Timelines (Phan au)

Chapter fifteen: Wingardium Leviosa

October 21st, 2018

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I'm drinking my cup of coffee at the kitchen table. Dan and Chris each on a side beside me, PJ reading his newspapers in front of me. I read the title of the page turned to me. "Robber strikes again." It was weird when I told them the truth. Like expected they didn't believe me at first, but the more I said and showed the more they believed me, just like Dan did. PJ got really excited over it and wanted to know all about science and space. He was really intrigued by my wristband as well. I didn't tell him too much, afraid it would alter with the timelines or something. Chris was more wary. He needed a few days to get used to the idea. But eventually he started to trust me again as well. It's still not the same as it used to be and it never will be again. I'm not the same oblivious Phil anymore, but that's okay. My friends are still there for me, my boyfriend loves me still and Louise allowed me to keep my job when Dan told her I was high on pain meds and didn't know what I was doing. He luckily never told her anything about me being from the future. She said she didn't like it, and that she'll be watching me, but also admitted that she'd miss me if I were to really leave. We still haven't found a way back home. I go to the photobooth every day after work, but I slowly have to accept that I'm stuck. I absentmindedly scroll through my photo album again. It's weird to see the pictures and have actual memories attached to them. I pause at a picture of mum, dad, Martyn, Cornelia and I. Grandma took that picture when we took her out of the home for a day. "Is that the fam?" Chris points at my wrist. I look up at him startled. I must've zoned out. "Yeah." I smile softly, swiping the picture so it pops up above my wristband. "That's my mum, my dad, my brother and his girlfriend." I point at each member of the family. "Gran is taking the picture." I tell him. "Must feel weird huh? Missing people you forgot existed until a few weeks ago." He says sympathetically. I look down at the photo again, swiping it back in. I miss the glare Dan shoots at Chris. "Everything feels weird to be honest. It's like everything and nothing makes sense at the same time." I sigh, locking my wristband again. PJ puts his newspaper down. "You know we should all hit town. Make a day out of it. Forget about our worries for a while." He suggests. "Great idea, only it's Sunday so everything is closed." Dan points out. "Not everything. Mostly stores and such. But laser tag is open on Sundays." PJ smirks. "The one with themed rooms?" Chris slaps his hands on the table, looking ecstatic. "The very one." PJ nods. I look at Dan for guidance. "Laser tag in general or the story behind this one?" He asks. "Story." I tell him. It's kind of weird, but we've actually grown even closer after the whole ordeal. It's like we know it's love that should never be which makes it so much more valuable and precious. The fact that we know it could end any second, makes us love each other like there's no tomorrow. I expected him to build up his walls higher again to protect himself. Instead there's nothing holding us back and we don't take it for granted. "Well, basically PJ and Chris have been going to this particular laser tag facility since they were what? Fourteen and seventeen years old? And it only got bigger since then. With themed rooms like Halo and Harry Potter." Dan explains. I nod. "Sounds cool." I agree to the plan. "Really?" Chris tilts his head. "Things still sound cool to you? Whenever my grandpa tells me something he used to do as a child it sounds boring." He adds. I chuckle softly. "Not that much has changed, you know. Your grandpa didn't even have a TV or phone. Those changes are a lot bigger. Though I have to admit that the movie theaters could use an update." I tell him. Dan snickers under his breath, remembering how confused I was at the theaters before I got my memory fully back. "Now we know why you haven't seen or heard half of the stuff we show you. It all makes sense." PJ hums, thinking. I laugh. "Yeah, we don't even have DVD's or CD's anymore." I shrug.

"I take it back. A lot has changed." I say when we walk into the laser tag facility. I look around, mouth agape. Dan laughs and links his arm with mine to pull me towards the desk where PJ and Chris are talking to the man behind it. "What room do you guys want? There's still place in the mission impossible and the Harry Potter room." PJ turns to us. "Harry Potter, definitely." Dan immediately replies. I nod agreeing. "Harry Potter it is." Chris smiles. "Do we each take a different house or join the one we got from Pottermore?" Dan asks. "I'd say each a house,  makes it more fun and fair." PJ proposes. "I'm hufflepuff!" I quickly stick my hand in the air. "You don't say." Dan chuckles. "Well Chris and I are both gryffindor, but since I used to be slytherin, I'll take that one." He adds. Chris nods agreeing. "I guess, ravenclaw is left for me then. You better make my house proud, Dannyboy." PJ points at him, staring intensely. "Oh, I will. We'll beat all of you." Dan winks. "You wish! Everyone knows gryffindors are the best." Chris argues. I laugh at how competitive we've already gotten and the game hasn't even started yet. The man brings us each a cloak from the house we chose and hands us all a different 'wand'. Also known as a painted laser gun. Yellow for me, red for Chris, blue for PJ and green for Dan. He brings us to the other players. "Alright, you know the rules: No pointing in the eyes, no ignoring the vibration of the vest and when hit you need to leave the field. It's a 'last man standing' game. If you take your wands you see two settings. Stupify and the unforgivable curse. When it's on stupify, your component is obligated to stand still for seven seconds. When it's on avada kadavra your component is dead and needs to leave the field." He explains. "Any questions?" He asks. No one reacts. "Alright may the best house win." He says. the clock on the ceiling starts counting down from a minute so we can prepare before the game actually begins. "You'll probably be the first to die." Dan smirks. "I don't know, Danny. The clumsy underdog always survives the movie." I wink. "We'll see about that." He replies before we each run off to our own corner of the field. The alarm goes off and the soundtrack of the movies start playing while everyone runs on the field. I hide behind some structures that resemble the walls in Hogwarts during the big battle. As soon as I deem everything clear, I run to the other side to hide under some stairs. Just as I arrive they change direction, which would leave me exposed. I jump behind the goblet of fire statue to not leave myself exposed. I desperately look around. Where to? Up. Up is always the way to go. You can see everyone but no one sees you. Perfect. I look around and my eyes quickly fall on the recreation of an owl tower. I start to sneak towards it. Running from one hiding place to another. My vest suddenly vibrates and I see seven seconds count down. I curse under my breath and look over my shoulder to see someone curse over the fact that their gun was still on stupify mode. The gryffindor isn't paying enough attention to me as he tries to change the settings. I look down at my chest. 3-2-1. I lift my own wand up and shoot him straight on the chest before he can do the same to me. "Dammit." He curses when his vest lights up in red. "Well played hufflepuff." He compliments before leaving the field. I nod with a crooked smile. Before the same fate happens to me I head back over to the tower. Once I finally arrive and head upstairs I realize what a great idea this was. I can almost see the entire field from up here. I aim my gun and look around until I find two unaware Slytherin girls walk around. I see a clear shot and pull the trigger to 'kill' one of them. I hear cursing and she walks off the field. Her friend looks around, but when she can't spot anyone she dives under a table from the great hall. I sigh because I missed the shot. "Nice move." I mutter, looking over the field for my next victim. Is it bad that I like this so much? I didn't know I could be this competitive. Although, I guess it's a way of relieving stress and frustration.