells the man had thrown and had wrenched his wand out of his hand, dying seconds later to the wounds he had inflicted on her.

This was enough for the longer residents to immediately suspect all of the people on that portkey of Death Eater association. It didn't help that one smart-ass had pointed out that it had been rather hard for them not to have associated with Death Eaters- they had been around them for about a week, daily.

This was why Harry had agreed rather enthusiastically when he was asked to go with Hermione, Ron and a couple of others to Egypt, where Bill was very close to breaking the curses on the tomb. It seemed he had rather important information for them and didn't trust the floo or other methods of communication not to be tampered with. Harry gladly agreed to go in person.

This time, they went by apperation, not by portkey. They went from country to country to make it hard for anyone to track them. After Belgium, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria and Algeria, it was deemed safe enough to travel onwards to Egypt. They landed with a dull thud, slightly exhausted from apparating though basically the entirety of Europe and a quarter of Africa. Along the way, only Ron had slightly splinced himself, and that was only his left eyebrow. It was quickly fixed, though Harry found himself wishing he had known a spell to make it semi-permanent, forcing Ron to grow it back naturally. He smirked at his own thought, then shrugged it off.

It was really hot in Egypt. Hot and dry. Actually, it was more than that. It was so hot harry felt like passing out. He decided he really didn't like the heat. He felt like he was wax and would melt if he stood out here long enough.

As they walked toward the shack Bill had put up to accommodate the various Order members passing through, Hermione nudged Harry.

'You ok? You seem a little out of it.' Harry glanced at her, surprised.

'No I'm fine.' Hermione scowled at him.

'You can just tell me you know, I'm your friend.'

Harry started, then stared at her. 'I really don't know what you mean. I'm fine.'

Hermione roller her eyes. 'Course.'

Harry was really confused by now. 'Uhh... its really hot out here. I'm going inside.' He quickly walked away from the intense, scrutinizing glare Hermione projected at him.

Harry thought about what Hermione possibly could mean. It was true, he figured, that he was changing slightly, but they were at war. Everyone was changing, adapting to the new circumstances.

He wandered inside and claimed one of the beds in the smaller bedroom. As he grabbed some sheets and started making the bed, he thought back at how different it had been a year previous, at the Weasley residence. He thought about the easy way thing went there, always having a relaxed feeling in the air even at such a time of war. A small cough brought him out of his musings.

'Are you coming? We are going to see the tomb' Bill said. Harry looked up at him and blinked. 'Sure.'

After a fifteen minute hike through the desert they finally made it to a big sand mound. In one of the sides there was a shallow indenture. There was a stone wall in which were engraved several tunes that Harry had never seen before. Not that he was adapt at runes at all, though he did recognize some now and again. These looked nothing like any tunes he had ever seen before. Harry turned his attention to Bill, who had begun to report about his findings.

'After some detection spells and breaking through most of the wards, I came across this tomb. It took me several months to make something out of the runic letters and marks on the walls, and most of them are for protection only, but I think that all evidence points to this not being a tomb at all. This was, I believe, an ancient temple honoring the gods of time and space. I know for a fact they did some crazily magically active rituals in here- there is still some backlash that you can see through certain magi-sensitivity spells. The most interesting think however, are the tunes themselves. Which this runic script these people could have done some magic deemed completely impossible by our standards. Things of huge scale. Like making mountains or changing where the rain falls. Or, in specific ritual rooms that I believe are right behind this door, time travel.'

'We have time travel though.' Hermione mentioned. 'Time-turners, de-aging rituals, aging potions...'

'Yes' Bill agreed 'but I'm not talking about a couple of hours more study time, a younger body or being able to buy alcohol a clipper of years to early. I'm talking about the real deal. No limit of five hours as the time-turners have. I'm talking about going back in time years, changing the timeline and stopping things from happening as they did in the earlier timeline. I'm talking about stopping Voldemort before the second war can commence. About finally being able to frame all of those death eaters. About a chance for the light to win.'

Hermione remained skeptical. 'But what about time paradoxes? What about ripping time and space like what could happen with time-turners- and they only go back five hours at most!'

'Ah' Bill grinned- slightly sharklike 'but that is the beauty of the whole thing. There is no paradox, for when you travel back in time, the previous "you" either disappears or merged with you. I'm not really sure about the specifics yet...

But all of that doesn't matter- don't you see? We could win the war like this- before it even started! Kill Voldemort and his horecruxes and have Dumbledore alive again! Think about all of those killed- we could save every single one of them!'

Harry found himself nodding, not seeing the calculating glint in Ron and Hermione's eyes.

'Yes... we could...'

Ooh boy isn't this interesting... yup, there is definitely something going on there. But is it good or bad for Harry? Shall I give you guys a hint? Nah. You will find out later. Hope you enjoy the story, please tell me what you think about it so far.

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