After the day's events, sleep was a great relief. A full stomach and lingering mental strain of the Dementor nearly knocked you out the second your head hit the pillow.
Soon, however, you woke to the realization that you hadn't yet sorted out the issues with your schedule. Caught up during dinner, it had slipped your mind to ask McGonagall if she had received your letter. Now, 9 A.M. was less than an hour away.
You didn't doubt McGonagall's ability to provide you with a solution. In your head, there were two: One, she would help you travel through time and sit through several classes at once. Or what seemed more likely, she picked the courses best suited to your skill set and was going to remind you that you couldn't have everything you wanted.
Either way, the schedules would be passed out during breakfast. You could only pray Defense Against the Dark Arts didn't start today.
After changing and attaching your Prefect's badge to your robe, you left the dormitory with Angelina and Alicia, two of your three roommates and fellow Gryffindor Chasers. The three of you slipped out of the portrait hole, joining the tired students walking towards the Great Hall.
The ceiling of the Hall was light grey with the remnants of slow moving clouds from the previous day's rainstorm. The long house tables, large sections of which were still empty as students filed in, were laid out with steaming serving dishes of food.
Fred, George and Lee, looking like they had done the bare minimum in getting ready that morning, were already there. They wore crooked ties, and Fred and George hadn't bothered to fix their sleep tousled hair. They glanced up as you approached.
"Morning." George greeted you through a yawn.
"Good morning." You replied pleasantly, sliding into the empty spot on the bench next to him.
"Schedules." Fred said, leaning over George slightly to give Alicia and Angelina a piece of paper each. He was empty-handed when he looked at you. "I checked, Y/N, but I couldn't find yours."
With a purse of your lips, you glanced up towards the staff table. McGonagall wasn't there.
Maybe she had something particularly impressive up her sleeve and was simply withholding it from you for dramatic purposes. With less than half an hour to spare until the start of the first lessons, you couldn't help your increasing restlessness. However, thoughts of an empty schedule were quickly pushed aside as loud laughter suddenly filled the room.
You looked in the sounds direction, eyes landing on the Slytherin table. A large crowd was gathered around Draco Malfoy, who was entertaining them with something particularly funny. He imitated a dramatic swooning fit, and another roar of laughter ensued.
"Hey, Potter!" Pansy Parkinson shrieked over the laughter. "The Dementors are coming!"
There was an eerie collection of mocking wails, followed by more obnoxious laughter. Harry, who was sitting a few seats down, took a particularly hard stab at a sausage on his plate.
"Ignore them." Hermione urged. "Just ignore them, it's not worth it."
"Has it been like this all morning?" You questioned. By the looks of it, the Slytherin's plates had cleared. With no reason to still be in the hall, it seemed they were lingering to bother Harry.
Harry didn't answer. Ron still glared at Malfoy. Hermione met your eyes and nodded.
"Pug-face Parkinson has some nerve, doesn't she?" You said bitterly, eyes narrowed on Malfoy as he pretended to faint dramatically again.
"That little git." Fred said, eyeing Malfoy as well.
"Wasn't so cocky when the Dementors were down at our end of the train." You mumbled.
"I wasn't too happy myself, though." George said. "They're horrible things, those Dementors..."
"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" Fred asked.
"I get why they work so well at Azkaban." You said. "If they make you feel that miserable in seconds, imagine being locked in a cell with one standing guard for years."
"Yeah, well, most of the prisoners go mad in there." Fred pointed out.
"They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors." You sighed. Even thinking of the cold, empty feeling the Dementor had brought on the train left you unsettled.
"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" Harry pointed out in a low voice.
"Forget it, Harry." George told him bracingly. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? He came back all weak and shaking..."
"Mine too." You added; Once, two years ago, your father had taken a trip to Azkaban for work. He stayed holed up in his office the entire day after returning, too mentally drained to engage with anyone. "He said it was the worst place he'd ever been."
"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy is after our first Quidditch game." Fred said. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"
The idea of Gryffindor knocking Slytherin out of the running for the house cup immediately brightened everyone's spirits, even those who didn't play Quidditch. You couldn't bother to pay any more attention to Malfoy. Slightly more cheerful, Harry helped himself to fried tomatoes.
Another distraction from Malfoy and the Slytherins entered the hall with heavy footsteps. It was Hagrid, wearing his long moleskin overcoat and a pleasant smile. He was on his way to the staff table, but he paused where the Gryffindors sat.
"Alright you lot?" He asked, to which everyone nodded. He turned his attention to Ron, Harry and Hermione. "You three are in my first lesson! After lunch! I've been getting everything ready since last night." Hagrid let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Can't believe it. Me as a teacher."
Hermione offered him a kind smile. "We can't wait, Hagrid."
Hagrid beamed happily, before heading off towards the staff table. Once his broad back was turned, you caught Harry, Ron and Hermione losing their kind smiles, exchanging worried glances.
"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" Ron mumbled, a note of anxiety in his voice.
Considering Hagrid's attachment to particularly dangerous creatures, you didn't blame them for being apprehensive of what he would bring to class.
"I wouldn't worry, Ron." You started casually. "Knowing Hagrid, he's probably planned a lesson around another dragon's egg he's won from a stranger."
Ron's face fell, eyes widening. "That's not funny, Y/N." He hissed. "What if he has?"
You shrugged, toying with your fork. "Then I suggest you brush up on your fire repellant spells."
Unlike his brothers who laughed freely, Ron couldn't find the humour in this. You were happy to see Harry smile amusedly. Even Hermione bit the inside of her cheek to suppress a laugh.
Comfortable silence fell over the table as people focused on eating. Your hunger had reached its peak, and your watch told you that breakfast was ending shortly. You didn't get the chance to reach for any dish before a pointed hat cast a shadow over your plate. It was McGonagall.
"Miss Y/L/N." She said. "A word?"
This had to be about your schedule. The restless knot in your stomach untied, before tightening once again in anticipation. You nodded, standing up from the bench. McGonagall started towards the doors of the Great Hall, knowing you would follow after her.
"Blimey, we've been here five minutes and you're in trouble already?" Fred joked.
You rolled your eyes, a hint of an amused smile on your face. "Guess I've broken your record."
He grinned broadly. It was a smile so contagious that your amused smile grew to match his as you walked away, heading down the aisle and disappearing into the entrance hall.
McGonagall was standing off to the side of the door, nodding politely to students as they headed in for breakfast. You came to stand with her, readying yourself for the conversation. The clock counted down the seconds to the start of period one, your anticipation growing with every tick.
"Good summer, dear?" She questioned.
You nodded. "It was. Thank you."
"I'm glad to see your badge arrived safely." She said, indicating your Prefect's pin.
You glanced down at the badge before returning your eyes to her. You weren't keen on voicing your displeasure at the badge to the woman who was a driving force behind you receiving it.
"I'd like you to excuse me for not replying to your owl near the start of your vacation." She continued in your silence. "I didn't want to leave you under the premature assumption I'd be able to sort out your scheduling issues for this term."
You sighed, disappointed. While expected, it was now set in stone that your only option was to remove some courses from your schedule. Standing there, you secretly hoped she had just picked them for you, because you were sure you would be too indecisive to choose.
"I've got to drop a couple, haven't I?" You asked hesitantly, certain of the answer.
"Not at all." McGonagall replied simply.
Clearly, you had guessed wrong. She smiled at you kindly. The rare display of emotion suddenly left you feeling very unsure of where the conversation was going.
"Ms. Granger found herself in a similar predicament." McGonagall told you. Considering Hermione's commitment to her academics, this wasn't a surprise to you. "I was able to convince the Ministry of Magic with your academic records to allow me to present you with these."
From the inside of her robes, she produced two golden necklaces. On the end of long chains hung small charms. Spheres, made of overlapping gold bands with latin inscriptions. They encompassed an intricate hourglass, filled with beige sand and secured in a small golden disk in which small stars and planets had been cut.
This wasn't just a fancy piece of jewelry. You recognized the device immediately, but refused to believe that you were seeing one with your own eyes. Never had you seen one outside the detailed sketches in your History of Magic textbooks. During fourth year, a lengthy portion of your term had been spent learning about one of the most complex forms of magical transportation; movement through time.
McGonagall was holding two Time-Turners. Devices which helped you do just that.
There was no need to clarify why she had them. A Time-Turner was a solution you hadn't considered, but exactly the one you needed. With this, you could sit through a lesson and then redo the hour to sit through another one.
You couldn't help but reach out, trying to hold the charm. To feel it against your fingertips and confirm that it was actually real. However, in a curt movement, McGonagall pulled her hand back, indicating you weren't allowed to take it just yet.
"On the grounds..." She continued pointedly. "That your grades will continue to be exceptional, and that none of your peers are aware that this is in your possession."
You'd have to keep this from Fred and George. Countless times, after being caught in prank aftermath, you'd discuss how things would've gone fine could you go back a few minutes and find better hiding spots. They'd never forgive you for keeping your newfound ability to travel through time a secret, and that you would be using it for school instead of helping them absolutely take over the school and convince Filch he was losing his mind.
However, dealing with the repercussions of secret keeping meant nothing when the reward was as good as this. So, you nodded in agreement. "Yes ma'am."
McGonagall eyed you as if she could read your thoughts. She was well aware of who your friends were, who you'd have to keep in the dark. Then, she extended her hand, letting the Time-Turner fall into your open palm. It was heavier than expected, the gold cold on your skin and shimmering in the sunlight. It was a beautifully crafted piece.
"Need I remind you of the laws surrounding time travel, or am I safe to leave you under the assumption you've paid attention in History of Magic?" She questioned.
You were bursting at the seams with excitement and a feeling of utmost importance that you were being trusted with such intricate magic, but to ease any of McGonagall's potential worry, you kept your expression as neutral and calm as possible.
You nodded once again, this time in confirmation. "No, I understand."
The conversion concluded at the perfect time; the bell rang somewhere deep in the castle, signalling the start of classes. There was the sound of footsteps as people left the hall.
McGonagall nodded back curtly, extending a piece of paper out to you - your schedule. "Well, best of luck to you."
With a swish of her cloak, she started up the stairs. You lingered for a moment, scanning over the paper. Sure enough, every class you had requested (all core classes and electives), had been fit in your five day school week. Several time slots were stacked with two to three courses at once, an impossible feat in one timeline made possible by the Time-Turner.
Carefully pocketing the necklace, you turned back into the hall. Upon reaching your friends, you dismissed your conversation with McGonagall as her checking in on how you were finding your prefect duties. Some teasing from Fred and George ensued as you gathered your things and started for the Transfiguration classroom.
The morning passed by quickly. In Transfiguration and Muggle Studies, the hour was spent going over the syllabus and answering any questions about the upcoming course material.
Eventually, your second class drew to a close, and Professor Vector dismissed you for lunch. You shouldered your bag, one of the first to leave the room. It was your goal to eat as quickly as possible. In doing so, you could ease the grumbling of your stomach and get the break over with so you could finally put the golden necklace hidden in your bag to use.
You turned the corner of another hallway, looking up just in time to snap out of your thoughts and pull yourself to a quick halt. The hall had nearly cleared, a few stragglers making their way to lunch as well. What had caught your attention, however, wasn't a student at all.
Professor Lupin had just stepped out of his classroom.
In the excitement following being presented with the Time-Turner (and the start of Defense Against the Dark Arts not being until tomorrow), the man had completely slipped your mind. It was the first time you had seen him since the welcome feast. The closest you had been to him since the train. The proximity seemed to tunnel your vision like it had then, and you froze.
In the soft lantern and the afternoon sun, he looked less tired. He wore a content smile, deep in thought as he closed the classroom door. Looking over his shoulder, he regarded a few passing students with a polite nod. Then, he turned his head the other way. His eyes would've landed on you had you not zoned back in and quickly stepped back around the corner.
You hadn't gotten this far in your processing of the situation; what would you do if he tried to speak with you? The opportunity had arisen once on the train, but he hadn't taken it. How about now, if he ran into you by yourself in the hallway?
Deciding to not give him the opportunity to try, you turned on your heel, starting back the way you came. You didn't care that you were walking in the opposite direction of the Great Hall.
You spent the unnecessarily long walk downstairs wondering what would have happened had Professor Lupin seen you. An almost empty hallway would've been the perfect opportunity for him to try to talk to you. You played out several conversations in your head, coming to the conclusion that at least one of them would've happened. This was better than the alternative; that he would see you and let you pass without a word. Like it had been on the train, that thought was worse than any potential interaction.
Friends who had long dropped Muggle Studies from their schedules were waiting for you at the Gryffindor table. However, you barely listened as to Angelina talk about her classes. All of your focus was on an angry letter you had impulsively decided to write to your dad. Your quill scraped furiously against the page, demanding to know why he had seemingly forgotten to mention the new Defense Against the Dark Arts arrangements to you. There was no way he hadn't known, no way it had just slipped his mind for your entire summer.
Half of lunch passed, and when the hall was at peak volume and capacity, you were joined by Fred and George. You didn't bother to question their tardiness, safely assuming they had already landed themselves in some trouble. Letting their bags fall loudly to the ground to announce their arrival, they dropped down on either side of you.
"Homework already?" Fred questioned, leaning in to see what you were writing.
"Butt out, nosey." You told him, still scribbling away.
More students arrived at the Gryffindor table. Across from you, Hermione, Ron and Harry slid onto the empty bench. In your peripheral vision, you saw that Ron looked rather uneasy, Harry appearing to be rather preoccupied by a troubling thought.
"Alright Harry?" You questioned casually, sparing him a glance before returning to your letter.
"Brilliant." He replied dryly, eyes glued to the table.
It was utterly unconvincing. You put your quill down. "What's happened?"
Hermione huffed before Harry could even meet your eyes, speaking with a sort of condescending smile. "Professor Trelawney predicted Harry's death."
You inhaled sharply. The troubled look on the boy's face made perfect sense now. Already well aware that Sirius Black was posing extreme danger to him, the last thing he needed were tea leaves telling him the same thing.
"See?" You asked Harry pointedly. "What did I tell you?" The letter could wait; you put your full focus on the boy across from you. "Alright, let's hear it."
"We were reading tea leaves." Harry started. "And well, I had this..." He looked at Hermione and Ron for help which they didn't provide. He sighed. "I had this thing called the Grim."
You blinked. Clearly they had been expecting a dramatic reaction, seeing as you were more familiar with the class material than they were. Maybe that you'd gasp, a look of horror coming over your face. But, compared to various predictions you'd heard from Trelawney over the years, the revelation in Harry's tea leaves was relatively underwhelming.
"The dog omen?" You asked.
"The death omen." Ron corrected you in a fearful whisper.
It was silent for a moment as you exchanged glances with the boys on either side of you. None of you needed to say anything to know you were all thinking the exact same thing.
"Well Harry, if I were you, I'd pack my things and go into hiding right about now." Fred said.
"I'm scared for you." George told him seriously.
"He defeats the Dark Lord three times, but it's a big black dog that's going to do him in." You sighed with a shake of your head.
Harry looked thoroughly unamused.
"You don't think that Grim thing's got anything to do with Sirius Black?" Ron asked.
"No." You replied dismissive, confidently. You leaned in towards Harry. "Harry, what did I tell you? It's pointless and imprecise, Divination. Total guesswork. Predicting death is like Trelawney's opening act, and you shouldn't pay any mind to it."
The comforting sentiments seemed to ease Harry's worry. Ron, however, was still unconvinced.
"Harry." He started in a serious tone. "You haven't seen a black dog anywhere, have you?"
Harry considered this for a moment, before nodding. "The night I left the Dursley's."
Ron's eyes widened. Even you had to admit this was slightly off putting. Trelawney's predictions only came true if you drew the vaguest connections. This, however, seemed eerily accurate.
"It's a family neighbourhood, right?" You pointed out with a shrug. "People let their dogs out."
"Harry." Ron said gravely, ignoring your very likely guess. "If you've seen a Grim... That's bad."
"How bad?" Harry asked.
"Our uncle Billius saw one once." Fred said conversationally. "He died twenty-four hours later."
No one said anything, all eyes on Fred who glanced around mildly. Ron looked like he was about to start shaking from fear. Harry, on the other hand, looked like he had a few rude words he'd like to say. You exchanged an exasperated glance with George. Even Hermione looked up from her book to shoot him a glance before bowing her head again.
"Really helpful, Fred. Thank you." You muttered to the boy. He shrugged innocently in response.
The worry had returned to Harry's face.
"Harry." Hermione said pointedly. "You haven't seen a Grim. You've seen a stray dog."
"You don't know that." Ron countered.
"I do know that Y/N's right." Hermione said. "Broaden your minds. Use your Inner Eye to see the future." She quoted Trelawney mockingly before shaking her head. "It's a load of rubbish."
"Hold on, Hermione. I thought you were supposed to like every class?" You asked amusedly.
"Not one's that are a complete and utter waste of time." She replied tightly. "Now, Ancient Runes, that's a fascinating subject."
"Oh, you like it?" You asked curiously. Hermione nodded. "Me too."
"Ancient Runes?" Fred asked, brows raised. "How many classes are you taking?"
"A fair few." You replied vaguely. You couldn't tell him how many a 'fair few' actually was. If he saw your schedule, he'd think he had gone crazy.
He looked like he wanted to question you further, but he shook his head, deciding against it. "We should go." He suggested instead, checking his watch. "North Tower's a nightmare to get to."
George wordlessly agreed. The two of them stood up, grabbing their things.
"I'll catch up." You told them; your letter was a convenient cover for the fact that you wouldn't be accompanying them to Divination. "I'm going to take this to the Owlery."
This raised no suspicion. After you sealed your envelope, the three of you said goodbye to your friends and left the hall. After a few hallways journeyed together, you split off from the boys, crossing the castle and eventually coming out in one of many courtyard.
Brisk September wind blew over your face as you climbed up towards the Owlery. Athena, perched above amongst the other owls waiting patiently for deliveries, flew down upon your arrival. She allowed you to attach your letter and pat her on the head before she flew off.
Trudging back to the castle, dragging your feet to kick as many rocks as possible, you wondered what your dad's response would be. Or if, considering the nature in which you had written, he wouldn't respond until you wrote him in more civil way.
Had he expected you to be happy? That you'd arrive at school and sit down in the Great Hall and be pleasantly surprised to see the man sitting at the staff table? That the entire situation would be accepted by you as a nice family reunion? Your uncle back in your life after so long?
Luckily, you had little time to dwell on the issue. The grand clock chimed loudly, letting everyone in the nearby vicinity know that afternoon classes were starting. You quickened your pace, slipping through the doors and merging with the crowd. All anger towards your father and lingering thoughts of Lupin fell away by the time your Ancient Runes classroom came into view.
You couldn't focus on the lesson. To stay as engaged as possible, you took notes and asked questions about the course material, but every few minutes you'd glance at your watch or the clock, aching for the bell to ring so you could finally use the Time-Turner. The speed which you packed up at dismissal nearly knocked over your chair, but you were too excited to care.
The journey to the North Tower was exhausting. With winding staircases, staircases that moved, and staircases that should've been somewhere but weren't, it was nearly impossible to get as high up into the castle as the North Tower was. Even though you had taken Divination for two terms now, you still found yourself confused as to which turns to take.
After a long trip down the castle, the staircase to the Divination room came into view. Careful to not be seen by any of the leaving students, you quickly turned a corner. You stood in a less populated hallway now, but just to be safe, you slipped behind a large statue of a knight.
Hastily, you pulled out the Time-Turner. It had been waiting in your pocket all morning, and now that Divination had come and gone, it was time to try it.
You held it carefully, worried the chain would break or the tiny screws would come loose. With a quick check of your surroundings (even though passing students couldn't see you behind the statue), you slipped the chain around your neck.
As you toyed with the charm, you mentally went over the crucial laws of time travel you'd learned over the years, of which there was only really one. As long as you made sure you didn't run into yourself from whichever period of time you were traveling to, you would be okay.
Severe consequences aside, it was funny to think of the reactions you'd get if there were suddenly two of you in the same room. Thinking realistically, since an hour ago you had just entered Ancient Runes, you were certain this wouldn't be a problem. Nevertheless, your heart was pounding against your chest. Floo Powder and Portkeys weren't a problem for you, but you had no idea of what to expect from the Time-Turner.
Side effects of time travel were expected, but only going back an hour would hopefully lessen them. Nausea or confusion was a consideration as you carefully spun the little hourglass once.
It was like the rewind button on an old muggle DVD player had been pressed and set to the fastest speed. While you stood stationary, everything around you blurred with quick movement.
Vague outlines of students rushed by. Only, they walked backwards, disappearing into classrooms and back up staircases. The light from the windows changed the angle it shone on the floor as the sun rose to where it had been in the sky an hour ago. Mr. Norris ran by.
Then, everything levelled out. Time resumed as normal. You stood in the same spot, feeling a little dizzier than you had seconds earlier. The only indication of change was when you found that the hand on your watch was no longer pointing at the one, but the twelve.
It had worked.
You couldn't contain the amazed grin that spread across your face as you did another quick check around, before stepping out from behind the statue and heading back down the hall, starting up the twisting staircase that led you to the Divination room.
The higher you climbed, the dizzier you got, but at last you came out on the landing. There was no one outside the door, and a quick glance at your watch informed you that you were a few minutes late. Courtesy of the directional confusion and the disorientation of the Time-Turner. Careful to not let the large door squeak on it's hinges, you twisted the doorknob and slid inside.
The Divination room was by far the strangest classroom at Hogwarts. The room emulated the energy of a tea shop. Small, circular tables were crammed inside on varying platforms. All the curtains were closed, the dim light coming from the lamps, which were covered with dark fabrics. Shelves around the walls were crammed with feathers, candles, tattered playing cards, crystal balls, and stacks of teacups.
A few hours ago, Harry's death had been predicted in this very room. As you glanced around the students in your year, you wondered who would be at the receiving end of that same prediction.
The Divination professor, Trelawney, was standing in the middle of the room, illuminated by the firelight. She was draped in her usual shawls and charms, tiny wrists covered in bangles and bracelets. She stared up at the class, which occupied the various poufs and armchairs around the small tables. Her magnified eyes darted around the room behind her large glasses.
"Welcome, my children." She spoke with her usual distant voice. "We meet again. You are all well aware of the going ons in my room. The exploration of the noble art of Divination. Here, you have discovered if you possess the Sight."
Careful to not alert anyone of your presence, you held back a scoff. You tucked the Time-Turner into the neck of your sweater, scanning the room for familiar red hair: Fred and George were sitting off by the window, both already looking seconds away from falling asleep.
"Together we shall cast ourselves into the future." Trelawney continued, making a vast sweeping motion with one of her hands. "To begin the term, we'll review Tasseomancy, the art of reading tea leaves. So please, take the cup of the person sitting opposite you."
She turned her back to you, which was your opportunity to take a seat. Quietly, you maneuvered through the tables towards Fred and George. No one cared to spare a late student a glance.
"What do you see?" Trelawney asked. "The truth lies buried like a sentence deep within a book, waiting to be read. But first, you must broaden your minds. First, you must look beyond."
"She really hasn't changed, has she?" You muttered, settling on the pouf between the two boys.
Both of them jumped, heads snapping to what moments earlier had been an empty seat.
"Bloody hell." George breathed out.
"Where did you come from?" Fred questioned, looking bewildered.
"Me?" You replied innocently. "I've been here all this time."
Both were still slightly shocked from your sudden arrival, but Trelawney was approaching the table. You busied yourselves with the cups to appear that you were working, stopping them from raising suspicion to the fact you had appeared from thin air. You were off the hook. For now.
The class went on painfully slow, which wasn't out of the ordinary for Divination. It was the usual nonsense rambling and unsuccessful reading of your leaves. Just like they always, the leaves lay in a nondescript wet pile at the bottom of your ceramic cup.
Trelawney paced the room, commenting about pulsing auras and the necessity of broadening the mind. Every so often she would gasp dramatically, drawing everyone's attention and proceeding to read the leaves of one student and decide that something terribly traumatic was coming for them in the near future. You swore you heard her repeat predictions she had given last year. You didn't point this out in fear she'd lengthen the lesson to explain repetitive or reoccurring fates.
The bell rang eventually, and you couldn't leave the room fast enough. From Divination, you and the twins headed for Charms. Here, you reviewed common spells from fourth year, receiving a list of the charms that would be tested on your O.W.L.s on your way out of the room.
Almost immediately, Fred and George split off from you upon seeing Filch down the hall. They didn't tell you what they'd done, and you knew better than to ask. Their guilty getaway left you to make the rest of the journey to the common room alone.
You didn't mind. Being alone meant you could think about the events of the day, good and bad, before you were expected to socialize at dinner. Thoughts switched quickly from the success of the Time-Turner to Professor Lupin, battling for which deserved more recognition. Luckily, the Time-Turner won. An excitement grew inside of you as you thought about using it again.
The common room was buzzing when you finally stepped through the portrait hole. Students were whispering and laughing. Seamus Finnagin was reenacting what looked like someone cowering from an attack. His friends burst into laughter as he collapsed dramatically in his chair.
Across the room, Fred, George and Lee were sitting around the table by the dormitory staircases, the twins having escaped the caretaker. However, curious as to what all the conversation was about, you stopped by the fireplace before heading over to them.
Sitting in the surrounding chairs and couches were Ron, Harry and Hermione. The boys were discussing something just as excitedly as the rest, while Hermione was deep in a textbook.
"What's going on?" You questioned the three of them, doing another quick glance around.
"Malfoy was attacked by a Hippogriff in Care of Magical Creatures." Ron revealed, sounding like he was telling you the best news he'd ever heard in his life.
The karma from Draco's morning taunting hadn't been instant, but it had still arrived. A laugh escaped your lips. "Did he really?"
"It's not funny, Y/N." Hermione told you disapprovingly.
You grimaced slightly, moving your head from side to side as if weighing options. Draco being attacked in class, on a scale of funny to not funny, definitely fell in funny. "It's a little funny."
"He could have been seriously injured." Hermione reasoned.
"Well he wasn't, though, was he?" Ron shrugged.
Hermione turned on him. She was in no way defending Malfoy, but in a very Hermione fashion, the principle of the thing itself. You supposed that Malfoy's injury wasn't what she was worried about, but rather the fate of Hagrid and his Care of Magical Creatures Class. Under her harsh glare, Ron grimaced, shrinking back in his seat.
This was your cue to leave. With a sheepish sort of smile at Harry, who you could only imagine was enjoying this the most, you adjusted your bag, continuing on to where your friends sat.
"Hey." You called out as you approached. Their conversation halted as they looked towards you.
"Hey." Fred echoed. "Hear about Draco?"
You quirked your brows in acknowledgement, settling into the seat next to him and dropping your textbooks. "How long do you reckon it'll be until his father hears about this?" You asked.
All three of them laughed. "Good first day?" Lee questioned.
"It was alright." You replied. "Tomorrow looks a lot more exciting than today."
"You're telling me you didn't have fun in Muggle studies?" Fred asked, feigning surprise.
You'd actually enjoyed the class, but the look of mock shock on his face made you laugh.
"Y/N." George said, pulling your attention away from his brother. His head was tilted, examining your schedule that was resting on top of your textbooks. "They've messed up your schedule."
"Hm?" You hummed in question.
"You've got, like, ten subjects a day here." The boy said. "There isn't enough time."
You made a show of examining your schedule, checking for mistakes you knew weren't there. You'd gotten away with a lie that morning at breakfast, and then again in Divination, and you quickly worked out another one.
"Oh, yeah." You said airily, leaning back in your chair. "I've sorted it out with McGonagall."
"Clearly not." George denied. "Two classes tomorrow at twelve o'clock, that's not even possible."
"I know you're good, Y/N, but not good enough to travel through time." Fred said. He had taken to examining the schedule as well.
"I'm not traveling through time." You scoffed, like the idea was ridiculous. It might have been a little overbearing, so you shrugged to ward away any suspicion. "I've got it all worked out."
"But, look." Fred told you urgingly, not letting up. "Divination was at the same time as Ancient Runes today."
"But you were with us in Divination." George recalled.
"You have to be in two classes at once." Fred concluded.
The tinge of amusement in his tone only made his absolutely spot on guess more ironic. You withheld from telling him offhandedly that being in two classes at once was exactly what you were doing. McGonagall's words echoed in your head. You wanted to tell them, but you couldn't.
Your face fell instead, taking on a skeptical look. "And how do you suppose I would do that?"
You asked knowing none of them would have an answer. Sure enough, there was no response. Fred opened his mouth, looking like he had an idea, before closing it.
"So what? My schedule is a little full." You shrugged. "It's all worked out."
It was a bad idea to let them continue to relentlessly question you. They had a way of getting all and any secrets out of you, and this was one they absolutely couldn't know.
So, you stood up, not giving them any time to ponder your schedule's odd organization. "Come on." You said, checking your watch. It was nearly dinnertime. "Let's go eat."
Hidden in your pocket, the Time-Turner tapped rhythmically against your hip all the way down to the Great Hall.