I'm Dead

Caparoux and Hart

Teddy, Victoire and James trooped back downstairs to find Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall seated in the dining room, being regarded with a mixture of awe and nervousness by the time travellers. Well, and everyone else, truth be told. It wasn't often you had the Headmaster of Hogwarts sitting in your dining room.

"Ah, and here are our latecomers!" Dumbledore beamed, as the trio joined their family. Victoire blushed as Dumbledore smiled kindly at her, nearly tripping and face-planting into the table. It had taken all her effort not to gape at the legendary wizard when she'd entered the room, not wanting to seem rude,

James and Hugo didn't seem to share her worries. You would have been able to fly a broomstick into their mouths if they got any wider.

"James! Hugo!" Rose hissed, putting one hand under each boy's chin and pushing them back up to where they should be.

She and Scorpius were, understandably, standing as far away from Ron as it was possible to be. All parties involved in earlier's… disagreement were a lot calmer, even Ron (though that might have had something to do with the fact that Hermione had a vice-like grip on his arm that looked a little painful). He was still, however, throwing glares across the room at Scorpius which suggested he was, at that very moment, plotting many different ways to torture his daughter's boyfriend, kill him, and was probably going through different places in his head where he could hide the body. Rose and Scorpius, on the other hand, were pointedly trying not to look anywhere near Ron, which annoyed Hermione because all this had been Ron's fault in the first place.

Dumbledore was smiling serenely, that familiar twinkle in his eye like nothing was wrong in the world. McGonagall, stern-faced as always, was eyeing James and Albus apprehensively, obviously not missing the fact that they looked a lot like their father and grandfather, both of whom had caused her trouble beyond belief and physically aged her several years in her career as a teacher.

"It's quite alright, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore assured Rose, who blushed in embarrassment. "I am quite used to being the centre of attention." Rose didn't know quite what to say to this. "Sherbet lemon?"

"Yes, please!" Al piped up eagerly, without thinking. The room broke out in giggles as Al went beetroot red.

There are the Weasley genes. Definitely mine, thought Ginny as she laughed along with everyone else.

Al accepted a sherbet lemon anyway – he wasn't going to miss out on his favourite sweet after all that – and stuck his tongue out at his brother and sister, who were chuckling even harder as Al popped the sweet in his mouth, trying to save his pride.

"A boy after my own heart!" Dumbledore beamed. "We shall start off the introductions with you!"

Surprisingly, the old wizard made no comment on Al's full name, other than a nod and a smile at Harry. McGonagall was visibly stopping herself from saying anything at the mention of 'Severus'. The lack of reaction he got third time around was relieving for Al.

The rest of the introductions were quick, with a warm smile, a chuckle or even a raised eyebrow here and there, and it was obvious Dumbledore and McGonagall wanted to get on with the reason they were here.

"It has come to my attention that you are looking for a time travelling curse cast on a necklace and a jewellery box, am I right?" Dumbledore asked. Everyone nodded. "May I have a look at these particular objects?"

Remus and Bill fetched them from where they had been keeping them safe and out of harm's way.

"Interesting," Dumbledore murmured, as he examined each object carefully. "Ah, yes. I think I do know what we have here. Tell me, Miss Weasley –"