The alley was silent.
Cold London wind moved between the buildings like a quiet warning.
At the end of the street stood the tall, dark structure that secretly hid the entrance to the Ministry of Magic.
To ordinary people, it looked like nothing more than an old office building.
But to witches and wizards, it was one of the most heavily protected places in Britain.
Albus stared at it.
"This is it?"
Delphi nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Scorpius looked up at the towering building.
"You know… most criminals start with smaller crimes."
Delphi smiled faintly.
"This one matters."
---
They approached the entrance slowly.
The street lamps flickered softly.
Cars passed occasionally in the distance.
But the doorway itself was completely empty.
Delphi pointed toward an old red telephone box standing beside the pavement.
Albus immediately recognized it.
"Wait… that's the visitor entrance."
Years ago, his father had told him about it.
The public entrance to the wizard government.
Delphi stepped inside the phone booth.
"Come on."
The boys squeezed inside.
The door shut with a quiet click.
The interior smelled faintly of dust and metal.
A cracked telephone hung from the wall.
Scorpius stared at it.
"We're supposed to call the government?"
Delphi picked up the receiver.
She dialed several numbers quickly.
The phone clicked.
A calm female voice spoke.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
Delphi replied smoothly,
"Delphi Diggory. Visiting the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
The voice paused.
Then said,
"Thank you."
The phone booth suddenly began descending.
The floor sank slowly underground.
Scorpius grabbed the wall.
"I hate this."
Albus watched through the glass windows as they descended deeper and deeper beneath the city.
Finally the booth stopped.
The doors opened.
Before them stretched a massive golden hall.
The atrium of the Ministry.
Bright fireplaces lined the walls.
Tall golden statues stood in the center fountain.
Even at night, several witches and wizards moved through the room carrying files and documents.
Scorpius whispered,
"This place is enormous."
Delphi stepped out calmly.
"Stay close."
---
They moved quickly through the atrium.
Albus kept his head down.
His heart pounded every time someone passed them.
Several Ministry employees hurried past without paying attention.
But Albus still felt certain someone would recognize him.
After all, his father worked here.
Harry Potter was one of the most famous Aurors in the building.
If anyone saw Albus—the plan would collapse instantly.
Delphi led them toward a large set of golden elevators.
They stepped inside.
The doors slid closed.
A mechanical voice spoke.
"Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
The elevator began descending.
Scorpius leaned close to Albus.
"We are definitely going to prison."
Albus whispered back,
"Relax."
"I'm not good at relaxing during felonies."
---
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened into a long corridor filled with dark wooden doors.
Delphi walked quickly down the hallway.
She stopped in front of a heavy metal door.
Two magical guards stood nearby.
Albus froze.
"This is bad."
But Delphi stepped forward confidently.
"Evening."
One guard nodded politely.
"Late night?"
"Always," Delphi replied smoothly.
The guards barely looked at the boys.
Scorpius blinked in surprise.
"They didn't even question us."
Delphi smiled faintly.
"Confidence is powerful magic."
---
Inside the room beyond the door was something entirely different.
Rows of glowing magical artifacts filled glass display cases.
Ancient wands.
Cursed objects.
Dark magical tools seized from criminals.
The Department of Magical Artifacts.
Scorpius whispered,
"This place is terrifying."
Delphi led them deeper into the room.
Finally they reached a small vault at the back.
A thick steel door sealed the entrance.
Delphi turned to Albus.
"This is it."
His heart began racing.
"Inside?"
"Yes."
She pulled a small silver key from her cloak.
The lock clicked open.
The door creaked slowly.
Inside the vault was a single object resting on a velvet pedestal.
A golden hourglass surrounded by delicate rotating rings.
The final surviving Time-Turner.
Albus stepped closer.
His voice was barely a whisper.
"It's real."
Delphi nodded.
"Very real."
Scorpius stared at the device.
"You're telling me that little thing controls time?"
Delphi picked it up carefully.
The rings rotated softly around the hourglass.
Ancient magic hummed through the air.
"This version is far more powerful than the old ones."
Albus swallowed.
"How far back can it go?"
Delphi looked directly at him.
"Decades."
The weight of those words filled the vault.
Scorpius spoke quietly.
"If we do this… everything changes."
Delphi handed the Time-Turner to Albus.
The metal felt warm in his hand.
"Then let's change it."
Albus hesitated only a moment.
Then he turned the hourglass.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The air exploded with spinning light.
The room vanished.
The world twisted violently.
History itself began to unravel.
And the three of them were thrown backward through time.
Toward the moment that would change everything.
The Triwizard Tournament.
And the death of Cedric Diggory.
---