Millennium Chapter 5: The Past

'Thoughts'

"Talking"

"{Memories}"

"[Talking to Creatures]"

xxxxxxx

May 6th, 1998

"{Harry was abruptly battling Voldemort. Voldemort's snake-face showed that he seemed frustrated that he had not defeated Harry yet. Harry briefly glanced around and saw the bodies surrounding both of them.

'I thought I finished this.' Harry thought.

As Harry was looking around and saw all the wizards, witches, werewolves, and giants fighting and killing each other, he was filled with an increasing amount of sadness. Harry thought, 'Even if his side wins, there will still be so many lives changed or lost.'

Harry could see out of this periphery the familiar flashing lights of bright green of Avada Kedavra and red streaks of the Cruciatus Curse. Harry could hear the screams of agony from people and crying from others grieving over their comrades.}"

xxxxxx

Harry woke up from his nightmare to see the sun shining through gaps in the curtains. He felt the warmth of one of the rays on his face. He hoped the nice weather promised a better day despite the ominous feeling from his dream.

Harry sat up in his bed and stretched his arms above his head, feeling his sleeping shirt ride up. Harry got up from his bed and saw that Akili was laying in the sun rays that landed on his nightstand. He walked over to the bathroom and started to get ready for the day. After his shower, he made his way back to his room and dried off his hair trying not to get it too messy.

Harry went to closet and pulled out black robes, a dark green shirt, and black trousers and boots. He came out of his closet and saw that Akili started to rouse. Harry went over and let her climb up his arm.

He carried Akili into the kitchen. Harry saw that Dobby had set out breakfast for both him and Akili. Harry tucked into his breakfast and Akili slithered out of his clothes to do the same.

Helga floated in from the door and said. "Hello Harry." The other founders chorused her answer as they drifted in too.

"Hello." Harry replied after swallowing the food in his mouth.

Suddenly Harry heard a pop and looked to his right to see Dobby had appeared next to Harry. The house elf was holding an official-looking letter. Dobby said, "This letter is from another one of those means owl."

Harry apprehensively retrieved the letter from Dobby. He saw that the manila envelope had an official ministry stamp. Harry looked for the sender and saw that it was from the Minister. He broke the wax seal and read:

Dear Lord Potter,

The members of the Wizengamot and I have not been able to find a loophole to undo your actions preventing Umbridge assuming her Headmistress duties. However, I have made them decide that if you continue these actions and not appoint Umbridge as headmistress and let her carryout the reconstruction of Hogwarts, we will sentence you to at least 3 years in Azkaban for interfering with ministry business. Undo your actions at once and I will be lenient, and you will not be tried for treason. Though if you disregard my orders again, we will proceed with our aforementioned actions.

You have been warned,

Minister of Magic Fudge

Harry crumpled the letter and let out a sigh of frustration. "I don't understand why Fudge doesn't learn. I don't know why he so adamant about assigning Umbridge as Hogwarts' Headmistress. Her record shows that she does not have the future of Hogwarts and her student in mind. His decision will affect all the present and future students negatively. I have seen firsthand how she can divide the students and those children are the ones that will suffer from his decision." Harry ranted to the founders.

Harry continued to vehemently say, "I just can't seem to catch a break with Fudge. I've been missing my friends and I continue to have nightmares about the final battle. I keep seeing my friends, fellow students, and other people of the wizarding world dying on the Hogwarts grounds for some madman's crazy vision of what the wizarding world should be."

Harry continued, "I am just sick and tired of my friends dying around me. I'm sick of all these emotions and all the heartache I endured all my life." Harry said.

Helga interrupted, "But Harry, you have to keep on living. The students of Hogwarts need you here as a guiding presence since Fudge seems to have lost his mind. You can give the new generation of wizarding children a brighter future." Helga said imploringly.

Merlin suddenly interjected. "What if I told you that there is a way for you to undo all of the catastrophic events that have occurred in your life."

Harry looked at Merlin hopefully and started to speak.

However, Merlin interrupted him. "Though, this means that you will have to go back in time."

"So, like a time-turner?" Harry asked.

"The ritual I speak of does entail some of the workings of a time-turner, but it is not exactly the same and it would take me months to explain the intricacies of it.

"However, after you complete the ritual you cannot have anybody recognize that you are from the future. They must not know all the things you will do to better their future." Merlin warned. "This will be difficult to explain how you know so much information about them and your seer powers will not help since you may know even more then you do presently."

"I will do anything to fix the past." Harry stated. "To be able to bring back my mom, dad, Hermione, Sirius…" Harry trailed off.

"You may also have to interact with people that turned evil in this timeline." Merlin pointed out.

Harry thought back to the memories of Voldemort that Dumbledore showed him and thought about if Harry could have met Tom before he became Voldemort. "I will do anything." Harry reaffirmed.

"Then, I will prepare for the ritual. You should research and write down anything you think negatively affected this timeline." Merlin said.

"I will help you research possible pertinent historic events." Rowena volunteered as she floated closer to the pair.

"As will I." Slytherin said.

"Maybe now I can prevent Voldemort from turning evil and recruiting the Death Eaters." Harry said hopefully.

"You may have to go even further in the past to save everyone." Slytherin warned. Rowena nodded in agreement, standing next to Salazar.

"I guess I should also look into the history of the wizarding world and see who or what else could have led to this." Harry contemplated.

"Then we will meet in a few days." Merlin said and suddenly disappeared.

"Come on Harry let us see what may be helpful in my personal library." Rowena said. Harry and Slytherin followed her.

Helga looked worriedly after Harry and said. "I hope this turns out alright."

Gryffindor said trying to comfort Helga. "He has nothing to lose and everything to gain. This timeline offers him nothing anymore."

Helga still looked worried but allowed her husband to lead her to their rooms.

xxxxxxx

July 30th, 1998

Harry walked into to the room Merlin has set up for the ritual with Rowena and Salazar floated in behind him. He wore an all-black outfit with a leather satchel around his shoulder. Akili briefly popped her head out of Harry's collar to briefly see what was in the new room before going back to hiding in the collar of Harry's shirt.

Merlin is standing at an altar with Helga and Godric floating near him.

Helga floated to Harry as he stopped in front of the altar and said. "Oh Harry, I wished things could have turned out differently for you."

"You couldn't have known what would have happened." Harry said hoping to comfort her.

"You have all the knowledge you need." Rowena reassured from behind Harry.

Harry noticed Merlin stepping closer to the altar. "Are you ready?" Merlin asked.

"As I will ever be." Harry answered.

Merlin started the ritual by saying, "I will be sending you back a thousand years before you were born to hopefully give you enough time for you to correct enough events to change your history."

Merlin warned Harry, "You must not tell anyone of the things that happened in your lifetime or it could disrupt the new timeline to make a worse outcome than before."

"We wish you the best of luck." Helga said encouragingly from the side. Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin stood beside Helga silently offering Harry support.

"I just hope this works." Harry muttered.

"Just try not to make things worse." Slytherin said trying to comfort Harry though not fully succeeding.

"Remember some events will be out of your control to prevent." Merlin warned. "Do not be discouraged if you cannot prevent everything you think will negatively affect the timeline." Then, Merlin started the ritual.

As Harry heard Merlin start to chant the spell and activated hidden runes, Harry just hoped he could actually save his family and friends.

xxxxxxx

July 31st, 1880

Suddenly Harry felt something poking his side. His eyes flew open and saw a man looming over him holding a cane that apparently prodded Harry. He was wearing a royal blue tunic and black pants that looked like slacks.

"Who might you be and why are you sleeping in the alley?" The man asked Harry expectantly.

Harry still a little disoriented started saying, "I am Harry…" Then Harry paused, 'Maybe I shouldn't tell them my real name in case it comes back to bite me.' Harry said out-loud. "My name is Harry Evans."

"I have never heard about the Evans family before," The man said skeptically, now seeing Harry as a potential danger.

"Well I am actually a half-blood," Harry clarified.

"Oh." The man seemed to curl his lip in disgust. "Well, I'll be on my way."

Harry watched the man leave until he was out of Harry's eyesight. Then, Harry checked the rest of his surroundings to see where he was located.

Harry then remembered Akili. "[Akili, are you alright?]" Harry asked worriedly.

Akili hissed back to Harry from inside his shirt, "[The purple-covered man's ritual made me tired. Do not bother me unless you are going to feed me.]" Akili said grumpily.

Harry decided to follow her instructions and continued to survey his environment.

Harry saw a mousy-looking witch coming out of what looked to be a bookstore. Harry quickly stood up and dusted himself off and asked the witch, "Sorry to interrupt you, but I am new around here and seemed to be lost. Could you point me in the direction of Gringotts?"

The witch started at Harry's sudden appearance but pointed down the street and said. "Just go down the street for a while and you can't miss it."

Harry thanked the witch and started walking in the direction the witch pointed out hoping he didn't make a mistake going through Merlin's ritual.