mysterious thing, time
I woke up feeling exhausted and confused. I slowly opened my eyes and glanced around the room, trying to figure out where I was. The infirmary. At least I'm not dead. I saw Ron laying there with a cast on his foot.
"Harper!" Ron exclaimed, noticing me awake.
"Ron!" I said, getting up and making my way over to him. I cupped his face in my hands, searching for injuries. "Are you okay? How's your foot?"
"Painful. Incredibly painful," Ron said, looking down at it as I dropped my hands. "They almost had to chop it off."
"Chop it off?!" I repeated.
"It was brutal," Ron sighed.
"I'm really glad you're okay," I said quieter, sitting down on the bed beside him. I took his hand in mine and stroked his knuckles back and forth with my thumb.
"I'm really glad you're okay," Ron repeated back to me, placing his other hand on top of mine on top of his. "I was worried I'd lost you. I don't know what I would do without you, Harper" he admitted shyly.
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Ron," I told him.
"Listen, Harry, Harper, they've captured Sirius. Any minute now they're going to perform the kiss," Hermione told Harry as she shook him awake.
"What?!" I squealed, quickly getting up and heading over to her and Harry.
"You mean they're gonna kill him?!" Harry asked incredulously as he stood up too.
"No, it's worse. Much worse," Hermione explained. "They're going to suck out his soul."
"No, but he's innocent!" I countered.
"Headmaster you've got to stop them!" Hermione said as Dumbledore entered the room.
"They've got the wrong man!" I shout.
"It's true. Sirius is innocent!" Harry supported.
"It's Scabbers who did it!" Ron added.
"You have to believe us!" I begged the headmaster.
"I do, Miss Potter," Dumbledore said, placing his hand on my shoulder. "But I'm sorry to say that the word of four thirteen-year-old wizards will convince few others."
"A child's voice, however honest and true, is meaningless to those who've forgotten how to listen," Dumbledore said, patting Ron's injured foot, causing him to whimper. I scrunched up my eyebrows as I watched Dumbledore hurt him. Ron took a deep breath once he stopped, and I went back over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed and clutching his hand.
"Mysterious thing, time. Powerful. And when meddled with...dangerous," Dumbledore said, walking away. "Sirius Black is in the topmost cell of the Dark Tower. You know the laws, Miss Granger," Dumbledore spun around to her. "You must not be seen. And you would do well to return before this last chime. If not, the consequences are too ghastly to discuss. If you succeed tonight, more than one innocent life may be spared. Three turns should do it, I think." With a wink, he turned and left the room. "Oh, and by the way, when in doubt, I find retracing my steps to be a wise place to begin. Good luck," he said before closing the doors.
"What the bloody hell was that all about?" Ron asked, looking between all of us.
"Sorry, Ron, but seeing as you can't walk..." Hermione trailed off before pulling a necklace out of her jacket and wrapping it around her and Harry.
"What's going on?" I asked, only to receive no response.
"Harper, you stay here and take care of Ron," Hermione continued. She looked down and twisted her necklace three times. The two of them looked like they disappeared before they came barging in the infirmary door not a second after. I'm sure the confusion was evident on my face as I stared at them.
"How did you get there?" Ron asked, completely bewildered as he pointed to them. "I was talking to you there, and now you're there." Ron finished.
"What's he talking about, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know. Honestly, Ron, how can somebody be in two places at once?" Harry replied, both of them smiling cheekily before laughing.
"Harry..." I groaned.
"You tell them," Harry said, motioning toward Hermione. Hermione sat on the bed across from us and began telling us about her Time-Turner that enabled them to go back in time. I listened intently with Ron. They saved Buckbeak after Fudge saw him so they would know it wasn't Hagrid, and then flew and saved Sirius from his cell. He's off now going who knows where, so we won't get to live with him, but maybe someday we can.
The next day, Harry and I went to visit Lupin, only to find him packing up his office.
"Hello, Harry, hello, Harper," he greeted us the second we entered. We stood there dazed for a second on how he knew it was us.
"I saw you coming," he smiled, turning towards us. It was then we noticed the Map opened in his desk. He flicked his wand and packed up a suitcase. We stood there, taking in his appearance. He had lots of new scratches and cuts.
"I've looked worse, believe me," Lupin said, noticing our staring.
"You've been sacked," Harry stated, looking around.
"No. No. I resigned actually," Lupin corrected.
"Resigned? Why?" I asked, completely shocked. He's the only decent DADA professor we've ever had.
"Well, it seems that somebody let slip the nature of my condition," Lupin explained.
"Snape..." I muttered angrily.
"This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving and parents will not a, um...well, someone like me teaching their children," he continued.
"But Dumbledore—" Harry started.
"Dumbledore has already risked enough on my behalf," Lupin interrupted. "Besides, people like me are, um...Let's just say I'm used to it by now." He flicked his wand and packed and closed another trunk.
"But that's not fair!" I rebut.
"Life usually isn't," Lupin replied before turning to Harry. "Why do you look so miserable?"
"None of it made any difference," he answered. "Pettigrew escaped."
"Didn't make any difference?" Lupin repeated with his eyebrows raised. "Harry, it made all the difference in the world. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate. It made a great deal of difference." Lupin chuckled.
"If I am proud of anything, it is how much you two have learned this year," he continued. "Now, since I am no longer your teacher. I feel no guilt whatsoever giving this back to you." He pointed to the Marauder's Map on the desk next to him.
"So now I'll say goodbye, Harry and Harper. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Until then..." he trailed off. "Mischief managed," he said, pointing to the map, causing it to hide again.
We watched sadly as he left the room with his briefcase and coat, now using a cane for support. Harry and I followed after and headed to the Great Hall.
"Stand back I said. Or I'll-I'll take it upstairs if you don't settle," Ron's voice trailed into the hall.
"Harry!" Neville said, running over to him excitedly as we entered. "Wherever did you get it?"
"Can I have a go, Harry?" Seamus asked, running up after him. "After you, of course."
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, exchanging a confused look with me. We approached the table where Ron was standing, using his single crutch for support.
"I didn't mean to open it, Harry. It-it was, uh, badly wrapped," Ron said nervously. "And they made me do it!" Ron finished, pointing towards Fred and George.
"Did not!" they answered together. I looked to see a package on the table. Harry pulled the paper off, having no longer been wrapped, and revealed a broomstick.
"It's a firebolt," Fred said.
"It's the fastest broom in the world," George added.
"For me?" Harry said, reaching out to grab it, the excitement evident on his face. "But who sent it?"
"No one knows," Ron replied.
"This came with it," Hermione said, holding up a feather. Buckbeak. Sirius sent it. That was sweet.
"Did they send anything else?" I asked, hoping maybe he got something for me. It didn't have to be much, but it would be nice to be thought of every once in awhile.
"Uh, no," Ron said, confused. "Were you expecting something?"
"No, honestly," I sighed. Harry excitedly grabbed the broom before dashing outside. Everyone began following, running after him, and buzzing about the Quidditch cup. I walked slowly behind everyone. Once I reached the wide archway, I saw Harry take off flying into the air faster than I'd ever seen anyone fly before. Everyone began cheering loudly and excitedly. I clapped, happy for my brother and his newfound paternal figure. Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hurt. I wasn't even special enough for a murderer.