Amulet of Time 4: There and Back Again

Chapter 1: Finally!

Harry Potter and the Amulet of Time

Book 4 – There and Back Again – A Witch's Tale by Virginia Weasley

Chapter 1: Finally!

With a brilliant flash of purple light, Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Harry found themselves squashed on the floor of a train carriage. With their luggage under then, and their familiars next to them, they found the space between the seats rather cramped. After prising themselves apart, they stood and looked around the compartment.

" Are we back?" Hermione tentatively asked.

" I think so," Ron replied.

Harry confirmed it for them when he spotted a familiar figure caged in the corner.

" Hedwig!"

The other three whirled around at his outburst and looked over to where their friend was pulling open a cage door and stroking the snowy owl inside. Harry was grinning madly, but Hedwig looked rather confused at seeing her master and his friends three years older than they were before that flash of light. To her, they had only been missing for a matter of seconds.

" It's alright, girl, it's me," Harry was cooing to his agitated bird, trying to calm her down. Eventually, she seemed to realise that he was, in fact, merely an older version of her master and settled down to enjoy the attention.

" I guess we really are home," Ron said in awe, " We can see our families again. I wonder what Mum'll think when she hears how many OWLs and NEWTs I got. I passed even more than Percy!"

" I know. The one I'm worried about is Dad," Ginny agreed, " He might not take the news very well."

" Well, what do you think I'm going to tell my parents," Hermione snorted, " I mean, how would you explain this to Muggles?"

" Good point, 'Mione. What about you, Harry?"

" Well, I think the Dursleys will put it down to my 'freakishness', but be glad they don't have to house me any more, as I am over eighteen. I don't know what Sirius'll say. Although we made up before we left, things were still a bit strained. I don't know what that'll do to our relationship now. The one I'm really worried about is Sev."

Ginny came over to her boyfriend and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a squeeze.

" It'll be alright, Harry. After all, once they all see us again, they'll remember us."

" True."

" But, Harry, mate, you do know he'll be all evil now, right?"

" He's not evil, Ron."

" Yeah, but in this time, he's spent the last four years hating you. Do you really think a few childhood memories being restored would make that much of a difference?"

" I don't know, Ron, but I hope so. He was a good friend, and I know the real Sev has to be buried under all of the pain and bitterness this Snape has. He's carried that for a long time, so I don't know how long it'll take me to break through it. But I won't give up on him."

Hermione suddenly thought of something that made her eyes go wide. Ron, who was sitting next to her, squeezed her hand.

" What's wrong, love? You look like you've just remembered you didn't do your Charms essay."

" Don't be ridiculous, Ron," She said with a frown, " I'd never forget to do an essay. It just occurred to me that Bill was there."

" Bill was where?" her boyfriend asked in confusion. Hermione rolled her eyes at him before explaining.