Three Teens And A Time Turner √

Chapter Nine

Hermione

I immediately panic. Ron and Harry always tell me that I'm like a mum to them, always telling them when to go to bed and what to eat, but when it comes to saving their lives, I hope they don't stop to say anything about it.

"Guys!" I yell, grabbing Sirius's arm. "Sirius! We need to find Harry, Ron, and Albus!" Sirius nods and starts to scan the crowd of screaming people.

"Ron!" I yell when I catch sight of him. He runs over and takes my hand. "Where's Harry?" As soon as I say that, Harry and Albus come running over. Still holding Ron's hand, I link one arm through Harry's and Albus's and the other through Sirius's. "Hold on!" I yell, and Apparate away.

Sirius

We appear in a noisy city-type place. "Why are we here?" I ask over the blaring sound of car horns in traffic.

"It was the first place that popped into my head," Hermione says, unlinking herself from me. We start to walk down the street, keeping an eye out for Death Eaters. Seeing none, Hermione ushers us all into a coffee shop, coming in last. A little bell dings as we enter.

We all sit down on faded red booths and wait. A girl who looks about nineteen or twenty comes over and asks what we want. We all order cappuccinos, and she nods and heads to the back room.

As we wait, I take to staring at Hermione. The way the fluorescent lights gleam in her eyes just make me...Ron glares in my direction and I snap out of it. "Sorry," I say quietly, more to myself. I can't get attached to anyone here; she only knows me as an adult. It would just seem creepy to her if she knew I had a crush on her.

The waitress brings out coffees and retreats to the back again. Two men enter the shop, sneaking quick, almost unseen glances at us before walking up to the counter and looking at their choices. Only then do I see them reaching for something in their pockets...

"Hermione!" I yell as they whip out their wands, starting to shoot curses at us. We duck behind tables and chairs, and glass explodes all over the shop. I reach my shaking hand to my back pocket and pull out my wand. "Confundo!" I yell, pointing my wand at one of the Death Eaters. His eyes cross, and he shakes his head, looking confused. It actually worked!

With a small sense of self-accomplishment, I watch as Albus curses the other Death Eater, knocking him over. Harry Stupifies the one that I Confunded, and he lays on the floor, too. Slowly, carefully, we all walk over to the two Stunned Death Eaters. Their eyes are wide and glazed over. Mmm, glaze. I could really go for a Pumpkin Pasty right now.

"Hermione, you Obliviate them. You're the best at spells," Ron says. This makes something fall in Hermione's face, but she does it anyways, and we leave the shop. I take one last glance at the two men, feeling the slightest bit of regret.

Albus

As we exit the coffee shop, I look closer at Harry. I haven't known him long, but he seems very familiar.

"Where do we go now?" Ron asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"Well, maybe we could go to my place, you know, just to hang out and come up with a real plan," Sirius suggests. Harry murmers something in agreement, and Hermione holds out her arms. We all hang on, and she Apparates as close to Sirius's house as she can get.

We walk a couple blocks, then stop at what looks like a normal row of apartments. Then Sirius does something, and the buildings start to part down the middle, another apartment sliding in. Dust falls from cracks and I start to cough.

"Home sweet home. Hasn't changed a bit."

Ron snorts. "Nice."

We enter the house. "Severus Snape?" a voice from nowhere asks.

"That's Mad-Eye," Ron whispers.

"Would you shut up, Ron?" Hermione snaps, peering curiously at something coming down the hall...

A white figure swoops toward us, reaching out a hand, as if trying to grab me. Hermione shrieks, covering her head. The figure explodes into dust, and we all start coughing this time.

"Dumbledore," Ron says. I look over at him. "That was you," he explains.

Me? Why?

"Mad-Eye must have set that up to scare Snape away," Hermione concludes. "Anyways, we should get set up. And look around for the real locket, or any sign of R.A.B."

And so we set off, wandering into an unfamiliar home.