A/N: Okay, here we go. The last sequel. Serious, this is the last one. I mean it, no more… honestly…
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Chapter 1
The 'Mistake' that Changed the World
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Hogwarts Castle, July 22nd, 1945.
Grindelwald had surrounded Hogwarts. The five year long conflict between the two greatest wizards of the time was to culminate at the magical school. Grindelwald had pressed Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic back and back, claiming all magical territory except Hogwarts. Grindelwald stormed the mighty fortress early one July morning. The Ministry forces were rapidly overrun. Dumbledore and the current headmaster took shelter in the headmaster's office. Grindelwald himself had gone to meet them.
"Well, well…" said Grindelwald, twirling his wand between his long fingers and smiling darkly. "This has been almost… anticlimactic."
"So you say." retorted Dumbledore, his icy blue eyes burning with fury. "You have not won yet." Grindelwald considered him.
"Oh, but I will." Grindelwald said, shaking his head sadly. "Join me, is submission not preferable to annihilation?"
"Not if one is submitting to the likes of you." Grindelwald sighed.
"Very well. Then this must end now." Grindelwald raised his wand, but Dumbledore was quicker. A jet of green light shot burst from Dumbledore's wand… just before the room froze. A spiraling portal opened and another Dumbledore strode into the office. This one appeared older and much more tired.
"So foolish, I was." This new Dumbledore said, shaking his head at his younger self. "Oh, so foolish that I could not see it then… but I do now." The new Dumbledore stepped over to Grindelwald.
"You have much more to do, my friend. However, if my past self over there kills you, you will be unable to do as I need you to." Dumbledore tossed a potion vial at Grindelwald's feet -- a power stripping potion. He, then, turned and blasted the killing curse out of the air with his wand. He then magically bound Grindelwald, and modified the memories of his past self and the headmaster to believe that they had done this. Grindelwald would be spending many long years in Azkaban… until he was needed. Dumbledore dropped a potion at his feet. Another portal opened and Dumbledore entered it. The moment the spiraling wormhole had vanished, the scene unfroze.
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Hogwarts Castle, November 3rd, 1996.
A portal opened in the headmaster's office, and Dumbledore stepped out of it. He took a seat behind his desk. He did not acknowledge to black robed man standing on the other side of the highly polished oak desk.
"Is it done?" the man asked. Dumbledore nodded.
"It is done." he responded. The man smiled beneath his hood.
"Good, very good. And you are certain he will be loyal?" Dumbledore nodded.
"He will have no choice."
"Excellent, excellent!" The man stood to his feet and began to leave. "One more thing." he said.
"Yes?" asked Dumbledore.
"You never did tell me why you're doing this, aiding the likes of my kind?" Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.
"No, I suppose I didn't… and I don't have to." the man shrugged.
"Very well." Dumbledore stood.
"We shall not meet under a flag of truce again." he said. "We are not allies. From this day forth, we are enemies once more." the man nodded.
"I did not expect anything otherwise."
"I truly had hoped not, Tom." Dumbledore said as Voldemort strode from the office and vanished. Dumbledore sighed and sat back down. Severus Snape emerged from his hiding place a shadowy corner of the room.
"You don't think he will be rather… upset, when he discovers what you've done?" Snape asked.
"Lord Voldemort has the ability to restore the powers I just took from Grindelwald. If I know Grindelwald, and I am certain that I do, he will suppress Voldemort… which is exactly what I need."
"All this, just to distract Potter?" Dumbledore shook his head.
"No, no… not Potter. Potter's in love. His love will keep him distracted. I need Ms. Hermione Granger distracted. She is far to intuitive for her own good. Voldemort cannot keep her attention for long, she and her companions may well have the ability to destroy Voldemort, but they do not yet have the power to vanquish Grindelwald."
"Do you really want Grindelwald back in power?" Snape asked.
"Of course not!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "I want the Granger girl distracted long enough implement my plans. I intent to send her on a quest for me… I wish to place her in Grindelwald's possession. Lord Voldemort's prisons are known to be truly terrible places. If she can survive there, she can survive anything. I need to see how much she can take."
"Sir," said Snape. "I will admit that I do not like Ms. Granger, however… she has been through so much already. Her mother was killed and her father… well, you know what her father did to her." Dumbledore nodded.
"I do know…. And I assure you that if I had known before Ms. Granger had become pregnant, I would have intervened. It is too late to change her past, and I cannot return the daughter her father stole from her, nor can I locate her father and bring him to justice. What I can do, is prepare her for her destiny. She has to be ready. If she's not, all this work has been for nothing." Snape nodded.
"You do realize what you're condemning that innocent girl to, don't you. She will face a lifetime of suffering and pain… do you really want that for her?"
"No, of course I don't…. but, if anyone is going to save the world, is has to be her. No one else has the power. I understand that she has already been through a terrible ordeal, and I truly hate the fact that I am sentencing her to much more pain. I do care about her, but this is her destiny, her birthright. She must be prepared to carry this burden… or she will die."
"I hope you're right, Professor." said Snape. "What you've done could completely change the future in ways you haven't predicted. If you're wrong, there may be nothing we can do to repair the damage."
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Halliwell Manor, May 28th, 2012.
It had six months since Atlantis had sunk back to the bottom of the ocean. Harry and the others had returned to San Francisco and had since been using the manor as a base of operations for the scattered Order of the Phoenix, which was renamed to the Order of Atlantis, in honor of their lost friend. If the war with Grindelwald had been bad, it was nothing compared to the continuous defeats being suffered around the world at the hands of Albus Dumbledore. No matter what the Order did, Dumbledore was always two steps ahead of them. No one seemed to have any answers, even the Elders seemed to have abandoned them. There had been no contact with any of the Elders since the siege of Terellia, and they had even banned orbing up to the heavens. They were losing the war, and this time, there didn't seem to be a way out. These were the thoughts that plagued Phoebe Halliwell as she sat in the conservatory, gazing into the stars.
"I wish you were here, Hermione." Phoebe whispered sadly. "You'd know what to do."
"Phoebe?" A quiet voice asked from the doorway to the living room. Phoebe looked up.
"Hey, Piper." she said.
"What are you still doing up?" Piper asked, sitting down in one of the wickerwork chairs and taking Phoebe's hand. "It's almost three in the morning."
"I couldn't sleep." Phoebe said, not taking her eyes off the stars. "I haven't been sleeping well for the last few months."
"You mean since we left Terellia?" Phoebe sighed.
"Pretty much…" Phoebe admitted. Piper squeezed her younger sister's hand.
"Pheebs, I know you love her… I mean, we all do, but… she's not coming back. She can't come back. We've got to move on." Phoebe nodded sadly.
"I… I know that, it's just… before the battle back on Atlantis, Hermione and I were up in the tallest tower of the palace, and… and we… I kissed her." Piper's eyes widened slightly.
"And… what did Hermione think about this?"
"She wasn't really upset. She was… confused, I guess. Just like I was."
"And now?" Piper asked, noticing her sister's use of the word 'was'.
"I… I think I might be in love with her." Phoebe whispered. "I'm hung up on a woman I'm never going to see again, and one that doesn't even look at me the same way. I know I've got to get over her, but… I'm not sure I'll ever be able to. I… I love her, Piper. I think I always have, I just… didn't see it. I don't know… if I can put that behind me."
"I understand." Piper said. "I don't know what to tell you, except that you've got to get on with your life. We're at war… and we can't worry about personal issues now."
"And if we weren't at war?" Piper studied her sister's face.
"Phoebe, I don't know…. But I'll tell you one thing. If you and Hermione ever have a chance together, you have my support." Phoebe smiled.
"Thanks, Piper." Piper nodded, stood, and left. Phoebe remained where she was, staring out at the stars.
She loves Harry! Phoebe told herself firmly. Even if she did come back, she'd still love Harry. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Phoebe. She remembered a statement Hermione had once made at the foot of the staircase barely twenty feet from where she sat. Phoebe stood and moved toward the staircase, her hand brushing the railing where Hermione's hand had once rested.
"I would've fought like hell for him, Pheebs." Yes, that's what Hermione had told her many years ago in this very spot. Thinking back, Hermione had been right… and her words still rang true today. Phoebe was more like Hermione than she thought. If Hermione ever returned, Phoebe would do exactly as Hermione had said. She was going to fight like hell for what she wanted, and no one was going to get in her way. At that moment, Harry descended the staircase on the way to the kitchen.
"You should get some rest, Phoebe." he said sleepily as he passed her.
"Yeah…" said Phoebe. She gazed at him as he passed, her eyes following him until he rounded the corner into the dining room and passed out of sight.