Since 1970

Chapter 57

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

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January 2, 1996

(present time)

"It's all thanks to you, Hermione. Or I should say, the other Hermione."

"What?" she gasped, turning to Amelia. Her friend didn't say anything. She just offered her a small smile.

"I couldn't understand it at first," Regulus explained. "I couldn't understand how someone could be in the cave with me... Someone who looked like you, but older. She was wearing tattered and bloody robes. Her hair was shorter than it used to be but still brown and curly. She just landed in front of me when I was reaching for water to drink, but the Inferis surfaced from the water and surrounded us. I was weak... too weak, and I couldn't raise my wand to perform any magic. But I watched her. I watched her fight all the Inferis with all her might, then she took us both out there."

Now, she was confused. Did she - this Hermione and not the one that sent Leo - travel back in time to rescue Regulus and there was a time loop? Did this conversation already happen for the Hermione that rescued Regulus? She had so many questions in her mind, but she didn't voice them. She decided to let Regulus finish the talking.

"I passed out after we made it out of the cave. I woke up in my bedroom, and Kreacher and Amy were taking care of me. I asked them what happened, and I asked them about the witch that brought me there."

Amelia reached out for her hand, so she turned to her friend. "The witch that rescued Reg Apparated the two of them to Grimmauld Place where Kreacher was waiting. She ordered Kreacher to find me and Alona. We were horrified when we saw three unconscious bodies in Regulus's room. We didn't know who we'd help first."

"Three?" she asked her friend, confused.

Amelia's eyes were glassy and held her tightly as if she was her lifeline. "Yes. The older Hermione appeared in the cave... with her husband's body."

Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with her hands, tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh, Merlin... Severus. No, no, no." She shook her head. "No, don't tell me about the time loop. No!" she almost yelled, then her hands were now on her chest as if shielding herself and protecting her heart from breaking. The thought of Severus being dead, not because of old age, almost gave her a heart attack.

"No, Hermione, no," Amelia said in a hushed tone, wrapping an arm around her waist and trying to calm her. "No time loop, no time loop, I assure you. The other Hermione assured us. When she saw me, even though she was very weak, she told me and Alona to take care of Regulus. She muttered something about the Department of Mysteries, but we didn't understand it clearly. The only thing that was clear was the words: 'Not in this universe.' It will not happen this time."

"Fucking Salazar," she cursed. "I bet that was Leo's birth mother."

Amelia nodded mournfully. "I guess so. She looked drained. Before we could even save her, she was gone. She and her husband... We buried them side by side."

"Were they wearing rings? How did you know they were husband and wife?" She remembered there were rings in Leo's bag. Wedding rings. Therefore, Leo's birth mother shouldn't be wearing a ring.

"The binding cord, Hermione," Amelia told her. "When a witch or a wizard loses their other half, the binding cord that's only seen during the binding ceremony - the wedding, appears again, wilted and broken. The other Hermione was carrying the cord in her robes."

Hermione heaved a sigh and rested her head on the back of the chair, looking up at the ceiling. "Shite. I think my brain stopped working."

"Tea, Hermione. This will help," Amelia offered.