Saturday, October 31st, 1994
Director Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, stepped out of the Floo Network, turned and glared at Albus.
"Albus Dumbledore!" Amelia Bones screamed, "Why did I have to hear about the events of this evening from my niece, Susan?! Why didn't you tell me about it, immediately?!"
"I'm afraid I've been extremely busy since those events took place, Madam Bones," Albus said, "I've been entertaining my guests. In fact, Minerva was just about to contact you about everything that has happened. Weren't you, Minerva?"
"I was indeed getting ready to stand and contact you on Albus' Floo," Minerva said, "But you made your timely appearance."
"Also, Madam Bones, I'm afraid your dear niece didn't tell you everything that has happened this evening," Albus said, "Partially because she wasn't witness to the latter half of the events that have taken place, right here in this very office."
Amelia huffed. "Fine, I believe you. For now."
"Thank you," Albus said, "Now, for my benefit, can you please tell me what dear Susan informed you of?"
"She told me a fourth name came out of the Goblet of Fire this evening, Albus," Amelia said. "Four! There were supposed to only be three! And then… well…"
Amelia's eyes widened as she saw two of the older people that were in Albus' office with her.
"Then I assume she told you exactly what happened after Mr. Potter's name came out of the Goblet," Albus said, "Only… you were rather skeptical, right?"
"She told me that… that a portal of some kind opened in the air in the middle of the Great Hall," Amelia said, "And two people fell out of it. They revealed themselves as… Lord Harry Potter, and Lady Hermione Potter… and she said they were two older versions of her classmates! Of course I didn't believe her. After that I told her I'd come to Hogwarts to find out what really happened myself!"
"Well then, I think this is a most appropriate time to introduce our two guests," Albus said.
Lord Potter stood up, quickly followed by Lady Potter. Amelia's eyes widened, as she looked at the two figures.
"J-James?" Amelia stammered, as she gazed at Lord Potter.
"Madame Bones, it is a pleasure to see you again," Lord Potter said, "I am Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black, Head of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell, and Head of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Gryffindor."
"I am Lady Hermione Jean Potter," Lady Potter said, "Lady of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter, and Head of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Dagworth-Granger."
Amelia's jaw dropped as she looked at the pair.
"We're from the year 1998," Lord Potter said. "Halloween of 1998, precisely."
"N-nice to meet you, Lord and Lady Potter," Amelia said, "And – and you're the older versions of…"
Lord Potter looked at Harry and Hermione. Hermione stood up immediately, then Harry hesitated and stood up moments later.
"Hermione Granger, ma'am," Hermione said.
"Er… Harry Potter… ma'am," Harry said, shyly.
Amelia looked back and forth between the pair of Doppelgangers. She then walked over to Albus' desk, conjured a chair on the side of the desk, and sat down. The two pairs of Doppelgangers sat back down.
"I owe Susan an apology, it seems," Amelia said.
"Indeed," Albus said.
"I assume you've already figured out why these two are here, Albus?" Amelia asked.
"Given that the portal appeared moments after Mr. Potter's name appeared," Albus said, "And these two fell through it, I must assume the Goblet summoned Lord Potter, so he could compete instead of Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter is only fourteen years old. Lord Potter is eighteen, therefore…"
"It would be equal competition against the other three competitors," Amelia said, "if Lord Potter was chosen instead of Mr. Potter."
"Indeed," Albus said.
"And why were you Summoned too, Lady Potter?" Amelia asked.
"My husband and I were on our honeymoon," Lady Potter said, "We were just married yesterday, our time."
"Congratulations," Amelia said, "I'm guessing you believe your marriage vows are to blame for you being Summoned with your husband? Magical vows, I assume?"
"Yes," Lady Potter said, "They were made too recently. They're still connecting us, bonding us for life. We barely consummated our marriage, so…"
"Yes, I can see how that might have caused you to be Summoned with your husband," Amelia said; she then looked at the younger Harry. "So… I'm sorry, but I must ask. Mr. Potter, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?"
"I did not, Madam Bones," Harry said.
"Actually, we've discovered who the culprit is that put Mr. Potter's name in the Goblet of Fire, Madam Bones," Minerva said, "Which is part of the 'latter half of this evening's events' that Albus alluded to. The part that your niece knows nothing about."
"Oh?" Amelia asked, "And who is the culprit?"
"Bartemius Crouch," Albus said, then paused dramatically, and finished, "Junior."
"Barty, Junior's dead, Albus!" Amelia exclaimed, "He died in Azkaban!"
"Unfortunately, he did not," Albus said, "I do not know how he survived, but I am sure you can get those answers out of him this very evening. You see, he was posing as Alastor Moody, using Polyjuice Potion, and has been doing so since at least the first of September."
"A convicted Death Eater has been posing as a Professor of this school since the first of term!" Amelia shrieked, "He's been in close vicinity to hundreds of students! And that wasn't the first thing you informed me of when I got here!"
"Er… technically two Death Eaters have been in close vicinity since September first," Lord Potter said, "And one of them has been here much longer than that."
"She said 'convicted' Death Eater, dear," Lady Potter said.
"You were distracted by our wonderful guests, Madame Bones," Albus said, "And also by screaming at me for not contacting you earlier."
"Which you should have done!" Amelia exclaimed, "Where is Crouch, Junior? And please tell me his father is still in the castle?!"
"After Crouch, Junior was revealed, Professor Snape escorted him down to the cells in the dungeons," Albus said, "He was requested to find Crouch, Senior, and also discover where Junior has kept the real Alastor Moody imprisoned."
Amelia mouthed the name 'Snape'. Obviously she wanted to yell at Albus for trusting Snape with those tasks, but she likely knew what Albus would say. She'd obviously had the very same conversation about Snape with Albus before.
"Both Crouches better still be here, Albus," Amelia said, "Or you're going to be looking for a new Potions Master, because this one will be in Azkaban, TONIGHT, if Crouch, Junior escaped custody!"
"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about on that matter, Amelia," Albus said, calmly.
Amelia closed her eyes and made herself calm down. Then she opened her eyes again.
"Is there anything I need to talk to you two immediately about, Lord and Lady Potter?" Amelia asked, "Anything that I need to know, immediately. Anything that can't wait until – say – tomorrow when we can formally talk in a sit-down meeting just between the three of us?"
"Er.. what about Sirius?" Lord Potter asked, "She might be able to help us get him free."
"We can discuss that with her tomorrow," Lady Potter said. She's too focused on the Crouches tonight, so it isn't as if she'll be able to do anything immediately about Sirius if we tell her now.
"Not immediately, ma'am," Lord Potter said, "However, we do look forward to a sit-down meeting, tomorrow if you can."
"Tomorrow then," Amelia said, then turned to the Headmaster, "How long do you believe these two will be residents here, Albus?"
"That all depends on tomorrow evening," Albus said. "The Goblet of Fire is still active, because it hasn't confirmed which of these two young men – Mr. Potter or Lord Potter – is the fourth Champion. We will discover that tomorrow evening in the Great Hall. If Lord Potter is chosen as the Champion, then he and his wife will be residents here until, at least, the Third Task is finished. If not… they are free to go wherever they wish. There will be nothing else they need to do here at Hogwarts if Lord Potter is not Champion."
"Yeah, fuck you too, Albus," Lord Potter said, "If my Doppelganger is chosen, I'll be his Mentor for this Tournament. And you can't stop me."
"Of course he can't," Lady Potter said.
"I'll be here for that event then," Amelia said, "How about we have that meeting afterward, Lord and Lady Potter?"
"Of course," Lord Potter said.
"Do you know where they will be staying?" Amelia asked.
"The Head Students are not Gryffindors this year, much to my chagrin," Minerva said, "Therefore I was going to let them reside in the Gryffindor Head Boy's Room. I was going to escort them – and their counterparts – myself there, after the meeting."
"Sounds good to me," Albus said.
"Am I to understand Mr. Potter and Miss Granger will be staying with their Counterparts?" Amelia asked. "Why?"
"At least for this evening," Minerva said, "We do not want them to be interrogated about Lord and Lady Potter by the other students. Not before we can get the information out to the students ourselves."
"Yes, that does seem like a necessary precaution," Amelia said.
"Like all Head Student Rooms, and other Guest Quarters," Minerva said, "The Gryffindor Head Boy's Room can adjust for the user's needs. So in addition to Lord and Lady Potter's bedroom, I can request two additional bedrooms – temporary, of course – for Mr. Potter and Miss Granger this evening."
"A fine idea," Albus said. "Since I am sure you are anxious to meet our prisoner, Madam Bones, I think we can finish this meeting now. Thank you, Lord and Lady Potter, for the discussion we've had and the trust you've put in myself and Minerva for giving us such information. I look forward to any additional tidbits of information you'd be willing to give us in the future.
Lord Potter noticed that Amelia looked most curious of this 'information' the time-travelers had given Albus and Minerva.
"You're welcome, sir," Lord Potter said.
"Minerva, please escort Lord and Lady Potter, and Mr. Potter and Miss Granger to the Gryffindor Head Boy's Quarters," Albus said, "Madam Bones, if you will come with me. We will use my Floo Network to get down to the prison cells, post haste."
"Hold on, Albus," Amelia said, "I need to get in contact with a couple of Aurors to help me escort the prisoner to the Ministry, before we leave."
Albus looked ready to argue, but instead he just nodded. Instead of going over to the Floo, Amelia pulled out a communication mirror.
Meanwhile, Lord and Lady Potter, and Harry and Hermione stood, and followed Minerva out of the office, then headed off toward the Grand Staircase. Five minutes later, they were heading down the Seventh Floor Corridor in the direction of Gryffindor Tower.
"I'm sure, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, you have many questions for Lord and Lady Potter," Minerva said, "But I request that you hold off on those questions until tomorrow. It has been a very long evening, and I imagine Lord and Lady Potter wish to get settled in. When we reach the Head Boy's Quarters, I wish for you two – Mr. Potter, Miss Granger – to go into your selected rooms and remain there for the rest of the evening. Don't pester our guests until tomorrow. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," Hermione said, and Harry echoed her.
"Do you, by chance, Lord and Lady Potter, know where our destination is?" Minerva asked, "Were you the Head Boy and Head Girl in your Seventh Year?"
"I'm afraid we weren't here for our Seventh Year, Professor," Lord Potter said.
Harry and Hermione gasped, and Minerva looked at Lord Potter.
"We can't give you all the details yet," Lord Potter said, "But extenuating circumstances kept us from Hogwarts during our Seventh Year. We were needed elsewhere."
"I see," Minerva said, "I look forward to hearing all about that at a later date. Well then, you can have the opportunity you should have had, had you been here for your Seventh Year. I certainly would have made sure the two of you were Head Boy and Head Girl, after all. I brought up the idea for you to stay in these very Quarters, because I had assumed you had already used them before."
"Thank you, ma'am," Lady Potter said.
Soon, they reached a T-Cross in the corridor. Down one direction was where the Gryffindor Tower was located. Down the other direction was the portrait of Barnabus the Barmy, the Room of Requirement, and also another way to get to or from the Grand Staircase. However, Minerva McGonagall came to a stop and so did the two pairs of Doppelgangers. Across the corridor, there was a red-and-gold (Gryffindor colors) tapestry hung on the wall.
Minerva waved her wand, and the tapestry folded itself up toward the ceiling, revealing a door behind it. The two sets of Doppelgangers gasped at the sight of the door. They had never known this was here, even with the Marauder's Map.
Minerva muttered something under her breath, and they heard a mechanical sound. The Professor opened the door and led the couple inside. Lord Potter expected to enter a room, but found another corridor, this one narrower than the one they were just in. There were four doors along the walls of the corridor.
"The two doors on the left of the corridor," Minerva said, "lead to the Head Girl's and Head Boy's Private Quarters respectively. The Head Boy's Quarters, where you will be residing in for the foreseeable evening, Lord and Lady Potter – and for this evening at the very least, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger – is the door on the left at the end of the corridor. Percy Weasley enjoyed said room last year, although I'm sure his version of the Room looked quite different to what yours will look like. Across from the Head Boy's Quarters, a common room is used for the Head Boy and Head Girl and their guests to hang out together, since they are usually not given permission to go into each other's private quarters.
"This door here to our right used to be one of my two offices, back when I was merely the Head of Gryffindor, and not the Deputy Headmistress. Now, as you know, my only office is next to the Transfiguration classroom, even though I am still the Head of Gryffindor. Follow me, please."
Minerva led the two pairs of Doppelgangers down the corridor until they reached a portrait. The portrait had a knight (not Sir Cadogan, thankfully) riding – not a horse – but a Lion!
"This is Leon, and his trusty steed Leo," Minerva explained, "They are the guardians of the Gryffindor Head Boy's Private Quarters. He also has an identical portrait inside the Quarters. Leon, this is Lord and Lady Potter, and Mr. Harry Potter, and Miss Granger. Mr. Potter and Miss Granger will reside in your Quarters, at least for this evening and tomorrow. Lord and Lady Potter will be residents of your Quarters for the foreseeable future. I, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, ask you to change the inside of your Quarters. I want one bedroom fit for a married couple, and two separate bedrooms, one for a male student, and one for a female student."
"Accepted, Professor McGonagall," Leon said. "The Quarters have now been modified for your request. I believe the Lord and Lady Potter will find their bedroom to be most welcoming. I believe they will feel right at home."
"Thank you," Minerva said, then turned to Lord and Lady Potter, "What shall your password be?"
"Harmony," Lady Potter said.
Lord Potter smirked. "Harmony" was an inside joke between the pair. Luna Lovegood referred to them as such when she spoke of the two of them as a couple.
"Accepted!" Leon said, "Enter and be welcome, guests!"
The portrait swung open, revealing a doorway. Minerva motioned the two pairs of Doppelgangers inside, and Lord and Lady Potter entered first, followed by Harry and Hermione, then Minerva. Immediately they stepped into a large sitting room that was roughly half the size of the Gryffindor Common Room. Four comfortable chairs and a loveseat sat around a coffee table. Above the fireplace, another identical portrait of Leon and his noble Lion steed, Leo, was seen. Nearby, a beautiful fireplace had a lovely, roaring fire already lit. Situated around the room, four doors were built into the walls.
"Hello!" Leon said, from his portrait, "Be welcome! This is the sitting room for your Quarters. Around the room, are doors that lead into a bathroom and the three requested bedrooms. The bathroom is located through the door on your direct left. It has a sink, toilet, and combined bathtub and shower. The door next to that is the bedroom for young Mr. Potter. Directly across the room, the furthest door is Lord and Lady Potter's bedroom, fit for a married couple. It also has an en-suite bathroom. The last door is for Miss Granger. Enjoy!"
"Thank you, Leon," Minerva said. "Has Mr. Potter and Miss Granger's belongings been moved here for the remainder of their stay?"
"They have indeed!" Leon said, "Also, Professor McGonagall, I have become somewhat aware of the fact that Lord and Lady Potter had the misfortune of having none of their belongings brought with them. I believe they will find suitable clothing and other belongings in the drawers and closets in their bedroom. It is only temporary, for a few days, I believe, until Lord and Lady Potter can obtain new belongings."
"That is very generous," Lady Potter said, "Thank you, Leon."
"You're very welcome, m'lady," Leon said.
"Thank you, Leon," Minerva said, then turned to the two pairs of Doppelgangers. "Is there anything else I can do for you four this evening?"
After the other three appeared to have nothing to say, Lord Potter spoke up.
"I think we're set, Professor," Lord Potter said.
"Then I will leave you," Minerva said, "Remember, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, no more questions for Lord and Lady Potter this evening. If they allow it, you may ask them questions tomorrow. Head straight to your bedrooms, please."
"Yes, ma'am," Hermione said, and Harry echoed her.
"Good night, all of you," Minerva said.
She immediately turned and left the Quarters. Harry and Hermione looked at their older Doppelgangers, and for a moment, looked as if they wanted to disregard Professor McGonagall's orders. Then Hermione sighed and spoke up.
"Good night, Harry, Lord and Lady Potter," Hermione said.
The three bid her good night, and she headed across the room, then vanished into her bedroom. Harry shyly said good night, and retreated into his own bedroom as well.
"Shall we head to our room and see what awaits us?" Lady Potter asked.
Lord Potter agreed and followed his wife into the bedroom.