Friday, October 31st, 2081 – Lady Hermione Potter – 102; Lord Harry Potter – 101
Lord Harry Potter, 101, and his wife Lady Hermione Potter, 102, were currently sitting in a small meeting room, in the Department of Mysteries in the British Ministry of Magic.
Harry was staring at his reflection in a mirror, knowing quite well that the mirror was one-sided, and, on the other side was a glass window, looking in on the room he and his wife were sitting in. He also knew there were Unspeakables on the other side of the glass, though he didn't know how many.
Hermione also knew they were being watched, but she was looking everywhere but the mirror. She didn't want the Unspeakables to know that she was nervous and anxious. She and Harry had prepared for this meeting. She knew, after all, they wouldn't be here had they not agreed to have the meeting with the Unspeakables. But even now, after hours upon hours, over several days, of planning and discussion with Harry, she still wasn't completely sure they should be having this meeting.
"Are you sure we should be doing this, Harry?" Hermione asked, "We could leave right now. We're not prisoners here, after all."
"Are you sure about that?" Harry asked, giving Hermione a quick glance before he turned his gaze back to the mirror, "Yes, they told us we were not prisoners, but how do you know they don't see us as prisoners?"
Hermione frowned. Her husband had a very good point. Technically they had broken dozens upon dozens of laws: laws set by the Ministry of Magic, the Wizengamot, the International Confederation of Warlocks, and she couldn't forget the Muggle laws, though even after all these years of hard work she and Harry had done in the Ministry of Magic working to change such a thing, many wizards and witches in Great Britain still didn't respect Muggles, or their laws.
Okay, technically, Harry had broken the majority of those laws. Hermione was just an accomplice. Aiding and abetting, oh, she had allegedly done that countless times. Knowledge of crimes and holding back information – yep, she was allegedly guilty of that as well – on many counts.
The Department of Mysteries, and those Unspeakables on the other side of that mirror, they only cared about a few of those crimes – including the major one. Which was why Lord and Lady Potter were here. They had agreed to tell their story – the whole story – to the Unspeakables.
"They haven't even agreed on giving us complete blanket immunity if we tell them the story, Harry," Hermione said. "They haven't charged us yet. We could leave now."
"Then they would definitely charge us," Harry said, "We'd be fugitives."
"They would never catch us," Hermione said, "We both know that. And they would not dare touch our family and friends, even if we did run. They know we would destroy them if they even threatened to do so."
"You are aware they are listening to every word we say?" Harry said.
"Of course," Hermione said.
We both knew they would listen to every word we said, Hermione mused, We planned for that. We also planned for the words we aren't saying, and will never say, to anybody, including the Unspeakables. We've taken precautions to make sure that happens… even if they do try to use Veritaserum on us.
Harry sighed and turned to his wife. He took her hand in his and brought it to her lips, then kissed her knuckles.
"You're still as beautiful as the day you met me," Harry said.
"Pervert," Hermione said, fondly, "I was six. It is not okay to call a six-year old beautiful, especially the way you felt about her older self when you met her."
"I believe you've said that before," Harry said.
"Probably," Hermione said, "I would say you're just as handsome as the day I met you. But that would be a lie. I really liked the way you looked at that age."
"Are you calling me ugly?" Harry teased.
"No," Hermione said, "I just have my preferences for you when it comes to how you looked over the years, at different ages. You should only blame yourself for that, given that you met with me many times in different ages, throughout much of my developmental stages. Not to mention when I was just beginning to experience fancying people, even if they were innocent and harmless.."
"There's also the fact that versions of me in my twenties and thirties still visit you from time to time?" Harry asked, with a smirk.
"Yes," Hermione said, "Which is also your fault. Exactly how many more meetings am I going to have with yourself at younger ages?"
"You know I can never keep track," Harry said, "My memory isn't what it used to be. Especially now that I've passed the century mark."
"Not to mention all the knocks on your head you've received over the years," Hermione said, chuckling.
Harry snorted. "There's that too. I don't remember ever meeting you while we were in prison – be it Azkaban when it still existed, or the secret prison in the Department of Mysteries –" He looked back at the mirror, "- yes, we know about that, so don't deny it!" He turned back to Hermione, "- so I don't know if you're going to see younger me again. Of course, we might not end up in prison after all this. So you could still have future visits from my younger selves. I just hope my younger self continues to remember to warn me when he visits you."
Hermione huffed. "It is hardly my fault your younger self is turned on by his much older wife. Again, it is your fault. Both yourself and your younger versions. So don't blame me for it whenever your younger self visits because he wants to shag me. Remember, Potter, that was you, many years ago, so you have only yourself to blame. Literally."
"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Harry asked. "Saying all this, even though you know someone's listening on the other side of that mirror?"
"Yes," Hermione said, finally gazing at the mirror, "I know exactly who is listening on the other side."
Harry groaned. "I can't believe you still hold that grudge with her now. It's been eighty-plus years. Closer to ninety!"
"She tried to steal my husband," Hermione growled, "Of course I still have a grudge."
"I wasn't your husband at the time," Harry said, "Just your boyfriend, who she thought she could manipulate into breaking up with you."
"It wasn't just manipulation," Hermione growled. "She should be in prison – or dead – for what she attempted to do."
"You do realize her plots would have never worked, right?" Harry asked. "I mean… all that time, even at Hogwarts, you knew we were going to be married."
"I didn't know when we'd be married," Hermione said, "All you said was that I was your wife. I didn't know when that would happen, or what would happen before that time. Even as your girlfriend I still had many doubts."
"Yes, I remember," Harry said, "I also remember I didn't originally intend to admit that information – that we were married – when I did. I wanted you to be mostly through Hogwarts before you discovered that information. But no, you were able to get me to admit it."
"You had been married to my older self for several years by then," Hermione said, "Surely you already knew how easily I could get information out of you?"
"One of my weaknesses," Harry said, smiling, then he sobered. "I think we're about to have visitors."
Harry's gaze turned toward the door, and Hermione's did too. The door opened and two people in black robes, commonly seen on Unspeakables, stepped into the room. The first was Unspeakable Algernon Croaker, Head Unspeakable, and son of Saul Croaker, the former Head Unspeakable. The second was Ginny Weasley, whom Harry and Hermione Potter knew very well thanks to all the plotting she had attempted with her brother, Ron, and mother, Molly.
"Unspeakable Weasel," Hermione said, then cleared her throat, "Sorry… I meant 'Weasley'. You didn't care to greet us when we arrived a little while ago. Thought you could hide from us, did you? But we saw you."
"If I wanted to hide from you, I wouldn't be here now," Ginny said.
"Sit down, Unspeakable Weasley," Croaker said, "Do not speak unless I say you can!"
Ginny pouted, and sat down at the table, across from Harry.
"Do we really have to do this with her?" Harry asked Unspeakable Croaker, "As you can see, Unspeakable Weasley is no friend of ours."
"It is part of her retirement package," Croaker said, as he sat down beside Ginny. "We've finally given her permission to retire. She asked to participate in this interview, and we have decided to allow it, because we want to see how she behaves around the two of you."
Retirement package? Hermione mused, So they're finally letting her go after eighty-plus years. Of course, she would be in prison, or dead, if it wasn't for Croaker's father giving her an ultimatum to work in the Department of Mysteries instead. Yes, she's stayed away from us for all these years, but she still gets to have a life. She isn't a prisoner here in the Department of Mysteries. Far better than what she deserved. And now she gets to retire? Whatever…
"I think we should get started if we're really going to do this," Hermione said, "Remember, Croaker. Three hour interviews for the next five days, with breaks after each hour. That is what we agreed to."
"I remember, Lady Potter," Croaker said. "We are not backing out of the agreement. I promise you that."
"Shall we get started then?" Harry asked.
"We shall," Croaker said, "For your information, Unspeakable Weasley is mostly just here as the record-keeper for the interviews. She is allowed to ask questions from time to time, but I will mostly be the one asking the questions."
Ginny removed a notebook of parchment from her robes, along with some writing material, and set it all in front of her.
"You know, we don't really need a record-keeper," Hermione said, staring at Ginny.
Ginny narrowed her eyes in Hermione's direction. However, she did not reply verbally to Hermione's statement. Hermione was rather impressed by that.
"I'm afraid it is the Department of Mysteries policy," Croaker said.
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that," Hermione said, "I'm actually thinking about writing a book. The book would basically have everything Harry and I will be telling you over the next five days."
"Oh?" Croaker asked, "How fascinating? And what would the title of this book be called?"
"Well, to know that answer, you must understand," Hermione said. "This is a time traveling story. My husband, Harry Potter, is a time traveler, as you now know, after all these years. However this story is not just about a time traveler."
Hermione glanced over at Harry, who had a smirk on his face. He already knew what she was going to say. She'd given him this pitch before.
"It's the story of the time traveler's wife," Hermione finished.
"The Time Traveler's Wife," Croaker said, nodding and smiling, "A wonderful title. Has a nice hook to it, I must say."
"I thought so myself," Hermione said.
"Well, then, I am most eager to hear the story of 'The Time Traveler's Wife', Lady Potter," Croaker said, "So let's begin."
"One moment," Harry said, "I was under the impression you were going to give us Veritaserum for these interviews?"
Croaker smiled. "Only when I find it necessary. Such as, when I believe you are lying to me, or not telling me everything."
Hermione bit back a sigh of relief. She and Harry had predicted this, and had gone to painstaking lengths to prevent some of their secrets from being revealed. In fact, those secrets – those big secrets she and her husband had – neither of them knew those secrets right now. The only thing they did know about the secrets was that they were locked away inside one of their Pensieves, which was currently stored in one of their Vaults in Gringotts. A Vault that only the two of them could get into at the moment. So even if the Unspeakables tried to get them to reveal such secrets, neither Hermione nor Harry would be capable of doing so until they returned those memories into their heads.
"Very well then," Harry said. "Let us begin."
"Indeed," Croaker said, "Weasley, begin recording this session now. It is Friday, October 31st, also known as Halloween, in the year 2081. It is currently two-thirty-seven in the afternoon, British time. I am Unspeakable Algernon Croaker, Head of the Department of Mysteries, and I will be leading this interview. With me is Unspeakable Ginevra Weasley, who is the Scribe for the interview, and a secondary interviewer.
"With us are Harry and Hermione Potter, Lord and Lady of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter. They have agreed to sit down with us, and tell us about Lord Harry Potter's temporal abilities, and actions regarding temporal activity over the years, as well as Lady Hermione Potter's part in such temporal activity.
"I suppose I will begin this interview with an easy question: how did the two of you meet?"
Harry and Hermione looked at each other and started laughing. They had predicted this question right from the start. Ginny looked annoyed at their behavior, but Croaker looked amused, and interested.
"Do you find my question funny, Lord and Lady Potter?" Croaker asked.
"What you must understand, Unspeakable Croaker," Harry said, "Is this: we're dealing with time travel here. We met each other for the first time at completely different times in our lives. I met Hermione when I was eleven years old. I was in Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley. And Hermione walked up to me. But she knew my name, knew who I was. And it wasn't because of the 'Boy-Who-Lived thing. It was because she had already met me. The problem was… I had never met her before. I had a few experiences with time travel already, even though I didn't know until my eleventh birthday that I was a wizard. But at that moment, as we talked, I didn't realize it was my older self who had met Hermione."
"How old were you, Lady Hermione, when you first met Lord Potter?" Croaker asked.
"Okay, first off, please just call us 'Hermione' and 'Harry' respectively," Hermione said, "Thank you. To answer your question: I was six years old when I first met Harry. He was twenty-one the first time I met him. What I didn't know at the time, is that he was on his honeymoon, with an older version of me, and he had time traveled back to my first meeting with him."
"Was it deliberate, Harry?" Croaker asked.
"Do you mean did I choose to leave my honeymoon with my twenty-two year old wife to meet her when she was six years old?" Harry asked, "No. It wasn't deliberate. Up until I was roughly – oh, mid-forties or so – none of my time travel was deliberate, or my choice. If I was in my twenties or thirties now, at this moment in time, and I was sitting here with you, just like I am now, I'd have probably vanished from this room by now. There would be nothing of me except my clothes. Only my wand, and my invisibility cloak, has ever gone with me – after I started carrying them, of course. No, up until my mid-forties, I couldn't predict when I'd time-travel, or where and when I would end up in."
"Very fascinating," Croaker said, "We'll come back to that. Let's begin at the beginning. You were six years old when you first met Harry – a twenty-two year old Harry. How many times did you meet him before his eleven year old self met you for the very first time?"
"One-hundred and five times," Hermione said.
Croaker and Ginny looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione with wide eyes and their jaws dropped.
One-hundred and five times between the ages of six and eleven?" Croaker clarified. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure," Hermione said, "I had them all recorded in a notebook. You see, forty-two year old Harry – who had a photographic memory at the time – visited me the next time, and asked me to write down all 103 dates and times of the future visits – minus the two that already happened, of course."
"Why was that necessary?" Ginny asked, her first question of the interview.
Hermione frowned and looked at Harry.
"I already alluded to this, but I end up naked every single time I time travel," Harry said, "Sometimes, my temporal abilities mess with my magic. So I can't always conjure clothes. Hermione always had a box of clothes ready for me when I arrived to see her, when she was between the ages of six and eleven. And food. Time travel makes you hungry."
"Harry always arrived at the very same spot where we met every time he came to see me during my childhood," Hermione said, "The notebook told me when he would arrive. So I was always there five minutes before he arrived, to prepare for him."
"Almost always," Harry corrected his wife.
Hermione frowned. "Right. Almost always. Sorry. There were times I wasn't able to be there right when he arrived, for one reason or another."
Hermione's frown turned into a smile, and she looked at Croaker. "Anyway… shall we begin with the day I met Harry Potter for the first time?"