It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 12

"Oh. . . . well, tell them I said hello, won't you, when you see them?"

"I'll make a special point of it!" Emma promised, as Luna smiled and walked over to say hello to Ginny.

Tom leaned over to Emma and whispered. "You realize we won't remember any of this when we go back, so that promise will never be fulfilled."

"I know, but if I could, I would."  Emma frowned, and then sighed.  "Pity, really.  Oh well."

 * * * *

"Alright everyone," Rupert stood in front of the TV and called for attention.  "Neville, Luna, I know this is a bit of a shock, but in 2012 Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco sent us back to now, to help you all get ahead of the game, so to speak, when it comes to defeating Voldemort."

"But if they are alive in 2012, why bother?"  Neville asked.  "That means Voldemort is dead, doesn't it?"

"Yes, Harry does kill him, at the Battle of Hogwarts . . . you kill Nagini with the sword of Godric Gryffindor, come to that . . .  and we all get on with our lives, but,"  Dan paused and took a deep breath.  "Too many people died, between now and then and we want to try and stop that from happening.  We're going to show you the movies to see the next two and a half years, then fill in the blanks, as the films do leave out some events.  We have to make some strategic plans and there's still a lot of danger ahead for all of you, but I think we have a big advantage over old Tom."

"I've heard of but never seen a Muggle movie; don't we have to go somewhere?" Neville asked.

"I think this is the movie, Neville," answered Luna, holding up one of the DVD cases. Turning, she ran her hand over the edge of the TV.  "Is this what we'll use to see the movie?"

"Correct, Miss Lovegood!  Perhaps you and Mr. Longbottom would like to sit down and get comfortable." Albus chuckled, waving his wand and making a loveseat appear, where Neville and Luna settled themselves. 

"Headmaster, could you start the "Time Stopper" now, please,?" Dan asked and then  leaned over and quickly explained about the "Time Stopper" to Neville and Luna.

"Of course, dear boy," replied Albus, not realizing he'd used his favorite phrase for Harry, making both Harry and Dan smile, shooting each other a look.  The Headmaster stood, walked over to the piano and mumbled a few words, watching as the Time Turner start to whirl.

"We're watching this short special first, to kind of get everyone on the same page as far as what's been in the movies. So, without further ado . . . " Tom hit the play button.

"This could get some surprising reactions . . . we might not even get to the movie,"  Emma whispered, as the TV screen came to life, with gasps from the Wizarding watchers, except for Hermione, Harry and Tonks, who had seen movies and/or the telly before.  But a tense silence soon settled over the room as the story of films were dissected and secrets revealed.

 * * * *

As Tom stopped the DVD, Dan stood and turned to Sirius.  "Could you turn up the lights, please, Sirius?"

Sirius glanced at Dan, a rather stunned look on his face, but then seemed to snap out of his musings. "Right.  Lights . . . of course." He waved his wand and suddenly everyone could see that, for the most part, they were all feeling the same reactions to what they'd seen; awe, disbelief, worry, anger and most of all, curiosity about what they would see in the film as a whole, instead of brief flashes of scenes and what the following movies would reveal..

Tom turned and saw Draco slumped down on the sofa next to his mother, trying to blend into the upholstery, from the look of him. Shaking his head, Tom walked over to Dan and whispered in his ear.  After taking a peak over Tom's shoulder, he looked at his friend and nodded.

"Okay,  I know that was a rather intense look at Harry's life and his thought processes and what a lack of communication has done to him, mentally."  Dan looked at the adults, then the younger members of the group.  "I hope you're starting to see, especially you, Headmaster, how much of a mental burden this is becoming for Harry.  AND, he's not the only one in this room who is having a huge mental awakening, isn't that right, Draco?"

Draco started, then blushed.  He shook his head as if he didn't want to say anything, but his mother patted him on the shoulder and urged him to reply, which he did, reluctantly. "All I heard were insults being thrown around about Death Eaters, my father, Slytherins in general and me in particular."

"But, up to this point, they have been valid observations; although biased, of what's been going on in Harry's and your life.  As was stated, this is all from Harry's viewpoint and one of the first things he was told, by Hagrid, was that there wasn't a bad Wizard who hadn't been in Slytherin.  Not that he wouldn't have given any Slytherin, who was friendly, a bit of slack, but in general, all the houses hold some of those feelings to each other, just some more than others.  HOWEVER, that is why the DA works; three out of the four houses drop the crap and work together, as you will see in the movie, even more than you already know from your meetings.  And now that Neville has his own wand, he should do splendidly," Dan added.

"SO . . .  you want me to join your little group, do you," asked Draco sarcastically, thinking he knew the answer would be negative . . . as if he'd even consider joining.

"Yes, actually."  Tom replied, shocking Draco.  "But you're going to be involved in a whole different way, as we will explain after we watch the movies."

"Movies?  Just how long is this going to take?   Father won't be pleased we left without his permission, as it is, invite or no!"  Draco burst out.

"Darling, you really must pay attention to what's being said . . .  They've stopped time, somehow, we won't be missed at all," his mother told him, with a shake of her head.  "Am I correct?"

"Yes,  Cissa, you're out of reach of anyone, here, now." Sirius assured her.

"Draco's insecurities aside, what we want you all to realize is that what you will see in these movies will be what happened in your future, but it's also what can be changed.  For example, we already know that Professor Dumbledore will retrieve the Gaunt ring, but you, Headmaster, should also know not to put it on, no matter how tempting it is, so as to avoid the curse which would have killed you, even if things hadn't happened as they did."  Seeing the confused looks, Dan continued, after smiling to himself. "You'll understand, just keep that in mind.  We also know you and Harry won't have to try and get in and out of that cave, to get the locket . . . we have it."  Dumbledore nodded his head, even though the rest were still a bit lost.

"Dan?"  Harry was looking perplexed.  "Are you saying that we will be able to retrieve all the Horcruxes and destroy them, making Voldemort vulnerable enough for me to defeat him in the end?"

"Yes and no . . . I hate to put you off,  not giving you a complete answer, but after this movie, we'll get into a deeper discussion of the Horcruxes: what and where they are and how we can destroy them . . . which isn't easy, by the way.  This will save you a lot of mental anguish and worry, which almost crippled you, Harry, and put you and your friends in jeopardy, more than once, unnecessarily. Just believe us when we tell you that we know this will work, in the end."