Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 177

A few weeks had passed and there was no night when I wouldn't have a sleeping problem. I couldn't even eat without getting sick, and I cried in the shower where I knew no one could see or hear me.

      Almost four years had passed since I had arrived here to the past, since I had figured out that the Harry Potter books were as real as it could get, yet I still wasn't ready for what was about to come. I had forgotten the date, but I knew it was as close to me as ever.

     I tried not to worry about anything else, because I knew my mind couldn't take it anymore; such as Kathrine Volant. The girl who had seen through my mind and figured everything that was supposed to happen originally, or whatever was going to happen in the future, including the fact that she was going to publish these books one day.

     I also tried not to worry about my own future. If I was to survive, I had to eventually turn back to my own timeline.

     That night, as everyone was down for dinner, I excused myself and came upstairs back to my room, seeing as I couldn't eat.

      So to pass the time, I sat down by my trunk and took out all my new clothes, only to reveal the old ones underneath, which I hadn't touched for three years now.

     I smiled scantly to myself as I saw the Hogwarts robes which I had bought off eBay and had been wearing it on the day I had visited King's Cross with my friend Kiara.

     I dug deeper into the trunk and found a curious little box. And when I opened it, I saw little sweets in them. I was confused at first as to how I had these, until I finally remembered what they were.

     Fred had given me those for my fifteenth birthday. The sweets were under the Patented Daydream Charm; meaning that if I took them, I would have realistic daydreams for half an hour. He had given them to me, in case I missed the Wizarding world once I was supposed to go back.

      I put the little box back in my trunk before I could get overwhelmed by emotions once more, and instead came upon a few pieces of parchments.

      Taking them out, I saw that they were the letters I had received from Dumbledore throughout the years. The first one was for the day I had woken up at Hogwarts for the very first time.

      So I read through it,

Dear Miss Hooper,

     You'll find all your new Hogwarts belongings on the stand next to your bed, such as your school robes, books, and a wand that does not work, so in order to hide your identity from others, I suggest that you don't let the wand fall into others' hands.

     Please stick to the classes' schedule which will be given to you and try to remain calm. I don't know how much knowledge you obtain, but what I do know is that with your help, we can stop many tragic things from happening. The sooner you realize that you have this power in you, the better.

A.D

     I took aback at first, so I reread the last paragraph a few more times. He said he wanted me to change the tragic things from happening. Then how come later on he insisted that I shouldn't meddle?

      So I opened up another letter I had gotten from him, from the night Harry's name had come out of the Goblet of Fire, and there was a party in the Gryffindor common room. It was the same night I had met Cedric for the first time.

     I had find this one on my bed that night, which said,

Dear Miss Hooper,

    I believe you already know that one must not meddle with time. At least not by letting people know about their own fate. There are other ways to prevent things from happening, but in order to do so, certain sacrifices must take place.

A.D

      I felt more confused than ever. But perhaps this is what he wanted. He wanted me to save the innocent, not those whose deaths were crucial. He knew I had to change things from happening, but not by telling people about their fate. 

      But once I looked down at the third parchment, I felt a shiver run down my spine. It was a short letter, in my dad's handwriting. I looked down at it.

Good luck, Lexi.

     That was all it said. At the time, I hadn't even recognized it. But then again, I used to think that my father was an orphaned Muggle, and certainly not Regulus Black. But how did he manage to send this back to me, a few days before Sirius's death?

      "Lexi?" My head shot up as Fred walked into the room. "You okay? You've been up here for so long that everyone else has gone to sleep."

      "Yeah, I'm fine..." I said in a hollow voice, looking back down at the note. "My father had sent me this. It was in my room, near the end of my fifth year. How do you think he sent it?"

      Fred sat beside me on the floor, glancing down at the letter. "Well, there are some magic that can allow you to send items back in time, although I've never heard anyone be able to do that."

     "I guess my father's the first you've ever heard of, then." I smiled. "I'm nervous, to be honest... to see him again, I mean."

      It was true. After knowing him for sixteen years as Roger Hooper, I wasn't sure how I was supposed to greet him, now knowing that he was Regulus Black; the character I've always admired when I read about in my favorite book.

"I'm really sorry, Lex," Fred said with a sad smile. "But you don't have to worry."

I frowned at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying that it doesn't matter who your father is. That's not going to change who you are. I mean... I know he used to be a Death Eater, but —"

"What?" My face fell at those words, glaring at him. It was just then when I remembered that Fred didn't know about the Horcrux my father had stolen. "Just because he was a Death Eater doesn't mean he was a bad person!"

"Lexi, you didn't even know him until last year."

"That was different! I just didn't know his identity! That's a whole lot different than not knowing who my father is deep down!"

"He was a Death Eater, Lexi. Yes, he sent you back, but at what cost!?" Fred retorted. "I'm sorry, but I can't really trust a man who puts his own daughter's life in danger only to send her back in time to save his brother, after taking away her magic for selfish reasons!"

"Selfish reasons!?" I repeated angrily, getting to my feet and he followed. "He wanted to protect me from the Ministry tracking me down, Fred!"

"He only did so to stop the Death Eaters from tracking him down!"

"He sent me back to save Sirius!"

      "Yes, but at what cost!? Your life and your safety!?"

      I opened my mouth to argue, but we came to a halt when suddenly George appeared at the door, looking pale.

       "What's wrong?" Fred asked him worriedly.

     "We've been summoned to Hogwarts," said George, panting. "Harry's back."